Search - Steve Green :: Mission

Steve Green Peaks On This Recording

Maestroh | Dallas Theological Cemetery | 12/22/2005

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I entered college in the fall of 1987 and received Jesus Christ as Savior on November 30, 1987. I began listening to Christian music, and my voice instructor pointed me toward Steve Green because both he and I are/were first tenors. I didn't know what to expect, but I borrowed a friend's copy of "He Holds The Keys." On June 4, 1988, Steve Green came to my town where I saw him in concert. And ever since then I've been hooked. I own - literally - every single recording he has made including the Spanish ones. I rate this one as the cream of the crop. It has never been surpassed, and I cannot imagine that it ever will be.



The cover artwork is a little drab. But the music is its own little symphonic poem. It begins with a call to worship entitled, "I Call You To Praise." It immediately launches into an anthem, "Symphony of Praise," a song that declares God's glory visible in all of creation from the seasons to the morning light to the winds and oceans.



A slight slowing of the pace (though admittedly not much) is found in "Mourning Into Dancing," a toe tapper that, in my view, is the weakest track on the recording. "The Mission" follows, an admittedly strange title for a song but a passionate declaration of the Christian mission - whether 'across the street or around the world' we are to 'proclaim and live the truth in Jesus' name.' A reflective somber tune, "The Refiner's Fine" finishes out side one of the cassette version.



"Children Are A Treasure" opening side two sounds one of the enduring themes in Green's music, family. From "Household of Faith" to "Cherish The Treasure" before and "God Causes All Things To Grow" later (on the "Where Mercy Begins" CD), Green celebrates the family as God's greatest human gift. In this song, he gives praise to God for children.



Fittingly, the recording moves to "Guard Your Heart," a song that begins with "Be Careful Little Eyes What You See" sung by a talented children's choir. It is about the need to guard one's heart with an implied message of sexual purity both explicitly and implicitly (pornography for example). This goes into a similar type song, "Embrace The Cross." This song is special to me because my son used to kick every time he heard it when my wife was pregnant. He would kick on the part of 'O wondrous cross' and all those high notes in that chorus.



"The Victor" demonstrates a change of pace and hardly sounds like a song that could have been written in 1976 and performed by the late Keith Green. Steve Green soars high above the music staff like he did on earlier songs "He Holds The Keys" and "We Have Seen God's Glory." The album ends with "Anthem," a perfect morning devotional song written by Michael W. Smith. And a simple listen makes it CLEAR it is from the 1980s version of Michael W. Smith.



This is his finest hour. The CDs that follow this should be compared to this five-star output. An excellent Christian recording that does not dilute the message but proclaims it uncompromisingly."