The Christian Manifesto

Hillsong LIVE Set to Release ‘Glorious Ruins’ July 2nd

TCM Admin — Fri, 17 May 2013 12:59:34 +0000

(Nashville, TN)–May 15, 2013)–Hillsong LIVE will release their 22nd live-recorded album, Glorious Ruins, on July 2. Recorded for the first time live in two locations – London, England and Sydney, Australia – Glorious Ruins is consistent with Hillsong’s passion to resource the church around the globe. The live album offers the church a new era of worship anthems that will cross multiple denominational and cultural boundaries.

“Ruins can speak of crushing defeat or perhaps of something abandoned, but the good news today is that the ruins come to life,” explains Senior Pastor of Hillsong Church Brian Houston. “Through Jesus Christ what we look at is ruins that become glorious.”

“Let the ruins come to life, in the beauty of your name, rising up from the ashes, God forever you reign. And my heart will find refuge, in the shadow of your wings, I will love you forever, and forever I’ll sing” – lyrics from “Glorious Ruins”

“This declaration of the saving power of Christ reminds us that we can look to the cross throughout life, in times of success or failure He is there with us,” shares worship leader Reuben Morgan. “We’ve never been diverted from viewing worship as both personal and corporate, intimate and celebratory. We don’t seek to make each project ‘better’ as such, because how can one form of worship be better than another? Instead each project is a continuation of the journey, and we are thankful to God that so many people take the journey with us.”

Glorious Ruins is an acknowledgment of humanity and a bridge to redemption. It includes 12 fresh new songs (14 songs on the Deluxe Edition) written by Hillsong team members including Joel Houston, Reuben Morgan, Ben Fielding and Matt Crocker. The album features the title track, “Man of Sorrows,” which is already being sung in churches internationally, and “Glorify Your Name,” a collaboration between Reuben Morgan and Chris Tomlin.

Glorious Ruins follows the highly successful LIVE 2012 release Cornerstone, which debuted at No. 1 on Billboard’s Christian and Praise and Worship charts. The single “Cornerstone” recently had the highest debut on the CCLI chart and was sung in over 11,000 churches on Easter Sunday.

Glorious Ruins Track List:
1. Always Will
2. You Never Fail
3. Christ Is Enough
4. Where The Spirit of the Lord Is
5. Glorious Ruins
6. Closer
7. God Who Saves
8. To Be Like You
9. Man of Sorrows
10. We Glorify Your Name
11. You Crown The Year (Psalm 65:11)
12. Anchor

About Hillsong LIVE:
Hillsong LIVE is the congregational expression of worship from Hillsong Church – a global church with local expressions. Their music captures the heart and sound of Hillsong Church globally and represents the coming together of the Hillsong worship team from around the world; including Reuben Morgan, Joel Houston, Ben Fielding, Dave Ware, Annie Garratt and many more. Since 1992, Hillsong LIVE has resourced the local church and received gold and platinum album status multiple times, writing such well known worship songs as “Shout To The Lord”, “Inside Out”, “Hosanna”, “The Stand” and “Mighty to Save,” which was awarded the 2009 Dove for Worship Song of the Year. The Hillsong brands have sold more than 12 million albums.

About Hillsong Church:
In August 1983, Brian and Bobbie Houston founded the Hills Christian Life Centre in the Hills District of Sydney, Australia. It has grown from a congregation of 45 to what is said to be the largest local church in Australian history. It has now expanded to be a global church with local expressions in significant cities; with churches in Australia, London, New York, Paris, Cape Town, Stockholm, Germany, Kiev, Amsterdam and Copenhagen. Each week, tens of thousands of people across the globe call Hillsong Church ‘home’ and the reach, impact and influence of this local congregation is seen across many nations.

TIM TIMMONS SIGNS TO REUNION RECORDS

TCM Admin — Fri, 03 May 2013 14:09:58 +0000

(NASHVILLE, Tenn.) May 1, 2013—This week, Reunion Records announces the signing of California-based worship leader, songwriter and blogger Tim Timmons to its roster of award-winning artists. Timmons previously served as a worship leader for 15 years at Mariners Church in Irvine, Calif., while also performing at conferences and churches across the country. Living with cancer for the last 12 years, the 36 year-old, happily-married father of four brings a unique perspective to his music with transparent lyrics and a voice that is both earnest and compelling. His debut album titled Cast My Cares releases June 4.

Timmons states, “I don’t care about being the next Christian rock star, I write songs that are simply prayers that I need to hear. But I do care about influencing Christians to lean into Jesus –that’s the revolution–and it’s the only reason why I’m doing this. I think I’ve been commissioned to be a missionary to Christians. We do American Christianity so well, as we do church week after week. But do we know how to be the church, and enact the principles of Jesus daily?”

Produced by Paul Mabury, and with Timmons featured as a writer on all 11 tracks, Cast My Cares is filled with tender ballads and powerful worship anthems that stimulate the intellect and tug at the heartstrings. The pop/rock album carries a message throughout that looks at what it means to not only believe in Jesus, but to change the world by truly following Him.

With support building rapidly at Christian radio stations nationwide, Timmons’ lead single “Starts With Me” is a call to action that boasts a bold lyric about revival. He explains, “What if we didn’t pray for a revival anymore? What if we just knew Jesus and let him lead? ‘Starts With Me’ says revival starts with me on my knees, just me and Jesus.”

“Starts With Me” is currently playing in 18 markets including the KLOVE network, FISH LA, Houston’s KSBJ and KTIS in Minneapolis.Rodney Miller, Music Director at The Fish Los Angeles states, “Tim’s got everything we look for in a “new” artist with his 15 years as a worship leader, song lyrics that talk about his real life journey with Christ and a heart to challenge your listeners to be all that God has called them to be. Don’t cheat your listeners out of the opportunity to join a musical movement and revolution for Jesus through Tim’s amazing music.”

Timmons’ personal battle with an incurable cancer, which began with a diagnosis at the age of 25, inspires his lyrics on several songs, including the debut’s title track. “Cast My Cares” is a potent ballad that reminds us how much God loves us and is always there for us in times of need.

“Cancer sucks,” Timmons says bluntly. “So, I know it sounds crazy, but I wouldn’t trade it for anything. Yes, I’m ready to be healed and I’m asking Jesus for that daily… I actually live as though I will be healed at some point, but in all of the craziness of cancer there is a gift. The gift through an incurable cancer, or any other sorrow we face, is perspective. And perspective is the gift that keeps on giving.”

With a passion for music that first started with playing drums at age seven, Timmons picked up the guitar at 11, the same age he wrote his first song. Today, his passion isn’t for typical music industry success, but instead to invite people into a conversation about Jesus.

One step Timmons takes to break the routine of worship services comes as he introduces audiences to the idea of inductive worship. With a simple, but distinct exercise, he asks listeners to stop and make mental checklists of three things they are both grateful for, and worry about, before joining in worship to God.

Timmons notes, “I believe worship is responding to all that God is, with all that we are. And if we are truly bringing all of who we are before God, it must include our gratefulness, and our sadness, brokenness and suffering. Otherwise, it wouldn’t be honest. By casting it all on Jesus as we worship Him, we can own our response to Him.”

Timmons concludes, “Instead of me just putting out more “cool” Christian music, I want to draw people into the movement of Jesus. There’s an awakening, a revolution that I want to spend my one and only life committed to.”

Earlier this spring, Timmons joined MercyMe, Jeremy Camp, Kutless and others on the 20-city “Rock & Worship Roadshow” tour. For Timmons’ upcoming tour dates, and more information, including his complete bio, current blog posts and videos, please visit www.timmonsmusic.com. Check outwww.facebook.com/timmonsmusic and follow Timmons on Twitter @timtimmons.

About Tim Timmons: Based in the Los Angeles area, worship leader, songwriter and blogger Tim Timmons talks to God as if he’s baring his soul to his best friend and it’s hard not to be disarmed by his honesty. For 15 years, Timmons served as worship leader at Mariners Church in Irvine, Ca. while performing at conferences and churches across the country. His songwriting credits include co-writing sessions with Tenth Avenue North’s Mike Donehey, Michael Farron, Jason Walker, Phillip LaRue, Alli Rogers and other Nashville-based songwriters. Recently, immons signed with Provident Label Group’s Reunion Records, and his debut album titled Cast My Cares releases on June 4, 2013. Tim and his wife Hilary have been married for 15 years and have four children: Malia, Noah and twins Aaron and Anna. In June 2001, Tim was diagnosed with an incurable cancer. Fearlessly, he faces his mortality with a desire to talk to a Christ-seeking audience through music and his blogs with a unique sense of urgency. Avoiding the usual trappings of music industry success, he’s focused not on his own music career, but on a singular mission to invite people into a conversation about Jesus. For more on his story, and to listen to songs off the debut album,Cast My Cares, visit www.timmonsmusic.com.

The City Harmonic Gather First-Ever Juno Award

TCM Admin — Fri, 03 May 2013 14:04:04 +0000

Internationally acclaimed band, The City Harmonic, adds to its list of accolades with its widely acclaimed and first full-length album, I Have A Dream (It Feels Like Home), garnering the band its first JUNO Award from The Canadian Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences (CARAS) for “Contemporary Christian/Gospel Album of the Year.” The 42nd Annual JUNO Awards, hosted by Michael Bublé, aired on Canada’s most watched television network, CTV, Sunday, April 21.

Continuing to resonate en masse as listeners instinctively join the chorus while the band’s music dynamically bounces from sparse intimacy to soaring celebration and back again, The City Harmonic is currently in the middle of its spring “I Have A Dream” headline tour. Not as interested in finding fans as they are looking for participants in the journey, the tour is billed as an immersive worship experience. With full production alongside the band’s already engaging live performances, the tour also includes special guest artists The Digital Age, Remedy Drive, 33 Miles and Eric Brandon. The upcoming tour dates include:

25-Apr	St Louis, MO *	Tickets
26-Apr	Lake Zurich, IL *	Tickets
28-Apr	Cokato, MN *
3-May	Pikeville, KY **
4-May	Lexington, NC **	Tickets
5-May	Greenville, SC **	Tickets
10-May	Overland Park, KS **	Tickets
11-May	Tyler, TX **	Tickets
12-May	Waco, TX **	Tickets
18-May	Southfield, MI **	Tickets

The City Harmonic are pictured backstage after their JUNO Award win, as well as signing autographs on the Red Carpet prior to the award show in Regina, Saskatchewan, Canada.

The City Harmonic’s JUNO Award follows a Gospel Music Association (GMA) New Artist of the Year Dove Award nomination, the band’s fourth GMA Canada Covenant Award received last fall and over 2,450,000 YouTube channel views. I Have A Dream (It Feels Like Home), labeled “fabulous,” “infectious,” “exciting,” “spectacular,” “worshipful,” “captivating,” “creative,” “brilliant” and more by the critics, also sparked the hit singles and videos, “Manifesto,” “Mountaintop,” “Holy (Wedding Day)” and the award winning title track. The band’s “Manifesto” has sold well over 100,000 copies, marking the only song from a new artist in 2011 to break into the top 10 of the SoundScan Top Current digital singles sales chart.

The City Harmonic, who wrapped a 65-city tour with Newsboys last spring, made appearances on main stages across the US in front of tens of thousands during the 2012 summer festival season, and led its first headline US tour last fall, are about “getting people in on the act—hearts pounding and feet moving.” Forming a little over two years ago, the band went from anonymity to widespread acclaim, headlining tours across North America and gathering numerous awards along the way.

All the latest detail on the band and its touring can be found at:

www.thecityharmonic.com

http://www.facebook.com/thecityharmonic

http://www.myspace.com/thecityharmonic

http://www.youtube.com/thecityharmonic

http://twitter.com/thecityharmonic

Todd Ballard talks “Athems”

Calvin Moore — Fri, 03 May 2013 13:50:42 +0000

Calvin Moore talks with worship artist Todd Ballard about his new album, “Anthems.”

Andy Mineo talks “Heroes for Sale”

TCM Admin — Wed, 17 Apr 2013 12:04:36 +0000

Calvin Moore talks with Reach Records recording artist Andy Mineo about his debut project, “Heroes for Sale.”

Decipha talks “Analytics”

TCM Admin — Wed, 27 Feb 2013 21:09:14 +0000

Calvin Moore talks with hip-hop artist Decipha about his new album project, Analytics.

Interview Recorded: February 12, 2013