Happy Memorial Day

 An oldie, but appropriate...

and a favorite video for today.

Flashback Friday Time

Back to the 80's again this week for an early CCM icon, Carmen. Carmelo Domenic Licciardello , known by his stage name Carman, was an American contemporary Christian music singer, songwriter, television host, life coach, and evangelist. An Italian American, Carman was born in Trenton, New Jersey. As a child he performed in his mother's band; as a teen, he found some success performing at casinos in Atlantic City, New Jersey.

While attending an Andraé Crouch concert, he became a born again Christian, and embraced evangelical Christianity. In 1980, he made a custom album titled God's Not Finished with Me. The following year, he was invited by Bill Gaither to tour with The Bill Gaither Trio.

Carmen was an artist that you’re very familiar with or not at all. He had a fine singing voice but was far more interested in a sort of rhyming, spoken word, preach-rap that was all its own. It was hugely, deliriously popular among a certain demographic of Christianity.

After relocating to Tulsa, Oklahoma, he released a moderately successful eponymous debut album (later issued as Some-o-Dat) in 1982—which contained mostly novelty songs. Then, with the release of the album Sunday's on the Way in 1983, a string of contemporary Christian music chart successes started, beginning with the title song. As he continued his music career, he established the nonprofit organization Carman Ministries. With the 1985 release of The Champion came his first number-one song, of the same name.

Carmen will be remembered for at least one thing, it is absolutely his music videos. They are wild. Sometimes they feature Carman as a MC Hammer-type dance machine. Sometimes they feature him as a pompadoured rockabilly showman. Sometimes he was a stern-faced spokesman for the Moral Majority or a back alley tough guy or a proletariat champion. Most often, he was a stormy revolutionary bringing God’s violent judgment to a world on the fast track to hell. His first number one album on Christian charts, Revival in the Land, followed in 1989. He won a Dove award for Best Video in 1991 tor the video of the title song.

Between 1987 and 1989, he was named Charisma magazine's readers' choice for favorite male vocalist. In 1990 and 1992, Billboard named him the Contemporary Christian Artist of the Year. 

In 1995 he released R.I.O.T. Righteous Invasion of the Truth. The title track won a Dove Award for Rap/Hip Hop Song of the Year. This video finds Carman and his working class comrades enslaved in some sort of smoke-making factory. Carman escapes, explodes everyone else’s shackles, and then it’s time for a class conscious dance R.I.O.T.

In 1995, he translated some of his songs into and released his first Spanish-language album, Lo Mejor. Heart of a Champion, a 30-song retrospective was released in 2000.

He was nominated for four Grammys and sold over 10 million records. It is believed he holds the world record for the largest single Christian concert in history. In the first, he was the main act in August 1993 in Johannesburg, South Africa, with more than 50,000 in attendance. The following year he performed a free concert at Texas Stadium October 22, 1994, with 71,132 attendees, and 80,000 in Chattanooga, Tennessee.

Beyond his music career, he participated in various television productions and interview duties as a host for both the Trinity Broadcasting Network in general and its flagship program Praise the Lord. In 2001, he starred in the film Carman: The Champion.

For decades, Carman’s legacy has been secondhand for a certain type of early 90s youth group culture that perfectly encapsulated a whole era of American Christianity. That era continues to shape ours today, for better or worse. Carman was drafted into the culture war like a lot of Christians of that time were, but he didn’t think of it in strictly cultural terms. To Carman, Christianity was a cosmic opera, with all Christians playing a part in an apocalyptic war between good and evil. He was hardly the only person to think this way but he found a lot of success by depicting it as literally as the budget would allow. There’s no denying the impact he left behind was singular. He didn’t even break the mold. There was no mold to break.

Carman died on February 16 of this year, 2021, after a series of complications resulting from surgery to repair a hiatal hernia, 28 days after his 65th birthday.

About Memorial Day

Next Monday we celebrate Memorial Day, which originated after the Civil War, commemorating the sacrifices of those who have fought and died in the American armed forces. Interpreters have long noted the aura of sacredness that surrounds the holiday’s traditional observances, and many have called Memorial Day central to America’s “civil religion.”

Memorial Day, originally called Decoration Day, was instituted to honor Union soldiers who died in the Civil War. After World War I, the purpose of the day was expanded to include all men and women who died in U.S. military service. Today, Memorial Day is often thought of as the unofficial start of summer–a long weekend with a car race, playoff basketball, and brats and burgers on the grill.

It is always tricky to know how the Christians should or shouldn’t celebrate patriotic holidays. Certainly, some churches blend church and state in such a way that the kingdom of God morphs into a doctrinally-thin, spiritually nebulous civil religion. But even with this dangers, there are a number of good reasons why Christians should give thanks for Memorial Day.

1. Being a soldier is not a sub-Christian activity. In Luke 3, John the Baptist warns the people to bear fruit in keeping with repentance. The crowds respond favorably to his message and ask him, “What then shall we do?” John tells the rich man to share his tunics, the tax collectors to collect only what belongs to them, and the soldiers to stop their extortion. If ever there was a time to tell the soldiers that true repentance meant resigning from the army, surely this was the time. And yet, John does not tell them that they must give up soldier-work to bear fruit, only that they need to be honest soldiers. The Centurion is even held up by Jesus as the best example of faith he’s seen in Israel (Luke 7:9). Military service, when executed with integrity and in the Spirit of God, is a suitable vocation for the people of God.

2. The life of a soldier can demonstrate the highest Christian virtues. While it’s true that our movies sometimes go too far in glamorizing war, this is only the case because there have been many heroics acts in the history of war suitable for our admiration. Soldiers in battle are called on to show courage, daring, service, shrewdness, endurance, hard work, faith, and obedience. These virtues fall into the “whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just” category that deserve our praise (Philippians 4:8).

3. Military service is one of the most common metaphors in the New Testament to describe the Christian life. We are to fight the good fight, put on the armor of God, and serve as a good soldier of Christ Jesus. When we remember the sacrifice, single-minded dedication, and discipline involved in the life of a soldier, we are calling to mind what we are supposed to be like as Christians in service to Christ.

4. Love of country can be a good thing. As Christians we have dual citizenship. Our first and ultimate allegiance must always be to Christ whose heavenly dwelling is our eternal home. But we are also citizens of an earthly country. We will stand before God not as individuals wiped clean of all earthly nationality, but as people with distinct languages, cultural affinities, and homelands. It is not wrong to love our distinct language, culture, or nationality. Whenever I’m at a ball game I still get choked up during the singing of the National Anthem. I think this is good. Love for God does not mean we love nothing else on earth, but rather that we learn to love the things on earth in the right way and with the right proportions and priorities. Love of country is a good thing, and it is right to honor those who defend the principles that make our country good.

5. I believe the facts of history will demonstrate that on the whole, the United States military has been a force for good in the world. Obviously, as a military power, we have blundered at times, both individually and corporately. But on the whole, the men and women of our armed services have fought and are fighting for causes that promote freedom, defend the rights of human beings, and reject tyranny. War is still hell and a tragic result of the fall. Praise God for his promise to one day end all human conflict. But in a world where people are evil by nature and leaders are not always reasonable and countries do not always have good intentions, war is sometimes the way to peace-at least the best peace we can hope for between peoples and nations this side of heaven.

Those Americans who suffered and died in war ought to be remembered. The grave difficulties endured by of those who faced armed conflict and lost their lives should be recognized. The soldiers’ best intentions in allowing themselves to be put in harm’s way –regardless of the actual reasons for war- deserve to be honored.  So thank God for a day to remember God’s common grace to America and his special grace in enlisting us, poor weak soldiers that we are, in service to Christ our Captain and conquering King.

Ben Glover

We often talk about the CCM artists that we listen to on the radio, but seldom talk about the people who write the songs.

One such writer is Ben Glover, an acclaimed songwriter and producer, has just achieved his 40th No. 1 career single. Hitting this career accolade with Crowder’s “Good God Almighty.” 

This is Glover’s second No. 1 with Crowder, including “Come As You Are,” which was nominated for Song of the Year in the 2015 Dove Awards and Grammy Awards.

“We couldn’t be more proud of our long relationship with Ben and getting to celebrate this incredible and unprecedented milestone with him,” says Brad O’Donnell, Co-President, Capitol CMG. “Ben has always had an ability to draw out an artist’s unique voice and help them write their best songs. And now with ‘Good God Almighty,’ he’s done it again.”

Ben Glover was born and raised in Loveland, Colorado, moving to Nashville in 2000 to pursue music. Just a mere 20+ years later, he is now a GRAMMY Award®-winning songwriter and a GMA Dove Award® winner, along with multiple nominations for both awards shows. He is also an NSAI Awards recipient and has been named ASCAP’s Christian Songwriter of the Year an astounding five times since 2010.

Co-writing MercyMe’s No. 1 “Even If,” additional chart-topping hits from Glover include songs recorded by other award-winning artists Mandisa, Chris Tomlin, and for King & Country. With more than 400 songs penned to his name, other artists who have recorded his songs are The Backstreet Boys, Amy Grant & James Taylor, Joy Williams, NF, Thompson Square, Trace Adkins, Marc Broussard, Clay Walker, to name a few. Glover also wrote “Hard To Love” for country artist Lee Brice, which began a creative relationship between the two, eventually leading Glover to produce Lee’s latest album, Hey World.

Glover did win Grammys for Mandisa's song, "Overcomer" for Best Contemporary Christian Music Song and Best Contemporary Christian Music Album in 2013.

“I came to Nashville over twenty years ago, had a five-minute artist career, and got dropped a couple of times early on,” Glover shares. “If you’d have told me then that I would someday be celebrating 40 No. 1 songs, I’d have thought you were either crazy or had some magic elixir that would allow me to live 500 years so I’d have enough time to do it. I’m just grateful I’ve had so many opportunities through the years to get to this place. I couldn’t have accomplished this sort of thing without the artists, producers, and writers willing to work with me and the champions who went to bat for me to convince all those people it would be worth it.”

Glover has had over 400 songs recorded in multiple genres of music by artists such as Chris Tomlin, MercyMe, David Crowder, Trace Adkins, Gloriana, Thompson Square, The Backstreet Boys, Amy Grant & James Taylor, Chad Brownlee, Marc Broussard, Clay Walker, Joy Williams, Brandon Heath, Josh Wilson, The Afters, Colton Dixon, Newsboys, Kari Jobe and many others. Pretty impressive resume for the past 20 years.

The Benediction

 A church service can be a spiritual oasis for many people. Taking part in worship, surrounded by fellow brothers and sisters in the faith, orients our lives toward God. Worship reminds us who we are as people created in God’s own image; we experience the assurance of Christ’s unyielding love, and constant presence. In turn, this spiritual oasis helps us navigate the complexity of our lives and the struggles we sometimes encounter. Maybe this is something you have experienced. Of course, in any church service, the time will always come wherein we need to exit the sanctuary and step back into the world. We go back to our homes with the leaky faucets and over-due bills; we go back to our work with the awaiting deadlines and tasks. As we exit the doors of the church it can be easy to feel that this spiritual oasis is now behind us.

This is why the benediction is so important. Have you ever stopped and listened to the benediction? Have you ever thought deeply about what it says about you, and your life? Often, we don’t. For many churches, the benediction is the final act of worship. The priest or pastor stands before the gathering, with hand extended over the congregation, and closes the service. It can be easy to see the benediction in this way, as nothing more than the appropriate way to end a religious service. The prayer is said, the service closes, and we are on our way. What if there is a bit more to the benediction? What if the benediction is not simply a fancy prayer, but a profound act of empowerment and sending? What if the benediction actually declares a reality for your lives, a reality bestowed upon you in that moment? If so, it might just be something we need to pay attention to.

What Is a Benediction?

A benediction is a blessing. This is the simplest definition, and it is the one thing we need to remember. The word is taken from the Latin meaning “blessed.” For example, the Song of Zechariah (found in Luke 1:68-72) is often referred to as “The Benedictus.” This is because the Latin rendering of these verses opens with the phrase; “Benedictus Dominus Deus Israel” (Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel). In a benediction, one offers a prayer of blessing. Either one blesses “The Lord, the God of Israel”, or one extends a blessing upon an individual or a community.

Benedictions are commonly rooted in Scripture, and there are many different examples of this. The most popular is the blessing of Aaron found in Numbers 6:22-26. This benediction reads: “The Lord bless you and keep you, the Lord make his face shine upon you and be gracious to you, the Lord lift up his countenance upon you and give you peace.” God specifically instructs Aaron, as the priest of Israel during the time of the Exodus, to bless the people in this form. Many pastors and priests still use this form today. Another popular benediction is simply referred to as “The Blessing.” The words are “The blessing of God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit, be upon you this day, and forevermore.” Often a sign of the cross is made over the person or congregation being blessed. This blessing is a call for God’s triune presence to surround the individual or the congregation.

Still, understanding that benediction means blessing only gets us so far. This begs the question, “What is a blessing?” A blessing is an authoritative pronouncement of God’s presence, favor, and activity. It is a statement made, not a request asked. This means that when you sit in church, and the time of the benediction comes, take a moment to sit and receive these words. The benediction is a powerful moment where you are invited to realize the truth of God’s presence and activity. 

The purpose of a benediction is to declare a reality. It speaks a spiritual fact about your life. In the words of the Aaronic Benediction – the reality being declared is the active and loving presence of God. God smiles upon you, God turns his face toward you so that nothing in your life is outside God’s care or concern. The benediction is a statement that describes the spiritual atmosphere encapsulating your life. Upon hearing the words of the benediction, no one should doubt God’s intimate and loving care. It is a reality we are invited to experience that very moment.

Who Can Give a Benediction?

As Christian people, we are called to bless others. After all, Jesus commands us all to “bless those who curse you.” (Luke 6:28). Yet, too often today, the words “God bless you” roll off our tongues without a moment of thought or prayerful consideration. We tie the words to automatic responses for sneezes or hiccups. Thus, the idea of blessing another person seems quaint and ordinary.

A benediction is anything but ordinary. The availability for any believer to give a benediction does not lessen its importance. As Christian people, we must recognize how powerful this action is. Imagine how impactful it can be to hear another person declare God’s presence and activity upon their life. Imagine hearing this if you are at a point in life where you doubt whether God cares for you at all. When we say to someone “The Lord bless you and keep you, and make his face to shine upon you”, we are declaring, in that moment and amid all life’s ups and downs, God’s loving light is directed upon their life. When we see the benediction this way, how can we not recognize the awesome privilege tied to such a proclamation?

Blessing others is never about ourselves. A benediction is never rooted in a person’s own power. When Aaron is instructed to bless the Israelites, the authority and power to do so rest, not in his own person, but in his role as priest over Israel. He speaks not as “Aaron,” but as the representative between God and the people. When we bless others, we bear the truth of God’s Word for them.

This is also true when we think of the formal benedictions in a church service. When the pastor or priest speaks the benediction, they are not speaking out of their own voice. That is, the blessing is not rooted in the authority of “Reverend So-and-So.” Rather, what is being heard is the blessing of God spoken from the Church, the Body of Christ worldwide and universal, spanning all time and space. Scripturally, this flows from Christ’s response to Peter when he says; “I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven” (Matthew 16:19). The point here is that the power of “the keys” rests not in the individual but in the corporate Body of Christ. The priest or pastor, speaking a benediction, stands in the flow of apostolic authority and ministry, and it is only from that place that a benediction is spoken.

This is important because there may be times where we become so riddled with our own discouragements that we doubt God’s blessings on our lives. In these instances, we need to hear an encouraging word, not simply from a brother or sister in the faith, but from the Church itself. This does not suggest that the blessing made by a believer is of lesser quality than the blessing offered by a priest or pastor – again, it’s not about us! Yet we must acknowledge that, in these cases, receiving the pronouncement of our blessedness from someone who represents the entire apostolic witness of the church, can be incredibly healing.

Why Should You Pay Attention to the Benediction?

The benediction, then, encourages us in our Christian life. The end of a church service is not simply the time to return into the dynamics of worldly life, it is also a point of sending. Having received the benediction, we are now sent out into the world with the divine mandate to bear witness to the resurrection. Each time a church service ends, we are commissioned for ministry and mission. Thus, the words of the benediction remind us that we never live our Christian lives in our own power. The Holy Spirit empowers us to bear witness to the love and grace of Jesus. 

At times, this can be a daunting task, particularly if we are feeling spiritually discouraged. After all, there are times when we come to church feeling rushed and harried. Either the traffic was bad, the children were fussy, or the morning routine was interrupted. We burst through the doors feeling unprepared to worship. At other times we might come to church feeling desperately alone like we have hit a wall in our spiritual lives and don’t know where to uncover the love of Jesus.

Again, in these times, listen to the benediction. The benediction addresses us. The pronouncement is made; “You are not alone,” “Jesus goes with you,” and “God the Father smiles upon you.” This is the atmosphere in which you live, and move, and have your being. Such blessings are not simply nice things the church says, these are realities declared about our lives. What is more, these truths go with us as we exit the church every Sunday morning.

We would do well to pay attention to the benediction. No matter who we are, or what we are going through, we are called to receive these words as bold declarations about our lives. The benediction speaks the truth over us. In that very moment as the words ring in our ears, spiritually we receive the enriching presence of God, and the assurance of his power working for us. Of that, we can be assured.

“The Lord bless you and keep you.”

Recall again the words of Jesus in the parable of the sheep and the goats: “Come, you who are blessed by my father, inherit the kingdom.”

The blessing that God speaks to us in the Benediction prepares us for that final summons. Throughout the Divine Service, God is forming us in his likeness as he establishes in us a deeper and more lasting faith toward him and a persistent and steadfast love for one another.

“The Lord make his face shine on you and be gracious to you.”

In their reports of Jesus' Transfiguration, the evangelists tell us that Jesus shone more brightly than the sun, prompting Peter to say, “Lord, it is good for us to be here.”

In heaven we will have the same response because it will be good — very good — to be in the presence of the Light of the world.

For the moment, we see only dimly, but then we will see face to face. Still, it is good to be here even now, in this heaven on earth that we call worship, for already here God showers us with his grace.

“The Lord lift up his countenance on you and give you peace.”

We Christians are truly blessed in that God does not hide his face from us. In all other religions there is ultimately doubt as to their gods' attitudes toward them.

How can it be otherwise, given that their gods are the creation of their own imaginations? But ours is the creator of heaven and earth.

To be sure, he is a stern judge who holds the sinner accountable. But in the person of his only Son, we see our Father's true nature, his fatherly heart of love. That is the countenance that he lifts up toward us in his holy Word and Sacraments as he reveals his mercy and grace.

Where the Lord blesses and makes his face shine and lifts up his gracious countenance on us, there is peace. Not the peace of this world, but peace between God and his faithful people.

We know that peace because even now, in Word and Sacraments, we have Jesus and all his benefits. And in heaven we will rest in his eternal peace.

New Music

Last Thursday, GRAMMY Award-nominated rock band NEEDTOBREATHE released their latest music with “I Wanna Remember” featuring Carrie Underwood. “I Wanna Remember” is from NEEDTOBREATHE’s upcoming album, Into The Mystery. 

About Into The Mystery, the band shared, “Probably more than any other record of ours, it was a product of what was going on in the world and our environment. We didn’t second guess ourselves much or look over our shoulders. Even the spirit of the record was a result of the moment. You can hear everybody’s personality and imprint. It felt like we got this opportunity to make a record like a family.” 

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Also last week, Danny Gokey released “Stand In Faith.”

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Jesus Culture’s Bryan & Katie Torwalt released a new single, “Miracle In The Works.”

This song is about faith and the faithfulness of God. We all have moments when it feels almost impossible to have faith. There’s something about remembering and sharing testimonies that helps us recognize and have faith for how God is working – both in the present and how He’ll be with us no matter what happens in the future. “Some might say it’s hopeless, they must’ve never met my God.”

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Jeremy and Adrienne Camp’s daughter, singer/songwriter Bella Camp released a new song on Friday, “Carry You Through.” 

“She wrote the whole song by herself and to hear the cry of her heart to Jesus is the greatest joy imaginable as a parent! Love you sweet Bella, I’m so incredibly proud of you and am definitely your biggest fan,” Jeremy Camp posted to social media.

Flashback Friday

Another trip in our musical time machine this week going back to the early 80's to take a look at a group formed in 1980 in Tacoma, Washington - Silverwind.

The music of Silverwind was a breath of fresh air in the early 80s. Musical comparisons were made to the European secular group Abba. Silverwind was also compared to another famous trio known as the 2nd Chapter of Acts, but that comparison didn't work as well. The 2nd Chapter was in a league of their own with a unique sound and a unique ministry. But playing the comparison game also sold Silverwind short. They deserved to be evaluated and appreciated for what they brought to the table. 

Started by Georgian Banov  a professionally trained musician who began playing violin as a child prodigy in Bulgaria. In the 1960s, he was the founder of the first officially recognized rock band from that communist country before escaping to the United States in 1973. Initially demoralized by the San Francisco drug culture, Banov eventually met other like-minded believers and became heavily involved with ministries known as Candle and Agape Force. In 1980, in Tacoma, Washington, Banov formed Silverwind with two other members of Candle - Betsy Hernandez and Patty Gramling.

The group brought a fresh, Euro-pop sound to CCM that was well-received. "Taking the Narrow Street" and "Never Had a Reason" were standout tracks from the group's self-titled debut in 1981. "Never Had a Reason" was the only song to chart from that record, peaking at #8 on CCM airplay charts in 1982.

Their sophomore release, A Song in the Night kicked off with the title track - a song that seemed to draw somewhat on the trio's experiences with Candle. It was a charming tune that could appeal to children and adults alike, and it received a lot of extra attention due to a music video treatment (a new art form at the time). The video for A Song in the Night (complete with ocean waves, playground equipment, a clown, a monkey, colorful flags, balloons and streamers) was played again and again on national outlets like TBN's Real Videos and the PTL Network's Sound Effects. Not at all your typical rock music video, but memorable nonetheless.

Much of Silverwind's lyrical output was a little ahead of its time, being centered primarily on praise, worship and devotion to God. They were worship before worship was cool. Before worship was commercial might be a better way to say it.

This lineup of Silverwind released one more record - 1985's By His Spirit. That one featured a hit song entitled "Heaven is Being With You." Then the group retired.  Inexplicably, the group Silverwind recorded again in 1986 with three completely new singers and a different sound.

Today Georgian Banov and his wife Winnie call themselves "joy apostles" and travel extensively conducting revival services and Christian conferences under the name Global Celebration. Betsy Hernandez and her husband Frank (who played bass for Silverwind) have a ministry called His and Hernandez Music. Based out of Boise, Idaho, they continue to write and produce music that is focused on helping children worship and assisting children's ministries. Patty Gramling (now Patricia Forney) is still involved in ministry as well. She directs a Victims of Sexual Violence ministry with a group called Heaven's Family.

Banov, Hernandez and Gramling have basically spent their lives in various Christian ministry endeavors...but with fond memories of their 5 short years together as Silverwind.

New Music

Today we have some new music from artists that you may not be familiar with. Maybe some of these will make your playlist...

Flourish Music announced the release of their second single, “Crown Him.” This new release follows the recent release of their debut single, “For My Good,” and precedes their next single, “Majestic,” releasing on June 18.

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. 

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Last week, Cade Thompson released new music with “Source of Life.” “Praying for you as you hear this anthem that you would be filled with hope and strength,” Thompson shares on social media.

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Country music artist and highly “sought-after songwriter” Adam Sanders is releasing “Bible Versus” today, ahead of the official release of his debut, full-length album What If I’m Right, due out on May 21st.

“I always knew this song was special. I wrote it with a couple of my best friends when I was going through a tough time, and whenever I played it live for fans, it really resonated with them. It just shows me how some of the best songs can come from some of the hardest times in life,” said Sanders.

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Also last week, Housefires released their newest single titled “Love Like This” featuring Kirby Kaple. 

K-Love Fan Awards

The biggest weekend in Christian music is back – live and in person, May 28-30 in Nashville, anchored by the K-LOVE Fan Awards. On Friday, May 28, a kick-off concert will commence the fan-focused weekend, the first in Nashville since March 2020, followed by a songwriter’s showcase, worship service and more – all at the Gaylord Opryland Hotel.  Nashville’s iconic Grand Ole Opry House will once again welcome the star-studded fan awards show on May 30, with Matthew West hosting. 

If you, like me, are not able to go to Nashville, plan on watching the show on TBN on June 4 (8pm and 10pm eastern).  For all updates on the 2021 K-LOVE Fan Awards and weekend events, stay tuned to www.klovefanawards.com, and for information on the broadcast, please visit TBN.org.

Nominees for the K-LOVE Fan Awards were announced last week, with newcomers Maverick City Music leading with four, including Group of the Year, Artist of the Year, Breakout Single of the Year and Worship Song of the Year.  for KING & COUNTRY, TobyMac and Zach Williams followed with three nominations each.  Fans nationwide are now able to begin voting for their favorites – a full list of nominees is following:

2021 K-LOVE Fan Awards / Final Nominees:

Male Artist of the Year      
Crowder
Danny Gokey
Matthew West
Tauren Wells
TobyMac
Zach Williams

Female Artist of the Year
Kari Jobe
Lauren Daigle
Leanna Crawford
Mandisa
Natalie Grant
Riley Clemmons

Group of the Year
Casting Crowns
Elevation Worship
for KING & COUNTRY
Maverick City Music
MercyMe
We The Kingdom

Breakout Single
Andrew Ripp “Jericho”
CAIN “Rise Up”
Evvie McKinney “Look No Further”
Maverick City Music “Man Of Your Word”
We The Kingdom “Child of Love” (feat. Bear Rinehart of NEEDTOBREATHE)

Worship Song of the Year
Chris Tomlin feat. Lady A “Who You Are To Me”
Cory Asbury “The Father’s House”
Maverick City Music “Man of Your Word”
Michael W. Smith “Waymaker”
Phil Wickham “Battle Belongs”
Tauren Wells feat. Jenn Johnson “Famous For (I Believe)”

Song of the Year
Crowder “Good God Almighty”
Elevation Worship & Brandon Lake “Graves Into Gardens”
for KING & COUNTRY, Tori Kelly & Kirk Franklin “Together”
Kari Jobe “The Blessing” (feat. Cody Carnes)
TobyMac “Help Is On The Way (Maybe Midnight)”
Zach Williams & Dolly Parton “There Was Jesus”

Artist of the Year
Elevation Worship
for KING & COUNTRY
Lauren Daigle
Maverick City Music
TobyMac
Zach Williams

Film & Television Impact
A Week Away
Church People
The Chosen
I Am Patrick
I Still Believe

Book Impact
Annie F.Downs “That Sounds Fun”
Bob Goff “Dream Big”
John L. Cooper “Awake & Alive To Truth”
Lecrae “I Am Restored”

To place your vote for your favorites go to http://www.klovefanawards.com/vote.

New Music

Last week, celebrated worship artist Phil Wickham debuted brand new music with “It’s Always Been You.” In the days leading up to the song’s release, Wickham called the new song “one of my favorite songs I’ve ever written/recorded,” adding “it just hits me different.” 

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Also last week, two-time GRAMMY Award and multi-GMA Dove Award winner Zach Williams dropped a new song, “The Struggle.”

“My new song ‘The Struggle’ is about personal stories of redemption in my life,” Williams shares. “This recording is new, but it was actually the first song I ever wrote after becoming a Christian.”

“With his head still full of whiskey, His eyes now full of tears

He dusted off a Bible that he hadn’t read in years.” 

“Even if you haven’t struggled with addiction, you probably know someone who has,” he continues. “So many of us have moments where we feel worn down and don’t know where to turn. I pray ‘The Struggle’ can help you feel the hope of Jesus at the end of the tunnel. If you find yourself wondering, ‘Father, can You take away these tears,’ ‘The Struggle’ is my testimony that He can—and has—for me… and can for you too.”

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Ryan Stevenson released his latest music with a new single titled “Mosaic.” The track was written by Stevenson and Bryan Fowler. 

“Sometimes, because of our mistakes and mess ups in life, we feel like we’re damaged goods, and have no value to God,” Stevenson shares about the heart behind his new song. “This last year the Lord really woke me up, and began to show me that he doesn’t use us in spite of our failures, he actually uses those things too! What looked damaged & dirty gets cleaned up, fused together with His love; and becomes a beautiful work of art as his light shines through us.”

Five Encouraging Bible Verses

Having a tough Monday? When you need encouragement, there's no better place to go than to God's Word. Here are five encouraging Bible verses to help get you through today...

Flashback Friday

 Back to the 80's again this week to take a look at Harvest, a Christian band founded in Lindale, Texas by Jerry Williams in 1977. The vision of Harvest was to see 100 million people come to know Jesus Christ personally through the band's music ministry.

Jerry Williams had come from a nightclub entertainment background and music had been a major part of his life. In an interview, Williams stated that "[he] realized there had to be more to life than sports cars and dating beauty queens . . . I became a Christian." Williams spent some time playing the guitar on Texas streets before becoming a pastor in Bloomington, Indiana. Along with Jerry Williams, the original members of Harvest were Ed Kerr and Paul Wilbur - both music students. Wilbur had met Williams at a church where Williams was the youth pastor, and Williams had been influential in Wilbur's decision to become a Christian. Ed Kerr was a mutual friend of both Williams and Wilbur. Kerr had met Williams at a rally at Indiana University in Bloomington, and made a decision to become a Christian afterwards. The three men collaborated on the first two albums created by Harvest: Harvest and Morning Sun.

According to Jerry Williams in 1988, Harvest's sound is "light middle-of-the-road to light contemporary rock." He described it as hard to classify because it was a real mixture of styles. The group sound incorporated a little bit of rock, some country, and really good harmonies. Williams likened the group's harmonization to the Gatlin Brothers, who he had grown up listening to. Williams also said that "Every time people have tried to figure out who we sound like, we sound like Harvest. There's really no one else who sounds like us." But, when pressed to liken the band's sound to another's style, Williams would say the band's style was similar to that of Christian performer Wayne Watson (who we featured last Friday).

Later in 1981, personal problems forced Williams to disband the original Harvest group - which at one time had numbered five. The group was reformed as a duo of Williams and Kerr. Williams and Kerr were together for the production of many records, including It's Alright Now, Send Us to the World, Voices, Only the Overcomers, Give Them Back, Holy Fire and Carry On. 

In 1982 the magazine CCM took notice of the duo in its article, "A Bountiful Harvest." The writer praised the group's vocal harmonies and was especially fond of the song "Because I Am" (found on the album It's Alright Now).

One of my favorite Harvest songs was "The Army of the Lord" off the Send Us To The World album in 1984...

In 1988, it was the Discovery Broadcasting Network that took note of the band. The network recorded a live video of Harvest in concert. On the cover of the video, the network stated that Harvest averages "over 100 concerts a year."

By 1991, Ed Kerr left the group and Harvest became a five-player band led by Williams. With various members, Williams' band produced Let's Fight (For a Generation), Mighty River, and 41 Will Come. In 1992 the band went on an "Olympic and European Tour." They performed in Spain at the Barcelona Summer Olympics and at the Sevilla World Expo. Their tour also took them into Germany as part of Operation Mobilisation's "Love Europe" crusade. Harvest finished its tour with a performance in Holland.

We The Kingdom

I thought I would feature some bands that are currently popular. I will start with one of my current favorites, We The Kingdom. 

We The Kingdom released their debut studio album in 2020, but the band’s story really began nearly five decades ago. The group’s patriarch, Ed Cash, and his brother, Scott—11 years his junior—grew up in a home filled with music. It seeped into the brothers’ blood, and by the time they were both teenagers, they were playing in bands and harboring dreams of that elusive rock star life.

In his teens, Ed strayed from his Christian upbringing and chose a life of alcohol and drugs. “One of my best friends in high school died from a heroin overdose, and I remember getting that news, and it absolutely overwhelmed me because I knew that could’ve easily been me,” he remembers. “I thank God that for whatever reason He spared me, He rescued me.”

Recommitting his life to Jesus, Ed got clean when he was 19 and began pursuing a career as a recording artist. When he and his wife had their first child, however, he decided touring wasn’t for him. “I knew that for me to go out on the road would be so dangerous,” he admits, “so I put that dream aside.”

Opting for a profession that would allow him to be home, Ed began writing and producing music for other artists. In fact, he’s helmed some of the biggest records in Christian music by artists like Chris Tomlin, NEEDTOBREATHE and Crowder, among others. (He even co-wrote “How Great Is Our God” with Tomlin.) With young kids at home, he was happy to not be the guy out front. In fact, he was certain that ship had sailed.

Meanwhile, Scott was close to signing a record deal as a solo artist. “I think at that particular time in my life there was zero chance that I had the spiritual maturity to try to do a career as an artist and also be a husband and father,” he candidly shares. He opted to get off the road, and instead, spent a decade leading worship at Young Life camps and churches. The father of five daughters also occasionally collaborated with his brother on songwriting and production duties.

As Ed’s kids grew, they too caught the artist bug. So much so that Franni and Martin had their hearts set on careers in music. At the same time, family friend Andrew Bergthold was several states over in Kansas City honing his musical chops in local bands. Then he started producing music for other artists. Most recently, he worked on for KING & COUNTRY's GRAMMY-winning album, Burn the Ships.

Although they were each pursuing music, it never occurred to them to collaborate until Scott needed a backing band for a Young Life gig. He asked his family and Bergthold to join him. And so at a Young Life camp in Georgia, We The Kingdom was inadvertently born.

The collective began writing songs together, and immediately sparks flew. They initially thought they might be writing songs for other artists to steward. “Dancing On The Waves,” a tender ballad about God meeting us in our shame and fear, was the first track they finished.

“When we wrote that song, it was like, ‘Oh, we don’t want to share it. We want to sing it,’” Franni recalls. “It felt like it was our story to tell.”

From there, We The Kingdom was off to the races. They returned home to Nashville and got to work building a new band from the ground up. At nearly 50, Ed was finally realizing the dream he had laid down 30 years earlier. And the biggest surprise of all? The chance to be in a band with his brother and kids.

“When God started to birth this thing, I did not see it coming,” Ed says, tears welling up in his eyes. “Not at all.”

Franni says being in a band with her family and a friend that feels like family naturally lends itself to vulnerability in songwriting; and We The Kingdom’s songwriting is nothing if not vulnerable. “I think we’re able to have such successful family relationships because we put Jesus first,” she admits of their dynamic. “We all really love God and want to make His name known, and we just happen to be family. And because we have tried to put God first and experienced and encountered His love in our lives, it gives us the grace to be able to love each other.”

Maybe it’s their loving familial connection or their rare concoction of creative synergy that creates a goose-bump-inducing spirit that’s felt when they combine their gifts, but whatever it is, the bond between the five band members both in the studio and on the stage is simply magic.

We The Kingdom’s sound is hard to peg. It’s a seamless collision of diverse sonic tastes spanning five decades of music. Yet, from Ed and Scott’s seasoned experience to Andrew’s experimental sensibilities to Franni and Martin’s youthful energy, We The Kingdom works simply because all of its members bring something distinct to the table, culminating in a multi-colored spectrum of sound.

“I love what Franni and Martin bring to this. I crave their perspective,” Ed says of his kids and bandmates. “Martin’s very true and pure and wants to do something that is authentically unique, and I love that about him. Franni has a free spirit that is just so open and wide. I love that she doesn’t want to follow the rules. Scott, his guitar playing kills me. It is so passion-filled. When he starts to play, it lights me up. And Andrew, to me, is a really balancing, anchoring part of this band because he comes at this thing from a whole different musical perspective. I think the tension in all of that creates something really beautiful.”

This beautiful tension is most vividly on display when the collective takes the stage. While We The Kingdom has already played iconic venues like Red Rocks and Ryman Auditorium and toured with respected artists like Chris Tomlin and Zach Williams in their relatively short time as a band, their plans for what has become a buzzed-about live show came to a screeching halt when the pandemic shut down concerts last spring.

The band, however, forged ahead releasing their debut studio album, Holy Water, in August of 2020. The title-cut quickly became a smash at radio, rocketing to the top of the charts. “God So Loved” followed, marking We The Kingdom’s second consecutive No. 1 hit—a rare feat for a new Christian act. Their latest single, “Child of Love,” appears to be on a similar trajectory.

“Obviously their music is setting the world on fire, and what a privilege it is to count these guys as great friends,” Tomlin remarks of the band’s unprecedented success. “Ed Cash has produced most of my music for many, many years now; and we’ve written a lot of songs together. I just love seeing what’s going on with We The Kingdom and their music.”

Evidence of their meteoric rise, We The Kingdom was named “New Artist of the Year” at last year’s Dove Awards. Two GRAMMY nominations ensued. All of this while the band was sidelined from touring. Until they’re able to interact with fans face-to-face again, the music serves as a bridge. Plus, they’ve been able to connect with listeners virtually, one social comment at a time.

“The stories mean more than any industry award, honestly,” Martin offers. “To know that the music is connecting with people more than ourselves is the greatest honor.”

Even if We The Kingdom couldn’t physically deliver them to places far and wide, this past year, their songs were still carried around the world.

“Between radio and YouTube, I feel like those two vehicles were really what God used to launch our band, so we’re massively grateful for both,” Ed shares. “I think that definitely impacted our reach, especially during a time when we couldn’t tour.”

That’s all about to change. They’ve been dipping their toes back into the live arena on select Winter Jam dates. And on May 13, 2021, We The Kingdom will launch an 18-city tour adhering to COVID protocol in each state. It will be their first time to headline a tour, and they promise it will be a memorable night for fans.

If you can't see them on tour, perhaps you would like to watch the recording of their performance live at the Rhyman... go to https://ondemand.klove.com/live/mainstage/WE_THE_KINGDOM_LIVE_at_The_Ryman (you will need to sign up for a free login from K-Love.)

More New Music

Last week was a busy week with new CCM releases... 

Latin Grammy and Dove award-winning singer/songwriter Christine D’Clario released a new single. “Where The Spirit Of The Lord Is.” D’Clario penned this new track with CCM greats like Ben Fielding, Jason Ingram, Seth Mosley and Chris Tomlin.

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Ellie Holcomb debuted a new song, “I Don’t Want To Miss It,” from her upcoming album, Canyon, which will release on June 25th. This song will also be the debut radio single from the forthcoming project.

Since her solo debut in 2014, Holcomb has garnered two GMA Dove Awards, including New Artist of the Year, became a best-selling children’s author along with accompanying EPs, has more than 157 million global streams.

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Last week, Sammy Nino released “New Heart,” which can be heard below. Nino shares that “New Heart” was inspired by Psalm 51:10. “I took my guitar by the ocean and opened up the Bible and this is what hit me at that moment. I sat there for 3 hours and worked on what eventually became the song,” Nino explains on social media.

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“It’s so much more simple than that…” highlights the new track’s lyric by Atlanta-based group Futures, “Simple”.  The group’s new single reminds us that faith isn’t as complicated as people can make it.  It strips down the complexities down to one simple message, Jesus.

“The most important message we carry is the access we have to the undeserved, unconditional love of God! We always make it more complicated than He ever wanted it to be because no other transaction in the world is like His love. We try to be nice, we try to be good, we try and earn it but all He really wants is our heart. This matters more than anything else & we’ve written the song in a way that the message would be accessible to audiences that desperately need to hear this truth.” – Futures

New Music

After quietly composing and recording throughout the fall of 2020, GRAMMY Award-nominated rock band NEEDTOBREATHE have announced the release of their eighth full-length studio album, Into The Mystery. To herald the record’s arrival, the band has shared the album’s first single and title track “Into The Mystery”.

“Probably more than any other record of ours, it was a product of what was going on in the world and our environment. We didn’t second guess ourselves much or look over our shoulders. Even the spirit of the record was a result of the moment. You can hear everybody’s personality and imprint. It felt like we got this opportunity to make a record like a family.”

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GRAMMY Award-winning rock band Switchfoot surprised fans with the release of new music last week. “I Need You (To Be Wrong)”.

“You say you’ve got the answers. I say, I think you’re wrong. And you are. At least a little. And so am I. We all have a blind spot — we just don’t know what we don’t know. ‘All along we both were wrong.’ I began writing this song more than a decade ago, during a season of personal friction. Insecurity. Doubt. Fear. Inspired by the tale of Mr. Hyde, asking: Who can I trust? Who am I? Years later, the song remained as unfinished as the questions themselves, but it began speaking to us ways that it never had before. And so we began the process of finishing it. And while we began to unpack the song, the song was unpacking us. Maybe our enemy is not ignorance, but the illusion of knowledge. All along, we both were wrong. I need you (to be wrong)” – Switchfoot

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Grammy-winner Mandisa released a brand new single last week titled “Ruins.” “One of the things I love about worship music is that it is a reminder to my soul of who God is and what He can do,” Mandisa shared on social media about her new release. “Coming out of a particularly difficult year, ‘Ruins’ is a reminder of how God can make beauty from ashes. That is a promise I am clinging to.”

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GRAMMY-nominated, Platinum-selling Newsboys released new music last week. “Magnetic.” The track is a wonderful reminder of the consistent love of God. “We’ve been working on this project for a while now and we are so stoked to finally share it with you all,” the band shared on social media.

Moms in the Bible

I hope you enjoyed a happy Mother's Day yesterday. I thought you might enjoy this article from Crosswalk.com about Moms in the Bible...

1. They Managed Wisely

Abigail appeased King David over her husband Nabal’s rudeness. Evidently, she served as CEO of the home and a diplomat as needed. Her story is in 1 Samuel 25. The servants ran to her when they sensed a problem after Nabal snubbed David. She loaded donkeys with two hundred loaves of bread, five sheep already prepared, wine, and three hundred cakes and took them to King David. David and his men had suited up for battle with their sword strapped on.

She prevented David from wiping out Nabal and his men. She became a wife of David and mother of Chileab (2 Samuel 3:3)

The only clue to so much in prepared food in the house is the mention of the day as a special feast day. Abigail probably prepared ahead for the feast and not diverted much of it to making peace. What we do when we are faced with a battle that endangers our family and community makes a difference.

Abigail shows us the importance of taking immediate action is worth the effort.in a crisis.

2. They Treasured Important Memories

Mary treasured prophetic words spoken about Jesus [Luke 2:19]. She pondered over the words. Those memories and words stayed with her and very likely helped her as she stood at the cross. Our treasured memories sustain up as moms and help us get through the struggles. Her example showed us courage and a steadfast spirit. Her example helped countless moms face the difficult times with great courage too.

What gets moms through tough times is not their beauty but their grit. That strength to press on starts with bonding with their children. That love that runs deep is also tied to precious memories. The joy of smiles and cute little words of children as well as positive affirmations moms hear about their children inspired them to be steadfast and stand by their child no matter what.

A mom’s treasured memories help her cling to hope and trust God for the outcome.

3. They Celebrated Life

Early mothers rejoiced over life and freedom.  Eve gave birth to the first baby [Genesis 4:1], she did not attribute his birth to Adam. She said, “I gave birth to a man child with the help of the Lord.’ After crossing the Red Sea to freedom Miriam led the women to celebrate that freedom from tyranny [Exodus 15].

 Elizabeth the mother of John the Baptist and Mary the mother of Jesus rejoiced together at the lives within the womb [Luke 2]. They understood the joy of life and did not compare their children or situations. They focused on God’s purpose. After the birth of Jesus, when Herod slaughtered babies, the prophecy brought up is of Rachel weeping for her children [Jeremiah 31:15]. That reflects a woman's passion for life.

In a day where life is ended needlessly so often, we should recall women who cared deeply about life and God’s call through the prophet to weep at the death of innocent children. Celebrating life with each birthday and freedom with patriotic holidays reminds us to pray for life and liberty and continue the fight.

4. They Stood Fearless in Spite of Politics

Shiphrah and Puah, in Exodus 1, defied Pharaoh, the mightiest leader on earth, to save Israelite babies. They stood beside the mother and disobeyed the order to kill the babies in the birth canal. God rewarded them with their own children. Mary, the mother of Jesus, Mary, wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene all stood at the cross while the disciples and others except John had fled.

These women supported other women in need and did not care who saw them stand with Jesus at the crucifixion. Mary, the mother of Jesus was not abandoned or left to stand alone.

Moms need loyal support, and they often find it in other women. In Biblical times women often cooked in community ovens and ground wheat side by side. When women followed Jesus and supported him, they did that as a group also [Luke 8:3]. They also spent the time developing their relationships and bonding so strongly that they will stand together no matter what happens.

Girlfriends make lasting ties that stand the test of struggles.

5. They Cared Deeply

A mothers love is lasting and deep. That is seen in Rahab after King David allowed enemies to kill her sons to make peace for Saul’s evil deeds. She never gave up her vigil over their bodies in seeking closure and an honorable burial. She was a concubine, basically a victim of human trafficking, that most of society overlooked. She moved the heart of King David to compassion. To provide honorable burials for the sons of Saul. She had a specific goal to help her find closure.

Another Biblical mother, Hannah, followed through on dedicating her son God gave her to him and brought him to the temple to serve there. She never gave up her love as a mother and spent time throughout the year weaving a new priestly robe to give her son Samuel on the annual trip where she saw him.

Moms are resilient when they face challenges, making changes as needed. That’s seen in how mothers rise to challenges of cancer, learning disabilities, and more. They seek answers and forge new paths. When moms cannot see their children, they are still never far from their minds or prayers and they will reach out when possible.

6. They Made Decisions

The Shunammite Woman of 2 Kings 4 reveals a strong and decisive woman. This prominent woman entertained the prophet Elisha and recognized him as a man of God. She directed her husband to help her make a room for him to stay when he came through the area. God blessed her with a son through Elisha. When he became ill, she headed to see Elisha.

Her husband wondered why since it was not a religious day. She understood the power of Eisha’s God while her husband appeared to not understand that, and he may not have understood the seriousness of their son’s illness. She appears much more astute and sought Elisha who brought her son back from death.

Moms with godly discernment recognize a believer and live with hope that does not disappoint even the desired answer is not sent. Faithful moms open their doors for guests and share from their hearts.

The spirit of hospitality connects moms to people and provides new opportunities to love others.

7. They Served Faithfully and Worked Hard

Ruth who proclaimed her allegiance to her mother-in-law’s God showed her faith through her actions. She did what it took to sustain their lives. Gleaning was hard work but then she needed to beat the grain to make it edible and then she served it to Naomi [Ruth 2].

The Canaanite woman persisted in pleading for Jesus to save her daughter in spite of the disciples' attempts to dismiss her and received her request. Jesus also praised a persistent widow who continued to plead for justice from a judge and received it.

Hope fuels woman to persist and work hard in spite of struggles. Women take on jobs in the home, work odd hours, and seek ways to meet the needs of their families. They plead with God for help and pray as long as it takes. Moms hope for the best as they seek solutions for children’s problems and juggle things to care for aging family members too.

The work seldom ceases but God blesses women and their faithfulness in his timing.

8. They Influenced Other Women

Naomi in the Old Testament book of Ruth shines as the example of a woman who made a difference. Her example brought Ruth to the Lord. In the New Testament, we see a mother and daughter whose example made a difference [2 Timothy 1:5]. Paul praised Lois and Eunice and attributed Timothy’s faith to them. Mothers have great influence.

Alas, we see the impact of negative influence in Herod’s wife’s influence over her daughter who followed her mother’s prompt to ask for the head of John the Baptist and that brought about his death [Matthew 14:6-12]. The Mother of John Mark who held church in her home also reveals the power of a mother’s influence [Acts 12].

Peter went to her home first upon his release from prison and her son became a companion and assistant to Paul and Barnabus [2 Timothy 4:1, Colossians 4:101].

Moms can choose between good and evil. When they choose good, they impact future generations for the best.

9. They Became Great through Living Faithfully

The praise of the proverbs 31 woman reminds us that she managed a household including servants. Her success grew over time with focus, continually making good choices and working hard daily.

Other women also managed careers and households. Deborah served as a judge of Israel and brought peace to her people [Judges 4-5]. Lydia, a merchant, opened her heart to God when she heard Paul preach and became a faith leader in her community [Acts 16]. Scriptures about Lydia do not mention children directly but the word oikos for household encompassed both family and servants.

When authorities imprisoned Pau and Silas, she remained steadfast. After their release, Paul and Silas found believers gathered at Lydia’s home.

Whether managing a home and family or juggle career and motherhood, moms can succeed and impact communities. Many moms open their homes and become hubs of faith where others meet up.

10. God Responded to Mothers

Women put their trust in God and God did not disappoint them. Jesus noticed a woman’s situation and her heart as seen in his reaction to the widow of Nain [Luke 7:11-25]. This widow lost her son and only child. That would leave her destitute with no family, and few choices to earn money and survive. He raised her son and restored him to her.

God responded to Hagar’s prayer in the Old Testament with a great promise when she was cast out and sent into the desert with her son Ishmael [Genesis 21]. He provided water and the prophecy that her son would be the start of a large nation.

God blessed the plans of Jochebed [Exodus 2:1-10, 6:19-20] when she hid her son in a basket in the Nile River to spare his life. God allowed Moses to become the child of an Egyptian princess but to be nursed and raised by Jochebed.

These mothers who valued their son’s lives became examples that showed remarkable hope and faith that revealed how God can do the impossible.

Never underestimate the strength of mothers, past or present. Our examples shine as we impact lives and weather struggles, especially to provide the best for our children. Our strength starts in our hearts and is rooted in our faith.

God still notices mothers and cares for them. Christ’s love for people includes understanding mothers and responding to their prayers. Faithful moms, for their part, continue to trust God and believe in answers to impossible prayers. Be encouraged and renew your hope as you study moms in the Bible.

In case you missed it yesterday, you can still watch the TBN special  Dear Mom / A Mother's Day Special on TBN.

In this TBN special production celebrating all mothers; join Priscilla Shirer; Laurie Crouch; Mike & Peggy Rowe; CeCe & Delores Winans and many others as they share fun and loving stories of motherhood. With guests like Laurie Crouch; Priscilla Shirer; CeCe Winans; Delores Winans; Mike Rowe; Peggy Rowe; Mandisa; Christine Caine; Alex Seeley; Hosanna Wong; Kari Jobe; Lauren Daigle; and Natalie Grant.

Another Flashback Friday

 Back to the 80's again this week to take a look at Wayne Watson, an American singer-songwriter who helped define the genre of contemporary Christian music, but he has not limited himself to the genre he helped create. Some of his songs have become CCM classics.

Watson originally planned to pursue a career playing baseball, but while in college he began dabbling in music, and after graduation regularly performed in area churches. While leading worship at a Christian youth camp, the father of one of the children videotaped Watson's performance and sent it to a record company.

Watson's connection with his audience has produced 23 No. 1 singles in Christian radio—including "Friend of a Wounded Heart", "When God's People Pray", "Almighty" (which we occasionally play in church today), "Touch of the Master's Hand" (a personal favorite), "Be in Her Eyes", "Watercolour Ponies", "More of You", "Another Time Another Place", and "Home Free" (which became the most played song on Christian radio in 1991).

His litany of career credits include a dozen Dove Awards wins –including those for Male Vocalist of the Year, Song of The Year (Friend Of A Wounded Heart), Pop Contemporary Song of the Year and Contemporary Album of The Year with Watercolour Ponies, and Pop/Contemporary Song of the Year with "Home Free." He has twice been nominated for the Grammy Award—both for his performance of "Watercolour Ponies", and for Best Pop Gospel Album with his stunning A Beautiful Place project. He shared a Grammy victory as a part of the team of other Christian artists for the “Tribute to Andre Crouch” project.

Wayne has the unique ability to simultaneously pioneer new territory, while remaining firmly grounded in his Southern, traditional roots. This was never better illustrated than the night he and Sandi Patty appeared on NBC-TV’s Tonight Show. It was the 1990s and Christian music had been historically relegated to Christian venues and Christian radio. But as America watched, two young Christian artists stepped onto that famous sound stage and gave a groundbreaking, emotionally charged performance of “Another Place, Another Time.” Without changing their customary worshipful performance, these two ambassadors for Christ sang to a most unexpected audience – late-night television viewers. The time slot, the medium, the show itself, set the stage for an event that was deemed a defining moment in Christian music’s move to wider audiences.

The momentum continued in the late 90s, when Wayne’s inspirational hit "For Such A Time As This" became a centerpiece theme of CBS-TV’s then highly rated series Touched By An Angel.

On January 1, 2011, Watson was among seven artists inducted into the Christian Music Hall of Fame.

For over 12 years Watson was the associate director of music at Chapelwood United Methodist Church in Houston, Texas and has recently retired at the end of March.

New Music

 A couple weeks ago artist Andrew Ripp, who had a big hit last year with "Jericho," released a new song called "Rejoice"...

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GRAMMY nominated and Billboard #1 worship groups Elevation Worship and Maverick City released their highly anticipated collaborative live album Old Church Basement. I really like the title song featuring Dante Bowe...

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“Fill My Cup,” a new single from The Rescued, a worship collective started by songwriter/musician James Jones, was released last week to Christian AC-formatted radio outlets. 

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Yesterday,  (May 5), Here Be Lions releases an official live video for “Crave.” The track is featured on the group’s Still God / Still Good (Live) album.

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Ellie Holcomb released the official lyric video for “I Will Carry You.”  The track was written by Ben Glover and Holcomb and will be featured on her upcoming release, Canyon.

Just Take A Nap

 Do you ever feel like you just need to take a nap? 

Well, maybe not as much as that little girl, but there are times.... I found this fun article on WayNation that I would like to share:

Here are 7 times the Bible tells us to just take a nap:

1. Did you know Sunday afternoon naps were originally God’s idea? Bless.
“You have six days each week for your ordinary work, but the seventh day is a Sabbath day of rest dedicated to the Lord your God. On that day no one in your household may do any work.” – Exodus 20:9-10a NLT

2. Have you ever been so busy you didn’t even have time to eat?! Jesus too. His answer? You guessed it… take a nap.
“The apostles returned to Jesus from their ministry tour and told him all they had done and taught. Then Jesus said, ‘Let’s go off by ourselves to a quiet place and rest awhile.’ He said this because there were so many people coming and going that Jesus and his apostles didn’t even have time to eat.” – Mark 6:30-31 NLT

3. Did you know God is anti-overtime? Seriously, take a break every once in a while!
“It is useless for you to work so hard from early morning until late at night, anxiously working for food to eat; for God gives rest to his loved ones.” – Psalm 127:2 NLT

4. David knew the Lord had his back. So that man TOOK. A. NAP.
“In peace I will lie down and sleep, for you alone, O Lord, will keep me safe.” – Psalm 4:8 NLT

5. In case you missed your nap yesterday, God went ahead and rescheduled it for today. Thanks God.
“So God’s rest is there for people to enter, but those who first heard this good news failed to enter because they disobeyed God. So God set another time for entering his rest, and that time is today.” – Hebrews 4:6-7a NLT

6. David describes for us the perfect nap.
“He lets me rest in green meadows; he leads me beside peaceful streams.” – Psalm 23:2 NLT

7. Even God himself rested. So sweetie, you go ahead and take your nap right there!
“On the seventh day God had finished his work of creation, so he rested from all his work. And God blessed the seventh day and declared it holy, because it was the day when he rested from all his work of creation.” – Genesis 2:2-3 NLT

All jokes aside, there is TRUE rest for us in Christ.
I’m talking about the true rest God promises us in Hebrews 4 and that David illustrates for us in Psalms 23. This kind of rest and peace isn’t something you can get from a power nap, lavender essential oil, or by taking a social media hiatus. It only comes from centering yourself in God’s word and by not allowing the worries of this world to pollute your mind.

True rest is so important that God himself displayed it for us on the seventh day of creation. It wasn’t a day of simply doing nothing, it was an intentional day of rest. If rest is important to God, it should be important to you also.

My prayer for you today is that you find time to take a nap, but that you also find true rest in Christ.

New Music from MercyMe

GRAMMY nominated, multiple American Music Award, Billboard Music Award and Dove Award-winning band MercyMe released their long-awaited tenth studio record, inhale (exhale) last week. Listen to MercyMe talk about this new album...

We have heard several of the songs from this album already like "Say I Won't", "Almost Home", "On Our Way", and the hilarious "Hurry Up and Wait."  My favorite new release from the album is probably "A Little Love" featuring Gary LeVox (lead singer of Rascal Flatts). I think this will be one that we will hear on the radio.

Another favorite new release from this album is "Bright Side of Broken"...

Lots of good songs on this album worth listening to like "The Moment", "Uh Oh", "Whiplash", and more. I recommend checking them out.

Lauren Daigle on American Idol

 A couple weeks ago, two-time GRAMMY Award winner and multi-platinum selling artist Lauren Daigle returned to the American Idol stage for a very special Comeback show featuring 10 finalists from last season. In a highlight moment during the telecast, Lauren was joined with a full band for a special performance of the soulful and upbeat title track from her GRAMMY Award winning album, "Look Up Child"...

This was Daigle’s first solo performance on “American Idol” since competing on season 11 (2012) on FOX. She returned to the show last year on ABC as a mentor for the Top 6 and performed with last season’s winner, Just Sam, in the season finale.

Since the release of her GRAMMY Award winning, platinum certified album Look Up Child, Lauren Daigle has reigned on the Billboard Charts. The album debuted at No. 3 on the Top 200 Albums chart making Daigle the first female artist to simultaneously hit the Top 10 on both Billboard’s Pop and Christian Billboard Album Charts. In addition, the GRAMMY Award winning crossover hit, “You Say,” became the longest-running No. 1 song of any genre on the weekly Billboard Hot charts at an incredible 125 weeks and was recently certified 4x-platinum by the RIAA. Daigle has earned seven Billboard Music Awards, four American Music Awards, ten GMA Dove Music Awards and sold-out concert venues all over the world.

Does anyone remember Daigle competing on American Idol? Maybe not, but including her, the Idol list of CCM alums is quite impressive... Mandisa, Danny Gokey, Colton Dixon, Chris Sligh, Tori Kelly, Phil Stacey, Kris Allen, Jason Castro, David Archuleta, Jordon Sparks, Chris Daughtry, Carrie Underwood, and many more.