Produced by Newworldson and Justin Koop, the sophomore self-titled album features the lead single “There Is A Way," now charting at Adult Contemporary radio. The 12 song album packs a power punch of funky grooves, danceable rhythms and praise-inspiring lyrics, fashioning a style that is uniquely Newworldson. Renowned for its thrilling live performances, Newworldson has shared the stage with artists like newsboys and Kutless and has been featured on major slots at festivals both in North America and Europe.

I got the opportunity to interview Joel Parisien about “There Is A Way." You can listen to our entire interview here.

Please tell me the background in writing the song.

We had worked on a number of songs for our second album. We knew our lyrics were uplifting and spiritual, but I knew we were missing a message that would tie in to what people are experiencing with the economy and losing jobs and homes and give them hope. So I called up a friend of mine here in Canada who writes mainstream pop songs, and we worked together to write this song. I knew we had something special, and we went in to the studio the next day to record the song for the album. We gathered a choir from Toronto to sing on the song. The response we’re getting on the song is that it is speaking to people where they are in their life. As a songwriter we can craft songs all we want, but I know this was a God-inspired song based on a key message from the Bible.

Please describe how you based the song on Bible verses.

We were very deliberate in getting across the key message of the song which is that Jesus is “the way, the truth and the life.” To a Christian, that may seem simple and matter of fact, but we want that to be the basis of hope people get from this song.

John 14:5-7: Thomas said to him, "Lord, we don't know where you are going, so how can we know the way?" Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. If you really knew me, you would know my Father as well. From now on, you do know him and have seen him."

What's the take-away message for listeners?

Living in Canada, being a Christian isn’t as mainstream as other places. As soon as I cross the border, I see more churches and a more public expression of faith. In Canada, we are a secular nation and there are government mandates that don’t allow for a direct expression of faith such as “Jesus is the way, the truth and the life.” If we put up a billboard with that verse in our country, the municipal government would take it down. So it was important for me to be clear with the message of this song.

Here are the lyrics:

You say love is just a word, just four letters in a row.
Just a thing that people say, or they never tell you so.
And you use every excuse, to let nobody in.
Now this cloud you bring around, has become your only friend.

And everybody saying that it's going to go away, but it don't go.
And everybody's telling you one day it's going to change,
but you don't know, if it's really going to end.
But there is a way, there is a spark,
there is a hope that you can hold on to.
There is a lifeline come to the rescue,
just like a hand that's waiting for you.
And if you believe in this I promise that you won't be alone.
There is a way, the truth and the life, and the way.

But if love became a man, if the word had flesh and bone.
Would you recognize His face, if He came to bring you home.
You think you're all alone, gotta do it on your own riding solo.
Is there someone you can call, when you stumble and fall?
Cause you don't know, if you'll be getting up again.

There is a way, there is a spark,
there is a hope that you can hold on to.
There is a lifeline come to the rescue,
just like a hand that's waiting for you.
And if you believe in this I promise that you won't be alone.
There is a way, the truth and the life, and the way.

Don't you think your life's worth saving?
Don't you know that love's amazing?
Don't you want to lay your troubles down?
Lay them down.

If I thought love was just a word, I might feel the same way too.
But there's so much more than that, and it's waiting here for you.

There is a way, there is a spark,
there is a hope that you can hold on to.
There is a lifeline come to the rescue,
just like a hand that's waiting for you.
And if you believe in this I promise that you won't be alone.
There is a way,
there is a way,
there is a way.
(Background) Truth and the life and the way.
Come on, there is a way.
(Background) Truth and the life and the way.
There is a way,
there is a way.
(Background) Truth and the life and the way.
There is a way.
(Background) Truth and the life and the way.
Ooooh, there is a way back home.
(Background) Truth and the life and the way.

Something Joel and I discussed was how the core of our faith as Christians is found in John 14:6. Jesus is the only way. All roads don’t lead to heaven, despite what a secular culture tries to tell us. This is an extremely important and uplifting song. I have been singing it at the top of my lungs since I first heard the song, and we all need to be bold as followers of Jesus and express that Truth. It is interesting to me that someone from Canada who is experiencing government control over public expressions of Jesus is truly reaching out and making it clear that Jesus is the only way in his song. We all need to be unashamed of our faith in Jesus, and we all need to be bold in expressing our faith. You are doing friends and family members who aren’t believers a disservice to not fully share the Gospel. The second verse really sums up the challenge of the song: “But if love became a man, if the Word had flesh and bone. Would you recognize His face, if He came to bring you home?”