Ellie Holcomb 7/17/25 Ellie Holcomb 7/17/25

Gas Street Music

Tim Hughes shares how their new songs reflect the antithetical expressions of faith in response to all God is doing in their church and in the heart of the UK.

Thank you for sharing some of your story with us today and congratulations on the release of Adonai! Gas Street Church began almost 10 years ago. What was the original vision and how has that evolved over the years?

Gas Street was planted as a church ten years ago with a vision to see a worshipping community impact the city of Birmingham, in the UK. When we started the church, we found an old disused warehouse. The building's history involved transporting coal via Birmingham's canal network to generate gas, which was then used to light the city's street lamps.

We loved this image and took the metaphor and claimed it as our vision that we, as a church, would be light for the city. That as the people of God we would bring joy, hope, peace and comfort in the way we lived and communicated the gospel message of Jesus.

Over the last 10 years, the vision has stayed the same, but we've adapted our approach in various ways as our community has grown and diversified, as we've witnessed God move in specific ways, and especially as many young people have come to faith! We're hugely encouraged and excited by all that God is doing and love the adventure of carrying worship into the city of Birmingham.

How do you all intentionally embrace your congregation's diversity with the songs you write and in the ways you arrange and produce Gas Street Music?

A whole bunch of different songwriters were involved in writing these songs for this album Adonai. The best way to capture the diversity of a church is to ensure that this diversity is represented in the songwriting, production and musical process of the recordings.

We would organise songwriting retreats where we would have opportunities to chat and pray, talk about the vision of the church and create space for each other to bring our ideas. Over the years, we've had lots of conversations around how we best capture a more diverse sound.

It all still feels very much like a work in progress, but the intentionality of who we draw in, who helps produce and play on the songs, all helps us to capture the diversity within our church.

You all have said: “these songs are the soundtrack to all that we are seeing God do.” Can you expand on that? How do these songs encapsulate what your church has encountered collectively and personally in their walks of faith?

These songs capture the vision of the church in many ways because they have been written in community. It's not just individuals going off to write music. We write in teams. When we gather together, we're praying together; we're sharing all that God is doing in our lives, in our church. When writing, we're always considering the congregation.

For example, the song “Let Everything That Has Breath” is trying to capture the idea that when we gather now, we have 81 different nations represented in our church. We're all drawn together, heaven and earth joining as one, worshiping the name above every other name.

A song like “Fresh Encounter,” captures the longing we have as a community to see more of God. One of our key values is that we'd be expectant. So, we believe that when we gather to worship, we're not just singing theology or a few songs; we're stepping into the presence of God Almighty. In His presence, lives are changed, people are healed, and remarkable things begin to happen. This song captures that longing that is so at the core and heart of what we're trying to grow in as a church!

You also say: “these songs aren’t simply about melody and lyrics; they capture praise and desperation, gratitude and longing, faith and doubt, hope and fear. All written by a group of friends who belong to a normal, messy and glorious church known as Gas Street.” We love that! How do you all lead in such a way that recognizes the messiness and imperfection of being human, while pointing to the one perfect God?

When you look at encounters with Jesus, particularly in the New Testament, you see the emotion of humanity encountering the divine. You never get the sense of it being slick or polished; it's raw, heartfelt, and deeply profound.

In our worship, we always want to create space for the congregation to shape the direction of our worship. We lead in a way that isn't just singing four or five songs, but we create space, encouraging people to sing out. At times, we encourage songs from the room, people to sing out melodies or refrains that we can then join in with as a band. Some of our most profound moments are when the musicians aren't playing anything, but the congregation begin to sing.

For example, part of our community is made up of a hundred or so men and women from Iran who predominantly speak Farsi. Just the other week, at the end of the worship, they began to sing this song in Farsi. The rest of the congregation wouldn't have understood the words, but you could feel the passion and the heart and the honoring of God in their singing. The whole room erupted, joining with them worshiping the name above all names, Jesus.

At times when you create space for the congregation to add their voice, add their song and melody it can be messy. We've had many musical train wrecks, but I'd rather have engagement with the whole congregation than musically slick produced sounds that encourage consumer engagement in worship.

I love the picture of the early church in Ephesians where it talks about everyone bringing a psalm, hymn and spiritual song. Often people say when you have hundreds of people in a room, that's impossible, but actually I disagree. I've seen gatherings with thousands of people, where people begin to pray out, sing out, bring a prophetic word, lead a song of worship from the ground rather than the stage.

In my opinion, the church needs to be way more bold and open to mess in our gathered expression of worship.

How do these songs carry and honor the paradoxical nature of being a believer? (The praise and desperations, the faith and doubt, etc.)

At different points in our journey as Gas Street Music, we've had songs such as “Broken Hallelujah” which express lament and the reality of doubt in our journey as worshipers. Whilst these new songs might not necessarily specifically articulate that theme, a number of these songs are songs that can be sung in both moments of praise and heartbreak.

A song like “Worship You Forever” is so simple. I've seen people sing it on a Sunday from the overflow of joy and gratitude. I've also watched people going through dark, challenging circumstances singing these words, proclaiming 'Holy is the Lord God Almighty', with tears streaming down their faces.

That's the beauty of gathered worship. We all come with our journeys, carrying our hopes and dreams, and in the midst of all of that, we centre our hearts affection and our minds attention on Jesus.

“Adonai” is the title track and also the longest song on the album. Tell us why this Hebrew word highlighting the authority and sovereignty of God became the anchoring theme of this project?

As we were choosing songs for the project, we noticed a strong vertical theme running through so many of them; prayers, worship, and declarations directed straight to God. Adonai felt like the right name because it captures who He is: sovereign, holy, above it all, and yet still so near. In a time when so much feels uncertain or out of our control, it meant a lot to ground these songs in the truth that God is still Lord over everything.

The title track really gives that truth room to breathe.

**What other songs from Adonai are you all most excited for the global Church to hear and start incorporating into their setlists?**

The three songs that are really connecting at church are “Let Everything That Has Breath,” “Worship You Forever,” and “King of Hope.”

“Let Everything That Has Breath” is a strong declaration of praise. It's a great song to open up a gathered time of worship with. We've loved using the song “Worship You Forever.” It's so simple, but it really connects deeply with people's hearts and spirits, unlocking worship in a room. It could work brilliantly in a small setting as well as a large gathering of thousands. The song lyrically that seems to connect deeply and releases high praise is “King of Hope.” This brilliant gospel song journeys through the narrative of Jesus' life, death and resurrection, and inspires a responsive worship and praise.

We've loved using these songs at church and really hope and pray they're an encouragement and blessing to many!

Lead songs from *Adonai* with your congregation.

Ellie Holcomb 7/14/25 Ellie Holcomb 7/14/25

Seph Schlueter

Seph Schlueter has released his first full-length studio album, Counting My Blessings! He shares the sonic inspirations, the impact stories of these songs, and more.

Congratulations on the release of your first full-length album! How does it feel to have these songs out in the world?

It feels a little surreal!

This project has been in the works for over four years now, and so to have it out and in the hands of the listeners is so special for me. Every song means so much personally, and I feel like it kind of gives a snapshot to my last number of years walking with the Lord. I’m just praying that it will help others connect with Him the same way these songs have helped me!

Before we dig more into the new record, we would love to know more about the missionary organization you started called Damascus.

Yeah! So, Damascus actually started before me; it was created in 2015 as a Mission Campus where retreats, conferences, camps, and events would be run all with the goal of helping facilitate encounters with Jesus!

In 2020, I ended up stating the Worship side of it called Damascus Worship. We were seeing a lot of people resonate with the music we had been leading and writing at these different events, so we decided to really follow the Lord’s leading and build up an intentional worship community within the ministry! And I had the honor of being able to really spearhead and pioneer that (and still do; I’m on staff there to this day!).

You combine your worship leader sensibilities with modern sonic influences in these songs. Tell us about some of the influences you drew from when writing and recording these songs.

I am an avid music listener, and love listening to all sorts of music styles and genres and artists!

So I feel like I’m kind of a crazy melting pot of a bunch of different things. I grew up on Rich Mullins and Matt Maher, I’m a huge fan of worship groups like Bethel or UPPERROOM or Elevation, I love Brandon Lake and Phil Wickham, and I also love a lot of secular artists like Ed Sheeran, Mumford and Sons, Lewis Capaldi, Benson Boone…I could go on and on!

I see little things in their writing or sound or style that I resonate with that, and I think that helps form my own unique take on it.

“Counting My Blessings” was the song that really put your artistry on the map. What are some of the coolest stories you heard about the impact of that song?

Too many to count!

My favorite stories are the ones I hear usually after a show I do, where people come up to me and tell me how the song literally saved their life…they were in a really dark place and ready to leave it all behind when “Counting My Blessings” came on in some way and it gave them new perspective or purpose. Those ones always choke me up. Same with the ones that talk about how it helped bring people back to Jesus from a place of not following Him. That always inspires me so much.

While these songs have a Pop bent, which songs in particular do you envision having a role in church settings?

Being a worship-leader is really core to who I am, and honestly my favorite thing to do is lead worship in church settings.

I think the song “Words We’ll Sing Forever” is really special to me because of that. I really wanted to write a song that could be led in that setting, and picked up super easily, and it honestly might be my favorite song to sing live. I also thing that the song “Turn it to Praise” could definitely be used in a church setting if you’re looking for a bit of a rowdy opener! And I’ve seen people use both “Running Back to You” and “Counting my Blessings” in those settings as well, and it’s been sweet!

Lead songs from *Counting My Blessings* with your congregation.

Ellie Holcomb 5/19/25 Ellie Holcomb 5/19/25

Aaron Williams

“We were made to know God, to worship God, and to have our whole lives found in Him.” Aaron Williams shares why Abide was the anchoring theme for his debut studio album, released this past Friday.

Congrats on the release of your new album, Aaron! I know it’s been a long time coming. How does it feel to have these songs out in the world?

It feels awesome. I feel joy-filled and full of gratitude.

This project, more than any project I’ve ever released: every single song has a unique story behind it. And that has filled this project with a lot of personal meaning. I have also felt God to be so tangibly part of everything from writing the songs to time in the studio. There were a lot of inspiring moments where we paused and just worshiped as we were recording.

All of that to say, because there's been so much meaning behind the process, I feel incredibly joyful and grateful. I’m just excited to finally be able to share what God has been doing in my life through these songs and the co-writers who helped shape them.

You named this collection of songs “Abide” – which is a song you originally released in 2021 with Dwell Songs. Why was “abide” ultimately chosen as the overarching theme for this album? And what new lessons have you learned about abiding in God’s love, presence and peace since you first wrote the song?

I chose Abide as the overarching theme because I’ve seen God doing something unique in the Church through that song.

I’ve heard so many testimonies about how He’s teaching His people to abide in Him. I didn’t want to write ten songs that all say the word “abide,” but I did wonder what it would look like to explore what it means to abide in all of life. So It’s not a concept album in the traditional sense—I don’t use the word “abide” in every song—but if you’re listening closely, every song is connecting us to the Father. We were made to know God, to worship God, and to have our whole lives found in Him.

This album is my attempt to explore that theme through worship. I think the parallel truth God has been teaching me is that He wants to abide with me—in all the moments of life. Early on in my faith, I recognized God in the big, loud, holy moments. But over time, I’ve learned to find Him in the mundane, everyday parts of life. He’s in all of it. His presence is deeper and more expansive than we’ll ever fully grasp in this lifetime, but we get to keep learning and going deeper as long as we live. That’s what I tried to pour into these songs. I hope listeners walk away feeling like there’s a song for every season of life.

Were the songs sequenced in such a way to take the listener on their own spiritual journey in abiding?

Yes, definitely. But again, it’s not a concept album that walks you step-by-step through a journey—you have to pay attention to see it.

For example, the opening lyric of the first track, “Resurrection Hope,” is: “This has been the anchor in every generation; through trial and storm, this has been our cornerstone.” That line serves as a thesis statement. It anchors the entire album: that through every generation of Christ-followers, this is what we’ve stood upon. Then the last track is the most sorrowful. I wrote it during a season of deep grief after my friend Brian died unexpectedly. At the end of the song, we tagged a powerful chorus of “It Is Well.” That final statement of the album essentially says: In our darkest days, we can place our hope in God and God alone.

Artistically, I hope it leaves people with a soul-crying declaration: no matter what I face, if I am in Christ, there will come a day when I can cry out at the top of my lungs, “It is well with my soul,” because He will make all things new. From the first lyric to the last, we’re telling a story—and I hope that story takes people on a journey of what it looks like to abide in God.

Tell us about some of the key collaborators on this album and how you all blended modern and more traditional/organic musical elements on this record.

I love blending musical elements that are kind of on opposite ends of the spectrum.

For example, modern synths with string instruments, or foundational band sounds with programming. That contrast is what I love most in music—bringing together things that usually live separately. So that was really important to me on this record, and I think we achieved that balance in the best way we could.

As far as collaborators, I worked with some incredible people. Bryan Fowler, Jason Ingram, and Colton Price all produced on the album—I have so much respect for each of them. Co-writers included those three, as well as Jess Cates, Amanda Cook, Tommy Iceland, and many more. It was a beautiful mix of working with some of my favorite longtime collaborators and also some brand-new voices. That combination—being stretched out of your comfort zone while also creating from a place of familiarity—was really special.

You’ve said, "I hope this album helps people understand that abiding relationship more deeply. But more intricately, I hope it speaks to the nuances of how that abiding happens.” What are some nuances of abiding that have developed/changed for you over the years?

Again, the biggest shift for me has been learning to recognize God not just in the big, emotional moments—church, worship, God opening doors—but in all the in-between spaces. And honestly, those “in-between” moments might be my favorite now. '

By “in-between,” I mean the waking up, the boring routines, parenting my kids, being at the baseball field, working—everything. When we come to know Jesus, the riches available to us in relationship with Him are so vast, it’ll take our whole lives (and beyond) to even begin to live into them. I’m realizing there's so much more of God for me to know and experience—and so much deeper relationship that I could have if I’d only pay attention. So that’s what He’s teaching me: how to pay attention in all of life.

“Simply Jesus” feels very congregational. Which other songs on this album do you hope the Church will resonate with?

Glad you think so! Honestly, I hope the church connects with all of them in some way. But one focus track is “Holy (Again and Again).” From the moment we wrote it, I’ve tried to include it in almost every set I lead. I just love that song. And every time I lead it, people respond so well to it or ask about it. I think that’s because it’s very congregational, but it explores the theme of God’s holiness in a fresh, compelling way.

I also believe “Resurrection Hope” will really connect with the church. Even though it’s resurrection-themed, it’s not just for Easter. It’s a song you can lead year-round—declaring the victory of Christ over our lives and our communities. If I had to choose, those two tracks might be my highlights.

Lead songs from *Abide* with your congregation.

Ellie Holcomb 10/14/24 Ellie Holcomb 10/14/24

Darlene Zschech

Darlene Zschech discusses her why in returning to old songs for her new album Testament. She also explains how the definition of that title reflects God's character, and she reminds us that worship is not an industry but a posture that connects us to God.

What led you to revisit these iconic worship songs for your new release, Testament?

It was actually my children that encouraged me to celebrate in worship, the 30 years since “Shout To The Lord,” and the faithfulness of God over my lifetime.

Tell us how the spiritual and legal definition of the word “testament” reflects God’s character.

The “legal” side of the word Testament actually means: it is done and cannot be revoked. I think this reflects the character and promises of God to the most precise and eternal way.

What did you bring in from your 30 years of worship leading experience to the reimagining of these songs, both production-wise and performance-wise?

Well, as a producer, I am always thinking of how songs, sounds, and declarations will be received.. and then, as a worship leader, my role is to help release prayers and praise from people through the gift of song that helps give expression to the human experience to a most Holy God who is the only one worthy of all the glory. I pray this project is received in such a way!

Could you tell us about a moment during the creation of Testament that was particularly meaningful or moving for you?

There were actually many times along the process when I was taken back to a moment when God intervened in my very mortal plans, making a way where there was no way. Having my children write, play, and lead with me is something I never take for granted. They are my great joy and great reward.

What do you hope listeners will take away from the new interpretations and the new songs on this album?

I have prayed deeply and intentionally that this project will remind each listener of God’s faithfulness in their own lives.

How has your approach to songwriting and worship music evolved over the years, and how is that reflected in Testament?

I guess I am a little more raw and real these days, I guess some of the things I have walked through have taught me to come before God with all that I am, my mess and all, my heart my all.

He is not after a well-curated version of my life, just my heart.

In what ways has your work with HOPE: Global shaped or informed your songwriting and ministry?

Loving people is part of our “followship” of Christ.

Missions is not a ‘department’ or something that is an addition to who we are, but loving and supporting orphans and widows, the overlooked and undervalued are all part of what our lives should look like as we each respond accordingly to the love of Jesus in our own lives. Overflowing with confident hope. I love how canon J.John describes missions.. he simply says don’t wait to go overseas, just love your neighbourhood with the love of God.

No strings attached. Start there.

What message or encouragement would you like to share with worship leaders and songwriters who look up to you and your ministry?

I am here by the grace and love of God who rescued me and resurrected me from the inside out. It is a continuing work. Just remember that in worship, we are to exalt Jesus, His presence and person is who we are engaging with… and we are equipped to do so in truth by His spirit.

Worship is not a genre and is not there to support an industry, but rather, is a way by which we, humanity, become part of the ceaseless proclamation of the glory of God. Start there. Stay there.

Lead songs from *Testament* with your congregation.

Ellie Holcomb 8/12/24 Ellie Holcomb 8/12/24

Hillsong Chapel

Nigel Hedroff, the Music Director and lead guitarist of Hillsong Church, communicates the vision for this project and the centering nature of returning to songs that carried their Church through significant seasons.

Hillsong Chapel is a collective expression of worship, crafted by local church resources to serve intimate congregations sizes by providing simple arrangements of God-glorifying songs. Its mission is to exalt the name of Jesus and provide music that can help people enter into a place of intimacy, devotion and prayer with their Lord and Saviour. This expression is not limited to a certain set of faces or language, but rather the collective heart of those passionate about worshiping God and drawing closer to his Spirit, leaving a legacy of praise to be echoed by following generations.

Tell us about the heart behind the Hillsong Chapel project as a whole.

The heart behind the Chapel project is that we want to provide simple, vocal-led arrangements that are accessible to churches of all sizes. We stripped back the multiple synth and electric guitar layers and have made it more of an acoustic driven sound with particular attention to the vocal parts and harmonies.

At the heart of everything that we do is our commitment to and love for church worship.

How did you all go about selecting these 13 songs? Did the lyrics of these specific older songs hit in a fresh way?

We have a 30-year history of songs, each with a unique story, so selecting these 13 was never easy. We picked songs that felt like milestone moments within our church. They’re not always the songs we’re most known for, but they’re some of the songs that really carried our church through the seasons.

Some were mountaintop seasons, some valleys, but they were always songs of faith that stirred something in our church.

The lyrics from these songs are timeless. They are as relevant today as they were when they were first written. The arrangements hopefully bring a fresh take on these songs which have been so important to not just our Hillsong church community but churches around the world.

Come to think of it, we had 12 songs with 2 versions of “Shout To The Lord.” That song obviously means so much to us and we couldn’t decide which version. In the end, we did 2 different arrangements and wanted to share them both.

The arrangements and production of these songs feel sobering and free. Tell us about the recording process for Amazing Grace.

The forefront of thinking was to create arrangements that were not just fun to listen to and play, but also could be easily replicated regardless of the size of worship team. We cast the net wide and what you ultimately hear is the collective sound of our broader creative team in Australia.

We spent a few weeks writing the arrangements with contributions from some of our team members, then worked with our lead vocalists in determining the keys of the songs. Once that was established some basic beds were recorded then the fun began with our vocals. We spent a few days with 3 or 4 of our vocalists in our live room writing and recording all the BV layers while also recording the different leads to the songs.

I think the standout was seeing people who have been a part of our team for a long time but you might not have necessarily have heard before really shine with their sound, their gift and their worship.

I think the entire recording process was such an enjoyable experience for everyone involved, and that is the sound you hear on this chapel album.

There’s a very powerful choir that comes in toward the end of “I Surrender” - tell us about this recording and worship moment.

I had the privilege of playing on the original recording of “I Surrender,” from the 2012 Cornerstone album, and this song has always held a pretty special place in my heart.

Right from the start of this chapel recording I knew I wanted to use Dejsha to sing the lead and have our choir to play a big part of the song. Our choir is made up of wonderful and gifted volunteers who serve faithfully week in week out on our platform, and the idea to use them was to initially replicate the ambient guitar part from that recording that kicks in during the instrumental.

They laid the foundation with their “ooohs,” then as they started singing, it turned into a full blown worship moment. So we did a couple of melody takes and then layered some tenor and alto parts, and by the end of the song they were roaring! What you hear is the power of the voices that support the grandeur of the lyric in a stripped back piano/acoustic arrangement. I think the recording of this came out great!

Why do you think this returning to songs from the 90’s and early 00’s is happening in the Church right now?

There are a lot of unsettled events happening in the world right now…that has always been the case throughout human history, but over the past few years, the catastrophes and suffering seem to be intensifying.

I think that there is something really grounding about returning to songs that have carried us over many years, through different seasons and life situations, somehow always finding their way to be relevant both then and now.

These songs really capture so many people’s prayers, and the skill of the songwriters in drafting these lyrics over the decades cannot go without mention. It has been an absolute honour to be able to find sounds and arrangements that once again surface lyrical prayers that so many of us have held dear over the years.

Lead songs from *Amazing Grace* with your congregation.

Ellie Holcomb 7/12/24 Ellie Holcomb 7/12/24

Elevation Worship

Elevation Worship’s Chris Brown talks about how their latest endeavor sits at the crossroads where God’s life-giving wind meets His life-changing fire.

The title of Elevation Worship's latest record attempts to encapsulate the sensory experience depicted in the book of Acts when Paul describes the hurricane-force power of the Holy Spirit. Elevation Worship’s Chris Brown echoed the song’s lyric, “God is Wind and Fire, the Author of life and an all-consuming fire. Whatever He speaks is done, whatever He touches lives.”

Elevation Worship’s Chris Brown talks about how their latest endeavor sits at the crossroads where God’s life-giving wind meets His life-changing fire.

The new Elevation Worship record is here! Can you first tell us the meaning behind the phrase ‘When Wind Meets Fire?’

There’s a moment at the birth of the New Testament Church when the believers were together in one place and Scripture says “Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting. They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them.”

How striking is it that God showed up in such dramatic fashion? A violent wind. Tongues of fire. That’s not a scene you can ignore or experience casually.

But when He came, they were all filled with the Holy Spirit. We want to be a people who are ready for and recognize the life-changing power that comes when God shows up. To invite Him into every area of our lives. And to recognize that we can’t so much as take a breath until He breathes on us.

So our prayer for this album is that these songs would serve as altars to create moments of worship welcoming in the presence of God as you listen.

You all released “Sure Been Good,” “Another One,” and “All Of A Sudden,” before the full project. Why were these songs the ones you wanted the Church to hear first?

They were all songs that we’d been singing in church and had encouraged our congregation so we were excited to release them early so our people didn’t have to wait til Sunday to sing:

“Oh my God, you’ve sure been good to me!”

**There are parts throughout When Wind Meets Fire where you can only hear the congregation singing. Tell us about the purpose behind these moments!**

Our church loves to worship. And especially when we have a night that’s dedicated to singing and recording new songs, there’s often some very special moments that happen and get captured.

That’s the beauty of corporate worship. It’s a together thing.

The point isn’t to come and listen to one person sing the song, it’s to join in, all together, for the sole reason of magnifying Jesus. I’m always so happy to have moments like that on our albums.

There are elements of “What a Miracle” that particularly sound straight from the word of God. Are there any specific passages in scripture that helped mold these lyrics?

That’s always the goal. Not that we’d just be singing a new song, but that we’re confessing the age old truth and the word of God with a new melody:

1 John 3:1 “See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are!“

1 John 4:19 “We love because he first loved us.”

Ephesians 3:18 “May you have the power to grasp how wide and long and high and deep the love of your Father is.”

**What song from When Wind Meets Fire has been having its moment at Elevation Church in this season?**

“Yahweh We Love You” is always so special. Singing the many Names of God and leading to such a vertical declaration shouting: “Yahweh, we love You” is so powerful.

Lead songs from *When Wind Meets Fire* with your congregation.

Ellie Holcomb 7/11/24 Ellie Holcomb 7/11/24

Jason Nelson

In our first interview with Jason Nelson we discuss the breadth of his career, the encouraging sentiment behind the title track of his latest project, and the significance behind the message of Isaiah 6.

Jason Nelson established himself as a major new voice and anointed songwriter in 2005 with the release of his first solo project, I Shall Live. Nelson is a bishop and pastors The Tabernacle at Greater Bethlehem Temple in Randallstown, MD. He released a new live record this year called, You Belong.

In our first interview with Nelson we discuss the breadth of his career, the encouraging sentiment behind the title track of his latest project, and the significance behind the message of Isaiah 6.

We’re excited to share our first interview with gospel worship leader, producer and multi-instrumentalist, Jason Nelson. You released your debut album almost 20 years ago. How have you seen your songwriting and the spiritual messages you convey evolve over time?

It’s hard to believe that it’s been 2 decades. It’s been quite a journey.

There has definitely been an evolution in my songwriting mostly because I’ve grown so much as a believer. My understanding of scripture and my knowledge of God has grown immensely. Also, how I convey the message has evolved from a production standpoint and in the sound that I’ve matured into. I’ve learned the dichotomy in the simplicity of songwriting and the need to be a little more complex. I’ve also come to learn the juxtaposition of biblical narratives with simple lyrical imagery.

Who were your biggest influences growing up?

My biggest influences growing up were Marvin Winans, Fred Hammond and Eric Dawkins. I also gleaned a lot from Kim Burrell and Donnie McClurkin. As a musician, John Patitucci, Marcus Miller along with several gospel musicians shaped my ear.

Who are the up and coming worship leaders you feel like God is really moving through right now?

Right now, I love what Todd Galberth is doing. Michael Bethany is another favorite of mine. Phil Thompson and William McDowell are go-to worship leaders as well.

You just released your first album in 3 years, You Belong. The project was recorded live at World Overcomers Christian Church in Durham, NC. Tell us why this was the chosen setting to capture these songs? What was the recording process like?

I chose to record in Durham, North Carolina because I knew I was not supposed to record in Baltimore this time around. My producer and I went to several places looking for both the aesthetic and the atmosphere that we felt were conducive to house this next recording.

We needed an atmosphere that was open and ready to not just hear new music, but also allow for the presence of God to be felt in a major way.

This recording process was definitely a little more rigorous than I thought. It would be simply because there were so many moving pieces to bring together for the night to be a success. We overcame several obstacles in the process, but ultimately God was glorified.

How did the encouraging sentiment of 'You Belong' become the title of this album?

“You Belong” is really the song that encapsulates the entire compendium of music for this album. This song deals with the core concept of the album which is revival. “You Belong” talks about the story of the prodigal son and how he returns to his father‘s house with an expectation that he had to become a servant in order to survive. The father in the story, however, receives the son and remind him that he has always had a place with him in his house.

This is a reminder that even on our worst day, we have a home with our heavenly father.

Tell us about collaborating with Madison Ryann Ward for the soulful “Made New.”

Madison is such an amazing person far beyond her vocal gifting. Working with her was really easy because of how gifted she is vocally. She brought a different kind of energy and anointing to the song and her laid-back approach really added a different flavor to the song.

I love the way she approaches songs, lyrically, and how she is able to express herself with ease what she’s singing can be very complex.

Isaiah 6 is the only chapter of the Bible you make as a song title. What is the significance of this passage?

Isaiah 6 talks about what happens when we choose to recognize that God has always been present, even when we’ve been distracted.

When the king dies in the text, Isaiah realizes that he has been going to the temple and missing God‘s presence. This song is also a reminder that we all have a task to do in the Kingdom of God and we must be willing to serve at the behest of God. That’s why the song really drives home the chorus, “Send Me, I’ll go!”

“Yahweh” featuring Melvin Crispell III feels likes a standout. Why do you think it’s resonating with believers?

I think “Yahweh” resonates so well with believers because it is easy to conceptualize how God is breathing again into us using the imagery of him breathing into Adam in the garden. Melvin is such a phenomenon vocally and has the ability to transmit a message few others could even imagine.

I really believe Yahweh helps. People understand how close God really is to us and how necessary it is to enjoy His presence at all times.

Lead *You Belong* with your congregation.

Ellie Holcomb 6/7/24 Ellie Holcomb 6/7/24

SEU Worship

SEU Worship released their new album, Move of God, early + exclusively on MultiTracks.com. They speak on why they wanted the Church to hear these songs first and the revival they are not only seeing at their campus, but in the Church at large.

SEU Worship released their new album, Move of God, early + exclusively on MultiTracks.com. They speak on why they wanted the Church to hear these songs first and the revival they are not only seeing at their campus, but in the Church at large.

Why were these the songs you wanted to release to the Church first?

We are a Christian ministry who knows God's heart for the church. We know Jesus is coming back for a pure bride, his church - one that knows the love of the Lord and deeply loves him as well.

These songs are meant to resource His bride to put language to the move of God they are seeing, and want to see, leading us to repentance and speaking to the power of God's name, likeness and goodness!

What are some tangible signs of the move of god we've seen on campus? What are the intangible signs?

Some tangible signs of the move of God we've seen on campus has been a hunger for God's presence like never before - seeing altar calls last hours, seeing more students in small groups than we've ever seen in the last few years and seeing more of a response to the word of God.

Do you all think the movement happening at SEU is related to the one you're seeing in the global church?

It's so like God to not be exclusive with how he moves - while the movement we are seeing at SEU is special and hitting hearts individually, we know that it is a part of the global movement that God is stirring within his bride.

Our God is one of unification who loves his bride.

You all also reference Matthew 5:8 when speaking about Move of God which says, "Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God." How do you all proactively follow this commandment individually and as a team?

We know that holiness is not an arrival, but a constant pursuit. It's the pure in heart that see God, and since he is our daily bread, we have to pursue holiness daily.

That looks like pursuing repentance, with the Lord and with each other, devotionals with our team, and practicing what worship looks like not just as a genre but as a lifestyle.

What songs from other groups are you all leading right now that speaks into the movement of God / the excitement in building HIs kingdom?

We love the songs that are coming from the houses all over the country and globe. One that we have been leading in this past season is "Good Plans" by Red Rocks Worship - it's been an anthem for us and our students to declare, in faith, the truth of his goodness and his perfect ways.

What songs in particular do you think worship teams will resonate with?

I think there's a song in this album for everyone in terms of how God can minister through it. I think worship teams will really resonate with our song “Motives," as it talks about the challenges of what we have made worship to be at times.

SEU Worship | Move of God

Lead songs from *Move of God* with your congregation. Resources available at MultiTracks.com.

Ellie Holcomb 5/31/24 Ellie Holcomb 5/31/24

Josh Wilson

This month Josh Wilson is releasing a Mental Health EP called Mental Help. We discussed his experiences with anxiety and depression and that the healing journey is not linear, but the pain is not permanent.

This Texas-native started playing piano at nine years old, then took up guitar and drums when he was 10. From there, he never looked back. During his high school years, he continued to hone his musicianship, and eventually he fell in love with songwriting at Nashville’s Belmont University. A self-described introvert with an aversion to the spotlight, Wilson never dreamed he’d be the one behind the mic, but God had other plans.

Since signing his first record deal with Sparrow in 2006, Wilson has become a staple at radio, amassing multiple top 10 hits on Billboard’s Hot Christian Songs chart, including “Savior, Please,” “I Refuse,” “Fall Apart,” “Carry Me,” “Before the Morning,” and “That Was Then, This Is Now.” He’s toured with some of the genre’s biggest acts, including Third Day, Steven Curtis Chapman, Matthew West, Casting Crowns, and Building 429.

Wilson released his first single, “Dream Small in 2018. As a multi-instrumentalist and live-looping enthusiast, he’s been known to play and record as many as 20 instruments on stage at any given time.

This month he is releasing a Mental Health EP called Mental Help. We discussed his experiences with anxiety and depression and that the healing journey is not linear, but the pain is not permanent.

Thank you so much for sharing your journey with anxiety, depression and addiction with us this Mental Health Awareness Month. You’ve shared that you used to try to handle your struggles on your own. Why do you think God designed us in such a way to need each other for refuge and healing?

I know that God is relational.

We’re studying the Holy Spirit at my church right now, and the Trinity is an example of how God is in relationship, not only with the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, but with us.

I’m learning that the Christian life is all about surrender. To God, to my own way, to my pride.

I often think I can do things on my own, and I’m almost always wrong about that. It’s a bit scary to reach out and ask for help, but every time I do, I wish I would have done so earlier.

Tell us the backstory of your song “It Gets Better” and how your wife supported and loved you well in that moment.

Long answer incoming!

I was in Montana in the dead of winter. It was late and cold, and I was traveling alone. I had just finished playing a concert. I got to my hotel and as I walked in into my room, I closed the door, set my bags down, and crumpled on the floor. I was shaking, weeping uncontrollably.

Months, years, decades of anxiety and depression had built up in my body and my mind and lead me to this moment, where I simply broke down. I called my wife and told her I couldn't finish the tour. I said I needed to come home.

Becca is so kind.

She didn't offer me platitudes or cliches. She didn't try to fix me.

Instead, she flew to where I was and traveled with me to get me through the rest of the tour. She reminded me I’m not alone. She let me borrow her faith until mine caught up.

2 weeks and 3,000 miles later, I finally got back to my home in Nashville, where I took some much needed time off. I saw my doctor and my counselor, and I spent time with close friends and family. I canceled shows. I rested. I played guitar. I walked, prayed, and cried.

Eventually, slowly, things started to get better.

As I’ve implemented medication, therapy, exercise, prayer, healthy eating, and many other strategies, my mental state has continued to improve. There have been plenty of setbacks, and my healing hasn’t been linear, but all along the way, Jesus has been reminding me that my pain is not permanent. That's what “It Gets Better” is about. It's going to get better, in this life or the next.

It all works out in the end. If it hasn't worked out, then it's just not the end.

You also shared that you are 7 years sober from alcohol. That’s incredible. What are some resources that helped you? What is your biggest piece of advice for someone that would like to begin their journey into sobriety?

I had an addiction counselor here in Nashville named David Hampton. He was my greatest ally and resource, and I couldn’t have done it without him.

I also went to a few AA meetings, and used the r/stopdrinking forum on Reddit. AA and Reddit are both free, so if you aren’t in a place to afford a counselor, I highly recommend them (and Celebrate Recovery, too!). I also recommend a book by Annie Grace called This Naked Mind.

What are some go-to verses for you when you’re in a prolonged season of depression or anxiety? How does knowing the context cement it into your heart and story?

Psalm 34:18 says “The Lord is close to the brokenhearted.”

This verse means the world to me, because our hearts are so often broken. It doesn’t mean God has abandoned us because we’re struggling. It’s actually the opposite. God is even more present in our difficult moments.

David, who wrote most of the Psalms, was “a man after God’s own heart,” and yet he still struggled with anxiety, sorrow, and maybe even depression. So when we face those things, we’re in good company, and we’re not alone.

Your Mental Health EP comes out on May 31st. What is your hope as people listen to it and incorporate it into their spiritual lives?

I hope that we as Christians, as we find our hope and strength in Jesus, will also be open to all of the ways He might help us.

For me, it’s been prayer, church, community, therapy, medication, exercise, healthy eating, and a few others. God has used these things together to keep me on steady ground, and while it hasn’t always been easy, it’s definitely getting easier.

Josh Wilson | *Mental Help*

Lead songs from *Mental Help* with your congregation. Resources available at MultiTracks.com.

Ellie Holcomb 4/25/24 Ellie Holcomb 4/25/24

Jonas Myrin

Jonas Myrin shares how balancing writing for artists, films and the Church is a dance of passion and purpose.

Originally from Sweden and now based in Los Angeles, Jonas Myrin is a Grammy® Award winning singer, songwriter, pianist, and producer. With a versatile talent that transcends genres, Jonas has collaborated with Celine Dion, Barbra Streisand Andrea Bocelli, Natasha Bedingfield and Nicole Scherzinger, among others. His collaboration with Lauren Daigle has produced a captivating track together with Gary Clark Jr. on her self-titled no1 album. Through it all, Jonas remains grounded in his dedication to storytelling through music, leaving an unforgettable imprint on the industry and the hearts of those who listen.

In this interview we discuss his background and purpose, collaborating with Lauren Daigle, and the songs he’s written for the new film, The Hopeful, a tale of faith and perserverance.

When do you realize songwriting was your calling in life?

I think I was around 10 or 11 years old when I truly began to pour my heart into songwriting at the piano. Growing up, my family's journey in ministry led us to travel around the world, but amidst the constant change, the piano remained a steadfast companion.

It became more than just an instrument; it was my sanctuary, my confidant, and a place where I could freely express my emotions and prayers.

Even now, as a professional songwriter and artist, I view music more than a “job”… it’s my passion, my purpose, and my ministry. It's such a privilege to use this gift to touch hearts, connect with others and offer comfort, faith and hope through music.

You have collaborated with a wide range of artists and songwriters over the years (Celine Dion, Barbra Streisand, Andrea Bocelli, Natasha Bedingfield, and Lauren Daigle to name a few) - what do you find inspirational about working with artists from a wide range of backgrounds and genres?

Each collaboration offers a unique opportunity to dive into new sounds and perspectives, sparking creativity in greater ways than when you write alone - regardless if it’s writing for a well known artist, or a brand new singer/songwriter.

Every time it’s like discovering new colors on a canvas, each bringing its own vibrancy, inspiration, authenticity and story to the songwriting process.

You collaborated with Lauren Daigle recently to write “Salvation Mountain” for her self-titled album. It features Gary Clark Jr on electric and a gospel choir. The song has a very Southern Gospel bent to it! Tell us about the writing and recording process. Did you choose the musical direction for this song?

Lauren and I actually wrote “Salvation Mountain” during a road trip to the actual Salvation Mountain, located in the desert outside Joshua Tree, California. It was an incredible experience being surrounded by such a unique landscape and nature, as we delved into the essence of soul and gospel for inspiration.

Infusing our own experiences and contemporary influences, the song took shape in unexpected ways.

Little did we know that this song, born on a road trip, would become an anthem of hope for so many people! Gary Clark Jr.'s soulful bluesy guitar parts added a depth and richness that elevated the song, beautifully complemented by Mike Elizondo's amazing production.

It's amazing how the creative process can lead to such unexpected and meaningful outcomes.

**Recently, you’ve written two songs for a new film called The Hopeful. Tell us what drew you to this project.**

When my good friend Kyle Portbury, the director of the film, called me and asked if I'd be willing to watch a rough cut of the edit, and possibly write a song for it, I eagerly accepted the challenge.

The film and story ignited such a powerful creative spark within me.

After watching The Hopeful, I rushed to the piano, and inspiration struck like a bolt of lightning. “Hope Is on the Way” was born in that moment, followed shortly by “Made for You.” This whole journey has been a testament to the beauty of creative collaboration – where storytelling and song intertwine to serve a purpose greater than ourselves.

Did you use themes from the upcoming film, such as waiting on the Lord and Christ-centeredness transformation, in the songwriting process?

The heartbeat of The Hopeful became the mirror of my songwriting process. I sought to reflect the film's message of waiting and anticipation and I think the chorus of “Hope is On the Way” somehow sums it up: “it’s gonna get better, the Son will come again - don’t you be afraid. Hope is on the way.”

It has been a true privilege to contribute to a project dedicated to spreading light and hope in a world that needs it more than ever.

Any words of advice for aspiring writers when it comes to where to focus their attention? How do you balance writing for the Church, for artists, and for films?

For aspiring writers, I'd say:

Stay true to yourself and your unique voice. Embrace the authenticity of your experiences and let them guide your pen, piano, or guitar strings. Don't be afraid to explore new horizons and step out of your comfort zone and WALK on water. Be open to collaborate with others who can challenge you and your writing, give you new perspectives and enrich your creative journey in new ways.

How do you balance writing for the Church, for artists, and for films?

Balancing writing for the artists, films and the Church is a dance of passion and purpose.

It's about pouring your heart into each project and being obedient, following where the Spirit leads you. And throughout it all keeping the main thing, the main thing. For me that is the desire to bridge Heaven and earth through the power of music, story and song, regardless of the genre - shining brightly in the darkness for the world that He so loves!

Ellie Holcomb 3/11/24 Ellie Holcomb 3/11/24

VOUS Worship

VOUS Worship shares the origins of their name, how their diverse sound reflects their people, and why they were drawn to Ecclesiastes and its honesty for their latest project.

VOUS Worship is a passionate, multi-cultural team of writers, musicians, singers and worshippers united in love for Jesus and the local church. VOUS is an expression of VOUS Church, a diverse community located in Miami, Florida. The sound of the EP So God Came To Us reflects the vibrant rhythm of the city that VOUS serves. The mission behind the music is to go into the night carrying the message of Jesus and to bring the broken home.

We’re excited to share our first interview with VOUS Worship! First, tell us the origins of the name VOUS and its roots in youth ministry.

The word VOUS derived from the “Rendezvous,” weekly gatherings Pastor Rich and DawnCheré led during their time serving at Trinity Church in our now Miami Gardens VOUS Church location. As they felt called to plant a church in Miami, they shortened it to the word VOUS.

They would later on discover that VOUS, meant “you” in French, adopting the phrase we love VO[U]S, we love you.

How does VOUS get involved in the community in unique, creative, and impactful ways?

Here at VOUS, we believe that as we serve the city of Miami, God will change it. Every month, we partner with different organizations to love those around us. This past month, our emphasis was on the next generation, and we served over 30 outreaches around the South Florida area. Some of these outreaches included the WOW Center, running their sports camp, Cards of Love, writing cards of encouragement to the next generation, and ONE MORE CHILD, cleaning, organizing, building, and moving units for single mothers and children.

Our servant leaders can choose one of the many projects to serve in during these outreach days and be able to meet people where they are with the unconditional love that Christ offers us.

Tell us about how you all approach genre-blending worship, both in the songwriting and production process.

We draw from a wide range of references, bringing everything into the process. Our team reflects the diversity of our city with many different cultures and musical styles. We work with a variety of collaborators, each of whom brings a unique sound and skillset to the table.

In our songwriting, we seek to communicate a timeless truth in a fresh way.

You all have a new album coming out on March 8th. Why did you all decide to usher in this new project with the single release of “Sacred Fire?”

We recorded this album the week after Easter last year, so our church has been singing and connecting with these songs for over a year.

From the start, “Sacred Fire” has resonated with our community. We believe in the presence and power of the Holy Spirit. The song captures both the intimacy and intensity of worship at VOUS.

Why did you all decide to center these songs around the themes in Ecclesiastes 3? Was VOUS church in a season of studying that particular scripture?

The title track, “Good Time,” started with the chorus about praising God with everything we have.

As we fleshed out the rest of the song, we wanted to anchor a simple song of praise in the context of our real lives - lives that are messy, and filled with ups and downs.

We love the honesty in Ecclesiastes, how it doesn’t shy away from the pain and suffering of life but ultimately allows those difficulties to push us closer to God, rather than drawing us away.

What song or songs from the album have been most impactful for you all’s church so far?

“Good Time” - an anthem of praise in good times and bad
“Sacred Fire” - an invitation for the Holy Spirit to fill our services
“Use Me Lord” - a song of surrender to the work of God in and through our lives
“Right Place” - we have loved singing directly to the person in the room who is not sure they should be there
“Take Me With You” - this song was born out of a conversation our worship team had about not leading our church without God’s grace and presence (out of Exodus 33)
“Let It Flow” - a song about waiting on God and allowing the fullness of our emotions to flow in his presence

VOUS Worship | *Always A Good Time*

Lead songs from *Always A Good Time* with your congregation. Resources available at MultiTracks.com.

Ellie Holcomb 12/15/23 Ellie Holcomb 12/15/23

The Worship Initiative

Robbie Seay talks about the first original record from The Worship Initiative: a truly communal record in every sense of the word.

November 3rd, 2023 was a big day for The Worship Initiative community. Psalms From The Well is an album that has been in the works for many months. Six songwriters made their way to Dallas as part of the first ever group of Worship Initiative Residents and the goal was simple: study the Psalms each morning, pray and worship together, and then write new songs from the Psalms in the afternoon.

This is the first original album from The Worship Initiative, one that was created by our entire community of artists and writers, including Shane & Shane. All twelve songs on the album were inspired from the book of Psalms. Our prayer is that as you listen, you would see the beauty and power of the Lord both in creation and in His word.

We asked Robbie Seay all about it!

The Worship Initiative has released their first original album, Psalms from The Well! Before we dive into this record, tell us about the initial vision and purpose of The Worship Initiative and how it has evolved into what it is today.

From the very beginning, Shane and Shane had a vision for The Worship Initiative: to equip and encourage worship leaders serving local churches across the country. Their vision encompassed practical aspects, such as learning to play songs, studying corresponding devotionals, and improving instrumental competency.

It also included training for leaders and musicians longing to grow as ministers serving on a ministry team and needing help in areas of theological understanding and pastoral care. Today, we see the immediate need to not only serve leaders in the areas of musicianship and pastoral ministry but also in the area of team leadership and developing other leaders.

We are committed to helping leaders grow in all three areas - musician, minister and leader/developer of others.

Tell us about the community of writers and worship leaders you all have cultivated over the years that were involved in this project.

For the first time, we hosted six young songwriters from across the country here in Dallas for a six week Residency intensive.

Together, we studied the Psalms every morning, spent daily time in worship and prayer, and then wrote new songs from the Psalms every day (for weeks on end). Our staff of experienced songwriters, producers and leaders invested in the Residents each day and were a part of the co-writing sessions in our studios (including Davy Flowers, John Marc Kohl, Aaron Williams, Robbie Seay, Shane Barnard, Dinah Wright, Bryan Fowler and others).

The Residency culminated in the recording of the album together with our team, Psalms From The Well, produced by Shane Barnard and Bryan Fowler. Nearly forty songs were written during that time and 12 were chosen for the album.

All of these songs are rooted in the book of Psalms. Why was Psalms the book that was chosen and how did that decision come about?

The Psalms are the hymnbook of the Bible. They are the template for corporate worship in so many ways and there is a never ending well of truth to be sung from them.

Joy, Doubt, Fear, Trust, Sin, Redemption — all of it is found in the Psalms and informs how we should be writing for the local church.

Our passion for the church to return to a more robust singing of God's word begins with the Psalms, so this record is a culmination of that vision.

What did the writing process look like? Did it involve a combination of having the writers be in solitude with God and his word and then have them collaborate with each other?

For The Residency, we chose to write primarily in group settings but only after in-depth study and prayer together in community. So many of the Residents had expressed the desire to write with others and that was such a special part of the album. Rarely do you have so many writers under one roof for six weeks straight, so we varied the groups every day. That kept it fresh and exciting, not knowing who you would be paired with for the afternoon writing sessions.

It was truly a communal record in every sense!

Tell us about ***Psalms From The Well*’s place in Writers Well: a new space at The Worship Initiative for songwriters.**

Writers Well takes our vision to equip and encourage and aims it directly at those longing to grow in songwriting for the local church. Psalms From The Well embodies that vision because most of the writers who came for The Residency were not experienced writers.

Helping them grow in their craft so that they would leave our studios ready to go write for their own local churches is the biggest win, even beyond an incredible album from the Psalms. We say often around here — BY THE CHURCH, FOR THE CHURCH.

We are so excited about all of the resources offered now at the Writers Well corner of our site that will do just that — empower local churches to write for their own congregations.

The Worship Initiative | *Psalms from the Well*

Lead songs from *Psalms from the Well* with your congregation. Resources available at MultiTracks.com.

Ellie Holcomb 10/6/23 Ellie Holcomb 10/6/23

Evan Craft

Evan Craft’s latest album speaks to the need we have for each other while keeping our joy and identity in Christ.

“Chances clearly speaks of the gospel for me. From the faithfulness of Christ to loving our neighbors. Redemption is the work of Jesus in our lives. He takes what was dead and breathes life into it. When we think we are too far gone, disqualified, or our mistakes are too great, He steps in. So, if you think you are too far gone, you’re not. He is the God of second chances.”

— Evan Craft

This album celebrates the fact that God gives us second chances (and third, and fourth etc). What has he shown you in his Grace recently that inspired you to anchor on this theme?

This song is a testimony of my family. We've been through it. People saw mistakes my parents made and didn't think we had a hope or a future. Thank God He doesn't give up on us. Our lives aren't perfect by any means today, but I've seen God restore, rebuild, and redeem lives very close to me.

Tell us about how “Faith Don’t Fail Me Now” harkens back to a prayer you repeated over and over when you were first called to Mexico.

When I would drive into Mexico, I remember a mixture of fear and excitement. I was afraid to fail but too invested to turn around. I was trusting God with every fiber of my being and seeing him provide in miraculous ways.

I didn't care if I failed and I remember telling God, "this was your idea, and you don't fail, so I'll trust you."

Who were some of the believers that inspired “Fight On My Knees” and how did they encourage you in dark seasons?

This song was inspired by my pastor.

He was running from God, church, and anything religious. He told me his mom would go into his room at night and anoint him with oil and pray over him declaring he would serve the Lord. Today, he's obviously a pastor, but God has used him in a mighty way. His mom prayed through so many situations that it inspired me to do the same. To declare health, wholeness, redemption, all of the above over my family.

How has God reminded you that He is “Still Good” whether on the mountaintop or in the valley?

Because God is still God regardless of my day, week, or year. I wrestle with this constantly. His ways are higher than my own and, truthfully, I don't understand what He is doing most of the time.

But as He sustains me through each day, providing breath for my lungs, blood in my veins, I know he has a plan and a purpose for me.

Despite where I'm at or what my perspective is, He doesn't change. He's still who He says he is.

We know "Mas Rico Del Mundo" is a favorite. Tell us about how your Dad's motivational words growing up influenced this song, and tell us about the Spanish-inspired instrumentation!

“Comparison is the thief of joy.”

I remember hearing this hundreds of times and I started telling myself this phrase when I was comparing myself to others earlier this year. They have x car, they have a bigger house, they have x success, etc. It was really bringing me down.

On the other hand, I've been able to travel to some incredible places where people are happy despite having very little. They would maybe say they don't have much materially, but in terms of personal wealth, they put Elon Musk to shame. They have healthy family relationships, healthy marriages, love for Jesus, and contentment in their hearts. I want that over anything else. And “Más Rico Del Mundo” is a song I sing to myself constantly to make that a priority.

Lastly, tell us about “Lean On Me,” the possibly influence of the original song, and how we cannot be Christ-like in silos.

We were definitely not meant to live this life alone. I've needed someone to lean on every day of my life and it doesn't make you strong to be alone. Independence is great but it should never isolate us. Strength is being willing to be vulnerable and realize your need for a savior and other people. Sooner or later, you're going to need someone.

So call me up! Lean On Me!

Evan Craft | *Chances*

Lead songs from *Chances* with your congregation. Resources available at MultiTracks.com.

Ellie Holcomb 9/15/23 Ellie Holcomb 9/15/23

The Belonging Co

Andrew Holt talks about how the recording of Pneuma was the first time The Belonging Co intentionally set aside nights to record new songs and how tangibly they felt the Holy Spirit on those nights: the anchoring theme of their latest record.

"So many songs we were writing and singing in church were full of lyrics describing the different aspects of Holy Spirit and lifting a hunger for more of Him in our lives. That’s where the title Pneuma came from, as it’s the Greek word for 'wind, breath, spirit, an invisible force.'

This album is full of songs of our need for the Spirit Of God but also songs of vertical praise and worship to The Lord. That’s always been the heart of our house, that we would have life changing encounters with God that would then lead us to lift up a praise that He alone deserves, and we pray this album does that for all who hear it."

- Andrew Holt

Congrats on the new album! This may seem like an obvious first question, but tell us about the title’s name for this project: what it represents and how it became a central theme for The Belonging Co writers.

Absolutely! As a team we never set out to write songs for a specific album, but rather we are focused on writing songs for our local church here in Nashville, TN. So because of that we don’t start out with an album title or theme and then write songs around that title, but rather allow God to highlight a common thread throughout the songs after we’ve chosen a group of songs for an album.

When we started looking at the songs for this particular project it became very obvious that a strong theme was that so many songs highlight the different aspects of The Holy Spirit.

So we decided to call it “Pneuma” which is a word defined as ‘wind,’ ‘breath,’ ‘spirit,’ ‘an invisible force’ in the Greek New Testament.

Some of these songs were written recently, and some were written years ago. Tell us why they all fit into this one particular record.

Yes some of these songs were written over the past year and a couple of them even date back all the way back to the early days of our church almost a decade ago. Which is really incredible to think that although these songs were written over the span of a decade there is still a common thread between them all.

I think ultimately what ties them together as well is that they were all written for and from our church community. Our goal as songwriters is always to be in the flow of what God is speaking and how he’s moving in both our church here locally and also the Church globally and then write songs from that place.

How have these individual and collective encounters with the Spirit spurned on the heart and mission of The Belonging: that these life-changing encounters with God would lead you to lift up a praise that He alone deserves?

It’s been so encouraging to hear how these songs have done exactly that for so many people in our church already as we’ve been singing them week to week.

Two of our main goals as a worship team are one, that we would lead worship in such a way that invites people into deep encounters with The Spirit Of God that would change them from the inside out, but also, more importantly, we would lead them to a place of giving God the praise, honor, and worship that he alone deserves.

I believe when we do, those two things take place the mission and heart of our church is advanced because the people are changed and reminded of who their God is.

“The Dove,” the first single from the project, feels particularly special. The dove is one of the symbols of the spirit. Why was this symbol intentionally chosen for this song?

Yes this song has felt so special since day one!

I actually had the title “The Dove” written in my notes on my phone for a little while and didn’t have anything else other than I knew it would be a song about the Holy Spirit. I had told Cody (Carnes), Kari (Jobes), and Austin (Davis) about the idea and when we got together to write we started reading and referencing the different times throughout scripture that a dove was referenced and how that it actually had a common thread from the beginning of creation all the way to Jesus.

We wanted to paint this beautiful picture that it’s always been God’s plan to give us the Holy Spirit to live within us.

The Spirit of God isn’t a mystical far off thing but rather a person who comforts, convicts, and helps us everyday. Our prayer from day one was that it would tangibly show people the power and gift of the Holy Spirit and lead them to an encounter with that power.

Pneuma was recorded over two nights at you all’s home church. Tell us about your congregation’s responses to these songs and what you hope the response will be now from congregations around the world.

This was actually the first time we’ve intentionally set aside nights to record new songs as the other albums we’ve released were just recorded at our weekly services or conferences, so it felt really special to gather to worship and capture these moments.

You could tangibly feel the expectation in the room on both nights because people had come ready to worship and intentionally taken time out of their lives to be in the presence of God. There were both moments of deep encounter and then moments of high praise, moments of intimate worship and also moments of dancing and shouting.

Our prayer is that these songs would lead other people and congregations into those same expressions of worship, and that God would use them to change and equip the global Church!

The Belonging Co | *Pneuma*

Lead songs from *Pneuma* with your congregation. Resources available at MultiTracks.com.

Ellie Holcomb 9/11/23 Ellie Holcomb 9/11/23

Gas Street Music

Gas Street Music’s latest album encapsulates a common theme that’s been there since the church’s inception.

"When we first started Gas Street, one of the first words spoken over us was that we would be 'Woven in worship.' As a community, all we say and do would have worship at the heart of it.

These songs are woven together to reflect the full range of Christian experience in worship, from thanksgiving to lament, contending in prayer and longing for the glory of a God to fall. Our heart is that these songs would give voice to the community before us and beyond as we join the wider church woven together in unity by the Spirit to give glory to the Father through the Son."

The title 'Woven: Live from The Coal House' comes from a prophetic word spoken at the start of Gas Street as a church almost ten years ago. How has your church sought to stay true to worship being at the heart of everything you do as you all have grown and evolved?

Yes! At the start of our journey, a friend of our church gave us a prophetic word about everything we do being “woven in worship.” We desire to be a people who carry worship as the highest and most important value.

Everything we do as a church must enable and lead people to encounter Jesus, whether it's a Sunday gathering where we come together corporately to worship and minister to Him or serving our community. We desire our conversations and activities to be from a place of giving our everything to Jesus.

Why did you all choose this title for these particular songs? How do you think this spectrum of expressed worship weaves Gas Street together with the global Church?

This title is a full circle moment for us, seven years on from the start of the church, remembering our calling again to be woven in worship. It felt like it just made sense in our journey and the story that God has been writing.

We first and foremost write songs to serve our local church, expressing the diversity in the creativity of our community. Most of our worship community consists of volunteers and people who spend their time beyond the four walls of the church. We realise that when our work becomes a position of worship, we lose the separation between the sacred and the secular.

These songs are heart cries of what we long to see God do not only in our times of gathered sung worship but His presence impacting and changing our city, our workplaces, and our communities.

Tell us about the setting of the recording of ‘The Coal House.’

Typically, we have recorded our songs in a studio setting or captured them live from a Sunday gathering. This time, we wanted to express these songs in one of our favourite settings, together “in the round.”

The Coal House is a space in our building that historically was used to store coal previously used to power the street lamps across the city. We invited our church members for a beautiful night of worship and encounter, and you hear the sound of a unified body expressing their praise, thanksgiving and hunger to see more of the Glory of God.

The passion for Jesus was so tangible!

Tell us how Psalms 139:13-16 inspired the song “Woven.”

Psalms 139 is a stunning scripture — it’s deeply personal and speaks right into the heart of who we are. Being formed by God and known by him releases an overflow of praise. The works of God lead to a right response of worship.

It's like strands of fabric sewn together: they are linked and bonded to create something beautiful. The song ends with inspiration from Psalm 103:1: Let all that's in me bless your name, let all that's in me say, ‘You're worthy of my praise.’

What songs in particular have resonated the most with your congregation? Do you think it has something to do with the season your church is in or a collective season the global Church is facing?

We've been using most of these songs in our gatherings for quite some time now, particularly “Thanksgiving,” “Worthy Jesus,” “Broken Hallelujah (Not My Will)” and “Lord Let Your Glory Fall On Us.”

They have all brought us into beautiful encounters with the Lord. “Thanksgiving” gives melody to Psalm 100, where we read about how we can enter His presence by expressing our gratitude. We've seen God move in incredible ways this year, with so many people giving their “yes” to Jesus for the first time. “Worthy Jesus” has called us into simple faith, reminding us that He is before all things and holds it together, regardless of circumstances or our situations — that in every season, He is worth our worship.

“Broken Hallelujah (Not My Will)” has helped us navigate what we see in the global Church with the heartaches of the Christian experience and the devastation of what people are facing in the world. It's a beautifully honest song of lament. “Lord Let Your Glory Fall On Us” has become a passionate prayer to see His glory fall.

The bridge articulates the only response when we encounter Him: declaring how holy and worthy He is!

Gas Street Music | *Woven: Live from the Coal House*

Lead songs from *Woven: Live from the Coal House* with your congregation. Resources available at MultiTracks.com.

Ellie Holcomb 8/15/23 Ellie Holcomb 8/15/23

Yancy

Yancy is a worship leader, songwriter and producer of hundreds of songs that make Jesus loud. This year, Yancy is celebrating 25 years of music. We asked her about this milestone, her new remix produced by Colony House’s Will Chapman, and what’s next!

Yancy is a worship leader, songwriter and producer of hundreds of songs that make Jesus loud. Her Dove Award-winning music is all the things kids love and everything adults value. She is a powerhouse at leading and teaching kids from birth to preteen how to worship and creates popular worship resources for churches and homes around the world.

This year, Yancy is celebrating 25 years of music. We asked her about this milestone, her new remix produced by Colony House’s Will Chapman, and what’s next!

Yancy! Thank you for joining us for another interview about Kids Ministry. You are such an integral leader in this space, and we’re grateful to spotlight this area of ministry as worship teams prep for the Fall.

Before we dive into specifics, tell us what’s been on your heart / what have you been learning lately in regards to leading kids in worship, whether practical or pastoral?

Thanks so much for having me. I’m grateful to have this conversation.

Coming off a bunch of summer events leading kids in worship I can say that I’ve never been more convinced of the importance of worship discipleship in our congregations. Watching what happens in the span of these multi-day events is the equivalent of a couple months of Sundays. Session by session I break down what worship is and how they take part in it. It’s amazing what leading them intentionally does to grow their understanding and therefore engagement.

I feel like I’m in a season of reminding church leaders what could and can be: telling dry bones to come alive as church leaders and awaken to this idea of raising up every generation within their church to be the worshiper God created them to be. I take this area of discipleship very seriously.

This year, I’ve had a few interactions with some once-upon-a-time fans of mine that are now grown up.

I think hearing from those now adults what my music meant to them or how they learned to fall in love with worship because of what I do was of course humbling but also a beautiful reminder. Every testimony is number one: proof that they grow up and what I do matters. But number two, it reminds me that this works.

Planting God’s Word in the hearts of kids through songs isn’t just a nice idea, but it works and bears fruit. As they enter new seasons as student ministry pastors, missionaries and parents themselves (and bearing fruit themselves), the ripple of impact gets bigger and bigger. This inspires me to keep going!

Tell us about the new remix you just released “Super Wonderful” with Will Chapman (son of Steven Curtis Chapman & drummer for Colony House). How did your son inspire this one and how was he a part of the release?

My son Sparrow inspired me to write the song “Super Wonderful.”

When he was little he was obsessed with superheroes and dressed up as his favorites all day long, every day. So for the project I was working on at the time I had the idea to write a “superhero” themed song about the greatest superhero of all time. Especially in the last handful of years, that song has become one of the crowd favorite songs. It’s always a party and a highlight moment to watch a group engage and participate with this special song.

Earlier this year I had the idea to have Will remix the song. So I sent him a message and he got to work. It was fun to imagine the song in a new way. I’ve had a blast leading the “Funky Franklin Remix” version this summer and providing some variation on theme.

Leading a song that is already a favorite, but also with a new sonic landscape and video. Sparrow is now twelve years old and over the last year has grown in his art ability. He does a lot of graffiti artwork illustrations. I comissioned Sparrow to do the artwork for the single of the “Super Wonderful (Funky Franklin Remix)”. His art for it is also on a t-shirt and has now become my fastest selling t-shirt ever.

It’s a pretty special thing as a mom to realize that God has given him this art talent and ability but also, how because of his life, I wrote this song about our “super big, strong and wonderful God.” And now, thousands around the world are singing along and this truth is being etched on their heart.

You recently worked on a new kid’s musical for Christmas. Why do you think children’s musicals tend to get a bad rap, and how do you think audiences can uniquely experience the presence of God through theatre?

Yes, I did. It was an opportunity God dropped in my lap. I wasn’t seeking it out or looking for it, but once the opportunity presented itself it was an easy “yes”. I love Christmas music. So, the idea to get to write and dream up an idea from a blank page was a lot of fun. Truthfully, I have very little experience in this genre but I understand church, ministry and how to write songs for kids. Thankfully Lillenas Music gave me freedom to be me and create this musical. Whether it be a musical or kids music I think it can get a bad rap because people think that just because it’s for kids it doesn’t have to be great music or production. It shouldn’t be nails on a chalkboard audio. I try really hard in the things I create to write catchy pop hooks and make great music period. The fact that it’s for kids is most identifiable in the lyrics, repetition or arrangement. But, at the end of the day I’m trying to make great music period. I believe that music moves people. In theater you’re expanding the story and details of what you’re communicating. People are able to see themselves in a particular character and connect in a deeper way. Thinking of this medium on the calendar of a church, the greatest win to me are the family members who will show up to see a grandchild, niece or nephew be in a play that don’t normally go to church. Planting seeds and being able to share the gospel with them is an opportunity I don’t want to take for granted. Any time we can help families connect with each other and make memories centered around fun and Jesus, it’s a win for me.

You are celebrating 25 years of music and ministry this year. Congratulations! Your entire career has been independent. What advice would you give any worship artist who’s wanting to be their own team?

Thank you! It’s been a fun journey for sure. God is oh so faithful.

I have been independent the whole time which is crazy to think about. Many artists have come and gone throughout those twenty-five years and yet here I am still getting to make music and do it as my job. I’m incredibly grateful for that. God has placed people in my life throughout the years to help and certainly open up certain doors on my behalf.

The biggest thing I could share is it’s so important to know what it is that God has called you to do.

If I reflect on the journey, there were certain deals I turned down back in the day because of obedience. They didn’t always make a ton of sense in the moment but I gave God my obedience and years later it made sense why. Knowing who you are as an artist and what it is that God has called you to contribute helps you distinguish what is a good idea and what’s God opportunity. Not becoming some type of artist or band that the label wants to have on their roster just so you can get a deal. To quote Eddie DeGarmo who I admire so much “Success is obedience.”

Giving God my yes to do what He has called me to is always worth it.

I’m reading Scott Brickell’s book right now about the music business and would highly recommend to anyone feeling called to that space to just learn more how it works. I feel like in the current spaces of mostly singles being released to DSP’s and all the social media it’s a busier time than ever to be an independent artist.

There is a lot of work you will do, behind the scenes. So many task that have nothing to do with making music. Being on stage is just the cherry on top to a lot of other tasks. Don’t be afraid to work really hard and always make it look and sound the very best that you can. People compliment my branding often. I’ve always had doors open for me because I didn’t look and sound like an independent artist so it’s really a Biblical principle for at work. "Whatever you do, do it with all your heart!"

You mentioned that you feel like even though you’re 25 years into this, you feel like you’re just getting started in many ways. What’s next?

The last few years has been a really special season for me. I wrote a book about kids worship. I won a Dove Award. I released a worship curriculum churches can use to teach their kids about worship and now the musical.

I think I’m more certain of who I am and what God has called me to do now than ever.

I feel like I’ve only scratched the surface of the potential that is there to help Christian parents and Church leaders have amazing kids music. I know I have more music in me….with a few more kids worship resources to release this fall. I have some more books I want to write as soon as I can create time to write them. I want to help kids fall more in love with Jesus one song at a time. I have some big dreams I haven’t seen come true yet, so stay tuned, but I know God has more for me to do as I make Jesus loud.

**Explore resources from Yancy at** **MultiTracks.com**!

Ellie Holcomb 7/31/23 Ellie Holcomb 7/31/23

Tiffany Hudson

Elevation Worship’s Tiffany Hudson has released her debut solo record, Hidden Here. She shares how in 2022, the Lord placed on her heart to write these personal testimony songs, and how she hopes that through them the Lord would invite the listener into a similar trust-walk that He took her on, ultimately leading to a deeper lever of surrender to Him.

Today, award-winning songwriter and worship leader Tiffany Hudson releases her solo debut, Hidden Here. A member of the GRAMMY® Award-winning group Elevation Worship and a worship leader at Elevation Church, Hudson is behind songs such as “Graves Into Gardens” and “More Than Able,” many from the GRAMMY-winning project Old Church Basement, among others.

“This began a personal journey of sitting with Him, writing, co-writing, and desiring to present the things He placed in my heart. It’s always a humbling experience to try and pen God’s wonder. It’s a weight and a responsibility to put confessions in other people’s mouths to say to God.”

**How does it feel to have your debut release Hidden Here out in the world?**

After carefully and prayerfully working on these songs for a year, I’m filled with gratitude to finally have them released to the world.

The day of the release felt weighty, because I knew how much these songs meant to me and how deep the confessions I was making to the Lord through them. But simultaneously, releasing them felt like a relief. It felt like the pressure was lifted off my shoulders as I gave this first little offering to the Lord.

You felt an opening from the Lord in early 2022 to make a solo artist career part of your story. Can you tell us more about hearing this invitation from the Lord?

I never had it in my heart to do a solo project, honestly because I felt like I had nothing important to say.

In early 2022, when I would sit with the Lord and write at my piano, it felt like a flip switched and suddenly had lots on my heart that felt important to say. The songs I began to write & co-write didn’t feel like ones we would sing at church as a team. They felt like my own personal responses and confessions to the Lord. I’m so grateful to my church and pastor that gave me the green light to explore what these songs could turn into.

It was a beautiful, messy, journey of discovery which ultimately ended up as an 8-song album that I pray could lead people into deeper devotion with the Lord.

About the writing process you’ve said: “It’s always a humbling experience to try and pen God’s wonder. It’s a weight and a responsibility to put confessions in other people’s mouths to say to God.” How do these songs steward this responsibility?

When I write, I always have the thought: “who am I to possibly try and describe the God of the universe, who was here before me and will be here after me”? What a weight and responsibility that is to try and pen who he is.

But I believe in every generation, there is a responsibility to proclaim the goodness of God.

This album is filled with confessions of surrender and devotion. The Lord has taken me through different seasons that produced these prayers. My hope for this project is that the Lord would invite the listener into a similar trust-walk that He took me on, so that ultimately it would lead the listener to a deeper lever of surrender to Him.

Tell us about working with Steffany Gretzinger, Mitch Wong, and Joe L. Barnes as collaborators on “Break The Bottle” and “Togetherness.”

Steffany Gretzinger has been a shining example to me for years of what it means to be a true worshipper of Jesus, on and off the platform. Her voice and songs have led me to His feet many times, so when she agreed to write for this project, I felt so incredibly grateful. We wrote the song “Break The Bottle” along with Jason Ingram and Josh Holiday. The day felt worshipful and meaningful. I’m still filled with gratitude that she added her heart and voice to this project.

In 2020, Mitch Wong, Joe L Barnes, and I wrote the song “Togetherness.” Our country was in a season of heavy division and confusion. It was in the middle of all of that, where we wrote this cry for unity.

We felt so aligned with the message of the song while writing it, so it only made sense to have the two of them join their voices on this project.

How did writing these songs shape your own personal testimony?

The Lord truly took me through a season of learning what it meant to walk with him in every moment.

In a lot of ways, it felt like the Lord had woken me up to the reality that He is coming back for His bride, and how that should affect every part of my life. As this conviction grew in my heart, the confessions followed. This album is my response to the Lord, and all he showed me.

It’s my vow to live fully and only for Him. This album truly signifies a part in my story where everything changed.

Tiffany Hudson | *Hidden Here*

Lead songs from *Hidden Here* with your congregation. Resources available at MultiTracks.com.

Ellie Holcomb 7/17/23 Ellie Holcomb 7/17/23

Red Rocks Worship

The latest album from Red Rocks Worship encourages believers to take that next step in trusting Him and living in freedom, no matter where they are in their spiritual journey.

Denver-based worship collective, Red Rocks Worship, have released their new album Ascend. This group has been preparing for more than a year to create this new project.

"Our hope is that no matter where the listener finds themselves on that path, they would take the next step in trusting God and living out the freedom that life with Him provides," shares Red Rocks Worship.

We’re excited for the world to hear these new songs! Tell us about the single “Miracle In Me.” What scripture in particular inspired the lyrics?

One of the key verses that inspired “Miracle in Me” was Isaiah 53:5 which says, “But he was pierced for our transgressions; he was crushed for our iniquities; upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with his wounds we are healed."

There is so much power in that verse!

It is because of what Jesus did on the cross that we can stand on His promises no matter what we are facing. The world constantly pressures us to take a second rate option— anything less than what the Lord promised. However, this song is an anthem that stirs our faith and reminds us of the power of the blood of Jesus, calling us to an unshakeable trust in the Lord!

Jesus said in John 19:30, “It is finished!” That means that everyday our posture should be that of confidence in what Jesus said and who He is within us. This song has already seen so much testimony, and I’m praying that through it we will continue to see our Healer create so many more!

We know Tyler and your whole team is passionate about prioritizing mental health in the Church. Thank you for sharing a message this past Mental Health Awareness Month with our community! What about Jesus has encouraged you in particular lately to reject fear and walk in the promises of God?

Recently I’ve really been trying to remind myself of exactly who Jesus is, and how He has shown Himself faithful in the past.

Part of being mentally healthy is renewing our minds daily. The time we spent with God yesterday was for yesterday. The time we spend with Him today is what we need for today. There are moments when we literally have to take charge of our thoughts and retrain our minds to think differently.

Psalm 42:5 says “So then, my soul, why would you be depressed? Why would you sink into despair? Just keep hoping and waiting on God, your Savior. For no matter what, I will still sing with praise, for you are my saving grace!” In this psalm, the writer calls into question why he would let his soul be downcast and then reminds himself of who God is, resulting in praise to the Lord.

Fear and worry cannot co-exist with gratitude and praise. So when you find yourself slipping into fear or despair, choose to remember who Jesus is and give Him the best praise your soul has to offer.

We know that “Good Plans” has a really cool backstory. Tell us how this song has impacted the people at Red Rocks Church, and how you hope it continues to impact the global Church.

This song has become an anthem that we shout from the rooftops at Red Rocks Church!

There have been so many testimonies already that we have had the privilege of hearing about, but one in particular has stuck out for me.

Sandie is a woman in our church who had recently been re-diagnosed with a brain tumor and told that she needed surgery to remove it. She thought she had made up her mind and decided not to have the surgery this time, but the first Sunday we sang “Good Plans” at church, she heard the Lord tell her to have the surgery and trust in Him. So she did just that.

She downloaded the song on her phone and asked that they would play it in the operating room while she was under anesthesia. It was an anthem of faith that she could cling to while going through one of the most frightening events of her life. She trusted the Lord and saw His provision all the way through. Now every Sunday, I see Sandie sitting stage left a few rows back at church — she’s worshiping the Lord with her whole heart and a fully healed brain, cancer free!

“There’s No Way” is another standout - tell us the backstory of this song and why you wanted to release it to the Church first, before anywhere else.

This song is another one that I’m so excited about!

It’s a reminder that when you feel your back is up against the wall and you can’t see a way out, there’s no way that the Lord is going to let you down! He does not fail! He is sure to make good on all of His promises, and He takes what the enemy meant for evil and turns it around for good every single time.

It is a perspective-shifting song about the supernatural God we trust in, birthed from a miraculous story of a supernatural healing. It was written from a place of celebration and testimony after one of the writer’s received a physical healing they had been waiting on for years. When they shared their testimony in the writing room, we knew that we had to write a song that would remind the greater Church that Jesus is still a miracle worker. Whether we see it or not, He is always working.

We wanted to release it early to the Church because we believe this song is one that will help reignite faith in the Body of Christ. There are so many hurting people in the Church, and unfortunately many have forgotten the power of God. It’s time to recognize where the enemy of our soul is trying to discourage us and to ultimately say “yes” to the promises of God!

What’s your greatest hope as congregations begin leading and hoping in these songs?

My greatest hope is that people will grow in deeper connection with the Living God!

My prayer is that no matter where people find themselves with Jesus that they will be compelled to move closer and closer to Him through repentance, praise, and faith in Him.

The purpose of these songs is first and foremost to please the Lord, but we also hope they help the Church remember that worship is for Him only. He alone deserves the highest praise — it was never meant for us!

Red Rocks Worship | *Ascend*

Lead songs from *Ascend* with your congregation. Resources available at MultiTracks.com.

Ellie Holcomb 6/30/23 Ellie Holcomb 6/30/23

Michael Bethany

Michael Bethany of Gateway Worship has released his first album in 7 years! He speaks on his role at Gateway Church and how Overflow highlights the overall importance of declaring His Lordship confidently and joyfully.

Michael Bethany is an award-winning singer, songwriter, producer, and recording artist with Gateway Music, based out of Gateway Church in Southlake, Texas, where he leads dynamic worship at services and conferences. He has been involved in global worship ministry for over 15 years, collaborating with musical greats including Fred Hammond, Mitch Wong, Leeland, Kirk Franklin, Marvin Sapp, Tamela Mann and more. Michael loves leading worship, teaching, and mentoring the next generation, and is passionate about creating worship experiences that activate an overflow of intimacy with God.

Overflow is a collection of songs coming out of Michael’s personal overflow of intimacy with God. Songs of high praise like “Ask Me Why” and “Already Done” will make you want to dance and sing, while songs like “He is Lord” and “Fill the Room” will usher you into the throne room of God’s presence.

Your first solo album in 7 years is out today! We love the joy and confidence in this album. How does it feel? Were you more focused on other aspects of ministry during your hiatus?

It’s an amazing feeling because God put this album in my heart one year after my release in 2016.

I’ve been getting this download from God this entire time and to see it finally release is like giving birth to a dream that’s been growing in my heart all these years. I’d been focused on my worship pastor role in ministry and I had a major transition to Gateway Church which took time to settle my family into a new life rhythm. I kept recording and releasing music with other artists and ministries along the way.

You are currently serving as an associate Pastor of Worship at Gateway Church in Southlake, TX. Were any of these songs a reflection of what your congregation has been learning or wrestling with?

In one aspect yes, because as a member of Gateway, God has definitely used my time there to cultivate some things in me that are directly reflected on this album. At the same time, this album had a slightly different journey because it’s more focused on music God has given me more personally, and I get to steward that as a Gateway Music artist.

Tell us about your passion for teaching and mentoring the next generation through your pastoring and music.

It’s probably even more of a passion to invest in people through discipleship than creating music. God’s love for His children has filled my heart and it’s one of my highest privileges to come alongside ministries and individuals to help them understand the heart of God for them and release them into their God-given purpose.

Tell us why you led this project with the singles: “Ask Me Why” and “He Is Lord.”

“Ask Me Why” is an exciting song about my testimony and it’s filled with so much joy.

I wanted to start these releases with a song that people could sing in their own personal spaces and also sing in congregations to rejoice while reflecting on God’s goodness.

“He is Lord” is a Christ-centered song that is at the heart of every believer’s profession of faith. I also truly believed that releasing this song as one of the leading singles would provide the Church with a song that would focus our worship on the Lordship of Jesus.

I love declaring the power of Jesus through miracles or provision, but His lordship is the greatest thing you could ever declare according to Philippians 2:9-11.

If you could choose one song for the Church to begin using in worship services regularly, which song would you choose and why?

I would definitely choose “He Is Lord” if I only had one choice.

When we get a revelation of the lordship of Jesus we usher in all that God has for us all. It’s because of the Lordship of Jesus in our lives that we have the right to inherit all the precious promises from the Father.

Michael Bethany | *Overflow*

Lead songs from *Overflow* with your congregation. Resources available at MultiTracks.com.

Ellie Holcomb 6/13/23 Ellie Holcomb 6/13/23

Elevation Worship

We asked Chris Brown of Elevation Worship all about the writing and recording process of CAN YOU IMAGINE?

He shared how a lot of it was in-the-moment, and most importantly, God-driven.

What would happen if we began to believe that God could do the miraculous through us? Can you imagine what might happen? These are the questions GRAMMY® Award-winning collective Elevation Worship asks on their anticipated 15th career project, CAN YOU IMAGINE?

“We want someone to listen to this album and know that God is still writing their story,” Elevation Worship Worship Leader and songwriter Chris Brown explains. We asked Chris about the writing and recording process of CAN YOU IMAGINE? and he shared how a lot of it was in-the-moment, and most importantly, God-driven.

**We’re excited CAN YOU IMAGINE? is out in the world! The album opens with the joyful song “Jehovah,” and we love how the bridge lists Nissi, Jireh, Rapha, and Shalom.**

What led you all to write a song around the different attributes of Jehovah from the Old Testament?

Well, we didn’t start with that end in mind. That day we had been trying to write another song but kept hitting a block. And as it often goes when that happens, we eventually carried a piece of that idea and slipped into another stream where we found excitement around the line “He goes by the Name of Jehovah” to anchor a verse.

And that was the spark that was needed to set the rest of the song in motion.

As that piano hook started to find its way into the room along with the musical vibe, out came “Jehovah Nissi fight your battles.” And then the other names of God followed. And as we looked at having this song centered around ‘Jehovah,’ that led to the chorus simply starting with the line: “Call the Name…”

“More Than Able” was the first single released from this new project. Can you tell us why you all decided to lead with this single?

I think this song has marked this current season we’ve been in as a church. Pastor Steven has preached around the theme of the song, and not giving up hope for all that God has in front of us. Plus, we really really really like it haha.

“Make A Way” feels like a standout. Tell us more about this song and about bringing in Chandler Moore and Brandon Lake to be a part of the record as a whole.

When we recorded in January, we started that week with only a few songs we felt great about. I’m so grateful for the relationships God’s given us with different writers and worship leaders.

So that Monday we asked Chandler, Brandon, along with Pat and Cody to come to Charlotte to see if any more songs might surface for us to record on Friday. God was gracious, the flow was good, and “Make A Way” was written that Tuesday (along with “Praise” and “Been So Good”). On Wednesday and Thursday we got our amazing musicians around these new songs, and sang them with our church for the first time at the recording.

Some folks from our team got to be there for the live recording and mentioned that having extensive, live percussion was a new element.

Can you tell us about how that impacted the recording process? They also mentioned there were more musicians on stage in general than normal. What role did tracks play in the live recording this time, if any?

The long answer is that when we were recording some of the songs for LION, I asked Dom Geralds to add percussion and vibe to “Bye Bye Babylon” and a couple more songs.

Then last year we recorded a B side project called LION: Live From The Loft that Dom’s instincts on percussive sounds and rhythms added a ton to. So when “Jehovah” was written and we decided to record “Runnin,” I knew how instrumental it could be to have those songs approached with additional drums so there was no constriction to what we wanted to create rhythmically for them. So, Dom joined us for all the songs and he and Vinny (Baynard) worked hand in hand to bring the songs to life in new ways.

It was also a lot of fun having that big of a rhythm section when we added “Praise” a couple days before the recording, since it wound up being very drum-driven. And since a lot of the song production was taking shape right up until we recorded, we didn’t use any tracks that evening. We did ask Joel Kelly to add some strings in post for a few songs that turned out beautiful!

Were there any surprises/unexpected moments from the night of recording? Were there any songs y’all were unsure of how they would land going into it?

I spoke to some of this earlier, but honestly, a lot of the night was a surprise. We had only really led “More Than Able” in church before the recording. I believe “Trust In God” and “Jehovah” may have been introduced once or twice.

But that week of the recording was wild because songs were still being written, parts and hooks were still being created up until a few hours before the doors opened for the night of worship.

We decided late Thursday night to add “Been So Good” and tried it for the first time Friday morning. “Praise” was still being written around 4pm that day haha!

By the time we started, our team knew what the core map and arrangement of the songs were, but left plenty of room and space for them to take shape in the room that night.

CAN YOU IMAGINE? overall has a very different feel from LION, with these songs being more congregational. The theme of encouragement, comfort and expectancy throughout this record is really felt in every song.

Can you speak more to this shift in theme and perspective?

I love hearing what you took away from the songs and how an album is speaking to you! Truth is, there wasn’t an intentional shift we took from LION.

One of the benchmarks for us in approaching a song, whether in a writing session or later in producing the album, is that we would remain presently focused on what we feel God wants to give us as it’s being created.

We didn’t set out with a vision or goal to try and record anything different from LION, in the same way the songs on LION weren’t an intentional departure from Old Church Basement, but rather a collection of songs that were honest to that season. I can’t speak for how congregational these songs may or may not be, but they've certainly been ones I’ve looked forward to putting in the setlist for Sundays at Elevation.