New Songs

The Anthem song writing team is getting better with time.

We have some songs that I'm very excited about. One is called "Everything to me," which was written by Jesse and Clint. The band just cut a rough recording of it while they were leading on the 180 junior high retreat. There are three others in the wings...
"One life" by Ryan Seiler
"I will lift up my hands" by Jesse
and one I (Mark) wrote called "This generation"

There are more coming as well. One of our new song writers, James Laugerman, just recorded some ideas that we're writing melody lines for.

It seems like this is a season of favor for the writing team. So we're pressing on to write music that will give this generation a song of worship to our God.

Songs

Right now we've got 6 solid songs (Count the Cost, Your Glory, Praise You Lord, I Adore, Holy You, To do Your will) and four to five under construction.

We'll soon post a sample of one of the new songs we're excited about. The name is still up in the air ("Home"?). The song is written by Ryan Sieler, a key contributor to the Anthem song writing team.

I was talking with some of the Anthem song writers last night and Bobby asked the question, "Which song(s) best captures the Anthem 'sound'?" Great question, what do you think?

Post your comments and then I'll tell you what we came up with...

What is the Christian "Spiritual Anthem"?

I was listening to NPR this morning (something you do after you graduate from college), and heard a discussion about national anthems (click here for the story), which was brought on because of the imminent Olympic games.

Nationalism requires a unifying song. Thus, the national anthem.

I believe that every group of people need a melody to sing together. This is the very reason we named this next generation worship event "Anthem." God has given us music and song to bind us together. Interestingly, right on the heels of making so much of unity in Colossians 3, the Apostle Paul compels us to sing to one another with "psalms, hymns and spiritual songs..." I pray that Anthem will be a movement that binds Christians together through passionate, Christ-exalting worship songs. I pray that the Anthem melodies are epic and stir not just the individual soul, but spark a corporate movement toward the things of God.

If there was to be a Christian "national" anthem ("but you are a... holy nation, a people belonging to God" 1 Peter 2:9), I wonder what it would be?

What is your vote?

The Vision

Our vision is nothing new. It's not rocket science.

Our vision is simply to see the next generation filled with songs about God's infinite worth.

The Lord brought Psalm 40 to mind as we were doing some prayer walking at ISU this morning, "He set my feet on a rock, gave me a firm place to stand. He put a new song in my mouth, a hymn of praise to our God. Many will see and fear and put their trust in the LORD." Oh that MANY would behold the glory of God in the face of Christ! I would be so stoked if my eyes could see the day when stadiums in Turkey, Kazakstan, China, Morocco, Panama, America, France... would be packed with worshipers having Anthem songs on their lips.

God's agenda is global. So is ours.

We're currently working on finishing the songs for a full length CD (10-11 songs). We just completed the first DVD cut a few weeks ago. Although that night of Anthem wasn't produced specifically for a DVD filming, the video guys did a tremendous job making it work. Props to Ben and crew. You can see a glimpse of that DVD here on the website...

We've got some crazy, innovative ideas for including you all in the song writing process, so please stay tuned.