(Photo :The Needhams )

There is a deep and dividing chasm between a good song and a great one.  Many have come to the edge of the precipice but few know of how the bridge into greatness.  The Needhams have crossed over such a ravine through the use of sight.  Many may sing about following Christ, but the Needhams show us through vivid use of specific scenarios what being a witness for Christ looks like in our everyday lives.  They do not just tell they show.  They do not just tinge the ears they opened our eyes helping us to see what living for Christ looks like. The Needhams are not your average Southern Gospel group.  Though they have honed their sound around their tight-knitted family harmonies like many Southern Gospel acts do, they are tangent to their peers in three major ways.  First, while many Southern Gospel acts bulk their CDs with copious covers, save for one track, they write their own material.  Second, "Be the One" is not what traditionalists in the genre would label as "conservative."  Rather, they are progressive in their sound incorporating liberally modern contemporary country and pop into their brand of music.  Fans of youthful contemporary country acts such as the Band Perry or Lady Antebellum will find facile affiliation with the Needhams' fresh, passionate and engaging sound.  Third, unlike many albums where songs are thrown together in an ad hoc fashion, the songs of "Be the One" are stringed together around the theme of being witnesses for Christ.  

"Be the One," the title cut and album opener premieres the theme of the album.  Beginning with a Sunday school insight of how Paul stepped out in faith to witness for Christ, "Be the One" expands such a mandate to each of us as we are challenged: "Be the one who tells someone who told everybody else who shared about the love of Christ and saved a soul from hell."  As the album progresses, each song unfolds with vivid examples of how this is done.  "Let Go, Let Go" rightly anchors evangelism not in our own strength but in God's.  And such a Godly message is enliven with a guitar-virtuosity over a robust melody.  Needhams get more of a chance to get our feet two-stepping with "That's Why I Wanna Go."  Speaking about the beauty of heaven, the melodic superiority of "That's Why I Wanna Go" does not pale in comparison to its lyrical content.  "We Win," on the other hand, is a burning pop-cum-rockabilly swagger that contemporary country acts such as Luke Bryan or Blake Shelton would covet for.

It would be remiss to ignore the ballads.  The real gem here is the Diane Needham Mummet-penned "You Were Jesus to Me."  "You Were Jesus to Me" glows with a heart-warming affinity as we are reminded that the most effective form of witnessing starts when we genuinely care for each other.  Easily the runner-up favorite in the ballad department is the gorgeous pedal steel and piano infused "In the Way."  This narrative song places under the microscope the heart of a little boy named Philip as he wrestles with God's call to be a witness.  Pay attention to the lyrics as it tacitly answers many queries we often have with regards to God's gracious calling.  As straight forward as the title suggests "Jesus Cares for You" is a simple pensive worshipful number that allows our anxious heart to be basked in the love of our Savior. 

The only cover here is Richard Smallwood's "Total Praise."  Barely more than just a little chorus based on Psalm 121, the Needhams offer a stirring rendition with just the strength of their voices alone.  Awesome and hypnotic, "Total Praise" is this album's lodestar.  Being a witness for Jesus Christ is a lofty theme in Scripture, but it is a teaching masked often with fear, misunderstandings and procrastination.  The Needhams have done God's kingdom a big service with this record.  By unpacking some of these issues through real life examples, they challenge us get up on our feet and "Be the one who tells someone who told everybody else who shared about the love of Christ and saved a soul from hell."