A band of fresh-faced 21-year-olds may not be the average person's most obvious source for life wisdom and spiritual depth, but the risk is worth the reward-at least with All Things New, the surprisingly insightful act just inked to BEC Recordings. All Things New released their debut, self-titled album on BEC Recordings April 2, 2013.

 

Although the members of this worshipful, contemporary, and often folksy Florida quartet could talk about their childhood like it was yesterday, because it practically was, the songs they write and sing on All Things New already contain the clarity of a hard-won life lesson: things break apart in this world, but God restores them.

 

"I feel like these are songs that people need right now. They carry the message of redemption and freedom in Christ who came and died for us while we were still sinners," says lead singer Garrett Hornbuckle. "All Things New is just so eager to share that hope."

On the surface, Hornbuckle, drummer Luke Wycuff, bassist Joshua Schou, and guitarist Jeff Stein are young, easygoing, and stylish, but dig a little deeper and you'll find godly men who know too much too soon about broken homes, broken faith, and broken hearts.
 

From those experiences, All Things New wrote its first single, "New Man," a strong opening statement about how God creates beauty from ashes. Combining heartfelt vocals, muscular musicianship, and a graceful string section, the song grips listeners with a compelling force comparable to chart toppers like Tenth Avenue North. 

I had the opportunity to interview lead singer Garrett Hornbuckle about "New Man."

 

Please tell me the background story behind the song "New Man."
 

The story comes from my life and what I've been through. I was born in Nashville, but moved to Deltona, Florida, after my father, a country music song promoter, left our family. I was two, my sister was six, and my mom was pregnant with my younger sister. At that time, I really didn't understand what was going on or the concept of my dad leaving. I just felt like something was wrong, and that something wasn't right with me that would make my dad want to leave.

I started to believe the lies that the enemy told me about myself. I thought I wasn't good enough; maybe I said the wrong things, and had done something wrong that my dad didn't want to be with us. Chaotic times followed. My mom got remarried was I was nine. Their marriage was broken on so many levels. My new stepfather was verbally abusive and emotionally vacant. Our home was chaotic, and he ended up leaving when I was 14. My sister was addicted to drugs, and home was somewhere I never wanted to be.

I searched for acceptance and love in everything but Jesus Christ. I looked for acceptance in sports, relationships, girls. I thought if I found acceptance, I would find love and fill the void in my heart. The more I searched, the lonelier and emptier I felt. By high school graduation, my mom was being evicted from their house, and my older sister was in prison for drug use.

I met a youth pastor who started investing in my life and believed in me, and encouraged me to lead worship for youth group. He told me that he believed in me, and that there was something great about me. I had never heard anyone say these things to me before. Then I started to read the Word, and I realized that if I am in Jesus Christ, I am a new creation.

 

Did you base the song on any Bible verses? 
 

Isaiah 61:3: To console those who mourn in Zion, To give them beauty for ashes, The oil of joy for mourning, The garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; That they may be called trees of righteousness, The planting of the Lord, that He may be glorified."

 

...John 3:1-8: There was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews. This man came to Jesus by night and said to Him, "Rabbi, we know that You are a teacher come from God; for no one can do these signs that You do unless God is with him." Jesus answered and said to him, "Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God." Nicodemus said to Him, "How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter a second time into his mother's womb and be born?" Jesus answered, "Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. Do not marvel that I said to you, ‘You must be born again.' The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear the sound of it, but cannot tell where it comes from and where it goes. So is everyone who is born of the Spirit."

 

...and 2 Corinthians 5:17: Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.

 

What's the take-away message for listeners? 
 

If I am in Jesus Christ, I have been made whole. I have made new, and I am redeemed. He's turned my ashes into beauty. From that redeeming power of Christ, I am restored with my stepdad now. I have seen the power of restoration in my life. Today I am in contact with all of my parents and former stepparents and I am hopeful about my sister who was addicted to drugs. She's now been clean for a year.

It is so cool to see the healing power of Christ if you let His redemption into your life. It doesn't matter what you or I have been through. Because of the Cross, and because of the sacrifice of Jesus, we have been made new. In Christ you are worthy and you are whole. We've already had people tell us they've been impacted by our song.

About a month ago, a girl came up to our merchandise table after our concert and told me our song had changed her life. She showed us her cuts and scars on her arms, and she was listening to "New Man" and even though she never felt worthy, or good enough for anyone, and no self confidence. She heard the song and told us she just wept, and realized that God has turned her ashes to beauty and has redeemed her. She stopped cutting, and felt a renewal in Christ. That's one of many stories that has been very moving and encouraging to us.

 

 

For Nicodemus, the concept of not being part of God's kingdom unless he was personally born again was a revolutionary idea. Like Nicodemus, we must examine Jesus for ourselves; others cannot do it for us. If we believe Jesus is who He says, we will want to speak up for Him. Christians are brand-new people on the inside. The Holy Spirit gives us new life and we are not the same anymore. We are new creations and we need to live as children of God.

 

"New Man" is a great song celebrating the freedom we have in Christ when we are "born again." In today's secular culture, it is radical for people to accept that the entrance requirements for Heaven are repentance and spiritual rebirth. God is looking for spiritual growth from His followers. Are you allowing God to grow you spiritually? 

 

This song is a personal testimony to the power of redemption. The song has quickly become one of my daily devotional prayers of thankfulness to God for showing me grace and forgiveness in spite of my failures. We serve a loving and merciful God who accepts us as we are, not who we pretend to be. These lyrics are a great prayer of confession for the redeemed: "I try to find my worth / In things that didn't work / My confidence was broken / I was hopeless / But God, You have made me new." Amen.

 

(Watch the lyric video here.)