Photo by Ricky Turner
Youth pastor Mark Hall has done well with his hit from…16 years ago, If We Are The Body. I just had a mini-mental breakdown about how old I am getting, at 34 years old! You can stop laughing now, gen Xers, baby boomers, and really old people elders.
Anyways, If We Are The Body‘s Berean Test score is highly positive. I have high hopes for What This World Needs.
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?
The world needs the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, who sacrificially loves us, leaving us an example to follow. Believers may piece this conclusion together by examining Verse 2 and the Outro in connection to the Chorus.
It also needs more believers who actually follow Jesus than liars, false teachers, or half-hearted hypocrites. It is through us that Christ changes the world.
Some might offer the criticism that these lyrics teach that the world does not need sinners, but no lyric can support this conclusion. Verse 1 talks about hypocritical, prideful, self-righteous “believers” and the world system, but not those who do not profess to know Christ. Verse 2 is about behavior that is helpful. The Chorus and Outro speaks on the Trinity.
Score: 10/10
2. How much of the lyrics line up with Scripture?
I found full agreement between God’s inspired Word and these lyrics.
Lyrics posted with permission.*
[Verse 1]
What this world needs is not another one hit wonder with an axe to grind
Another two bit politician peddling lies
That is, a hypocrite (Matthew 7:1-6, Matthew 23:1-36, and Romans 2:1-16).
Another three ring circus society
That is, the worldly system of affairs (John 14:30, Romans 12:2, 2 Corinthians 4:4, and Colossians 2:8).
What this world needs is not another sign waving super saint that’s better than you
That is, a self-righteous Pharisee (Matthew 6:1-7).
Another ear pleasing candy man afraid of the truth
Another prophet in an armani suit
That is, an ear-tickling false teacher (2 Timothy 4:3).
[Chorus]
What this world needs is a savior who will rescue
A spirit who will lead
A father who will love them in their time of need
The Outro identifies two of the three roles of the trinity, namely, the Son and the Father. This gives us good reason to believe that the spirit presented here is the Holy Spirit, who guides believers (John 16:13 and Hebrews 3:7-11).
A savior who will rescue
A spirit who will lead
A father who will love
That’s what this world needs
Repurposement of lines 1-3.
[Verse 2]
What this world needs is for us to care more about the inside than the outside
Combines two of Jesus’ teachings of acting/praying in secret rather than caring about one’s own appearance (Matthew 6:1-7) with defilement that comes from the inside rather than what goes into the body (Matthew 15:11 and Mark 7:15).
Have we become so blind that we can’t see
That is, spiritually blind (Isaiah 6:10, Zephaniah 1:17, Matthew 15:14, Matthew 23:16, John 12:40, 2 Corinthians 4:4, and 1 John 2:10).
God’s gotta change her heart before he changes her shirt
The natural effect of a changed heart is altered behavior; good works as evidence for saving faith (James 2:14-16).
What this world needs is for us to stop hiding behind our relevance
Blending in so well that people can’t see the difference
Jesus uses the concepts of salt and light to make the same point (Matthew 5:13-16).
And it’s the difference that sets the world free
Not that mankind can free the world throughout one’s own steam, but rather, the Holy Spirit working through us, by which some may put their trust in Jesus (Matthew 28:18-20 and 1 Corinthians 9:19-22).
[Outro]
What this world needs is a savior who will rescue
A spirit who will lead
A father who will love them in their time of need
A savior who will rescue
A spirit who will lead
A father who will love
That’s what this world needs
Repeats the Chorus.
Jesus is our savior, that’s what this world needs
As Verse 2 previously told us, He came to save us from spiritual blindness to a changed heart that lives for Christ.
Father’s arms around you, that’s what this world needs
As exampled by Christ (Romans 2:4 and Romans 5:6-8).
That’s what this world needs
Indeed!
Score: 10/10
3. How would an outsider interpret the song?
Those who do not yet follow Jesus should, for the most part, arrive at a similar conclusion than my own. My only concern is that for some, the subtle hints regarding Christ as Savior might be too subtle for some to follow, particularly the unchurched. However, this is relatively minor.
Score: 9/10
4. What does this song glorify?
All three persons within the Trinity, namely, the Father, Son, and hinted Holy Spirit.
Score: 10/10
Closing Comments
Casting crown’s What This World Needs hits all the right marks. It agrees with Scripture, it has a basic, positive message regarding the need for the world to contain consistent believers, opposing pretenders and worldly behavior. Non-Christ followers will find much of it easy to follow, with the entire Trinity glorified.
Worship leaders should consider skipping this song for regular church service. This is not a worship song.
Final Score: 9.5/10
Artist Info
Track: What This World Needs (listen to the song)
Artist: Casting Crowns
Album: The Altar and The Door
Genre: Rock
Release Year: 2007
Duration: 4:41
Agree? Disagree? Don’t be shy or have a cow! Calmly and politely state your case in a comment, below.
*Copyright © 2007 My Refuge Music (BMI) Land Of The Giants Music (BMI) (adm. at CapitolCMGPublishing.com), Be Essential Songs (BMI) (admin at EssentialMusicPublishing.com). All rights reserved. Used by permission.
Updates:
03/23/2021 – Updated per repetition announcement.
Comments
nealcruco
A great review that I fully agree with. I was disappointed, though, to find that you did not review the spoken part of the song (perhaps one would call it the bridge?) after the second chorus. Especially since this site’s focus is on words and not the music. I’m also surprised to find that Casting Crowns’ own website doesn’t include that part, since it’s part of the song. Did you skip it on purpose?
Also, not that it matters much, but I always thought that line 3 in verse 2 used “your” instead of “her”. Using the general “you” makes more sense than referring to some unspecified female- but again, the lyrics on Casting Crowns’ website use “her” there, so that’s odd.
Thank you for this review!
Vince Wright
Neal,
Great question! I went with what both Casting Crowns and the Genius site posted as their official lyrics for my review. Since they did not include the spoken part, I did the same.
-Vince Wright
Steve R
What about the part about not strapping ourselves to the Gospel or translation of the Bible? Just curious. Are we not supposed to follow the Gospel and testify to His glory?
Vince Wright
Steve R,
Thank you for your comments; However, I am confused. What does that have to do with this song?
-Vince Wright
Neal Cruco
Vince,
Steve is referring to the spoken bridge, which you did not include in your review. (https://www.genius.com/Casting-crowns-what-this-world-needs-lyrics)
Steve, I would suggest that you read those lines in the context of the whole bridge, and ideally the whole song. The message of the bridge is that we Christians can make the Good News much more complicated than Jesus did. We can attach a whole slew of sacred church traditions that you have to affirm in order to be considered a member of the worldwide Church. (And no, I am not just targeting one specific denomination here. Every church can do this, and it’s present in every group.) There is no salvation in our church’s dress standards, our church’s doctrines and traditions, or our preferred translation of the Bible. The unsaved world doesn’t need those things. They’re not inherently bad; just unnecessary. The bridge, then, can be seen as a criticism of churches who insist that you believe everything that they do and follow every practice that they do, or else be called a godless heretic.
“What sorrow awaits you teachers of religious law and you Pharisees. Hypocrites! For you shut the door of the Kingdom of Heaven in people’s faces. You won’t go in yourselves, and you don’t let others enter either.” – Matthew 23:13 (NLT)
Vince Wright
Neal,
Thanks for the clarification!
-Vince Wright