My wife, our three daughters and I have been conducting family Bible studies together in the evenings for the past few years, and upon studying the Book of Acts, my family’s chosen life verse is Acts 4:12: “Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved.”

Naturally when I learned about the new band No Other Name—whose band name is derived from our family’s chosen Scripture passage—I was excited to hear the Gospel messages of their songs. Overall, my favorite song on their debut album, The Other Side, is the catchy and biblical song “Lead You To The Cross.”

Rarely does an up-and-coming artist impress industry and fans so readily as to be recognized with a New Artist of the Year nomination before releasing a single project. Such is the legacy of this Nashville-based vocal group. The 2011 Dove Award-nominated act is impacting audiences not only with its music but also its heart for sharing the gospel.

Comprised of brother-sister duo Sam and Laura Allen, along with their friend Chad Smith, the group met at a Nashville music conference. All three admit to knowing early on they shared a musical chemistry. Within a few months, the siblings left the Christmas tree farm they had grown up on near Tampa, Fla. while Chad said goodbye to family in Louisiana. Soon all three young singers took up residence in Music City.

Though No Other Name could easily have found success as a mainstream country or pop act, the style of music they wanted to sing was never in question. Chad concludes, “Our favorite group verse is Acts 4:12. This Scripture encapsulates our vision statement, as we strive to make His name known among the nations.” I had the chance to speak with Sam Allen about their hit song “Lead You To The Cross.”

Please tell me about the background message of the song "Lead You To The Cross."

We wish we had written this song, and when we heard it we knew it was perfect for our band. At the time we were in talks with the International Mission Board, and we are a part of their efforts to get the word out about their great organization. So often, people attend church and tithe and are involved at their home church, but give no thought to international missions. There are thousands of missionaries in the field who are supported by people in the United States. For our partnership, this song is perfect. For the average Christian in the pew of a church, the message of this song is about having a burden for the lost in the world. The song is convicting for us as well. The lyrics are compelling, and that’s what drew us to the song.

Which Bible verses connect to the message of the song?

1 Corinthians 9:19-23: “For though I am free from all, I have made myself a servant to all, that I might win more of them. To the Jews I became as a Jew, in order to win Jews. To those under the law I became as one under the law (though not being myself under the law) that I might win those under the law. To those outside the law I became as one outside the law (not being outside the law of God but under the law of Christ) that I might win those outside the law. To the weak I became weak, that I might win the weak. I have become all things to all people, that by all means I might save some. I do it all for the sake of the gospel, that I may share with them in its blessings.”

What's the take-away message for listeners regarding the song?

In many ways, “Lead You To The Cross” has been our theme song for the past couple of years. I’ve heard it said that evangelism is just one beggar showing another beggar where to find bread. And that sums up this song for me. We should just be about leading people to the Cross. Everything we do and say should be about pointing people to where the Hope is, in Christ. We filmed the music video in Dubai. There was a woman missionary named Martha Myers who was a physician in Yemen who had won people over to the Gospel in a country where it is illegal to be a Christian. As a doctor for women, she was allowed to provide treatment and gave her time and expertise for free, and shared the Gospel and led people to Christ. She did amazing work, and there were some people who didn’t like what she was doing so they killed her one night. The International Mission Board wanted to make a video tribute to her, and since we couldn’t get into Yemen, we filmed the video in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. Her story is very moving, and the message of this song based on Scripture is convicting for all Christians to share the Gospel.

Lyrics:
This is my story
This is my song
My passion and purpose
The mission I’m on
The heart of the matter
When it’s all said and done
I want to lead you to the cross

I’m not the water
I’m not the bread
But I know the place
Where your soul is fed
So hungry and thirsty,
Come and be blessed
I want to lead you to the cross

I will be all things to all men
Just like You, Lord, a sinner’s friend
That by all means I might save some
I’ll be a candle, a stepping stone
A holy compass to guide you home
There’s no higher call, whatever the cost
I want to lead you to the cross

I will go with you
Here is my hand
Whatever your burden
Wherever you’ve been
We’re all lost and lonely
In a foreign land
I want to lead you to the cross

Matthew Henry’s commentary on 1 Corinthians 9: “Paul assigns his reason for acting in this manner: This I do for the gospel’s sake, and that I may be partaker thereof with you; that is, for the honor of Christ, whose the gospel is, and for the salvation of souls, for which it was designed, and that he and they might communicate in the privileges of it, or partake together of them. For these ends did he thus condescend, deny himself as to his liberty, and accommodate himself to the capacities and usages of those with whom he had to do, where he lawfully might. Note, A heart warmed with zeal for God, and breathing after the salvation of men, will not plead and insist upon rights and privileges in bar to this design. Those manifestly abuse their power in the gospel who employ it not to edification but destruction, and therefore breathe nothing of its spirit.”

This is No Other Name’s most popular song, one that has propelled them to promote missions in the world. “Lead You to the Cross” is a vibrant anthem that proclaims the essence of No Other Name’s ministry. The theme of this song should be the heartbeat of every faithful Christian.

Statistically, there are more people being martyred in the world than ever before and being a Christian is illegal in many parts of the world. The lyrics of this song are so profound and come right from Paul’s letter to the Corinthians: “I will be all things to all men, Just like You, Lord, a sinner’s friend, That by all means I might save some.”

Finding common ground with people is essential to sharing the Gospel. People shut down if they don’t sense a connection. If they feel like you are like them with similar experiences, people will be open to hearing the Gospel. That’s our calling as Christians, to lead people to the Cross. Amen to that!

(Check out the official music video here.)