On his Instagram account, crooner Michael Buble' often takes requests for "dressing room warm up" songs before shows and on April 30 the song selected was Jamie Grace's first single, "Hold Me."
Buble' noted on Instagram that the selection was one that his fans zealously requested.
"This dressing room warm up has been requested by SO many followers that we couldn't list you all!" he wrote. "But you know who you are."
Complete with ukulele, guitar, piano and brushes on a snare drum, Buble' proved that the song could easily be converted into a big-band hit.
Jamie Grace, of course, was elated by news of Buble's 15-second cover. She said, "I never thought in my whole life I would hear Michael Buble sing 'Hold Me'... my goodness."
Wednesday, April 30, 2014
Michael Sweet to Release Band Project with Members of Dokken, White Lion and Whitesnake
Frontiers Records announced a yet unnamed new band project featuring Stryper's Michael Sweet, former Dokken and Lynch Mob axeman George Lynch, former White Lion bass player James Lomenzo and ex-White Snake drummer Brian Tichy.
Stryper frontman Michael Sweet talked in-depth to Noize In The Attic about his new solo CD I'm Not Your Suicide, his autobiography Honestly, a live Stryper DVD, his upcoming project with George Lynch and more.
The free podcast is available (the interview starts at the 31 minute mark).
Sweet: "I just finished up an album with George Lynch. It's a great vibe, it's different for me. Eighty percent of the record reminds me, if you got in to a time machine and went back to 1978. It's a real classic rock kind of a vibe. It worked and I'm excited for people to hear it."
Stryper frontman Michael Sweet talked in-depth to Noize In The Attic about his new solo CD I'm Not Your Suicide, his autobiography Honestly, a live Stryper DVD, his upcoming project with George Lynch and more.
The free podcast is available (the interview starts at the 31 minute mark).
Sweet: "I just finished up an album with George Lynch. It's a great vibe, it's different for me. Eighty percent of the record reminds me, if you got in to a time machine and went back to 1978. It's a real classic rock kind of a vibe. It worked and I'm excited for people to hear it."
David and Goliath' Director Assures Big-Budget Movie Will Be Biblically Accurate
Tim Chey, the director behind the upcoming big-budget "David and Goliath" film, told The Christian Post in an exclusive interview that the project is set to be "biblically correct in every way," and that he hopes audiences will be moved to tears when they see it.
The film, which is to be shot in Morocco is said to have a $50 million dollar budget and is currently scheduled for an early 2015 nationwide theater release. Chey has directed and produced nine feature films, including the $20 million "Carry Me Home" (Cuba Gooding, Jr.), coming out nationwide in December, "Suing the Devil' (Malcolm McDowell), and "Genius Club" (Stephen Baldwin).
While traveling from London to Casablanca, Chey shared his faith background and how it inspired the decision to get involved with the "David and Goliath" movie:
Acknowledging the recent controversy around Noah, he noted the importance of accuracy:
He also addresses the importance of quality to attract a mass audience:
read full article
The film, which is to be shot in Morocco is said to have a $50 million dollar budget and is currently scheduled for an early 2015 nationwide theater release. Chey has directed and produced nine feature films, including the $20 million "Carry Me Home" (Cuba Gooding, Jr.), coming out nationwide in December, "Suing the Devil' (Malcolm McDowell), and "Genius Club" (Stephen Baldwin).
While traveling from London to Casablanca, Chey shared his faith background and how it inspired the decision to get involved with the "David and Goliath" movie:
I was a former atheist who found Christ in a hotel room after reading a Gideon's Bible in Manila. I never looked back after that. Our production company has had this film "David and Goliath" in the works for almost 11 years. We realized to film it right we needed to shoot the film on a grand scale (much like "Lawrence of Arabia"). It's one of the most incredible stories in the Bible about faith. In this case, it was much greater than a mustard seed.
Acknowledging the recent controversy around Noah, he noted the importance of accuracy:
First off, it will be biblically correct in every way. But I want to show more of the cruelty of who the Philistines were and who Goliath was through historical data. Also, I want to flesh out the powerful fear Goliath instilled on Saul's army. Also David's brothers – the incredible tears they must have shed knowing the little brother was going to take on the 9-foot warrior. It could have been a Shakespearean tragedy, but turned into a victory through God.
He also addresses the importance of quality to attract a mass audience:
The mass audience is used to the best acting, the best visual effects, and the best epic filmmaking. To me, filmmaking is like playing professional basketball. It takes years of training and then ultimately, talent to do it. To get super-talented filmmakers who passionately love the Lord is a rare commodity. And to get super-talented filmmakers, who passionately love the Lord, and can raise millions of dollars, is next to impossible. This is why Christian films are looked down upon. However, even if a small cheesy film can win just one person to Christ, then let's be careful not to mock it like so many cruel Christians do.
read full article
Monday, April 28, 2014
God's Not Dead and Heaven Is For Real Quietly Surpass $50 Million at Box Office
After just two weeks, Heaven is For Real has already earned $52 million domestically at the box office while God's Not Dead has earned an equal amount in 6 weeks. Heaven Is For Real was the 3rd most popular film this past week, God's Not Dead was #11 and Noah, approaching $100 million was #14.
Forest Whitaker, Idris Elba and Oprah May 'Shack' Up in Controversial Movie
The Tracking Board is reporting that a film based on the bestselling book The Shack will reportedly be directed by Forest Whitaker and may star British actor Idris Elba and tv personality Oprah.
As a religious film it will definitely be controversial, and with such big-name talent it is sure to get huge press.
In January, Deadline first reported that the Academy Award winner Whitaker, who starred in the 2013 film The Butler, was in talks to direct William Paul Young's book. It also suggested that Whitaker could be a supporting character in the story that chronicles a man grieving the kidnapping and brutal murder of his seven-year-old daughter, who encounters God in the shed where his child died.
Elba, who stars in the television series Luther and was recently seen in Thor: The Dark World could be cast as the lead. It did not specify which part Oprah could be given, although the main character, Mackenzie Allen Phillips, encounters three versions of God while in the shed, one of them Papa, an African-American woman.
The two other members of the Trinity who Phillips meets are Jesus, a Jewish Carpenter, and Sarayu, a woman of unclear Asian descent whom he later discovers is the Holy Spirit.
Shooting is set to begin on the $30 million film in Atlanta or Vancouver later this summer.
Not all Christians flocked to the message of The New York Times bestselling book, which sold over 18 million copies.
In 2010, R. Albert Mohler, Jr. described The Shack as a "wake-up call for evangelical Christianity," and that its story reflected "a theology that is unconventional at best, and undoubtedly heretical in certain respects."
He also blamed its popularity among Evangelicals on their ignorance of "basic theological knowledge."
Young, who originally wrote the story for his family without intending to publish it, defended The Shack's message and theology shortly after it was released.
"I absolutely am convinced that this is a God-thing, that God is the One stirring this all up, challenging us to rethink and entertain growing deeper in a relationship with Him rather than pursuing our independence," Young said in 2008.
In 2011, Young added that "part of my journey is to say that the soul of the human being must be a massively intricate, wonderful creation that God has a respect for in ways that we do not and that leaves a huge amount of space to go explore. He (Jesus) didn't come to start a new religion. Jesus is not the 'founder of Christianity.' He came to destroy religious thinking by introducing relationship – and relationship always moves you away from control, which is a major theme in both The Shack and Cross Roads, and into the mystery of relationship."
As a religious film it will definitely be controversial, and with such big-name talent it is sure to get huge press.
In January, Deadline first reported that the Academy Award winner Whitaker, who starred in the 2013 film The Butler, was in talks to direct William Paul Young's book. It also suggested that Whitaker could be a supporting character in the story that chronicles a man grieving the kidnapping and brutal murder of his seven-year-old daughter, who encounters God in the shed where his child died.
Elba, who stars in the television series Luther and was recently seen in Thor: The Dark World could be cast as the lead. It did not specify which part Oprah could be given, although the main character, Mackenzie Allen Phillips, encounters three versions of God while in the shed, one of them Papa, an African-American woman.
The two other members of the Trinity who Phillips meets are Jesus, a Jewish Carpenter, and Sarayu, a woman of unclear Asian descent whom he later discovers is the Holy Spirit.
Shooting is set to begin on the $30 million film in Atlanta or Vancouver later this summer.
Not all Christians flocked to the message of The New York Times bestselling book, which sold over 18 million copies.
In 2010, R. Albert Mohler, Jr. described The Shack as a "wake-up call for evangelical Christianity," and that its story reflected "a theology that is unconventional at best, and undoubtedly heretical in certain respects."
He also blamed its popularity among Evangelicals on their ignorance of "basic theological knowledge."
Young, who originally wrote the story for his family without intending to publish it, defended The Shack's message and theology shortly after it was released.
"I absolutely am convinced that this is a God-thing, that God is the One stirring this all up, challenging us to rethink and entertain growing deeper in a relationship with Him rather than pursuing our independence," Young said in 2008.
In 2011, Young added that "part of my journey is to say that the soul of the human being must be a massively intricate, wonderful creation that God has a respect for in ways that we do not and that leaves a huge amount of space to go explore. He (Jesus) didn't come to start a new religion. Jesus is not the 'founder of Christianity.' He came to destroy religious thinking by introducing relationship – and relationship always moves you away from control, which is a major theme in both The Shack and Cross Roads, and into the mystery of relationship."
Fox Developing MiniSeries Nazareth About Jesus’ Formative Years
With popularity of Bible-themed projects showing no signs of subsiding, Fox has put in development Nazareth, an event series written/executive produced by David Franzoni (Gladiator).
It follows the formative years of Jesus of Nazareth. There had been a lot of interest recently in Jesus’ so called “lost years,” a lesser known period in his life because there is very little written about him from the age of 13, following a pilgrimage to Jerusalem he took with his parents, to age 30, when he began his ministry and was baptized by John the Baptist.
Lifetime in February started development on The One, a TV movie from Hatfields & McCoys producer Leslie Greif, which is described as a coming-of-age story exploring Jesus’ early life and formative years.
It follows the formative years of Jesus of Nazareth. There had been a lot of interest recently in Jesus’ so called “lost years,” a lesser known period in his life because there is very little written about him from the age of 13, following a pilgrimage to Jerusalem he took with his parents, to age 30, when he began his ministry and was baptized by John the Baptist.
Lifetime in February started development on The One, a TV movie from Hatfields & McCoys producer Leslie Greif, which is described as a coming-of-age story exploring Jesus’ early life and formative years.
Does the Rise of Stephen Colbert Signal Larger Changes in Culture?
Shameless Popery blogger Joe Heschmeyer writes that certain events, small in themselves, can serve as cultural bellwethers, pointing to the direction that the culture is going as a whole. He points out that two years ago, we saw one of these in the replacement of the Supreme Court's last Protestant, Justice David Souter (an Episcopalian), with Justice Sonia Sotomayor (a Catholic). Since that time, the Supreme Court has been made up of six Catholics and three Jews, with no Protestants.
Last week, he argued that we're seeing another of these bellwethers. Late-night host David Letterman recently announced his retirement and CBS announced his replacement: Stephen Colbert. Deacon Greg Kandra was quick to point out one reason that this was significant, with the headline: “The Catholic takeover of late night TV is complete.” Letterman was the Protestant hold-out in late night. Once Colbert replaces him, networks late night shows will be hosted by Catholics.
This is not necessarily a resurgence of Catholicism, at least in any meaningful sense. Not all of the people we're talking about here are model (or even practicing) Catholics, by any stretch. Rather, we're witnessing the collapse of Protestantism. That's born out by the data, as this 2012 Pew report shows:
In late 2012, Pew reported for the first time that a minority of Americans polled (48%) still considered themselves Protestants. Catholicism is gaining relative to Protestantism simply by holding steady, while Protestant ranks are falling. This is particularly true of liberal and “mainline” Protestantism, which is simply collapsing.
Meanwhile, it's irreligion, not Catholicism, that's on the rise. As the Pew report (and subsequent NY Times coverage) point out, most of these religious unaffiliated people still believe in God. It's not so much God that people have given up on, but religion. Part of this is a trend towards social alienation: one ironic result of technology is that we're lonelier than we used to be, more alienated from our friends and neighbors. The natural social cohesion that holds a congregation together is increasingly lacking. But whatever the cause(s), this is a reality that I think all of us, regardless of religious affiliation, have to take seriously.
read full article
Last week, he argued that we're seeing another of these bellwethers. Late-night host David Letterman recently announced his retirement and CBS announced his replacement: Stephen Colbert. Deacon Greg Kandra was quick to point out one reason that this was significant, with the headline: “The Catholic takeover of late night TV is complete.” Letterman was the Protestant hold-out in late night. Once Colbert replaces him, networks late night shows will be hosted by Catholics.
This is not necessarily a resurgence of Catholicism, at least in any meaningful sense. Not all of the people we're talking about here are model (or even practicing) Catholics, by any stretch. Rather, we're witnessing the collapse of Protestantism. That's born out by the data, as this 2012 Pew report shows:
In late 2012, Pew reported for the first time that a minority of Americans polled (48%) still considered themselves Protestants. Catholicism is gaining relative to Protestantism simply by holding steady, while Protestant ranks are falling. This is particularly true of liberal and “mainline” Protestantism, which is simply collapsing.
Meanwhile, it's irreligion, not Catholicism, that's on the rise. As the Pew report (and subsequent NY Times coverage) point out, most of these religious unaffiliated people still believe in God. It's not so much God that people have given up on, but religion. Part of this is a trend towards social alienation: one ironic result of technology is that we're lonelier than we used to be, more alienated from our friends and neighbors. The natural social cohesion that holds a congregation together is increasingly lacking. But whatever the cause(s), this is a reality that I think all of us, regardless of religious affiliation, have to take seriously.
read full article
Thursday, April 24, 2014
Candace Cameron Bure Co-Hosted The View Today
This morning, Candace Cameron Bure joined her friend Sherri Shephard in co-hosting The View. They’ll be posting the episode at this link. She's currently featured on Dancing With The Stars.
Her dancing instructor, Mark Ballas, writes at She Knows of how difficult it was for them to be in the bottom two again this week on Dancing With The Stars.
The former Full House star tells People that she's okay knowing that not everyone is going to agree with her evangelical Christian beliefs:
"As much as you want to try and explain your position to people, sometimes at the end of the day it is not worth it. I need to invest my time in my family and not trying to please everybody or getting them to see my own point of view."
As a contestant on this season of Dancing with the Stars, she has garnered praise and criticism for her conservative beliefs and her "boundaries" that have left her modestly clothed and with fully-dressed partners (even when pro dancer Mark Ballas wanted to show off his abs).
"They didn't show it on the show but the only reason was because I thought it might be a little uncomfortable for my children," Bure says of asking Ballas to keep his shirt on. "And funny enough, another one of the dancers told me his daughter texted him the day after he went shirtless for the first time and she was not happy."
Her dancing instructor, Mark Ballas, writes at She Knows of how difficult it was for them to be in the bottom two again this week on Dancing With The Stars.
The former Full House star tells People that she's okay knowing that not everyone is going to agree with her evangelical Christian beliefs:
"As much as you want to try and explain your position to people, sometimes at the end of the day it is not worth it. I need to invest my time in my family and not trying to please everybody or getting them to see my own point of view."
As a contestant on this season of Dancing with the Stars, she has garnered praise and criticism for her conservative beliefs and her "boundaries" that have left her modestly clothed and with fully-dressed partners (even when pro dancer Mark Ballas wanted to show off his abs).
"They didn't show it on the show but the only reason was because I thought it might be a little uncomfortable for my children," Bure says of asking Ballas to keep his shirt on. "And funny enough, another one of the dancers told me his daughter texted him the day after he went shirtless for the first time and she was not happy."
Wednesday, April 23, 2014
Needtobreathe Returns to TV
The band performed new single “The Heart” on The Ellen DeGeneres Show last Friday.
The band will return to The Late Show with David Letterman tonight for a performance of “The Heart,” joined by Paul Shaffer.
On May 3, Needtobreathe will perform on CBS This Morning Saturday’s “Saturday Sessions.”
The band will return to The Late Show with David Letterman tonight for a performance of “The Heart,” joined by Paul Shaffer.
On May 3, Needtobreathe will perform on CBS This Morning Saturday’s “Saturday Sessions.”
Needtobreathe at No. 3 on the Billboard 200
Needtobreathe's new album Rivers In the Wasteland has debuted at No. 3 on the Billboard 200 and No. 1 on the Rock as well as the Christian Albums Chart. Released last week, Rivers went straight to No. 1 on the iTunes chart and stayed in the Top 10 all week.The band scores its second No. 1 on Billboard's Top Rock Albums chart with 49,000 sold, according to Nielsen SoundScan. The set marks the South Carolina band's best sales week and highest debut and rank on the Billboard 200 (No. 3), besting its previous album and first Top Rock Albums leader, 2011's "The Reckoning" (No. 6, with a narrowly smaller sales sum).
Monday, April 21, 2014
Francesca Battistelli's Free To Be Me Is Golden
Francesca Battistelli earned Gold certification by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) for her Grammy nominated single "Free To Be Me." In 2012, Francesca received a Gold record for My Paper Heart marking the first debut album from a CCM artist in nearly a decade to receive RIAA-certified Gold status for sales in excess of 500,000 units. Casting Crowns' 2003 release was the last CCM debut album to receive RIAA Gold certification. Tomorrow, Francesca's third studio album, If We're Honest, is set to release worldwide.
With over 995,000 in album sales to date and over 1.9 million single downloads, she is the best-selling new artist in the genre in the past decade.
With over 995,000 in album sales to date and over 1.9 million single downloads, she is the best-selling new artist in the genre in the past decade.
'Heaven Is for Real' Crushes Johnny Depp's Latest Bomb 'Transcendence'
Faith-based film Heaven Is for Real soared at the Easter weekend box office, earning a stellar $21.5 million from 2,417 theaters to bury big-budget Transcendence, which opened to a dismal $11.5 million from 3,455 locations.
Transcendence marks the third big-budget bomb in a row for Johnny Depp after The Lone Ranger and Dark Shadows.
Captain America, staying at No. 1 for its third consecutive weekend, grossed $26.6 million from 3,825 locations to cross the $200 million mark domestically and hit $586.6 million worldwide in another major victory for Marvel Studios and Disney.
Fox's animated family film Rio 2 grossed $22.5 million from 3,975 locations in its second weekend for a domestic total of $75.4 million.
Heaven Is for Real, placing No. 3, is the latest Christian film to exceed expectations. Produced by influential pastor T. D. Jakes, director Randall Wallace and Hollywood veteran Joe Roth, Heaven Is for Real stars Greg Kinnear and earned an A CinemaScore. The drama did its biggest business in the country's Bible Belt, but appealed to mainstream audiences as well.
Easter weekend provided further evidence that 2014 is indeed the year of the Bible movies. Heaven Is for Real was one of three such titles populating the top 10 chart. Noah placed No. 9 with $5 million for a domestic cume of $93.2 million, while God's Not Dead came in No. 10 with $4.8 million, pushing its total to $48.2 million.
Heading into the weekend, no one expected the $12 million Heaven Is for Real to beat Transcendence, which cost a hefty $100 million to produce. Transcendence suffered from scathing reviews and a C+ CinemaScore.
Easter weekend saw two other new nationwide offerings -- A Haunted House 2 and Disney documentary Bears. Haunted House 2 placed No. 5 with $9.1 million from 2,310 theaters, half of the $18 million opening secured by the first film. Bears placed No. 11 with a less-than-expected $4.7 million from 1,720 theaters, the lowest opening of any Disneynature title.
Over the weekend, Frozen became the No. 6 title of all time worldwide with $1.129 billion in earnings, passing up The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King ($1.114 billion) and Transformers: Dark of the Moon ($1.123 billion). It has also passed up Ice Age 4 ($716 million) to become the top-grossing animated film at the international box office with $729.3 million.
Transcendence marks the third big-budget bomb in a row for Johnny Depp after The Lone Ranger and Dark Shadows.
Captain America, staying at No. 1 for its third consecutive weekend, grossed $26.6 million from 3,825 locations to cross the $200 million mark domestically and hit $586.6 million worldwide in another major victory for Marvel Studios and Disney.
Fox's animated family film Rio 2 grossed $22.5 million from 3,975 locations in its second weekend for a domestic total of $75.4 million.
Heaven Is for Real, placing No. 3, is the latest Christian film to exceed expectations. Produced by influential pastor T. D. Jakes, director Randall Wallace and Hollywood veteran Joe Roth, Heaven Is for Real stars Greg Kinnear and earned an A CinemaScore. The drama did its biggest business in the country's Bible Belt, but appealed to mainstream audiences as well.
Easter weekend provided further evidence that 2014 is indeed the year of the Bible movies. Heaven Is for Real was one of three such titles populating the top 10 chart. Noah placed No. 9 with $5 million for a domestic cume of $93.2 million, while God's Not Dead came in No. 10 with $4.8 million, pushing its total to $48.2 million.
Heading into the weekend, no one expected the $12 million Heaven Is for Real to beat Transcendence, which cost a hefty $100 million to produce. Transcendence suffered from scathing reviews and a C+ CinemaScore.
Easter weekend saw two other new nationwide offerings -- A Haunted House 2 and Disney documentary Bears. Haunted House 2 placed No. 5 with $9.1 million from 2,310 theaters, half of the $18 million opening secured by the first film. Bears placed No. 11 with a less-than-expected $4.7 million from 1,720 theaters, the lowest opening of any Disneynature title.
Over the weekend, Frozen became the No. 6 title of all time worldwide with $1.129 billion in earnings, passing up The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King ($1.114 billion) and Transformers: Dark of the Moon ($1.123 billion). It has also passed up Ice Age 4 ($716 million) to become the top-grossing animated film at the international box office with $729.3 million.
Sunday, April 20, 2014
Captain America Writers Talk Next Narnia Movie
Christopher Markus and Stephen McFeely were the screenwriters on the first three Narnia movies. They were replaced during pre-production on The Voyage of the Dawn Treader which lead to their work on the Marvel cinematic universe writing Captain America: The First Avenger, Captain America: The Winter Soldier and Thor: The Dark World. They've already been signed to write Captain America 3, and may also work on the Agent Carter miniseries that could come to TV in the mid-season of Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.
They spoke with SuperheroHype, who asked about The Silver Chair, even though Markus and McFeely are not writing the screenplay.
David Magee is currently writing the script for The Chronicles of Narnia: The Silver Chair.
They spoke with SuperheroHype, who asked about The Silver Chair, even though Markus and McFeely are not writing the screenplay.
SHH: Before you guys go, I want to quickly ask about “Chronicles of Narnia,” because I’m a huge fan of the books. Do you think there’s a future for the movies as a franchise at this point and are you still involved at all?
Markus: They’re trying to do a fourth one.
McFeely: Yeah, they’re trying to do “The Silver Chair” right now but I don’t think there’s a studio.
McFeely: No, I think they switched producers, but “Silver Chair” I think is a good choice because it’s a pretty coherent adventure that’s not terribly tied to what comes before or after so you can make a really solid adventure movie and not get too bound up inside this other thing. It’s three acts, it’s literally a beginning, middle and end and it feels like a whole story. “[Prince] Caspian” was harder because it takes place a thousand years later and “[The Voyage of the] Dawn Treader” was really hard. We were kicked off that one. The problem with “Dawn Treader” is that it’s a lovely book with no stakes. It’s a philosophical exploration that needed to be turned into a heroic quest, but it basically just wasn't.
McFeely: We always thought that if we did “The Silver Chair,” we’ll crush that one, but everything worked out for a reason. If we stayed with that, we wouldn’t be here.
David Magee is currently writing the script for The Chronicles of Narnia: The Silver Chair.
Thursday, April 17, 2014
MercyMe to Appear on the Today Show
MercyMe is set to perform their top 5 hit single "Shake" on NBC's The Today Show April 22.
The "Shake" music video has had nearly 2 million views on several video platforms. Fans of the band have been using the hashtag #MMShake to share their own videos and responses via Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
The "Shake" music video has had nearly 2 million views on several video platforms. Fans of the band have been using the hashtag #MMShake to share their own videos and responses via Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
MercyMe's New Release Is Welcomed to the Top 5
The unstoppable soundtrack to Disney's "Frozen" continues its run atop the Billboard 200 a 10th nonconsecutive week at No. 1. It sold 133,000 copies in the week ending April 13 down 11 percent.
The album’s cumulative sales also climb past the 2 million mark, as its additional 133,000 copies bring its to-date sum to 2.1 million.
"Frozen" is now one of just 11 albums to have spent at least 10 weeks at No. 1 since the chart started using SoundScan's point-of-sale data on May 25, 1991. Four of those 11 albums also happen to be soundtracks: “Frozen,” Whitney Houston's "The Bodyguard" (20 weeks at No. 1), "Titanic" (16 weeks) and "The Lion King" (10 weeks).
In addition, "Frozen" now ties "The Lion King" for the most weeks at No. 1 for an animated film soundtrack.
At No. 2 on the latest Billboard 200 is Pharrell's "G I R L," which rebounds seven slots with 29,000. During the week, Pharrell performed on ABC's "Good Morning America," was profiled on CBS' "Sunday Morning" and he performed on NBC's "Saturday Night Live" on April 5.
MercyMe earns the chart's highest debut, as the group's "Welcome to the New" arrives at No. 4 with 26,000. It's the third top 10 effort for the act — and third in a row — following "The Hurt & the Healer" (No. 7 in 2012) and "The Generous Mr. Lovewell" (No. 3 in 2010).
On the Christian Albums chart, the new album gives MercyMe its eighth No. 1.
The album’s cumulative sales also climb past the 2 million mark, as its additional 133,000 copies bring its to-date sum to 2.1 million.
"Frozen" is now one of just 11 albums to have spent at least 10 weeks at No. 1 since the chart started using SoundScan's point-of-sale data on May 25, 1991. Four of those 11 albums also happen to be soundtracks: “Frozen,” Whitney Houston's "The Bodyguard" (20 weeks at No. 1), "Titanic" (16 weeks) and "The Lion King" (10 weeks).
In addition, "Frozen" now ties "The Lion King" for the most weeks at No. 1 for an animated film soundtrack.
At No. 2 on the latest Billboard 200 is Pharrell's "G I R L," which rebounds seven slots with 29,000. During the week, Pharrell performed on ABC's "Good Morning America," was profiled on CBS' "Sunday Morning" and he performed on NBC's "Saturday Night Live" on April 5.
MercyMe earns the chart's highest debut, as the group's "Welcome to the New" arrives at No. 4 with 26,000. It's the third top 10 effort for the act — and third in a row — following "The Hurt & the Healer" (No. 7 in 2012) and "The Generous Mr. Lovewell" (No. 3 in 2010).
On the Christian Albums chart, the new album gives MercyMe its eighth No. 1.
Wednesday, April 16, 2014
Disney Is Tolerant of Many Things in Its Movies... Except Religion... 'Frozen' Songwriters Reveal
The husband and wife team behind the Oscar-winning Frozen said on Thursday that while Disney is open to bringing songwriters from diverse backgrounds, religion is the only thing that they have seen censored since they have worked there.
Speaking on NPR's Fresh Air show, Robert Lopez and Kristen Anderson-Lopez told host Terry Gross that some of the preconceptions outside of the industry folks might have about Disney may not be exactly true.
"Disney is not this sanitized place that you might imagine it to be. I mean, they hired Ashman and Menken after they did "Little Shop of Horrors," which was sort of the Avenue Q of its day. It was very campy and very kind of...a little off-color and racy. And I don't think Disney has any problem with employing people who have done off-color stuff in the past," Lopez, who co-wrote the satirical Book of Mormon, said.
Anderson-Lopez noted, "It's funny. One of the only places you have to draw the line at Disney is with religious things, the word God."
"Yeah. You just can't," agreed her husband.
A confused Gross followed up with her guests, asking "You can't say the word 'God'?"
Lopez hesitated, "There was even a... well, you can say it in Disney, but you can't put it in the movie," which his wife affirmed.
While Lopez and Anderson-Lopez refused to elaborate about Disney's religiosity, they freely shared about their inspiration for 'Let It Go.'
"Basically when this song came to us, we were on a little stroll through Prospect Park in Brooklyn near our house, and we both started to sort of improv what Elsa might be feeling like. So we stood up on picnic tables," said Lopez.
"We got very emo," continued Anderson-Lopez. "You know, we had been listening - we decided we didn't want this song to be a traditional Disney princess song."
"And actually it was Bobby who kept saying I feel like if I were a high school student, that this would be that moment that you had worked, and you'd studied, and you hadn't gone out, and then you just failed a test miserably. And what would that feel like? And he came up with the line," she added.
Gross later joked that parents "would probably prefer that their children sing [singing] 'hold it in, hold it in...'Like hold it back because sometimes you don't want kids to let it go because they're just going to be - they're so crazy as it is. Do you know what I mean? Like you want them to have a little bit of inhibition."
Anderson agreed with Gross' point but suggested a different message for the song that she saw as one she would share with her two children, who also sing on the Frozen soundtrack.
"That's true, but I think at the end of the day, letting - getting the message of don't allow fear or shame to keep you from being the person you should be, I imagine on a global level that's a good lesson for them to have before teenager-hood. If they've been living with fear and shame, and then it's really going to hit the fan."
Speaking on NPR's Fresh Air show, Robert Lopez and Kristen Anderson-Lopez told host Terry Gross that some of the preconceptions outside of the industry folks might have about Disney may not be exactly true.
"Disney is not this sanitized place that you might imagine it to be. I mean, they hired Ashman and Menken after they did "Little Shop of Horrors," which was sort of the Avenue Q of its day. It was very campy and very kind of...a little off-color and racy. And I don't think Disney has any problem with employing people who have done off-color stuff in the past," Lopez, who co-wrote the satirical Book of Mormon, said.
Anderson-Lopez noted, "It's funny. One of the only places you have to draw the line at Disney is with religious things, the word God."
"Yeah. You just can't," agreed her husband.
A confused Gross followed up with her guests, asking "You can't say the word 'God'?"
Lopez hesitated, "There was even a... well, you can say it in Disney, but you can't put it in the movie," which his wife affirmed.
While Lopez and Anderson-Lopez refused to elaborate about Disney's religiosity, they freely shared about their inspiration for 'Let It Go.'
"Basically when this song came to us, we were on a little stroll through Prospect Park in Brooklyn near our house, and we both started to sort of improv what Elsa might be feeling like. So we stood up on picnic tables," said Lopez.
"We got very emo," continued Anderson-Lopez. "You know, we had been listening - we decided we didn't want this song to be a traditional Disney princess song."
"And actually it was Bobby who kept saying I feel like if I were a high school student, that this would be that moment that you had worked, and you'd studied, and you hadn't gone out, and then you just failed a test miserably. And what would that feel like? And he came up with the line," she added.
Gross later joked that parents "would probably prefer that their children sing [singing] 'hold it in, hold it in...'Like hold it back because sometimes you don't want kids to let it go because they're just going to be - they're so crazy as it is. Do you know what I mean? Like you want them to have a little bit of inhibition."
Anderson agreed with Gross' point but suggested a different message for the song that she saw as one she would share with her two children, who also sing on the Frozen soundtrack.
"That's true, but I think at the end of the day, letting - getting the message of don't allow fear or shame to keep you from being the person you should be, I imagine on a global level that's a good lesson for them to have before teenager-hood. If they've been living with fear and shame, and then it's really going to hit the fan."
Rick Santorum's Film Company to Release Movies to Churches Instead of Theaters
Former Senator Rick Santorum's film company announced on Monday that it would be distributing its movies not through the traditional box office but through churches.
EchoLight Studios, which released last year's adaptation of Max Lucado's The Christmas Candle, told Deadline that the studio made the decision as a strategic attempt to draw the masses into churches.
"We want to be a part of empowering the church to elevate its role as a cultural change agent," EchoLight President Studios Jeff Sheets said in a statement. "Our vision is not to create sermons wrapped in a movie but to create content that inspires, fascinates and incorporates a strong Christian worldview."
The Franklin, TN-based studio, which intends to release four films a year, wants both the film's message and financial profits to support churches. Consequently, EchoLight hopes to create movies which can also have a "strong ministry value as tools for the Church to use in their in-reach and outreach ministries," whose proceeds will partially "fuel the missional needs of the hosting local church."
Tickets for the studio's next film, One Generation Away, will go on sale on June 1. The studio will also re-release The Christmas Candle, which grossed $2 million over seven weeks last winter. Later this year, EchoLight will also release Hoovey, directed by Sean McNamara, who was also behind the camera in Soul Surfer.
Hoovey, starring Patrick Warburton and Lauren Holly and includes Disney Channel alums Cody Linley and Alyson Stoner, is based on the true story of a high school basketball player Eric Hoover Elliott diagnosed with a massive brain tumor.
EchoLight Studios, which released last year's adaptation of Max Lucado's The Christmas Candle, told Deadline that the studio made the decision as a strategic attempt to draw the masses into churches.
"We want to be a part of empowering the church to elevate its role as a cultural change agent," EchoLight President Studios Jeff Sheets said in a statement. "Our vision is not to create sermons wrapped in a movie but to create content that inspires, fascinates and incorporates a strong Christian worldview."
The Franklin, TN-based studio, which intends to release four films a year, wants both the film's message and financial profits to support churches. Consequently, EchoLight hopes to create movies which can also have a "strong ministry value as tools for the Church to use in their in-reach and outreach ministries," whose proceeds will partially "fuel the missional needs of the hosting local church."
Tickets for the studio's next film, One Generation Away, will go on sale on June 1. The studio will also re-release The Christmas Candle, which grossed $2 million over seven weeks last winter. Later this year, EchoLight will also release Hoovey, directed by Sean McNamara, who was also behind the camera in Soul Surfer.
Hoovey, starring Patrick Warburton and Lauren Holly and includes Disney Channel alums Cody Linley and Alyson Stoner, is based on the true story of a high school basketball player Eric Hoover Elliott diagnosed with a massive brain tumor.
Tamela Mann to Perform on The View
Grammy nominated vocalist Tamela Mann will appear on ABC's The View Tuesday, April 22. In celebration of co-host Sherri Shepherd's birthday, Tamela will perform her hit "Take Me To The King" for her friend and millions nationwide.
"Sherri is a dear friend, and I'm thrilled to be a part of her special day," said Tamela. "It's going to be a big celebration and time of fellowship, and I'm honored to be able to share my music with the ladies of The View and people across the country."
"Sherri is a dear friend, and I'm thrilled to be a part of her special day," said Tamela. "It's going to be a big celebration and time of fellowship, and I'm honored to be able to share my music with the ladies of The View and people across the country."
Glenn Beck Plans to Make Movies
Glenn Beck is going Hollywood.
Nearly three years after leaving Fox News, the controversial conservative radio host and media entrepreneur is ramping up a film division at Mercury Radio Arts, the parent company of his popular radio show and digital media operation TheBlaze.
Beck tells The Hollywood Reporter he has been refurbishing The Studios at Las Colinas, a 72,000-square-foot facility in Irving, Texas, where such films as JFK and RoboCop and TV shows including Prison Break and Walker, Texas Ranger have been shot. "We're getting it ready for some big plans," he says of the property, which he purchased in June.
Beck says he is developing three original stories as theatrical films -- one set in ancient history, one in modern history and a third he considers "faith-based" -- and has optioned several other ideas, some of which could be adapted into VOD features. He adds that he has purchased rights to his 2008 best-seller The Christmas Sweater back from Sony and will turn the story into a movie for television or theatrical release.
Beck notes it's too early to specify budgets or potential financing partnerships, though he probably has leverage to attract interested parties, considering TheBlaze lands an estimated $40 million in revenue annually and he earns $20 million a year hosting the radio show, according to sources familiar with his business. He also declined to identify the Hollywood moviemaking talent he has hired so far.
"I bought a movie studio for a reason," he says. "I have every intent of finding great artists who will tell great stories that aren't typical. Everybody thinks they know who I am because of my stint on Fox -- that was two years of my life. I'm much more into culture than I am into politics, and that's where I intend on making my stand."
Beck says he has great respect for "artists who risk big," citing filmmakers Baz Luhrmann and even Darren Aronofsky as examples (despite having called Noah a "Babylonian chainsaw massacre" on his radio show). "Hollywood is missing this moment to reconnect with the American people because they don't speak the language," he says. "Some of it is out of spite -- they might not like people of faith."
read full article
Nearly three years after leaving Fox News, the controversial conservative radio host and media entrepreneur is ramping up a film division at Mercury Radio Arts, the parent company of his popular radio show and digital media operation TheBlaze.
Beck tells The Hollywood Reporter he has been refurbishing The Studios at Las Colinas, a 72,000-square-foot facility in Irving, Texas, where such films as JFK and RoboCop and TV shows including Prison Break and Walker, Texas Ranger have been shot. "We're getting it ready for some big plans," he says of the property, which he purchased in June.
Beck says he is developing three original stories as theatrical films -- one set in ancient history, one in modern history and a third he considers "faith-based" -- and has optioned several other ideas, some of which could be adapted into VOD features. He adds that he has purchased rights to his 2008 best-seller The Christmas Sweater back from Sony and will turn the story into a movie for television or theatrical release.
Beck notes it's too early to specify budgets or potential financing partnerships, though he probably has leverage to attract interested parties, considering TheBlaze lands an estimated $40 million in revenue annually and he earns $20 million a year hosting the radio show, according to sources familiar with his business. He also declined to identify the Hollywood moviemaking talent he has hired so far.
"I bought a movie studio for a reason," he says. "I have every intent of finding great artists who will tell great stories that aren't typical. Everybody thinks they know who I am because of my stint on Fox -- that was two years of my life. I'm much more into culture than I am into politics, and that's where I intend on making my stand."
Beck says he has great respect for "artists who risk big," citing filmmakers Baz Luhrmann and even Darren Aronofsky as examples (despite having called Noah a "Babylonian chainsaw massacre" on his radio show). "Hollywood is missing this moment to reconnect with the American people because they don't speak the language," he says. "Some of it is out of spite -- they might not like people of faith."
read full article
Tuesday, April 15, 2014
The Passion of the Christ Still Setting Records: Excels with Premiere on UP
The ratings grew dramatically for UP with the commercial television premiere of The Passion of the Christ. Mel Gibson’s graphic tale of Jesus’ final hours set a host of Nielsen marks for UP on Palm Sunday.
The film was UP’s top telecast ever with an average audience of 1.1 million viewers on April 13, according to Nielsen data. The rating ranked eighth and the audience seventh in the time period among ad-supported cable UP ranked 10th among women 25 to 54 and adults 25 to 54.
UP, benefiting from the film and a number of other Bible-tied films, ascended to its strongest day ever in households, persons 18 to 49 and adults 25 to 54 on April 13 and the network's strongest week ever in household delivery.
“We knew that The Passion of the Christ would resonate with our audience and attract new viewers to UP as well," said Charley Humbard, president and CEO, UP. "The film is the centerpiece of our extensive Easter programming and truly epitomizes our holiday theme: ‘Easter Lives Here’. The Thursday night special encore presentation provides the perfect movie to watch before Good Friday.”
The film was UP’s top telecast ever with an average audience of 1.1 million viewers on April 13, according to Nielsen data. The rating ranked eighth and the audience seventh in the time period among ad-supported cable UP ranked 10th among women 25 to 54 and adults 25 to 54.
UP, benefiting from the film and a number of other Bible-tied films, ascended to its strongest day ever in households, persons 18 to 49 and adults 25 to 54 on April 13 and the network's strongest week ever in household delivery.
“We knew that The Passion of the Christ would resonate with our audience and attract new viewers to UP as well," said Charley Humbard, president and CEO, UP. "The film is the centerpiece of our extensive Easter programming and truly epitomizes our holiday theme: ‘Easter Lives Here’. The Thursday night special encore presentation provides the perfect movie to watch before Good Friday.”
Rapper Talks About Music and Its Impact on Culture
KB, a Christian rapper who scored major crossover success with “100,” his latest E.P., believes music plays a monumental role in helping expose and shape culture — and he has a pointed message for fans and fellow artists alike: take responsibility for what you create and consume.
“I think music is sort of the spokesperson,” the 25-year-old told TheBlaze recently. “It sort of serves as the spokesperson of a culture and it serves as sort of a reporter.”
In addition to offering a lens into societal values, KB believes music also holds the power to have an ideological impact by bending peoples’ “worldview one way or another.”
The rapper specifically addressed negative and explicit content in music today. On the consumer side, he said that people should pay close attention to what they’re taking in.
And he said that artists — especially rappers — whom KB described as “leaders of the culture,” need to be completely honest about the negative themes they sometimes tout.
“Rappers that talk about selling cocaine, they talk a lot about the heaven side of it,” he said. “Everyone wants to have nice cars, huge houses, move our families out the hood and be protected.”
But all too often, he noted, artists don’t fully convey the dangers of living these lifestyles — realities he believes fans need to hear.
“It’s all contingent on a lie, that there’s this free, fast life that you can live dangerous above the law … when really there’s another side of it … that it’s a very hard hell-like life to sort of live for the moment,” he explained. “These rappers [and] artists in general need to be honest about the full picture.”
KB told TheBlaze that he thinks that the current culture is “religiously exhausted” and that many people are soul-searching. But rather than a negative outlook on Christianity’s future, he believes that the faith may actually be poised to gain new ground.
“We’re thirsty for something greater than we've been feeding ourselves for [the past] 50 to 60 years,” he said. “I think that the light of the gospel is bursting forth as a legitimate alternative.”
This is the message that KB is also intent on bringing to the masses. Passionate about spreading Christianity, he also explained what drives him to create faith-inspired music.
As a teenager, he said he struggled to figure out who he was, feeling hopeless and answer-less at times.
KB eventually met up with Lecrae, a popular Christian rapper and the co-founder of Reach Records, who showed him that it’s entirely possible to make music and travel the world as a professional artist; he’s now a Reach Records artist.
KB recently captured mainstream attention after “100,” his most recent E.P., made the No. 1 spot on the Billboard Christian Albums chart, the No. 4 spot on the Rap Albums chart and the No. 22 slot on the Billboard 200.
read full article
“I think music is sort of the spokesperson,” the 25-year-old told TheBlaze recently. “It sort of serves as the spokesperson of a culture and it serves as sort of a reporter.”
In addition to offering a lens into societal values, KB believes music also holds the power to have an ideological impact by bending peoples’ “worldview one way or another.”
The rapper specifically addressed negative and explicit content in music today. On the consumer side, he said that people should pay close attention to what they’re taking in.
And he said that artists — especially rappers — whom KB described as “leaders of the culture,” need to be completely honest about the negative themes they sometimes tout.
“Rappers that talk about selling cocaine, they talk a lot about the heaven side of it,” he said. “Everyone wants to have nice cars, huge houses, move our families out the hood and be protected.”
But all too often, he noted, artists don’t fully convey the dangers of living these lifestyles — realities he believes fans need to hear.
“It’s all contingent on a lie, that there’s this free, fast life that you can live dangerous above the law … when really there’s another side of it … that it’s a very hard hell-like life to sort of live for the moment,” he explained. “These rappers [and] artists in general need to be honest about the full picture.”
KB told TheBlaze that he thinks that the current culture is “religiously exhausted” and that many people are soul-searching. But rather than a negative outlook on Christianity’s future, he believes that the faith may actually be poised to gain new ground.
“We’re thirsty for something greater than we've been feeding ourselves for [the past] 50 to 60 years,” he said. “I think that the light of the gospel is bursting forth as a legitimate alternative.”
This is the message that KB is also intent on bringing to the masses. Passionate about spreading Christianity, he also explained what drives him to create faith-inspired music.
As a teenager, he said he struggled to figure out who he was, feeling hopeless and answer-less at times.
KB eventually met up with Lecrae, a popular Christian rapper and the co-founder of Reach Records, who showed him that it’s entirely possible to make music and travel the world as a professional artist; he’s now a Reach Records artist.
KB recently captured mainstream attention after “100,” his most recent E.P., made the No. 1 spot on the Billboard Christian Albums chart, the No. 4 spot on the Rap Albums chart and the No. 22 slot on the Billboard 200.
read full article
Monday, April 14, 2014
Bethany Hamilton Joins "Dolphin Tale 2"
Inspirational professional surfer Bethany Hamilton (“Soul Surfer”) will join the cast of “Dolphin Tale 2.”
Hamilton will join the original film’s returning cast, including Harry Connick, Jr., Morgan Freeman, Kris Kristofferson, Ashley Judd, Nathan Gamble and Cozi Zuehlsdorff, among others. Charles Martin Smith, who wrote “Dolphin Tale,” has written the screenplay for the sequel and is again directing.
“Dolphin Tale 2” tells another true story inspired by the life of the rescued bottle nose dolphin, Winter – the star of “Dolphin Tale” – this time involving the real-life, new baby dolphin Hope, who was also saved and rehabilitated by the Clearwater Marine Aquarium.
Hamilton, who will play herself in “Dolphin Tale 2,” has become a source of inspiration to millions through her story of faith, determination and hope. At age 13, Hamilton was bitten by a 14-foot tiger shark while surfing off Kauai’s North Shore, leaving her with a severed left arm. Miraculously, just one month after the attack, Hamilton returned to the water. She went on to win a national title, and eventually realized her dream of becoming a professional surfer.
Hamilton’s autobiography, Soul Surfer, was made into a major motion picture starring AnnaSophia Robb, Helen Hunt and Dennis Quaid. She has written eight additional books (with another coming soon) and continues to surf professionally today.
“Dolphin Tale 2” is currently filming in Clearwater, Florida. Warner Bros. Pictures will distribute the film and has slated the film for a September 19, 2014 release.
Hamilton will join the original film’s returning cast, including Harry Connick, Jr., Morgan Freeman, Kris Kristofferson, Ashley Judd, Nathan Gamble and Cozi Zuehlsdorff, among others. Charles Martin Smith, who wrote “Dolphin Tale,” has written the screenplay for the sequel and is again directing.
“Dolphin Tale 2” tells another true story inspired by the life of the rescued bottle nose dolphin, Winter – the star of “Dolphin Tale” – this time involving the real-life, new baby dolphin Hope, who was also saved and rehabilitated by the Clearwater Marine Aquarium.
Hamilton, who will play herself in “Dolphin Tale 2,” has become a source of inspiration to millions through her story of faith, determination and hope. At age 13, Hamilton was bitten by a 14-foot tiger shark while surfing off Kauai’s North Shore, leaving her with a severed left arm. Miraculously, just one month after the attack, Hamilton returned to the water. She went on to win a national title, and eventually realized her dream of becoming a professional surfer.
Hamilton’s autobiography, Soul Surfer, was made into a major motion picture starring AnnaSophia Robb, Helen Hunt and Dennis Quaid. She has written eight additional books (with another coming soon) and continues to surf professionally today.
“Dolphin Tale 2” is currently filming in Clearwater, Florida. Warner Bros. Pictures will distribute the film and has slated the film for a September 19, 2014 release.
Friday, April 11, 2014
Winter Jam Once Again Crowned World's Biggest Tour
For the fourth consecutive year, Winter Jam tops Pollstar's First Quarter Year To Date Worldwide Ticket Sales chart - Top 100 Tours, surpassing all other 2014 first quarter tours, including Bruce Springsteen & The E Street Band, Beyoncé, Michael Bublé, Imagine Dragons and Justin Timberlake. Hitting major arenas around the country from January through March, Winter Jam saw 34 sellouts this year, with a combined total audience of more than 550,000 people—the tour's largest attendance in history.
Founded and hosted by NewSong and headlined by multi Grammy-nominated Newsboys and Grammy-winning hip-hop artist Lecrae, this year’s all-star line-up also featured Tenth Avenue North, Thousand Foot Krutch, Plumb and Colton Dixon.
"It's been 19 years of continued growth for Winter Jam," says Roy Morgan, Winter Jam promoter. "It's amazing to look back and see how God has orchestrated the smallest of details to grow and use this tour to deliver His message of love and Hope to literally millions of people."
NewSong’s Winter Jam 2014 Tour Spectacular was highlighted by multiple industry-leading innovations and Christian music firsts including the Winter Jam 2014 Dome Spectacular
More than 30,000 people attended the tour’s February stop at Atlanta’s Georgia Dome, marking the biggest single event in Winter Jam’s 19-year history. Featuring Guinness World Record-holding high wire artist Nik Wallenda’s tightrope walk across the Dome, the event also included appearances from Reed Robertson of "Duck Dynasty," Grammy-nominated David Crowder and University of Georgia head football coach Mark Richt.
Despite record-breaking inclement weather around the country, causing the cancellation of one of the tour’s 48 slated shows, Winter Jam played to capacity crowds at Chicago’s Sears Centre Arena; Houston’s Toyota Center; Scottrade Center in St. Louis; Cincinnati’s U.S. Bank Arena; and Bridgestone Arena in Nashville, among numerous other sold-out events.
Founded and hosted by NewSong and headlined by multi Grammy-nominated Newsboys and Grammy-winning hip-hop artist Lecrae, this year’s all-star line-up also featured Tenth Avenue North, Thousand Foot Krutch, Plumb and Colton Dixon.
"It's been 19 years of continued growth for Winter Jam," says Roy Morgan, Winter Jam promoter. "It's amazing to look back and see how God has orchestrated the smallest of details to grow and use this tour to deliver His message of love and Hope to literally millions of people."
NewSong’s Winter Jam 2014 Tour Spectacular was highlighted by multiple industry-leading innovations and Christian music firsts including the Winter Jam 2014 Dome Spectacular
More than 30,000 people attended the tour’s February stop at Atlanta’s Georgia Dome, marking the biggest single event in Winter Jam’s 19-year history. Featuring Guinness World Record-holding high wire artist Nik Wallenda’s tightrope walk across the Dome, the event also included appearances from Reed Robertson of "Duck Dynasty," Grammy-nominated David Crowder and University of Georgia head football coach Mark Richt.
Despite record-breaking inclement weather around the country, causing the cancellation of one of the tour’s 48 slated shows, Winter Jam played to capacity crowds at Chicago’s Sears Centre Arena; Houston’s Toyota Center; Scottrade Center in St. Louis; Cincinnati’s U.S. Bank Arena; and Bridgestone Arena in Nashville, among numerous other sold-out events.
Tuesday, April 8, 2014
Needtobreathe To Perform on Ellen and Letterman
Needtobreathe is gearing up for the release of their new album Rivers In the Wasteland, out next Tuesday April 15th. In support, the acclaimed band will perform on Ellen on April 18th and will return to the Late Show with David Letterman on April 23rd to perform their new single "The Heart."
Needtobreathe started to tease fans with new music last week by releasing one new song a day via USA Today, Yahoo, HitFix and Team Coco.
Needtobreathe started to tease fans with new music last week by releasing one new song a day via USA Today, Yahoo, HitFix and Team Coco.
Friday, April 4, 2014
Michael W. Smith Charts with Limited Release
Despite being available exclusively at Cracker Barrel locations and CrackerBarrel.com, Michael W. Smith still was able to debut at No. 25 on Nielsen SoundScan's Top Current Albums Chart with his latest album Hymns. It also debuted at No. 2 on Nielsen SoundScan's Top Current Contemporary Christian Album Chart.
Kari Jobe's Majestic Chart Positions
Last week Kari Jobe released her third label project Majestic to rave reviews and fan response. This all new live album debuted at No. 4 on the Overall Digital Album chart and earned Jobe her second Billboard Top 200 Top 15 debut at No. 12. It also debuted at No. 1 on three Billboard charts including the Christian Contemporary Album, Praise & Worship and Christian Digital Album charts.
Thursday, April 3, 2014
Doctor’s Real-Life Conversion From Atheism to Christianity Inspired a Central Character in God's Not Dead
Martin Yip is one of the main characters in “God’s Not Dead,” the movie about a student who debates an atheist professor on the existence of God that surprised Hollywood with its impressive performance at the box office.
Yip’s character, an atheist who converts to Christianity after meeting protagonist Josh Wheaton on campus, is actually based on a real-life doctor who went through a similar experience decades ago.
Dr. Ming Wang, an eye surgeon in Nashville, Tenn., was studying in the U.S. when he became a follower of Jesus.
His story, captured in the 2013 book “God’s Not Dead” (the book preceded the film), began in China, where he grew up with parents who taught at a medical school, according to the Tennessean.
Coming from a highly educated family, Wang said academics were always of the utmost importance.
“Everything was about scholarship, learning and science in our family,” he told the Tennessean. “Education was the most important.”
He ended up going to Harvard Medical School, where he graduated with honors and was later one of the first surgeons in the U.S. to perform laser cataract surgery. He also holds a degree from MIT and a doctorate in laser physics.
It was at Harvard, though, that he went through a transformation that transcended academics. Wang began questioning certain structures, wondering how the eye, for instance, could be so complex, yet still the result of random evolution.
And that was only one example of the inquisitiveness that sent him on a spiritual path.
A professor’s faith also inspired him, leading Wang to eventually embrace Christianity, the Tennessean reported.
Certainly not one to discredit science, Wang believes that it simply doesn’t tell the whole story about life’s complexities on its own.
Yip, the character based on Wang, is depicted in “God’s Not Dead” as a smart and curious young man who experiences Wheaton’s theological battle with Professor Radisson firsthand, watching the two go toe-to-toe over God’s existence during a series of in-class debates.
After hearing both sides of the debate, Yip ends up becoming a Christian.
Watch Wang share his story on TBN below:
Yip’s character, an atheist who converts to Christianity after meeting protagonist Josh Wheaton on campus, is actually based on a real-life doctor who went through a similar experience decades ago.
Dr. Ming Wang, an eye surgeon in Nashville, Tenn., was studying in the U.S. when he became a follower of Jesus.
His story, captured in the 2013 book “God’s Not Dead” (the book preceded the film), began in China, where he grew up with parents who taught at a medical school, according to the Tennessean.
Coming from a highly educated family, Wang said academics were always of the utmost importance.
“Everything was about scholarship, learning and science in our family,” he told the Tennessean. “Education was the most important.”
He ended up going to Harvard Medical School, where he graduated with honors and was later one of the first surgeons in the U.S. to perform laser cataract surgery. He also holds a degree from MIT and a doctorate in laser physics.
It was at Harvard, though, that he went through a transformation that transcended academics. Wang began questioning certain structures, wondering how the eye, for instance, could be so complex, yet still the result of random evolution.
And that was only one example of the inquisitiveness that sent him on a spiritual path.
A professor’s faith also inspired him, leading Wang to eventually embrace Christianity, the Tennessean reported.
Certainly not one to discredit science, Wang believes that it simply doesn’t tell the whole story about life’s complexities on its own.
Yip, the character based on Wang, is depicted in “God’s Not Dead” as a smart and curious young man who experiences Wheaton’s theological battle with Professor Radisson firsthand, watching the two go toe-to-toe over God’s existence during a series of in-class debates.
After hearing both sides of the debate, Yip ends up becoming a Christian.
Watch Wang share his story on TBN below:
Tuesday, April 1, 2014
Study: Movies Impact Religious Belief
According to a recent Barna Group study, practicing Protestants (those who have attended church in the last month and who agree their faith is important to them), are most likely to say a movie has affected their thinking on serious issues.More than one in five say they've seen a movie in the last two years that has made them think seriously about their religion or spirituality (22%). And an additional one in 10 say such a movie has caused them to change something they believed about Christianity (9%). Evangelicals, while more likely than the average adult to say a movie has made them think seriously about religion or spirituality (17% of evangelicals compared to 11% of Americans overall) are much less likely to say that such a movie has changed their beliefs about Christianity (less than 1% of evangelicals compared to 3% of all Americans).
Americans professing a faith other than Christianity are also more likely than average to think more seriously about religion or spirituality (18%) as a result of watching a movie.
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