Driving With Mark Roach...Sort Of
08-07-2007
by Kevan Breitinger

Due to an unexpected communication blip, I found myself in editorial panic mode, but Mark Roach couldn’t have been more gracious, agreeing to a spontaneous interview while driving, with all of ten minutes notice.

 

 

CMCentral (Kevan Breitinger): I’m glad we had the chance to talk today, Mark, as I feel like I kind of know you a little bit from our interactions back and forth over the last album.

Mark Roach: Yeah, right.

I’ve had some questions about worship music, things I’ve been pondering in my heart for a while, and I think you might be the perfect one to talk to about it. As a reviewer, I sometimes really struggle over reviewing a worship album, as your album clearly is. I sometimes feel uncomfortable trying to place judgment on someone’s expression of their adoration for God.

Sure.

You see yourself as more of a worship leader than a performer, right?

Yeah, definitely. We’re hanging our hats on the fact that I’m at my home church every Sunday morning, as much as humanly possible. I’m full-time at my local church and staying that way. I’m not moving to Nashville, I’m not gonna be doing a fall tour and be away from my church. It’s too important to me to stay connected to the local Body. I would say that as much as I am a performer, what I do and what I’m called to do is not only write songs that infiltrate the church locally, nationally, globally, but also when I get up there on a platform, my job is to lead people into the presence of Christ, not put on a show. Unfortunately, that sometimes carries with it the connotation of not being a ‘real artist,’ you know? But God is gonna take care of all that, right?

It’s kind of difficult because you’re moving about in an industry that is entertainment-oriented.

Exactly, exactly. I was talking to someone the other day about the Web. You see all these communities springing up everywhere: Myspace, and Shoutlife, and Facebook. Every day it seems like another one pops up, and blogging is so popular right now. I think people are no longer interested in being only entertained on the Web, it’s no longer a one-sided thing. People want to interact, to comment, they want to be able to communicate.

In the music world, even though it’s an entertainment-driven business, I think more and more the listener is realizing what worship is, and can be. It’s a thing that they can be a part of, I think that’s one of the reasons behind this resurgence of popularity in worship music. And I think it is a kind of fish-out-of-water thing in the entertainment industry, like you said, but there’s a reason that it’s there. There’s something about the music that is both anointed and functional in that way where people can be a part of it and step inside the music, and I think that’s pretty cool.

Yes, and worship music is written and created to reach a part of you that is different than the part that  is reached when you’re just being entertained.

"There's something about [worship] music that is both anointed and functional in that way where people can be a part of it and step inside the music."

I would definitely agree with that. I get comments all the time from people who say they were listening to one of my songs, remarking that it was what they were thinking, but didn’t know how to say. That’s what I want to be able to write. When God gives me a song I sure hope and pray that it is the voice of a generation of worshippers coming out in that song so that we can find ways to articulate in a 3 or 4 or 5 minute piece of work that are sometimes too deep to conjure up words for on our own.

I like that perspective. Well, let’s take it down to something a little simpler (laughing). What was your favorite track on the new album?

It’s hard to have a favorite track on my own album, but I would say “Foundations” is probably the most special song to me. It’s a vulnerable song, a song that brings up stuff out of my own heart, stuff that as a Christian you never want to admit to, little struggles. (Producer)  Nathan Nockels took it to an ethereal level that paints a picture musically as well as with the words, and I think it caps off the CD with a very personal moment that exposes to the listener a little bit of who I am.

It comes across as much as a prayer as it does a song.

Exactly, I call it a prayer of confession. It was a quick write. I wrote it in my car, and most of the words sound it, very stream of consciousness.

I’m happy that we have the opportunity to talk about this. By its very nature, worship music is often, I don’t want to say ‘simplistic,’ but by its form it has be corporate, and able to work repetitively. By its very nature, it’s a bit of an odd duck.

I think one of the biggest industry criticisms that I’m getting is actually a compliment to me. They’re saying ‘it sounds familiar, it’s not original.’ But while what we’ve put together is not unoriginal, it’s certainly not the reinvention of the wheel either. Because in a congregational setting on Sunday morning, to be able to quickly engage folks is really the name of the game. You know, I know what a mixolydian mode is, and what a minor chord is, and a neapolitan sixth is, and a flat seventh. I graduated with a commercial music degree, and I’m writing four chord songs, because I realize there is no purpose in writing greater than glorifying our Creator. So I know I’m gonna get feedback that says ‘we’ve heard this before.’ But I hope that by the second verse of my song, the congregation is singing with me. So it’s very intentional, and I consider it a compliment.

In a nutshell, you’re there to engage, not impress. That’s the heart of a worshipper, and that, to me, came through on the album. Is there anything else you wanted to make sure to say today?

Well, again, first and foremost my hope and prayer is that this record pleases Christ. And that it functions. Function is a tricky word. I spent 15 years of my life writing songs about life and love and girls, and never in a million years would have dreamed I’d be doing what I’m doing today. But God placed a very clear calling in my life. It’s actually very difficult to write songs that sound familiar but are still original, songs that engage the congregation. But that is the second priority of my project. We were very intentional in writing songs that another worship leader could use to lead his or her worshippers into the Lord’s presence, so hearts could immediately be engaged to have an encounter with Christ through these songs.

By the way, Kevan , let me let you off the hook a little bit. When worship projects enter the industry, we realize, or should realize, what we’re getting into. I would say, review them for what they are, which not every reviewer does. But don’t feel guilty for judging someone’s personal expression. ALL music is personal expression, although I know it’s a little trickier with the divine expression. But it’s an industry, and we’re putting it out there, and there’s money involved, so we’ve got to be ready for it. But I think you for your sensitivity toward that. And it was great talking with you today.

Yeah, you too, brother, thanks again.