chris tomlin dAVID crowder
Transcription
chris tomlin dAVID crowder
CCM_01.06_cover_v2 12/8/05 8:46 AM Page 1 chris tomlin and dAVID crowder + SARA GROVES P.O.D. NICHOLE NORDEMAN A SALEM COMMUNICATIONS PUBLICATION ( ) a Passion for Worship CCM_01.06_Contents.v4 12/8/05 8:47 AM Page 4 contents January 2006 30 DAYS OF HER LIFE We can’t pretend to be impartial when it comes to SARA GROVES’ new album, Add to the Beauty, but we can tell you why critics are fawning over it. A N D R E A B A I L E Y talks to this artist’s artist about how her characteristically melancholy music is suddenly pierced with so much hope, and why she’s looking forward to the rest of her life. cover story in review 24 COVER STORY: A Joyful Noise 53 Even as the modern worship storm has grown quieter, the Passion conferences for college students are going strong after a whole decade— and even getting bigger! And it’s no secret formula: L O U I E G I G L I O will tell you it’s the reason he started Passion in the first place. JA N E T C H I S M A R then explores the brotherhood behind Passion’s trademark music: none other than David Crowder and Chris Tomlin. Music: P.O.D.’s surprising new disc, Rebecca St. James finally comes out of her shell and more 60 Books: Margaret Becker dabbles in sci-fi 64 Tour: features 34 To Hear a Mockingbird Derek Webb has always made a powerful statement with his music, and his latest, Mockingbird, is no different. With a gift for telling it like it is, Webb chats with DA V I D J E N I S O N about dealing with difficult audience members and practicing practical morality. 36 departments 06 From the Editor: 09 The Insider: Hawk Nelson takes its fans very seriously, Kendall Payne tells us how she overcame a huge disappointment in her career and more 20 The Writer’s Block: Join Matthew West on a Jazz Notes Nope, he’s not a singer, but Donald Miller, author of Blue Like Jazz, has been cropping up on the Jars of Clay tour circuit of late, and his friendship with Robbie Seay of the Robbie Seay Band makes for an interesting fusion of authorship and artistry. Let’s listen in on their straightforward conversation. MXPX and Relient K complement each other to a T Passion & Purity songwriter’s journey 66 68 70 By the Numbers: Donnie McClurkin A Personal Perspective by Nichole Nordeman HistoryMakers with John Styll: Welcome to the history of CCM! CCM_01.06_Editorial.v4 12/8/05 8:50 AM Page 6 fromtheeditor by Jay Swartzendruber The Art of Worship When you think of Passion artists such as David Crowder, Chris Tomlin, Matt Redman or Shane & Shane, do you tend to perceive them a little bit differently than you do much of today’s modern worship scene? I do. You see, I was weaned on praise & worship. When you’re raised in the charismatic church, it tends to go with the territory. (My love for hymns was nurtured by spending the past many years attending a Presbyterian church.) And the Passion artists? The way I see it, they’re a throwback to modern worship’s early days. Consider this: Modern worship goes back much further than the debuts of Delirious and Sonicflood in the late ‘90s. There was Keith Green’s “Oh Lord, You’re Beautiful,” Andraé Crouch’s “My Tribute (To God be the Glory),” U2’s “Gloria (In Te Domine),” Petra’s “Adonai,” Twila Paris’ “He is Exalted”… the list goes on. And the thing about all these classics? They came about organically. Back in the ‘70s and ‘80s, we didn’t have a wave of Christian pop and rock artists lobbying their record companies to record entire modern worship albums. Nor did we have record labels urging their biggest stars to do so in order to meet fans’ demands for the genre. When the artists of the day recorded a modern worship song or two to include on a record, it had nothing to do with the marketing of his or her album. Likewise, when the founders of Passion held their first major worship gathering for college students in early 1997, marketing CDs through a national label was the furthest thing from their minds. (Some industry execs would humorously quip that’s still true today.) And later, when Passion did CCM MAGAZINE Your Christian Music Magazine Since 1978 volume 28 issue 7 For those whose lives are strengthened through faith-informed music, CCM Magazine goes behind the scenes to celebrate the artistry of Christian music. CCM Magazine is a publication of Salem Publishing, a division of Salem Communications. •••• ••••••• CCM Magazine Publisher Jim Cumbee Associate Publisher & Editor in Chief Roberta Croteau Editor Jay Swartzendruber Assistant Editor Andrea Bailey Designer Mary Sergent Contributing Designer Allison May consider and then sign a distribution deal for their worship CDs, it was because EMI initiated the idea. During the modern worship boom that took place from 1999-2003, Passion remained focused on nurturing the faith of college students, even as several of its songs became anthems in churches around the world. Curiously, although the modern worship explosion did eventually plateau and then cool a bit, the Passion community has actually seen a dramatic increase in album sales the last couple years. The music of Chris Tomlin and David Crowder Band, especially, is in demand as never before. Why is that? I think it may have something to do with the organic nature of what they do. It’s as natural to them as breathing. I’m also quick to point to the lyrical depth of the artful music they craft. To better understand these artists and why they do what they do as their 10th anniversary draws near, it’s helpful to look at the history of Passion itself. As part of our cover story spread—beginning on page 24—we invited Passion founder Louie Giglio to write a behind-the-scenes biographical sketch of how the ministry was born. From there we connected with Crowder, Tomlin and other Passion leaders for their perspectives. We hope you’ll enjoy this inside look at one of modern worship’s most influential communities. Also, this month, CCM starts 2006 by introducing you to two new contributing editors. For those who love hearing the stories behind your favorite songs, we are pleased to welcome singer/songwriter extraordinaire Matthew West to our team. In addition to being a popular recording artist, he’s written standout songs for Natalie Grant, Salvador, Jump5, Point of Grace, Selah’s Todd Smith and many others. Each month his “Writer’s Block” column will lift the veil on a specific part of songwriting, whether it’s talking to one of today’s top artists about a landmark song, or giving you a personal look at what it’s like to be a songwriter. This issue of CCM also introduces our new “HistoryMakers with John Styll” column. Yes, you read right: John Styll is back. The innovator who started CCM in 1978 and captained the ship for more than 20 years, returns as one of our monthly columnists to take us back in time as he writes about one of his favorite things—Christian music’s history. While John continues to lead the Gospel Music Association as its president, we’re extremely grateful to have his knowledge and sensibilities gracing our pages once again. Simply put, I’m a fan. Welcome back, John! [email protected] Production Director Ross E. Cluver Contributing Editors Andy Argyrakis, Margaret Becker, Michael Card, Paul Colman, Russ Long, Gregory Rumburg, John Styll, Chris Well, Matthew West Contributors Lou Carlozo, Janet Chismar, Andree Farias, Christa Farris, David Jenison, Will McGinniss, Brian Quincy Newcomb, Mike Parker, Tim Sinclair, John J. Thompson Circulation Director Joan Dyer Customer Service Representatives Amy Cassell, Emeka Nnadi Fulfillment Manager Leesa Smith Executive Director of Advertising Julie Schueler 615/312-4244 Senior Director of Advertising DeDe Tarrant 805/987-5072 Account Executive Scott Hancock Account Executive Pat McAbee Advertising Coordinator Carol Jones Marketing Manager Kristi Henson Administrative Sales Assistant Melissa Smart Main Office 104 Woodmont Blvd., Suite 300, Nashville, TN 37205 615/386-3011 (ph) • 615/386-3380 (business fax) 615/385-4112 (editorial fax) • 615/312-4266 (advertising fax) Subscriptions/Customer Service CCM, 104 Woodmont, Ste 300, Nashville 37205, 800/527-5226 or [email protected]. Annual subscription rates: United States, $19.95/one year, $35.95/ two years, $53.95/three years; Canada, (U.S. funds) $27.95 per year; all other countries, (U.S. funds) $33.95 (surface) or $67 (airmail). For address changes or other inquiries, please include both old and new addresses and mailing label. Allow four to six weeks for new subscriptions to begin. Cover photo: Kaysie Dorsey Cover design: Mary Sergent NASDAQ SYMBOL: SALM 6 ccm january 06 ccmmagazine.com CCM_01.06_Feedback.v4 12/8/05 8:53 AM Page 7 feedback who was one of the nicest people I have ever met!) Ayana Grady, Plant City, FL SWITCHFOOT THE SWITCH GOES ON As a longtime fan of Switchfoot, I have to respectfully disagree with Judy Dziki (“Feedback,” November). Switchfoot does not have the same calling as many of the Christian artists out there—who are we to determine what they should or should not be “doing for God”? I have read many quotes (especially on the Switchfoot message boards) from the guys of Switchfoot, and I would like to share a few with you: Lead singer/songwriter Jon Foreman has said in a post, “Judging from scripture, I can only conclude that our God is much more interested in how I treat the poor and the broken and the hungry than the personal pronouns I use when I sing. I am a believer. Many of these songs talk about this belief. An obligation to say this or do that does not sound like the glorious freedom that Christ died to afford me.” More recently, Jon Foreman has said (again, on the message boards), “The very beliefs that I hold deny me the ability or desire to display them ostentatiously or in a showy manner. I want to be real! To live a life that is genuine. Dying daily to self and truly loving others is a lot more difficult and more authentic than simply talking about it on stage. So that is what we’re trying to do: live rather than talk. Talk is cheap, and the tabloids scream about it every day. You have one body whose members serve different purposes, so in the same way, we who are many form one body and each member belongs to all the others. How does it go? Something like: Preach the gospel at all times, and if necessary, use words. We’re very open with our beliefs, and we have been from the beginning.” And bass player Tim Foreman responds to the criticism that Switchfoot has received (from a post on the message boards): “Do not be discouraged by the few who have simply misunder-stood us and our motives—we are not discouraged. We are neither concerned with defending ourselves nor are we here to please people. We are convinced, more than ever before, that we are exactly where we are supposed to be. We have, however, noticed that you have been quick to defend us on our behalf, and we're thankful that there are so many who understand what we’re doing. So, friends, a lot has changed, and a lot has stayed the same. We now have a lot more listeners and a much busier schedule, but we’re still the same band: four imperfect kids playing songs that mean the world to us, wearing our hearts on our sleeves and guaranteed to let you down. Another thing that hasn’t changed: We’re still so proud to be your band and to call you friends. We’re in this together, and I couldn’t imagine it any other way.” I think it’s important for everyone to hear what Switchfoot says on the subject before they jump to conclusions. I truly believe that Switchfoot is living out its God-given call in this world. Keep up the great work, CCM! (I have attached a picture of me with Jon Foreman, AYANA AND JON The narrowed responses you’ve been receiving about Switchfoot ring the truth of Chris Rice’s interview in an earlier issue [“No More Mr. Nice Guy,” September] that Christian music is truly the only area of our faith in which we selfishly guard one another and only reluctantly “share” our message with the outside world. Let’s face it: Who of us would argue that missionaries teaching English in closed countries should throw off their contractual arrangements to boldly pronounce God’s judgment on their pupils— and therefore be asked to leave their position of opportunity? Who would argue that silent prayer walking in the middle of Baghdad is selfish “positioning?” Or that Billy Graham should have aligned himself only with Christian television to deliver his messages to the world? At the end of the day, isn’t that what Switchfoot is doing—meeting the need of its mission, however humbly is necessary? Are they not doing what God has called them to do, opening doors inviting others to the banquet of the Bridegroom? And what does our reluctant, petulant acceptance of their mission make us? Maybe no more than a sour older brother who refuses to join the Father’s party in favor of mourning a fattened calf. May the Lord bless and keep each member of Switchfoot; may His peace guard their hearts and homes. And may we, as their brothers and sisters, lay down our selfish desires for exclusivity and jump into the mission they have so boldly embraced. Sarah Hughes, via e-mail PUNK’D? I really like your magazine, but I would like to read more about punk bands such as Hawk Nelson, Anberlin, Side Walk Slam, Stellar Kart, MXPX, Relient K, Switchfoot, etc. I feel that you put a lot of pop and adult contemporary music in your magazine. Is there any reason why you don’t put very many punk bands in? I read the comments in the magazine every month, and I have read other letters very similar to mine. I just haven’t seen any difference and would like to. Kati Wiebe, Fresno, CA Kati, you sound just like the sort of devoted person that should fill out CCM’s new Music Fan Survey. By doing so, your tastes and opinions can influence the approach we take with CCM in the future. We need to hear from you (and the rest of our readers) in more detail. Simply go to CCMmagazine.com today and click on the link for our Music Fan Survey. Help us make this magazine even better! HARD TIMES Thank you for your recent attention to the “harder” side of Christian music. I have been thrilled to see articles on edgier bands lately, and also to see articles written by hard music authority Doug Van Pelt. I have been reading CCM since harder bands such as White Heart and Petra were common covergracers... So keep up the good work, and keep including bands like Skillet, Third Day, Underoath, Pillar and Thousand Foot Krutch, and I’ll likely keep reading CCM another 15 years or so! Eric A. Lowe, Maryville, TN Correction: In the December issue of CCM we incorrectly cited the publisher for Rebecca St. James first book, Forty Days with God, as Thomas Nelson. The actual publisher is Standard Publishing. We apologize for the error. We welcome your comments. Address your letter to Feedback, CCM Magazine, 104 Woodmont Blvd., Suite 300, Nashville, TN 37205; fax 615/385-4112, Attn: Feedback; or e-mail [email protected]. Always include your full name, address and phone number. Letter may be edited for length and clarity. ccmmagazine.com january 06 ccm 7 CCM_01.06_Insider.v5 12/13/05 1:49 PM Page 9 insider Blind Boys of Alabama dish on its latest album, Kendall Payne gets personal and more Q WHOM Q TO IT MAY Q CONCERN WHAT KIND OF FAN MAIL COULD BE MORE IMPORTANT THAN A LETTER FROM THE PRESIDENT? JUST ASK HAWK NELSON. HAWK NELSON’s first album was about sending Letters to the President. But its second will be about reading letters from fans. The Ontario-based pop-punk quartet has been busy writing songs for its sophomore record, due out this spring on Tooth & Nail Records. And while the melodies and overall good-time vibe will likely remain, singer Jason Dunn says the new offering will get heavier, lyrically speaking. “The new album is going to be called Smile, It’s the End of the World,” Dunn says. “No matter who you talk to, people are going to see it as either a positive thing or a negative thing because, with anything in life, people are going to see both sides to every story. It can be taken either way, but we’d like to look at it as a positive thing.” The new album was inspired by letters the band has received and conversations they’ve had while on tour. The foursome (Dunn, bassist Daniel Biro, guitarist Jonathon Steingard and drummer Sqwid) just wrapped up a tour promoting the re-released Letters (featuring new bonus tracks and behind-the-scenes footage), and its live shows have brought the members face-to-face with fans. Often, those fans have troubling stories and questions for the band. “It’s kind of crazy,” Dunn says. “When you’re a kid and you start a band, you don’t think you’ll actually change lives, but then a kid says to you, ‘I didn’t want to come to the show, but my aunt made me come because she thought it would be good for me, and I was planning on killing myself the next day, but your music changed my life.’ “There have been a lot of really powerful notes that kids have written to the guys and to me, and they have so many questions that need answers,” he continues. “We hope this album will give them an answer and show them there is hope.” Influencing young lives is a responsibility Dunn says his band takes seriously. The band’s Web site includes a link to teenhelpline.com, a sign that Dunn knows its teenage fans often come to the group for answers. That influence is only going to grow in the coming year—Hawk Nelson currently appears in the Dennis Quaid and Renee Russo film Yours, Mine and Ours, which opened November 23 (after having performed as The Who on one of the last episodes of NBC’s “American Dreams”), and its winter tour starts in January and runs through March. In the face of mainstream success, Dunn keeps his faith close, and he’s always willing to talk about it. “I have no problem sharing my faith,” he says. “So many bands I grew up listening to aren’t afraid to talk about it or say it from stage, and that’s just like me; I’m not afraid to talk about Jesus and my faith. God is a really big part of my life, and there’s no way I’m going to hide that from anybody.” DR. TONY SHORE & ANDRE SALLES >>> Congratulations! Erica and Tina of Mary Mary won the Favorite Artist/Contemporary Inspirational Award at the ccmmagazine.com january 06 ccm 9 >>> CCM_01.06_Insider.v4 12/8/05 8:58 AM Page 10 insider The Conviction of Things Not Seen BLIND BOYS OF ALABAMA CO-FOUNDER, JIMMY CARTER, SPEAKS THE TRUTH IN LOVE. ow in their 70s and with the passing of one of their founding members last year, you’d think the BLIND BOYS OF ALABAMA would be winding down. Not a chance. You can still hear that spark in the voice of cofounder Jimmy Carter, still feel the energy and spirit that drove his performance on the Live at the Apollo DVD (EMI) that the Blind Boys made with Ben Harper and released earlier this year. While Harper dominates this concert video with strong vocal presentation, guitar-playing and chemistry with his band, The Innocent Criminals, the highlight of the show is the final encore of “Satisfied Mind.” Carter joins Harper in duet for the majority of the number, but ends up prowling the aisle of the Apollo, bouncing on his toes, falling back to lean on his handler while he hoots and howls and proclaims that his mind is satisfied because “I’ve got Jesus.” Of course, a lot has happened since the singing group brought Carter together with Clarence Fountain and George Scott “in 1944, June the 10th, so it’s been 61 years,” says Carter. “We started out at the Institute for the Blind when we were young, 14, 15 years old. We sang traditional gospel music all over the South to predominantly black audiences in churches, schools and auditoriums.” While the group enjoyed a long, prestigious career, it was not until 2001 that its Spirit of the Century CD (released on Peter Gabriel’s Real World label) broke the band into the mainstream music world. The Blind Boys drew strong reviews and attracted pop music fans with covers of songs by the Rolling Stones (“Just Wanna See His Face” and “This May Be the Last Time”), Tom Waits (“Jesus Gonna Be Here” and “Way Down in the Hole”) and Prince (“The Cross”), winning them their first Grammy. N But it was not their last. They’ve picked up three more Grammys for Higher Ground, There Will Be a Light with Ben Harper, and their Christmas music release, Go Tell It On the Mountain, which features performances by Aaron Neville, Mavis Staples, Robert Randolph, Tom Waits, Chrissie Hynde and Richard Thompson. And now, they’ve released the groundbreaking album Atom Bomb, with songs such as “Demons” by Macy Gray, and a guest vocal by hip-hop artist The Gift of Gab from the group Blackalicious. CCM asked the elder statesman how he felt about the newer songs, especially rap. “Our producers bring the material to us, and we decide just what we want to do,” explains Carter. When it comes from outside the gospel tradition, he admits “the producers convinced us to try it. ‘Presence of the Lord’ (by Eric Clapton) is a great song, I think. And ‘Spirit in the Sky’ (the ’70s hit by Norman Greenbaum) has been well-received everywhere we go, so I guess that’s alright.” But in regard to Gab’s rap, he acknowledges, “We didn’t know that was going to happen, and we weren’t happy with it at first because we’re not fans of rap music... But there’s nothing I can do about it, so it’s alright; it turned out OK.” Carter believes the Harper collaboration worked so well because “his roots are from the church; he has gospel roots. The Blind Boys are known for traditional gospel music, and we’re not going to deviate from that. We might add a few upbeat things or some contemporary stuff from time to time, but we’ll always be a traditional gospel group.” Boosted sales and Grammy awards are gratifying, says the veteran, but “the thing is, we’re trying to change people’s hearts. People are listening to us now. Our main goal in these concerts is to make these people feel something they’ve never felt before, something that will stick with them.” BRIAN QUINCY NEWCOMB COUNTRY Style STREET CRED WITH AN EVEN MORE DOWN-HOME SOUND THAN OTHER POPULAR FAMILY ACTS SUCH AS NICKEL CREEK, THE PEASALL SISTERS—OF O’ BROTHER, WHERE ART THOU? FAME—HAVE A WAY OF CONNECTING THE PAST WITH THE PRESENT WITH A REDEMPTIVE MESSAGE TO BOOT. AND JOHNNY CASH’S SON, JOHN, EVEN TAKES PART. When you think of classic country artists—the honest-to-goodness types who would likely turn up their noses at the more pop-i-fied Keith Urban and Faith Hill country of today—legendary names such as Roy Acuff, George Jones and Loretta Lynn immediately come to mind. And while the stories from these artists’ difficult lives fuel the heart-wrenching soul in their songs, THE PEASALL SISTERS look at things a little differently. Even though this trio has racked up Grammy and CMA Awards for its work on O’ Brother Where Art Thou?, recorded in the same studio as the legendary Johnny Cash and played prestigious venues including Radio City Music Hall, Grand Ole Opry and Carnegie Hall, 18-year-old Sarah Peasall and her sisters, 14-year-old Hannah and 12-year-old Leah, lead rather normal lives. “Even though we travel a lot and sing for a living, this is something that God has called us to do. This is definitely a ministry; that’s how we look at it,” Sarah says. “Everything else that’s really important to us revolves around our faith and our family, and that’s what drives the message in the songs we sing.” “It’s just pure and beautiful music. I’ve loved their stuff for a long time,” says the Peasall’s producer John Carter Cash. “There’s not a lot of music out there that’s pure and true and good and says as much with such a simple nature as The Peasall Sisters do. I think they’re progressing, too, with their new album.” Speaking of which, the girls’ new CD is called Home to You, and Sarah is bursting at the seams to talk about the new songs, especially the three original tracks. “We have been writing a lot more. That’s kind of been a new adventure for us—songwriting. I’ve been writing for maybe two or three years,” she says. “It just >>> makes me feel that we have more to do with the record, the actual making of it. Yes, when your voices are on the record, that’s one thing. But it just makes it so much more personal when you write.” And even though she doesn’t “want to get that rumor started” that The Peasall Sisters are about to trade in their fiddles for classic pop formulas any time soon, Sarah admits her love of mainstream country influences her songwriting. Also a “huge fan of Christian music,” particularly Jeremy Camp, MercyMe and more praise & worship-oriented fare, Sarah adds that these songs are what keep her encouraged while on the road. As she mulls over her most recent road trip that involved approximately 22 performances in 12 days, she can’t emphasize enough how important daily Bible reading is. “This is the first time I really struggled with making time to read. About halfway through the trip, I was sitting in a church service in Adrian, Mich., and I just felt the Holy Spirit speaking to me and saying, ‘Hey, you haven’t opened your Bible once this whole trip. Here you are, encouraging people to stay in God’s Word because that’s the only way you’ll be fed, and that’s the only way you’ll make it through, and you’re looking at maybe one Bible verse a day, if even that much,’” Sarah recalls. “At that point, I really was convicted, and from that time on, I really tried to change. It is really hard to find time, but you just have to make it. It’s kind of like, ‘That’s my lifeline as a Christian.’ His Word is my spiritual food, and if you don’t have that, you’re going to dry up.” We couldn’t have said it better ourselves. CHRISTA A. BANISTER For more information about The Peasall Sisters, please visit peacehall.org American Music Awards last November • Jars of clay recently released its first digital album via iTunes; the>>> 10 ccm january 06 ccmmagazine.com CCM_01.06_Insider.v4 12/8/05 8:58 AM Page 11 >> pop KENDALL PAYNE: First the Groan, Then Grown WHOEVER COINED THE EXPRESSION “LIFE ISN’T FAIR” NOT ONLY GRASPED ONE OF LIFE’S GREAT TRUTHS, BUT UNKNOWINGLY NAILED THE EVER-CHANGING STATE OF THE MUSIC BUSINESS. Consider KENDALL PAYNE, who in 1999 released Jordan’s Sister on Capitol Records to all sorts of enviable renown. Besides picking up a Dove Award for “Best Alternative Rock Album” and landing songs in the films Never Been Kissed and Beautiful, Payne put out a single (“Supermodels”) that became the theme for the WB’s television show “Popular,” which aired for three seasons beginning in 1999. She toured with the Lilith Fair, Dido, Ron Sexsmith, Third Day and Delirious, while her album sold more than 100,000 copies worldwide. Put in perspective, that’s more than four times the initial sales for Bruce Springsteen’s first two Columbia Records releases combined. But a lot has changed since the halcyon days when major labels saw the value of investing in artists for the long haul. In 2002, a shakeup at Capitol led to the shocking outcome of Payne and her label parting ways. “You can either go down one of two paths, [one of them] the bitter path,” says Payne. “Growing up in L.A. at a musical church, I saw a lot of people growing up who were bitter.” Getting a second chance—thanks to a loyal (and influential) friend—doesn’t hurt either. As reported in CCM’s Jan. ’05 issue, Payne would soon be back in the game with a new album, Grown—a disc that showcases the singer-songwriter’s penchant for wrestling with tough questions and following her own muse a la Jennifer Knapp and Lilith Fair founder Sarah MacLachlan. It’s no wonder that after being released independently, Grown was recently picked up and distributed by the BHT label. But to hear Payne tell it, getting to Grown didn’t come without a spiritual groan—one that broke a stubborn artistic block after the Capitol Records fiasco. “I remember the exact moment—my ‘Jacob wrestling with the angel’ moment,” Payne recalls. “As a Christian, you believe that your steps are ordered and those who seek diligently will be rewarded. And suddenly, it doesn’t happen the way you thought or dreamed—and you were doing it all for His glory. And I remember just all of a sudden looking up and saying, ‘You did this to me! You allowed me to have these dreams, and You could’ve stopped it or not allowed >> “iTunes originals” features 23 songs, >>> this to happen to me!’ And then all of these tears started coming out. I realized I had been falsely trusting Him, not really trusting Him. Then the dam broke—and I just allowed God to come in and say that He wasn’t done with me and that He still loved me. And that if my career was done, it was done. I just had to let Him come in and find out.” Grown stands as strong evidence that Payne’s career is not only far from done, but doesn’t deserve to be. Recorded in North Hollywood, the album brandishes a sound beyond L.A., Nashville or points in between. Songs run the gamut from introspective, cello-laced folk (“Scratch,” “Pray”) to the irresistible, steady-rocking “Superstar,” where Payne delineates a crossroads between the selfish and the selfless. It gives a kick and cut to Payne’s inquiring refrain: “Who do you think you are?/ Some kind of superstar?”— a question she could well be asking herself in song. No doubt, some in her circle believed in her gifts even when Payne wasn’t so sure. One of those people was actor Zachary Levi (ABC’s “Less Than Perfect”), who made good on an offer to finance Payne’s new record. “I definitely owe him a whole lot,” she says of Levi’s encouragement. “It was very strange. Nonchalantly he said, ‘When are you going to put out your next record?’ I said, ‘Oh, I don’t know.’ And he said, ‘No, I want to know, because I really want to pay for it.’” She laughs, adding: “I didn’t say no, that’s for sure!” More things have turned around for Payne than her music. Married in July, she converses with the exuberant enthusiasm of a newlywed. And, she says, the trials of the past few years have taught her a valuable lesson: She no longer measures the worth of her spiritual walk in terms of earthly success. “The title of the record is the perfect answer: I think I’ve grown,” Payne says. “To grow now is my core value, instead of praying for blessings, praying for peace, praying for happiness. I pray for growth. I don’t want to be the same at the end of my life, and I want to understand Jesus in ways I don’t understand Him right now. This record might not take off, the next record might not take off, I might not have children—I might be a failure in ways that this culture, and Christian culture, consider to be a failure. But if my treasures are in heaven, I’d like to store up there. And if I can say, looking back on it all, that I have grown, then I’ll feel like I’ve left this life as a success.” LOUIS R. CARLOZO CCM_01.06_Insider.v4 12/8/05 9:52 AM Page 12 insider JANUARY SUNDAY MONDAY TUESDAY We love calendars. They’re such nifty ways of keeping track of your life. And we’ll help you keep track of upcoming concerts, artists’ birthdays, HOLIDAYS and other seasonal fun right here as the days go by! WEDNESDAY THURSDAY FRIDAY SATURDAY 1 2 345 6 7 9 8 10 11121314 20 16 15 231718192721 NEW YEAR’S DAY Christmas money burning a hole in your pocket? ROCK & ROLL DAY Goshopping CHOCOLATE COVERED CHERRY DAY Passion ’06 Nicole C. Mullen Nichole Nordeman Alyssa Barlow Wendy Drennen (Fireflight) got talent? on CCMMagazine.com Rachael Lampa Nathan Ehman (Kids in the Way) and pick up the latest releases at great prices! RELIGIOUS FREEDOM DAY ZOEgirl Memphis, TN BRAILLE DAY Wendy Drennen (Fireflight) Check out this spring’s GMA Academy Regional Talent Competition details at Chris Well’s blog on CCMMagazine.com Sarah Hart Sarah Hart Justin Tinnell (Inhabited) Rebecca St. James Manassas, VA Dan Haseltine (Jars of Clay) New Year’s Day Heather Payne (Point Of Grace) Chuck Dennie (By The Tree) is every man’s birthday. —Charles Lamb HUGGING DAY Hugging Day 25 22 24 26 28 293031 Snowed in? hh Bored with cabin fever? Matt Odmark (Jars of Clay) January is Blood Donor Month www.americasblood.com Hawk Nelson St. Charles, MO Delirious Parachute Festival Hamilton, New Zealand six exclusive 20-City Holiday Tour • >>> >>>including 12 ccm january 06 ccmmagazine.com Christmas gift-heavy credit cards? Check out CCM’s new Direct Effect program! TAKE THE CCMMAGAZINE.COM SURVEY: www.ccmmagazine.com/features/3435.aspx Looking to pay off www.salememail.com/specialoffers/DirectEffect/ Matt Odmark (Jars of Clay) Ring out the old, ring in the new, Ring, happy bells across the snow: The year is going, let him go; Ring out the false, ring in the true. —Alfred, Lord Tennyson “liveSecond in studio” In its first weekw. out, You Areinsold>>> The Chancetracks movie •(starring Michael smith)Third now Day’s set toWherever hit theaters CCM_01.06_Insider.v4 12/8/05 8:58 AM Page 13 >> fanfare CRAZY IN LOVE 4 5 Questions with If you could visit any place in the world, where would it be and why? Somewhere they would give me a free helicopter. Because it’s a free helicopter. 2. What’s your most embar-rassing moment onstage? We were playing a show where they had a camera putting us on a huge screen for a crowd of 10,000-plus to see. During a part where it was just my voice and the piano, they did a closeup on my face. Sources later informed me that there was a large visible booger in my nose. >> MATT THIESSEN of RELIENT K NEWBORN NEWS Way back in the day when “Sadie Hawkins Dance in my khaki pants” was being chanted by the masses, Relient K was hammering out its own unique identity as the new kings of Christian power pop/punk rock. And since then, the band has definitely and strategically evolved, with increased musical prowess, smarter songwriting and a larger-than-life stage presence that’s always able to pack out a venue. For proof, just check out 2000’s self-titled debut and compare it to the band’s breakthrough sophomore release The Anatomy of the Tongue in Cheek. Have you ever heard so many puns? Next lend an ear to the Billboard Top 200 album-charting Two Lefts Don’t Make a Right…But Three Do, and by the time you arrive at Relient K’s 2004 offering, MMHMM, and the new Apathetic EP, you’ll know just how far these boys have come. 1. BY THE TREE’S BEN DAVIS exchanged vows with new bride Amy on Nov. 19. Ben happily reminisces about how he asked Amy to be his wife. “She and I had a day of doing all the special things: waterfall at the Natchez Trace where we had our first kiss...picnic at our very first date place, Demo’s in Nashville…then the lookout over Moore’s Lane where we held hands/shared our feelings for the first time. We reminisced over candlelight and a blanket. (All the while, she had no idea what was coming...just how she wanted it.) I read John 13 out of the Message Bible where Jesus washed the disciples’ feet. I had hidden over the ledge a bag that contained a water basin, soap, cloth and towel. I told her that I wanted to serve her, then I washed her feet...which turned into a very spiritual moment. I dried her feet and went from two knees to one, pulled out the ring and asked her to marry me.” This past November, BHT Records recording artist JOHN DAVID WEBSTER became a daddy for the third time. Webster's wife, Kirsten, gave birth to their first daughter, ARIA HOPE WEBSTER. Brothers Zion (4) and Jaden (2) were excited to welcome the beautiful baby girl—who was a healthy 10 lbs., 9 oz., and 22 inches long—to the family circle. 3. As a kid, what did you want to be when you grew up? I always wanted to invent stuff. I liked this cartoon called MASK, and I wanted to build a motorcycle that could turn into a helicopter, just like they had on the show. 4. What’s one goal you have as an artist? To not be despised by the public. 5. What’s one question you’d like to ask God when you get to heaven? Honestly, I believe that the answer to any question we can come up with here on earth will be insignificant when we're in heaven. more than 62,500 copies, marking the >>> >>> ccmmagazine.com january 06 ccm 13 CCM_01.06_Insider.v4 12/8/05 8:58 AM Page 14 sightings by Chris Well SOUND ADVICE HEP CAT AUDIO ADRENALINE’S This month Will McGinniss, reviews The Dick Cavett Show—Rock Icons DVD . Christian rock pioneers TERRY SCOTT TAYLOR, ROB WATSON and DAVE RAVEN have created the soundtrack for the Nickelodeon show “Catscratch.” The new Nicktoon, created by car toonist and animator Doug TenNapel, follows the misadventures of three cats who inherit a fortune and live a life of freedom, adventure and, usually, total mayhem. Whether they’re taking on ferocious bears, mythical sea creatures, zombies, giant robots or aliens, these rich kitties just can’t keep out of trouble. Find out more about “Catscratch” (including a preview, games and more) at the official Nickelodeon site, nick.com. SERENITY NOW Comics fans, unite! The ambitious new manga series “SERENITY”—a comedic teen soap opera about an unhappy girl who finds a happy ending—is headed toward shelves in Christian retail stores and comic book shops everywhere! Volume 1, Serenity: Bad Girl In Town (Barbour Publishing), is the first in an ongoing series of 96-page full-color original English language manga graphic novels from Realbuzz Studios. BACK IN THE SADDLE TV star and martial arts champion CHUCK NORRIS is back on bookshelves this month with The Justice Riders (Broadman & Holman), the first in a planned series of westerns co-written by Norris, Ken Abraham, Norris’s brother Aaron, and Tim Grayem. B&H editorial director Len Goss told Publishers Weekly’s “Religion Bookline” that the series, set at the end of the Civil War, is a cross between “The A Team” and “The Lone Ranger.” Norris is shopping The Justice Riders as a TV movie. BETT3R THAN ON3 TED DEKKER’s best-selling suspense thriller Thre3 is headed to the big screen. The project is being produced by Ralph Winter (Fantastic Four) and directed by Robby Henson, who helmed the upcoming film version of Frank Peretti’s The Visitation. In the lead is actor Marc Blucas (“Buffy The Vampire Slayer”). FISHING AR UND VEGGIETALES co-creator PHIL VISCHER has a brand-new bag, a company called “Jellyfish.” Thanks to the new official site, jellyfishland.com, you can now learn lots more about the company and its projects. The site is updated weekly with new content. >>> MANY TIMES ARTISTS speak of their musical inspirations and derivations of your favorite records. However, being able to experience those early recordings brings new light to the music of today. Audio Adrenaline has long looked to the annals of classic rock in order to bring you the energized music you hear. Recently, I took a jaunt down memory lane with my purchase of late-night variety show The Dick Cavett Show—Rock Icons. “The Dick Cavett Show” may be new to the younger set, yet will bring a warm smile of remembrance to older readers of this article. No matter your age or musical IQ, this is a must-watch set of classic per formances. The three-disc set includes works by Jefferson Airplane, David Bowie, Janis Joplin, Stevie Wonder, and George Harrison, among others. Dick Cavett was not only known for having great performers of the late ’60s and early ’70s on his show, the interviews were decidedly candid and revealing about the times, both socially and musically. The second disc includes a great inter view with Cavett himself addressing his career, the show, and its uniqueness compared to other late-night variety shows of the day. Particular favorites on this DVD collection are efforts by George Harrison and Paul Simon. Harrison appeared with Ravi Shankar to promote the Concert for Bangladesh album; however, Gary Wright and Wonderwheel also played the same show, and Harrison stole away to play steel guitar for the band. Paul Simon was a guest on a 1974 episode and delivered a beautiful version of “Bridge Over Troubled Water,” plus three other favorites. I think the crowning moment for the eccentricity of early ’70s performers was Cavett’s interview with Sly Stone from 1970. Stone is definitely a character for the ages. Check out The Dick Cavett Show—Rock Icons, available everywhere on DVD. Give yourself a little music history education or a blast from the past. Whichever you choose, there are tons of great performances, and it’s all hosted by one of the greatest interviewers of the day. Keep up with the latest “SIGHTINGS” at ccmmagazine.com. band’s best release week ever and landing it at No. 8 on The Billboard 200 Sales Chart • Now, S.R.E./Octone 14 ccm january 06 ccmmagazine.com >>> 9:00 AM Page 15 Chris Well’s ZAM! 5 arched” musings A compendium of arguably useless and “rese 1 235 4 12 9 8 17 7 101814 13 19 11 16 20 * POW! CCM List-O-Rama 6 12/8/05 15 CCM_01.06_List.v3 PROOFS OF THE SECRET CONNECTION BETWEEN CHRISTIAN MUSIC AND COMIC BOOKS The ties between comic books and Christian music go back a ways, from Randy Stonehill in a Superman costume to Switchfoot on the European soundtrack to SpiderMan 2. And, as longtime CCM readers will recall, there was that 1990 issue of Dr. Strange where the penciler illegally copied Amy Grant’s picture for the cover. Here, then, are five more examples … 1. PAT BOONE & LOIS LANE During his ’50s-era popstardom, Pat Boone was all over the place--including this 1959 issue of Lois Lane (DC Comics). Later that year, he even starred for five issues in his own comic. His recent album, Glory Train: The Lost Sessions (Oak Records), includes “Thank You Billy Graham,” an all-star tribute with appearances from Bono, dc Talk, AndraE Crouch, Kenny Rogers and others. 3. JOHNNY CASH & ANDRAE CROUCH & ARCHIE 2. MATT BRONLEEWE & YOUNG AVENGERS In April last year, Young Avengers #3 included a computer printout of potential team candidates. Series writer Allan Heinberg (staff writer for TV’s “The O.C.”) took the opportunity to drop some names, including that of Matt Bronleewe-co-producer for Rebecca St. James’ new album, If I Had One Chance To Tell You Something (ForeFront) and producer of Plumb’s next album, Chaotic Resolve (Curb), which releases Feb. 28. In the 1970s, Archie Comics artist Al Hartley started a line of Christian comics for Spire Publishing. In addition to comics starring the Archie gang, Hartley also wrote and drew comics based on Christian books, Bible stories and testimonies from the likes of Dallas Cowboy coach Tom Landry, the “Man in Black” Johnny Cash and gospel music legend AndraE Crouch. 5. BETTIE ROCKET RECORDS & ROB SCHWAGER 4. DC TALK & GUARDIAN & NIGHTWING Comics colorist Rob Schwager has worked on some of the biggest characters in comics--including Superman, Batman and Captain America. He also did the art for some way-cool album covers for Christian rock label Bettie Rocket Records. (But my favorite thing he ever did was when, in 2001, he introduced me to DC Comics employee Erica Rodriguez, who now goes by Mrs. Erica Well.) As some of you may have heard, somewhere between 1940 and today, the original Robin, The Boy Wonder grew up and became Nightwing. In issue #11 of his solo title, penciler Scott McDaniel inserted Christian groups dc talk and Guardian into Nightwing’s CD collection. (The issue was later collected into the trade paperback collection “Rough Justice.”) BAD NEW YEAR’S RESOLUTIONS 1 2 3 >>> band STEAL MORE CHRISTIAN MUSIC FROM THE INTERNET FOR “MINISTRY PURPOSES.” GET A HAIRCUT TO LOOK MORE LIKE BOB THE TOMATO. BUILD EXTENSIVE COLLECTION OF CHRISTIAN ARTISTS’ PIN NUMBERS. SURPRISES AT THE PETRA REUNION CONCERT 1. Greg X. Volz actually spells his last name without the “t” 2. Short-sighted fans celebrate the name of the group by throwing rocks at the stage (“Petra” means “ROCK!”) 3. Dozens of animal activists turn out expecting a “Peta” reunion Chris Well’s claim to comics fame is that he wrote the shortlived comic book/audio drama/radio serial multimedia juggernaut Mammoth City Messengers, co-plotted with big-time producers and songwriters Matt Bronleewe and Jeremy Bose. Flyleaf makes an immediate splash with its debut single “I’m so sick”; charting at both alternative ccmmagazine.com january 06 ccm 15 >>> CCM_01.06_GetReal.v4 12/8/05 9:17 AM getreal Page 16 Wes King’s living legacy by Andrea Bailey a very rare cancer; they don’t really know much about it. It’s something that’s mainly found in children in Africa.” After being told he had only six months to live, King began undergoing intense chemotherapy and, during that time, contracted five severe infections. These caused him to go into septic shock, and he almost died on several occasions. During times of painful illness, friends and loved ones often feel as if they’re helplessly standing by. However, Craig Mason, a longtime friend of King and his wife, devised a plan to boost his friend’s spirits and help him handle the heavy medical bills. He decided to get some artists together to make a record of King’s songs in appreciation of his musical legacy. The result is Life is Precious: A Wes King Tribute. Artists who volunteered to put their own touches on a favorite Wes King song include Downhere, Derek Webb, Phil Keaggy, Paul Colman, Scott Krippayne, The Kry, Luminous, Kim Hill, Addison Road and more than 10 others. In fact, the response from artists willing to donate their time and energy to the project has been so favorable that the tribute has been expanded to a double-disc set. “I find myself writing about the things I’m thankful for rather than things that I can’t figure out, and accepting the things that I can’t explain... ” O o LIFE IS PRECIOUS: A WES KING TRIBUTE W es King is a name beloved by many artists and Christian music fans of the ’90s and today. A Georgia native, King studied the Bible at Covenant College in his home state, where he ran into recording artist Kim Hill and eventually went on the road with her for several years. After moving to Nashville, he signed to Reunion Records and released a solo LP entitled The Ultimate Underlying No Denying Motivation in 1990. His successive releases included Sticks and Stones in 1990, The Robe in 1993, the highly successful Common Creed in 1995, A Room Full of Stories in 1997 and What Matters Most in 2000. Since then, he’s contributed to recordings by Michael W. Smith, Steve Green, John Michael Talbot and others. Recently, King and his wife, Fran, bought an old historic house in Franklin, Tenn., where they now live with their three sons, 8-year-old twins Harrison and Mitch and 3-year-old Walt. It would all seem like a perfectly normal story if King hadn’t come down with a case of bronchitis last year. Then approximately nine months ago, he started getting a pain in his leg. “Long story short, I went to the emergency room, and they found a mass in my stomach,” King remembers. “They went in to see what it was, and it turned out to be some kind of lymphoma. It was >>> “I have had the privilege to work, write and tour with Wes King,” says Phil Keaggy. “…Wes is my friend, and it is a true honor to know him. He is passionate about his music, and he is a devoted man of faith and family. His writing is honest—straight from the heart. I have been involved in the Life is Precious project, and what a privilege for me! I consider Wes a voice for our times. History will prove this...for those who have ears to hear… His words and melodies have an ever-present relevance. I thank God for this brother of ours, who has been faithful to all that is true.” Derek Webb adds his own enthusiasm for the project. “For me, Wes King’s music pioneered the fusion of theology and melody. His song ‘I Believe’ left quite an impression on me as an early thinker and songwriter. I remember being quite struck by the boldness with which he proclaimed his firm belief in God’s sovereign governing of all things. And his commitment to truth was matched only by his tremendous musical gifts, which for me made the truth much easier to swallow. I am proud to be a part of a project that simultaneously celebrates the music of one of contemporary Christian music’s most important singer/songwriters and helps that same brother in time of need.” “[I] have come to appreciate his angelic voice, wonderful guitar playing and his obvious sincerity,” recording artist Paul Colman says of King. “I am involved in this project to do whatever I can to help and to pay tribute to a good man. It is my prayer that many people will come to appreciate and uphold Wes and his family through this album.” “It’s just been an incredible honor to hear the project,” King responds, recuperating in his home after finishing his chemo treatments. “The artists that have come forward to do this have really astounded me with the life they breathe into these songs…” Growing stronger every day, he continues to reflect on the past year and how it’s changed him and his music. “I find myself writing about the things I’m thankful for rather than things that I can’t figure out, and accepting the things that I can’t explain…and I find myself laughing a lot more because I’m happier. I can honestly, truthfully say, I’m glad that this has happened… I certainly pray that I never have to go back there again, but I am thankful for the way that it has settled me down, the way it has matured me.” If you’d like to preorder a copy of Life is Precious: A Wes King Tribute or make a direct donation to Wes King, please visit wesking.com. All the proceeds from record sales will go to offset King’s medical costs. and active rock radio • Country kicks: Recording artist Natalie Grant performed a duet with country superstar >>> 16 ccm january 06 ccmmagazine.com CCM_01.06_IndBeat_v4 12/8/05 9:18 AM Page 18 K industrybeat A conversation with Scott Hughes by Jay Swartzendruber The “WoW” compilation CD series recently celebrated its 10th anniversary. Did you think the brand would become this successful? I honestly don’t think its true significance has happened yet… “WoW” brings the key leaders in the industry together on a regular basis to talk about how we can make the Christian music community a better place. We worked with Feed the Children to create a TV special focused on WoW Hits, which showcased several artists including Jars of Clay. “WoW” has helped fund DATA (Debt, AIDS, Trade, Africa), which is Bono’s thing. “WoW” puts aside a percentage of sales of every CD to help support select nonprofit organizations. So much of your uncanny success over the years has resulted from your ability to perceive forthcoming trends and then respond far ahead of the curve. What’s one trend that you foresaw and are most grateful you “called that one right”? I think worship music. That was probably about seven years ago. I visited the Vineyard Church in Los Angeles, and I saw hundreds of really cool-looking CDs in their bookstore that I’d never heard of. I thought I would pick them up and see what came in them. It turns out it was Delirious’ Cutting Edge I, II, III and IV CDs in the paper wrapper—the really early ones. And I brought the CDs back to EMI CMG and said, “This is the future of Christian music.” At the same time, unbeknownst to me, Peter York [then president of Sparrow] had gotten a copy and was actually in the process of signing Delirious. And I remember saying, “The industry is at a crossroads going in two directions. One half of it is going screaming toward the church, and the other half is going screaming toward the mainstream, and both are right. It’s the calling of the individual artist.” So, what I was saying is that one half of the future of the industry would be the modern worship—hip music, what David Crowder is doing now. And the other side would be what Switchfoot is doing. But back then, those “halves” didn’t exist. On the flipside, what do you consider to have been your worst forecast? Great Scott, it’s Hughes! Before he departed EMI Christian Music Group as its senior VP of strategic marketing in 2003, Scott Hughes helped launch and then oversee the massively successful “WoW” album series, facilitated the “Keep the Faith” infomercials, and conceived Time Life’s renowned “Songs for Life” series. In addition, with the advent of new media, Hughes initiated Christian music’s first streaming subscription service, the industry’s first digital download store and Christian music’s first Web site (TheVeryOfficialCharliePeacockWebSite.com). With this stunning resumé in hand, Hughes then started his own “strategy, branding and partnerships” company called The Next Agency, through which he continues to oversee the “WoW” series. As if that weren’t enough, he is also a co-founder of music download giant PassAlong Networks (passalong.com). And the years before Hughes was a gold and platinum album magnet? After graduating from Baylor University (Waco, Texas), he worked as a real estate agent, a photographer, a graphic artist for People magazine, an assistant director for a non-profit theatre arts group in Connecticut, and a protégé in a pioneering strategic marketing company. “Wow,” indeed. Let’s discuss the most important stuff first… So, I understand you and Moby are old friends? Moby is a great guy. He and I grew up in Darien, Conn., and became good friends after college. We connected in the late ’80s. A mutual friend had started a dance club called The Cafe for high school students run by a ministry called FOCUS (Fellowship of Christians in Universities and Schools). Moby was a deejay there when I came on board, and I helped manage the staff. At one point the two of us actually rented space—for living quarters—in a warehouse. We were very good friends during that season and have stayed in touch—mostly on e-mail now. Moby went back to that warehouse recently and then sent me some photos of our old lofts. >>> I would have to say it was the idea of WoW.com, which was at least six years ahead of its time. Today, it would be My Space with a Christian worldview, suppor ting, but not exclusively, Christian entertainment. We were too early, but I think it actually ties in to a lot of what we’re doing now. Tell me about that—your work with PassAlong Networks. We have two sides of the company, and it’s about powering the future of digital entertainment. One half of our company is a DSP (digital service provider). We are the infrastructure and provide the licensing for SongTouch’s store and Parable on the Christian side, and also Musicland’s store and others in the mainstream. With the other side of our company, we created patented technology called “Freedom” which protects digital content. It honors the artists and the writers of the content, and how they want people to consume their content. This unique technology can basically eradicate piracy, and it’s very consumer/artist centric. We are now the largest store on Ebay worldwide, and we’re the only store on Ebay with licenses from all major labels. Where Christian music is concerned, what do you see coming in the next few years? I believe there’s going to be more vulnerability, more honesty, more rawness, more truths in both the core church artist camp and the Christians in pop culture camp. Ever yone’s longing for truth, honesty, vulnerability and a realness. A Day Behind the Scenes with Scott 5:30 Wake up/quiet time 7:40 Drive four oldest children to school 8:30 Upon arriving at office, write, read, e-mail 11:30 Management team call (Passalong networks) 12:30 Lunch with a business partner 2:00 WoW Worship A&R meeting 3:30 Drive to airport for flight to New York 4:30 Go through security after parking in “long term” 7:30 After flight lands, take a taxi into Manhattan 8:00 Arrive at Edison Hotel in Times Square 8:30 Sign up for Broadband in the hotel and check e-mail 9:00 Walk to the theater and catch a movie (In Her Shoes) 11:30 Read (an old Thomas Edison biography) Wynonna at the recent 11th Annual Inspirational Country Music Awards, broadcast live on Great American Country • 18 ccm january 06 ccmmagazine.com CCM_01.06_MatthewWest.v4 12/8/05 9:19 AM Page 20 thewriter’sblock by Matthew West a little strange. After all, I’m a songwriter, not a columnist! I dream in rhymes and melodies. Not paragraphs and punctuation. So, this is a new challenge for me. A new kind of song. The thing is, I know that not everyone is interested in songwriting. And for those of you thinking about turning the page, hear me out on this one. Songwriting is my voice. It’s the way I THE SUN SHINES, THE PAINTER PAINTS, THE BLUEBIRD SINGS AND THE WRITER WRITES. A NEW KIND OF SONG THIS MONTH CCM IS PLEASED TO WELCOME SINGER/SONGWRITER MATTHEW WEST TO OUR PAGES. EACH ISSUE HE WILL BRING YOU HIS LATEST MUSINGS AND/OR CONVERSATIONS WITH FRIENDS (A.K.A. YOUR FAVORITE ARTISTS AND SONGWRITERS) ABOUT THE SONGS YOU LOVE AND THE STORIES BEHIND THEM. have this friend. His name is Jace, and he’s 5 years old. Like most 5-year-olds, he never likes to go to bed when it’s time. So in an effort to steal a few extra minutes, he runs up to his dad, gives him a great big hug, and proudly declares, “Dad, I love you more than ice cream!” Jace’s dad fires back, “I love you more than motorcycles, but you still have to go to bed!” I’ve watched my friends play this game over and over again until finally, after squeezing in an extra 15 minutes of play time, Jace reluctantly goes off to bed. One day while visiting my friends, I spotted a picture that Jace and his sister had painted and displayed on the refrigerator door. I saw a bright yellow sun shining, and these words were written across the page: “I LOVE YOU MORE THAN THE SUN!” That picture was my inspiration for the song “More.” God used that little boy to remind me that we are all loved by our Heavenly Father more than we could ever imagine— and that was a thought I couldn’t keep to myself. I had to share that message the only way I knew how: by writing a song. People approach me all the time with inquiring minds about songwriting. I hear questions such as, “Which comes first, the lyrics or the music?” or “What’s the story behind the song?” So, I was excited when CCM asked me to write this monthly column about songwriting. But I’ve got to be honest. This feels I communicate my heart and my journey of faith. I didn’t always have this voice. In fact, I spent years searching for something to say and the right way to say it. But songwriting is only one of a million voices in this world. Every single one of God’s creations is a songwriter, in a way. The sun shines, the painter paints, the bluebird sings and the writer writes. We all have something to say. So while this column will focus on songwriting, it’s even more about finding your voice in this world. That’s right, you have a voice too! God gave it to you. And your life is the song you were born to write. I hope that hanging out at “The Writer’s Block” will help us all get a little closer to realizing our destiny, finding our voice and writing our song. Guess what the hardest part of writing a song is? Getting started. Just like this column, just like our lives… Sometimes, it’s tough just to get going. Well, if that’s where you are today, don’t worry. We’ll make a songwriter out of you yet. Don’t be afraid to dive into your life with all your heart, and ask God to help you find your voice. Your life is a song, and the whole world is listening. Next month, in honor of Valentine’s Day, we’ll be talking about something I have in common with countr y super-group Rascal Flatts—and also finding out what makes a great love song great. See ya next month. Acclaimed singer/songwriter Matthew West’s latest Universal South recording, History, released in June. His songs have been recorded by Natalie Grant, Joy Williams, Point of Grace and Rascal Flatts, among others. Matthew would like to thank his puppy, Earl “The Girl,” for her contribution to the writing of this month’s column. She was a constant distraction, biting his pant leg and “marking her territory” in all the wrong places. Good times. 20 ccm january 06 ccmmagazine.com CCM_01.06_O2W.v5 12/13/05 1:57 PM Page 21 paulcolman’s onestowatch Vicky Beeching THOUGHTFUL WORSHIP VICKY BEECHING is a singer/songwriter/worship leader from the United Kingdom, a graduate in theology from England’s prestigious Oxford University and a ver y good guitar player. In 2004 she crossed the Atlantic and signed with Sparrow Records. Her debut label release, Yesterday, Today and Forever (which released Dec. 27), is an edgy worship record, but it’s written with the local church at heart. Vicky is one of the official hosts of Worship Together’s New Song Café, and remains in high demand as a worship leader in the United States and internationally. (See vickybeeching.com for more information.) PAUL: I have heard you are a pretty seriously rocking guitarist. So the guitar is not just for looks, right? VICKY: [Laughs] No, it’s not just for looks! I love playing guitar. I got my first electric when I was 13 and have loved playing ever since. I’m actually a gear-junkie, always collecting new guitar pedals and trying out amps. My house is filled with bits of guitar equipment, and I’m always tripping over them. PAUL: How do you feel your degree in theology from Oxford University PAUL: Whose worship songs, when you use them to lead worship, really contributes to your work as a worship leader? VICKY: I loved studying what worship looked like in the Old and New Testaments and thinking about how we can learn from that today. I hope my time there equipped me to be a better songwriter too—I think songwriters are, in many ways, the main preachers to our media/music-based generation. So we have a responsibility to write with much thought to our theology as we communicate who God is to a generation of listeners… PAUL: How is it for an English girl living in the States? Is it pretty differ- ent from home? VICKY: It is different, but I love it here! I do miss my family, but I’m loving this new season of life. One recent milestone was getting my U.S. driving permit. I had to learn to drive on the other side of the road, with the wheel on the other side of the car… That was a serious brain-teaser for me to get my head around! I’m always facing some new cultural adventure as I acclimate to the United States— folks can keep up with those in my journal on vickybeeching.com. PAUL: What inspired the title of your album, Yesterday, Today and Forever? VICKY: “Yesterday, Today and Forever” is the title of the first track on the album. I wrote that song after reading Hebrews 13:8, feeling encouraged that, in a world full of change, God always remains the same. It has been a theme song in my life during my transition to the United States, so we felt it would be a good title for the new record too. help you to worship as well? VICKY: I love the UK writers: Delirious, Matt Redman, Tim Hughes. Since coming to the United States, I’ve been loving worship albums by other artists too—such as your good self, Mr. Paul Colman. (I love your song “Gloria”—it rocks.) Rebecca St. James has great worship songs— “Lamb of God,” “Song of Love”—as do Chris Tomlin and David Crowder. PAUL: What do you do when you aren’t writing songs or leading worship? VICKY: I have some pretty unusual hobbies. Before I got seriously into music, I was a big fan of juggling… So, I can ride a unicycle, juggle knives and juggle fire! It nearly gave my mum a heart attack when she saw her young teenage daughter throwing fire-clubs around. My family wondered if I would run away with the circus…so I think they are delighted I chose the music route instead. PAUL: What is your favorite verse in the Bible? VICKY: That would be John 15:15, where Jesus calls us not just “servants” but “friends.” It blows my mind that we can be friends of God! That’s all I really want in life; everything else comes in second. There’s a song on my record about it, called “Above All Else,” where the chorus just says “Above all else, Jesus, give me Yourself.” That’s my first pursuit in life and music, and I never want that to change. Singer/songwriter/author Paul Colman is the former frontman for Grammy-nominated and Dove Award-winning act Paul Colman Trio. His first solo project in seven years, Let It Go (Inpop), released last year to critical acclaim with its “Gloria” single going No. 1 at Christian radio in his home country of Australia for more than 16 weeks. Colman currently tours, speaks and performs internationally. For more information visit PaulColman.com. CCM_01.06_Bible_v3 12/8/05 9:22 AM Page 22 livingthemessage by Michael Card “When the time came, he set aside the privileges of deity and took on the status of a slave, became human! Having become human, he stayed human. It was an incredibly humbling process. He didn't claim special privileges. Instead, he lived a selfless, obedient life and then died a selfless, obedient death—and the worst kind of death at that: a crucifixion.” —PHILIPPIANS 2:7-8 AS PARAPHRASED IN THE MESSAGE To Sing an Ancient Mystery The Emperor Trajan had been waiting for a report about the troublesome sect called Christians from one of his spies named Pliny the Younger. When the report finally did come, the emperor was disappointed by its brevity and lack of accusation: “They worship one Christ, whom they revere as God.” Pliny’s brief report went on to claim that the Christians “gather early in the morning and sing a hymn to Christ” whom they worship. Many scholars have come to believe this is the hymn we find in Philippians 2:611. It has come to be known as the “Carmen Christi,” or “Hymn to Christ.” Earlier Roman reports had confused the name “Christos” for “Chrestus,” which was a common personal name given to slaves. It was an honest mistake and an understandable one, considering the reputation of the Galilean Carpenter who acted more “When the soul hears like a slave than an anointed king. And yet, decades later, His followers were music, it lets down its gathering together to sing His praise. best guard.” I find it touching that before this passage ever became the topic of theological debate, it was a simple hymn. Before it was preached, it was sung in the darkest depths of the catacombs. Without complicated reasoning and theological argumentation, 22 ccm january 06 ccmmagazine.com the early believers embraced these complex, incarnational truths by means of a simple melody. Study: “When the soul hears music, it lets down its best guard,” Socrates said. And so, with music those early saints sang their way to a belief in the unbelievable. They sang an ancient mystery that we can join in singing with them all these centuries later, if we have the courage for it. With their hearts as well as their minds, they embraced the Incarnation of Jesus. It was a simple song with only one verse and a chorus. Let’s look first at the verse. 6 Though he was God, he did not think of equality with God as something to cling to. 7 Instead, he gave up his divine privileges; he took the humble position of a slave and was born as a human being. When he appeared in human form, 8 he humbled himself in obedience to God and died a criminal’s death on a cross. CCM_01.06_Bible_v3 12/8/05 9:22 AM Page 23 In the verse, two concepts were central to the life of Jesus: humility and servanthood. Jesus “made himself nothing” and “humbled himself,” as the early Christians sang. He took the form of a servant, though He might have grasped equality with God. This was the puzzling nature of the appearance of “God with us.” In humility, as a servant, He came to live and die for us. God held up Jesus to the world and said, “This is what it means to be made in My image!” Who would ever have dreamt the image would be that of a humble servant? The verse closes with its focal theme, the concept of obedience: “He humbled Himself in obedience to God and died a criminal’s death on a cross.” This characteristic becomes the lens through which the traits of humility and servanthood become focused in a surprising way. It is the “twist” to the lyric that every good writer goes for. “He became obedient,” the verse says as it comes to a close. Not just obedience as an abstract concept, but vividly and radically portrayed obedience in flesh and blood: death on a cross! It is no longer appropriate to refer to simple obedience. From this point on we are talking about radical obedience, which has transformed everything, both for Jesus and for us. After the single verse comes the chorus: “This is truly an example of how I want to live my life. Through this study, I am challenged to take my walk with God to a new level. There are so many opportunities out there to serve and to be radically obedient. A lot of times, we want it to be convenient for us, but God has something different in mind. It wasn't easy or convenient for Jesus to die on a cross for me. Because of his obedience, I have hope and a future in Heaven. How could I ever repay him for that? I want to be like Jesus in every way, and that requires radical obedience and servanthood. I want to have that very same attitude that Jesus had so I can live out the life that God has called for me to live.” — Chrissy Conway (ZOEgirl) THE FOLLOW-UP TO HIS PLATINUM SELLING DEBUT LONG BLACK TRAIN JOSH TURNER YOUR MAN 9Therefore, God elevated him to the place of highest honor and gave him the name above all other names, 10 that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, 11 and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. Though the original music was lost long ago, today this chorus would have resolved from a minor to a major key. Here, we move from darker ideas of death and slavery to worship. This movement from darkness to light is necessary in order for true worship to happen. The concepts of the verse are transformed from humility to exaltation and from servanthood to Lordship. It is “radical reversal.” The chorus opens with a telling “therefore,” which points to the connection between the two pairs of concepts. Observe the radical reversal from the One who refused glory and “made Himself nothing” to the One who is exalted to the highest place! Remember the One who took upon Himself the form of a servant? Now every tongue will confess that same person as Lord. Every knee is bowed before Him, Jesus Christ the Lord! The ancient song paints a wonderful picture of the Incarnation of Christ and of the powerful process at work in the world. With one dark verse and one brilliant chorus, we see Jesus and ourselves in a new light. The apostle Paul was giving the Philippian Christians more than a picture of Christ. He was suggesting servanthood and radical obedience as a pattern for their lives—and for ours. Paul made his point clear by one simple introductory phrase in verse 5: “You must have the same attitude that Christ Jesus had.” Jesus’ life demonstrated what it meant for us to be created in the image of God (or rather, re-created). As we sing to the glory of Christ, we are changed into His image. Humble servants who, through our obedience, will someday be glorified and exalted, for Jesus promised, "He who humbles himself will be exalted.” And “Whoever desires to become great among you, let him be your servant.” That process, which was so powerfully seen in the life of Jesus, is at work in our own lives as well! The way is humility, servanthood and radical obedience; people like Trajan and Pliny and so many in our own day could never understand. 11 NEW SONGS Commit: Servanthood, humility and radical obedience: These are the defining characteristics of the Incarnation of Jesus. But these are also the attitudes we are to display to the world. Are you ready, am I, to boldly sing this ancient song so the world can hear? Moreover, are we ready to become true servants to our Servant Lord? “YOUR MAN” “ME AND GOD” INCLUDES AND AVAILABLE JANUARY 24 AT Michael Card is an award-winning scholar, musician and radio broadcaster who resides in Franklin, Tennessee. His latest book and study guide, titled A Sacred Sorrow, deal with the painful circumstances surrounding the lives of Job, David, Jeremiah and Jesus, circumstances that provoked these men into a unique song of worship. Visit MichaelCard.com for more information. © 2006 MCA Nashville, a Division of UMG Recordings, Inc. ccmmagazine.com january 06 ccm 23 ccmmagazine.com april 05 ccm 23 CCM_01.06_Passion.v4 12/13/05 2:03 PM Page 24 ) ( LOUD Our Love is Photos By kaysie dorsey Inside a vast ice hockey arena in downtown Toronto, shifting spotlights illuminate a sea of hands reaching toward heaven. The crowd roars as the words of a familiar song flash onto a huge screen, and the walls practically throb with the adrenaline-charged rock music pouring from the stage. Moments later a man named Louie Giglio takes the stage, and the crowd slowly quiets as he begins to talk about “a generation united for His renown.” An unusual setup for a sports stadium? Not really. Since 1997, more than 500,000 college students have flocked to similar venues for just such an evening—a Passion modern worship conference. While Passion has many facets—Passion Worship CDs, the OneDay gatherings, sixstepsrecords, and the 268 Declaration—it all hinges on the conferences themselves and an almost inseparable entity: its music. And the side effects? They’ve been astounding; not the least of which is the global reach of this community’s songs. Passion’s worship leaders have given evangelical, charismatic and Catholic churches around the world new classics such as “Better is One Day,” “Holy is the Lord,” “Blessed be Your Name,” “Indescribable,” “How Great is Our God” and others. Now, as we draw close to the 10-year anniversary of Passion’s inception, we are asking its founder and leader, Louie Giglio , to tell us the story of how it all began. Janet Chismar , meanwhile, connects with Passion’s two most highprofile worship leaders, David Crowder and Chris Tomlin, to reflect on Passion’s history and, personally, on the brotherhood they’ve established through years of leading worship for it. Join us to find out what it’s all about as CCM celebrates 10 years of Passion. 24 ccm january 06 ccmmagazine.com CCM_01.06_Passion.v4 12/8/05 9:25 AM Page 25 For His Name and Renown By Louie Giglio Over lunch at a college retreat in 1995, a professor at Florida State University asked if I had heard of the CIRP [Cooperative Institutional Research Program] Survey. Hearing my passion for students, he thought I’d be interested in the findings of this national gauge of collegiate life. Later that day I was holding in my hands the 1994 survey results, and I couldn’t believe my eyes. While not religious in nature, the survey poses two spiritual questions, one of which asks, “Do you consider yourself a born-again Christian?” I like the question because it’s more pointed than the innocuous options, “Are you a Christian?” or “Do you believe in God?” Of the quarter-million incoming freshman and transfer students who took the survey in 1994, almost 80 percent responded, “No.” I was stunned. It wasn’t that I hadn’t seen firsthand the desperate spiritual climate on the college campus, but suddenly my heart was captivated by the reality that there were more than 16 million college students across the nation. Sure, the CIRP Survey number only represented incoming students, but if extrapolated to include all students, over 13 million would awaken that day without an intimate relationship with the God who created them to know Him. Somewhere in that moment, the “tipping point” happened for my wife, Shelley, and me. Our vision for university students, which for 10 years had been focused primarily on one campus, began to rapidly expand to encompass the campuses of the nation. But how do you alter such a staggering reality? How do you change the tide on the campuses of the nation? Honestly, we had no answers, but several streams were converging in our lives, and we sensed that God was birthing something new. For one, a protracted family illness caused us to extract ourselves from a vibrant ministry among the students at Baylor University and relocate to Atlanta to help with the care of my dad. Yet, before our transition was complete he was gone, leaving us both grieving and wondering how we could have missed God’s timing in it all. But in these turbulent days God was stirring (vision is often linked to adversity and struggle). And then, a picture came. In late June 1995, I was sitting next to the window, on the two-seat side of a Delta flight home. Without warning, I no longer saw the magazine in my hands, but a huge gathering of students. Not some, but many, many college students on their knees, crying out to God in worship. My sense was that they were pleading for their generation, asking for help, for rescue, for more. I didn’t have a clue when or where, but I felt in an instant that I was to give my life for such a gathering. After carrying the vision quietly for a season, Shelley and I both knew that God was repositioning us for something new. Our core overseers felt the same, and soon we were asking God, “What does this mean? How do we fit into Your plan?” In the months that followed, massive spiritual formation rocked our hearts as a clarifying, God-centered way of living was reshaping our lives. More than ever we were awakening to the reality that life is all about Him, determining afresh to live our lives for His fame, and calling a generation to do the same. While speaking at a collegiate conference in Little Rock, a friend pointed me to Isaiah 26:8, a verse that exploded in my heart the moment I read it. Its confession embodied everything we were sensing about this vision that breathed Passion to life. And more than a decade later, Passion is still firmly rooted in this truth, the end of which reads, “For Your name and Your renown are the desire of our souls.” Though we weren’t sure where to begin, a gathering for God’s renown was what we were after. We settled on the name Passion after one of our early team members discovered this refining definition: Passion is the degree of difficulty we are willing to endure to accomplish the goal. For us, Passion is about more than enthusiasm and emotion; it is an eager willingness to do whatever necessary to make the name of Jesus known in the whole world. In 1996, we united a dozen like-minded collegiate ministry leaders from across the country and, with their help, invited students to Passion’s inaugural gathering, January 1-4, 1997, in Austin, Texas. We were blown away when 2,000 students showed up and were completely floored by what we experienced together. The days of Passion ’97 were potent, spawning the 268 Generation and such a buzz that over 5,000 returned a year later, mostly ccmmagazine.com january 06 ccm 25 CCM_01.06_Passion.v4 12/8/05 9:25 AM Page 26 based on word of mouth from friends. (In the decade that has followed, Passion has been face to face with over 500,000 students across the nation). With just a handshake, we agreed with a division of EMI (Star Song) to record the worship at Passion ’98. Though we had a handful of independent worship projects behind us, we had no idea a tidal wave of worship recordings was coming, nor that Passion Worship was about to circle the globe. Interestingly, our focus was not to make and sell records, but to simply be in the presence of God. That’s still our aim. The early Passion Worship Band paved the way for a new wave of lead worshippers (Charlie Hall, David Crowder, Chris Tomlin, Matt Redman and others), but in the end it’s more of a family approach we’re after. Our real concern is that we keep the spotlight on the face of Christ. At the end of the day, the Passion movement is about far more than worship CDs. At our core is a Glorious Savior, and a theological bent that gladly pushes Him to the center of everything. Our journey has been humbling, with many amazing images etched in our minds. I can still see the female student in 1997, standing alone as I was sharing the vision of a generation living for God’s fame at a campus meeting of over 1,000. As I talked about “renown” and a generation that would echo the greatness of God from north, south, east and west, she stood and began to clap...all by herself. It was one of those tense moments when people didn’t quite know what to do, and no one else joined in. But she continued, standing and clapping alone, one heart ringing true with the invitation to live for the only thing that really matters. I don’t know where she is today, but she is what Passion is all about, a growing army who has tasted and seen that He is good and joined the movement for His renown. The Noise We Make By Janet Chismar Ask Chris Tomlin and David Crowder about it, and they’ll tell you it’s way more than just a job. The two worship leaders, serving year after year at Passion conferences worldwide, genuinely care about the students who attend. Phrases such as “We are a family,” “There’s a real friendship” and “The motive is pure” echo through their conversation—without sounding clichéd or rehearsed. Both musicians could rattle off a long list of hits and successful tours, if they so desired. And Tomlin’s latest album, Arriving, and Crowder’s new A Collision CD are each respective artist’s fastest-selling album to date. However, neither seems to care. Sure, they love what they do, and their musical careers reflect their talent. But Tomlin and Crowder count the time spent with Passion musicians, speakers and students as a “God thing”—totally “unique.” Oh, we tried to avoid that word. Most writing guides will tell you it is overused. Crowder, the consummate wordsmith, spoke it only after searching for another adjective. In the end though, having witnessed many aspects of the Christian music experience, these guys consider it a valid description of what makes Passion so special. “There’s such uniqueness with Passion,” says Crowder, whose fall leg of the “A Collision Tour” saw 26 ccm january 06 ccmmagazine.com David Crowder CCM_01.06_Passion.v4 12/8/05 9:25 AM Page 27 23 dates sell out. “I try to put my finger on the difference between this and every other conference, and I truly believe it’s this invisible thing that you can’t see.” He shares that each person who is a part of Passion focuses on putting God at the center of things. “We all want students to absorb the reality of God’s centrality. I think our motivation has kept Passion on top of water—floating—and people find relief and rescue in it.” Viewing Passion as an observer as well as a participant, Crowder thinks its enduring success is inextricably linked with putting God first. “People walk away from these events genuinely feeling that they have encountered God and have therefore readjusted their lives.” He feels that is a “unique” thing within our culture. “Most of our culture— even our articulation of the Christian faith—is very self-centered. Most of Passion’s mission is to dismantle that.” Passion has also dismantled Crowder’s selfdescribed cynicism. For most of the year, he works in a collegiate setting where he encounters students who have grown up in the church. However, these students seemingly want to discard their faith when they get to college and escape parental control. “I’m at a church where we spend most of our time and energy trying to collect students who have been scarred or hurt by the church and carry a lot of baggage,” Crowder explains. “These folks are, for the most part, outside of Christian culture. So I had a lot of cynicism about the church, and that’s part of why I stumbled in and found myself part of this community as well.” Louie Giglio, the founder and leader of Passion, helped Crowder see the church and Christian culture in a different light—“a light that’s been really healthy for me.” In describing his relationship with Giglio, Crowder says it goes beyond “a similar heartbeat for students” to a true friendship that has sustained each person who has been a part of Passion for so long. It’s more than just association through ministry, but this “really beautiful family relationship.” Crowder has nothing but admiration for Giglio’s character: “Here’s this guy in the driver’s seat for these events, and he’s just been really generous with the speaking platform. He’s carried this whole deal very delicately and respectfully, and he continues to give the thing to God.” According to Crowder, the things surrounding Passion—such as business aspects and promotion—are “as pure as could possibly be.” Every time a conference is done, Crowder wishes Giglio had spoken longer: “The way he communicates is art. He has a real grasp of oration, and it’s always an event in my head because it is just like watching somebody paint. You don’t really know what it is going to be until the end of it.” Each year, pulling together the band of busy musicians and speakers proves challenging. “There’s always busyness within scheduling, so I think it’s something pretty deep that keeps us carving out space,” Crowder acknowledges. “We’re doing our own stuff for most of the year and just have these small windows of being together. Yet, that’s what we look forward to most—being with the other bands and Louie and their whole gang. It’s really this little family that has erupted. You get to be in the same space as these people that you really love a lot.” While Crowder is a cornerstone of Passion’s worship, if you have worshiped at church recently, you likely have sung at least one song written by Chris Chris Tomlin ccmmagazine.com january 06 ccm 27 CCM_01.06_Passion.v4 12/8/05 9:25 AM Page 28 Tomlin: “Forever,” ‘We Fall Down” and “The Wonderful Cross,” to name just a few. And you can thank the Passion movement, as Tomlin does. “I’ve gotten to be a part of Passion from the start, and it’s been a real special thing for me. It has been the platform God has given me and used to get my songs out beyond my little world of just going and playing.” Because the Texas native has participated in Passion from the start, he understands why decisions are made. ”The motives are so pure,” Tomlin emphasizes. “The guys really are about God being at the center and the glory of God. It’s not about financial gain; it’s not about how we can make the biggest dollar. Just the opposite.” The team agonizes about how to make the greatness of God visible in their lives. “I am so drawn to that,” Tomlin says. “We want to see college students come to the realization of a God-centered life, and I want to be a part of it as long as I can.” Reflecting on Passion’s longevity, Tomlin again points to motive. “I can’t judge anybody else’s motive—I don’t know anybody else’s motive—but I know that Passion is about getting the grace of God out to the world. I think God honors that, and He’s been propelling it.” He also uses the word “unique.” There are “not a lot of things that are solely for college students in terms of worship. It is unique in the sense that it is very specific and very targeted. College students feel like, ‘Wow, this is our thing. This is the one thing that is ours.’” In addition, Passion transcends denominational boundaries in a way that Tomlin admires. “It is very uniting. I see everyone from the most charismatic people to Catholics, and for some reason, God has allowed Passion to stay in the middle of so many flavors of Christianity. That’s what’s amazing about it. I think that’s been a real gift from God—to allow people to be comfortable no matter what stream they come from.” Then there is the music. “The beautiful thing is, we never even set out to make CDs,” Tomlin admits. “That just happened through a crazy relationship in 1998 between Louie and a record executive who asked if he could record us.” According to Tomlin, the team prayed after the first Passion conference: “How can we get this message to as many people as possible? God, will you make a way?” God answered by getting the music out in a recorded live project. “It was a great surprise,” says Tomlin. “I think most of Nashville thought it was going to flop. We didn’t have any idea what would happen, and God started using those CDs in incredible ways all over the world.” The recordings sprung from “‘a God idea,’” he adds. “It definitely wasn’t a marketing idea or publishing idea.” In his own life, Tomlin has gone “the deepest I’ve gone with the Lord” through Passion. He says the teachings have served as a catalyst and spurred him on in his faith. “The conferences awakened me to the fact that God is the center of all things. I was going along pretty well as a normal American, thinking that everything revolved around me. Passion stopped me in my tracks and made me realize that this life does revolve around God. He’s huge, massive, and I want to put my life in His hands. Passion has been a major awakening moment to that truth for me.” Tomlin credits the friendship among the participants for his own sustained involvement and the longevity of the movement. “Louie is one of my closest friends in life. He mentored me and believed in me from the start. That has had a huge impact. He’s someone who has come along and has not only been a friend, but really believed God was going to do something through my music.” In describing his relationship with David Crowder, that pesky word unique slips out one last time: “David and I have a unique relationship in the sense that we both want the best for each other. You may think, ‘Well, that’s normal.’ But I don’t know if it is that normal because people are so competitive with each other. I really feel like the beautiful thing about being part of our little family is that it is a family. When one succeeds, the rest succeed. I am just so proud of what David is doing, and I feel like he continues to cut through molds and blaze his own trail, and I love that.” But for Tomlin, the bottom line rests with the audience. “People are so ready to engage. It’s usually a crowd of hungry, hungry people. I wish that everybody could come get a dose. I wish church was like that—people ready to give something of themselves; ready to hear; ready to respond. There is nothing else in the rest of the year that comes close to Passion.” ccm For more information on Passion, visit 268generation.com. 28 ccm january 06 ccmmagazine.com Louie Giglio CCM_01.06_Passion.v4 12/8/05 10:17 AM Page 29 ( The Family Portrait As founder and director of Passion and sixstepsrecords, Louie Giglio leads conferences all over the nation, and is a lauded author and speaker. Giglio’s original vision continues to shape Passion’s future: “to gather college students from campuses and churches across the nation, uniting them across ministry and denominational lines to seek the face of God together in worship and prayer. Affirming and valuing the work of local churches and campus ministries, Passion seeks to foster unity and connectivity among them, encouraging them to draw strength and encouragement from each other, resulting in a louder anthem of God’s renown.” In addition to David Crowder and Chris Tomlin, the lead worshippers most associated with Passion conferences are Charlie Hall and Matt Redman. Shane [Everett] & Shane [Barnard], and Nathan & Christy Nockels; and speakers/authors John Piper and Beth Moore round out the core Passion “family.” MATT REDMAN often is credited with helping to spark the modern worship movement. Over the past decade, his songs have become familiar anthems of churches across the globe — classics such as “The Heart of Worship,” “Better is One Day” and “Let Everything that Has Breath.” Redman, like Chris Tomlin, received his first Dove Award last year. “It’s a massive privilege,” says Redman, “but that’s what the songs are for. First and foremost they’re my expression to God, and secondly I hope they’ll help the church engage with God in worship. I try to write passionately, but in terms that are general enough for people to attach their own stories to.” Busy as the worship pastor at Bridgeway Community in Oklahoma City, Okla., CHARLIE HALL nonetheless continues to carve out time for Passion conferences and has performed on all the recordings thus far. Hall’s new solo album, Flying Into Daybreak, releases on the 24th of this month. Having shaped a generation of worshippers with songs such as “Give Us Clean Hands” and “Salvation,” the voice many have come to know on nearly one million Passion records radiates genuine beauty and joy on this original collection. But his deepest desire, says Hall, is to “encourage the church to worship at a heart level, calling Christians to return to their first love.” Having met while attending Texas A&M University, SHANE [EVERETT] & SHANE [BARNARD] share the common “passion” of their teammates for college students. They have served as worship leaders for church events, youth camps and are regular worship leaders for Breakaway Ministries, a weekly Christian fellowship meeting at Texas A&M. Both Shanes put out a few indie albums before teaming up and later signing with Inpop Records. Their message is that God is the best and knowing Him and living our lives for Him is the best for us. After being heavily involved in the Passion gatherings and CDs for several years, it only seems natural that NATHAN AND CHRISTY NOCKELS—also known as the duo Watermark—would be worship-focused in their recorded efforts. That is how they first began their musical ministry. Christy explains, “Nathan and I started leading worship together 10 years ago at our church in Oklahoma with Nathan’s best friend, Charlie Hall, and his wife, Kimber.” Before long, the Nockels were given the opportunity to move to Houston to lead worship every Monday night for 2,000 young adults. While the Nockels will continue to record and lead worship together, they are bringing their tenure as Watermark to an end. Watermark Live: A Grateful People (Rocketown), the duo’s farewell album, is slated to release March 1 in conjunction with 12 farewell concerts in the spring. Although JOHN PIPER has been the pastor of Bethlehem Baptist Church in Minneapolis for more than 20 years, he is best known as the author of Don’t Waste Your Life, Desiring God, God’s Passion for His Glory, The Supremacy of God in Preaching and many others. World magazine listed his The Pleasures of God as one of the century’s top 100 books. At the Passion conferences, Piper challenges college students to stand for Christ and live extraordinary lives. “I can tell you that I’ve rarely been a part of anything I was more certain God could use to change a generation,” says BETH MOORE, author and a popular Passion speaker. Moore founded Living Proof Ministries in Houston back in 1994 with the purpose of teaching women how to love and live on God’s Word. She has written numerous books and Bible studies, including Breaking Free, Believing God, and When Godly People Do Ungodly Things. J.C. ccmmagazine.com january 06 ccm 29 CCM_01.06_SaraGroves.v4 12/8/05 9:30 AM Page 30 CCM_01.06_SaraGroves.v4 12/8/05 9:30 AM Page 31 Beautiful Days By: Andrea Bailey last month’s issue of CCM, we selected Sara Groves’ new disc, Add to the Beauty (INO), as our choice for “Album of the Year.” And while we’re not at liberty to mail each and every one of you a copy, we can point you in the right direction. It all starts with the artist herself… IN WHEN YOU FIRST SHAKE SARA GROVES’ HAND, you’re sure you’ve met her somewhere before. She reminds you of your best friends from college with her puma sneakers, hoodie, wispy ponytail and petite frame. Over lunch she munches on Thai food, articulately discusses the book she’s reading about international justice and asks if you’ve heard of this great new singer/songwriter named Ray Lamontagne. Later, as you’re saying goodbye, you find you have the urge to hug her and say, “We should hang out sometime!” But then you remember she’s leaving tomorrow to join Jars of Clay, Chris Rice and author Donald Miller on a 24-city tour. And you realize you probably feel so oddly close to her because—well, to listen to her music is to see inside her soul. “It’s such a reflection of where I am,” Groves agrees, “and that’s so moveable or always changing, morphing…” Honest, heart-to-heart music has been Groves’ trademark since a record called Conversations (INO) officially introduced the world to the homegrownMinnesota-schoolteacher-turned-artist in 2001. She’d already released an independent CD leading to multiple signing offers, but Groves and her husband, Troy (who’s also her manager), were patient until their ministry/artistry clicked with INO Records. Featuring pure, Sarah McLachlan-esque vocals and unabashed lyrics such as “Right now I don't hear so well/And I was wondering if you could speak up/I know that you tore the veil/so I could sit with you in person and hear what you're saying/but right now I just can't hear you” (“Hello God”), Conversations was hailed by critics for its brilliant songwriting and established Groves an immediate, devoted fan base. It also catapulted her into the role of mentor/hero to emerging artists such as Bethany Dillon. “SARA IS THE KIND OF ARTIST I COULD LISTEN TO EVERY DAY FOR THE REST OF MY life and, honestly, never grow tired of,” says Dillon. “The other day there was something hanging over our house—just heaviness—and I went over and put on Conversations, and it totally changed the atmosphere in the room. Her music welcomes Jesus into a room without it seeming forced or contrived… There’s such a sweet brokenness and honesty in her music that makes you want to live like that and see the Christ-ward life like she does.” Artists in the new school aren’t the only ones who have come to “truly appreciate the depth and heart of Sara’s artistry,” as Jars of Clay lead singer Dan Haseltine puts it. “I’m a fan of both her music and the heart and passion behind it.” If you, yourself, are a fan of Conversations, or 2002’s All Right Here, or 2004’s The Other Side of Something, you’ve waited on pins and needles for Groves’ muchanticipated fourth studio record, Add to the Beauty. You’re expecting the familiar poetic thoughtfulness and stark realism, and the feeling that you’re reading letters from a friend or, perhaps, she is reading your letters in her songs. And you aren’t disappointed. But something’s happened since the last time you heard her. A quiet change has taken place. As a result, Sara’s music— once more melancholy in nature—is now more defined by hope and joy. “I hadn’t felt that sense of redemption [for awhile],” Groves says in hindsight. “I was feeling like, ‘I’m not changing; no one around me is changing. Can people really change?’ There’s just a lot of bad news… I was really fixated on the chaos and on sorrow and despair in a lot of ways.” Whether you’ve seen hardship in your own life and the lives around you, or you’ve switched on the news lately and wanted to shut your eyes, you can ccmmagazine.com january 06 ccm 31 CCM_01.06_SaraGroves.v4 12/8/05 9:30 AM Page 32 probably relate to the questions Groves brought before God: “Where are you?” “Where have you been?” and “How can you be good and yet these things happen?” “His overwhelming response to me,” she says, “has been through redemption, through the lives of people redeemed, and then through my own life redeemed, and through recognizing the small redemption in a million little places in my life. My shutting down and my fear and fixation on the bad news were kind of not allowing me to see.” AND SEEING HAS MEANT BELIEVING FOR GROVES, who has seen God actively at work in her friends’ lives during the past year. One dear friend was on drugs, living on the streets of Kansas City with her boyfriend. One day, she got up and knew that was all she would ever be if she didn’t leave her boyfriend. So she did. “To walk away from something when there’s nothing else there, that’s a bravery that goes unnamed a lot of times,” Groves says. She’s also watched another friend stick with her husband through an extramarital affair and have two more children together. “It’s not instant, it’s not ultra-miraculous healing. It’s waking up each day, making hard choices, [doing the] small things.” Seeing this has moved Groves to a new understanding that while life’s always going to be a struggle, there’s something good, true and beautiful happening—something worth fighting for. “…I feel like for the first time, maybe in a different way, I’m not a skeptic anymore… I used to kind of always take a stance of, ‘We’re always in this grime, and maybe God’s going to help us.’ And if there’s any difference on this album and in this message, it’s that, yeah, we’re always fighting the good fight… But I feel like something broke loose in me… I feel more hopeful now about those skirmishes, and more hopeful about the fruit of it. I feel like the fruit is good, and the Kingdom is good, and what He promised us is real… It’s written in your heart, and it’s doable to actually have fruits of the Spirit and the Spirit of God resonating in your marriage and in your family and in your life.” This awareness prompted Groves to write the lyric “Redemption comes in strange places and small spaces,” on the album’s title track. Another song, “Rewrite This Tragedy,” her favorite on the record, also has roots in the idea of redemption being manifested in our broken lives. “I feel like I finally quit [relying on my own strength] in many areas of my life and said, ‘“Lord, you know. You write this. I can’t write this any better. I can’t change my patterns. I can’t change my cycles. I keep coming back to the same junk…’ I feel like God has really rewritten my life in some amazingly brilliant ways.” If you listen closely, all the tracks on Add to the Beauty are tied together by this redemptive element, a response to Groves’ former skepticism. “They all tie back to The Other Side of Something. If you were to play ‘Like a Skin’ from [that album]—‘It feels like I’ve been waking up only to fight with the same old stuff/change is flowing/it fills me with such doubt/come on new man/where have you been/help me wriggle from the self I’m in/and leave it like a skin upon the ground’—you could then go and play ‘Something Changed Inside Me.’ It’s my answer to ‘Like a Skin,’ this feeling I’ve had that people just can’t change. And the realization that not only have other people changed around me, but I’ve changed.” GROVES TAKES THIS INWARD SHIFT ONE STEP FURTHER by exploring the concept of “add to the beauty,” the phrase she uses to describe the works God has 32 ccm january 06 ccmmagazine.com prepared in advance for us to do. Adding to the beauty is “the Kingdom coming. It’s a little brick. It’s a little mortar,” she says. “Now then, how do we live with this change in our lives, with this divine rewriting that’s taken place? What’s this thing that God’s set me here to do because it’s not just to groom my personal faith all my life. I’ve grown up much of my life grooming my own faith. In the American church, we are so good at that. We’ve got the ultimate worship experience… We’ve got every resource under the sun to perfect our personal devotional life, and now what? You don’t go to school to keep going to school. You go to school to then go do something.” For such a deeply personal album, Groves needed a producer who would help her capture the essence of her piano-driven sound. Her friend Charlie Peacock (Switchfoot, Nichole Nordeman), who had co-produced the elaborate The Other Side of Something, recommended Sara return to a Conversations feel for this next album. “You’re a mom and pop store. People trust you,” he told her. While Groves knew she couldn’t go back thematically, she did “feel a compulsion to take beautiful pictures of the songs, not to prop anything up.” The two of I laughed, I cried, and by the time this goes to print, I will have ordered the T-shirt!” The combination of teaming with Bannister and pursuing new songwriting collaborations stretched Groves beyond anything she’s ever done. “Ed Cash was my counselor/cowriter,’ she relates as she reflects on her cowriting experiences. “For me, getting to songs is such a personal unearthing of things. Peter Gabriel has a song called ‘Digging in the Dirt.’ It’s all about…digging in the dirt…this introspective thing, and for me, songwriting is like that. [With] Gordon Kennedy…I was in awe. I was kind of quiet that whole time because I was pretty star-struck… He just laid out these gems, these ideas [for] the bridge from ‘Loving a Person.’ And then Matt Bronlewee was just a ball. We just talked for two hours and then in 30 minutes wrote ‘Add to the Beauty.’” As a result, Groves says her writing has improved and her songs benefited. “I’d love to do it again!” GIFTED BY THESE NEW THOUGHTS AND PROCESSES, Add to the Beauty is a landmark album for her. “I finally scratched an itch that I’ve been trying to get… I did it—I used the least church language I’ve ever used and yet made the clearest declaration of faith I’ve made in my career. And to me, that’s a goal I’ve been striving for, to speak to people’s hearts, not to their culture, not to their church background, but… I want Eve and Adam to be able to listen to this album under the tree and say, ‘Isn’t that true? Isn’t that the thing?’” Her joy is contagious, the joy of a friend who’s “ finally scratched an itch that I’ve been trying to get… I did it—I used the least church language I’ve ever used and yet made the clearest declaration of faith I’ve made in my career.” I them started tossing around names of other producers, and she felt an immediate tickle when Peacock suggested his one-time mentor Brown Bannister (MercyMe, The Afters). Bannister had produced several of Groves’ all-time favorite albums, including many by the hero of her youth, Amy Grant. “When my husband Troy and I met with Brown, it felt like a great fit. What Charlie had said about Brown was, ‘You can’t find a better song photographer than him.’ And that’s exactly what happened. He has an amazing sense for the songs. He doesn’t come at it with a preconceived idea of what it’s going to be. He comes at it kind of wondering, ‘What does this song want to be?’…He was very transparent as a producer; he wanted my input.” “Every word, every note, every texture, every musical stroke is so important to Sara,” Bannister says, “not because she is a control freak, but because she cares so deeply that every aspect of the recording should be a servant to the revelation and truth that God has given her to communicate. It doesn’t take a lot of imagination to guess how refreshing it is to work with an artist like this. figured out that nagging worry, found a new kind of peace and reached out and given some of it to you. Looking toward the future, Groves acknowledges a new opportunity to come alongside other artists and offer her example. Though she calls herself “an uneasy mentor,” she’s struck by the fact that she’s been making music for eight years now. “It doesn’t take long to grow up on someone’s music,” she says with a laugh. “I am excited and nervous because…even in myself I’ve been mentored by so many—Jars of Clay, their action from afar, watching their work with Blood:Water Mission. And then Charlie and Andi [Peacock]—I hope that I’m a Charlie and an Andi in Minneapolis because I’ll tell you what, they’ve influenced so many people, and they bring the Kingdom alive in so many cool ways.” What else might the future hold for her, Troy and their two little boys? Groves isn’t sure, but she’s OK with that. “I feel very positive these days. I feel very aware of good news these days. I feel very aware that God is up to something and that I get to be a part of it, and these are exciting times to be alive.” ccm CCM_01.06_DerekWebb.v4 12/8/05 9:32 AM Page 34 theLEADof LOV BY: DAVID A. JENISON of CCM_01.06_DerekWebb.v4 VE 12/8/05 9:32 AM Page 35 S ometimes an artist just needs a change of pace. Derek Webb, who for many years performed before huge crowds as a member of Caedmon’s Call, now opts for more intimate shows as a solo artist. This inspired the Texas native to do a “house” tour in 2004 in which fans piled into homes for a community-style performance. Webb, who’s signed to INO Records, captured this magic on his live The House Show CD which he released independently. He admits the close-knit settings often spurred stressful moments, and not just from raided refrigerators and overflowing toilets. “I didn’t have a PA, so sometimes it ended up breaking loose,” says the singer. “One night during the Q&A time, a guy stood up and tried to take over with some pretty crazy beliefs. It was difficult to pull it back together, but I said, ‘You and I can talk about this after the show, but this is not your moment to try and convince everyone.’” On that particular night, the outspoken attendee steered a discussion about honesty into a monologue about perfection. He said he hadn’t committed any sins in x number of years and quoted “bizarre scriptures” for about eight minutes. The man (who’s apparently not married if he still thinks he’s perfect) finally had to be cut off. “I said, ‘Man, if you say you haven’t sinned, I’ll do my best to believe you, but I’m not going to let you tell everyone in this room that they aren’t believers,’” recalls Webb. “We ended up having a good conversation in the front yard, but he was belligerent about being right.” Webb gave the man an extended one-on-one conversation, whereas most artists would rather let their tour managers beat the man's head with a hardbound Concordance. In essence, this epitomizes the singer's personal touch that comes through both in concert and on his albums, most notably with his latest, Mockingbird. The new studio album, which released December 26, is his third for INO, coming on the heels of 2003’s She Must and Shall Go Free and 2004’s I See Things Upside Down. Mockingbird gets very personal as Webb skillfully reevaluates many commonly held beliefs while challenging the listener to consider new ideas about morality. “I think Derek has delivered his best record to date,” says Jeff Moseley, president of INO Records. “I am a huge fan of the way he challenges our suppositions and makes us take a new look at the cultural trappings of Christianity. Mockingbird is a watershed recording that will raise eyebrows and evoke passionate conversation. I am proud to work with an artist that does not shy away from examining the ‘sacred cows’ through the lens of Jesus’ teachings.” In doing so, Webb frames ethical discussions around proactive moral imperatives in a time when so many people limit the discussion to “don't” lists. “Poverty is a moral issue, and it goes right to the heart of the dignity of human beings and treating people as image bearers of our Creator,” says Webb, citing an example of proactive morality. “We know that ten percent of the world's population lives in Sub-Saharan Africa and that 50 percent of them live in poverty. For people to live in these conditions, especially in a time of such tremendous resources and technology, is just unacceptable.” At the end of the day, with Mockingbird Webb hopes to show the other side to a discussion that he believes is often too narrowly framed. For example, many believers will talk about a new kingdom in which there’s no hunger, but Webb wants to encourage people to proclaim the kingdom now by putting food in a hungry person’s mouth. He explains, “You spend two years talking about one side of the gospel coin, the coming of Jesus, but there is the other side that people often forget, the coming of His kingdom. There will be no injustice, no hunger, no disease, no war and no poverty, and all things will be made right. But the way we proclaim that kingdom is by putting our hands into the making right of all things. If you see someone with a disease, proclaim a kingdom with no disease by caring for that person and providing life-saving drugs. I would like to think that is what St. Francis meant when he said, “Go into the world and proclaim the gospel, and if necessary, use words.’”ccm ccmmagazine.com january 06 ccm 35 CCM_01.06_Listening_v5 12/8/05 9:33 AM Page 36 listening in... Donald Miller & Robbie Seay If the name Donald Miller rings a bell, it’s because when someone mentions Blue Like Jazz, you suddenly go, “Oh, yeah!” The immensely popular writer and speaker is a special favorite in the artistic community, and a current tour billing with Jars of Clay, Sara Groves and Chris Rice has enmeshed him even more deeply in the world of Christian music. And while he’s trekking across the country to shows, he’d probably tell you The Robbie Seay Band’s Better Days (Sparrow) provides the greatest road trip music ever. Seay and Miller enjoy a friendship and mutual fandom that extends to Miller’s involvement in Seay’s brother Chris’ new book, Faith of My Fathers (Zondervan). Join us as we listen in on their thoughtprovoking conversation. From left: Donald Miller, Robbie Seay Donald: Your record [Better Days (Sparrow)] has been incredible for me with this trip across the country…I think I listened to it, the old recording of it…for about two months. Basically, it’s hard to believe the record isn’t about a road trip, about traveling across the country just figuring stuff out, but I guess I’m projecting. Tell me something. This is your first record, but how did it come to be? Where does it come from? Robbie: Yeah, and Chris, my brother, started that church in Waco with David [Crowder], and actually, after my freshman year, we were all a part of that beginning of the church there; and I was a guest for a few years in Crowder’s band—it was less of a formal band thing. It was a bunch of us trying to figure out “What the heck does this all look like?” We played music. But definitely, he was and is a big influence on me. And all the band guys, we’re connected in some way. Robbie: I think from a lot of different places; it’s probably a lot like when people ask you about books, like, “Hey, where did that begin?” It is funny because the record…a lot of it really does reference getting in the car, or, if it’s not your car, maybe it’s something different for a lot of people, but for me it was driving and finding a place of peace and some kind of solitude and really exposing yourself to God, kind of opening yourself up. Probably a lot of the songs do come from that. I think it is cool because I do know a lot of people who do drive and listen to the album, and it has become the unofficial road trip band or something… And obviously it came from our community here; and you’ve been part of that and kind of know where some of our roots are very deep. Any lyric, good or bad, that comes out of us is connected to them. Donald: What’s the difference between being an independent artist—you guys had sort of an underground CD going around that everybody was loving…and then you signed and started traveling on big tours and [feeling] the pressure to write a new record… And you feel out of the closet as a professional artist and that sort of thing. What’s the difference, do you think? Donald: How’s it been traveling with David Crowder and those guys? Robbie: Wonderful! …We did thirty-five shows on the tour. People would ask if we Robbie: There are a lot of small things that change. With logistics… What does it mean to make a record? And the kind of freedoms that you enjoyed maybe aren’t there. People have questioned me on this—as if I’m lying to them—but there hasn’t been a ton of difference… Obviously, we’re a little busier. We’re in Nashville a little more, and some of that mystique of just being on your own is gone. Have you felt like that too? Your life has changed a bunch in the last couple years, and so many more people, especially in this little world that we semi-reside in, know about you… Do you feel like some of that mystique is gone? were enjoying it, and my response was always, “If I can’t enjoy this deal here, then I need to find a job.” The people are good. The people are beautiful people and friends. It’s bigger than just a Christian concert in some random city… We love the Crowder band. We love Shane & Shane. I don’t know if we’ll ever get a trip like that again. That’s a pretty special thing, and I think that will always set the bar in a lot of ways. Donald: Yeah, a little bit. There’s so much more pressure, you know, and it gets kind of crazy. And I’m a year away from being able to have free time. That part is a pain. But there are people reading [my] book [laughs]. It’s great… It’s impossible to complain about it, and if you did, you should be shot… Donald: A lot of people don’t know how you guys all know each other. You all went Robbie: Do you give much thought to Christian culture in general in this country, and then specifically, your role in it now? And then what your role—and other writers similar to you—would be in shaping its direction? to the same church together…? 36 ccm january 06 ccmmagazine.com CCM_01.06_Listening_v5 12/8/05 9:33 AM Page 37 Donald: …I feel that God is using a lot of people right now to build a bridge between Robbie: That’s great. I’ve got several things I want to run by you quickly. All of your books Christian culture and the rest of the world, and that’s not only a bridge to people who are hurting in other parts of the world, but also in American culture who are marginalized and basically have false ideas about what Christianity is all about. And it’s important for me to be one of the guys building that bridge and translating those ideas from one culture to another, not only from the Christian culture to nonbelievers, but also the other way around. Again, as long as you have one foot in the church and one foot in the world, you realize that the two parties don’t understand each other at all. There are misconceptions on both sides. have been well received, but Blue Like Jazz… Were you surprised at how much impact that book had, at the reception to that book? Robbie: That’s cool. That’s funny, because…when [people] talk about Don Miller, they just describe you as somebody who’s honest, a writer who’s actually honest and transparent. And I agree: I think you have that and more to offer. But do you find it ironic at all that a Christian writer is known for his honesty and transparency? Donald: What’s so weird about that is the assumption that most writers, period, are trying to create an image rather than be honest. A Christian should not be that way, mainly because the kind of literature we have in the Bible is extremely honest; and God is not trying to make Himself look good in that book. He’s telling it like it is. There are not a whole lot of heroes in the Bible and not a whole lot of Hollywood scripts that you can pull out of there. It’s so much more like reality. So I have confidence when I write that it’s OK to be honest, because the Bible is full of that stuff... I also know how hard it is to be honest, how much work it takes to go further than you want to go, to tell people stuff you really don’t want to talk about. It takes a little bit of effort to put yourself out there. Robbie: To Own a Dragon: Rewriting the Legacy of an Invisible Father…I knew you were writing that or working on that at some point. What’s the progress on that book? Donald: I went through a phase this past year where it was really hard to write anything, and it wasn’t so much a faith crisis… I don’t know what it was. I’m really late on the book… But for whatever reason, writing has been very difficult.... This book is for guys who grew up without fathers, and I have a heart for those guys because my dad split when I was a kid. Just real honest reflections on sort of the inadequacies that come up in your life because of that. That’s part of the reason it’s been so hard. You have to deal with all these really tough issues. We’re trying to wrap that up, and then we’re actually going to launch a foundation, a mentoring foundation for young guys who don’t have dads. It’ll launch when the book releases. That’s basically through our local church back home. Robbie: I’ve heard some about the foundation. What does that look like specifically, and what is the practical side to that? Donald: Everybody who grew up without a father can have crap to work through. It’s real hard to do that on your own, and the church really doesn’t provide help in that way. It’s just [that there are] not very many churches with a mentoring purpose. That’s because the problem is really pretty new. It’s just been in the last 40 years, and so it snuck up on us. Hopefully, my book and the foundation will be a way of helping people understand and give them some ideas. We’re just going to have handyman services for single moms so they can call the foundation, and we’ll send somebody out at no cost to fix their washer and dryer and fix stuff around the house… Phase two is the retreats and camps for guys without dads. We teach them to balance a checkbook, how to talk to a girl…how to tie a tie, throw a football. Phase three is the actual mentoring. We’ll move into partnering a father figure with a kid, age 9 up to hopefully college… Donald: Yeah, I’ve been very surprised. It’s not… The book is such an elusive kind of thing. It’s just not this average Christian book or an average book, period, so I don’t think anyone expected to sell a lot of copies… I’ve been surprised and blessed by the response because there’s a feeling of… It is so great to realize you’re not alone… There’s this feeling of the reader going, “I thought I was alone in this. But you said exactly how I feel.” That’s a cool bond to have with the reader. It’s an affinity there with people who have read the book, the feeling that I can get along with these people because we’re on the same page. It’s really neat… Speaking of books, we should talk about your and Chris’ book too [Faith of My Fathers (Zondervan)]. Robbie: I was going to ask you… Obviously you were a part of that a little bit with writing and doing some editing on that. [Miller also wrote the foreward.] What was that like for you to jump in on our family like that? Donald: It was a very weird experience because I was writing a book about growing up without a dad, and you guys were just putting together a book about growing up with a dad. You guys are all dads and grandfathers and stuff. It was like holding up a binary opposite color. You can realize the contrast between the two pictures. It was a beautiful experience because you got to see how great a father can be and how great fathers are. As I’m studying the absence of a father and the effect it’s had on people and their lives, I’m looking at this other book about the presence of a father and what sort of effect those conversations can have. It was just a neat experience for me. I really thought that was a beautiful book in terms of its uniqueness, having three generations of pastors and people who are involved in ministry [talking about] where the church has gone and what the feeling is amongst the leadership [as to] what to do about it. I think of it as a documentary more than I think of it as a book. Robbie: You saw us, in those discussions of fathers and grandfathers and brothers, at [our] best, and really at [our] worst… I wondered, as somebody not in the family—we’re arguing about things, laughing about some other things, running the gamut in those conversations—was it awkward for you? Was it cool? Donald: I think the only awkward part for me was… Because my dad split when I was very, very young—you just sort of don’t know that you didn’t have a dad. You don’t understand it. So it’s later, really, even into like late 20s or early 30s, that I just woke up to this idea, and I went through this season of writing the book when I thought, “I didn’t realize that this stunk so bad.” God worked through a group of guys, fathers and their sons… So, God, why didn’t you give me one of these? What’s wrong with me? There’s a little bit of that, but… Robbie: Ten years from now, what [will you be] writing? And to tag on to that, do you ever see yourself writing screenplays? Donald: I haven’t, but it’s interesting that you would ask that because I’m about to hang up the phone here and meet with guys who are writing a screenplay for Blue Like Jazz. I’m not so much writing it as I am sort of answering questions and helping a little bit... I think 10 years from now, I’d like to be writing novels… I think that’s the future. I think it’ll be fiction. ccm ccmmagazine.com january 06 ccm 37 CCM_01.06 CS.v3 12/8/05 10:23 AM Page 38 SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION college spotlight... • WAYS TO MAXIMIZE YOUR COLLEGE EXPERIENCE These are the best years of your life. To those college students burning the midnight oil cramming the night before a final exam, these words make even the best of them cringe. College is supposed to be the best time of your life. People may tell you this repeatedly, but when you are sprinting across campus, stressing over GPAs, perfecting resumes, interning for free, attending group meetings, and getting buried under mounds of endless homework, your initial response might be, “Yeah, right!” Well, there just might be some truth in this saying after all. This month, CCM Magazine is spotlighting 10 different colleges, unique perspectives, and innovative ways to make your college experience truly the best four (or more) years of your life. Each college spotlighted offers a distinctive culture that also infuses faith with learning and personal growth. Whether you’re a high school senior researching colleges or a current college student, professors and artists alike have come together to give you advice on how to maximize your college experience. After all, these are the best years of your life, right? favorite college memories • We asked a few of your favorite Christian artists for their favorite college memories. Here’s what they shared with us… 38 ccm january 06 ccmmagazine.com Chris Tomlin—Three friends and I orchestrated what we thought would be the smoothest move any guy could pull off with a lady. We all had crushes on girls that one of the other guys knew. We made a plan to ask each girl if she would surprise our friend by going by his house and spontaneously asking him out on a date. Of course, we were doing this for each other, and each of us was to act surprised when one of the girls showed up at our house. We had planned it so each girl would ask me or one of my friends out on the same night, and we had asked them to take us to the same place. We thought we would all meet up that night and have a laugh and also flatter the girls with the elaborate scheme. One problem…the girls were friends. They happened to ask one another what they were doing that evening and found out that they had been fooled into this plan. They outsmarted us and each took us to a different place. I kept trying to hint that I wanted to go to “such and such,” but she ended up taking me grocery shopping. She finally told me that she knew the plan and just loved watching me sweat it out. We did have a good laugh but no more dates! John Ellis, Tree63—Once, I was approached by a Christian student who noticed me sitting miserably by myself and asked me if he could pray for me. Being a non-believer at the time, I was absolutely uncomfortable with it and said no. It’s my favorite memory because literally within 10 months of that incident I became a full-on born again Christian, and my life was completely changed. That memory reminds me always of just how lost I was, and just how much God was seeking me all the time, and just how grateful I am to Him for finding me and setting me free. Vicky Beeching—My favorite college memory would be the induction ceremony for all new Oxford students. We had to dress up in the old fashioned, traditional Oxford uniform with long black gowns, white shirts, bow ties and mortarboard hats, so we all looked like penguins! My mind was blown away as I thought of all the people who’d gone through this ceremony since the university began in 1167 A.D. We sat through an hour-long service, all in Latin and Greek, so I barely understood a word! It was very somber and quiet in there, and my friend and I sat and imagined what would happen if we smuggled some mice in and set them free! ... wish we had done that ... now that would have made a good “favorite college memory” story! My other favorite memory was “Formal Dinner” in the dining hall each week. If you’ve seen Harry Potter, then you’ve seen the dining hall, as they used it for filming the great hall scenes of the movie. It’s huge, with big oil paintings on the walls and tons of candles everywhere, and just sitting in there was quite an experience! Shawn McDonald—I would say a good part of my college life is a bit of a blur because of really dumb choices that I made. I made a lot of mistakes in college, but one of the best choices and experiences I had in college was getting involved with a group of great college men. I found that there were lots of good places to spend my time including the people that I hung out with. I found a great college group that cared about deeper things in life, and those things weren’t partying and being crazy. We would have Bible studies, fishing trips, retreats and lots of other fun memories. My Christian buddies are definitely the best memory I have from college. CCM_01.06 CS.v3 12/8/05 10:01 AM Page 40 Bethel University • St. Paul, Minnesota Lake Valentine and 231 wooded acres in Arden Hills, Minn., give shelter to Bethel University and its traditional undergraduate college, the College of Arts & Sciences. Traced back to the founding of Bethel Seminary in 1871, Bethel’s College of Arts and Sciences now enrolls more than 2,900 students and is a leading resource for Christian higher education, ranking No. 13 on U.S. News & World Report’s “America’s Best Colleges” for top Midwestern universities. At Bethel, students can explore 66 diverse majors, including the brand new journalism major that allows students to write for the university’s newspaper as well as an actual community paper. In addition, other opportunities to be launched within the next year include a semester-long journalism program in Washington, D.C., and a media studies semester at Bethel’s New York Center for Art & Media (NYCAM). Plans are also underway to offer magazine publishing courses in New York City by 2008. This course will allow students to meet magazine publishers and editors, tour publishing companies and make connections for future internships. Resources such as Bethel’s state-of-the-art science labs in physics, chemistry, biology and computer science have led to significant recognition. The physics department was named one of 21 thriving physics programs in the United States by the American Institute of Physics, and nearly 100 percent of chemistry graduates who apply to graduate school are accepted, as well as 95 percent of those who apply to medical school. Bethel University has many resources available for students: a video production studio, campus radio station and the 1,700-seat Benson Great Hall, one of the premier concert venues in the Upper Midwest. Equidistant to the Twin Cities, numerous opportunities for internships and employment, entertainment, professional sports, cultural events and shopping are only 15 minutes away. bethel.edu www. Greenville College • Greenville, Illinois “Greenville College is a place where students can ask the most important and most difficult questions because they become part of a Christian community that tries to avoid the spoon-fed answers of a ‘canned’ faith,” says Greenville College Associate Professor of English, Dr. Brad Shaw. Students will be impressed with the traditions and philosophy of the college, as Greenville emphasizes a “real world” approach to learning and the “liberating” arts. The college encourages internships, and Greenville students have interned at record labels, with pro sports teams, at radio and TV stations, in healthcare facilities, at public relations firms, in theatre companies and in churches and governmental agencies. The college also offers an option called the “Individually Tailored Education Plan”—in other words, “create your own major.” One of the best real world experiences Greenville offers is the student-run Agape Music Festival. Hosting the largest Christian music festival in the region demands students from every discipline as they plan, promote and produce a massive event that attracts over 5,000 people each year. New students will also be interested in the high tech privileges such as recording studios and advanced research equipment available to them from day one, as well as wireless Internet from anywhere on campus. (Greenville was the first college in the country to go completely wireless!) Finally, students are required to take a course that includes a weekend trip to nearby Chicago where they experience first-hand a variety of faith communities, causing them to reflect on their own beliefs. Another student life favorite is “Tuesday Night Live” or TNL, a variety show in which all students may participate. TNL is held one Tuesday a month. Admission is $2.00 with all proceeds going to charity. While the facilities and programs may impress new students at Greenville when they come, it’s guaranteed they’ll be impressed by their changed lives when they leave. greenville.edu www. 40 ccm january 06 ccmmagazine.com CCM_01.06 CS.v3 12/8/05 10:01 AM Page 42 Judson College • Elgin, Illinois Affiliated with the American-Baptists, the campus of Judson College lies 40 miles northwest of Chicago. In the words of college president Dr. Jerry Cain, Judson is “completely Christian and completely college.” Judson is growing, as a new academic center is under construction to house the Division of Art, Design and Architecture and an expanded library. Talk about being state-of-the-art! This facility will employ innovative “green” technology and will be one of the most energy-efficient and environmentally friendly buildings in the United States. Perhaps the reason that this technology is so important is that Judson offers an accredited master’s program in architecture. Catering to lifelong learners, Judson has an academic division exclusively for non-traditional students, encouraging continuing education for those desiring to finish their degrees. Judson is also a school committed to serving its community. Super Service Saturday takes place during the weekend of orientation and affords students the unique opportunity to begin their college career by getting involved in their local community in service to others. In fact, as a direct result of their service efforts, the city of Elgin honored Judson students with a 2005 Elgin Image Award for the positive impact they made in their community. judsoncollege.edu www. 5 WAYS TO MAXIMIZE YOUR COLLEGE EXPERIENCE NO. 1: Dive in with both feet, and be prepared to hit the ground running at the onset. [You] will have the rest of [your] life to settle into a chosen profession from which [you] might never deviate, so take a wide variety of classes. [It] is a great way to see how God is at work in every area of your life, and how He might use a subject to spark a lifelong interest.—Professor Warren Anderson, Dean of the Chapel, Judson College G E T I N V O LV E D JUDSON COLLEGE.EDU IN YOUR LIFE ABSORB ALL THAT JUDSON HAS TO OFFER ONE OF THE BEST Architecture, education, youth ministry, business...Judson offers you over 60 majors, minors and concentrations, 10 pre-professional programs and two masters programs. Our professors have real-world experience, and they really want you to succeed. ENGAGE IN OUR EXCITING CAMPUS SOCIAL SCENE In the dorms, on the field, in the chapel, on the stage...you’ll make lifelong friendships with people from other cities, states and countries. With the city of Elgin and downtown Chicago at your doorstep, you’ll never run short of things to see and do. IMMERSE YOURSELF IN A JOURNEY OF SPIRITUAL DISCOVERY Discover the person that God has called you to be. Take advantage of opportunities like community outreach ministries, international missions trips, coffee house bible studies and late night talks about things that really matter. 42 ccm january 06 ccmmagazine.com Office of Admissions 1151 North State Street Elgin, IL 60123 www.judsoncollege.edu 1-800-879-5376 Judson is ranked as a “top tier” Midwest comprehensive college by U.S. News & World Report. BIG ON ACADEMICS Judson offers over 60 majors, minors and concentrations, 10 pre-professional programs, and masters degrees in architecture and education. GLOBAL-MINDED Judson sponsors international research centers in the areas of world hunger research and adolescent ministry. GIVING Judson gives financial assistance to over 90% of the student body to help you finance your education. CALL TODAY 1-800-879-5376 CCM_01.06 CS.v3 12/8/05 10:01 AM Page 43 Trevecca Nazarene University Nashville, Tennessee Every college usually provides avenues for students to intern, but how would you like to intern at the Country Music Association, the Gospel Music Association, EMI Christian Music Group, BrentwoodBenson Music Publishing or Country Music Television? Trevecca Nazarene University’s prime location in Nashville, Tenn., provides exclusive opportunities to students that can’t be found at other universities not located in the heart of Music City, U.S.A. With an array of music industry professionals teaching classes at Trevecca, the Department of Music Business—under the umbrella of the Division of Music— readies students for a career in the music industry. The department director, Jim Foglesong, was even recently inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame. He was also the former president of Capitol Records Nashville, making him a great source of experience and expertise for his students. Instruction varies with courses ranging from songwriting to artist and concert management. With an on-campus recording studio and proven internship placement, Trevecca is a sure way for students interested in the music industry to gain applicable experience long before their career begins. Trevecca even offers a minor in music business—In addition, it is an accredited institutional member of the National Association of Schools of Music. trevecca.edu www. 5 WAYS TO MAXIMIZE YOUR COLLEGE EXPERIENCE NO. 2: Follow your passions. Let curiosity be your guide, confident that what intrigues you will also sustain you—in the marketplace as well as in the mind and heart.—Dr. Daniel Taylor, Bethel University, Professor of English sters ion. to ccmmagazine.com september 05 ccm 43 CCM_01.06 CS.v3 12/8/05 10:01 AM Page 45 Anderson University Anderson, Indiana While most liberal arts colleges provide chapel services for students multiple times a week, very few offer Webcasts of their chapel services. Enter Anderson University, located 35 minutes northeast of Indianapolis. Anderson’s chapel services meet twice a week with recent guests including Don Miller, collegiate-favorite author of Blue Like Jazz. While students earning fewer than 88 credit hours must live on campus, Anderson doesn’t have a curfew hour. All students are welcome to have cars on campus, and freshmen don’t have to battle upperclassmen for parking spaces since specific areas are set aside for them. Other perks for freshmen include chances to participate in service opportunities, even ones internationally through a unique Tri-S (Study, Serve & Share) study abroad program. Each year about 400 Anderson students travel to different countries to explore worldviews different from their own. Every weekend brings a variety of events ranging from opportunities for community service, social clubs and campus ministries to athletic events. Miss a ballgame? For all sports fans, Anderson can send sports scores and news briefings straight to your cell phone or e-mail for free. In addition, Anderson hosts a well-known Christmas production, “Candles and Carols,” that has been broadcast on PBS stations and a number of affiliates since the late ’80s. And of course, what about the music? Anderson boasts its own student-run record label, Orangehaus Records. Students produce and promote real artists signed to the label. Anderson is also home to WQME, a commercial radio station, and its student production company, Covenant Productions. For the non-music majors, Anderson offers over 60 undergraduate and graduate programs in areas such as business, education and theology. anderson.edu www. Indiana Wesleyan University Marion, Indiana As one of the fastest-growing Christian universities in the country, Indiana Wesleyan University consistently ranks at or near the top of Christian colleges for spiritual life in Campus Life magazine’s biannual survey of high school students. More than $120 million has been spent on five new facilities since 1990. These include an awardwinning performing arts center, a rec center, a modern student center housing a brand new movie theater and, most recently, a state-of-the-art $11 million library. With excellent places to study and a local place to catch the latest theater flicks, students can also enjoy the on-campus coffee shop and student-led comedy skits each Friday night, appropriately titled “Friday Night Live.” Residence halls are full of conveniences, with each hall accommodating a computer lab, vending machines, a study room, chapel, store for snacks, ironing boards and laundry facilities, conference rooms and fitness area. For students who prefer to get off campus, Indiana Wesleyan is located midway between Indianapolis and Fort Wayne, making the university’s location a great place to experience the cultural opportunities of two nearby cities. Aside from location, the academic life at IWU is top-notch, complete with a first-class honors program. IWU offers several graduate programs for more than 9,000 adults studying at various locations throughout Indiana, Ohio, Kentucky and online. In addition to providing classes on the Web, IWU has a cool online bookstore where students, faculty, parents and alumni can buy Wildcat gear. Students can also easily find merchandise essential for their academic pursuits including computer software and textbooks. In fact, you can even buy and sell your textbooks over the Web. IWU has also received national recognition for its mission-driven approach to education through its Upward Bound Project. This program is a pre-college prep program that helps high school students make the transition to college. www. indwes.edu ccmmagazine.com september 05 ccm 45 CCM_01.06 CS.v3 12/8/05 10:02 AM Page 47 Rochester College Rochester Hills, Michigan (Detroit) Rochester College lies within the heart of Detroit, Mich., where opportunities abound for a cultural experience like no other. And really, that’s what makes Rochester so appealing. Minutes from professional theater, concert venues, sporting events, world-class museums, cultural centers, unique shopping malls, ski slopes, and many other recreational possibilities, Rochester is definitely set in a prime location. It is this attribute that helps springboard successful careers following graduation. College of Business Dean Jeff Simmons speaks to this asset saying, “Studies show that 80 percent of college graduates end up living within 100 miles of where they graduate. So think about it. Where do you want to be when you study and graduate—in an area where the only extracurricular activity or employment opportunity is at the local dairy shop? Or in an area where the theater, arts, and industry are robust and where people from all over the world come to learn and experience life?” Aside from location, Rochester takes its Christian foundation very seriously, encouraging students to study everything in light of his/her faith. Study-abroad programs and on-campus classes exploring current issues from a Christian perspective enlarge each student’s worldview and expand their understanding of the world around them. rc.edu www. 5 WAYS TO MAXIMIZE YOUR COLLEGE EXPERIENCE NO. 3: In order to get the most out of college, students need to find a way to resist thinking about their time and effort in college as simply career preparation. Life is bigger than your job, and a real education prepares you for life—if you let it. A real college education begins to prepare you for engaging the complications that life throws at you when you turn 30 or 45 or 70.—Dr. Brad Shaw, Associate Professor of English, Greenville College ccmmagazine.com january 06 ccm 47 CCM_01.06 CS.v3 12/8/05 10:02 AM Page 48 Grace University • Omaha, Nebraska Grace University seeks to develop servant leaders, and as a result of this mission, Grace offers numerous opportunities for students to learn how to better serve those around them. Every Grace grad receives a double major in Bible and one of 18 unique professional career paths. No matter what area of study you choose, Grace takes the concept of servant leadership to the next level as students volunteer multiple times a week throughout the Omaha area. Students choose their own unique ways of volunteering such as visiting hospitals or jails, teaching Sunday school or serving as mentors. Grace World Outreach also coordinates student service opportunities and mission trips. During the first week in February the traditional class schedule is replaced with the World Christian Conference serving up a slew of guest speakers, workshops and times of reflective worship. Moreover, more than 25 different missions-related organizations are represented as students attend special events throughout the week. During weeks of regularly scheduled classes, students attend chapel Grace L.I.F.E. (Life Integration for Excellence) four times a week. In addition to outstanding academics and opportunities for spiritual growth, Grace also offers excellent athletic programs. As a member of the Midwest Christian Conference and the NCCAA, Grace offers soccer, basketball and volleyball. In fact, Grace’s women’s volleyball team recently won the NCCAA II National Championship. And the greatest news of all is that Grace’s tuition is one-third less than the average private college or university, ranking as one of the most affordable private universities in the country. With a global mindset, Grace encourages students through service learning, rigorous academics, athletic opportunities and endless volunteer possibilities. Grace’s intentional emphasis on servant leadership has paid off. Currently, hundreds of Grace alumni serve in over 55 countries worldwide in an array of capacities. graceuniversity.edu www. Palm Beach Atlantic University West Palm Beach, Florida Five minutes from the Atlantic Ocean, Palm Beach Atlantic University recently began the brand new Popular Music program. With recent changes in music, Palm Beach Atlantic is keeping pace with the everevolving trends in the industry, and that is why this program was created. Designed to develop the commercial musician for success in the music industry, the Popular Music program is geared toward individuals seeking a long-term professional career. The program stands astride the traditional music program and leads to a Bachelor of Arts degree with a major in popular music as well as a minor in popular culture through the University’s School of Communication and Media. Director of the Popular Music program Dr. Roget Pontbriand comments, “The Popular Music program investigates the entire music industry and its history, not just the pop charts of today.” The major uniquely provides training in the areas of writing, producing and performing with two tracks in film scoring and contemporary Christian music. The Christian emphasis of the school also filters down to the Popular Music program no matter what type of music you are interested in writing • How to Capture the Best College Experience Possible or performing. Dr. Pontbriand explains saying, “We have courses in every College is the best time in anyone’s life, at least in my opinion. It is a time department that focus on how each discipline integrates with the Christian of learning and discovery. A time of finding out who you really are and what it faith. For instance, in the songwriting class we cover piracy and what effect is you are going to believe. I believe you are what you eat. What I mean by it has on the industry, the individual and [society].” this is you will become what you intake. The people you hang with, the time Pontbriand himself brings real-world experience to the classroom as he that you spend, the choices that you make. You will get out of it what you put has toured with the Sunshine Band, performed with Aretha Franklin, in to it. — Shawn McDonald composed commercial music for Goodyear and BF Goodrich among many With college comes the constant pressure of “What is your major? What are other accomplishments. you gonna do with your life?” I think it is far more important as to who you are The asset of an on-campus Christian radio station also provides students with than what you do. — Chris Tomlin an easy, accessible opportunity to gain invaluable experience. The surroundings College offers community and is an opportunity for social interaction second are also state-of-the-art as the innovative Popular Music program is housed in a to none ... we just don’t find that out in the world, at least not to that extent. $10 million building that opened in 2002. However, you also need to make studying a priority ... there’s nothing like being collegiate advice from artists pba.edu www. 48 ccm january 06 ccmmagazine.com in your early twenties and being done with it! — John Ellis, Tree63 My advice would be if you are moving cities/states, try and find a good church in advance, so you’ll have a Christian community to plug into when you arrive. Also, remember your family back home! You are heading out on a new adventure, but they are back home missing you. So a card or phone call every now and then means the world to them! Lastly, choose your friends carefully. Proverbs 13:20 tell us that the company we keep has a big influence on who we become. — Vicky Beeching CCM_01.06 CS.v3 12/8/05 10:02 AM Page 51 American Missionary Fellowship All of the colleges spotlighted are helping students maximize their college years by encouraging them to actively serve others. Many students attending or wanting to attend Christian universities are seeking full-time missions as their lifelong vocation. That’s where American Missionary Fellowship comes in. With over 200 years of ministry experience, AMF’s Bible-inspired mission is to impact the unchurched people of America with the gospel. So, for those wanting to participate in home missions, American Missionary Fellowship is your ticket to experience. General Director Dr. Lee K. Iseley says, “AMF believes that college students who work in home missions will be prepared for a lifetime of service for the Lord. Nothing can motivate students to gain the most out of their classroom work better than being able to put their knowledge into practice by serving others. Our advice is to gain as much knowledge during your college years, but also develop as much ministry experience as possible.” AMF offers opportunities for students to work at Christian camps, in youth ministries and in Vacation Bible Schools among other things across the country. American Missionary Fellowship can connect you to mission opportunities in your area, no matter where your college is located. To find out what opportunities exist in your area, visit the AMF website, www.americanmissionary.org, for more information. americanmissionary.org www. 5 WAYS TO MAXIMIZE YOUR COLLEGE EXPERIENCE NO. 4: The quality of education can be measured by the individual’s personal commitment and motivation. The best university and faculty cannot teach an unmotivated individual.—Dr. Roget Pontbriand, Palm Beach Atlantic University, Director of the Popular Music program Think every American child knows the words to “Jesus Loves Me?” Think again. With the increasing influence of new ideas, cultures, values, and religions on the American people, we can’t assume everyone knows what the Bible teaches. In your own community, families may study the Koran, practice Wicca, or simply worship at the altar of consumerism. In fact, the United States could easily be called the newest foreign mission field for the American church. American Missionary Fellowship has been teaching children the Word of God for more than 200 years. Through Vacation Bible Schools, Bible camps, Mailbox Clubs, and more, AMF missionaries are showing a new generation of Americans that Jesus loves them, too. To find out about American Missionary Fellowship’s ministries to unchurched Americans (both children and adults), contact us at 610.527.4439 or visit us online at www.americanmissionary.org/cc. Don’t just think about the needs. Help meet them. * Percentage extrapolated from figures in The Barna Update, http://www.barna.org/FlexPage.aspx?Page=BarnaUpdate&BarnaUpdateID=143 september 05 ccm 51 www.americanmissionary.org/cc ccmmagazine.com CCM_01.06 CS.v3 12/8/05 10:02 AM Page 52 John Brown University Siloam Springs, Arkansas Ranking sixth in the Top Southern Colleges in U.S. News and World Report for 2006, it is no doubt that John Brown University gives students a great liberal arts education. With a diverse student body, missionary kids make up about 10 percent of the student population. In addition, JBU makes it easy for home-schooled students to connect to college since many do not have guidance counselors to advise them through this process. Moreover, JBU’s Honors Program has served as a model to other institutions worldwide. In fact, JBU’s national honor society, Alpha Chi, recently received the President’s Cup as the top chapter in the country, while also having been recognized as the “Star Chapter” for the last nine years. Furthermore, JBU’s speech and debate team is as strong as ever placing first in the state competition and ninth nationally just last year. Dream of being a doctor and want to be assured that you will be completely prepared for med school? JBU’s science programs boast a 100 percent acceptance rate among those graduates who apply to graduate and professional schools. JBU is good in athletics, too. The men’s basketball team earned the title of NAIA Division I National Champions in 2005. jbu.edu www. 5 WAYS TO MAXIMIZE YOUR COLLEGE EXPERIENCE NO. 5: When it comes to college, the old adage that ‘you get what you put in” is true. Students should take advantage of as many opportunities as possible. My advice to students is to approach your college career so that you have no regrets later on.—Jeff Simmons, Rochester College, Professor/Dean of College of Business Accounting Biblical & Theological Studies Biochemistry Biology Biology Education Broadcasting Business Admini stration Business Information Systems Chemistry Chemistry Education Children and Family Ministry Community Development Computer Science Construction Management Cross-Cultural Services Digital Media Arts Early Childhood Education Engineering English English Education Environmental Science Exercise Studies Family & Human Services Graphic Design History Illustration Intercultural Studies International Business Journalism Leadership & Management Marketing Mathematics Mathematics Education Middle School Education Music Music -- Applied Music Education Organizational Management Outdoor Leadership Ministries Political Science Psychology Public Relations Social Studies Education Spanish Sport Management Sports Medicine Worship Ministries Youth Ministries Youth and Worship Ministries Friendly. Real. Solid. Christ-centered. Challenging. Competitive. Recognized. Yes, JBU is all of those things. But what’s unique about JBU is something you can’t really explain with words. It's something you get when you're here. It's the reason that most people who visit JBU choose to attend JBU as a student. They come, and they get it. Check out our web site. Read our brochure. Call us. We try our best to describe JBU with words. But always keep in mind that the JBU experience goes way beyond words. JOHN BROWN UNIVERSITY ...way beyond words. CCM_01.06_Music.v4 12/13/05 2:15 PM Page 53 inreview music THE FUNDAMENTAL ELEMENTS OF A COMEBACK LEAVE IT TO P.O.D. TO WITHSTAND A CRITICAL AND COMMERCIAL BEATING, THEN COME OUT OF THE GATES WITH ITS FINEST ALBUM YET. P.O.D. Testify Atlantic/Word P.O.D. STRIKES BACK! Two years ago, P.O.D. entered the studio, fresh off its smash hit Satellite. That album yielded two huge singles, “Alive” and “Youth of the Nation,” and sold more than 3 million copies. The band seemed poised to capitalize File under: Grade: Aon its success. P.O.D. had just welcomed Hard/Rock new guitarist Jason Truby (from Living Sacrifice) into its ranks and was eager to storm the charts again. Now, two years later, P.O.D. is a band bloodied and beaten. Payable on Death, its follow-up to Satellite, was a darker affair, with a more straightahead heavy approach that left fans overwhelmingly disappointed. As album sales dipped more than 80 percent, P.O.D. seemed to be heading in the wrong direction. But then in 2005, we got a taste of the good things to come with the limited edition release of The Warriors EP, Vol. 2, which sounded fresh and a lot more like Satellite. That set up the new album, Testify, a true return to form in every way while taking a big step forward. How big? This is simply the band’s best album, bar none. As the title suggests, Testify is a blatantly “Christian” album from a devoutly faithful band. This is P.O.D.’s most direct work since signing with Atlantic Records. The lyrics stay true to its influences, dealing with real-life issues including the band’s personal ups and downs. “I can still see the light at the end of the tunnel,” Sonny Sandoval sings on “Goodbye for Now.” “Shine through the dark times, even when I lose my mind.” P.O.D.’s success can be traced, at least in part, to its ability to combine the band’s reggae influences with rap and hard rock. The song “Roots In Stereo” marks the outfit’s best attempt at this to date. It’s also the closest Testify comes to an anthem on the level of “Youth of the Nation.” With the driving track “Lights Out,” sure to be a fan favorite, P.O.D. slips back into a harder-edged rock sound. Throughout its duration, Testify jumps deftly from style to style, incorporating all without sacrificing each one’s musical integrity. It’s been tempting to write off P.O.D. with the host of other popular rockrap-reggae combos out there, but with Testify, the band has elevated it to an art form. Truby seems to have adapted to the band’s style this time, his guitar blending nicely with the polished sound. P.O.D. once again worked with producer Glen Ballard (Alanis Morissette, Aerosmith), who has managed to make the band sound better than ever. And while there may not be an instant hit such as “Alive,” this is the most solid P.O.D. album to date. DR. TONY SHORE ccmmagazine.com january 06 ccm 53 12/8/05 9:35 AM REBECCA ST. JAMES CCM_01.06_Music.v4 File under: Rock Page 54 If I Had One Chance to Tell You Something ForeFront Grade: A A TRULY ROCKING REVELATION 54 ccm january 06 ccmmagazine.com REBECCA ST. JAMES recent memory. And the eighth track, “Love Being Loved By You,” transforms an oft-tiresome subject into a tingly worship anthem that could shake a stadium: “Jesus, You are so wonderful/I cannot live without your love.” Just for kicks, it would also make a mighty fine techno mix. To be fair, the rap-inflected “Thank you”—while its sincerity is undoubted— leans toward Sunday School-esque with a simplistic refrain of “Thank you thank you thank you thank you, I’ve got two words for you…I’ve got three words more than thank you/I love you.” On the whole, however, this is the watershed record of Rebecca’s career so far, and to miss this disc is to miss the artist she was born to be. ANDREA BAILEY DELIRIOUS “She’s untouchable.” Frankly, that’s how a lot of us felt about veteran songstress Rebecca St. James throughout the first leg of her spotless and somewhat cliché-prone career. We liked her: It just didn’t seem as if she struggled alongside the rest of us mortals— or maybe she was just liberally sprinkled with fairy dust? There was faith, there was encouragement, there was victory in Jesus, but there wasn’t a whole lot of Rebecca underneath the triumphant delivery and whitewashed words. Until now. After a trip to L’Abri and the kind of painful soul-searching that defies platitudes, she has finally given us something raw—and something rock. With this record, Rebecca hits a nerve—and suddenly, she’s on the same level as her listeners, fragile, human, lonely, tired. She launches out with lyrics so honest, they could give even Alanis Morissette a complex: “From the deep I cry/I need change in my life…I’m running out of time to live, running out of love to give, running out of life within…God help me…I don’t care who stares/I never want to be what I’ve been again” (“God Help Me”). Whoa. If her breathy vocals seemed demure in the past, against these punchier rock arrangements Rebecca pulls forth an impassioned delivery that makes the electric guitars sound tame, notably on the second track, “Alive.” Entwining throaty guitar riffage with an adrenalinecharged melody, the chorus locks in listeners with her first belting of “You make me come alive.” Just as convincing, the standout “I Need You” bursts forth with a ballroom string arrangement and a gentle Rebecca crooning “I hide no more behind the mask/What you see is what I am,” but morphs into a haunting, urgent plea that represents the emotional crux of the record. Clearly, Something very, very good is happening here. The record then moves into more worshipful, though still unapologetically rocking, territory. The irresistible chorus of “Beautiful Stranger” describes hearing the voice of God calling out through the questions and pain of life. Moving piano ballad “Forgive Me” offers the most beautiful singing from Rebecca in File under: Pop/Rock The Mission Bell Sparrow Grade: A MISSION: CHURCH After 13 albums that helped define the “modern worship” movement as we know it, countless tours of arenas and amphitheaters, and well over a million records sold, the members of Delirious (all original by the way) show no signs of slowing down. In fact, their latest release, The Mission Bell, actually ups the ante in both musical and lyrical terms. The comparisons between Delirious and U2 are inevitable and well-founded. Though always more liberal with the keyboards than its Irish predecessors, the group’s inspired euro-rock creates updrafts of energizing, anthemic spectacle. And while its connection to people of faith has always been paramount, the songs that comprise The Mission Bell are a virtual clarion call to the church. There are no double entendres or vagaries to be found. This is all about calling the church out, motivating her to become what she was meant to be. Grand? Sweeping? Epic? Sure. It’s all of those things, but add one descriptive to the list for the first time in Delirious’s tenure: prophetic. Understanding that Biblical prophecy has more to do with spurring the church on to growth and movement than telling the future, Delirious has drawn a bead on the heart—and backside—of believers. As the title suggests, this album is a call to service—to finding and embracing the mission of the body of Christ. The album’s opener, “Stronger,” delivers its challenge toward church unity and focus via a plodding and melancholy piano drone a la Keane or Coldplay, then adds a majestic choir to the ending for a soaring and characteristically moving Delirious experience. The theme continues with the following track, “Now is the Time,” a sweeping and motivational epic. Other standouts include the simple arena-rock power of “Solid Rock,” an adaptation on the classic hymn “On Christ the Solid Rock I Stand” that features tobyMac flowing the hymn’s original lyrics to impressive effect. There is also the surprisingly confrontational “Our God Reigns,” which dares to juxtapose faith with serving the least of these (focusing specifically on the issues of abortion, AIDS and humanity’s obsession with “self”). The Mission Bell is unafraid to challenge, chide and inspire all at the same time. From cavernous rock anthems full of swagger and scope, to intimate and at times painful confessions of failure and fear, this is worship music with teeth. JOHN J. THOMPSON 12/8/05 9:35 AM Page 55 BROTHER’S KEEPER CCM_01.06_Music.v4 File under: Pop Beyond Beautiful Training Union/Ardent Grade: C+ THE EVOLUTION OF A BOY BAND When Brother’s Keeper broke onto the scene back in 1999, America was at the height of its “boy band” phenomenon. Everywhere you turned, there was another group made up of young guys with cool clothes and hot dance moves. Backstreet Boys and ’NSYNC were the two most popular in the mainstream world, while Plus One and Brother’s Keeper became the Christian alternatives. In six years though, times have drastically changed. The Backstreet Boys aren’t really back, ’NSYNC has pretty much sunk, and Plus One went minus two before going away altogether. Brother’s Keeper, though, has managed to keep going, thanks to a retooled style and sound. Beyond Beautiful DELIRIOUS THE NEW IMPORT SERIES IS A COLLECTION OF: • Circumaural headphones for the audio purist • Models designed for the working DJ • Incredibly comfortable clip-ons • A convenient portable design, folds to pocket-sized • Innovative ear buds, excellent upgrade for your portable player Learn more about the Import Series at: www.audio-technica.com For a list of dealers, e-mail: importseries @ atus.com DIRECT FROM JAPAN IMPORT SERIES HEADPHONES Audio-Technica’s Import Series delivers amazing sound and innovative design previously available only in Japan. Whether you need them for relaxing at home, to take out jogging or into the club, the versatile Import Series headphones offer durability and comfort, along with the outstanding sonic quality that distinguishes Audio-Technica products around the world. DJ • AUDIOPHILE • PORTABLE The Import Series: Looks that take hold. Sound that never lets go. W W W. A U D I O -T E C H N I C A . C O M ccmmagazine.com january 06 ccm 55 CCM_01.06_Music.v4 12/8/05 9:35 AM Page 56 is the group’s third album, and it shows Philip, John and Gabe’s obvious maturity. The guys are still young, but their sound is a bit older. The song “Walk with Me” is a perfect example. It sounds a little like a Promise Keepers theme, encouraging accountability between Christian friends, and features guest vocalists including Todd Agnew, Scott Krippayne, David Phelps and Russ Lee, among others. “He Took the Scars,” “Cross of Christ” and the album’s title track are all noticeably targeted to an older audience as well. Unfortunately, Brother’s Keeper has become a bit too much like 4HIM and NewSong over time. That would normally be a good thing; however, if you’re going to pattern your sound after two of the best groups in the business, you’ve got to rival their sound either vocally or musically. Beyond Beautiful just doesn’t do that. RELIENT K TIM SINCLAIR File under: Punk/Rock Apathetic EP Capitol/Gotee Grade: A A PATHETIC EP? AS IF! Considering the exploding popularity of Relient K as Christian rock’s new “it” band, ravenous fans want everything they can get their hands on. To keep them at bay, the growing gap between 2004’s MMHMM and the next record is straddled with the eight-song Apathetic EP, a brief but arty collection mixing startling remakes with brand-new gems. Apathetic EP is anchored by two examples of the band’s trademark punkcharged guitar pop, “The Truth” and “Apathetic Way to Be” (which originally appeared on the limited-edition vinyl of MMHMM). Although some of the quirky wordplay and musical bounce is present, the rest of the disc shows Relient K moving away from its roots as heir apparent of Five Iron Frenzy and into newer territory. The middle of the disc sports three haunting acoustic remakes. “Be My Escape (acoustic)” and “Which to Bury, Us or the Hatchet (acoustic)” from MMHMM, and “Over Thinking (acoustic)” from 2003’s Two Lefts Don’t Make A Right…But Three Do, have been disassembled and rebuilt from the ground up as thoughtful, mature acoustic rockers. A new track, the bittersweet “In Like a Lion (Always Winter),” inspired by the C.S. Lewis classic The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe, clings to hope in the midst of darkness. The final two tracks, the dark piano ballad “The Thief” and an acoustic redux of the band’s MTV hit, “Who I Am Hates Who I’ve Been,” actually end the EP on a kind of downer. But with the disc clocking in at under 30 minutes, it’s easy enough to hit “play” again and return to the vibrant opening rocker. Going full circle like that, Apathetic EP becomes a snapshot of this band in transition. As the guys continue to move away from their early “goofball” image and become young men of artistic substance, Apathetic EP documents their continued growth. CHRIS WELL 56 ccm january 06 ccmmagazine.com FLAME RELIENT K File under: Hip-hop Rewind Cross Movement Grade: B+ THIS DUDE’S EN FUEGO. Can Christians get crunk? St. Louis rapper Flame proves they can with his instant classic, Rewind. Sure, his hometown is best known for the pop-rap of Nelly, but Flame more accurately reflects the dirty south sounds of Young Jeezy, Trillville and Three 6 Mafia. For example, “No Silence” features anthem-like chants over slow and low basslines, while “Let’s Go” ups the energy with fiercely spit lyrics. Moreover, Flame possesses real lyrical skills that stand out on tracks such as “Gotta Notice,” which comes across like Ludacris on a Red Bull binge. Still, for all the album’s strengths, there are a few weak points. Flame’s otherwise deft emcee skills take the occasional odd turn, such as starting the disc off with, “I’m back like when dudes used to wear biker shorts.” Could he have found a more undesirable visual? Likewise, many of the topics seem aimed at new or non-believers, but he uses such syllablebusters as “incommunicable attributes” and “three in his personages.” Flame clearly has a street sound, but he loses his edge by trying to sound too much like a seminary professor. Of course, when Flame is on track lyrically, he sets the mic on fire. CCM_01.06_Music.v4 12/8/05 9:35 AM Page 57 The album-best title track tackles questionable teachings in a deep, yet easy-tofollow manner, while “Wars of the Mind” addresses mental health with insight and compassion. Ultimately, Rewind’s strengths overpower its flaws, and Flame is still a newcomer with lots of room to grow. In no time at all, he’ll even have Lil’ Jon yelling, “Yeah!” DEREK WEBB DAVID JENISON File under: Acoustic Rock/Folk Mockingbird INO Grade: A THIS BROODING BELIEVER WEAVES A WEB OF WONDERFUL STORIES. Though Derek Webb may be most immediately recognized as a former member of Caedmon’s Call, he’s made exceptional strides as a solo artist thus far. After he gained momentum for his latest studio CD by releasing the live DVD How to Kill and Be Killed, the anticipation finally culminated with Mockingbird. And like his critically acclaimed past, brimming with brooding lyrics and folk-flavored intimacy, this disc creatively unveils the latest chapter in Webb’s complex journal entries. “My Enemies Are Men Like Me” (complete with a spoken word clip from Martin Luther King, Jr.) is among one of the many compelling expositions tracing how equality, justice and non-violence are essential in today’s society. The piano ballad “In God We Trust” further alludes to Webb’s social and political ruminations, assessing how the Lord’s hand has been with us throughout each stroke of history. The acoustic ease of “A King a Kingdom” is riddled with attention-grabbing metaphors and speaks about having allegiance to our Heavenly Father before any manmade institution. On a lighter note, “Mockingbird” scoots with jangly guitars and Webb’s signature vocals, hearkening back to his days in Caedmon’s Call. “Zeros Ones” mixes coffeehouse comfort with piano pop, strewn with powerful poetry only a tune- smith of this caliber could deliver. “Please, Before I Go” provides a haunting amalgamation of gentle guitars, emotive violins and even a xylophone, while the glorious finale “Love Is Not Against the Law” develops a slightly jazz flourish. As the disc fades out with a message of practical outreach, Webb further settles into his role as the Bob Dylan of Christian music— who only gets better with age. ANDY ARGYRAKIS DEREK WEBB Please, Support your local Christian Retailer For the location of a Christian Retailer in your area call 1-800-251-3633 (Ad Sponsored by New Day Christian Distributors and Daywind Music Group) 9:35 AM Page 58 TONÉX 12/8/05 GAITHER VOCAL BAND CCM_01.06_Music.v4 Give It Away Gaither Music File under: Hip-hop File under: Grade: B+ Southern Gospel/Inspirational Out the Box: The Movie Verity Grade: B- AN OUTRAGEOUS ROMP BILL GAITHER UNVEILS HIS GROUP’S NEW LINEUP IN CLASSIC FASHION Once again, Bill Gaither, the wily godfather of gospel music, assumes the role of the proverbial wise scribe, pulling from his treasure things both old and new. The old is represented by the 14 tracks on the Gaither Vocal Band’s latest, Give It Away. The new is tenor Wes Hampton, who steps in to fill the estimable shoes of David Phelps, and Marshall Hall, who takes over baritone duties from Russ Taff. Rather than dithering about breaking new ground, Gaither & Co. wisely elected to do what it does best—perform triedand-true favorites with style, panache and precision. But just because the members are covering familiar territory doesn’t mean they are satisfied to leave it undisturbed. A pair of Imperials’ classics, “Cast Your Bread Upon the Waters” and “Eagle Song,” maintain all the charm of their original incarnations, but GVB’s stellar tag-team lead vocals and impeccable four-part harmonies lend a timeless quality to the tunes. Keenly aware of its southern gospel roots but never content to be pigeonholed in that genre, Give It Away finds the foursome exploring smooth jazz a la the Hoboken Four (“I’ll Tell It Wherever I Go”), foot stompin’ honky-tonk (“I Catch ’Em, God Cleans ’Em”), gentle piano pop (“I Will Go On”) and power ballads (“Eagle Song”). “Why Me Lord” suffers in comparison to Kris Kristofferson’s gritty original, but the children’s anthem “Jesus Loves Me” assumes grown-up stature in this slightly bluesy version. There’s even a breezy, calypso-inspired number, “Love Can Turn the World,” that will have you swaying with the palm fronds. Of course, fans of Gaither’s Homecoming projects will find plenty of “gather ’round the piano” tunes that formed the basis of the original Gaither Vocal Band. “Worthy the Lamb” and the title track will make you feel as if you’re in the midst of an all-day singing and dinner on the ground. The GVB has reinvented itself on numerous occasions during its nearly quarter-century run, making it one of the most resilient artists in the industry. And the current lineup on “Give It Away” may be the most balanced ensemble in the group’s history. MIKE PARKER 58 ccm january 06 ccmmagazine.com Tonéx apparently wasn’t kidding when he decided to name his monstrous 2004 release Out the Box. Originally, we all thought the title was just a reference to his tireless creativity, his caffeinated mind and his drive to blow everything he touches out of proportion. Out the Box: The Movie is a full glimpse into all of those qualities and more, as it finally bears audiovisual testament to what really went down onstage during the live recording of his third album. You see, it’s Tonéx we’re talking about here, which means nearly every move he makes must have at least some measure of sanctified shock value. Quite appropriately, the flamboyant gospel vocalist initiates the Out the Box proceedings by literally jumping out of a nine-foot-tall music box. Gimmick or show enhancer? Who knows, except that Tonéx looks equally silly and mesmerizing while performing the act. Almost without a break, Tonéx moves—and he really moves—through a set comprised of energized dance-rock anthems, progressive gospel, churchified praise romps, high-octane hip-hop and everything in between. Since each of these movements is carefully compartmentalized, the flow of the experience suffers when video producers decide to interject strange cutaways to various interviews, a number of schizophrenic editing tricks (on-screen text, manipulated photos, sub-par audience shots), ’80sstyled visuals, and random, low-quality music videos. A crossbreed between a fire-and-brimstone gospel minister, a Broadway showman and a tamer version of Prince, Tonéx isn’t afraid of mixing and matching sensibilities, sometimes at the expense of accessibility. This feat is what he would call “entertainistry,” at times treading the continuum between sacred and secular so dangerously, it’s hard to tell whether you’re watching a church service, a musical or a prog-rock extravaganza. Good thing the cool factor of Tonéx’s choir, band and dancers—each of them moving judiciously to the beat of their master’s drum—offset the excessive visual pyrotechnics. This magnetism and attention to detail is what salvages Out the Box: The Movie from simply being an exercise in overindulgence, where fashion always takes precedence over substance. ANDREE FARIAS TONÉX newreleases JANUARY 3 Autumn Thompson Split Track Kids Project (Daywind) JANUARY 10 Barbara Fairchild He Kept on Loving Me (Daywind) JANUARY 16 Various Artists Worship Together Beautiful One (Worship Together) JANUARY 24 Karen Clark Sheard It's Not Over...Live from Detroit (Word) P.O.D. Testify (Atlantic) Various Artists Absolute Modern Worship for Kids (Yellow) (Fervent) End of the Spear soundtrack Various Artists (Daywind) Watashi Wa Brother’s Keeper Jennifer Knapp Avalon Mike Bowling Eager Seas (Tooth & Nail) Beyond Beautiful (Training Union) Live in Concert (Gotee) Stand (EMI/CMG) Influenced and Inspired: Remembering Kenny Hinson (Daywind) 4Him Encore for Future Generations (INO) Gaither Vocal Band Jonas Brothers Give It Away (Gaither Music) Jonas Brothers (INO) JANUARY 31 Lisa McClendon Live at the House of Blues (Integrity) Various WoW Gospel 2006 (WoW Gospel) 2:21 PM Page 58 DVDspotlight Give It Away TONÉX 12/13/05 GAITHER VOCAL BAND CCM_01.06_Music.v4 Gaither Music Out the Box: The Movie Verity File under: Grade: B+ Southern Gospel/Inspirational BILL GAITHER UNVEILS HIS GROUP’S NEW LINEUP IN CLASSIC FASHION File under: Hip-hop Grade: B- AN OUTRAGEOUS ROMP Once again, Bill Gaither, the wily godfather of gospel music, assumes the role of the proverbial wise scribe, pulling from his treasure things both old and new. The old is represented by the 14 tracks on the Gaither Vocal Band’s latest, Give It Away. The new is tenor Wes Hampton, who steps in to fill the estimable shoes of David Phelps, and Marshall Hall, who takes over baritone duties from Russ Taff. Rather than dithering about breaking new ground, Gaither & Co. wisely elected to do what it does best—perform triedand-true favorites with style, panache and precision. But just because the members are covering familiar territory doesn’t mean they are satisfied to leave it undisturbed. A pair of Imperials’ classics, “Cast Your Bread Upon the Waters” and “Eagle Song,” maintain all the charm of their original incarnations, but GVB’s stellar tag-team lead vocals and impeccable four-part harmonies lend a timeless quality to the tunes. Keenly aware of its southern gospel roots but never content to be pigeonholed in that genre, Give It Away finds the foursome exploring smooth jazz a la the Hoboken Four (“I’ll Tell It Wherever I Go”), foot stompin’ honky-tonk (“I Catch ’Em, God Cleans ’Em”), gentle piano pop (“I Will Go On”) and power ballads (“Eagle Song”). “Why Me Lord” suffers in comparison to Kris Kristofferson’s gritty original, but the children’s anthem “Jesus Loves Me” assumes grown-up stature in this slightly bluesy version. There’s even a breezy, calypso-inspired number, “Love Can Turn the World,” that will have you swaying with the palm fronds. Of course, fans of Gaither’s Homecoming projects will find plenty of “gather ’round the piano” tunes that formed the basis of the original Gaither Vocal Band. “Worthy the Lamb” and the title track will make you feel as if you’re in the midst of an all-day singing and dinner on the ground. The GVB has reinvented itself on numerous occasions during its nearly quarter-century run, making it one of the most resilient artists in the industry. And the current lineup on “Give It Away” may be the most balanced ensemble in the group’s history. MIKE PARKER Tonéx apparently wasn’t kidding when he decided to name his monstrous 2004 release Out the Box. Originally, we all thought the title was just a reference to his tireless creativity, his caffeinated mind and his drive to blow everything he touches out of proportion. Out the Box: The Movie is a full glimpse into all of those qualities and more, as it finally bears audiovisual testament to what really went down onstage during the live recording of his third album. You see, it’s Tonéx we’re talking about here, which means nearly every move he makes must have at least some measure of sanctified shock value. Quite appropriately, the flamboyant gospel vocalist initiates the Out the Box proceedings by literally jumping out of a nine-foot-tall music box. Gimmick or show enhancer? Who knows, except that Tonéx looks equally silly and mesmerizing while performing the act. Almost without a break, Tonéx moves— and he really moves—through a set comprised of energized dance-rock anthems, progressive gospel, churchified praise romps, high-octane hip-hop and everything in between. Since each of these movements is carefully compartmentalized, the flow of the experience suffers when video producers decide to interject strange cutaways to various interviews, a number of schizophrenic editing tricks (on-screen text, manipulated photos, sub-par audience shots), ’80s-styled visuals, and random, low-quality music videos. A crossbreed between a fire-and-brimstone gospel minister, a Broadway showman and a tamer version of Prince, Tonéx isn’t afraid of mixing and matching sensibilities, sometimes at the expense of accessibility. This feat is what he would call “entertainistry,” at times treading the continuum between sacred and secular so dangerously, it’s hard to tell whether you’re watching a church service, a musical or a prog-rock extravaganza. Good thing the cool factor of Tonéx’s choir, band and dancers—each of them moving judiciously to the beat of their master’s drum—offset the excessive visual pyrotechnics. This magnetism and attention to detail is what salvages Out the Box: The Movie from simply being an exercise in overindulgence, where fashion always takes precedence over substance. ANDREE FARIAS 58 ccm january 06 ccmmagazine.com TONÉX newreleases JANUARY 3 Autumn Thompson Split Track Kids Project (Daywind) JANUARY 10 Barbara Fairchild He Kept on Loving Me (Daywind) JANUARY 16 Various Artists Worship Together Beautiful One (Worship Together) JANUARY 24 Karen Clark Sheard It's Not Over...Live from Detroit (Word) P.O.D. Various Artists Various Artists Testify (Atlantic) Absolute Modern Worship for Kids (Yellow) (Fervent) End of the Spear soundtrack (Daywind) Watashi Wa Brother’s Keeper Jennifer Knapp Avalon Mike Bowling Eager Seas (Tooth & Nail) Beyond Beautiful (Training Union) Live in Concert (Gotee) Stand (EMI/CMG) Influenced and Inspired: Remembering Kenny Hinson (Daywind) 4Him Encore for Future Generations (INO) Gaither Vocal Band Jonas Brothers Give It Away (Gaither Music) Jonas Brothers (INO) JANUARY 31 Lisa McClendon Live at the House of Blues (Integrity) Various WoW Gospel 2006 (WoW Gospel) CCM_01.06_Books.v3 12/8/05 9:37 AM Page 60 inreview books WHAT WAS HE THINKING? by Margaret Becker Fiction: imaginary, pretend. My favorite type of fiction usually falls within the realm of Reed Arvin’s Blood of Angels and Patricia Cornwell’s Predator—mystery, murder, law, real-life situations made up. I’m not generally a huge sci-fi fan (too many vivid nightmares after the fact). That’s why Wendy Alec’s book The Fall of Lucifer sat on my desk for longer than it deserved. Alec’s “quasi-fictional” story is a behind-thescenes look at Lucifer and his role in our histor y. (Amazon.com offers this background statement on the author: “Wendy Alec’s call to the body of Christ to work in the area of creative evangelism in the media, has been integral in the pioneering and establishing of Europe’s first Christian television network—God Digital.) Evil—and the depths it will go to—has always been a mystery to me. And right up there along with that, is the ultimate question: Why would a being that dwelt with God, as one of His beloved, turn against Him? The Fall of Lucifer addresses those two conundrums eloquently, in almost poetic terms. The transformation of Lucifer from devoted lover of God to evil destroyer of all things good, is presented in vivid, passionate terms that manage to bring you to the cusp of empathy for Lucifer—for a moment at least. Along with the cataloging of Lucifer’s catharsis is the imagined story of his relationship with other angels, specifically Michael and Gabriel, who, in this version, are his brothers. Their brotherly tension is written soulfully right down to their parting of ways, with descriptions that could be superimposed on any of our own worst family gatherings. Wendy Alec has covered many biblical milestones in the book, including a beautifully chronicled fall of Eve, and Christ’s sacrifice. It is emotional and elegant, written with fresh insight into what could have transpired in unseen realms throughout eternity. If you enjoy rich, fast-paced science fiction or even if you’re curious about a different perspective on the “could’ves” of our Christian history, this exciting book will keep you engaged and leave you with food for thought. Margaret Becker is an award-winning author, speaker, producer, songwriter and recording artist. Her latest work includes the recent worship recording Faithfully Yours: Psalms and her third book, Coming Up for Air: Simple Acts to Redefine Your Life, set to release in March. For more information visit maggieb.com. Life Syllabus The Ragamuffin Gospel Visual Edition: Good News for the Bedraggled, Beat-Up, and Burnt Out By Brennan Manning, Charles Brock (illustrator) (Multnomah) This abbreviated version of Manning’s classic smartly taps the combined power of words and images to capture readers. Pages bleeding with color and haunting imagery deliver a sensory understanding of the gospel message. The Practice of Proactive Waiting By Rob Brendle (Waterbrook) For 20- and 30-somethings in a place of limbo between their calling and its actualization, the maturing process can feel like an eternity. Brendle talks about living faithfully in the time between the call and its fulfillment. Living the Resurrection: The Risen Christ in Everyday Life By Eugene H. Peterson (NavPress) Begin a new year by exploring the resurrection—the singular hope of Christendom—and its central place in life and faith. Peterson, who penned The Message Bible paraphrase, addresses topics such as the practice of resurrection in daily life and keeping our resurrection identity. Faith of My Fathers: Conversations with Three Generations of Pastors about Church, Ministry, and Culture By Chris Seay (Zondervan) In a piercingly frank family dialogue, three generations of pastors— three sons, their father and their grandfather—tell their life stories, representing a human documentary of the definitive pastoral role throughout the past half-century. 60 ccm january 06 ccmmagazine.com Becoming: The Wisdom Books of the Old Testament & Align: The Complete New Testament for Men (Thomas Nelson) Without a doubt, these sleek New Century Version Biblezines are the coolest way to stay rooted in the Word this New Year. Quizzes, articles, Bible study helps and calendars give ADD folks plenty of eye candy in this culturally relevant design. (Be sure to give these ’zines to friends and family who think reading the Bible is “boring.”) Profiles by Andrea Bailey CCM_01.06_Gear.v4 12/8/05 9:39 AM Page 62 russlong’s guidetogear>> ALL THE GEAR YOU CAN IMAGINE WHEN ITS TUNE “I CAN ONLY IMAGINE” BECAME A NATIONWIDE HIT, MERCYME ACHIEVED HOUSEHOLD NAME STATUS ALMOST OVERNIGHT. SINCE THEN, THE BAND HAS SOLD MILLIONS OF ALBUMS AS A SIX-PIECE OUTFIT CONSISTING OF BART MILLARD ON VOCALS, BARRY GRAUL AND MIKE SCHEUCHZER ON GUITARS, JIM BRYSON ON KEYBOARDS, NATHAN COCHRAN ON BASS AND ROBBY SHAFFER ON DRUMS, AND HAS PLAYED FOR SOLD-OUT AUDIENCES NIGHT AFTER NIGHT. >> THE PROJECT STUDIO:: The band members are diverse when it comes to their project studio setups. Mike describes his: “I have a ProTools LE system that I use for making tracks at home. I'm not much of a lyricist, but I can come up with music ideas for Bart...” Like Mike, Jim and Nathan use ProTools in their writing setups as well, whereas Barry uses MOTU’s Digital Performer. Bart adds, “I normally use an old upright piano and a simple recording program on my laptop called Amadeus.” MercyMe Bart’s Shure SM86 GUITAR ARMY:: Between Mike and Barry, there’s enough guitar gear to make any guitarist drool. Mike explains, “I have a few guitars and amps that are in constant rotation, but here lately I haven’t been able to put down my Tele’s. I have a ’52 reissue that is amazing, and another Tele that’s an American standard from a few years back. That one plays great, and I’ve kind of beat it up over the years, routing it out for Seymour Duncan mini humbuckers. It rocks! I have a new amp that I love. It’s a Gabriel Voxer 18. This guy Gabi makes these killer little amps in his garage. He’s a Christian and has been great to work with...tweaking the amp specifically for me… It sounds great!” Barry adds, “My live rig consists of mostly old gear, give or take a few pieces. I generally go with an A-B setup, meaning I switch between two amp heads and two cabinets. One is a 1978 Marshall JMP through a late 1960s Marshall cab, and the other is a 1965 Fender Bassman through a 1970s Bassman cab. Prior to the amps is a pedalboard with various colors and shapes. The Visual Sound Jekyl & Hyde, the Red Witch Moon Phaser and a Boss DD-5 digital delay are a few of my favorites. Getting the monstrous tone started are just a few of my choice guitars. First, an extremely heavy 1977 Gibson Les Paul Pro, to which I credit many trips to the chiropractor. Next, there’s a 1960s Silvertone semi-hollowbody, a 2005 Fender Telecaster Deluxe and a 1965 Gibson Melodymaker to round out the electrics. I pretty much use only one acoustic in a live application, and that is a McPherson, an outstanding guitar.” Barry Graul’s rig Mike Scheuchzer’s rig Chapman KEYBOARD HEAVEN:: Jim describes his setup: “I have a Yamaha S80 as my main controller. I also have a Novation K-Station synth, a Roland V-Synth, a rack mount Akai S-6000 digital sampler, a Roland JV-1080, and a classic Hammond B3 through a 147 Leslie. I run all of these except the B3 through a Yamaha O1V digital mixer. I have everything programmed to change, including the mixer to the correct patch for whichever song we're on by pressing one button on the S80. Occasionally, I also play an accordion and a Wurlitzer model 200 on certain tours.” Jim Bryson’s set-up THE RHYTHM SECTION:: Richard McLaurin Robby peruses his drum setup: “I have been setting up for the last few months with a five-piece kit. I use DW drums with a 20-inch kick drum and a 14-inch x 5 1/2-inch DW edge snare. I also use Paiste cymbals and hi-hats.” Nathan’s bass rig consists of a Fender Jazz bass and an Ashdown ABM 900 EVO 2 amp head with an Ampeg 8x10 cabinet. AKG C12 Neuman U67 AN UNFORTUNATE EVENT IN KEYBOARD WORLD: Jim explains that “One night, while we were on the Undone tour, we started playing the first song, and without warning my keyboard stand collapsed all the way to the floor, dropping my S80. Luckily, it only broke a couple of cords and nothing major. It took a full song to get it back up and plugged in. Ironically, our production designer had set up a video camera on the back of the stage that night to record some shots from behind. It caught the whole thing on video tape.” Fender Deluxe Reverb Reissue The MercyMe Gadgets:: BAND MEMBER FAVORITE WISH LIST BIGGEST HEADACHE Bart Millard Barry Graul Mike Scheuchzer Jim Bryson Nathan Cochran Robby Shaffer Powerbook and iPod nano Powerbook Sony PSP Powerbook Ashdown amp Brady Snare drum Home theater Faster Powerbook 15” Powerbook Yamaha C7 grand piano Six-string banjo Black Beauty snare No headache here Powerbook Line 6 DL4 Delay pedal B3 & Leslie Cheap patch cables Expensive cymbals that break Robby Shaffer’s kit Nathan Cochran’s rig GEAR : LINKS For more information on the artists and gear on this page, visit: digidesign.com, mamaliga.com/gabriel, gibson.com, fender.com, apple.com, mcphersonguitars.com, badcatamps.com, gabtone.com 62 ccm january 06 ccmmagazine.com Russ Long is an award-winning recording engineer who has helmed gold and platinum albums by Sixpence None the Richer and Newsboys as well as recordings by Relient K, Wilco, Phil Keaggy, Over the Rhine and others. Russ recently created an educational DVD on studio engineering tailored for singers, songwriters and home studio enthusiasts. For more information visit audioinstruction.com. CCM_01.06_SRO.v4 12/8/05 9:42 AM Page 64 standingroomonly your guide to concerts All photos by Andy Argyrakis by Andy Argyrakis From left: Relient K’s John Warne, Matt Hoopes, Jonathan Schneck and Matt Thiessen; MXPX’s Mike Herrera, Yuri Ruley and Tom Wisniewski RELIENT K AND MXPX CONGRESS THEATRE | CHICAGO, IL— NOVEMBER 6, 2005 When Relient K formed five years ago, MXPX was no doubt a major influence on its music, as remains the case with many punk acts inside and outside the Christian arena. In fact, a few minutes into Relient K’s set, singer Matt Thiessen had an awestruck look on his face as he asked the attendees, “What did you think of the legendary MXPX?” The resoundingly favorable response highlighted an ideal evening featuring two forerunners who’ve bridged the generation gap and continue to amass significant mainstream acclaim. The co-headlining tour finds the bands rotating closing slots every evening, and at this particular show, Relient K provided the finale of pop/punk fun. While the guys have never taken themselves too seriously, they’ve always esteemed artistic excellence and evolved with ever y successive album. Their latest, simply and comically titled MMHMM, is no exception as several tunes explode with energy, tongue-in-cheek topics and intelligent arrangements. “The One I’m Waiting For,” “High of 75” and “I So Hate Consequences” especially stood out this evening, thanks to surging power chords, crowd par ticipation and Thiessen’s constant trade-off between guitar and keyboards. Examples of the gang’s signature lighthearted approach were prevalent, from using the cheesy “Full House” sitcom theme as Relient K took the stage to the wacky retro moments throughout “In Love With the ’80s (Pink Tux to the Prom).” Of course, “Sadie Hawkins Dance” earned thunderous shouts and laughs, thanks to its hysterical portrayal of trying to be cool while interacting at a school soirée. Equally inventive was a merger of “Failure to Excommunicate” and “Life After Death and Taxes,” further revealing members’ songwriting smarts. MXPX also unloaded a series of sing-alongs packed with colorful lyrics and hooks galore. The group was best off sticking to older material, some of which has been marinating amongst its faithful for nearly 15 years. Early career cuts like “Chick Magnet” and “Punk Rawk Show” will forever be staples, while “Tomorrow’s Another Day” and the new “Heard That Sound” (off 2005’s Panic) translated with nearly equal enthusiasm. The trio demonstrated enviable stage presence, bouncing around uncontrollably and engaging everyone from the ground floor up to the top of the balcony. They went especially ballistic during “Responsibility” when frontman Mike Herrera nearly knocked his microphone off its stand several times and finally yanked it from the grip to project it toward concertgoers. In an age when many general market stars from the punk and alternative sectors are dropping filthy language and addressing tacky subjects, this show took a redemptive tone. While not resorting to the gratuitous shock value of so many mainstream peers, both bands are remarkably talented and selling just as many tickets and CDs as anyone else in their circles these days. And based on the delightful double bill packed with a steady stream of favorites, it’s a trend likely to forge well into the future. INSIDE RELIENT K’S APATHETIC EP: Considering MMHMM came out in 2004, diehard Relient K fans are beyond ready for a new record. But because of the guys’ crazy tour schedule and opportunities to play in front of new audiences (such as the trip on last summer’s “Vans Warped Tour”), it has been a bit tricky to get into the studio and pen a new project. However, that doesn’t mean you die-hards won’t have a fresh product to pick up, and though this EP may not be a full-length endeavor, something sure is better than nothing! Titled Apathetic EP, the disc includes unreleased nuggets the devout will devour, including the call-to-action track “Apathetic Way to Be.” Beyond the group’s usual fistful of rapid pop/punk, also look for a slightly more sensitive side on acoustic selections such as “Be My Escape,” “Which to Bury, Us or the Hatchet” and “Over Thinking.” Quantities are limited of this short but sweet release, so be sure to visit relientk.com for details. [And be sure to check out CCM’s review of the EP on page 56.] HERE AND THERE Are you within a day’s drive? Here is a concert date you won’t want to miss! 1/13 Starfield Witchita, KS 64 ccm january 06 ccmmagazine.com For the latest concert listings, check out CCMmagazine.com’s searchable tour database to find out when your favorite artists will play in a city near you. CCM_01.06_Numbers.v3 12/8/05 9:45 AM Page 66 BYTHENUMBERS 927Donnie McClurkin018 by Gregory Rumburg Here’s a man who needs little introduction. After The McClurkin Singers, a banner season working with various Winans family members and The New York Restoration Choir, Donnie McClurkin charged into the solo scene in 1996 with a self-titled Warner Alliance release. Now, three albums later, the Grammy, Stellar and Dove Award-winning artist tours less, preaches more and still exudes great enthusiasm for gospel and Christian music. NO.1 1986 4 42 Gospel chart debut of last spring’s live double-disc Psalms, Hymns and Spiritual Songs (Verity). “This CD is a bridge to the different cultures and countries, to the different types of worship, to the ethnical appreciations,” McClurkin says. The project debuted on general market R&B charts at No. 5. McClurkin’s favorite Psalm, if he had to pick. “Oh, there’s a whole lot of them! Not even counting Psalm 119!” he says. “Psalm 42 is my passion Psalm… That’s where David breaks ranks with the religious and goes into a heart relationship. That’s the thing that really formulated my relationship with God.” The year McClurkin preached his first sermon, for a congregation in Delaware. Number of years recognized as an ordained pastor. Remaining in one community is key for McClurkin’s pastoral work. “My whole concept of ministry… [is that] you become a servant, not the served. I have to be available and hands-on to serve. It becomes problematic because people will go, ‘Oh my gosh, that’s Donnie McClurkin.’ But Donnie McClurkin takes a backseat when it comes time to making sure that the people are cared for.” 41 102 1809 1980 4 Number of “bootleg years” (his own parlance) McClurkin has been in the music business unofficially. At the age of 4, “My mom stood me on top of a table in church, and I sang, ‘I Had a Talk With God Last Night.’ But it was a lie; I didn’t talk to Him,” he laughs. Number of congregants counted in McClurkin’s Perfecting Faith Church when it opened in 2001 in Freeport, New York. Number among the flock today. The first year McClurkin recorded anything professionally, singing background vocals on “Hard Times Are Over” for John Lennon’s classic Double Fantasy album. “It was the craziest day,” he remembers. “When it was time to record, I said [to the choir], ‘Come on, we have to pray,’ and we started praying. My mom was in the control room with John and Yoko Ono, and Yoko said, ‘What are they doing?’ And my mother said, ‘They’re praying.’ John started screaming, ‘Get that on tape!’ They’d never heard anybody praying like that before. So the song started off with us praying and then it went into the song. It was groovy.” Number of times McClurkin has performed for Oprah. “As a matter of fact, none of them has been stressful. Oprah makes sure that you feel like you’ve known her for a [million] years,” McClurkin says. “Oprah Winfrey is one of the most embracing people persons you could ever know.” 5 1 Grammy Award win for Best Contemporary Soul Gospel Album of 2004, an event which turned into what McClurkin calls “almost the most embarrassing period of my life.” He practically fainted: “When I got up there, I lost words. I just lost myself. All I could say was, ‘I thank God.’ I thanked Jesus, the real Jesus, ’cause I got tired of people getting up there and praising God for ‘Get Your Freak On!’” 66 ccm january 06 ccmmagazine.com Number of times McClurkin has sung for a U.S. President. He counts them out: “Once for George H.W. Bush. Three times for George W. Bush. And one time for William Jefferson Clinton. And we won’t even talk about the flak I got for singing for George W. Bush…” CCM_01.06_Perspective.v4 12/8/05 9:47 AM Page 68 apersonalperspective TURNING A NEW Leaf My 2-year-old son Charlie is in that fascinating stage of mimicking everything that comes out of my mouth…mirroring whatever happens on my face. Depending on my level of discernment or self-control in a given situation, this can either be a proud moment for me or a hideous one. When I offer him a PB&J for lunch and he would prefer a turkey sandwich, he says, “Mommy…you know better than dat!” When his stuffed animal is being disobedient, he sternly places it in time out, and then gently hugs it and explains the need for discipline. And after I come out of the bathroom (assuming I didn’t splash anywhere), he announces how proud he is of me and offers me a jellybean. He is my little mirror. He is my conscience and my most immediate and accurate source of feedback. I made a big deal out of pumpkin carving this year. A bunch of my girlfriends and I got together with our kids…armed with pumpkins, some well-guarded knives and a good sense of humor, and started hacking away at pumpkin flesh. It was great fun, and I think Charlie felt proud of my effort on our pumpkin. We put him at the top of the stairs that lead to our front door so that everyone could enjoy the masterpiece. A few weeks later, I took Charlie on the road with me for a run of tour dates, and by the time we came back, our pumpkin was in need of euthanizing. My husband was helping us drag our suitcases up the front stairs when Charlie got his first glimpse of our rotting friend on the porch. Initially, I had carved a goofy smile on it, but the passage of time and the elements had turned his smile into a deep frown. Without thinking, I gasped when I saw it. And of course, mirroring my reaction, Charlie panicked. “Mommy! Why is our pumpkin so sad?” he implored. I frantically Googled my brain in search of some wise explanation about gravity and orange gourds. The right words never came, and in a panic, I blurted out, “Sweetie, his insides are rotting. His smile looks like a frown because his pumpkin guts are going bad, and it’s time to throw him away.” He looked at me as if I had just suggested that Santa was rotting as well, and should just hop in the dumpster with Barney who was also decomposing. The tears came quickly. 68 ccm january 06 ccmmagazine.com by Nichole Nordeman Thankfully, so did his recovery, as his daddy distracted him. But the small truth about what I had said stayed with me for a few days. I considered the notion that our pumpkin’s exterior had no choice but to reflect his interior. These thoughts took me down a path about my own insides. It made me reflect on how, unlike my orange buddy on the porch, I can fake it for as long as I need to…regardless of how crushed my spirit may feel or how rotten my insides are at the time. I’ve got the smile down pat. And the cheery voice, too. Why? I’ve heard time and again that this is a unique challenge posed to people in public ministry. Is there some kind of unspoken assumption that, regardless of how messy things might be in my own life, I’m still expected to grin and sign my favorite Bible verse on some kid’s T-shirt? I fear the answer. I’ve heard many a pastor dream aloud about what it would be like to actually be permitted to have a bad day on occasion. These thoughts are fresh having just come off the road. I had the great privilege of meeting many people before and after shows. I received many an encouraging word and was blessed by countless stories. I also caught myself on auto-pilot several times. Shaking hands and fussing over cute babies and fake laughing, all just five minutes after I had been grieving with a friend backstage who’d just received news that his brother has less than a month to live. The whiplash troubles me. The ease with which I can transition between Nichole the person and Nichole the “artist” troubles me even more. I wanted to walk out to the autograph line that night, stand up and announce that my insides were rotting and I wouldn’t be able to smile anymore tonight. My “guts had gone bad” like Charlie’s pumpkin. But instead, within seconds, my game face was on. Contemporary Christian music has never been more honest than now. Never before have we embraced the vulnerability of artists or commended their courage to sing and speak and write books about the realities of how messy faith can get. To be “real” is the new buzzword, which is wonderful, I think. I’m grateful that I get to make records in an industry that gives a microphone to people like Chris Rice, Sara Groves and Derek Webb. Their honesty inspires the rest of us to step out on a similar ledge and tell the truth about ourselves. I guess I’m just longing for less disconnect between my desire to make “real” music and my potential Oscar nomination after a meet and greet. I want that word “real” to apply to every part of my artistry, not just my songwriting. I also want to believe that fans and promoters and caterers and the kind lady who picks me up at the airport don’t have unrealistic expectations about the personality I’m supposed to have 100% of the time. Just once, when a well-intentioned radio guy sticks a microphone in my face with five seconds’ warning and asks if I have anything inspirational to say “to someone out there right now who’s hurting,” I would like to be honest and say, “Nope. Not today. I’m not qualified right now. I’m sorry,” instead of scrambling for scripture in my brain. Here’s some good stuff in the 21st chapter of Proverbs, from The Message. “Religious performance by the wicked stinks; it's even worse when they use it to get ahead. A lying witness is unconvincing; a person who speaks truth is respected. Unscrupulous people fake it a lot; honest people are sure of their steps. Nothing clever, nothing conceived, nothing contrived, can get the better of God. Do your best, prepare for the worst—then trust God to bring victory.” I hate how much of that applies to me sometimes. Religious performance? Check. Lying witness? Sure. Clever? Conceived? Contrived? Yup. A lobby full of concert attendees might be fooled: God is not. So, as I think back to that pumpkin, it occurs to me that I could turn over a new leaf as well. Holding my life and my interactions to the same standard of honesty I hold my songs to. Refusing to bow to the unrealistic pressures that the “face” of an artist must reflect at all times, whether or not her heart concurs. And believing that if I steer clear of “religious performance,” somehow God’s grace will not only cover the moments when I am unwilling to fake it, but will soften the expectations of whomever is on the receiving end of my sharpie. ccm Nichole Nordeman’s current album is Brave (Sparrow). She will perform in more than 40 cities this spring with Casting Crowns on “The Lifesong Tour.” Go to NicholeNordeman.com for info. CCM_01.06_Classifieds.v3 12/8/05 9:48 AM Page 69 CLASSIFIEDS DOWNLOADS BIBLE-BASED MUSIC. Choruses everyone can sing. Download instrumental tracks (MP3s) and sheet music with lyrics (PDFs). Visit www.mroark.com. introducing our CCM cover artist line INTERNET HEAR GREAT MUSIC on Sing a New Song! Original and refreshing mix of UK Christian hits. www.singanewsong.fm Jeremy Camp T-1 $15.00 FAITHROCK RADIO: Today’s Internet Home for the Best Mix of Christian Music! Powerful! Positive! Uplifting! www.faithrock.org CCM SUBSCRIBERS: Visit our Web site to: to: website MUSICIANS STUDIO-READY and Tour-Ready Drummer available; Serious inquiries only. Contact information is found on my Web site. www.thebeatproducer.com Jeremy Camp T-2 $18.00 Renew Renew & & Pay Pay for for Subscriptions Subscriptions Report Report Missing Missing Issues Issues Give Give a a Gift Gift Subscription Subscription Change Change your your Address Address and and More... More... Click on the Subscriber Services Button CCMMAGAZINE.COM PERFORMERS PERFORMERS WANTED! Singing and dancing required. Must be willing to travel. Serve the Lord through music! Audition information at www.newdawnsingers.com Jeremy Camp T-3 $18.00 Go to CCMmagazine.com/store to get these great deals! Available at The CCM Store for a limited time only! RADIO SALES STAR 99.1, NY metro, seeks experienced radio sales pro with proven track record. Growing CCM station. All the tools. Excellent compensation plan. Resume to: [email protected]. EOE. HOW TO PLACE CLASSIFIEDS To place a classified ad, send a check (payable to CCM COMMUNICATIONS) or a credit card number and expiration date, along with your ad copy by the 15th of the month, two months in advance of the issue in which you want the ad. (For example, by January 15 for the March issue.) Cost: $3.00 a word with a minimum of $50 per month. Display ads run as follows: $175 (B/W), $225 (2 color) and $295 (4 color). Marketplace ads run as follows: $275 (B/W), $325 (2 color) and $395 (4 color). CMYK colors only. Send ad copy for classified listings, and/or a electronic digital file on CD for display/marketplace ads, and your check or credit card number with expiration date to: Classified Ads, CCM MAGAZINE, 104 Woodmont Blvd., Suite 300, Nashville, TN 37205. Make sure to include a daytime phone number. Please contact [email protected] for further information or call 615-312-4265. Subscription/Customer Service Information: Write CCM, 104 Woodmont Blvd. Ste 300, Nashville, TN 37205 or call 800/527-5226. In the U.S., $19.95/one year, $35.95/two years, $53.95/three years; Canada, (U.S. funds) $27.95 per year; all other countries, (U.S. funds) $33.95 (surface) or $67 (airmail). For address changes or other inquiries, please include both old and new addresses and mailing label. Allow four to six weeks for new subscriptions to begin. Occasionally, CCM Magazine allows other Christian organizations to mail offers of their products or services to people on our subscriber list. If you do not want to receive mail from these organizations, please contact our customer service department at 800/527-5226. CCM [ISSN 1524–7848] is published monthly by Salem Publishing. Copyright: CCM © 2005 by Salem Publishing, 104 Woodmont Blvd., Suite 300, Nashville, TN 37205. Contents may not be reproduced in any manner, either whole or in part, without prior written permission of the publisher. Editorial: The editor cannot assume responsibility for unsolicited manuscripts and will return only those accompanied by a stamped, self–addressed envelope. Writers’ guidelines available upon request. Advertising: Neither the advertisers nor the contents of advertisements appearing in this publication are necessarily endorsed by Salem Publishing. We cannot accept liability for any products, services, etc., offered in advertisements, but please contact us if you experience any difficulties with advertisers. Periodicals postage paid at Nashville, TN and additional offices. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to CCM Magazine, 104 Woodmont Blvd, Suite 300, Nashville, TN 37205. ccmmagazine.com january 06 ccm 69 CCM_01.06_HistoryMakers.v3 12/8/05 9:49 AM Page 70 HISTORYMAKERS WITH JOHN STYLL …MOMENTS THAT SHAPED CCM YES, HE’S BACK, AND HE’LL BE WRITING THIS NEW COLUMN FOR US EACH MONTH! CCM IS DELIGHTED TO ANNOUNCE THE RETURN OF JOHN STYLL, WHO LAUNCHED OUR MAGAZINE IN 1978 AND CAPTAINED THE SHIP FOR MORE THAN TWO DECADES, BEFORE BECOMING THE PRESIDENT OF THE GOSPEL MUSIC ASSOCIATION (GMA). [LOOKING FORWARD TO THE PAST] Hello! It is a privilege to be with you again. With this new page in CCM Magazine, our goal is to help you understand what’s going on in Christian music today by offering the important perspective of history. We all know that we stand on the shoulders of others; we are where we are today because of the efforts of those who came before. Wisdom dictates that we learn from the past, a fact of which I am acutely aware as the GMA Foundation is now making plans to build a “Hall of Fame” and museum. Thus, we hope this back page will be a sort of “time machine” that will allow us to randomly drop in on interesting and/or important “moments” during the last 35 years or so of Christian music. I was fortunate enough to be around in the earliest days of contemporary Christian music, personally witnessing much of what cumulatively shaped the Christian music scene of today. The good news is that I have a few stories to tell. The bad news is that I am now really old—but not too old to rock! In the coming months, I’ll be sharing stories from “behind the scenes” of CCM Magazine itself as well as Christian music in general. And for this first article, it seems appropriate to tell you how this magazine came to be. In the mid-’70s, I worked in radio. I produced radio specials, commercials and a daily Christian music show on a Southern Calif. radio station. The show was broadcast live from a studio I personally built at Maranatha Village, a Christian bookstore that also had a “craft” village. The store occupied the buildings that comprised the original Calvary Chapel in Santa Ana, California. The store’s owners, Jim and Betty Willems, believed strongly in the power of Christian music. In fact, Maranatha Village was once Christian music’s top retail store in the nation. 70 ccm january 06 ccmmagazine.com Jim Willems also understood the power of radio to sell music, so he purchased a five-hour block of time on a local radio station, during which I played contemporary Christian music from the studio each weekday. The studio was in the store’s entrance lobby—the former narthex of the church. It was literally a zoo in there, and it was sometimes disconcerting CCM’s first cover and John Styll in CCM’s early days to have customers watching me through the glass as I spun the turntables. It was part of the earliest days of contemporary Christian music radio. A couple of years later, Jim partnered with a smart and ambitious young businessman, Steve Zarit, to produce a monthly newspaper for the Christian community in Orange County (which, by the way, was not known as “The O.C.” in those days). “Contemporary Christian ACTS” was divided into sections, covering sports, family, church life and music. Although I had no previous experience with print media, I was asked to edit the music section because I had access to the artists through my radio work. (They were desperate, I suppose.) After about six months, Jim, Steve and I discussed turning the music section of “Contemporary Christian ACTS” into a separate publication. “Jesus music,” as it was commonly called at that time, was growing, but the traditional trade publications that covered Christian products hadn’t really embraced it. Seeing the opportunity, in early 1978 I traveled to where the major record companies were located to seek their input. Although Southern California was the epicenter of the Jesus music movement at that time, my travels took me to Kansas City (Tempo Records), Waco (Word and Myrrh Records) and Nashville (the Benson Company and some artist managers). The idea was warmly embraced, except at Word, which was Christian music’s “800-pound gorilla” at the time. Executives there advised against launching a new publication, but not knowing any better, we decided to launch it anyway. (Of all the letters I have received in my professional life, one of my most treasured is the one I received six months after our launch from that nay-saying executive at Word, in which he offered his sincere congratulations on the success of the new publication.) Borrowing from the name and format of its progenitor, we named the new publication “Contemporary Christian MUSIC,” and in doing so, inadvertently helped that term “stick” as the primary identifier of what was then a fresh new musical movement. As they say, the rest is history. And that’s what we’ll be delving into each month. I’d love to know your thoughts or questions. Write me at [email protected].
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