Reviewed by Richard Toller

Martha Munizzi is, of course, the blonde-haired, blue-eyed gospel singer who has set the US gospel scene alight. Here she offers two CDs and over 100 minutes of stirring live gospel, the exuberant praise interspersed with worshipful ballads accompanied by a tight band of quality musicians and backing singers. This will hit the spot for many. But I have some reservations. Martha sings, "Something happens when you praise...in spite of what you're going through, in spite of your circumstance, if you will...say to the mountain 'Be thou removed'...it has to go..." It's true, but it's not that easy (God does not usually change our circumstances, he changes us through and within them) and it's not the reason to praise and worship God - it's not for our sake, it's for his glory. It's right and good to praise God for what he has done for us, but it's vital to praise him for who he is, and while that is not missing here (as, for example, in the song "Name Above All Names"), the emphasis overall is too much on us and what God can do for us. The song "Great Exchange" says, "This is the great exchange/I'm trading my sorrows for the garment of praise." It's a wonderful truth that we can do that, but this is not THE great exchange. The great exchange is that "God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God" (2 Cor.5:21). Martha sings, "Healing belongs to you, salvation belongs to you, prosperity belongs to you..." She seems to be saying that whatever you lack, just "name it and claim it" and it's yours. The listener is left with an impression of easy triumphalism - just say everything's OK and everything will be OK. There is sounder theology here too - listen to the song "While You Worship" and you hear the sensitivity in the heart of a true worshipper who HAS experienced hardships and found God in the middle of them: "The storm will make you stronger/It drives you to your knees/And only when we worship/Can his glory be seen." But it's not enough. This lady has a powerful voice and a passion for Jesus and this is a pretty impressive display of black gospel emoting. But lyrically, the message is distorted and seems more self-centred than Christ-centred.

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