Elevation Worship is the worship band from Elevation Church in Charlotte, North Carolina — the megachurch founded by Pastor Steven Furtick. Songs like 'O Come to the Altar,' 'Do It Again,' 'Graves Into Gardens,' and 'The Blessing' (with Kari Jobe) have become among the most-sung worship songs in American churches. The theological concerns center on Elevation Church itself.
Elevation Worship has written some of the finest contemporary worship music of the past decade. 'O Come to the Altar' is a genuinely powerful invitation to repentance and grace. 'Do It Again' is a faithful testimony to God's faithfulness. 'Graves Into Gardens' engages the resurrection with compelling imagery. 'The Blessing' (with Kari Jobe) is a beautiful biblical benediction. The music itself is broadly theologically sound and Christ-centered.
The caveat for Christian families: Elevation Worship is inseparable from Elevation Church and Steven Furtick. Furtick has been criticized by Reformed theologians including John MacArthur and others for his preaching approach — a tendency to make himself the hero of biblical stories rather than the biblical characters, prosperity-adjacent messaging, and a church culture that discourages questioning of leadership. Elevation Church is one of America's largest and fastest-growing megachurches, which amplifies both its influence and the stakes of these theological concerns.
The practical question for churches: can you sing 'O Come to the Altar' without endorsing Steven Furtick's theology? Most thoughtful worship leaders say yes — the song's content is sound regardless of source. But awareness of the theological context is appropriate. See also our Hillsong review for a parallel situation. For comparison, Maverick City Music produces worship with fewer theological source concerns.
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