For Zach Bolen, of Christian music band Citizens, creating great worship music is all about getting people to see beyond the band and the music, and worship the God who created them both.
Citizens is one of the worship bands at Mars Hill Church. Last week, their self-titled debut reached No 1 on the iTunes Christian and Gospel chart.
On the Billboard Heatseekers and Worship Album charts, it reached the Top 10.
It's their first full-length project, following not long after the release of their debut EP Already/Not Yet.
The band have gained a following for their high-intensity albums, but for Zach it's not about a soulless, impersonal rush. What he's really passionate about is seeing people worship Jesus.
He and the band have crafted an album that combines rearranged hymns and original songs, where the emphasis is on getting the congregation to participate in the worship.
Says Zach: "We aren't trying to get people to worship the music, we're trying to get them to worship the God that created the music. There's something about music, if done in the right way… it makes us look at something bigger than us."
