Worship Collective releases music video for ‘Run’

The Liberty Worship Collective debuted its first music video on Friday, a sharply edited production of the original single “Run.” It features live action of the band leading worship for Liberty University students before a vivid, state-of-the-art light display. The video, produced by Liberty’s Marketing Department, was unveiled on the Worship Collective’s Facebook page.

“Run” was written last year by three Liberty students — junior Fiona Barbosu, senior Judd Harris, and senior Ashley Kidd — in collaboration with Worship Collective Director Louis Fabrizi and professional artists Phil Wickham and Josh Auer. Wickham — whose song “This Is Amazing Grace” was BMI Christian Song of the Year for 2015 — and Auer (who was playing bass with Wickham on tour) took time out of their busy touring schedule to write with members of the Collective.

During the writing session, Barbosu and her peers developed a lyric she had written out of her devotions in Psalm 63.

“It is really about longing for more of God when we are already completely in His presence,” Barbosu said.

The professional artists helped to create the song’s hook and chorus, which ultimately became a catchy, upbeat anthem and a perfect anchor for the Worship Collective’s debut album. The album release was celebrated during a launch party, hosted in the Center for Music and the Worship Arts, Concert Hall last semester. The album is available on Spotify and iTunes, as well as at Liberty’s bookstore and during Worship Collective events.

The Worship Collective performed “Run” during Convocation on Friday and announced that the new song will also be featured in the upcoming film “Extraordinary,” a project produced by Liberty’s Cinematic Arts, Zaki Gordon Center and Working Title Agency. Clips from the movie, based on the life of Dr. David Horton, ultra-running legend and longtime LU exercise science professor, played on screens as the Worship Collective performed the song.

“Extraordinary” releases in select theaters for a one-night-only nationwide premiere through Fathom Events on Thursday, Sept. 7, at 7 p.m. in all time zones. Tickets for “Extraordinary” can be purchased online by visiting ExtraordinaryMovie.com or at participating theater box offices. For a complete list of theater locations, visit the Fathom Events website.

In addition to “Run,” the Worship Collective’s album includes nine covers of contemporary worship hits, including Chris Tomlin’s “Good, Good Father” and “At the Cross”; Hillsong United’s “This I Believe” and “Hosanna”; and “No Longer Slaves,” originally written by Bethel Music. Now that it has produced an original song, the Liberty Worship Collective plans to continue to develop its songwriting culture. Members of the group spent time writing with members of Vertical Worship and Elevation Worship last week when the Collective held its annual training camp. An album of all original songs is on the horizon.

The Liberty Worship Collective is made up of 45 student worship leaders, songwriters, and musicians who are handpicked after an intense audition process. Members of the group lead worship at a number of campus events, as well as at conferences, youth events, festivals, churches, and other venues across the country.