Just like that, Kutless has transformed from that new rock band from Oregon to the one new bands look up to, the band whose music is all over the radio in multiple formats, the band that’s sold millions of records. Ten years after their debut self-titled album, Kutless is returning with their newest album Believer. I remember the first time I heard their debut hit single “Run” in 2002. I was a new believer and the band won me over with the emotional and prayerful lyrics from God’s perspective: “Why do you run, why do you hide, oh don’t you know I just, just want to be with you, why do you run, why do you hide, oh don’t you know I just, just  want to be with you. Be with you.” I can’t listen to the last stanza without getting emotional: “Find a place of solitude, and I'll speak to you, As you pray to Me, Don't you know I'm waiting here, waiting for you to  read and hear My Words, I'm waiting here missing the time the times we shared, well, please come to Me.”

 

From that point until now, I’ve been a major fan of the band. According to lead singer Jon Micah Sumrall: “We wanted our name to represent the impact of what Christ did for us on the cross. Christ took our beating and paid the wages of our sin (Romans 6:23). He took our cuts for us, leaving us “Kutless.” Amen. That sentiment has been displayed in each of the band’s solid albums.
 

Believer is Kutless' follow up album to their worship release It Is Well which featured the hit songs “What Faith Can Do,” “Amazed,” and “Everything I Need” and favorites such as “Hungry,” “Give Us Clean Hands” and “God of Wonders.” The heart of worship is something the band as a whole is very in tune with and love bringing that to the forefront, sharing and coming together as one to give glory to God. Believer’s closing track, “Carry Me To The Cross,” is a great song for the Church, with the catchy and worshipful chorus: “Hallelujah! You carry me every day, You carry me all the way, Hallelujah! You carry me to the, You carry me to the cross.”

I had the great opportunity to speak with Kutless' James Mead about the band's current single “Carry Me To The Cross.” 
 

"Carry Me To The Cross" is just a really cool song. I’ve been blessed by the song a ton myself recently just by listening to it. It’s a good reminder that every gift we have is from God, like in the Book of James, “every good and perfect gift comes down from the Father of Life.” The indication there is that He loves us very, very much and He wants to give His children wonderful things. In the rest of the epistles, we see that not all of the gifts come from God the Heavenly Father but they come through His Son, Jesus Christ as well. It all points back to the Cross. Redemption from sins and forgiveness from His blood. It’s awesome to remember that anything that brings us to the Cross is all a gift from our Father through Jesus. Even things like trials that the apostle Paul addresses. Trials are for us to gain several things that become very valuable tools in our character. Perseverance, and strength and hope can all be implemented into our walks with Christ.

 

Which Bible verses best connect to the message of the song?
 

James 1:16-18: Don’t be deceived, my dear brothers and sisters. Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows. He chose to give us birth through the word of truth, that we might be a kind of first fruits of all He created.

 

What's the takeaway message for listeners regarding the song and the album?
 

The song praises the Lord for that, saying “Hallelujah! You carry me every day, You carry me all the way, Hallelujah! You carry me to the, You carry me to the cross.” Hallelujah is one of the most beautiful words ever uttered as it literally means the same thing in all languages, “praise be to God.” So the song is saying praise be to God, You carry me every day, You carry me all the way. Praise be to God, You carry me to the Cross. For anyone who is hurting, whether they know Jesus or not, the song should be an uplifting message of God’s faithfulness and peace for us through His Son Jesus Christ. For Believer, we got tired of trying to be a band that we weren’t. A few years ago, we got tired of trying so hard to create music that wasn’t coming naturally to us. Our whole premise of music is to worship the Lord and to draw others into singing to Him as well. Our hope and goal everywhere we go is that the crowd would share that experience with us. Not that we would perform worship songs, but that we all sing to Jesus together. 

 

When we wrote for It Is Well, we started to realize that the best thing we could do to share our faith with people is to be ourselves and talk about our walks as James, Jon Micah, Dave, Jeff and Nick. We want our songs to reflect what our lives are as a result of being a Christian. That’s what touches people’s hearts. If Carl Sagan were still alive, we could debate about evolution and Creation until we were blue in the face. None of that would matter in reflecting my walk with God to him. What would matter is to tell people how God has touched my life and how I’ve been blessed to be a believer in Jesus Christ. People want happiness. They don’t want to be sick of the world and mad all of the time. That kind of hard heartedness starts to wear on your bones. David declares in the Psalms that some sickness comes from hard hearts. The attitude of a believer is someone who rejoices in all things, and again and again, rejoices, a person who is anxious for nothing, but in all things in prayer and supplication and thanksgiving makes their requests known to God will have a peaceful life. That peace comes from God through Jesus Christ. That will guard our hearts and our minds. That’s awesome. Moment by moment, we need to put on Christ. Believer is an encouragement to our brothers and sisters in Christ. 

 

Lyrics:
 

 

Asbury’s Bible commentary: “It must be reaffirmed that God's movements toward humankind can be only good and right. This was evident at Creation when God overpowered the darkness of the abyss with light through his creative word. It is evident also in the first fruits among His creation, through the new birth, that proceeds from the Word of the Gospel. Although the celestial lights fluctuate in brightness, the Creator-Father is unwavering in His benevolence. He is unrelenting in His determination to achieve His purpose in creation. So His design, recently revealed, involved Him in birthing a new creation.”

 

“Carry Me To The Cross” is a great follow-up to the worship songs from It Is Well. In following this great band for the past decade, clearly the two worship albums Strong Tower and It Is Well have most broadened the appeal of Kutless. When I first saw Kutless at a rock show in 2005 with Dizmas, Stellar Kart and Disciple, they had just released Strong Tower. I remember at that concert when Kutless performed the songs “Better Is One Day,” “Strong Tower,” “Run” and “Sea of Faces,” the night transformed from a great rock show to a worship experience and I sensed that this amazing band had an incredible opportunity for the Kingdom. There aren’t a lot of rock bands that are also writing original worship songs, and these guys are the best in the business.

 

Believer is the band’s crowning achievement featuring thirteen excellent rock worship songs. The album has a perfectly balanced mix of rockers and ballads and Jon Micah’s vocals have never sounded better. This is their most complete overall album loaded with quality songs that all draw me closer to Christ. If you’re looking for the best of Kutless, this is their top album surpassing all of their previous excellent work. For sure, Believer is among the top albums of the year. “Carry Me To The Cross” closes out the great album with a song of praise to our Father in Heaven crying out “Hallelujah!” We are His first fruits and “every good and perfect gift comes down from the Father.” As we approach Easter, this song is a great way to say “praise to God, You carry me every day, You carry me all the way, You carry me to the Cross.” Amen!

 

Here’s the video for “Carry Me To The Cross.”