"Ghost Ship" is not a shameless rehash of the 2002 horror movie of the same titular.  Neither is it the latest "scare-you-out-of-wits" ride at Universal Studios.  Nor is it the latest video game that will get our teenagers glued to it for days.  In fact, there is nothing nocturnal, spooky or remotely eerie of the Ghost Ship.  What is perhaps the haunting about them is that they are one of a kind.  Their style of worship bears their own patented sound of rock, folk, pop and country.  Rather, their moniker "Ghost Ship" is demonstrative of the septet's desire to be vessels navigated by the power of the Holy Ghost.  They are one of the worship teams from Mars Hill Church helmed by senior pastor & author Mark Driscoll.  Earlier this year, another worship team from the same church, Citizens have blessed us with the first fruits of their worship.  Now under the imprint of BEC Recordings and Mars Hill music, we get their second instalment.  Led by worship leader Cam Huxford, Ghost Ship has been ushering the congregation into worship for two and half years.  Comprised of Huxford, Doug Finefrock, Jamison Dewlen, Chae Choi, Shay Carlucci, and Fancy Morales, this septet has finally released their debuted record "The Good King."

What gives Ghost Ship their unique slant is that they have taken the elements that were once taboo in worship music and embracing them into their sound.  Hymns, Cathedral organ, banjos, fiddles and choir were once deemed archaic and frowned upon are gloriously incorporated.  This is why it is not surprising that they have included two hymns "Holy, Holy, Holy" and "What a Friend We Have in Jesus."  Their renditions of these two hymns are so creative that you won't hear them performed this way in any typical church.  Streaming together two strands of worship to create a new sound:  "Holy, Holy, Holy" starts off with a neo-folk Rend Collective Experiment worship style before giving way to some grand post-Victorian church pipe organ riffs.  "What a Friend We Have in Jesus" starts off with camp-fire warmth before a choir is brought in to thunderous celebration of the everlasting friendship of Jesus Christ.

Worship music certainly comes in circles: where once wordy hymns were replaced with choruses of short lyrical platitudes, here we find the return to the former.  "Jude Doxology," for instance, is a wonderful Biblical-theologically rich song that moves across the plotline of the Bible culminating in Christ that is nothing short of breathtaking.  While "Where Were You" is a re-framing of the questions God asked Job that truly channels us to appreciate God and his sovereignty afresh. Creativity again takes the central seat in "The Mediator."  Here a hybrid of styles merges into one: serpentine snaky guitar riffs in the Skillet-style, folk-like acoustic guitar strums and Huxford's sturdy tenor soar come together at a hymn-esque exaltation of the vicarious role of Jesus our Sacrifice.  Lyrically, "Lion King" calls to mind C. S. Lewis' Aslan, where the boys sing about Jesus' resolve to carry the Cross on this stoner-rock blues.

In a time where churches have ignominiously assumed the Gospel, the Ghost Ship keeps the Gospel at the core.  The song "The Gospel," with its cheery and clappy feel, is a perspicuous exposition of the Gospel that we should sing about daily.  Ballad fans would love "Son of David," a song based on the story of the blind Bartimaus begging Jesus to have mercy; listening to how Huxford pleas the same way Bartimaus pleaded is worshipfully heartfelt.  This is a worship album with a difference.  The Ghost Ship is one of the most creative bands out there; they have conglomerated musical styles of various stripes to create their own sound.  As for their name, there is nothing there to be afraid of.  But through their songs they have helped us to fear the One who deserves our everything, Jesus Christ.