This Sunday I want to share my top songs from the past seven days. These are songs that have ministered to me and represent both the old and the new.
So here it is, my Top Five for this week… (Possibly the entire month of January).
#5 – “Revelation Song” by Kari Jobe (or Gateway Worship)
A blast from the past, this song is just amazing. It’s based on text from the book of Revelation in the Bible hence its name. It has become a regular feature of worship time at home, it sends my wife and I straight to the throne room of heaven and trust me, with just a listen, you will begin thanking God for all He is and what He has done.
#4 – “He Loves Us” by Anthony Evans
Previously recorded by John Mark McMillan as well as The David Crowder Band (name simply called Crowder), this other blast from the past continues to be favorite of mine. I have particularly fallen in love with Anthony Evans rendition (from the 2011 album Home) which brings a mix of the Crowder energy and his own unique voice making a crossover of a CCM classic into gospel. The song is amazing. This week, I could not resist posting the words from the bridge as my Facebook status: “If His grace is an ocean, we’re all sinking!”
#3 – “Yesu” by Pompi
Pompi wowed us last November with his sophomore album that has become a major hit. While my favorite song is still “Peace be Still”, this week it was the last song on the CD, “Yesu” that made the cut. Its a modern worship song, it has strong message and is very put together by the team at Radio Cafe. I must say here, if you have not bought Broken English yet, please do, you are missing out.
#2 – “We Believe” by Newsboys
The Newboys have had a great story in CCM. What is amazing for me is how Michael Tait has found his feet in the band as if he was there all the time, making what some have called DC Talk 2.0. This song was released as a single from their 2013 album Restart and it slowly rose to become a fan favorite last year with the release of the movie God’s Not Dead, where the band appears as themselves. The lyrics are deep. Its a declaration song, a statement of faith and an awesome song to get one’s spirits up. It always works for me.
#1 – “Mututende” – Chileshe Bwalya & the Miracles By Fire Praise Team
Those of you that are into the industry side of music will agree that the story of the resurgence of Zambian music in the last 15 years cannot be complete without the mention of Sling Beats. Now follow me closesly here. The team at what was David’s Sling Studios put together some of the finest music and still do today. In the earlier times, one name stood out as a manager, A & R, business development guy: Humphrey ‘Sean Cheddar’ Mwale. This guy knew the industry and some of the biggest names worked with him at the time in making the brands they today. Much about what I know in music management and business I learned from him.
Many years down the line, he no longer goes by the name Cheddar but by Prophet Humphrey Mwale, PhD, a minister of the gospel and together with his beautiful wife Njifya, he pastors Miracles By Fire International Church. With this background, it came as no surprise that when the church through its praise tram came to put up a record, it had the ‘Cheddar Magic’ and it was only a matter of time.
Last year, Miracles by Fire Praise team released The Anointing. It was the breakout album of 2014 from the little known group. It was different, fresh and powerful. Mumutende, my song of the week and probably one of my favorite since last year, was written and performed by Bwalya Chileshe. Going by the other songs she performs on the album, i can safely say, she means business!
The song is a prayer about staying God’s peace in the storms of life. Every now and then we all have those moments when we feel we are sinking and the storms of life are all about us. In those moments, we need God’s peace to hold us up. Mumutende echoes that prayer and speaks to our need for that everlasting peace. I have come to appreciate the song more and more everyday as it speaks to my heart in and out of the storm. Its a well crafted work of art that carries the listener emotionally and physically too, so don’t be surprised if you find yourself bumping to the beat, it does that to you.
Check out the song’s video on below: http://youtu.be/o45osdBx8N0
And this right here was my Top 5 this past week. #BeAwesome!
Be Awesome! 