23 Mar, 2011
Risen Has Arrived
Posted by: Bob Kauflin In: —Easter|—Sovereign Grace Music|—Worship and Christ
I’m happy to announce that our latest album, Risen, came out yesterday — a whole album of songs that celebrate the reality and meaning of the bodily resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead.
When we first were planning Risen my hope was to get it out in time for Easter. God helping us, we did. And we managed to squeeze in a few extras.
More Sheet Music
We’ve included lead sheets and guitar charts as in the past, but this time both in the recorded key and in suggested congregational keys, when needed. Risen also includes the piano scores for all the songs.
More Sovereign Grace Musicians
Most of our previous major releases have utilized session players from Nashville. We used some stellar Nashville players again this time, but added Joel Sczebel, a 22 year old from our church in Surrey, Canada. He was heavily involved in the arranging and ended up playing electric on 6 tracks. Also, you can hear the Na Band on the song You Have Been Raised.
More Vocalists
We’re introducing some new vocalists on Risen that we’re excited for you to hear. Erin Hill, from Covenant Life Church (my home church) sings three songs, while David Gilland (Metro Life in Orlando, FL) and Jason McGovern (Covenant Fellowship in Philadelphia, PA) take one each. Regulars Ryan Baird, Meghan Baird, Devon Kauflin, and George Romanacce round out the rest of the vocals.
More Songs
We put 12 songs on most of our albums. Risen has 13.
One of our aims in producing this album was to provide more songs that explore why the resurrection is so important to the life of a Christian. It’s one thing to believe that Jesus rose bodily from the dead. It’s another thing to understand what implications that has. It’s yet another thing to live in the good of those implications.
Risen is our small attempt to encourage churches in all three areas. And it’s probably goes without saying that just as songs about the incarnation aren’t just for Christmas and songs about the cross aren’t just for Good Friday, so songs about the resurrection aren’t just for Easter. The gospel falls apart unless Jesus Christ was actually raised from the dead.
The resurrection is the sure sign that the power of the future age has broken into the present, that our justification is secure, that the powers of hell have been disarmed, that all those who trust in Christ will one day have glorified bodies, and that the new creation has dawned. Pretty significant, I’d say.
Yesterday we announced that you could download Risen from our webstore for only 5 bucks through April 4. Unfortunately, the response revealed some technological problems, which we’re currently working on. In the meantime, you can buy a copy of the CD, sheet music and digital booklet included, for $12, iTunes is selling Risen for $9.99, and you can download it from Amazon for $6.99.
So what are you waiting for?
And once you’ve heard it, I’d love to know what songs you enjoy or speak to you the most.
