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Sing! The Life of Christ: Quintology is the fourth album to be released from Keith and Kristyn Getty’s Sing! worship music conferences, following 2018’s Sing! Live at The Getty Music Worship Conference and 2019’s Sing! Psalms: Ancient + Modern (Live At The Getty Music Worship Conference) and Sing! An Irish Christmas – Live At The Grand Ole Opry House.
The new album is being released in five separate EPs over a period of several months. The project will follow the five main themes of the 2019 Sing! conference – Incarnation, Passion, Resurrection, Commission, and Ascension of Jesus Christ, and include 30 songs. To find out more about my takeaways from the 2019 conference, held in Nashville, read my article “Reflections From the 2019 Sing! Getty Worship Conference here.
The album was recorded at the Gaylord Hotel Convention Center, the Grand Ole Opry House and the Bridgestone Arena in Nashville. Everything that the Gettys and their musical friends do is with excellence. Throughout, the songwriting, singing and musical performances are of a very high quality, especially noteworthy for a live recording.
The third EP to be released is on the Resurrection. Below are a few comments about each song:
Click on ‘Continue reading’ for:
- More of this review and a review of Christ Be All EP by Grace Worship
- Music News
- Song of the Week Lyrics
Christ is Risen, He is Risen Indeed – This joyful song was written by Keith Getty, Kristyn Getty and Ed Cash, and features Shane and Shane on vocals. The song originally appeared on the Hymns for the Christian Life album. I enjoyed the backing vocals on the song. This is really outstanding version of the song.
Key lyric:
Christ is risen, He is risen indeed!
Oh, sing hallelujah.
Join the chorus, sing with the redeemed;
Christ is risen, He is risen indeed.
Christ Our Hope in Life and Death – This wonderful new Easter hymn was written by Keith Getty, Jordan Kauflin, Matt Papa, Matt Boswell and Matt Merker. This song was recently released, and thus is not from the 2019 Sing! conference, as are the other songs. Matt Papa handles the lead vocals. The song features piano, drums and backing vocals. This is sure to be a worship classic.
Key lyric:
O sing hallelujah
Our hope springs eternal
O sing hallelujah, now and ever we confess
Christ our hope in life and death
Now and ever we confess
Christ our hope in life and death
Come People of the Risen King – This song was written by Keith Getty, Kristyn Getty and Stuart Townend. The song originally appeared on the Awaken the Dawn album. The joyful song features drums and backing vocals.
Key lyric:
Rejoice, rejoice
Let every tongue rejoice
One heart, one voice
Oh, church of Christ rejoice
Magnificent, Marvelous, Matchless Love – This song was written by Keith Getty, Kristyn Getty, Matt Papa, Luke Brown and Aaron Keyes. The song originally appeared on The North Coast Sessions EP. It was a song that I immediately liked with its memorable chorus. The song soars over synth, bagpipe sound, guitar, drums and backing vocals.
Key lyric:
Magnificent, marvelous, matchless love
Too vast and astounding to tell
Forever existing in worlds above
Now offered and given to all
I Will Wait for You (Psalm 130) – This song was written by Jordan Kauflin, Keith Getty, Matt Merker and Stuart Townend and features Jordan Kauflin on vocals. The song originally appeared on The North Coast Sessions EP. The song, which is a prayer, opens and closes with singing over bagpipe sounds. The main part of the song features piano, backing vocals and drums.
Key lyric:
I will wait for You
I will wait for You
On Your word I will rely
I will wait for You
Surely wait for You
Till my soul is satisfied
Holy Spirit, Living Breath of God – This song was written by Keith Getty and Stuart Townend. The song originally appeared on the Hymns for the Christian Life album.
The song, a prayer, features some beautiful violin, piano and backing vocals.
Key lyric:
Holy Spirit, come abide within,
May Your joy be seen in all I do.
Best songs
All
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Grace Worship is the worship ministry of Grace Presbyterian Church in Peoria, Illinois, where Kevin King is the worship leader and Bryan Chapell has served as senior pastor since 2013. The songs feature theologically rich lyrics with soaring melodies. Chris Zobac produced the EP, which is one of my favorite releases of 2020 thus far. Here are a few brief comments about each song:
Unlimited Grace – In 2016, Bryan Chapell wrote an excellent book Unlimited Grace: The Heart Chemistry That Frees from Sin and Fuels the Christian Life (see my review here). For this song, Chapell wrote verse lyrics that went along with the theme of the book, and King wrote the chorus and music. King handles the lead vocal. The song features piano, drums and backing vocals.
Key lyric:
Glory, glory hallelujah!
Jesus Christ has saved my soul;
Though I once stood as a sinner,
For me, blood was shed,
Yes, his love has bled,
Now I stand in unlimited grace.
Psalm of Thanksgiving – This song was written by Kevin King. It has a Crowder-like electronic/pop feel. The song is joyful and about thankfulness, and features guitar, finger snaps, backing vocals and some nice drums.
Key lyric:
Whom have I in heaven but You?
Nothing on earth can out shine You.
Bones may break and spirits crumble,
But God remains my strength
And I am His forever.
Christ Be All (studio) – This song was written and sung by Kevin King. The song incorporates words from Andrew Murray’s classic book Humility. The song is meant to help worshippers express, along with the Apostle Paul, “It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me” (Galatians 2:20), as they sing, “May Christ be all and I be nothing.” King has said with the song he was seeking to have the worshiper understand through song that it is to our joy to ‘become nothing’ (Philippians 2:7) as Jesus did; to lose our lives so we can find them in Him.
A great song, both lyrically and musically, and one of my favorites of 2020.
Key lyric:
May Christ be all, and I be nothing,
His glory shines in vessels weak;
May Christ be all, and I be nothing,
This is my hope:
Not I, but Christ in me.
The Love of God – This hymn was written by Frederick Lehman in 1917. Bryan Chapell wrote a new verse for the song, the second verse. This new arrangement by Kevin King brings a somewhat somber feel to the song, with the female vocal over drums and excellent piano and strings.
Calvary’s Anthem – This song was written by Bryan Chapell and Kevin King, incorporating lyrics from Robert Lowry’s hymn “Nothing But the Blood of Jesus” in the chorus. The song, sung by King, invites worshippers to celebrate Christ’s sacrifice for us on the cross of Calvary. This is a beautiful hymn for congregational singing and features piano, strings, drums, horns, and backing vocals.
Key lyric:
At the cross You opened fully,
Heaven’s heart poured out completely,
Angels singing, hell now fleeing,
Roars of saints shout, “Christ, our vic-t’ry!”
Christ Be All (live) – This is a nice live version of the title song.
Best Songs
Unlimited Grace
Psalm of Thanksgiving
Christ Be All
Calvary’s Anthem
- NEEDTOBREATHE Changes and New Music. On April 21, the band announced that founding member Bo Rinehart, brother of frontman Bear Rinehart, had left the band. On April 30, they released two new songs “Hang On” and “Seasons” from their upcoming album Out of Body.
- Resurrection Letters Live: Quarantine Edition. Andrew Peterson gave us a nice Easter morning surprise with this impromptu concert.
- What’s Going On. Michael McDonald recently released a live version of Marvin Gaye’s classic “What’s Going On”.
- Joy Invincible. Watch the lyric video for “Joy Invincible” by Switchfoot featuring Jenn Johnson.
- On My Own. Michael McDonald plays this acoustic version of his song “On My Own” on The Tonight Show: Home Edition.
- Because He Lives. Watch Crowder, Tori Kelly and JOHNNYSWIM perform a powerful version of the Gaither classic “Because He Lives” at Easter at Passion City Church in Atlanta.
- I’m Leaning on You. Check out the lyric video for “I’m Leaning on You” by Crowder, featuring Riley Clemmons.
- During Quarantine, Become a Singing Family. Keith Getty offers five suggestions that might spark new ideas for the singing culture of your home.
- Hymns of Hope. Keith and Kristyn Getty write “In times like these, it is difficult to know where to turn for hope, comfort and support. One of the places the Psalmist turned was a remembrance of the sweet fellowship he had with the Lord and with others in congregational worship.
To that end, we hope you will enjoy our latest playlist, Hymns of Hope, with many live worship videos recorded at the Sing! Conference, as well as other hymns to help us all hope in the Lord during these times.” - Send Me Lord. Enjoy this live performance of “Send Me Lord” by Matt Redman, from his new album Let There Be Wonder.
- Psalm of Thanksgiving. Enjoy this fun video from Grace Worship. It may be just what you need today.
This week’s song of the week is “Christ Be All” from Grace Worship, the worship ministry of Grace Presbyterian Church (PCA) in Peoria, Illinois. It’s one of my favorite songs of the 2020 thus far. Watch the lyric video of the song here.
[Verse 1]
Oh to be, empty and lowly
Meek and unnoticed, and unknown
And to God, a vessel holy
Filled with Christ, and Christ alone
[Verse 2]
How great is God! His grandeur endless
How frail I come, before His throne
I am lost, in love relentless
That Christ be all, and I His own
[Chorus]
May Christ be all, and I be nothing
His glory shines in vessels weak
May Christ be all, and I be nothing
This is my hope: Not I, but Christ in me
This is my hope: Not I, but Christ in me
[Verse 3]
I am poor, and I have nothing
All my deeds cannot avail
But Christ endured the Father’s crushing
He bowed His head, as Mercy bled, peace to prevail
He bowed His head, as Mercy bled, peace to prevail
[Bridge]
Bring me low, my heart lower still
That Your grace my pride relieves
May these words resound loud until
Every tribe and tongue believes
Bring me low, my heart lower still
That Your grace my pride relieves
May these words resound loud until
Every tribe and tongue can sing
[Verse 4]
On golden shores of sure salvation
I will run to meet my King
Freed from shame and all accusation
He’ll give Himself, nothing I’ll bring
He’ll give Himself, nothing I’ll bring