Old Church Basement by Elevation Worship & Maverick City Music

With a name like Old Church Basement, an album is expected to wow. And that’s just what Elevation Worship and Maverick City Music’s latest collaboration does. The new contemporary worship album speaks to the power of combining two talented groups who are seeking to revolutionize worship music.

The idea for the album came when Steven Furtick, pastor of Elevation Church and songwriter for Elevation Worship, was riding in the car one day. He had an idea to write a song about an old church basement and later reached out to Chandler Moore and Dante Bowe of Maverick City Music for collaboration. The idea expanded to a concept for an album, thus leading to the first collaboration between the two groups.

Old Church Basement debuted at No. 1 on Billboard’s Top Christian Albums chart in the United States, and it has remained toward the top of the Christian iTunes charts as well. So what’s the secret to the album’s success? It’s safe to say that the answer lies in its refreshing simplicity. The style is intimate, and most of the songs draw on transparent biblical truths. It’s an unfiltered and personal worship experience.

Overall, the album emulates Maverick City Music’s distinct style of blending gospel and contemporary worship elements. It begins with a titular track of the same name that implores listeners to abandon flashy and glamorous worship styles. “Jireh” is one of the album’s hit singles, and this emotional ballad recognizes God’s goodness as being more than enough. Several songs, like “Wait On You,” “Million Little Miracles,” and “Mercy,” feature some of the team’s testimonies interwoven through narrative elements.

Because of the ballad-like nature of most of these tracks, the listening experience involves a pretty significant time investment. But it’s undoubtedly time well-spent. Old Church Basement is an invigorating portrayal of modern worship, inviting listeners to go back to the basics—back to that old church basement.