Darlene Zschech is never about herself.  If she were about herself, she would be the featured vocalist on every Hillsong track.  And if she coveted the limelight, she would be singing all the vocals here on Hope UC's debut single.  Though Zschech and her husband are senior pastors at Hope UC, they are never about themseves.  Rather, they are committed to building God's house in terms in raising and cultivating new leaders.  Thus, on their debut single "When I Survey" (available as a free download on Hope UC's website) Zschech sings only the second verse with her Hope UC team handling the lead.

Hope UC's "When I Survey" is a revamped version of Isaac Watts' 1707 hymn "When I Survey the Wondrous Cross."  When Watts first wrote the hymn, the song itself was an innovative departure from the English hymnal then.  While the norm was to sing words from Scripture, "When I Survey the Wondrous Cross" features baroque lyrics paraphrased from Galatians 6:14.  Likewise, Hope UC's "When I Survey" isn't just your typical hymn, a new chorus is added with a bridge that sounds like Hillsong Live's  "I Surrender."

What is missing from this new song is Darlene Zchech's vocals.  Though she sings the second verse by herself, she is conspicuously missing from the rest of the cut.  If she could add her mellifluous vocals to the bridge and sing in harmony with the male lead on the chorus like what she did on Hillsong's "The Narrow Road" it would have given the song a stronger backing.  Other than that, this is a great introduction to the music of Hope UC.  Let's pray that the way God used the leadership of Darlene Zschech to pioneer Hillsong will also be used to push Hope UC to the forefront of God's mighty work.