Student worship leader keeps collegiate ties

Posted: 5/09/08

Student worship leader keeps collegiate ties

By Leann Callaway

Special to the Baptist Standard

WACO—The Blake Bollinger Band’s roots run deep at Baylor University in Waco.

As a freshman at Baylor in 1999, Bollinger was asked to lead worship for chapel services, which put him in front of thousands of students each week.

Before long, Bollinger began responding to requests for out-of-state engagements. As the tour dates began to pile up and the miles of weekend travel kept increasing, Bollinger and his fellow band members felt pressure to drop out of school and pursue music full-time.

But after many hours of discussion and prayer, the band members decided to finish school and to turn down some offers and concert requests. 

“We all found a way to work our class schedule to always be free on Fridays,” Bollinger said. “This allowed us to play Thursday through Sunday and then drive back through the night for our classes on Monday mornings.”

In August 2007, Bollinger’s newest CD, No Holiday, was released. www.blakebollinger.com

After graduating from Baylor in December 2003, Bollinger was able to focus on music full-time. Today, he keeps a busy schedule performing concerts and leading worship at events around the country, including youth camps, retreats, conferences and Disciple Now weekends. In addition, Bollinger serves as a worship leader at Second Baptist Church of Houston’s Pearland campus and frequently performs for events at Baylor.

“I’m humbled and grateful for an opportunity to get to spread the Good News through the powerful vehicle of music,” Bollinger said. “Leading worship needs to be taken very seriously. It’s not just playing songs. It’s leading people into the throne room of the Lord. We pray each time before we lead worship that God’s face will be seen and not ours— that we’ll just be a vehicle to lead people in worship.”

Wherever Bollinger performs, his goal is to offer more than a concert. Bollinger desires to provide students and young adults a life-changing encounter, he said.

We can know our destination

Baylor University's Studio Production class produced, shot, and edited this music video for Blake Bollinger's band singing Glitter. Watch video.

“At a lot of the camps and youth events we go to, we see youth struggling and being unsure of where they’re going to spend eternity,” he said. “We want them to be sure of their salvation and a fulfilling life by having a relationship with Christ. The young people of our generation need to know that they can have a hope and a future. We want them to know that there is more to this life than the here and now and the pursuit of self. We can truly know our destination and have a purpose for life on earth.”

In August 2007, Bollinger’s newest CD, No Holiday, was released. All of the songs on the CD are about situations Bollinger either has experienced or watched others experience.

“My goal was to create songs that connect with all people, but are particularly meaningful and relevant to believers,” Bollinger said. “In order to write a song, I have to really be passionate about the subject. I love to write songs that have redemptive qualities; that start with a struggle and end with hope.

Take it All

“I think the last track, ‘Take it All,’ is my favorite. The words of the song really convey my heart to God.  The chorus says, ‘Take it all, take all of me, take it all, take everything, and take it now, I don’t want it back, take all that I have and all I lack, take it all.’ … God gives us gifts to use for his kingdom, but he also allows us to have faults and flaws that leave us totally dependent on him. When we give him the things that we consider weaknesses, he can turn them into something beautiful and complete.”