Irish folk worship band Rend Collective seems to show up a lot at my local congregation’s worship set. Especially Build Your Kingdom Here, often utilized as an opener to welcome people. It happens to be a popular song, peaking at #12 in the Billboard Top 100 Christian songs.

If you’re looking for more background information on this band, consider reading the introduction to Rescuer. Otherwise, let’s jump right in.

Note to new users: This is a different kind of review site! Read About the Berean Test and Evaluation Criteria prior to reading this review.

1. What message does the song communicate?

This song is heavily saturated in prayer offered to God, that He would reign in us, causing us to obey Him, setting the course for furthering God’s kingdom on earth. Hell cannot overcome when Christ’s bridge, the church, obeys His commandments. The result is healing and revival in this land, if only this sleeping giant would awaken.

Rend Collective has been very specific about their request, with so much detail, I would essentially reproduce the lyrics to exhaustively list them all. They are also clear that God is the recipient of this prayer, with the end of Verse 3 removing any doubt that might linger.

I happened to notice that the cost of following Jesus was included in the lyrics. That puts a huge smile on my face! However, the very last line of Pre-Chorus 2 is highly problematic. I understand where Rend Collective is coming from: the church of Christ brings hope to the world. Yet, the wording makes it sounds like we are the hope on earth rather than Christ. That does not sit well with me.

I know that some of you will probably think I am nitpicking; However, I believe this to be an important matter and I stand by my decision to severely downgrade my rating.

Score: 7/10

2. How much of the lyrics line up with Scripture?

The song is mostly Biblical; However, I have a major concern with the end of Pre-Chorus 2. Lyrics posted with permission.*

[Verse 1]



Come set Your rule and reign

In our hearts again

Verse 3 sets the context of “Your” as God the Father. This is an invitation for Him to take control, denoting man’s surrender to His will (Isaiah 64:8, Matthew 10:38, Matthew 11:28-30, Matthew 16:24, Mark 8:34-38, Mark 10:28, Luke 9:23, Luke 14:27, John 15:1-11, Romans 6:13, Romans 12:1-2, Galatians 2:20, Philippians 2:5-8, Hebrews 11:6, James 4:7-10, and 1 Peter 5:6).

Though God is sovereign over all creation (Genesis 1:1, Deuteronomy 4:39, Deuteronomy 10:14, Joshua 2:11, Nehemiah 9:6, Psalm 29:10, Psalm 45:6, Psalm 50:7-15, Psalm 93:1-2, Psalm 115:3, Psalm 135:6, Isaiah 43:13, Isaiah 45:9-10, Isaiah 46:10, Lamentations 5:19, Daniel 4:35, Romans 9:19-21, Ephesians 1:11, Hebrews 1:8, James 4:15, Revelation 4:11, and Revelation 20:11), His personal rulership over our hearts is our choice. If we choose to sin, we can return to the Father through Jesus (1 John 2:1-2).

Increase in us we pray

That is, for God to increase and for us to decrease, as spoken through John the Baptist (John 3:30).

Unveil why we’re made

I am fascinated at such a request given that The Bible already answers this. We are made to glorify God (Isaiah 43:1–7), to perform good works, (Ephesians 2:10), and to love one another as Christ has loved us (John 13:34-35). Perhaps this is more personal?

Come set our hearts ablaze with hope

Like wildfire in our very souls

Holy Spirit, come invade us now

See commentary in lines 1 and 2.

We are Your church

Also known as the Body of Christ and the Bride of Christ, this line acknowledges that God’s people are the church, not the building they meet (Romans 12:4-5, 1 Corinthians 12:12-31, Ephesians 4:4, Ephesians 4:25, Ephesians 5:29-30, Colossians 1:18, and Colossians 3:15).

We need Your power in us

As granted to the Apostles in Acts 1:8, this line requests the Holy Spirit’s power within Christ’s church.

[Verse 2]



We seek Your kingdom first

Obediently following the words of Jesus in Matthew 6:33.

We hunger and we thirst

That is, a spiritual thirst and hunger for more of God. Jesus satiates that desire (John 6:35).

Refuse to waste our lives

For You’re our joy and prize

Refers to Paul’s race in 1 Corinthians 9:24-27 and 2 Timothy 4:7. Unlike earthly races such as the Olympics, where the winner gets a medal and fading glory, our prize is imperishable: eternal life with God.

To see the captive hearts released

Bondage and enslavement to sin (John 8:34, Romans 6:6, Romans 6:20-22, and 1 Corinthians 6:12) has been broken (Matthew 11:28-30, Romans 6:6-7, and Romans 6:15:18).

The hurt, the sick, the poor at peace

Come to Jesus and the weary will find rest (Matthew 11:28-30).

We lay down our lives for Heaven’s cause

This is the cost of following Jesus (Luke 14:25-33).

[Pre-Chorus 1]



We are Your church

Repeats Verse 1, line 6.

We pray revive this earth

A legitimate prayer offered to God; However, let the reader understand that revival occurs when the church repents and obeys God (2 Chronicles 7:14, Acts 3:19-20, and 2 Timothy 2:24-26). In other words, this is a prayer that the church will obey God, causing revival on the earth.

[Chorus]



Build Your kingdom here

The starting point of kingdom building is through repentance and receiving the Holy Spirit (Matthew 4:17, Mark 1:15, and John 3:3).

Let the darkness fear

That is, because God’s light drives out the darkness (Psalm 107:10-16, Luke 1:79, John 1:1-13, John 12:46, Ephesians 5:8, Colossians 1:13, and 1 Peter 2:9).

Show Your mighty hand

Heal our streets and land

It is through repentance that causes our land to heal (2 Chronicles 7:14).

Set Your church on fire

Not literally of course! A prominent example of this is in Acts 2:4, where the disciples of Jesus received the Holy Spirit and spoke in tongues. The result? Peter preached the Gospel and 3,000 people were added to God’s Kingdom, repenting of their sins and giving away their possessions to those who are in need (Acts 2:14-47).

Win this nation back

Change the atmosphere

See commentary in Pre-Chorus 1, line 2.

Build Your kingdom here

Repeats line 1.

We pray

Rend Collective makes it clear that they are praying to God.

[Verse 3]



Unleash Your kingdom’s power

Reaching the near and far

See commentary on Chorus 2, lines 3 and 4.

No force of Hell can stop

Your beauty changing hearts

The gates of hell cannot prevail against the church (Matthew 16:17-19).

You made us for much more than this

Presumably, more than the current state of affairs within the church of Christ.

Awake the kingdom seed in us

Fill us with the strength and love of Christ

See commentary in Verse 1, line 9.

[Pre-Chorus 2]



We are Your church

Repeats Pre-Chorus 1, line 1.

We are the hope on earth

Christ is the hope on earth, not us (Matthew 11:28-30, Romans 5:1-8, Romans 8:24-39, Romans 15:13, 1 Corinthians 15:54-58, and 1 Peter 1:3-6). Yes, the church offers this hope on earth; However, we are not the hope. Jesus is.

Score: 7/10

3. How would an outsider interpret the song?

Non-Christ followers will likely come to the same conclusion as myself. It is not directed towards them per se; However, in terms of interpretation, all they would need to know is that Christians are praying to God for revival. It seems clear even for unbelievers.

The last line of Pre-Chorus 2 may give unbelievers the wrong impression, that Christians are earth’s hope, something that seems opposite their collective experiences. This puts a stumbling block upon their path to considering Jesus.

Score: 6/10

4. What does this song glorify?

In more ways than one, increasing God’s Kingdom is the thrust of this song, glorifying Him in the process. Yet, as previously mentioned, Rend Collective’s throwaway line adds a wrinkle of error into the song, dulling His glory.

Score: 7/10

Closing Comments

Rend Collective’s Build Your Kingdom Here is a great song with a highly problematic line, making it difficult to justify a high rating on any section. It would have received a near perfect score had Pre-Chorus 2 not contained “We are the hope on earth”.

That aside, this prayer given to God is highly Scriptural, with each line carefully crafted with meaty substance, somewhat understandable to unbelievers and glorifying God.

If you’re going to sing this at your churches, I recommend either using Pre-Chorus 1 again or change the second line to “You are the hope on earth”. Either alteration will avoid this erroneous lyric.

Final Score: 7/10

Artist Info

Track: Build Your Kingdom Here (listen to the song) (buy the song)

Artist: Rend Collective

Album: Homemade Worship by Handmade People (buy the album)

Genre: Celtic, Worship

Release Year: 2012

Duration: 4:18

Agree? Disagree? Don’t be shy or have a cow! Calmly and politely state your case in a comment, below.

*Copyright © 2012 Thankyou Music (PRS) (adm. worldwide at CapitolCMGPublishing.com excluding Europe which is adm. by Integrity Music, part of the David C Cook family. Songs@integritymusic.com) All rights reserved. Used by permission.

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