She Must and Shall Go Free
Derek Webb, Inotof Records, 2003
Reviewed by Elizabeth Loyd
February 17, 2003
Smack! That’s the sound of this album hitting you in the face. Ugh!
That’s the sound of Derek Webb butting you in the stomach with his
guitar…no, no, no, in a good way!
She Must and Shall Go Free, by Caedmon’s Call alum Derek Webb, is a
bold attempt to open the church’s eyes to her condition in these last days.
“It seems we know all too little of who She (the church) is, how She should
dress, or what She was made for. I have found that Scripture is provocative when
it comes to these issues and so these songs are not for the faint of heart.
Truth is, God would rather die than be without Her, and She is both wretched and
radiant. I’m convinced that there is only righteousness suitable for Jesus’
bride, and He is jealous for Her love. For the believer, truth is freedom. Even
truth that is hard to hear,” he says.
Such a mouthful—and about time. I’m so excited about this album because
it’s so unconventional. She Must and Shall Go Free made me stop, think,
and evaluate what I’m doing here. What does being a Christian mean? I feel so
ashamed, so unworthy to call myself like Him. But this album lets you know that
even though you may be feeling “unworthy,” Jesus thought enough of you to
die for you and love you as His Bride.
If you like Caedmon’s Call, you’ll like Webb’s quirky country-folk
sound. This sound is part of what makes this album unique. It does raise some
eyebrows and (again) questions why so bold a move?
Webb found himself doing some recent soul-searching when he met, and then
married, independent singer/songwriter Sandra McCracken. (Believe me, marriage
will definitely make you think!) He felt God drawing him toward delivering a
message to the Church about “our ongoing need for the Gospel and our misguided
attempts to fulfill our longing for spiritual completion…with earthly
substitutes.” He felt drawn to these issues, but wasn’t quite sure what to
do with it all. He wasn’t looking to start a solo career, but thought that he
needed to deliver this message alone.
These aren’t popular subjects to talk about among Christians, but they
should be. Take the “Wedding Dress.” “This is the first song I wrote for She
Must and Shall Go Free. It followed some personal conviction in
reaction to the state of the American Church and the things we buy into as a
substitute for truth and life,” Webb says.
If you could love me as a wife
And for my wedding gift, Your life
Should that be all I’ll ever need?
Or is there more I’m looking for
(Chorus)
‘Cause I am a whore I do confess
I put You on just like a wedding dress
And I run down the aisle, I run down the aisle
I’m a prodigal with no way home
I put You on just like a ring of gold
And I run down the aisle
I run down the aisle to You
Derek claims he can trace “every ounce of this
material” back to Scripture, and this ode is based on the adulterous bride in
Ezekiel 16.
There’s another song worth highlighting. “(The Church)
was the last song written for the record. I felt it necessary along this journey
of looking at the contemporary church to step back and balance these songs,
saying that regardless of our experience with the church and regardless of her
failings, there is none who can do for us what only she can. No peer group Bible
study, no individualistic spirituality, no duties of religion can suffice for
the unified body of the saints throughout the ages and throughout the world
today,” Webb admits. “Nonetheless, because of her Bridegroom’s great love
for her, She is lovely and will be victorious.”
I have come with one purpose
To capture for Myself a bride
By My life she is lovely
And by My death she’s justified
I have always been her husband
Though many lovers she has known
So with water I will wash her
Oh and by My word alone
He sings the truth in love and
hearing it makes you realize how little truth is often shared on Christian CDs.
This album spoke to my heart
right away. The quirky country-folk sound caught my attention instantly and the
lyrics touched my heart. Songs like these, and like “Crooked Deep Down,”
reminded me that I am nothing without Christ. He took mercy on wretched, wormy
me and loved me as His own.
She Must and Shall Go Free
reminds me what I was before Christ (always necessary) and what I am now in
Christ (also necessary) and makes me want to seek after righteousness and the
Father’s true love. Isn’t that what Christian music is supposed to do to
you?
ninetyandnine.com
© 2003, Elizabeth Loyd
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Elizabeth Loyd is a seemingly normal small town
girl-next-door, but who is she really? Could she be the quirky girl that claps
like a cheerleader when she hears something funny, that loves to laugh really
loud, loves to sing, loves Jesus with all her heart, not to mention her
incredibly cute husband Michael, who is really Super-Bible Man in disguise…hmmmm,
I wonder?
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