CTZN Worship Shares the Heart & Vision Behind "Welcome Home"

CTZN Worship is set to release their debut album, Welcome Home on Nov. 22 via DREAN Worship. CTZN Worship is the worship ministry of Citizen Church in Albuquerque, New Mexico.  Pastored by Dustin & Mandy Woodward, they stand on the idea that there are no outsiders in the Kingdom of God. It is their heart to remove dividing walls and make a difference in the communities they have been called to. CTZN Worship is the sound of our church, representing what is happening in and through the hearts of our community. 

Q: Thank you for doing this interview with us. Tell us a little about Citizen Church.

A. Citizen Church is a Christ-centered, spirit-led, Kingdom-building movement based out of Albuquerque, NM. We are a community of believers that seek to make a difference in our city and around the world.

Q: Who makes up CTZN Worship?  

A. CTZN Worship is the worship ministry of Citizen Church. We are a team of dedicated volunteers who give up our nights and weekends to write and play music. We are a diverse group of ordinary people and that is how we are able to write songs that are relevant to the people in our church.

Q: Tell us about your journey, how did the Lord lead you to sign with DREAM Worship and the release of your new album?

A. In January of 2017, we released an in-house EP and that was our first real attempt at writing and recording music for the church. Even with minimal resources and marketing, the EP garnered way more success than we could've anticipated. We were placed on a Spotify editorial playlist and that is how Dream Worship found us. We then worked on a deal to partner with them for our first full length album. With support from Dream Worship, our goal is to release songs that resonate with churches all over the world.

Q: What do you think sets your music apart from all the other worship bands out there?

A. The best thing about worship music is that it doesn't have to sound the same. We bring a unique style when it comes to writing and embrace modern sounds. When we are writing a song our goal is to write something that works in a Sunday service and in the car on your way to work.

Q: What were some of the highlights for you in the making of this new album?

A. The songs on this album represent stories from within our church. They represent seasons we've gone through. The best part of the writing process is recalling all that God has done in our lives over the last year.

Q: Talk to us about your single "I See Jesus." Why are you excited about this song?

A. The most powerful thing we can do as Christians is proclaim the name of Jesus.

This song is a declaration of who Jesus is and it serves as a reminder of how He sees us. How drastically would our outlook on life change if we actually started to realize that we serve a God that is for us and not against us?

Q: I really love the title cut "Welcome Home." The song speaks volumes about what the cross does to our relationships. How did the song come about?

A. In September we changed our church name from Copper Pointe Church to Citizen Church. Copper Pointe was a name that fit our church's physical location as our building is located at the top of Copper Avenue. But as our church expanded to two locations (Albuquerque and Maui) we realized that our name was too small for our vision. This led us to change the name to Citizen Church. In Ephesians 2, it says that "we are no longer foreigners or strangers, but citizens in the family of God" and this is the vision for our church. In preparation for the name change, our Pastors asked us to write an anthem for this vision. That's when "Welcome Home" was written. The vision for this song was so buried within us that we were able to write it in one night. We believe the Gospel is for all people and that the church is for everyone.

Q: What do you want your listeners to grasp after listening to this new album?

A. We hope people understand that no matter your past, your circumstances, or your preconceived ideas of Jesus, the Gospel is for you! Everyone is welcome in the family of God.

 

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