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by Melissa Riddle Highiy regardecl e$ a songwriter and as a worship leader and teacher, Paul Baloche has been in ministry long enough to know that when you distill worship down to its essence, it's really quite simple. lt's about simpli$ing your life to ryrake room for intimacy, for "God therapy."

lM.corn: What has been the greatest challenge you've faced since
ycu beEan pursr:ing music as a calling and a career? Paul Baloche: Balancing tninistry and music with marriage and famiiy. Minisiry and music are very "consunring" endeavors. They require lots of emotional time and energy that has to come frorn somewfiere. lt has treen a lifelong pursuit to keep things in baiance.

lM,com: What has been the most profound lesson you've learneci
about worship over the past few years? Baloche: Thatworship is a journey and God is always the goal. That real wcrship is our relationship with God and how we live our lives in the contert al a2417 telationship with the persorl of Jesus. Singing, dancing, nraking music, etc", are simply "expressions" of our love affair with our Creator and Savior.

lM.com: Vdhat is the most profound lesson you've leamed about life
over the past few years?
Vrevr all of Paul Balocire's
or^.lr '.+e

Baloche: That busyness is the eneffiy of intimacy. Our souls long

mosfly for intimacy with God, br,it ntany of us are choking on the
br-rsyriess of life. I'rn constantly looking for ways to simplify rny life and make tirne to just "be" with God, to just "be" with my wife and

ALthives

children. I'm svercorning my "l!4a;tha disease." ['m trying to be more like tMary who sat at the feet of Jesus. THAT seemed to bless Jesus' heart rnore ihan fuiartha's constant activity.

lM.corn: What is the mi:st f,ornmon nrisundersianding about worship you see in fne curr*nt worshtp climate,
and how have you tried to reshape it? Ealoche: That wolship is music. I'm only trying to reshape it in my life for nr:w. Mttsi* is such a powerful force. I can see why it is so easyto make "it" so impr:rtant, butwe have to keep reminding ourselves to focus on the Giver more than the gifts,

!M.com: Wlrat does 'worship lifestyle' nrean to you? Baloche: Worship lifestyle means pursuing ilre greatest command: to love God with all our heart, soui, mind, and strengt|, anci to love ogr neighbors as r:urselves. Thafs easier said than done. My foctts is ta daily surrender my will to l-Jis, trying to live a lifestyle of repentance, keepirig short accounts with God and asking
forgiveness all firrr:uglr ttre day if need be. Also, loving my wife and children. Before we can "love the world," we have tc startwith those who live with us ftrst. [M"com: This is kipcl of the desert island question. What are the five rninistry essentiais you coulci not do lvithout? Ealoche: Love, humility, commitment, a servant heart, laughter, iransparency and music (oops. that inakes seven).
iM.coEn: l-!:lv tJo you expl*!n tlie powerful connection betweett music and wctslrip expressir:n? Baloche: it is a rnystery why nrusic is one of the niost powerful and most meaningful ways to expre$s what is

in our hearts. lt has a way of short-cuttirig pastthe intellect ancl aiming right for tlre heatt. There is a deep emotional part of us that longs to "experience" rather that just "know" something intellectually. Music is one of thcse gifts from God that helps us connect to Hin'i on a deeper level.

lM.com: Describe one of the most ccmpelling, most powerftrl worship e xperiences you've had and tell hcw that affected you a$ a worshiper and as a leader since that time. Baloche: I cant seern to put my finger on just one, but I have been in a corporate worship many times and have been overcome bythe strong presence of the lnvisible God. ln the early days of playing guitar with Kelly Willard, e'te ry time we wor:ld rvorship together, there were rnomenb I could hardl'y stand. I would find myself crying and/or laughing a$ we sang our heartfelt prayers to God. That kind of experience ruins you for anything else, kind of turns you into a "God-addict." lt makes you want to spend the rest of ycur life encouraging others to "go there" with you. lM.com: What compels yau to write new songs for i,vorship? Faloclre: Writing songs is like "God therapy" for me. lt has always been the main way fiat I can work out my
salvation with the Lord. By journaling, writing out n'ry prayers, and pufting them into simple songs, | find it easier to sort through the stuff of life and keep my relationship with Him ftesh. I also love the privilege of putting words in the mauths cf 6od's children tov,lards Him. To knolv that a person is conneeting v'lith Jesus in a deep way by singing one of your prayer song$ to Him is very satisfying.

lM.com: What perscn has influenced your ministry/yaut' t-trusic the ntosl and how? Baloche: Kelly Willard, Lenny LeBlanc, and my wife, Rita. They always display an honest hunlility. They are real in their walk witir God and in how they express ii in their nrusic and ministi-y style. They also pullerl out of
me things I never knew were there. They have been "Jesus with a skin on" to me by their encouraging words and lifestyle.