Flashback Friday

Back to the 90's for an English Contemporary Christian band, Delirious? (formerly known as The Cutting Edge Band), one of the most influential CCM groups of the 90's. 

For the majority of their career, the lineup featured Martin Smith on vocals and guitar, Stu G (full name Stuart Garrard) on guitar and backing vocals, Jon Thatcher on bass guitar, Tim Jupp on keys and piano, and Stew Smith on drums and percussion. During their final two years, drumming duties were assumed by Paul Evans.

The origins of Delirious? stretch back to 1992. The band began life as a collection of musicians, known simply as 'The Cutting Edge Band'. The group's function was to be a Christian worship band for a youth outreach event called "Cutting Edge", instigated by the Arun Community Church in Littlehampton, West Sussex. The events became popular via word-of-mouth, leading the band to play at other 'Cutting Edge' events along the south coast of England  The group remained as the house band for Cutting Edge for several years, and they began to record and release the 'Cutting Edge' cassette tapes.

The turnout at the events grew so much that the regular venue (a local school hall) had to be replaced with the school's sports hall, whilst the organizers had to charge a small fee to control the numbers attending. Similar challenges took place at the Central Hall in Southampton where up to 1200 people would gather each month. In 1996, an event was held in the open air, on the green next to Littlehampton's beach. An estimated 4000 people attended, while Channel 4 filmed it for a documentary.  

The band were able to release their increasingly popular material. In total, four EPs were released under the "Cutting Edge" name. Many of the band's most famous songs were written and recorded during this time, including possibly their most famous: "I Could Sing Of Your Love Forever," which has been called a "modern worship classic" and is their most popular song in the United States.

Others included many great songs (some that we still play in church today)...  'Lord, You Have My Heart', 'Thank You For Saving Me', 'Did You Feel The Mountains Tremble?', 'I've Found Jesus', 'I'm Not Ashamed', 'Find Me In The River', 'Shout To The North', 'All I Want Is You', 'Obsession', and of course a favorite, "The Happy Song"... 

Their music became well known in Christian circles, and demand grew for recordings. By 1996, they had sold over seventy thousand EPs by mail order. These EPs were later released as two albums in the UK, and one double album in the US. A similar composite edition of Cutting Edge was released to retail and achieved 'Gold' status in Canada. The following year saw the name change, and it didn’t take long for Delirious to turn heads across the Atlantic. Starting in 1997, Sparrow Records released all of the band’s previous work – the fruit of seven years of labor – within a 24-month span. And that’s all the time it took for Delirious?, along with America’s Sonicflood, to kick-start the modern worship boom that reshaped the world of Christian music. 

Between 1997 and 2001, the band targeted the majority of its work towards a mainstream audience, with several singles reaching the top 20 on the UK Singles Chart. However, between 2003 and 2009 the focus was mainly placed on the CCM market, although occasional singles were still released.

In the final years of their career, Delirious? began to place a strong focus on humanitarian issues in their music. Both Martin Smith and Stu G started charities. Drummer Stew Smith left the band at the end of April 2008, and it was announced via a press release on in July of the same year that Delirious? would soon embark on an indefinite and probably permanent hiatus from recording and touring in order to focus on these new projects. In  November 2009 they gave their final performance for a sold-out crowd at London's Hammersmith Apollo. The three-and-a-half-hour final show was filmed for a live album, DVD and Blu-ray package, titled Farewell Show - Live In London. It was released in April 2010 after which the band officially disbanded.

During their career, Delirious? played in over forty countries around the world. In the United Kingdom. They supported Bon Jovi, Matchbox 20 and Bryan Adams on their UK tours in 2001 and 2002. Prior to the band's retirement, they played what were intended to be the first of many intimate 'Living Room' gigs, exclusively for fans. Delirious? also played many major shows in mainland Europe. In 2004, they headlined the Olympic celebrations in Omonia Square, Athens. In 2005, the band performed to an audience of 1.2 million people in Cologne, Germany.

The band also had an extensive touring schedule outside of Europe. In 2006, they played again to 1.2 million people, this time during a four date tour of India, with up to 400,000 people attending in one day. In the US, they played at such events as Acquire the Fire and Spirit West Coast. In 2007, they headlined their own twenty-four date tour across the country. In New Zealand they made appearances at the Parachute Music Festival, a four-day Christian music festival, the largest in the southern hemisphere.

Lead By Serving

The following is from an article on Crosswalk.com...

There are several leadership styles that fill business articles and books, but only one is encouraged in Scripture. And that's the concept known as servant leadership.

What is servant leadership? The beautiful thing about it is that it’s not easily represented in a definition or easy-to-scan list of characteristics. It’s fulfilled in the life and ministry of Jesus Christ.

You can look at other servant leadership examples in the Bible, like Moses, Esther, and Peter. But the simple and powerful truth is that to understand what servant leadership truly is and its life-changing influence, you’ll need to start with Jesus.

What Is Servant Leadership?

Servant leadership is defined biblically:

Then He [Jesus] came to Capernaum. And when He was in the house He asked them, “What was it you disputed among yourselves on the road?” But they kept silent, for on the road they had disputed among themselves who would be the greatest. And He sat down, called the twelve, and said to them, “If anyone desires to be first, he shall be last of all and servant of all.”
Mark 9:33-35 NKJV

Leaders must serve others. It’s at the heart of what servant leadership is. For Jesus to express and live that out is striking in at least two ways.

The first is that the Creator served creation. Jesus created all things (see John 1:3, Colossians 1:16, and Hebrews 1:2) and then became human to suffer and die for humanity. He could have put an end to it. For instance, consider what Jesus told Peter before His arrest: “do you think that I cannot now pray to My Father, and He will provide Me with more than twelve legions of angels?” (Matthew 25:53). Yet, He didn’t come to exhibit His power over others.

That leads to the second notable point: What He came to do — the Lord of lords and the King of kings (Revelation 17:14) — was to serve others and, ultimately, give His life for them.

You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and those who are great exercise authority over them. Yet it shall not be so among you; but whoever desires to become great among you, let him be your servant. And whoever desires to be first among you, let him be your slave — just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many.
Matthew 20:24-28

In the greatest act of love and indicator of servanthood in history, Jesus, the incarnate God, gave up His life to save us.

How Servant Leadership Transforms Others

The following is from an article on Crosswalk.com...

One aspect of servant leadership is the impact it has on other people. The best test, and difficult to administer, is: Do those served grow as persons? Do they, while being served, become healthier, wiser, freer, more autonomous, more likely themselves to become servants?

Asking these types of questions for the likes of Moses, Esther, and Peter would be comical. Did they help others grow in the love of God and produce other servant leaders? Of course. Moses’ people would have died, quite literally, if it wasn’t for his intercessions, and his leadership continued through Joshua. Esther risked her life for her people and founded the Feast of Purim. Peter added 3,000 new believers to the church on the day of Pentecost alone (Acts 2:41) and was a pillar of the early church.

Peter wasn’t always the model servant leader, though. He was outspoken and, at times, impulsive. In an instructive moment of Peter’s transformation and of Jesus’ servant leadership, Peter objected to Jesus washing his feet (John 13:2-9), which was an act even below that of a slave. Jesus persisted in washing Peter and the disciples' feet — including Judas — and then taught them about what it means to be a leader.

So when He had washed their feet, taken His garments, and sat down again, He said to them, “Do you know what I have done to you? You call Me Teacher and Lord, and you say well, for so I am. If I then, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet. For I have given you an example, that you should do as I have done to you. Most assuredly, I say to you, a servant is not greater than his master; nor is he who is sent greater than he who sent him. If you know these things, blessed are you if you do them.
John 13:12-17

Being a leader is about serving others in lowliness. As Peter wrote, authority doesn’t involve “lording it over those entrusted to you” but rather to “clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, because, ‘God opposes the proud but shows favor to the humble’” (1 Peter 5:3, 5).

How Servant Leadership Transforms You

The other aspect of servant leadership is how it impacts the individual leader. The servant-leader is servant first… It begins with the natural feeling that one wants to serve, to serve first. Then conscious choice brings one to aspire to lead. That person is sharply different from one who is leader first, perhaps because of the need to assuage an unusual power drive or to acquire material possessions...

None of that happens overnight. As anyone familiar with Moses, Esther, and Peter can attest, it takes time to be transformed as a true leader in the presence of God.

Moses was fearful throughout his encounter with God at the burning bush, giving excuses and outright asking God to send someone else before fulfilling his calling. Esther was a young, scared Jewish girl who would come to stand up for her people as queen of Persia. Peter went from a strong-willed, rather difficult disciple to a leader of the flock God entrusted to him.

It’s amazing to see how God can work in and through the people He has called to ministry. That’s certainly true for you, too. As Paul wrote, Scripture is “profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness” so you can be “thoroughly equipped for every good work” (2 Timothy 3:16-17). 

Enhance your impact across environments like church ministry, parachurch ministry, and nonprofit organizations by being a little more like Jesus...

The Chosen

I've written several times about The Chosen,, a TV-like series about Jesus and his disciples, that is different from any Bible-based project I've watched. It also may be the best. Launched in 2017 by what is now Angel Studios, it is the first multi-season television series about the life of Christ. The second season started on Easter and if you haven't yet watched this great show, you should definitely add it to your "to do" list. There are several thing you should know about this show...

1. It's Marvelous

The Chosen just might be the best movie or television show about Jesus, ever. Part of that is due to the first-rate acting and the authentic-looking costumes and sets, but much of it is because of the script. Each episode aims for your heart. Each one feels as if it was made just for you. When the credits roll, you're left with a fresh perspective on the love, grace and mercy of Christ.

Each episode also focuses on the struggles of a single character, showing how Jesus impacted their life. The first episode of Season 2, for example, spotlighted James and John, the sons of Zebedee. At first, they struggle with their anger, but by the end, they are seeing there is a better way. The series takes some creative license yet stays true to the spirit of Scripture, basing each episode on or two biblical scenes.

One of the series' goals, according to Jenkins is to have the viewer feel as if when "these characters encounter Jesus, you feel like you're encountering Jesus."

Past movies about Jesus "sometimes skipped over the struggle part, the human part" of the disciples, Jenkins said. Too often, they lacked an emotional connection to the characters.

Asked what fans can expect in Season 2, Jenkins said, "Things get real now."

"It was all fun and games when the disciples were called to follow Jesus, and it's very exciting," Jenkins said, reflecting on Season 1. "But now they have to face what that means. As the fame of Jesus increases, so do the friends and enemies. We really explore the relationship dynamics, both good and bad. This season might not be as action-packed as the second half of Season 1, but it's deeper and more character-driven."

Jonathan Roumie, who plays Jesus, is outstanding in the role. But honestly, there is not a weak link in the cast.

2. It's Crowdfunded

Seasons 1 and 2 were crowdfunded. This means the viewers – and not a Hollywood studio – paid for the production. Each season cost $10 million, with 75,346 people contributing to Season 1 and 125,346 people contributing to Season 2. The overwhelming majority of people (86 percent) who funded Season 1 turned around and funded Season 2 – which means they liked what they saw. Season 3, if you're curious, is already 12 percent funded.

"The Hollywood golden rule is he who has the gold makes the rules," says Jenkins "And we believe that doing it this way has allowed us to control the content, and make sure that we're faithful to Scripture."

All total, seven seasons are planned.

3. It's Mega-Popular

Angel Studios calls The Chosen the "largest crowdfunded media project in history." It's also one of the most popular streaming titles in the United States.

Several million people watched the first episode of Season 2, including 2 million on YouTube and 1 million on Facebook.

All total, the series has been streamed 117 million times since it debuted in 2017, according to data on The Chosen app.

It's a Bible-based series that has fans from all corners of Christianity. It even has drawn high praise from – can it be true?– those who typically hate Christian films. It has a perfect 100 percent rating from critics at Rotten Tomatoes and a 99 percent from Rotten Tomatoes fans (out of more than 7,000 votes).

"We work really hard to make it a good show first and foremost," Jenkins said when asked why The Chosen has skyrocketed in popularity. "I'd like to think we've succeeded there, which ultimately allows the greatest story with the greatest man who ever lived to have even more impact."

4. It's Free

Unlike streaming hits like The Crown (Netflix) or The Mandalorian (Disney Plus), The Chosen is free. But that doesn't mean you can't donate. After all, the entire series depends on it.

Each time you watch an episode on the app, you're given two choices: "Pay it Forward" and "Watch Now." If you click the latter choice, you're taken to your episode. But if you click on the former option, you're taken to a donation page. (You learn that a donation of $14.99, for example, will allow 10 other people around the world to watch an episode. It also will help create future seasons and will be used to translate the series into other languages.)

The more that people watch The Chosen for free, the more it generates in revenue.

Jenkins calls it "God's impossible math." But it works. Perhaps that's because fans of the series want Seasons 3-7 to be completed, as planned. Or maybe that's because the series is so powerful – and so well-done – that fans want others to see it, too.

Whatever the case, The Chosen continues to defy expectations by working outside of the typical Hollywood model.

With countless fans ready to keep it going, that likely won't change anytime soon.

Visit TheChosen.TV.

New Music

Last week, 3x Dove Award-winner and 3x GRAMMY-nominated artist Crowder notched his first Billboard No. 1 song on the Hot Christian Songs Chart with his song “Good God Almighty" and he follows it with “Milk & Honey,” the title track of his forthcoming record due June 11th.

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Nashville-based singer/songwriter Abby Robertson has released a reflective new tune, “Everyday.” The melodic hymn, which displays  Robertson’s breathtaking vocals is “an inspirational tribute to spiritual devotion, the track combines pop sensibility with a message of steadfast faith.” 

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GRAMMY nominated and Billboard #1 worship groups Elevation Worship and Maverick City released their newest single, “Wait On You.” The track is a powerful anthem that reminds listeners of God’s goodness and power. “Wait On You” is the latest single from the upcoming album Old Church Basement that releases April 30.

Webmaster Thoughts

 A year ago I posted some quarantine thoughts on this forum. Here we are exactly one year later and some things are better, but many are still the same. I am still working from home, travel is still banned to most countries, we are still supposed to wear masks in public, the pandemic is still a major public concern and still affecting how we live our lives. The pre-pandemic "normal" that we once knew is still quite a ways away.

However things have changed to a certain extent. Many people are now vaccinated (over 50% of the people in our country have gotten at least one shot of vaccine), most churches have opened to in-person services, sports are starting to allow fans in the stands, most student are back to some form of in-person schooling, and toilet paper is now easier to find. Fear is beginning to turn to hope.

Will things fully return to "normal" as we knew it? I doubt it and to a great extent I hope not. Please don't call this the "new normal", I dislike that term. This is not a new normal, it is change and though we generally don't like change, much of this change is for the good. The increased awareness that slowing down and spending time with the family is important, the renewed excitement to see old friends, the intentional turning to God and worship, the increased discussion about race and equality... 

Much that has changed is good, however we still have a ways to go. We need to reduce the racial disparity, political and social turmoil, and the disunity as a nation that we are still experiencing. We need to eliminate the perpetuating of falsehoods and conspiracy theories that still abound in social media and even mainstream media. We need to learn to respect each others opinions and views, whether we agree or not. instead of name-calling. We need to get this pandemic under control and slow the number of deaths occurring.

Yes, we still have a ways to go. But we need to embrace these changes and not go back to the old "normal", I think we can be better than that. We have just come through a year of trying to survive... it's time for us to learn from the past year, to improve, and to thrive.

Flashback Friday

 This week we go back to look at the career of contemporary Christian music singer, songwriter, and speaker, Kathy Troccoli.

Born in Brooklyn, New York, Troccoli was raised on Long Island, New York. Troccoli's debut album, the 1982 release Stubborn Love, was reportedly the best-selling debut album by a contemporary Christian music female artist. 

The title song was probably the biggest hit from this album...

A second album, Heart and Soul, was released in 1984; it led to her receiving her first Grammy nomination a year later, in 1986, in which year Images followed it. Troccoli then withdrew from her musical career returning to Long Island for a six-year sojourn, giving singing lessons and sang at weddings.

Her father died of colon cancer when she was 15; her mother died of breast cancer in 1991, shortly before the release of her album Pure Attraction and its mainstream chart selection, "Everything Changes".

Numerous hit songs came afterwards, including 1994's "My Life is in Your Hands", jointly written and composed with Bill Montvilo, which defined her career and inspired the devotional book of the same title, written in 1997, and 1995's "Go Light Your World", which began the rise of writer Chris Rice and was used for charity efforts that year. We continue to play this song in church today.

Through the course of her career, Troccoli has released over 20 albums, numerous collaborations, books, media appearances and has won 3 GMA Dove awards/

We Are Never Alone

 “‘I am the Alpha and Omega,’ says the Lord God, ‘who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty.’” - Revelation 1:8 ESV

During this time of unrest and unknown, the state of our souls is on full display. If our hope was cemented in people, isolation and quarantine have stripped them from our lives to leave us feeling alone. Many have faced the frailty of human health, and the pain of loss.

Plans have been canceled, rescheduled, and canceled again. Birthdays and holidays are being celebrated alone, for the second year in a row. The loss of control over day-to-day life has left many of us frustrated, anxious, fearful, and depressed.

Our faith was never meant to be cemented in anything other than Christ alone. “I am the way, and the truth, and the life,” Jesus said, “No one comes to the Father except through me.” (John 14:6) The Alpha and Omega means he is the beginning and the end. Jesus was with the Father in the beginning. John wrote, “Through Him all things were made; without Him nothing that has been made was made.” (John 1:3 NIV)

We can be confident God not only knows what is happening on earth, but He remains sovereign and omnipotent throughout all of time. He is in control. God is good. His plans for us are good.

Perhaps the hardest for us is the unknown. Though God knows what lies ahead of us, we do not. Matthew wrote, “So you also must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect him.” (Matthew 24:44) It’s hard to hold onto the hope we have in Jesus when our world is crumbling around us. When everything seems unpredictable and the situation gets worse instead of better no matter how ardently we are praying for healing and restoration, faith is hard.

We have to let go. The mirage of control is a temptress that will lead us in frustrating circles. We are called to submit our lives to Christ and allow His power and strength and love to flow through us. When we obediently set down our urge to know, control and over plan, we experience peace. Peace that surpasses all understanding, even in a pandemic.

K-Love Evening of Prayer

The K-LOVE Evening of Prayer kicks off tonight at 7:00 PM CST (5PM PST/8PM EST) on Facebook Live, and this year it’s bigger than ever – with people joining from literally around the world, plus your favorite artists, on-air hosts, and fun surprises!

Artists include...

If you’ve never had the chance to take part in this amazing, interactive evening of prayer, you’re going to love it. So mark your calendar and make plans to join in tonight on K-LOVE’s Facebook page.

And if you missed Monday’s livestreamed concerts from MercyMe and Unspoken, check them out on Facebook today – because they brought the house down!

MercyMe at https://www.facebook.com/kloveradio/videos/1637728323281900

Unspoken at https://www.facebook.com/kloveradio/videos/3983109198448475

New Artist - Anna Golden

Anna Golden, an emerging worship artist and songwriter, announced her debut project Peace: The Album will release May 21. As a sample, Anna released a live performance of her song “Doubt.” 

At only 24 with her debut album ready to impact the world, the music scene is not a new one for Anna Golden. She began her career as a showbiz kid, the youngest of four talented siblings. Her childhood was spent in Los Angeles audition rooms, earning consistent work with mainstream entertainment outlets, including Radio Disney.

“My siblings—John, Liz, and Josh—are involved in mainstream music or acting,” Golden explains. “I started in the mainstream also, but at 15 I remember having a moment with my parents where I told them the attention was too much pressure for me.”

That conversation led her to her passion—worship ministry. “I loved leading worship because none of the attention was on me,” she says. “All the glory is directed to God.”

Becoming a member of her church’s youth worship team, Golden began leading worship and by 18, she was in charge. She started recording and releasing her own worship songs independently, which led her to an unexpected opportunity with Tasha Cobbs Leonard in 2017 who invited her to sing on her album. Soon after, Golden ended up becoming a background vocalist and serving alongside Cobbs Leonard in her local church.

Cobbs Leonard eventually launched her own imprint, TeeLee Records, in association with her longtime label Motown Gospel, a division of Capitol CMG, and Anna Golden became the first signed artist.

“A major part of my assignment is to be a bridge, connecting people from all cultures and experiences through worship by bringing awareness to the presence of God,” shares Tasha Cobbs Leonard. “Anna Golden is a testament to that calling and is a relevant, necessary voice to this generation. Her influence has already crossed barriers and built bridges culturally and I expect her impact to be explosive quickly. I’m excited to play a role in introducing her music and ministry to the world through TeeLee Records.”

In March 2020, Golden caught the internet’s attention when she—joined by sister Liz Golden and pop superstar Selena Gomez— uploaded a stripped-down cover of the worship anthem “The Blessing” to Instagram, while in self-isolation in Los Angeles. It instantly gained massive attention and helped launch her song “Peace” to critical and consumer acclaim. Starting as a private expression from her own experiences, “Peace” quickly turned to a musical balm that she knew would speak to the waves of anxiety and depression of so many. At press time, the song has already amassed 4.4 million global streams LTD.

And soon the world will get to hear Peace: The Album, an innovative 16-track project featuring two sides – one live, one studio – showcasing Golden’s versatility as she weaves congregational worship to her refreshing new take on worship music.

Anna Golden is at the forefront of a new wave of artists who are redefining the sound and style of worship music, both inside and outside of the church. “I believe that music is a beautiful translator to anything that the Lord wants to say to someone,” she shares. “My mission when I’m leading worship is to extend what has been extended to me—the power that’s in worship, the warfare that’s in worship, the peace.”

New Music

Lots of new songs released last week...

First, two-time GRAMMY Award® and multi-GMA Dove Award winner Zach Williams dropped a new song, “Turn It Over.” “Turn It Over,” an autobiographical song about Williams’ journey of faith, and, as he recently shared, “It feels like a prayer for this current time that has been filled with fear and doubt.”

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Andrew Ripp released “Rejoice.". This release is a preview of Ripp’s upcoming album titled Evergreen, scheduled to drop later this year (May 14).

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New artist Anne Wilson released her debut three-track single titled “My Jesus”. In addition to “My Jesus,” Wilson’s single includes “Devil” and “Something About That Name.”

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Also Christian pop artist Rachael Nemiroff released “What I Thought I Wanted.”

Flashback Friday

 Today we go back and take a look at the American a cappella sextet, Take 6. Take 6 was formed in 1980 on the campus of Oakwood College in Huntsville, Alabama. The group integrates jazz with spiritual and inspirational lyrics. Take 6 has received Grammy Awards as well as Dove Awards, a Soul Train Award and nominations for the NAACP Image Award. The band has worked with Ray Charles, Nnenna Freelon, Gordon Goodwin, Don Henley, Whitney Houston, Al Jarreau, Quincy Jones, k.d. lang, Queen Latifah, The Manhattan Transfer, Johnny Mathis, Brian McKnight, Luis Miguel, Marcus Miller, Joe Sample, Ben Tankard, CeCe Winans, Stevie Wonder and Jacob Collier. 

In 1980, Claude McKnight, older brother of R&B musician Brian McKnight, formed an a cappella quartet, The Gentlemen's Estates Quartet, at Oakwood College (now Oakwood University), a Seventh-day Adventist university in Huntsville, Alabama, where he was a freshman. He auditioned students for the group. While rehearsing in a campus bathroom to prepare for a performance, Mark Kibble heard them singing. He joined the harmonizing, adding a fifth part with them onstage that night. Kibble invited Mervyn Warren to join the group, which performed under the name Alliance. Alliance performed in local churches and on campus with a changing roster of members. In 1985, the lower half of the group (bass, baritone, and second tenor) left after graduating. Alvin Chea, Cedric Dent, and David Thomas joined.

The band signed with a record label in 1987 and changed its name to Take 6 after a search revealed the name "Alliance" was in use. Their eponymous debut album (1988) won Grammy Awards in the gospel and jazz categories and three Dove Awards. 

One of the best songs from this album is "Spread Love."

Another favorite is "Mary."

They contributed to the film Do the Right Thing and sang on the album Back on the Block by Quincy Jones. They also appeared on Sesame Street and Spike Lee & Company: Do It a Cappella. The band's second album, So Much 2 Say (1990) appeared on the gospel, jazz, and R&B charts of Billboard magazine. In 1991, after the release of So Much 2 Say, Mervyn Warren left the group to pursue a career as a record producer and was replaced by Joey Kibble, Mark Kibble's younger brother. The group added instrumentation to their a cappella sound on the album He Is Christmas.

In 1994 they release Join The Band which won a Grammy for the 1994 Best Contemporary Soul Gospel Album and contained what may be their most recognizable hit, "Biggest Part of Me."

In 2006 the group started the label Take 6 Records; Feels Good, the first album on their new label, was released the same year. A year later Take 6 released The Standard, which ventured into more traditional jazz territory.

Believe, released in 2016, charted in six categories on Billboard in its first two weeks of release. Iconic (2018), produced and arranged by the band, was its first album to chart at No. 1 on the Billboard Contemporary Jazz Chart. The first single was a cover version of "Change the World" by Eric Clapton and debuted on the Contemporary Jazz Song chart in the top 30. The second single, "Sailing", is a cover of the Christopher Cross classic.

Take 6 continues to perform today and you can catch up on what is happening with the group on their website.

New Music

Last week, 3X Grammy nominee Danny Gokey dropped his first single from his new record due out in August and the track features a familar face in the CCM/Gospel genre. “We All Need Jesus” features Billboard Music and NAACP Image Award winning inspirational artist Koryn Hawthorne. “This song is a special song,” says Danny. “I believe it’s the heart of God.”

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Singer/Songwriter Ellie Holcomb is set to release her third studio LP, Canyon, this summer on June 25th. This will mark the first label distributed release for the independent artist. Last week the title-track, “Canyon,” was released with the stunningly beautiful music video shot at Santa Elena Canyon in Big Bend National Park.

“We all know what it is for our hearts to be broken, split wide open by the pain and loss and sorrow we encounter here. We know brokenness. We know division, but there in the middle of all the chaos, in the places where the pain cuts a canyon into our very hearts, there is a river running through. There is a current of love that brings refreshment, hope and comfort. There is a river of love there to carry us if we’ll only let it. There is a river to carry us back home, to the place where all of us came from, to the place of belonging to the one who made us, to a place of belonging to each other.”

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Flourish Music announces the release of their debut single, “For My Good.” Flourish Music is a collective of like-minded worship leaders and songwriters who are equipping the local church with meaningful and creative Gospel-centered songs. The unique artists making up Flourish Music gather collectively to write and produce music that is meant to be sung by the local church and also stands out in the modern worship music genre.

“For My Good” was written as a response to Romans 8:37-39 where Paul reminds us that there is nothing that will separate us from the love of God in Christ: “No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

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Also last week, JJ Heller released a new song for the month titled “The Sun Will Rise.”

Five Dangers of Drifting Away From God

from Crosswalk.com...

 We see it all around us, in headline news stories, or from the lives of those we know and maybe once trusted. And even so often, in our very own lives.

Sometimes it happens before we realize what’s occurred. It’s unintentional. We don’t plan it. Lulled by the slow pull away, swayed by other things we start deeming more important, we wake up one day and realize things seem different. We find ourselves in a place we’d never intended to go.

The drift.

Happens.

5 Dangers of Drifting:

1. -We begin to pull away from godly influences. Marriages suffer. Trust gets broken. We lose our heart for others. We fall away from close fellowship with other believers. We neglect accountability and connection with those who would encourage our walk in Christ. Matthew 22:37-40
   
   
2. - We stop praying. We’re too busy. We’re weary. Or simply overwhelmed. We shoot a few prayers up His way, like, “Lord, bless our day,” but we’re unaffected by the lack of closeness we have with our Creator. Constantly wired to electronic devices, we’re more in tune to what others are saying and doing, the constant media chatter, than we are to what is on God’s heart for the day. - 1 Thessalonians 5:17
   
   
3. - We lose focus, or desire, for His Words. We’re no longer reading or hearing it. We’re distracted by all that calls our name through the day.  To-do lists beckon us from the moment we wake up, crazy schedules leave no room for moments with Him. Or maybe we find ourselves just disconnected completely. Stone cold, distant, withdrawn, His words of life and truth fall on deaf ears and hardened hearts. Matthew13:14-15
   
   
4. - We lose our heart for worship. We stop going to church and fill our minds with excuses of why we can’t. Or why it’s not that important. Or maybe we still go so we can check the church box. We sing words, hear words, then we go home. Yet not really singing and not really hearing. Unaffected. Distant. All the while, our hearts feel a million miles away. Hebrews10:25
   
   
5. - The spiritual things that once concerned us, no longer concern us. We’re more easily influenced by the opinions of the world instead of the truth of God’s Word. Compassion for people wanes. His Spirit within us is stifled. Our heart for God is dulled. The pull towards sin increases. We begin to see life through selfish motives, blurred by pride, and our quest to live happy, on our terms. We find ourselves twisting truth to meet our own needs. We become numb to the danger that surrounds us, often until it’s too late to avoid great consequences that follow our choices. 1 John 2:16, 2 Timothy 4:4

But we don't have to live that way, we can choose differently...

And that’s not always easy. Because often, it's easier to just go with the flow. It takes effort, hard work, not to drift away. Knowing "of" truth isn't the same as immersing ourselves "in" truth. One will keep us aware and close to our Safety, the other may allow us to drift slowly in the wrong direction.

Flashback Friday

 Back to the 80's this week to take a look at the group NewSong. NewSong is an American contemporary Christian music group that was founded in 1981, at Morningside Baptist Church in Valdosta, Georgia. They have had twelve GMA Dove Award nominations, and one Grammy Award Nomination. The original four members included the current members Eddie Carswell, Billy Goodwin, and former members Eddie Middleton and Bobby Apon.

NewSong recorded three custom albums independently. In 1982, they signed on with Covenant Records, and released The Son In My Eyes the next year. In 1984, they signed a contract with Canaan Records, a branch of CCM label giant Word Records and released The Word. NewSong continued to stay with Word Records until 1991 when they signed on with DaySpring Records. The next year they released One Heart At A Time, The Best of NewSong, which featured 12 hits from their previous albums. In 1993, they joined up with the Benson Music Group and released All Around The World, which brought four No. 1 hits. I think my favorite off this album is the title track "All Around The World"...

In 1994 NewSong released People Get Ready which also brought four No. 1 hits, and featured a re-recorded version of "Arise My Love", which was first recorded by the original group in 1987.

In May 1999, they released Arise, My Love, The Very Best of NewSong. This featured 12 of their previous No. 1 hits. It also included two new songs which became No. 1 hits, "Jesus To The World (Roaring Lambs)" and another personal favorite, "Can’t Keep A Good Man Down"... 

Leading up to 2000, NewSong caught the attention of popular radio personality, DC Daniel (then, of "Steve & DC") and began collaborating on production ideas for future projects. The partnership led to the most successful period of NewSong's career as they released the album Sheltering Tree, in late 2000. DC, Eddie Carswell and Leonard Ahlstrom penned the bonus track "The Christmas Shoes" for Sheltering Tree, which became a No. 1 mainstream radio hit in a Billboard chart-record 3 weeks, topping Billboard's Adult Contemporary Chart. 

This is the most recognizable song from NewSong and spurred a best selling book and was later made into a TV movie  that was the second highest-rated TV movie of the 2002–2003 seasons.  

In 2003 a second bestseller based on the song was released and and was later made into a TV movie by CBS. It was the most watched TV movie in 2005, and had an appearance by NewSong, which showed them singing their holiday single "The Christmas Blessing". NewSong also received a Dove Award for Musical of the Year for The Christmas Shoes Musical.

In November 2004, NewSong recorded their live worship album and DVD, Rescue: Live Worship at First Baptist Church of Woodstock, which is the home church for several members in the band. The album was released in May 2005, and the DVD of the concert came out in September. Also in 2005, NewSong was inducted into the Georgia Music Hall of Fame.

NewSong continues to perform and release new albums. You can catch up with their current activities on their website at http://www.newsongonline.com/.

New Music

CAIN, the sibling trio behind the multi-week No. 1 single “Rise Up (Lazarus),” announces the anticipated release of their first full-length album, Rise Up which will be available May 7.

Leading up to the album’s release, CAIN – comprised of Logan Cain, Madison Cain Johnson, and Taylor Cain Matz – just dropped their latest single “Yes He Can.”  “Yes He Can” shares the message of how God is always working miracles in our lives.

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Last week, UK-based worship music collective Orphan No More released the live video for “Thomas.” “Thomas” is from the group’s eight song EP, Death Died.

“Thomas is an honest and reflective confession of faith and doubt. Written in the wake of loss and recorded during the height of lockdown and isolation, the song reaches out from the depths of the human experience into the scarred hands of divine love and acceptance,” 

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Also last week, Josh Baldwin released a new music track titled “Evidence (Live)” featuring Dante Bowe.

“This stripped down version unfolds into a natural and organic sound for Josh, taking him back to his deep southern roots. Josh describes this song as a journey of coming home, watching as all throughout his history, God has faithfully walked beside him every step of the way.”

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The Belonging Co released a new song titled“The Truth” featuring Lauren Strahm and Andrew Holt.

The worship group shares about the release: “The Truth” is a bold new anthem that unashamedly declares Jesus is the only way, truth, and life. This worship moment serves as a compass, pointing the Church back to the basis of our faith, our due North, Jesus Christ.

Just in case you missed the Easter specials last weekend here are a few to watch if you are still interested and aren't quite ready to be finished with the Easter season just yet...

Good Friday Worldwide hosted by Chris Tomlin & Max Lucado

Because He Lives: An Easter Celebration.

Global Easter Celebration with Chris Tomlin

Selah Easter Special

Three Results of Jesus' Resurrection

I hope that everyone had a good Easter weekend. There was a good article on Crosswalk.com that discussed the 3 Beautiful Results of Jesus' Resurrection that I thought I would share...

When we think of the Gospel, three elements come to mind. Paul gave us this succinct list in 1 Corinthians 15:3-4 when he said Jesus died for our sins, was buried, and was raised on the third day.

It is this last event that we celebrate at Easter—and without which Jesus would have been just another dead prophet. Of course, He couldn’t stay dead because He was God and the grave couldn’t hold him. Hallelujah!

But there are three other beautiful truths associated with the Gospel, and specifically Jesus’s resurrection, that I think we need to remember especially at Easter. These facts help us face our daily lives with greater hope—and the help of our Lord.

When the world seems out of control, family drama threatens to overwhelm us, or our finances unravel, we can trust His unchanging, unfailing love and provision. 

1. Jesus Is Coming Again

Just when we might think the gospel couldn’t get any better, it does. Not only did Jesus die for our sins, and then rise from the grave, but He’s coming again. The purpose of his Second Coming is to first bring heaven to earth, and then bring [a transformed] earth to heaven.

Sprinkled through the New Testament are references to this coming. The most direct of these is when Jesus said that He was going to prepare a place for his disciples, and that he would come back again and take them with him to it in John 14:2-3. Jesus also referenced his return when he spoke these words to Peter after his resurrection when he appeared to the disciples “... until I come..." in John 21:22-23.

Paul taught the return of Christ in 1 Corinthians 15:23. He goes on in verse 24 to tell us how Jesus will reign on earth. Through the rest of that chapter, he teaches further about our own physical resurrection upon Christ’s coming.

Then in Revelation, the event is detailed for us. Chapters 20 through 22 include some of the most exciting verses in the whole Bible. They tell the end of the story. Have you ever read a mystery novel and cheated by reading the ending because you couldn’t stand the suspense? As Christians, we can do that.

We have the whole story in the Bible. We don’t have to wonder or be afraid. Jesus didn’t leave us in suspense. He made sure we could draw comfort from our knowledge of the triumphant end.

We turn once again to Paul’s writing, this time in 1 Thessalonians chapter five, to learn how to discern the timing of Jesus’s return. He closes his discussion with the admonition in verse 11 that we encourage each other by remembering how it will all turn out.

We can do this because the end of God’s story includes a happy outcome for us. So hang in there. The best really is yet to come.

2. Jesus Is in Heaven Praying for Us

I rely on this knowledge when I don’t know what else to do or where to turn. The New Testament gospels relate that Jesus rose into heaven after his resurrection. The first Christian martyr, Stephen, confirmed that Jesus was in heaven after his resurrection.

Luke recorded in Acts 7:55-56 how Stephen saw Jesus standing at the right hand of God just before Stephen succumbed to his injuries. What might have seemed like a senseless death to the rest of the world, was really Jesus shedding his human body so that He could return to his heavenly throne room.

Romans 8:26 says that the Holy Spirit prays for us, helping us when we don’t know what to pray for. Because we believe in the Triune God—meaning that the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are three parts of the One True God—we know that the Holy Spirit is actually Jesus Himself. Putting this verse together with Stephen’s vision, we learn that not only is Jesus standing at the right hand of God in heaven, but He is praying for us through the Holy Spirit.

Hebrews 7:25 tells us that Jesus is always interceding for us, because he is our high priest!

We never have to feel like we’re all alone, or that no one cares about us. We don’t ever need to think Jesus doesn’t know, or isn’t doing anything to help, when the going gets tough. He is. He’s standing in the ultimate place of authority and praying for us.

3. Jesus Is Preparing a Place for Us

We turn again to Jesus’s words in John 14:1-3, concerning Jesus’s return for his followers. This passage is a solid reminder that we have an ultimate destination—and it is with Jesus.

It’s not some random, general place, either. Jesus used the Greek word meaning remain, or stay. In Latin it is mansio, a traveler’s resting place. The word choice here indicates a particular place to stay where a person can rest. The Bible wasn’t written just for the disciples. It’s for us, too, so we can take this as our promise.

Doesn’t the idea of a place to rest and put your feet up sound inviting? Jesus knew exactly what we will need when he returns—and he knew we needed to hear about it now, in our crazy, stressful, sometimes frightening physical lives.

Jesus is coming again, and while we wait for his return, He prays for us. He’s also getting our ultimate abode ready. I say, along with John in Revelation 22:20, Yes! Come, Lord Jesus!

What a relief to know that we don’t have to worry about what we might have to face. No phone call, or doctor’s report, or accident ever catches Jesus off-guard—and He’s got a plan for how it will all work out in the end. We really can encourage each other with the words in the Bible that tell us Jesus is coming again, He’s getting our ultimate resting place ready for us, and He’s praying us through until we can get there.

New Music

Some great new music debuted last week. First we will start off with a new mashup just in time for Easter by Charlotte Ave. of "Because He Lives" and "Redeemer"...

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Celebrated worship artist Phil Wickham premiered a bold new song on Friday, “House of the Lord." Wickham shared on social media that this track has “some JOY on it.”

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For more than a decade as the frontman for Memphis May Fire, Matty Mullins is no stranger to the industry. He has been able to share his faith-based positivity with large secular crowds all over the world. He has previously released two CCM-based projects Matty Mullins (2014) and Unstoppable (2017) with much success on both projects. Now on Good Friday, Mullins shared a brand new solo song. “Show You The Cross.”

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Finally from Friday, my favorite husband and wife duo, Caleb & Kelsey Grimm released a mashup of Zach Williams' "There Was Jesus" with "What a Friend We Have In Jesus."

He Is Risen...

 ...He is Risen, Indeed!

Wishing you a happy Easter as we come together to celebrate our Risen Lord.

Hallelujah!

Cassandra Star (age 10) & her big sister Callahan (19) sing this beautiful & meaningful Easter version of Leonard Cohen's Hallelujah. Nothing more I can write to add to this... Enjoy...

Good Friday!

 Our regularly scheduled Flashback Friday will return next week... This week we take time (in what may be the ultimate flashback) to remember Good Friday.

What is Good Friday?

For Christians, Good Friday is a crucial day of the year because it celebrates what we believe to be the most momentous weekend in the history of the world. Ever since Jesus died and was raised, Christians have proclaimed the cross and resurrection of Jesus to be the decisive turning point for all creation. Paul considered it to be “of first importance” that Jesus died for our sins, was buried, and was raised to life on the third day, all in accordance with what God had promised all along in the Scriptures (1 Corinthians 15:3).

On Good Friday we remember the day Jesus willingly suffered and died by crucifixion as the ultimate sacrifice for our sins (1 John 1:10). It is followed by Easter, the glorious celebration of the day Jesus was raised from the dead, heralding his victory over sin and death and pointing ahead to a future resurrection for all who are united to him by faith (Romans 6:5).

Why "Good" Friday?

Still, why call the day of Jesus’ death “Good Friday” instead of “Bad Friday” or something similar? Some Christian traditions do take this approach: in German, for example, the day is called Karfreitag, or “Sorrowful Friday.” In English, in fact, the origin of the term “Good” is debated: some believe it developed from an older name, “God’s Friday.” Regardless of the origin, the name Good Friday is entirely appropriate because the suffering and death of Jesus, as terrible as it was, marked the dramatic culmination of God’s plan to save his people from their sins.

In order for the good news of the gospel to have meaning for us, we first have to understand the bad news of our condition as sinful people under condemnation. The good news of deliverance only makes sense once we see how we are enslaved. Another way of saying this is that it is important to understand and distinguish between law and gospel in Scripture. We need the law first to show us how hopeless our condition is; then the gospel of Jesus’ grace comes and brings us relief and salvation.

In the same way, Good Friday is “good” because as terrible as that day was, it had to happen for us to receive the joy of Easter. The wrath of God against sin had to be poured out on Jesus, the perfect sacrificial substitute, in order for forgiveness and salvation to be poured out to the nations. Without that awful day of suffering, sorrow, and shed blood at the cross, God could not be both “just and the justifier” of those who trust in Jesus (Romans 3:26). Paradoxically, the day that seemed to be the greatest triumph of evil was actually the deathblow in God’s gloriously good plan to redeem the world from bondage.

The cross is where we see the convergence of great suffering and God’s forgiveness. Psalms 85:10 sings of a day when “righteousness and peace” will “kiss each other.” The cross of Jesus is where that occurred, where God’s demands, his righteousness, coincided with his mercy. We receive divine forgiveness, mercy, and peace because Jesus willingly took our divine punishment, the result of God’s righteousness against sin. “For the joy set before him” (Hebrews 12:2) Jesus endured the cross on Good Friday, knowing it led to his resurrection, our salvation, and the beginning of God’s reign of righteousness and peace.

Good Friday marks the day when wrath and mercy met at the cross. That’s why Good Friday is so dark and so Good.

"You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly. Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous person, though for a good person someone might possibly dare to die. But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Since we have now been justified by his blood, how much more shall we be saved from God’s wrath through him! For if, while we were God’s enemies, we were reconciled to him through the death of his Son, how much more, having been reconciled, shall we be saved through his life!" Romans 5:6-10

“He himself bore our sins” in his body on the cross, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; “by his wounds you have been healed.” 1 Peter 2:24

Maundy Thursday

Today is April 1st... commonly known as April Fools Day. It has been celebrated for several centuries by different cultures, though its exact origins remain a mystery. April Fools’ Day traditions include playing hoaxes or practical jokes on others, often yelling “April Fools!” at the end to clue in the subject of the April Fools’ Day prank.

You may even be involved in a prank today, but more importantly, since this is the Thursday before Easter, we celebrate today as Maundy Thursday.

Maundy Thursday is believed to be the day when Jesus celebrated his final Passover with His disciples. Most notably, that Passover meal was when Jesus washed the feet of His disciples in an extraordinary display of humility. He then commanded them to do the same for each other.

Christ's "mandate" is commemorated on Maundy Thursday---"maundy" being a shortened form of mandatum (Latin), which means "command."  It was on the Thursday of Christ's final week before being crucified and resurrected that He said this commandment to His disciples. Jesus and his disciples had just shared what was known as the Last Supper and he was washing their feet when he stated:

"A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another" (John 13:34).

This new commandment raised the definition of love to a new and higher standard. Jesus sacrificially met His followers' deepest need---that of new spiritual life and the forgiveness of sins. He even loved His enemies, and He calls us to show love to those who don't appear to deserve it. Just as Jesus loved sinners "to the end" (or "to the max" John 13:1) when He had nothing to gain from them, so must we. The Bible says that there was nothing attractive about sinful mankind that drew Him to love us. God loved us while we were yet sinners (Romans 5:8). Salvation is not only a wonderful gift that protects us from the penalty that we deserve Romans 6:23 , the work of Christ also embues new life, grants spiritual strength, and motivates godly action in those who believe:

"For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation for all people,12 training us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives in the present age,13 waiting for our blessed hope, the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ,14 who gave himself for us to redeem us from all lawlessness and to purify for himself a people for his own possession who are zealous for good works." (Titus 2:11-14)

While Scripture doesn't forbid us to commemorate days like Maundy Thursday, the main question is are we observing Christ's new command to love---especially those who deserve it least?

"Beloved, let us love one another. For love is from God, and whoever loves has been born of God and knows God. Anyone who does not love does not know God, because God is love." (1 John 4:7-8)

Many churches observe Maundy Thursday with a Communion service and often a foot-washing ceremony. These traditions help Christians reflect on the sacrifice of Jesus and his commandment for us to love and serve others.

Often, during communion, a pastor will read the following passage about what happened on the events of Maundy Thursday:

1 Corinthians 11:23-26: "For I received from the Lord what I also passed on to you: The Lord Jesus, on the night he was betrayed, took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and said, “This is my body, which is for you; do this in remembrance of me.” In the same way, after supper he took the cup, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood; do this, whenever you drink it, in remembrance of me.” For whenever you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes."

Every time we participate in communion, we recognize what happened during the events of Maundy Thursday. That our Lord Jesus was betrayed, to be tried and crucified the next day on Good Friday.

Luke 22:27-38 - "When the hour came, Jesus and his apostles reclined at the table. 15 And he said to them, “I have eagerly desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer. For I tell you, I will not eat it again until it finds fulfillment in the kingdom of God.” After taking the cup, he gave thanks and said, “Take this and divide it among you. For I tell you I will not drink again from the fruit of the vine until the kingdom of God comes.” And he took bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to them, saying, “This is my body given for you; do this in remembrance of me.” .."