Where Would I Be (Without the Cross) - Song

Where Would I Be (Without the Cross) - Song

Written by Josh Ninaber, Andrea Nicholls, Sam Hart and Matthew Zigenis

1. I was Broken with no peace,
lost and guilty, in need of mercy
I saw no hope beyond the grave
The cause for sin, I deserve to pay

2. You are spotless, unlike me
Holy on your throne of glory
You saw my soul's depravity
But Jesus, still you rescued me

Chorus Where would I be without the cross?
Amazing love, poured down for us
You took the risk, you paid the cost
Where would I be without the cross?

3 You were crushed and torn for me
As you carried that cross of suffering
You died my death, laid in my grave
But praise God, that's not where you stay

Chorus Where would I be without the cross?
Amazing love, poured down for us
You took the risk, you paid the cost
Where would I be without the cross?

Bridge By your power I am free
I now live to tell this story
My heart transformed for all to see
Because Jesus, you chose me
Oh such love, how can it be?

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Bio

I am a Canadian-Brazilian pastor living in Port Coquitlam BC, Canada. After graduating from Concordia Seminary in São Leopoldo, Brazil (Class of 1998), I was ordained by my father, Rev. Curt Albrecht, in Curitiba. My first pastoral call was to Peace Lutheran Church in Campo Bom, RS, where I served from 1999 to 2004. In 2004, I began serving at The Lutheran University of Brazil, where I held different Calls over the years. From 2004 to 2007, I was called as Campus Pastor for the Canoas Campus and as church planter. From 2008 to 2011, I was called to resume campus ministry with a special focus on communications, particularly the “Toque de Vida” (“Touch of Life”) Project. This initiative began as a daily TV program and later expanded to include email devotionals in Portuguese, Spanish, and English; a blog; a radio broadcast; and, in 2014, the planting of Toque de Vida Lutheran Church in Canoas. Between 2012 and 2015, I was called to serve as Head Chaplain for the ULBRA System nationwide. During this time, I continued to lead the Toque de Vida initiative, and also served as Assistant Pastor at CELSP (2012–2014), volunteered in ministry at Toque de Vida Lutheran Church (2014–2015), and taught high school religion classes. In 2016, I became a professor in the Theology School and continued as Campus Pastor in Canoas, and volunteer pastor at The Toque de Vida Lutheran Church. In November 2016, I accepted the call to be Associate Pastor at Mount Olive Lutheran Church in Regina, Canada, where I was installed in February 2017. I am serving at Hope Lutheran Church and School since October, 2023. Educationally, I earned a Bachelor’s degree in Social Communications-Journalism in 2011, focusing on "The Lutheran Sermon from the Receiver’s Viewpoint." My second diploma in Theology from Ulbra came in 2015, alongside a Master’s in Theology from Concordia Seminary, São Leopoldo, with a dissertation titled, “Preaching for Everyone and for No One,” which explored the history and production of the Toque de Vida TV program. I hold also a Specialist degree in Human Resources, with a dissertation on "Institutional Values in Hiring in a Confessional Lutheran Institution." In the same year I finished the Master in Sacred Theology Diploma (MST) at The Concordia Seminary, Sao Leopoldo. The dissertation, "Preaching for everyone and for no one" researched history and production process of the "Toque de Vida" TV Program. I am currently a student of the Doctor of Ministry Program of the Concordia Seminary St. Louis, USA. I was born in 1975 in Naviraí, MS, Brazil, to Rev. Curt and Ligia Madalena Albrecht, the fourth of nine siblings. I have been married to Djenane since 1997, and we have two children, Charles and Rachel Sophie. My personal interests include spending time with family, music, digital ministry, multimedia communication, and leadership.