It’s hard to believe that it has been 23 years since we lost Rich Mullins. In a world full of breathtakingly amazing songwriters, I still think his writing is unparalleled.
I remember where I was on September 19th, 1977. I was at an outdoor music festival in Nashville waiting to hear Steven Curtis Chapman and Third Day. Just before Third Day came out to play, the festival promoter announced that Rich Mullins had passed away in a tragic car accident.
Thousands of people who had been pretty rowdy suddenly went silent. It was as if mass mourning had begun. I remember Third Day taking the stage and quietly singing the words, “Oh God, You Are My God, and I will ever praise You…step by step you’ll lead me, and I will follow you all of my days.
After Third Day left the stage, Steven Curtis Chapman took over. He spoke about how Rich’s lyrics were filled with a longing for home and that he would always pour over Rich’s lyrics in the album liners He then dedicated a new song to Rich, and debuted “Not Home Yet”.
Well, Rich is home now, and we are all awaiting resurrection, living in the already and the not yet.
A little over a year ago I had the chance to record and release a Rich Mullins song that never made it onto one of his albums. The song Thunder was co-written by Phil Naish and Lowell Alexander. It probably won’t be remembered in the long list of Rich Mullins most remembered songs, but it will always be special to me for the way it touched my life.
Telling the story of the disruptive Thunderous grace of Jesus through this song has been a real privilege for me. In honor of Rich, and more importantly, in honor of his Savior, I wanted to share Thunder again today.
I’m curious, what are your Rich Mullins memories? Where were you when you heard the news of his passing? How has his music influenced your life?
If you would like to know more about Rich Mullins from one of his close friends, I had a great conversation with Shane Claiborne on my Podcast where he told stories about his friend. I encourage you to give it a listen here.
Shane Claiborne is a follower of Jesus and following Jesus has led him on many adventures. Following Jesus has taken him from the streets of Calcutta where he worked with Mother Teresa to the wealthy suburbs of Chicago where he served at the influential mega-church Willow Creek.
Royce Lovett has been making music since he was a kid in Tallahassee Florida.
Royce’s star has been steadily rising over the years, but his soothing-yet-gritty reggae/rock performances as a contestant on the last season of NBC’s The Voice made him a recognizable face around the nation. While The Voice viewers saw a distinctly reggae side of Royce, his albums are musically quite diverse, mixing rap, hip-hop, rock and reggae with a whole lot of soul.
I met Royce in 2018 at UTR Media’s Escape To The Lake Event near Chicago Illinois. I found his performance to be like nothing I had ever seen. His music and his message mesmerized every person in the audience that evening and to say the least, I wasn’t too surprised to see him on a national TV show like The Voice.
But it wasn’t just Royce’s voice that left an impression on me, it was his heart and the way that He allowed God to minister through him with the performance he gave. I would still classify it as one of the most meaningful live performances that I personally have experienced.
I invited Royce here today for two reasons, I love his music and I wanted a chance to showcase it on my show, but I also wanted to let him share from his heart as a black man, a parent, a son, and a person of faith living in the United States in 2020.
In partnership with CRW Radio Promotions, singer, songwriter and worship leader Rick Lee James debuts a brand new radio special.
The “Thunder Radio Special” can be heard exclusively on James’ official YouTube channel or his website. It was also recently added to Spotify and Apple Music. Radio stations interested in airing the “Thunder Radio Special” can contact Kathryn Ambrose at CRW Radio Promotions at kathryn@westarmediagroup.com.
A Star Trek Conversation with Mike Poteet – Episode 372
On September 8, 1966, NBC aired the first episode of a new TV series about a starship on a five year mission of space exploration. That series was called, Star Trek. The first episode told of an endangered shape-shifting, salt-sucking alien posing as a human woman to lure prey to its lair. Over 50 years, nearly 1000 episodes, at least 8 spin-off series, and 13 movies later, we’ve yet to meet any shape shifting salt vampires in real life.
We have however seen a surprising number of ideas and technologies that appeared on the shows over the years have come to pass in the real world. We wanted to talk about some of those things as well and social and theological implications of the show.
Mike Poteet is a Presbyterian minister (PCUSA), currently serving the larger church as a curriculum writer. He, his wife, and their two children live near Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
I’ve invited him here today to talk about Star Trek.
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Looking for some more music during your time at home?
“Welcome To The Neighborhood: A Mister Rogers Tribute Podcast” podcast can be heard HERE.Request the “Thunder Radio Special” at www.crwradiopromotions.com.
In partnership with CRW Radio Promotions, singer, songwriter and worship leader Rick Lee James debuts a brand new radio special.
The “Thunder Radio Special” can be heard exclusively on James’ official YouTube channel or his website. It was also recently added to Spotify and Apple Music. Radio stations interested in airing the “Thunder Radio Special” can contact Kathryn Ambrose at CRW Radio Promotions at kathryn@westarmediagroup.com.
Dan Koch is the host of the popular podcast You Have Permission, which deals with theology, science, prayer, psychology, and related topics. His listeners range from moderate Evangelicals to Progressive/Liberal Christians, with a few non-religious folks sprinkled in.
Recently, Dan conducted 20 interviews around the topic of End Times theology and its relationship to mental health issues as part of his doctoral dissertation in psychology. He has turned those 20 conversations into a 4-part highly-produced series, currently airing now on the You Have Permission podcast feed. The stories include self-proclaimed prophetesses, doomsday prepping, praying the Rapture would keep a young man from having to live out a gay lifestyle, and more. Dan also deals with topics on his show like Universal Salvation, Trump & Evangelicals, his own faith story of anxiety and control vs. awe and wonder, Old Testament violence, Purity Culture, and LGBT Affirmation.
“Welcome To The Neighborhood: A Mister Rogers Tribute Podcast” podcast can be heard HERE.Request the “Thunder Radio Special” at www.crwradiopromotions.com.
In partnership with CRW Radio Promotions, singer, songwriter and worship leader Rick Lee James debuts a brand new radio special.
The “Thunder Radio Special” can be heard exclusively on James’ official YouTube channel or his website. It was also recently added to Spotify and Apple Music. Radio stations interested in airing the “Thunder Radio Special” can contact Kathryn Ambrose at CRW Radio Promotions at kathryn@westarmediagroup.com.
Kerri Pomarolli Is A Proverbs 32 Woman – Episode 370
Kerri Pomarolli is a national headlining standup comedian who has worked with everyone from Jay Leno, Jim Carrey, Sherri Shepherd, Carol Channing, and Jerry Lewis. She’s been featured on The Tonight Show 29 times, Comedy Central, ABC and more. She is a popular TV host, actor, celebrity correspondent (Showbiz Tonight), currently writing films for the Hallmark Channel, and an “out of the closet” Christian in Hollywood.
As a sought-after comedian living in Hollywood, Kerri understands the pressure to keep up impossible standards and present a perfect image. In her book, Confessions of a Proverbs 32 Woman: How I Went from Messed Up to Blessed Up Without Changing a Single Thing (Harvest House Publishers), Kerri turns the notion of perfection on its head and bravely shares the messiness of her life in her trademark witty style.
She delves into the struggles of the modern woman tired of trying and failing to live up to Pinterest-looking, air-brushed, and Insta-filtered “real life” role models telling her she’s not quite good enough. Kerri discusses and encourages readers with two things they can hold onto for longer than their smartphone: genuine self-awareness and humble God-awareness.
“Welcome To The Neighborhood: A Mister Rogers Tribute Podcast” podcast can be heard HERE.Request the “Thunder Radio Special” at www.crwradiopromotions.com.
In partnership with CRW Radio Promotions, singer, songwriter and worship leader Rick Lee James debuts a brand new radio special.
The “Thunder Radio Special” can be heard exclusively on James’ official YouTube channel or his website. It was also recently added to Spotify and Apple Music. Radio stations interested in airing the “Thunder Radio Special” can contact Kathryn Ambrose at CRW Radio Promotions at kathryn@westarmediagroup.com.
Clay Finnesand and North Point Worship – Episode 369
North Point Worship members traversed the nation this past fall on The Faith Tour with Jordan Feliz.
Pictured (l-r) are Alex Thompson, Clay Finnesand, Jordan Feliz, Heath Balltzglier and Brandon Coker.
North Point Worship’s first recording, No One Higher, released in 2012 and hit the Top 20 on Billboard’s Christian Albums chart. The album was followed by 2015’s Hear that soared to No. 2 on the chart while further hitting the Billboard Top 200 for the first time. Signing with Centricity Music in 2017, the group released the EP Nothing Ordinary, which featured its song “Death Was Arrested” that is being heard across the globe and has been re-recorded by artists like Aaron Shust and Laura Story. Five more EPs have released to critical acclaim, including Nothing Ordinary, Pt. 1 (Live)and Pt. 2 (Live), the Christmas offering Ring The Bells (2018), North Point InsideOut (2018) and Abundantly More (2019).
Clay Finnesand from North Point Worship has stopped by for a visit today to catch us up on some of the exciting new things that are happening with North Point Worship, even in these strange times of social isolation that we are living in.
“Welcome To The Neighborhood: A Mister Rogers Tribute Podcast” podcast can be heard HERE.Request the “Thunder Radio Special” at www.crwradiopromotions.com.
In partnership with CRW Radio Promotions, singer, songwriter and worship leader Rick Lee James debuts a brand new radio special.
The “Thunder Radio Special” can be heard exclusively on James’ official YouTube channel or his website. It was also recently added to Spotify and Apple Music. Radio stations interested in airing the “Thunder Radio Special” can contact Kathryn Ambrose at CRW Radio Promotions at kathryn@westarmediagroup.com.
Dr. Derwin L. Gray is the founding and lead pastor of Transformation Church, a multiethnic, multigenerational, mission-shaped community in Indian Land, South Carolina, just south of Charlotte, North Carolina. Gray met his wife, Vicki, at Brigham Young University (BYU). They have been married since 1992 and have two adult children. After graduating from BYU, he played professional football in the NFL for five years with the Indianapolis Colts and Carolina Panthers.
In 2008, Gray graduated from Southern Evangelical Seminary magna cum laude with a Master of
Divinity, with a concentration in Apologetics. While there, he was mentored by renowned theologian and philosopher Dr. Norman Geisler. In 2018, Gray received his Doctor of Ministry in the New Testament in Context at Northern Seminary under Dr. Scot McKnight. In 2015, he was awarded an honorary doctorate from Southern Evangelical Seminary. Gray is the author of “Hero: Unleashing God’s Power in a Man’s Heart” (2009), “Limitless Life: You Are More Than Your Past When God Holds Your Future” (2013), “Crazy Grace for Crazy Times Bible Study” (2015) and “The High- Definition Leader” (2015).
“Welcome To The Neighborhood: A Mister Rogers Tribute Podcast” podcast can be heard HERE.Request the “Thunder Radio Special” at www.crwradiopromotions.com.
In partnership with CRW Radio Promotions, singer, songwriter and worship leader Rick Lee James debuts a brand new radio special.
The “Thunder Radio Special” can be heard exclusively on James’ official YouTube channel or his website. It was also recently added to Spotify and Apple Music. Radio stations interested in airing the “Thunder Radio Special” can contact Kathryn Ambrose at CRW Radio Promotions at kathryn@westarmediagroup.com.
Kevin King’s Personal Testimony – May Christ Be All
Growing up a musician, many churches will quickly throw you up on their stage. Starting to “lead” worship when I was in college, I admittedly had no idea what I was doing, but, like a good performer, I could pretend pretty well.
Going to grad school, I began to lead worship at a large budding church and got quickly caught up in the production of the worship event. I inadvertently learned that successful worship meant a successful “experience.” This way of worship leading produced a team of tired musicians and dry hearts.
I began attending conferences with the “coolest” artists and found my heart swept up in the temptation to be in the “in crowd” – to be known, noticed, and admired. By what these conferences seemed to preach (or what I ended up hearing) was that if I had the right team, the right lights, the right songs, and enough fervor, we would get there. I didn’t really know where the “there” was, but I knew I should be going there. My heart now pines to tell every 20 something beginning their worship leading career that this well quickly runs dry.
When worship leaders look for the “quick fix” or the “answer” to effective worship leading, we have forgotten our true calling: to simply be an arrow that points the hungry heart to the all-satisfying Christ. We are not first production designers, rock stars, artists, or icons. We are under-shepherds under the Great Shepherd. Our game is a long game, and our calling is a slow one. We don’t coerce experiences. We shepherd hearts by the deep well of the Living Word. We lean in to those who criticize us. We love them warts and all. We model the compassion of our God who all day long holds out his hands to an obstinate people (Isaiah 65). What is our greatest resource in Worship Leading? It is the true and better Worship Leader who delights to will and work in us for his good pleasure (Phil 2).
As Grace Worship has approached this project, it has been a relief to continually sing and pray “let your grace my pride relieve,” as I learn to trust that Christ’s work is infinitely more effective than my own. It is a cathartic joy to refocus the goal of my heart from performer to worshiper. I will frequently feel the weight of responsibility that whispers to me, “Without you, this would all fall apart.” Oh how deceiving a thought that plays on my need to be needed, while causing me to work myself into the ground. It is the Friend of Sinners, who leads me beside still waters and restores my soul, that reminds me that my greatest joy in life is to be an empty vessel filled with Christ. And so I pray again today that Jesus would mercifully strike down the first Adam within me to make way for the Second. May Christ be all, and I be nothing.
Grace Worship is the worship ministry of Grace Presbyterian Church (PCA) in Peoria, IL, a church that is passionate about making the gospel known through song and story. Before Jesus went to the cross, He prayed that His church would be one (John 17). Grace Worship desires to write and share songs that advance this mission through theologically rich and creatively beautiful art. By pulling from the heritage of Christian hymnody and integrating the church songs of today, the worship team hopes to make much of Jesus’ unifying mission through music that equips the church for worship across generations.
About The Fuel Music:
Established in 2008, The Fuel Music & Management, LLC, is a leading artist management and artist solutions company that independently distributes music internationally. Based in Nashville, TN, the Fuel team brings nearly 70 years of combined music industry experience in record label operations, major label distribution and marketing, and artist management for artists ranging from upstart bands to GRAMMY Award-winning, multi-Platinum artists. More information on the company can be found at www.thefuelmusic.com.
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Looking for some more music during your time at home?
“Welcome To The Neighborhood: A Mister Rogers Tribute Podcast” podcast can be heard HERE.Request the “Thunder Radio Special” at www.crwradiopromotions.com.
In partnership with CRW Radio Promotions, singer, songwriter and worship leader Rick Lee James debuts a brand new radio special.
The “Thunder Radio Special” can be heard exclusively on James’ official YouTube channel or his website. It was also recently added to Spotify and Apple Music. Radio stations interested in airing the “Thunder Radio Special” can contact Kathryn Ambrose at CRW Radio Promotions at kathryn@westarmediagroup.com.
Having written over 1,200 songs across several musical genres, Kurtis Parks has been a top 50 American Idol (fourth season) finalist, been featured on the Fox Morning Show, BET’s Bobby Jones Gospel Hour, and had his “Forever Changed” song (written for his beloved Virginia Tech community after the April 2007 tragedy) featured on NBC News and CNN. Sharing the stage with such well-known artists as John Mayer, Howie Day, Sanctus Real, Reliant K, Gungor, Ben Folds and many more, Parks’ worship choruses are also sung around the world in churches every weekend. Producing over 50 albums for various Christian artists nationwide and serving as worship director from 2010 to 2017 at Washington, DC-based National Community Church (NCC), Parks founded Bridges Nashville church in 2018 where he serves as lead pastor. He also released his first book in 2016, Sound Check, a book on authentic worship, as well as his first Kurtis Parks and Friends kids album, Story Songs from Scripture. Speaking, leading worship and preaching at conferences and festivals nationally, He and his wife Sarah are based in Nashville and have two children, Norah and Moses.
Worship team members from downtown Nashville, Tennessee-based Bridges Nashvillechurch spent the week of March 23, 2020 recording video and audio from their respective homes for their new single “Jesus You Are” releasing today (Good Friday, April 10) from Venture3Media (V3M). The song is available now at Apple Music, iTunes, Spotify, Google Play and additional digital and streaming outlets globally. A Bridges Nashville: Jesus You Are Deluxe Versionis also available as exclusives from Apple Music and iTunes.
Following back-to-back hardships faced by the church planted Sept. 2018 by Kurtis Parks in partnership with National Community Church, a multi-site church led by Pastor and NY Times best-selling author Mark Batterson, “Jesus You Are” has been an anthem for the church to sing over the last couple months.
“Worship songs can become altar-moments to God’s faithfulness, even in a tough season,” shares Parks, Bridges Nashville’s lead pastor and co-writer of the song with worship leader Delaney Ramsdell.
Over the last couple months, the church, which gathers at The Listening Room Café in downtown Nashville, had all of its signage, worship and production equipment stolen followed a week later by a devastating tornado that ripped through the areas of Nashville the church serves. Now dealing with the Covid-19 pandemic, Bridges Nashville’s worship team remotely gathered online from their sheltering locations across the US to record the song from their homes. “From Texas to Virginia, and all in between, while social distancing, we were unified in worship,” shares Parks.
With Travis Flynn editing the resulting iPhone video and Patrick McDermott and Cordell Bay mixing the audio, Bridges Nashville initially shared the “Jesus You Are” recording on its Facebook page April 3, which was quickly viewed by tens-of-thousands and shared hundreds of times.
“We knew that this is a song for right now, for our world and what we are all going through,” says Parks in the song story video at www.youtube.com/watch?v=tGmQuY2csxw&feature=youtu.be. “The words of the bridge say that Jesus is the Prince of Peace and the Son of Truth. If there are two things our world needs to be reminded of right now, it’s that God is peace in the midst the storm and Jesus is the way, the truth and the life even among confusion and much doubting. I pray that as you listen to this song, it’s an inspiration and hope-filling for you today.”
A community-driven, Gospel-centered church meeting at The Listening Room Café downtown Nashville, Bridges Nashville combines music and message, teaching the Scriptures through song and focusing on discipleship, relationship and worship. With shorter, TED-style sermons on Sundays, the church engages in mission and community work throughout the week and is dedicated to seeing the residents of urban Nashville discover the love of God, the hope of Christ and the power of the Holy Spirit.
About Venture3Media:
Venture3Media is a global music label and song publisher with sales, marketing, promotional, radio, television and movie expertise. V3M provides distribution platforms across all digital channels, including but not limited to Spotify, Apple Music, iTunes, Amazon, Deezer, Tencent, 7Digital, Google Music, Facebook, Pandora, Tidal, Sirius and Rhapsody. Physical distribution includes online retailers such as Amazon, national retail chains, sub-distributors and internationally through well-established licensee’s and distributors.
“Welcome To The Neighborhood: A Mister Rogers Tribute Podcast” podcast can be heard HERE.Request the “Thunder Radio Special” at www.crwradiopromotions.com.
In partnership with CRW Radio Promotions, singer, songwriter and worship leader Rick Lee James debuts a brand new radio special.
The “Thunder Radio Special” can be heard exclusively on James’ official YouTube channel or his website. It was also recently added to Spotify and Apple Music. Radio stations interested in airing the “Thunder Radio Special” can contact Kathryn Ambrose at CRW Radio Promotions at kathryn@westarmediagroup.com.
“Welcome To The Neighborhood: A Mister Rogers Tribute Podcast” podcast can be heard HERE.Request the “Thunder Radio Special” at www.crwradiopromotions.com.
In partnership with CRW Radio Promotions, singer, songwriter and worship leader Rick Lee James debuts a brand new radio special.
The “Thunder Radio Special” can be heard exclusively on James’ official YouTube channel or his website. It was also recently added to Spotify and Apple Music. Radio stations interested in airing the “Thunder Radio Special” can contact Kathryn Ambrose at CRW Radio Promotions at kathryn@westarmediagroup.com.
