Fair Trade Services
Release Date: November 18th 2022
Reviewed by: Joshua Andre
MercyMe– Then Christ Came (feat. Phil Wickham) [Single] (Amazon mp3/iTunes)
Track Listing:
- Then Christ Came (feat. Phil Wickham)
MercyMe, the CCM pop band known for the smash hit song “I Can Only Imagine”, has been chugging along quite nicely over their entire duration as a band. You can read all about them on Wikipedia, and also in my review of inhale (exhale) that I wrote last year. My brother Jon wrote about them in his review of their latest project Always Only Jesus; and these guys were thiiiis close to being in our list for the blog series of the most influential artists of all time. Bart, Barry, Nathan, Mike and Robby are iconic legends within CCM, and their most recent albums remind us how much life and inspiration they have in them still. But now… these guys are back with a brand-new single. Well, it’s not really brand new. It’s a new rendition of their single “Then Christ Came”- this time with fellow songwriter Phil Wickham.
If you’re looking for a deep dive and analysis of this song, then you’ve come to the wrong place. In essence, this song has been written about before- in our review of the single (without Phil), as well as the review of Always Only Jesus. But the rendition with Phil is so, so, good; that I had to briefly touch upon this release. MercyMe have released powerful, encouraging, and hopeful singles before. But “Then Christ Came” is on another level- and Phil’s inclusion is simply divine. Lyrically, the song speaks about Jesus coming into our lives and changing us all for the better- and more or less, this is a facet of the gospel, and a testimony-like track that is truly brilliant in every way.
MercyMe are one of my favourite bands- period. Their passion for Jesus and their infectious joy no doubt part of a package that I’m glad exists- the world is all the better for Bart, Robbie, Nathan, Mike, and Barry to be playing music together. While we don’t know what the future holds yet (and I mean that in the literal sense!), let me tell you that it will be a ride, that’s for sure. Always Only Jesus, though short at 10 tracks, is one of the most impacting and emotional and relevant albums of the year thus far, and a reminder to sit and bask in God’s glory and His moving in our lives maybe even more than we can envision and anticipate. So hopefully as we spin this project many times on our Spotify or whatever medium we all use; let’s pray that God uses this to draw us closer to Himself and closer to each other. And whether we listen to the song “Then Christ Came” or something else from the project, let us know that God is moving. Well done MercyMe, I can’t wait to hear what God has in store for each of you! Perhaps a covers album or an live CD/DVD?
Score: 5/5
RIYL: for KING AND COUNTRY, Casting Crowns, Building 429, Newsboys, Tenth Avenue North, Sanctus Real