Photo by Chase Clark
This Is a Move contains four authors: Brandon Lake, Nate Moore, Tasha Cobbs Leonard, & Tony Brown.
Brandon Lake recently joined the roster of Bethel Music artists in January 2019. He loves to write about songs about extending God’s Kingdom and currently serves as a worship pastor in their Seacoast Church Charleston, South Carolina location.
Nate Moore and Tony Brown are both members of Housefires. They serve as co-worship pastors for Grace Midtown Church in Atlanta, Georgia.
Tasha Cobbs Leonard is a solo artist, formerly leading worship at Dream Center Church in Atlanta, Georgia. She currently serves as a worship leader at Relentless Church in Greenville, South Carolina.
Since this song contains multiple authors, I’ll reference them by combining their first name initials: “BNTT”.
Lyrics can be found at https://genius.com/Brandon-lake-this-is-a-move-lyrics.
Note to new users: This is a different kind of review site! Read About the Berean Test and Evaluation Criteria prior to reading this review. I strongly encourage you to consider the potential blessings and dangers of this artist‘s theology by visiting Resources.
1. What message does the song communicate?
BNTT believes that God performs miracles today when He moves. They request Him to “do what He does” because they need a miracle. While I appreciate that they ask God to redirect their hearts to Him, their rationale for His wonders comes across as insistence. They seem more interested in what God can do as opposed to who He is. While I laud BNTT’s faith, their heightened focus is concerning. “We’re here for you so that you can work miracles” is what I hear.
Score: 6/10
2. How much of the lyrics line up with Scripture?
Much of it agrees with Scripture; However, the end of Chorus sounds more like a demand for a miracle than a request. Also, as mentioned in section 1, BNTT seems fixed more on God’s works than on His character.
[Verse 1]
Lines 1-4: BNTT believes that God still moves mountains (Matthew 17:20 and Mark 11:23-24), loosen strongholds (Jeremiah 1:10 and 2 Corinthians 10:4), and performs wonders through believers (1 Corinthians 12:10).
[Chorus]
Lines 1 and 2: BNTT tells God that they are here to serve and invite God to…be God.
Lines 3 and 4: Repeats lines 1 and 2.
Line 5: That is, BNTT asks God to reorient their hearts so that their desires are for Him (Psalm 51:10, Jeremiah 24:7, Ezekiel 11:19, Ezekiel 36:26, Romans 2:29, Romans 12:2, 2 Corinthians 5:17, and 2 Corinthians 7:10).
Line 6: Repeats line 2.
Lines 7 and 8: BNTT’s rationale for their request is that they need another miracle. Unfortunately, this comes across as demanding, focusing on the gift instead of the Giver.
[Verse 2]
Lines 1 and 2: More examples of modern miracles that show God is still moving. Line 2 is an allegorization of David slaying Goliath in 1 Samuel 17:50.
Lines 3 and 4: Repeats lines 1 and 2.
[Bridge]
Lines 1 and 2: Yes, yes they do.
Line 3: Repeats line 1.
Line 4: Essentially repeats line 2.
Lines 5-8: Repeats lines 1-4.
Line 9: It certainly is!
Line 10: Repeats line 9.
Score: 6/10
3. How would an outsider interpret the song?
BNTT is clear in their communication, that God works miracles, and Christians are here for Him. I appreciate the faith that BNTT offers before unbelievers; However, their high focus on God’s works makes it sound like receiving miracles from God is more important than knowing Him. It will likely act as a stumbling block to following Jesus for who He is.
Score: 5/10
4. What does this song glorify?
While it glorifies God by stating He works miracles, its fixation on miracles zaps much of it away.
Score: 6/10
Closing Comments
Brandon Lake, Nate Moore, Tasha Cobbs Leonard, & Tony Brown’s This Is a Move is a mixed bag. Although it correctly describes God as a miracle worker, who ought to direct our hearts towards Him, its focus on God’s miracles and seeming demand for them makes it sound like His acts are more important than Him, dulling His glory. It’s great to talk about the benefits of God; However, I fear that it may act as a barrier to following Jesus for unbelievers.
I cannot recommend this for corporate worship.
Final Score: 6/10
Artist Info
Track: This Is a Move (listen to the song)
Artist: Brandon Lake, Nate Moore, Tasha Cobbs Leonard, & Tony Brown
Album: N/A
Genre: Contemporary Christian Music (CCM)
Release Year: 2019
Duration: N/A
Agree? Disagree? Don’t be shy or have a cow! Calmly and politely state your case in a comment, below.
Updates:
06/25/2021 – Per Artist Theology announcement, I expanded the red text to encourage others to study Brandon Lake’s theology via Bethel Music.
03/25/2021 – Updated per repetition announcement.
Comments
Spirit & Truth Ministries
My only problem with this song is the vagueness of “come and do what You do.” If it was specified that God does His will in our lives, then I’d have no problem with it. If I were to use this song in a service, I’d say what God does beforehand.
Side Note: I think that “Strongholds being loosed” and “bodies being raised” are referring to Spiritual miracles, so could this be a call to the Holy Spirit to move in their midst? Just a thought.
Jessica G.
I think they are talking about the body of Christ in general that needs to believe that miracles can still happen today, they are referring to a move meaning a revival in His body, He heals and delivers because He loves us, and just like Jesus waited for an answer when He asked do you want to be healed? The Holy Spirit also wants to see faith in us to receive what He has for us, so what they’re singing is Yes we want to see you move we receive what you can do because in this house you are free to move unlike other houses that have put you in a box. Ina an interview T. Cobbs suggests she believed God is doing something she has probably has visited many congregations and has been a witness of God demonstrating signs and wonders and what better way to show His love for the unbelievers than doing what a Doctor or all the money in the world can do? So YES He wants to glorify Himself in every church but sadly not everyone let Him because we’ve filled our worship services with human agendas. A move is saying we put our program aside, do what You want to do.
kris
I agree I’ve lost my faith in myself and God and the more I listen to this song every day. I realize more and more how I stopped glorifying Him and believing that he can indeed make miracles happen. So many times recently I feel like he doesn’t hear me or he isn’t moving on my behalf. Personally my interpretation is that I can’t move without God I am nothing without Him. I want to welcome Him in and this song explains just that. I want Him to move within me not just for Miracles but to hear Him, better serve Him, praise and worship Him. I need a move.
racefangurl
This song was just introduced to the worship at my church. Fyi, we’re not NAR/Word of Faith, but are in the Charismatic/Pentecostal realm. We use the gifts, but no Prosperity Gospel or anything hyper-Charismatic (assuming NAR/Word of Faith means the church is like that).
Jolyne
This song touches my heart. I’ve always considered the line “so come and do what you do” to mean “come fill us” so when I sing it’s as though I’m inviting God to come and fill me. I see it more as if they are pleading for God’s help rather than demanding it (forcefully requesting). Would it not be recommendable for a Christian to sing it to God?
Vince Wright
Jolyne,
Thank you for your comment!
While I agree that “Come and do what You do” is inviting God to perform miracles, the end of Chorus rubbed me the wrong way. It says “We need a move”. This sounds more than a simple request. Suppose I said to my wife, “We need a move”. Am I making a request or a demand? How would she respond to me?
-Vince Wright
Jolyne
Thanks for replying!
I guess I interpreted it differently. I saw it as a request because that’s what we do when we’re in need. To me, it’s like saying “God I need you to help me with …” more than “God you have to do …. for me”.
Rhonda Washington
This is one of my favorite songs and I believe that’s what is most important how it translates to your heart and what it means to you.