Why Chris McClarney’s Everything and Nothing Less will become the #1 Worship Album of 2016

I can’t get over how good this album is.

Chris McClarney’s 2015 release Everything and Nothing Less is so chock-full of anointed songs it’s hard to remember the last time something like this came out. The album is now gaining steam and I’m predicting it will become the #1 worship album of 2016.

When I hear McClarney sing, I get the same feeling I did when I first heard Kim Walker-Smith sing “How He Loves Us” on Youtube back in 2008.

Here’s a Christ follower who is going to inspire worship leaders and worshipers for a long time.

Yet McClarney is no newcomer to the worship scene. He is most known for writing “Your Love Never Fails”, a song recorded by Jesus Culture that went on to become one of the most popular worship songs in the U.S.

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While McClarney is no stranger to success, he’s in for a lot more. It’s only January but I’m predicting that Everything and Nothing Less will become the biggest breakout worship album this year.

Here’s why.

It’s extremely difficult to capture the same presence and anointing that happens in a live worship service when God’s people gather together in unity to sing His praises.

But that’s exactly what McClarney has done, obviously with the help of very skilled sound techs, producers and the like.

Let’s take a listen. Here’s a song I’ve introduced at my church, “God of Miracles”. It compares man’s frailty to a God for whom nothing is impossible.

“Everything and Nothing Less”, the song for which the album is named, is no less powerful. It’s no wonder that to date, it has 150,000 views on Youtube. A song of true devotion, it emphasizes a worshiper’s deep desire to surrender all to Him.

“Beauty for Ashes” demonstrates McClarney’s songwriting prowess. A song he co-wrote with Brenton Brown of “Everlasting God” fame, “Ashes” clearly describes man’s fallen nature and God’s utter joy in restoring him to the fullest. The song is artistic lyrically yet accessible for congregations.

McClarney starts the song with these lyrics:

God of the new beginnings
God of the second chance
Your grace an endless river
Your love an avalanche

Some worship songwriters lose steam on verse two. Not McClarney. He takes it up a notch.

Love met me in the ruins
Of all my past mistakes
Love walked me to the river
Love broke apart these chains

Take a listen:

You pair lyrics like these with a special anointing and you have what will become the #1 worship album in 2016 hands down.

I’m so glad McClarney released this album. It’s refreshing to open up Spotify (on which the album already has been streamed over 2 million times) and be immersed in God’s presence at almost the first note. What an achievement this album is.

I can’t wait to see what God has in store for McClarney next.

Cover photo courtesy Youtube.