Jail changes
Doerksen
by Peter Fleck
Going to prison
dramatically changed Brian Doerksen’s perspective on
worship.
But he didn’t commit any heinous crimes to
get there. Rather it was in ministering to the
inmates that Doerksen had his epiphany. Interviewed
at Break Forth Canada in Edmonton this past January,
Doerksen said by going into jail on a regular basis
he realized that he was "having incredible
fellowship with men who had committed murder, who
had done horrific things, and who were teaching me
and demonstrating to me the power of grace."
Next
to God, he recognized there is no difference between
"those of us who could maybe take pride in our sort
of righteous track record…and those who have done
what we would see as really wicked."
This led
Doerksen to consider Isaiah 40:4-5 in which the
prophet declares, "Every valley shall be raised up,
every mountain and hill made low; the rough ground
shall become level, the rugged places a plain. And
the glory of the Lord will be revealed, and all
mankind together will see it..."
In light of the
"level ground" everyone is on, Doerksen said he
began to question "the whole modern worship culture
with production and an elevated stage."
Dropping to his knees in an intensely-personal
moment with God, Brian Doerksen is pictured several
years back at Calgary’s Centre Street Church. At
Break Forth Canada this past January in Edmonton,
the international recording artist from B.C. said he
has since discovered the benefit of coming off the
stage entirely to lead worship.
With the
distance that is created between the musicians and
the congregation, he said, "It is becoming fatiguing
for people to show up for a show, especially on
Sunday mornings, which are meant to be communal and
relational."
So Doerksen took this to heart with
latest album, Level Ground. Recorded live in his
hometown of Abbotsford, B.C., the band came off the
stage and set up on the floor, right next to those
gathered to worship.
Having experienced worship à
la Level Ground, Doerksen said he and his band are
eager to continue doing it that way wherever
possible.
"We’re kind of spoiled now," he said.
In
the opening track, Welcome To The Place Of Level
Ground, Doerksen and co-writer Paul Baloche
proclaim, "Welcome to the place where grace
abounds/We all need mercy…None of us are worthy on
our own/None of us could keep the perfect law/None
of us have lived a sinless life/But thanks be to
God/He sent us all a Saviour."
Grace is a theme
that is interspersed throughout the 13-track disc.
Unlike some of his previous releases, this album is
awash in new material with Doerksen writing or
co-writing 10 of the songs. Better-known covers
include a rendition of the Tim Hughes tune,
Everything (God In My Living), as well as a medley
blending the hymn, Here Is Love, with the
contemporary chorus, Give Thanks.
Sonically, the
lead song serves as a microcosm to the entire
project featuring both contemplative, slower moments
and energetic, rockier bursts.
A testimony to the
diversity of the project is the inclusion of the
folksy Giver Of Life. It’s a personal favourite;
another is the final cut ironically titled, First.
Doerksen explained this song was a somewhat
humorous way to conclude the album "which has some
pretty deep, mellow, fragile moments."
With First,
he said, "We take it up into almost like a dance
groove. And it’s almost like you guys think you’ve
got me figured out. Well, you don’t know what I’m
going to do next. Maybe my next record will be a
dance record."
However unlikely that sounds, you
certainly don’t want to hold your breath to find
out. That’s because Doerksen actually released two
CDs at the end of last year. His second album was a
23-song, double disc entitled Prodigal God. Eight
years in the making and only available through the
Internet, it’s the soundtrack for a full-length
musical drama.
Since both projects were recorded in
2010, Doerksen said, "That’s like 36 new tracks for
me in one year, so you won’t be hearing from me for
awhile."