Love has found us

I love it when I come across a band that I've never heard of before that blows me away with their music. Such is the case with Bellarive a band from Orlando, Florida. I don't know much about them, but I have to believe I will in time as their music makes it into the main stream of the Christian music scene. Here's "Love has found us:"

I am free

In churches across the country and around the world - worship leaders are making a "beautiful noise" for their congregations. Many of these worship lteams are incredibly talented and yet remain largely unknown outside of their own churches. Some of the best Christian music around is being played in churches and/or conferences everywhere.

Some worship teams expand their reach by venturing outside of their church and emerge as influential forces in the Christian music world. Thank God for that!

I came across a worship team named "Go Deep" and today's post features them singing the worship song "I am free." Enjoy...

The Great Awakening

Today's featured artist is someone that I only recently discovered... just last week, in fact. If you like great harmonies in vocals, you're going to love the progressive worship band Leeland. This is some very good stuff.

Beautiful

The group MercyMe really doesn't need an introduction. There probably isn't a bigger name in Christian music right now than MercyMe. The story about "Beautiful" and the song itself are simply wonderful. Please give both a listen and enjoy...

I don't want to gain the whole world and lose my soul

Today's post is sort of a three for one deal. One great song - with three great artists: TobyMac, Mandisa, and Kirk Franklin. Enjoy "Lose my soul."

Manifesto

So, I'm watching the Angels baseball game last night and Seth Smith of the Oakland A's comes to bat. In the background I hear a familiar tune... wait... that's a Christian artist I say to myself. I would recognize that tune anywhere! And that's how today's featured song made it to this blog. It's "Manifesto" by City Harmonic - who my wife Cheryl and I saw recently open for the Newsboys. Enjoy!

Crazy Beautiful

Chasen is a Christian rock band from Greenville, South Carolina. The band is composed of Chasen Callahan (lead vocals, guitar, keyboards), Evan Silver (guitar), Aaron Lord (drums) and bassist Doug Price. Their first album was the independent release Another Way of Life. In 2006 they were signed to OMG Records and recorded a promotional EP for Coca Cola Dasani. The first song from the album, "Crazy Beautiful", charted in the Top 10 on the R&R magazine chart as of January 2008 and it was the 22nd most-played song of 2008 on U.S. Contemporary Christian music radio stations according to R&R magazine's Christian CHR chart. Source: Wikipedia

And here's Crazy Beautiful....

Movin'

As a strive to present something for everyone - I thought it was time to introduce a little hip-hop Christian style. Okay, enough said, let's get "movin'."

People get ready

Whitney Houston, Celine Dion, Kelly Clarkson, Maria Carey; when you think of them, you can't help but think about their amazing voices. They stand apart from the vast majority of female vocalists because their voices are powerful and beautiful. They have a depth and a range that is more pleasing than any musical instrument in the world.

Which brings me to today's featured artist. I have this vision that when Crystal Lewis sings, the Angels gather in mass to listen. Crystal Lewis has the most amazing voice I have ever heard live and in person - and to truly appreciate her talent - that's exactly what you have to do; experience it live.

Hearing on a recording and/or a computer just doesn't do it justice. Never-the-less, I bring you Crystal Lewis singing two of her signature songs; "People get ready" and "Come just as you are." Enjoy.

Grace

Grace is such a beautiful word. When you think about what it means and how it relates to faith, it's even more beautiful. Here's a song about "Grace" from Ed Kowalczyk. Keep the faith and spread the grace...

Come to the river

Parachute Band is a worship band from Auckland, New Zealand, formed out of the New Zealand-based Christian organisation Parachute Music. I don't know much about them and only recently discovered their music. I love their sound and I hope you will too.

I'm with you

The first time I saw and heard Nichole Nordeman sing was at the church Cheryl and I were attending at the time. Nichole was a guest singer. The next time we saw her she was opening for Amy Grant and Michael W. Smith at an arena. Little did we know when we first saw her was that she would become the huge success she is today.

Nichole is a talented song writer as well as a singer and her songs are always thought provoking and inspirational on many levels.

She recently wrote the song "I am with you" - it is based on the scripture Ruth 1:16: But Ruth replied, “Don’t urge me to leave you or to turn back from you. Where you go I will go, and where you stay I will stay. Your people will be my people and your God my God.”

To read more about the song - check out the interview by Ken Davis.

Here is Nichole talking about "The Story" - where you can find the song "I'm with you."



And here is the song itself - which she performs with Amy Grant ( Two of the most distinctive and beautiful voices in music. It doesn't get much better than this):

It's a good day

Ever heard of Cory Lamb? I didn't think so. Well, it's Friday folks and that's a good thing; in fact, it's a good day. Of course, with the right attitude, every day is a good day - just ask Cory:

Awake and alive

I'm at war with the world and they try to pull me into the dark...
That's the opening lyrics from the Song "Awake and Alive" by Skillet.

From Wikipedia: Skillet is an American Christian rock band formed in Memphis, Tennessee in 1996. The band currently consists of husband and wife John (lead vocals, bass) and Korey Cooper (rhythm guitar, keyboards, backing vocals), along with Jen Ledger (drums, vocals) and Seth Morrison (lead guitar).

When asked about the meaning of the song by Sterotruth.net, John Cooper (the lead singer of the band) had the following to say: "Tying in with “Hero,” here’s one about feeling like you’re falling under from all the stresses of life. Even though you feel like everyone around you is trying to take your hope away from you, no one has the right to do that and you shouldn’t allow those negative influences to weigh you down. Live what you believe and don’t be afraid to stand up for your faith."

Here they are performing... Prepare yourself. It's time to rock.

Their sound is unmistakable. Their music is inspiring. They are easily one of my favorite bands. They're Kutless and they're today's featured artist. Two videos to follow....