Unspoken is a 4-member band composed of lead singer Chad Mattson, bassist Jon Lowry, guitarist Mike Gomez and drummer Ariel Munoz. We were first introduced to original compositions from Unspoken with the group's debut Centricity Music EP Get to Me, which featured the hit song "Who You Are." They followed that up with their EP The World Is Waking, which featured the hit "Lift My Life Up."

The band's full-length eponymous album, Unspoken, includes the aforementioned songs, along with previously digital only releases "Walking Away," "Everything," "Bury the Workman" and the vertical worship song "In Your Hands." There were an additional six new songs for that album, which was one of my Top 5 Albums of 2014.

The extended introduction to this great new band was a novel approach, building in some radio airplay and name recognition to propel this very talented musical act forward on their journey of faith. That faith journey continues with their acoustic album, Unspoken Unplugged, available everywhere May 19. The lead single "Start a Fire" has been a huge success for the band, and I had the chance to speak with Chad and Ariel in-person about their next single "Good Fight."

Please tell me the personal story behind this song.

Chad: It's funny because this song, of all the songs on the album, took the longest to write. Nowadays we write songs with a community of good friends. Tyrus had an idea for this song "Good Fight," and I immediately really liked it. The title and everything about it connected with me. There haven't been any songs about it, and yet it's a concept found in the Bible in two different Scripture references by Paul. 

It's one of those things where I was excited to sing a song about the good fight, especially with my past and different struggles I've gone through, having dealt with addiction. Also just in living life and struggling with patience, kindness, the fruit of the Spirit, and my relationships and being a father and a husband. In ministry, we've been plugging away with no real pay-off if you're looking from the outside and not spiritually. My friends think we're nuts as we've been struggling, working two jobs and not really providing for our families and dealing with our own battles whether in our own minds or physically that we've had to fight through. 

We came up with the verses for the song right away, and they're not even specific to Christianity, as there's a common thread to all humans of the tension of fighting through and pushing through life. We didn't mean it that way, but it turned out that way. We had the song for about a year, and as we were getting ready to record the album we were out on tour with Big Daddy Weave. In the final two weeks before recording the album we were able to write a new melody, and we finished the song.

Which Bible verses connect to the message of the song?

1 Timothy 6:12 (NKJV): Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, to which you were also called and have confessed the good confession in the presence of many witnesses.

2 Timothy 4:7 (NKJV): I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.

What is the takeaway message?

Chad: I like the song because it reminds me to keep pushing through the tension, opposition and confrontation in life that is part of our walk with the Lord. What we have to do is continue to ask God how He wants us to deal with that. 

You see the phrase "fight the good fight" twice in the letters from Paul to Timothy. In 1st Timothy, Paul tells Timothy to lay hold of eternal life and fight the good fight of faith, and then in 2nd Timothy, Paul tells him that he's fought the good fight of faith. The thing to think about through having grown up flip-flopping in my Christianity and riding the fence for so long, I'm realizing now that finishing the good fight of faith is more important than the beginning of this race of life. 

A lot of us focus on the beginning, and we settle in our Christianity and walking with God, and we start strong but don't finish strong. I see that a lot. Those verses in 1st and 2nd Timothy continue to remind me to finish strong, reminding me to stay close to Jesus, read His Word, pray and ask God's Word to change our hearts and reveal Himself and keep pushing. The song resonates with me. Keep fighting the good fight and persevere.

Lyrics:
Until you stop breathing
Until you stop bleeding
Until your heart stops kick-drum beating
When it's hard times
When it's long days
And the enemy is right up in your face
When your back's against the ropes and you're feeling all alone

Keep fighting the good fight (Never give up, never give up)
Keep letting your light shine (Holding it high as long as you live)
'Cause I'm never gonna leave you
Always gonna see you through to the other side
Keep fighting the good fight, fighting the good, fighting the good fight, good fight

Even in the road blocks (yeah)
Even through the rough spots
When you're feeling you've given all that you've got
With you you in the next step
Giving you in the next breath
I'll be the voice saying "You're gonna make it"
When you're out there on your own 
You are never alone

Keep fighting the good fight (Keep fighting the good fight) (Never give up, never give up)
Keep letting your light shine (Keep letting your light shine) (Holding it high as long as you live)
'Cause I'm never gonna leave you
Always gonna see you through to the other side
Keep fighting the good fight, fighting the good, fighting the good fight, good fight

Just keep on singing (Keep on singing)
And keep on dancing (Just keep on dancing)
Joy will be your banner
And My love will be your anthem
And you may never know what your tomorrow holds
But you can know that I am holding your tomorrow

Keep fighting the good fight, Keep letting your light shine
Keep fighting the good fight (Keep fighting the good fight) (Never give up, never give up)
Keep letting your light shine (Keep letting your light shine) (Holding it high as long as you live)
'Cause I'm never gonna leave you
Always gonna see you through to the other side
Keep fighting the good fight, fighting the good, fighting the good fight, good fight

If you want to experience an uplifting, soul-stirring and "gourmet" worshipful album, look no further than Unspoken. "You can silence the voices, but you can't stop the song, when the Spirit's moving, His will, will be done, you can bury the workman but the work will go on" is the refrain of the Mark 13:31 inspired sing-along anthem "Bury the Workman." With this excellent album, Unspoken is offering a great example of how you can write and sing lyrics that are unashamed of the Gospel of Jesus Christ and reach the lost with transparent confessions of faith. Every thought and lyric in this song and this album is rooted in Scripture, which I admire.

Throughout the album, I love the confessional and biblical lyrics, and Mattson's emotive vocals cause me to hang on every word he sings. Unspoken is the best new band to hit the Christian music since Sidewalk Prophets, in my opinion. The album is chock full of potential radio singles, and every song is completely captivating. If you've been desperately waiting for a fresh filling of Christ-focused catchy songs about relying completely on God's grace, then don't miss out on this incredible album. 

An acoustic version of "Good Fight" also appears on the new album Unspoken Unplugged along with five new songs. What's awesome about this upbeat song is that it provides encouragement and personal motivation to fight the good fight of faith and finish the race of life strong. It connects to Paul's letter from 1st Corinthians 9 where he talks about running the race. 2nd Timothy addresses Paul finishing the race after over 30 years of ministry.

It also addresses the spiritual fight that we all face daily. We think of the physical realm, but God doesn't give us temptations that we can't overcome. Satan gives us temptations, which God considers trials that we can overcome. God wants us to be refined and gives us a way out. Chad's story of overcoming his addiction in "My Recovery" is celebrated in "Good Fight." Whatever struggle you are facing, "Keep fighting the good fight, keep letting your light shine." Amen to that!

(Watch the band sing the song here.)