Band members
* Leeland Mooring - Lead vocal, Guitars
* Casey Moore - lead guitar, background vocals
Touring musicians
Josias Badillo - bass guitar
Payden Hilliard - drums
David Ramirez - keys
Former Band members
* Jack Mooring - Backing vocal, Keyboard (2004-2015)
* Mike Smith - Drums (2004-2015)
* Shelly Mooring - Backing vocal, Bass (2011-2015)
* Jeremiah Wood (2002-2006)
* Austin Tirado (2006-2007)
* Matt Campbell (2007-2009)
* Jake Holtz (2002-2011)
Beginnings
At the age of 11, Leeland Mooring wrote his first song, "Shine". After having a successful performance of it at a church in Illinois while the Moorings were touring the United States as evangelists, he felt a spiritual calling towards music. His mother, Cyndy Mooring, entered him in a contest in Nashville, Tennessee at the age of 14, and was a finalist in the songwriting and artist divisions. Although he did not win, one of the contest judges, Kent Coley, took interest in the young teen. He is now their manager. Later at the age of 15 he attracted the attention of Eddie DeGarmo, President of EMI CMG Publishing, and signed a songwriting contract with EMI CMG Publishing. While practicing after youth group, Leeland, his older brother Jack, their cousin Jake Holtz, and two close friends from church, Mike Smith and Jeremiah Wood, realized they had become a band. They decided to use Leeland's name for the band because they liked the way it sounded. They later started practicing in the night at a funeral home.
The band has worked closely with Christian music legend Michael W. Smith. Leeland Mooring co-wrote seven songs on Smith's new album, Stand, while Jack Mooring married Smith's daughter Whitney Smith-Mooring on June 1, 2007.
Discography
* Sound of Melodies (2006)
* Opposite Way (2008)
* Love Is on the Move (2009)
* The Great Awakening (2011)
* Invisible (2016)
Sound of Melodies (2005-2007)
The band's debut album, Sound of Melodies, was released in the USA on August 15, 2006. At the 49th Grammy Awards on December 7, 2006, the album was nominated for "Best Pop/Contemporary Gospel Album". Sound of Melodies was also released in Japan on March 21, 2007, with the title song "Sound of Melodies" peaking at #6 on the general Japan radio chart.
Opposite Way (2008-2009)
Their second album Opposite Way, released on February 26, 2008, received success in its first few weeks of release. In its debut week, Opposite Way reached #1 on the iTunes Christian Albums chart. By March 15, 2008, it had reached a peak position of #72 on the Billboard Top 200 albums. Since September 2007, Leeland has been on "The Altar and the Door Tour" with Grammy Award-winning band Casting Crowns, which will continue until May 1, 2008.
Love Is on the Move (2009-present)
Leeland's third studio album, titled Love Is on the Move, is scheduled for release on August 25, 2009 in the United States.
Changes in membership and label
In early 2011, only a few months before the release of their fourth studio album, bassist Jake Holtz left the band to pursue a career with the US Army.Leeland's fourth studio album, The Great Awakening, was released on September 20, 2011.
In September 2015, Leeland announced via YouTube that they would be joining Bethel Music as part of the Bethel Music Collective,after Leeland Mooring and Casey Moore established an organic friendship with Bethel's founding member, Brian Johnson.Leeland's fifth full-length studio album, Invisible, was released on July 22, 2016. It is the first album the band has released under the Bethel label, with Brian Johnson featuring on the song "Son Was Lifted Up".
Touring
Leeland performed at all the Student Life "Clarity" conferences in 2007. In late 2007, they were on The Altar and the Door tour with Casting Crowns and John Waller, which started September 27, 2007 and ended December 2, 2007. They are currently on the spring leg of the tour, which began on January 31, 2008 and will end May 1.Leeland made their Canadian debut in Ottawa, Ontario at the Life Centre during the annual Shift Conference on March 10-11, 2007.
In September 23, 2009, the band will launch their "Follow You Tour", co-headlining with Brandon Heath and featuring Francesca Battistelli as an opening act.
Grammy Award nominations
2007: Best Pop/Contemporary Gospel Album - Sound of Melodies GMA Dove Award nominations
In 2007 they were nominated for five GMA Dove Awards in the categories New Artist of the Year, Rock/Contemporary Recorded Song of the Year (for the song "Sound of Melodies"), Worship Song of the Year (for "Yes You Have"), Rock/Contemporary Album of the Year and Praise & Worship Album of the Year.
In 2008, their song "Tears of the Saints" was nominated for two Dove Awards: "Song of the Year" and "Pop/Contemporary Recorded Song of the Year". Leeland Mooring was nominated for "Songwriter of the Year", and co-writer with Michael W. Smith for "Be Lifted High" in the "Inspirational Recorded Song of the Year" category.
Enter This Temple
Leeland Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
All our hope rests in Your Cross
God of strength, our weakness shows
We need You
We need You, Lord
Father, enter this temple
Come touch Your people
And children living as their Father
Washed in pure water
We need to be like You are
We are searching for Your presence
We are knocking on Your door
Let Your wings cover us with promise
For communion
For communion
To be like You are
To be where You are
Father, come touch Your people
To be where You are
To be like You are
The opening lines of Leeland's song "Enter This Temple" convey a poignant message about the state of humanity - we are living in a world that has lost its way, and the only hope we have is in God's cross. This sets the tone for the rest of the song, as the lyrics continue to express a deep longing for God's presence and his transformative power in our lives.
The chorus implores God to "enter this temple", which has a dual meaning - it can refer to the physical space in which the song is being sung, but it also represents the human heart and soul as a temple that God can inhabit. The lyrics express the desire for God to touch his people, bringing them to a place of communion and closeness with him.
Overall, "Enter This Temple" is a heartfelt prayer for God's presence, and a recognition of our own brokenness and need for his strength. It affirms the belief that God can transform us and make us more like him, as we strive to follow in his footsteps.
Line by Line Meaning
We are saved in a world that's lost
We have found salvation in a world that is filled with darkness and chaos.
All our hope rests in Your Cross
Our hope of eternal salvation is founded on the sacrifice you made on the cross.
God of strength, our weakness shows
We acknowledge how weak and helpless we are in comparison to you, God.
We need You
We are fully aware of our dependency on you, Lord.
We need You, Lord
We seek your guidance and help constantly without your presence we are nothing.
Father, enter this temple
God, please enter our lives and fill us with your holy spirit.
Come touch Your people
Please make your presence known to us, and comfort us with your love.
We need to be where You are
We long to be in your presence, Lord.
And children living as their Father
As your children, we strive to live our lives like Jesus did.
Washed in pure water
We seek to be cleansed and purified by the water of baptism.
We need to be like You are
We want to embody your teachings and lead a life that is pleasing to you, Lord.
We are searching for Your presence
We are actively seeking your presence in our lives.
We are knocking on Your door
We ask for entrance into your heart, Lord.
Let Your wings cover us with promise
We ask for your protection and guidance, and for the promises of the gospel to be fulfilled in our lives.
For communion
We ask for fellowship and connection with you, Lord.
To be like You are
We desire to take on your traits and embody your example, Lord.
To be where You are
We long to be in your presence, Lord.
Father, come touch Your people
God, please reveal yourself to us and embrace us with your love.
Lyrics © OBO APRA/AMCOS
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