After a two year wait, UNITED releases the highly anticipated Zion. While the band takes undeniable steps forward sonically, Zion still retains the hallmarks of the band that has brought the world some of the most sung worship songs to date.
Having caught a fresh vision for what it is that UNITED is called to do and what it means to be a part of the Church. Zion is ultimately about the realization that God is doing His thing, and He has already done it, He is establishing His Church, and it's through us. UNITED's Joel Houston shares about the genesis of the project, "The album was birthed out of our cry, God I want to be a part of what it is you're doing. If that means write a song, we'll write the best songs we can. If it means serving the poor and those who are hurting, then we're going to do it better than we've ever done it before."
Zion. It's an interesting word, with several meanings and connotations. We read about it, sing about it and even wonder where it is. In Biblical terms it is the hill on which the city of David was built and perhaps where the Ecclesiastical meaning of the highest place, or Heaven, comes from. Zion is precious to the heart of God and it's essentially what Jesus came to establish - Heaven on earth. God is birthing His kingdom in us and through us here on earth and that is exemplified through what Jesus is about: mercy, love, forgiveness, generosity, justice - all of those things - and that's how we are called to live our lives. We get the chance to be a part of building God's kingdom here on earth.
The whole point of this album is the realization that God is doing His thing, and He has already done it, He is establishing His Church, and it's through us.
Everything we do as UNITED, whether it be from recording or writing these songs, to playing them in front of people and all the production that goes with it or whatever part we play, it's all an expression of a really extraordinary God doing what only He can do through really ordinary people who love Him and want to serve Him. That's our desire, it's always been our desire and that hasn't changed; that's been the one constant. I hope these songs, in some way, are an encouragement for people everywhere.