Bethel Music has released their new album, We Must Respond, which is available worldwide today. The album’s focus track, “The Church,” is a powerful anthem celebrating the unity and beauty of the global body of believers, accompanied by a live music video. Recorded at the Cascade Theatre in Redding, California, the album features 18 tracks led by the Bethel Music collective, with guest vocalists Brooke Ligertwood, Abbie Gamboa, and Aodhán King. The album invites believers into worship and surrender, emphasizing the call to respond to God’s presence, goodness, love, and mercy. Along with the album release, the group also debuted the track “The Church,” with an accompanying music video, shown below:

The title “We Must Respond” reflects a believer’s commitment to living an active, surrendered life, offering praise in moments of joy and struggle. Bethel Music’s Jenn Johnson, who leads the focus track, shares that “The Church” highlights the beauty and power of unity in the body of Christ, encouraging believers to set aside pride and work together for God’s glory. “We must respond when we think about His presence, His goodness, love, mercy, salvation, and the simple fact that we’re breathing, our hearts are filled with gratitude,” says Bethel Music’s Jenn Johnson, “He is our everything, and we can’t help but respond to Him and give Him our worship.” 

Bethel Music, founded by Brian and Jenn Johnson in 2001, has become one of the most influential worship collectives globally, with over 200 million listeners and a legacy of songs like “Reckless Love” and “Goodness of God.” The collective has received multiple awards, including a GRAMMY® nomination for “Holy Forever.”

The “WE MUST RESPOND” tracklist includes 18 songs featuring various Bethel Music artists and collaborators.

Bethel Music’s impact extends through its international presence. It reaches millions of listeners, influences worship in churches worldwide and consistently ranks in the top radio charts.

We interviewed Jenn Johnson about Bethel’s new album, staying faithful in a secular world, and the impact of worship music and faith. We ended with a light conversation about food and TV shows.

Jenn Johnson of Bethel Music – photo provided by Rogers and Cowan

While expressing enthusiasm for Bethel Music and the new album, We Must Respond,  Jenn explained the album’s theme: a response to God’s love and actions, emphasizing the importance of daily praise and thanksgiving. She also mentioned that the album is a journey with 17 songs, each contributing to the overall message. Jenn also shared her love for songs from the album, including “Holy Song” and “Center.”

We also discussed the importance of maintaining faith and spiritual grounding in a secular world. Jenn emphasized the need for discipline in daily Bible reading and the value of strong community and relationships with faith-filled believers. She also highlighted the importance of not giving up on seeking spiritual support. We both noted that God often speaks through people and music to remind us of His sovereignty and the need to continually retune oneself to God’s message amidst life’s distractions.

Discussing our shared love for worship music and how it influenced our lives, we reminisced about favorite artists from our youth, including Clay Crosse, Rebecca St. James, and DC Talk. We also discussed how our faith has shaped our perspectives and how we handle negative thoughts during creative processes. Jenn emphasized the importance of daily Bible reading and the power of words, drawing an analogy from bank tellers studying counterfeits to understand the truth. We also shared our admiration for various artists and movements, including Hillsong, Morningstar, CeCe Winans, and Abby Gamboa. Lastly, we touched on our favorite guilty pleasures in music and entertainment, with Jenn expressing her openness to all things beautiful and good, regardless of their classification as sacred or secular. Jenn also shared her love for food, cooking, and reality shows. She expressed her passion for creative flavors and cooking shows like ‘Chef’s Table.’ Jenn also mentioned her appreciation for home decor, Joanna Gaines, and the importance of fresh flowers in the homes.

Stream and download Bethel Music’s We Must Respond here. Connect with Bethel Music on Instagram, Facebook, X, Spotify, Apple Music, and YouTube.