Mat

Kearney
AFromKid
& A Dream
Young Love to
Married Life &
Wildest Dreams
Coming True
MAR 1, 2015

Getting Scary
Close with
Donald Miller

The Brilliance
Gungor & Arndt
Creating Silences
That Scream

Are YOU ready to explore lifes deepest questions?

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On a typical weekday morning in a peaceful

suburb of Akron, Ohio, the town awakens
to discover that Rachel Turner and her
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Turner is found in his car at the bottom of
a ravine, after having taken his own life.
Any explanation as to why a loving father
and husband would suddenly commit a
series of such heinous crimes has gone to
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only deepens as the details of the murders
emerge, and evidence of premeditation as
well as Dannys hidden past are revealed.

Robert Pascuzzi is an entrepreneur, husband and father

from the Midwest whose comfortable existence was
shattered due to a horrendous crime that impacted him
and his family. In the wake of that tragedy, he was led
on a spiritual journey that challenged his core beliefs.
Compelled to share what he learned, this book was born.
To learn more about this free book offer go to www.TheRavineBook.com or call (844) 936-7448

features

contents March 1, 2015

Mat Kearney
A natural lifes progression into
manhood and career only fuels
Mats desire to approach everything
he does with a childlike faith

Publisher
Michael Miller
Associate Publisher |
Brand Manager &
Editor in Chief
Shaun Helton
Associate Publisher |
Mixed Media Production
Ross Cluver
Associate Publisher |
Circulation & Marketing
Smitty Wheeler

The Brilliance
Brother may mark the arrival of a
new era of worshiplearn more
about this duos unique approach
to making music

Managing Editor
Kevin Sparkman
Designers
Martina Ahlbrandt
Joshua Jamison
Contributing Editors
Andy Argyrakis
Matt Conner
Assistant Production Manager
Paula Rozelle Hanback

Donald Miller
Do not adjust your screensin his
new book, Donald isnt afraid to get
up close & personal

Fulfillment & Customer

Service Manager
Jennifer Evenson
Customer Service Reps
Jessica Hirsch
Heather Smith

departments

Executive Directors of
Advertising
DeDe Donatelli-Tarrant
805.987.5072
dede@salempublishing.com

FROM THE EDITOR

photos

In the studio
tree63

Out and About

Pics of your favorite Christian
artists on the road, off the road
and everywhere in between

Joel Stombres, 630.584.0213

jstombres@salempublishing.com
Account Executive
Jason Lloyd, 615.312.4253
jlloyd@salempublishing.com
Web Ad Traffic Director
Tamara Phillips
Cover Photo
Harper Smith

Reviews

Red, Yancy, Jon Micah

Sumrall, and more!

CCMMagazine.com

from the editor

CONTRIBUTORS

All of us at CCM Magazine are extremely excited about

the future of this publication. With a thirty-five year history
of providing a connection to the music and message of
your favorite artists, authors, and Christian leadersit can
sometimes be daunting and frankly quite stressful to even
just think about the building upon its legacy.
I was recently loaned a copy of Sarah Youngs Jesus Calling
devotional. In a recent and timely entry, she eloquently
reminded me of Jesus presence:
I am leading you, step by step, through your life
Hold My hand in trusting dependence, letting Me guide
you Your future looks uncertain and feels flimsyeven
precarious. That is how it should be.
Initially, flimsy and precarious arent words that I would
like to cling to when arriving to work every day. However, if
they guide me into only trusting in Him for everything that
I pour myself into, then that is what I want.
As managing editor it is my vision and responsibility to
see CCM Magazine boldly moving into this era of digital/
new media and 24/7 news cyclesnot only to embrace the
changes it brings, but to set the standard for delivering
the absolute best in faith-based, positive, and uplifting
entertainment.
In the coming weeks we will be reaching out to you in
seeking the type of content you envision and desire from
CCM. Your feedback is extremely valuable to usinvaluable
are your continued prayers as we solely build upon Christs
foundation: Psalm 32:8 (ESV) says I will instruct you and
teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you with
my eye upon you.
Thank you for reading, Liking, following, re-tweeting,
and supporting CCM!

Andy Argyrakis
is a Chicago-based
entertainment writer/
photographer who appears
in the Chicago Tribune,
Illinois Entertainer,
Hear/Say Magazine,
Concert Livewire and more.
Grace Cartwright
Aspinwall is a
freelance writer from
Oregon and the founder of
Wonderment Entertainment.
She has been in the music
industry since 2006.
Matt Conner is a
music writer for the
Indianapolis Star,
Relevant and Metromix and
the founding editor of
www.StereoSubversion.com.

Blessings,
facebook.com/CCMmagazine

twitter.com/CCMmagazine

Kevin Sparkman

Editor, CCM Magazine

KSparq@CCMMagazine.com

youtube.com/tcmccmonline

For more on Jesus Calling please click here.

CCMMagazine.com

clusk@salempublishing.com

The remarkable
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out & about

1

3
Compiled by
Andy Argyrakis

1 2 & 3 Adam Klutinoty,

front man for rock newcomers
About A Mile, might not stand a
chance weightlifting with
Jeremy Camp during one of
their breaks on Winter Jam, but
he sure can give Francesca
Battistelli some stiff
competition when it comes to
arcade games. Perhaps he
should stick to playing
ping-pong with pal Colton
Dixon, especially considering
they won the west coast edition
of the tours tournament.
CCMMagazine.com

out & about

4 First time
GRAMMY nominees for
KING & COUNTRY took
home two trophies at
the 57th annual
ceremony, including
Best Contemporary
Christian Album for
RUN WILD. LIVE FREE.
LOVE STRONG. and
Best Contemporary
Christian Music Song
for Messengers.
Pictured from left to
right at the GRAMMY
Nominee Party in
Nashville: Joel
Smallbone, President
and CEO Word
Entertainment Rod
Riley, Luke Smallbone,
Director Brand
Management Josh
Thompson and Senior
Vice President A&R
Josh Bailey.

5 Michael Sweet
(Stryper) and George
Lynch (Dokken, Lynch
Mob) on the set of a
photo shoot for their
debut Sweet & Lynch
super group album,
Only To Rise (Frontiers
Records), with famed
rock photographer
Alex Solca in Los
Angeles.

CCMMagazine.com

out & about

6 Salem Communications/Salem Publishings Executive
Director of Advertising, DeDe Donatelli-Tarrant, and her
husband Cal Tarrant visit with pop/rockers Love & The Outcome
at Saddleback Church after the group served as musical guests
for a Sunday service.

CCMMagazine.com

AVA I L A B L E W O R L D W I D E

B R OT H E R
the

BRILLIANCE

FREE SONG & DOWNLOAD: bit.ly/free15int

By Andy Argyrakis

In a little over a decade, Mat Kearney went

from an underground, hip-hop inspired
singer/songwriter from Eugene, Oregon
to one of Nashvilles premiere, boundaryblurring performers. Along the way, hes
racked up a stable of singles (including
the gold sellers Nothing Left To Lose,
Closer To Love and Ships In The
Night), soundtrack placements on
dozens of major shows like Greys
Anatomy, 30 Rock, Scrubs,
Friday Night Lights, NCIS and
So You Think You Can Dance,
while touring the worlds
most prominent places
beside Train, Sheryl Crow,
John Mayer, Keane, Owl
City and now as a headliner.
But just because the
artfully wound wordsmith
scored success beyond his
wildest dreams and stands
on a firm faith foundation
doesnt make him immune to

lifes growing pains and bruises, especially

as he seeks to reclaim a childlike simplicity
across Just Kids (Inpop Records), his first long
player in nearly four years. For the record,
Kearneys a child of the late 70s whos never
afraid to name check his late 80s/early 90s
affinity for Paul Simons African-influenced
Graceland album, Bel Biv DeVoe bumpin on
the radio, a Volkswagen-driving mom who
sang along to Amy Grant and wanting to flash
the reflective tongues of his Air Jordans with
every innocent step.
A lot of the themes that come up
[throughout the record] happened in that
song, which is me remembering where I come
from, my story of growing up in Oregon and
that period of my life, which I seemed to
write a lot about on this record, muses the
now 36-year-old. I think some of it had to do
with my parents moving to Nashville, where
I live now. I think when your parents move,
theres like this kind of mourning like youre
losing your home town. On my mothers side,
Im like a sixth generation Oregonian. My

CCMMagazine.com

family came over on covered wagon on the

Oregon Trail. I think you look back at what
has defined you and the different things that
have helped make you who you are.
Though its not as recent of a life
development as his folks cross country
move, Kearney got married in 2010 prior to
his last record release Young Love, which
basically traced the several stages of falling
in love with his eventual wife. And now
that the couples been married for half a
decade, theyve expanded upon that initial
honeymoon phase with a conscious approach
towards collectively digging into their pasts
in the hopes of sharpening one another in
the present.
How are we trying to grow as human
beings, in the way we treat each other and
loving each other better? Whats the junk
from my past that Im trying to work through?
Whats the junk youre working through? he
wonders, tying it back into this overarching
season of retracing his steps. [If Young Love
was] the romantic butterflies in your stomach
falling in love record, [Just Kids] is the reality
of challenging things in your marriage and
wanting to become a better person and
someone pointing out the stuff in you. All
of a sudden, you live with this mirror that
really reflects the issues of your life that your
roommate wouldnt bug you about, you know?
So theres definitely that kind of okay, this is
something bigger than me and I need help.
In the quest for the constant refinement,
Kearney keyed into the idea of spiritual
surrender at home, which naturally played
into his latest songwriting (particularly
noticeable during Air I Breathe and Let It
Rain). I think when you get to the end of
yourself, it can be challenging, but thats the
place where you come to that moment of
surrender, he continues. I cant answer my
own problems and I cant save myself. I think
a lot of those songs are written almost like
a prayer. Me or the characters in the songs
have reached the end of their control and

their own ability and their own strength.

One specific instance thats shifted behind
the scenes is Kearneys ability to balance
creative and personal identities, thanks
primarily to some caring advice from the love
of his life. I have this music, this art that I
love and its why I feel like God put me on
this earth, but [sometimes we] tend to take
the things that we love and our greatest
strengths and it can kind of become too
important, he humbly admits. And I feel like
she really came into my life and challenged
what music is to me and made it a much
healthier thing. If I showed up tomorrow and
was like hey, I want to be a soccer coach at a
high school shed be like okay, thats cool. If
thats what youre supposed to do. So I think
theres like a real healthy place of knowing
Mat Kearney the performer, business man,
musician, and me as a person, a husband, a
friend, a member of our community, child of
God. Theres something about her that helps
separate all of those things for me.
Communication has also been a major
player in their budding relationship, which
even made its way to the record as a
completely unexpected surprise throughout
the fittingly titled The Conversation.
After a heated argument (that Kearney now
finds so trivial he cant even remember its
root), he stormed off towards a songwriting
session with the hope of translating those
frustrations into lyrics, only to have his wife
walk in a little while later and turn the tune
completely upside down.
You know, Im a passionate guy and we
both are very passionate people, so we
definitely share opinions and sometimes
more passionately than other times, he
lets out with a laugh. Sometimes the way
I make sense of life is I write a song about
it. You take the moment and you make it
redemptive, which is usually what I do with
my writing. I kind of take the hard things in
life and put it through a filter of redemption.
I was like, hey babe, what do you think about

CCMMagazine.com

this lyric? And she was like thats no good,

I wouldnt say that We actually sat down,
she pulled out a pen and paper and we wrote
that whole song together, which weve never
done. Shes never written a song that I know
of, but it ended up being a really special
moment.
The longer Kearney engages in a
conversation, the more it becomes
apparent that even with his laundry list of
achievements and subsequent fame (as
unintentional of a side effect as it may be),
hes completely down to earth and authentic
beyond measure. Perhaps more than any
time before, those elements manifest

themselves within his current musical

expressions (think a nearly indescribable
indie rock/dance pop meets acoustic hip-hop
palette) which often convey the unvarnished
vulnerability of a man simply being himself
and seeking community with his audience,
regardless where they fall in line with his
worldview.
People always ask what kind of music do
you make? and I answer I dont know man,
he deadpans. Im a singer/songwriter with
hip-hop influences and I like story telling.
Hopefully its just really good. Ive always
tried to avoid a label in my music because
it allows me to do what Im called to do. I

CCMMagazine.com

CCMMagazine.com

How are we trying to grow as human beings, in the way we treat and
love each other better? Whats the junk from my past that Im trying to
work through? Whats the junk youre working through? Just Kids is
the reality of challenging things in your marriage and wanting to become
a better person. Theres definitely that kind of okay, this is something
bigger than me and I need help.

Mat Kearney

think that early on I realized that I wasnt

supposed to just play for people that believe
what I believe and be an entertainer for
youth groups. Growing up in Oregon, my
faith existed within a world that thought
very differently from me, but it didnt create
teams like youre not on my team. It created
an inclusive thing like hey man, what is
this? Lets talk about
this? I just love writing
music and love writing
songs. If I like it and
it challenges me and
ministers to me, then
thats where I start, you
know? And then my
audience is people that
listen to it. I try to treat
them with respect, in
a way like if you met
someone at Starbucks.
How would you talk
about what you care
about and what you
believe to them? Thats
kind of how I view my
music and my conversation.
Just go to a Kearney concert or score
the pleasure of hanging out with him for a
dayhes the type of guy whod probably
invite a stranger off the streetand the folks
surrounding him can literally be anyone:
kids, college students, young adults or those
thirsting for enlightening musical dialogue

in general. Of course, the troubadour cant

please everyone all the time, but no one can
ever criticize him for being disingenuous,
especially considering his benevolent
attitude of loving everyone exactly where
they are.
Some people may criticize me. Well, you
arent saying enough or youre saying too
much or whatever, he
concedes. I just feel
like its a conversation
and a relationship Im
building with people as
the years and songs go
on. I want people to be
ready for whatever they
get out of my music. Its
kind of like hey, come
hang out. Its like Im
throwing a house party
and theres people
there that are pastors
and counselors and part
of my church and family
and friends and theres
people there that are
drug addicts and divorced and cheating on
their wife. Theyre all invited to my party
because lifes gonna happen and the grace
of God is going to find its way to work. Thats
basically my view of life.

CCMMagazine.com

For further information, visit

www.matkearney.com.

Five full-length albums into his career, Mat

Kearney is pushing the artistic envelope more
than ever while also crafting some serious pop
sensibility along the way. Although Just Kids
certainly has a contemplative side, theres some
killer acoustic guitar playing, dance-floor friendly
grooves and contagious choruses, all of which
have the potential to sound massive on stage.
Its no wonder why the record took a little longer
than usual, which besides self-production in his
home and mobile studios, also features some
behind the boards help from pals MDL (Maroon 5,
Justin Bieber) and Josh Crosby (a frequent Kearney
collaborator).

A
couple
more
questions
with
Mat
Kearney

CCM: What led to the four year break

between records?
MK: It hasnt been four years has it? Wow, thats
a long time. I think I was staying busy with some
of the success of Young Love, which had done
really well. Its always exciting, but then theres
that point of it where you say its time to stop on
this record. Stop touring and stop playing shows
and see what else is happeningThis record I just
had to wander a little bit I guess. You get in the
process of just putting out records because thats
what youre supposed to do. The time goes by- two
years- okay, youve got to put out a new one. With
this one, I took on a lot of the production myself.
I also want it to be special and I felt like I would
know when it was ready. It took a little more time,
but in a way, it was worth it.
CCM: Lets talk about the transition from opening
for so many major artists to playing many of
those same venues as a headliner on the
Just Kids tour.
MK: Its huge, I mean, for me its just like a dream
come true. Theres a venue in Nashville, the
Ryman, which is really famous and I got nervous
to go for it. Okay, are we really going for some of
these rooms? We did and it seems like people are
responding really well. It was another notch on the
list of wow, if we could play some of these venues
it would really be a dream come true. For this tour
weve been able to and Im really excited about it.
CCMMagazine.com

THINK.

ACT.

What do I believe?

Its one thing to

What should I do?

BE.

Who am I becoming?

KNOW THE STORY OF THE BIBLE.

Its another thing to LIVE IT.

31-DAY
READING PLAN

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The
Art of
worship
New music from The Brilliance
the duo of David Gungor & John Arndt
offers both worshippers and listeners
a much different, but deeper experience

CCMMagazine.com

The aim and final end of all music

should be none other than the glory of
God and the refreshment of the soul.
Johann Sebastian Bach
Artin any formis meant to be savored,
experienced and relished. David Gungor
and John Arndt, known as liturgical band
The Brilliance, craft music with this belief
in mind, giving listeners time and space to
fully soak in the beauty that lies in every
lyric and sonic nuance. This is true for
their independent projects, including four
albums and two EPs, as well as their new
full-length album Brother, released with
Integrity Music. Its an appropriate title,
considering the two men have shared a
brotherly bond since childhood, tracing
their families relationship back to the
70s when their fathers played together
in a wedding band. And following in their
fathers footsteps, David and John have
played together in a variety of bands
throughout the years, including time
spent playing in Gungor, a band fronted
by Davids brother, Michael.
Their latest collaboration began a few
years back when David, then leading
worship at a church in Tulsa, wanted to
craft original music written around the
liturgical calendar for his congregation. He
sent some ideas to John, who was living
in Austin at the time. From there, the
two began creating and recording under
the moniker of The Brilliance. Since then,
David, who is now at Trinity Grace Church
in New York City, and John, who now
resides in Chicago, have been blending
a classical aesthetic with traditional pop
form to create a sound built on piano
and string arrangements that, while
comfortingly familiar in many ways, is

unique within the space of worship music.

Some of the greatest classical works
ever composed were for the church, David
offers. We want to make art that, in a
sense, is commissioned by my church and
is music for the church; but that tells a
bigger story.
While all of The Brilliances original
songs are written from a larger faith
perspective, not all ten tracks on Brother
are meant to be sung corporately. Some
cuts were crafted with reflection in mind.
Often worship music, in particular, within
the church has been something where
you tried to get people to be as loud as
possible. Stand up with me; sing as loud
as you canwhich is great, but I thought
about my own life within the context of
prayerlearning how to listen to God
and not always speak, David shares. I
long for moments within a larger group
where we can be quiet together or we can
lean in together.
Other songs take on a darker tone.
Diving into issues like lament, doubt, and
wrestlingit doesnt have to all be happygo-lucky music that just puts a smile on
your face, says David. Theres nothing
wrong with that, but sometimes its good
to have another voice.
From the call of peace and unity on
the opening track Brother to the
confessional tone of Yahweh, each song
leads listeners on a winding road that
travels to dark depths full of laments
before reaching a hopeful benediction.
The title track was written in response
to a trip David took with a group of
songwriters to Israel, where he saw firsthand the confusing collision of Jewish,
Muslim, and Christian culturesequally
an enlightening and disconcerting
dichotomy. We just went to learn

David Gungor

stories with no agenda other than open

hands and listening ears, he explains,
but back home David had a bout with
writers block and a longing for peace and
justicea theme that permeates Brother.
Confessional cut Yahweh emerged six
months later when he was finally able to
put words to his experience.
The only way to work toward peace
for anyone, no matter what faith, is to
first live within a different narrative,
he contends. For me, as a person whos
really trying to work for peace through
our music, the question is, how do we let
people wrestle with the tension of longing
for justice and peace in certain issues?
Dust We Are And Shall Return was
written specifically for Ash Wednesday
and focuses on accepting our own
mortality. Growing up as a young
evangelical kid, I did not like to talk about
death, David says. I only wanted to think
about life and heaven. But preparing to
die I never thought of anything like
that. So dealing with your own mortality,
it can sound dark, but it actually is a

John Arndt

really beautiful process. Not only do the

lyrics require thoughtful consideration,
the instrumentation reflects the central
theme of the song, ending on the very
same note where it begins and mirroring
the arc of the human life.
Make Us One, written during Advent,
also allows the melody to reflect the
sentiment of the lyrics with distorted,
ethereal vocals panning from one speaker
to the other, building to gang vocals.
It is a very crazy song, David admits,
adding that listeners will either love it or
hate itno in between. Its in a different
time signature; the two become the
one; it changes keys. Its a very complex
thing thats going on. Everything is very
intentional in how its written. I dont think
weve ever written a song that were more
excited about.
Then theres the poignant Does Your
Heart Break?a song originally written
for Lent. In light of recent cultural and
religious clashes around the world,
the song takes on new meaning. David
revisited the lyrics and revised the second

CCMMagazine.com

Art must have the ability to represent multiple meanings at once. Everyone has
a different experience and perceptiona huge part of the beauty of art is its
ability to transcend clean, black and white definitions.
John Arndt
verse to reflect the emotions of his
congregation amid unrest in New York
following the questionable death of an
African-American man, giving his church a
chance to grieve during Advent.
For any song or any piece of art, there
are things that are surface level, and then
theres always a story behind the story,
says David.
Art must have the ability to represent
multiple meanings at once, continues
John. Everyone has a different experience
and perception that includes their
unique hopes, desires and fears. A huge
part of the beauty of art is its ability
to transcend clean, black and white
definitions. I also believe that is the
beauty of God. Whenever we try to grasp
the Divine and limit God to a simple
dogma, He evades our grasp.
David and John hope the stories in
their songs provoke thought and spark
the creativity of listeners, regardless
of the diverse venues where they
performfrom high masses and formal
church settings to seminaries, colleges,
and clubs. The universal appeal of their
music is breaking down barriers of age,
ethnicity and even religion, allowing
them to share their faith in a thoughtful,
artistic light that evokes curiosity from
believers and non-believers alike.
We want to be able to share our music
with anyone, hoping they appreciate the
beauty of it while thinking, Wow, youre
writing from a Christian story for art,
really? Our goal is to be integral to the

society were in, says David. We hope

people hear our story, get to know us and
realize, Oh man, this person is different
than me, but maybe they can respect the
way I think.
Basic Christian truths like loving
your neighbor and forgiving others
are at the heart of the remedy for the
human condition, regardless of religious
beliefs. The Brilliance hopes their art can
transcend the walls that divide us and
somehow fulfill that longing for peace and
justice in songs that lead listeners on a
journey ultimately toward hope.
For me, the reason I follow the teaching
of Jesus Christ is because it actually brings
life and truth, and it transcends certain
boundaries, David maintains. We love
art, and we love the idea of making art
within the Christian narrative. We want to
push boundaries artistically to inspire the
imagination.
For more information on The Brilliance,
visit thebrilliancemusic.com.

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Dont Be Afraid
to Get Scary Close
By Amy L. Lee

In an age when theres a collective call

perhaps especially from Millennialsfor
more authenticity within our relationships,
The New York Times bestselling author Donald
Miller has delivered Scary Close: Dropping the
Act and Finding True Intimacy.
Though he didnt write this book with
a particular audience in mind, Miller said,
Theres a crisis in American masculinity.
Male identity is so hard to pin down any
more. We need to talk about whats going
on in our culture. Regardless of the actions
they take or dont take, Miller said men feel
criticized, and guys dont know what theyre
supposed to do.
To the delight of his fan base and publisher
(Thomas Nelson) Scary Close is Millers first
book in five years and arguably his best yet.
Following Blue Like Jazz, Searching for God
Knows What, To Own a Dragon and A Million
Miles in a Thousand Years, its easy to begin
to see the cycle: Miller struggles through a
season, learns important lessons, then writes
a book about his experiences. Scary Close
offers readers the most important lesson yet:
Stop wasting time trying to craft a persona

that isnt you, and trust that others will love

the person you were created to be.
Scary Close is the yearlong chronicle of
Millers journey of learning to drop the mask,
be himself and risk himself for the sake of
true intimacy. I started the book when I was
chasing Betsy (now, his wife) to D.C. I just
began writing my thoughts about what was
happening and processing what was going on
in my life, he said.
I had to hit rock bottom. I had to break off
another relationship. I had to get help and
figure out what I was doing, he said.
Miller sees there are cultural changes
generationally, particularly among young
people who are delaying making life
decisions due to culturally induced fears,
and said, Heroes cant be heroes on their
own. Guys who go it alone, theres a real
damage to that. Fear is real, but its got to
be overcome.
Not marrying until he was 42, Miller said
he realized hed been acting his whole life,
but finally shed the mask to trust he still
would be loved when he stopped trying to
impress others. In the past four or five years,

CCMMagazine.com

CCMMagazine.com

I went from an isolated writer to married and

had more than a hundred house guests
hundreds of people over for dinner. Theres
incredible freedom in not worrying about
how youre coming off or being perceived.
The benefit of risking yourself is
developing a sense of community. As a
writer, I have to hunt down a book; its very
technical, he said. Yet dropping the mask
has made writing easier.
There are implications for developing
greater authenticity in nearly every aspect
of life. Numerous studies and reports tell us
technology is leaving us more isolated and
lonely than ever before in history. Churches
are places where we often don masks and
pretend our lives are going better than they
really are. Parents and other family members
often hide long-held secrets. Workplaces
often promote cultures that dont leave much
room for authenticity.

However, Miller argues via Scary Close that

we would do well to end our obsession being
connected in a virtual world to take risks in
the real world; that children are healthier
when parents dont hide family histories
from them; that workplaces can value
employees while also being profitable; and
that our faith becomes richer when we can
be honest with one another.
Scary Close is available in stores and
online at Amazon.com. Millers next project
is StoryBrand, release date to be announced.
Learn more at StoryBrand.com, or live a better
story at CreatingYourLifePlan.com.
You also can follow Miller on Twitter
@DonaldMiller or Instagram @DonMillerIs
or like him on Facebook.com/DonaldMillerwords.

In the past four or

five years, I went from
an isolated writer to
married and had more
than a hundred house
guestshundreds of
people over for dinner.
Theres incredible
freedom in not worrying
about how youre coming
off or being perceived.
Donald Miller
CCMMagazine.com

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in the studio

Tree63

By Ke vin Sparkman

Album title: Land

Label: Independent
Release date: Summer 2015
Producers: Tree63
Number of Tracks: 12
Studios: Farmland Studios (Nashville) and
Center Street Recording (Nashville)
For this installment of In The Studio, we
reconnect with our South African friends
from the band Tree 63. I got wind of their
sessions happening just down the road
at Center Street Recording Studios from
head engineer/manager Britt Edwards (The
Swift) and engineer Chris Cameron. When

digging a little deeper and inquiring about

any upcoming tour stops for the band, lead
vocalist John Ellis stated To be honest,
were still a little surprised we even recorded
a new album. But that doesnt necessarily
mean they have backed-in to laying down
new material.
Over the last few years I have been in
South Africa writing and recording solo
materialIve released two albums and an EP.
Ive also been producing quite a lot. says John,
who has also tasked himself with lecturing
college English and raising a family during the
bands hiatus. Bassist Daniel Ornellas has
continued to live in the Nashville area touring
with Worship Republic, Brenton Brown, and
teaching at the Christian Music Industry
Academy. Drummer Darryl Swart has been
touring with bands like Friday Night Satellites,
The Wisers, and building his chops as a studio

Tree63 with Center Street Recordings lead

engineer Britt Edwards (middle-right)

CCMMagazine.com

in the studio
engineer and producer in
Calgary, Canada.
Despite being oceans
apart, its easy to see that
the band has continued a
creative energy that they
now collaboratively bring to
a long awaited new project.
When the dust settles and the
final notes have been mixed
and mastered, we anticipate
seeing where Tree63 will land,
and what lies ahead for them
as a band in the very near
future.

Marking a return: The

last time we were in a studio
together was in late 2006,
early 2007, when we worked
with Joe Baldridge on our last
record for InPop, Sunday! The
songs on Land are mostly
new, but there are a couple
of older songs that we always
believed in that never made
it onto previous Tree63
recordings. Were really
glad to finally have them on
an album. There are also a
couple of pleasant surprises
for some of the more
dedicated, long-term Tree63
fans out therestay tuned!
All in the family: We
consider ourselves an original
band that writes its own
material. With the exception
of covering a few songs like
Blessed Be Your Name
and All Over The World by
our friend Matt Redman, we
typically keep the songwriting
CCMMagazine.com

in the studio
within the framework of the
band. We sing about whats
particular to usthis project
is no exception. Looking
ahead, were even going to be
writing more as a band from
now on.

Frog track: (John) When I

arrived in Nashville to begin

recording I had come down
with strep throat. Throughout
the entire recording I could
hardly sing a note, which led
to us having to record vocals
later in a different studio. The
guide vocals we tracked early
on in the process are all me
croaking out unfinished lyrics,
which would definitely make
for an interesting record in of
itself!

The meaning of Land:

Land, as in, land ahoy!

Sailing a long time on a vast
and stormy ocean, full of fear
and trembling, and finally
land is in sight: safety, surety,
an answer to many prayers.
The spiritual life is a long
journey, full of challenges, but
land is in sight and we can
trust what we see.

Land in five words or

less: Hopeful.
All photos by Chris Cameron/
Center Street Recording

CCMMagazine.com

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Reviews
ROCK

kids

Yancy and Friends

Little Praise Party: Taste and See
(Elevate Entertainment/Syntax Distribution)
FOR FANS OF: Pink, Katy Perry, Plumb

Red
Of Beauty & Rage (Provident)
FOR FANS OF: Thousand Foot Krutch,
Decyfer Down
QQQQ
Red likely needs no introduction as a modern
rock staple of the last decade. After charttopping albums like Until We Have Faces and six
Dove Award wins over the last eight years, Red
stands among the forerunners of Christian rock.
Its no surprise, then, that their new album,
Of Beauty & Rage, is one of the years most
anticipated new releases.
The new LP pairs the band once again with
producer Rob Graves, who helmed their first
three albums. The chemistry is apparent from
the outset with a mix on which Michael Barnes
sounds confident and clear throughout, and
many orchestral arrangements flesh out
muscular tracks like Darkest Part. Of Beauty &
Rage is yet another strong rock release from a
band in its stride.
Matt Conner
WE LIKE: Darkest Part

QQQQ
Throughout the last decade, Yancy regularly
rotated between her singer/songwriter side
and more vertically-minded material, though
now we find Christian musics most cheerful
chameleon logging the fourth release in her
worship music series for youngsters. But just
because her primary audience is kids this
round doesnt mean adults wont have plenty
to latch onto thanks to her clich-free and
tasteful musicality. Both the standard album
and companion DVD feature 15 upbeat sing-alongs that are all tons of fun, but not annoying
to their folks, who can also take comfort that
its rooted in Biblical lessons. For instance,
Super Wonderful could easily be a Top-40
tune, Obey never made a plea for children to
cooperate sound sweeter, while Its A Happy
Day is sure to offer a jolt of jubilation.
Andy Argyrakis
WE LIKE: Super Wonderful

CCMMagazine.com

Reviews
W or s h i p

The Brilliance
Brother (Integrity Music)
FOR FANS OF:
Gungor, Brian and Jenn Johnson
QQQ
There is a serenity and simple
peace in the music from The
Brilliance, best known for
their marriage of liturgical and
contemporary styles. Songs
like, Does Your Heart Break
offer a reflective and unique
perspective in the world of
Christian Music, devoid of
distractions. Prayers of the
People utilizes very few
musical elements, but is
beautiful, ethereal, and very
moving. Though they might
not connect with all listeners,
their ability to intimately
utilize spaces between musical
notes is a needed respite that
crosses genres.
Grace S. Aspinwall
WE LIKE: Does Your Heart Break

North Point Music

Beginnings
(North Point Ministries)
FOR FANS OF: Lauren Daigle,
Steve Fee, Bethel Music
QQQ
With the assistance of relative
newcomers Lauren Daigle
and Casey Darnell, this album
brings some fresh voices
and songs to the modern
worship scene. When The
Waters Rise has crisp drums
and keyboards underneath
a simple vocal from Chinua
Hawk. Steve Fee (formerly of
FEE) leads a slightly frantic
arrangement of All Because
of Jesus, which is a weak spot,
but his version of Glorious
One makes up for the outlier.
Our Great God is powerful,
strong, and the best moment
of the collection.
Grace S. Aspinwall
WE LIKE: Our Great God (Live)

Sarah Brusco
The Woven Whisper
(Sarah Brusco Music/
Vineyard Music USA)
FOR FANS OF: Kari Jobe,
Christy Nockels, Selah
QQQ
Born after a frightening
diagnosis (and later, healing)
of a tumor on her vocal cords,
this moving album from
worship leader Sarah Brusco
is not only encouraging,
it is inspiring. Her sweet,
strong vocal rests gently on
a backdrop of lilting worship
melodies, on songs like A
Breath, and, Make Your
Home Inside My Heart. She
got her start singing with
the community at Vineyard
Columbus, and it shows in her
art-ful and insightful vocal
work on Leading Me On,
where her passions and skills
shine.
Grace S. Aspinwall
WE LIKE: Make Your Home
Inside My Heart

CCMMagazine.com

AC

Jon Micah Sumrall

Faith & Family (BEC)
FOR FANS OF:
Kutless
QQQ
Kutless fans are likely to be
both elated and alarmed
at news that front man Jon
Micah Sumrall is releasing
his own solo album, Faith &
Family. The good news is this
is just a side project and not a
permanent change, as Sumrall
says he needed a home for
songs written that didnt fit
in the Kutless canon. The
tender acoustic set should
please both Kutless fans who
see a softer side as well as
AC listeners, especially on
memorable moments like Our
Hearts and Picture.
Matt Conner
WE LIKE: Our Hearts

Urb a n

Brooklyn
Tabernacle Choir
Pray (Provident)
FOR FANS OF:
Don Moen, Ron Kenoly
QQQQ
Each release is a milestone
when youre the most well
known artist within a category,
and its hard to argue that
there isnt a more established
outfit more than the Brooklyn
Tabernacle Choir. After six
Grammys and four million
albums sold, the powerful and
popular group is back with
Pray, a surprisingly diverse
release that includes the
typical swaying ballads like
All Because of Him alongside
Celtic songs like Praise Him.
With 14 new songs, BTC fans
will be moved by the scope
and sound of Pray.
Matt Conner
WE LIKE: Pray

Cro s s o v e r

George Jones &

Tammy Wynette
Songs of Inspiration
(Real Gone Music)
FOR FANS OF:
Johnny Cash & June Carter Cash,
Loretta Lynn, Ray Price
QQQQ
Countrys royal couple may
have had their problems, but
nonetheless clung tightly
to their faith and wound up
referencing it fairly frequently
in song. Newly remastered with
crystal clear sound, Songs of
Inspiration compiles 26 of the
pairs beloved spiritual material
in both duet and solo contexts.
Though neither The Possum
nor the First Lady of Country
Music may be with us in this
life any longer, the material
they left behind is nothing
short of timeless, especially for
those who love good old fashioned southern stylings.
Andy Argyrakis
WE LIKE: We Love To Sing
About Jesus

CCMMagazine.com

Join us on the

Preaching
MAGAZINE

Holy Land Tour

EO Tours Official Travel

Partner of
Preaching

Guest Speakers

January 11-20, 2016

Experience the land of the Bible

. Inspire your faith . Empower your sermons

. Transform your life

. Experience the ultimate hands-on learning experience

All inclusive price
starting at

$3,198*
from New York

* All prices reflect a 4% cash discount

Michael Duduit

Executive Editor
Preaching Magazine

YOUR JOURNEY INCLUDES:

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Additional baggage & optional fees may apply, see fine print for details
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Subject to change
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First Class Hotels & much more!

Walk Where Jesus Walked -

Nazareth, Capernaum, Bethsaida, The Sea of Galilee, Mount of

Beatitudes, Jerusalem and many more sites

Ralph Douglas West

Senior Pastor
The Church Without Walls
Houston, TX
Other Speakers to be Announced

For more information including complete itinerary & registration

www.eo.travel/preaching
800-247-0017

Reviews
book

mo v i e / DVD
Welcome To
Inspiration
Directors: Erick
Henson, Ryan Ramos
For Our Father Films
QQ

The Street Sweeper

Author: Tim Enochs
Pathway Press
QQQQ
The Street Sweeper,
written in first person,
opens to find the
lead character in a
position very familiar
to all of us: unable
to finish a task and
behind on a deadline.
A day late and a dollar
short, a close friend sends the distraught man
on what would be an unforgettable spiritual
journey beginning in a quaint mountain resort
town called Inspiration, Tennessee (dont
Google Map-it, we tried!). What was perceived
as an opportunity to just get away for a few
days is where this story turns and we suddenly
find our subject enthralled by a man who, of all
things, voluntarily sweeps the city streets of
Inspiration. What ensues is a memorable and
miraculous ride as the street sweeper leads
us along the process of learning the Seven
Revelations of Irrefutable Successexpanded,
yet simple applied Biblical principles based on
transformation, prayer, trust, giving, and truth.
This cant-put-down and very quick read is a
great inspirational piece for anyone on school
campuses to CEOs of large corporations.
Kevin Sparkman

To preview The Street Sweeper, read the

entire first chapter included in the
Feb. 1 edition of CCM Magazine.

This direct-toDVD feature film

includes well
known artists Jason
Crabb and Larry
Gatlin, although
their appearances
seem a little more like cameos than integral
parts of the plot. Crabb, however, does provide
the culminating musical performanceas
himselfat a Christian cafe in the small town
of Mountain Brook (or, Inspiration, as called
in the companion book The Street Sweeper by
Tim Enochs) as the character Johnny finally
convinces his girlfriends father, the cafe
owner, that his budding artistry is worthy of
opening up for Crabbs headline show. Always
the professional, Crabb shines brightly in
performance despite an awkward build-up and
scene experience by the film itself.
For those seeking an accurate onscreen version of the The Street Sweeper
we recommend observing Welcome To
Inspiration as a very liberal interpretation. In
attempts to weave interlocking stories between
characters a la Crash (2005), this falls a bit
short as its disjointed and focus is lost due to
its, at times, very slow movement. Although not
really a congregational-gathering film event, it
does a great job of depicting conflict resolution
via a Christian perspective and isnt afraid
of delivering a very real portrayal of touchy
subjects like marital struggles, loss of a family
member, and lack of self-confidence. Free music
by Jason Crabb and companion study materials
available with DVD.
Kevin Sparkman

CCMMagazine.com

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