All For Christ

All For Christ was published by Survivor Kingsway in February 2010 and is our 8298th best seller. The ISBN for All For Christ is SURCD5165.

With his background in theology (a degree from Durham and an MA from King’s College, London), Nick comes to the table with a different set of credentials to most worship leaders. But does that make his songs read like a phd thesis?
“No. Worship has to be accessible – I learnt that from the year I spent at Trent Vineyard, Nottingham,” explains Nick. “But the content matters, and I want to take people on a journey into a deeper experience.”

It’s a theme that is familiar to all in his church – where Anglican tradition and charismatic worship sit side by side – and the album (produced by brothers Matt and Dan Weeks) scores big on space.

“That’s the sound of the album: organic – piano, drums – stripped back, simple, something that lets the music and instruments speak. Rather than turn out an iPod playlist of worship tracks we’re trying to take people somewhere. We wanted it to work as a journey, something that starts with an invite to worship and that then moves into a more reflective world. At the end we arrive at the destination: a beautiful old hymn that’s been re-worked.”

That first song, the stirring and captivating title track (co-written with Nick Herbert) draws the listener in with a call for complete surrender. Inspired by the classic ‘All For Jesus I Surrender’, Nick’s opener has all the hooks and musical topography to reach as high as any. Then ‘His Name Shall Be honoured’ shares the sense of the whole congregation singing in unison, but this time it is the eternal song of heaven that gets repeated.

“’Have Mercy On Me’ is a really personal worship song,” says Nick. “It’s based on the repentance of Psalm 51, but with a twist. It’s not all downbeat tones and introspection – the chorus becomes this really bold declaration.” He’s right: as we sing about God’s life in us being ‘like gold in a jar of clay’ there’s something to get properly excited about.

Just like the song ‘Worthy’. Written with Nick’s wife, Becky, and Ben Cantelon, it grows into a cascading flow of truths about who Jesus is. With music that perfectly matches the spirit of the song, ‘Worthy’ is another of those tracks that refuses to stay silent.
Together these eight songs that combine to make up ‘All For Christ’ serve as a brilliant introduction to a clearly emerging talent. Nick’s journey of worship towards that deeper experience and brighter encounter is one that we all ought to be travelling a whole lot more.