John Van Deusen’s Latest – The Unsafe Worship Music We Desperately Need
Normally, when we review an album, movie, or book, the title of that work is the title of our article. As you can see, we opted to go a different direction this time. John Van Deusen’s latest album is an absolute masterpiece, a work of transcendent art, but the title, while an absolutely perfect choice for the album, is really long and it would have obliterated our Search Engine Optimization score, so we left it out.
As Long as I am In the Tent of This Body I Will Make a Joyful Noise is a sprawling mouthful, but it captures the spirit and scope of JVD’s artistic vision. With this latest offering, John Van Deusen unleashes an 18 track, 58-minute deluge of worship, joy, pain, despair, and hope. It’s everything worship music should be, and everything that is almost completely absent in much of today’s praise and worship music. You won’t find empty platitudes or repetitive slogans in these 18 tracks. Instead, you will be confronted with ambitious creativity, honest exploration, and disarming transparency.
My purpose in writing this brief review, is to do my best to convince you to give it a real shot. I urge you to live with it for a bit. If you need a deeper analysis of the album, I highly recommend you read our friend Josh Balogh’s wonderful review. I see no reason to try to top what Josh already wrote so my rambling thoughts will follow a different path.
John Van Deusen and “Safe” Music
A few days ago, a conversation blossomed on X (formerly known as Twitter) about the alternate Super Bowl halftime show that some CCM artists are discussing. Good points were made for and against this idea, and I don’t feel it’s necessary to rehash them here. But one idea came up in the conversation that I felt needed more of my attention.
Christian music is often sold and packaged as the safe alternative to secular music. And depending on how you define “safe”, that can be seen as either a positive or a negative. In one sense, I do believe Christian music should be safe for families to listen to together. But in another real sense, this drive to be safe, has pushed the CCM industry away from honestly dealing with the harsh realities of life, or even just the day-to-day mundanities. In many ways, CCM presents a view of the Christian life that is too clean, too perfect, and too safe.
The artists who deal with the darker edges of life get pushed to the fringes of the CCM world. You won’t hear them on the radio, not because their content is offensive, but because their music is too confronting and difficult for Christian radio’s target demographic. These artists paint dark pictures of trials, suffering, doubt, and the silence of God, and there are many listeners who just can’t stomach that level of real. These artists use all the tools at their disposal to create evocative expressions of their faith, instead of relying on manipulative chord progressions and easy sentimentality.
John Van Deusen is one such artist and his latest album is full to bursting with all the unsafe that remains unpalatable to modern CCM fans. And that is exactly why I am urging you to listen. Not in the background. Not while you take care of household chores. Listen carefully and closely. Fully engage with the story John Van Deusen is telling in these 18 tracks. Listen to his heart and have your heart pierced by the object of his worship.
When all is said and done, this album points listeners to Jesus. Through all the pain and doubt, John Van Deusen continually guides listeners to the One who “ran out to meet [us] with a ring and a robe” even when we’ve broken His heart more times that we can count. Even in the midst of the darkest songs on the album, there is absolute surety that God can answer and heal, even if we don’t experience it in the most painful moments of our lives. And while they are real, our “doubts could never forfeit the power of the empty grave.”
That is not safe to many listeners. We’re supposed to be overcomers. We are supposed to see a mountain and have the faith to move it. And yes, those things are true, but we live in the balance between the “aerie high” and the “valley low”. And our worship and praise should reflect the whole spectrum of the human experience. John Van Deusen courageously leads us along both paths, revealing all the vibrant colors that make up the artwork of our lives.
Do not misunderstand. This album is loaded with uplifting and joyful declarations of praise, as is right and consistent with a life filled with the Spirit. But it does not hide from the harder questions and the darker roads, for that would make it an unreliable narrator. It is real and honest and poignant and true.
Musically, the scope of As Long as I am In the Tent of This Body I Will Make a Joyful Noise is massive, overwhelming even, with multiple styles and influences weaving in and out of each song. From gentle, piano-fronted ballads to loud, distortion-drenched rock numbers, each song brings something new to the table. And while I love every minute of the album, he makes choices that almost feel intentional in keeping modern worship listeners at arm’s length. Please, don’t be put off by this. Take his challenge and work through those moments. The payoff is worth it.
John Van Deusen has thrown down the gauntlet. We do not have to settle for trite, rehashed praise and worship music. True creativity and artistic expression are possible in this genre. Honesty not only makes for better lyrical content, but it makes the worship much more spiritually rewarding. When the thin veneer of “safe” is stripped away, truth shines through all the brighter.
Again, listen closely, with both ears and all of your heart. Spend time with this one. It will be a pretty dramatic change of pace for some of you, but I hope you stick with it. It is exactly the kind of worship music we desperately need in this hour. I hope and pray it grips you with the same force it gripped me. It’s had my ears and heart since it released, and I don’t see it letting go anytime soon.
- John Van Deusen’s Latest – The Unsafe Worship Music We Desperately Need - October 10, 2025
- “House of David” – A Review and a Reflection - October 1, 2025
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Thank you for this review, definitely going to give it a listen. Like I’ve mentioned before I’m always looking for Christian music that isn’t praise/worship to share with my kids. Definitely agree 100% with your definition of what “safe” should mean.
My favorite example is “Birds Bewildered” by the Choir. Musically you want to move, its infectious and then you realize its about the end of a marriage.
Great example! Thanks so much for reading. I hope you love this album as much as I do.
I can’t get enough. So good.
This makes me so happy.