Georgia rock band Third Day has returned with its newest studio album Revival, a project which sees members Mac Powell, Mark Lee and David Carr returning to their southern rock roots. Third Day released their self-titled label debut album back in 1996. Later, listeners would be moved by their 1999 release Time and 2000's worship release Offerings. The band has been a constant companion on my personal faith journey with songs like "Love Song," "My Hope is You," "Your Love Oh Lord" and "I've Always Loved You."

Since those early releases, they have become one of the biggest names in Christian music. Their catalog also includes the hit songs, "Cry Out to Jesus," "Nothing Compares," "Revelation," "Call My Name," "Trust in Jesus," "I Need a Miracle" and "Soul on Fire." Revival is a musical return to the southern rock roots of those early albums and includes the sincere biblical language that they've been known for. I had the chance to speak with Mark Lee about "Revival."

Please tell me the personal story behind this song.

I think we knew once we recorded the song that it would be the title track for the album. The song has that feel and captured the fun spirit we had in writing for and recording the album. We had fun times in the studio, and the message of the song is so pertinent to what's going on in the world today. 

We were out on tour in the spring, and we were figuring out what our next album was going to be about. We watched a documentary about making music in Muscle Shoals in Alabama, and it made us think about going back there to make this album. Mac is from Alabama, and we've been talking about it for 20 years. There was something cool about being in that legendary studio, and after seeing that documentary we made it happen. 

Monroe Jones produced our albums Time, Offerings and Come Together, which are some of our favorite albums and our fans' favorite albums. He has a way of capturing the sound of a band in a room having fun making music together. At the heart of it, I think that's what people want to hear when they listen to an album. That's what we were going for with this song and album. We took our core band members and our touring musicians with us, and we all went into the studio together instead of piecemeal style. We had about 8 people in the studio. For this song in particular, all of that coalesced, and I feel like musically and lyrically everything worked together. A lot of fans consider Time their favorite album. I can't tell you the whole songwriting story, Mac brought the chorus to us and it easily came together to us as we finished it.
 
Which Bible verses connect to the message of the song?

2 Chronicles 7:14 (NKJV): "If My people who are called by My name will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and return from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land."
 
Mark 16:15-16 (NKJV): "And He said to them, 'Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature. He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned.'"
 
Matthew 28:18-20 (The Voice): "Jesus came forward and addressed His beloved disciples. I am here speaking with all the authority of God, who has commanded Me to give you this commission: Go out and make disciples in all the nations. Ceremonially wash them through baptism in the name of the triune God: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Then disciple them. Form them in the practices and postures that I have taught you, and show them how to follow the commands I have laid down for you. And I will be with you, day after day, to the end of the age."

Acts 1:7-8 (MSG): He told them, "You don't get to know the time. Timing is the Father's business. What you'll get is the Holy Spirit. And when the Holy Spirit comes on you, you will be able to be my witnesses in Jerusalem, all over Judea and Samaria, even to the ends of the world."

Philippians 2:14-16 (NIV): "Do everything without complaining or arguing, so that you may become blameless and pure, children of God without fault in a crooked and depraved generation, in which you shine like stars in the universe as you hold out the Word of life--in order that I may boast on the day of Christ that I did not run or labor for nothing."

What is the takeaway message?

The lyric is almost an extension of what's going on musically in this song. We all come from the south. I grew up in a little church, and we would have a time of getting people who hadn't been going to church to come back, getting people to come to church for the first time, bringing in guest speakers and all that. I think there's a cultural thing behind the idea of revival. 

It's also a prayer that we all have as a band and believers have in general, that God revive this country and have us all go back to God as the source of our happiness. If you go back to any revival, the roots always start with a prayer. This song is a prayer that we have as a band, and it's an invitation as well. As we look out at the landscape in this country it feels like there's a great division and a turning away from the things of God, and we feel as believers that the answer to anything that's wrong in the world is Jesus. This song is that prayer that if other believers would come together and humble ourselves, God will heal our land. That's what is needed today, is a healing. People look all around for that healing and think they have an answer politically or otherwise, but we know that healing can only come from God. 

That's our invitation in having other believers join us in starting this movement in our country. It all starts with our personal relationship with Jesus. If that's happening on a daily basis, it will spread out to our families and our communities and our nation. It has to start with the individual believer having that heart's cry.

Lyrics:
Anybody here looking for revival
In our own hearts and across the land
Anybody looking for a revival
Lift up your voice and say Amen
Lift up your voice and say Amen
Anybody here looking for revival
In our own hearts and across the land
Anybody looking for a revival
Lift up your voice and say Amen
Lift up your voice and say Amen

Ain't gonna find it in a politician
Not from the government or any law
Can't get it going by your own religion
Only by the Spirit and the Word of God
Only by the Spirit and the Word of God
Come with me
Come on with me, yeah!

Anybody here looking for revival
In our own hearts and across the land
Anybody looking for a revival
Lift up your voice and say Amen
Lift up your voice and say Amen

You can work all you want but you might not see it
Give all you got but it can't be bought
Try everything but you best believe it's
Only by the Spirit and the Word of God
Only by the Spirit and the Word of God
Come with me
Come on with me, yeah!

Anybody here looking for revival
In our own hearts and across the land
Anybody looking for a revival
Lift up your voice and say Amen
Lift up your voice and say Amen

Say Amen!
Holy Ghost revival's what we're talking about
Say Amen!
God is gonna move and there ain't no doubt
God is gonna move and there ain't no doubt
Come with me
Come on with me, yeah!

Anybody here looking for revival
In our own hearts and across the land
Anybody looking for a revival
Lift up your voice, lift up your voice!
Anybody here looking for revival
In our own hearts and across the land
Anybody looking for a revival
Lift up your voice and say Amen

Oh-ohh Amen
We're looking for a revival now
Amen, Amen, yeah

One of my favorite things about "singing a new song to the Lord" is that the idea of worship in Heaven is an exciting picture for me, and that's the glimpse that we gain from this collection of high energy and enthusiastic songs. A revival is something that God wants us to pray for, and biblically we are commanded to spread the Good News of the Gospel in the Great Commission. In Mark 16:15, Jesus commands: "Preach the Gospel to every creature." There are no conditions or exceptions in that command. It's more of a lifestyle that Jesus calls us to live as Christians. 

As the song says, look for a revival "in our own hearts and across the land." Do you feel your heart stirring for a revival? The source of that stirring is "only by the Spirit and the Word of God." Once the Light of the Holy Spirit is in you, you can now show that light to others as you live your daily life, including outside of a worship context. If you are doing everything for God's glory, then you are demonstrating the love of Jesus in every encounter that you have with people. 

Sometimes you need to be ignited and ask for a fresh filling of His Spirit. We need to pray daily that the Holy Spirit shines the Light of Jesus through us. With a fresh filling and singing along with this song, you can have the courage and excitement to live biblically. If you are having trouble living a biblical lifestyle, this song is a great way to connect with God in a fun and exciting way. 

One way to live out this song is to be obedient to Philippians 2:14-15 (NIV): "Do everything without complaining or arguing, so that you may become blameless and pure, children of God without fault in a crooked and depraved generation, in which you shine like stars in the universe as you hold out the Word of life." As you hold out the Word of life you can sing along "anybody looking for a revival, lift up your voice and say Amen." Amen to that!

Watch the lyric video below.