Eric Church performing at Mandalay Bay

On his latest disc, "Chief," nouveau outlaw Eric Church prays for a country music Jesus to come and save us all.

"We need a second comin’ worse than bad / Some long-haired hippie prophet / Preachin’ from the book of Johnny Cash / A sheep among the wolves there standin’ tall," Church sings over slow-simmering guitars and what sounds like cracks of thunder.

But does Church himself fit this role?

Well, he probably comes as close to anybody in contemporary country’s mainstream, where Church sort of fits in ("Chief," his third record, debuted atop the Billboard album chart and has gone platinum) and sort of doesn’t (this is a guy who got kicked off a Rascal Flatts tour for playing too long and who has penned several tunes about the joys of getting stoned).

"I’m a long gone Waylon song gone by," the self-acknowledged throwback announces on "Like Jesus Does."

Maybe so, but it’s a tune worth remembering.

Contact reporter Jason Bracelin at jbracelin@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-0476.