Soul Surfer Bethany Hamilton and Husband Place Third in The Amazing Race

After being in first place for much of the season, Bethany Hamilton and her husband ended in third place.

She speaks about her future plans including a Kickstarter-funded "Surfs Like a Girl" film.

Hillsong UNITED's "Oceans (Where Feet May Fail)" Goes Platinum

Hillsong UNITED continues to make an impact with their No. 1 single "Oceans (Where Feet May Fail)" as the song has received RIAA Platinum status. As the group wraps up an incredible 2014 with awards and sales recognition, UNITED looks forward to 2015 as they will release new music with a full-length studio album. In addition in April 2015, Warner Bros. and Alcon Entertainment will release nationwide the film LET HOPE RISE - the HILLSONG Movie.

"The last couple of years have been an expectation-busting-juggernaut of pure grace and madness," shares Joel Houston, Hillsong Creative Director and Worship Leader. "It's been beyond what any of us could have thought, and we've chosen to not take a moment of it for granted. The last 12 months have been spent throwing ourselves into this next project and season like it's all we've got, and we're simply trusting that the same mysterious breathe that got us this far will take us deeper all over again."

Since the release of UNITED's 2013 album, ZION, which was their most successful and fastest selling album to date, the band has continued to grow their international reach. ZION produced UNITED's No. 1 hit, the Platinum-selling and multiple-Dove winning single, "Oceans (Where Feet May Fail)." This was the group's first No.1 radio single, cracking the longest reign on Billboard's airplay/sales/streaming-based Hot Christian Songs chart. The lyric video for "Oceans" has a staggering 22.4 million views.

UNITED is a worship band that originally rose out of the youth ministry of Hillsong Church in Sydney, Australia.

Mark Schultz’s “Different Kind of Christmas” Single Goes Viral

Mark Schultz's new Christmas single - "Different Kind of Christmas" - has reached viral status on Facebook. The live music video has received nearly 4.5 million views, 142,000 shares, and 18,000 likes, all within less than a week. "Different Kind of Christmas" also shot up to the No. 1 spot on the iTunes Christian & Gospel Songs chart. The song was originally inspired by the life of Schultz's father-in-law and his recent passing.

"We tried to write the lyrics that would reflect the honesty of the emotions we were feeling - that Christmas was still hard, even though we have faith that Kate's dad is with Jesus," said Schultz in a message to his fans. "We had no idea how many lives this song would touch, but it only makes sense because there are very few people that haven't experienced a loss that makes life a lot different. There are few times in the year when that difference is felt more powerfully than around the holidays." Tomorrow, CBN's The 700 Club will be airing the live performance.

Thousand Foot Krutch Joins Alice Cooper to Benefit Teen Center

Top-selling rock band Thousand Foot Krutch jump starts its holiday season, performing during Alice Cooper's annual Christmas Pudding benefit event Dec. 13 in Phoenix, AZ at Comerica Theatre. The event benefited Alice Cooper's Solid Rock's teen center in Phoenix, a non-profit charity that provides free music and free dance lessons to teenagers (alicecoopersolidrock.com). The event also featured Alice Cooper, Nils Lofgren, P.O.D., Jonny Lang, Night Ranger and more.

Touring in support of its second consecutive No. 1 selling Billboard Hard Rock album, OXYGEN:INHALE, released Aug. 26, the event with Cooper followed tour dates in Russia that saw capacity crowds in every venue.

While on tour, TFK is playing fan favorites and hits from OXYGEN:INHALE like "Born This Way," which is Top 10 at Under The Radar, No. 22 at Active Rock, No. 23 at Mainstream Rock and continues to climb all three charts.

Pharrell Says ‘To God Be The Glory’ after Craig Wayne Boyd’s ‘Old Rugged Cross’ Performance on 'The Voice'

Craig Wayne Boyd won over fans and judges on last week's semi-final episode of The Voice with a hymn that not only showed off his amazing vocal ability, but pointed his audience to the cross of Jesus Christ.

Boyd gave a stirring rendition of the beloved song "The Old Rugged Cross" last Monday before a live audience.  The hymn was originally written in 1913 and is based off the biblical passage Galatians 6:14. The speaker in the hymn sings of of Christ's sacrifice through crucifixion, and his own dedication to the cross.

Judge Blake Shelton called Boyd's emotional rendition "one of the most passionate, epic vocal performances."

Producer and judge Pharrell Williams added,"Going through everything that you've gone through to get yourself here, what does it feel like to be at the top of your game and to surrender it to God in front of the whole entire world?"

"I feel so blessed right now, it's mind blowing," Boyd answered, adding that singing the hymn accompanied by a full orchestra was "a dream come true."

"I get it, man. To God be the glory," said Pharrell.



According to Mesquite News, Boyd grew up in the church and was actively involved in the church's music ministry and even helped direct the youth's praise band and choir for a time.

"He was never one of those teenagers that hid his faith," Mark Ellis, a minister at Peace Church for 21 years, told the Associated Press. "He was very involved with the youth group at church, very faithful and a good young man."

"He wasn't so wrapped up in life outside of church that he didn't have time to get involved," the pastor added.

Michael W. Smith & Friends: The Spirit of Christmas Surges in Album Sales Following CMA Country Christmas Performance

Michael W. Smith knew something special had happened following his performance with Carrie Underwood on the CMA Country Christmas special. "What a moment - it made my hair stand up a little bit!" he said to PEOPLE Magazine backstage at the taping of the show in Nashville. The performance, along with a showering of media praise, led to nearly a 150% increase in album sales this week for his new Christmas project - Michael W. Smith & Friends: The Spirit of Christmas.

Smith's live performances with Carrie Underwood and Little Big Town helped solidify a Top 4 position on the Billboard Holiday Albums chart. The Spirit of Christmas will remain there this week in the peak of Christmas shopping season amongst Michael Buble, Idina Menzel and Pentatonix. The Christmas project - which also features Vince Gill, Lady Antebellum, Martina McBride, Amy Grant, Jennifer Nettles, Bono and Michael McDonald - broke into the Top 10 Overall Albums on iTunes, helping secure a No. 16 spot on the Billboard 200 and a No. 1 spot on the Billboard Christian/Gospel Albums charts this week.

Newsboys’ 'God's Not Dead' Album Certified Gold

Newsboys' God’s Not Dead has been certified Gold by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA), it was recently announced.

The band’s sixth career Gold album, God’s Not Dead was produced by Seth Mosley and features the blockbuster title-cut. The song garnered an RIAA Gold single certification earlier this year; topped the CHR chart for seven consecutive weeks; and inspired the Pure Flix hit film, God’s Not Dead.

"Britain's Got Talent" Winner Paul Potts To Release Christmas Single In Support of Syrian Refugees

What began as a celebration of the 100th anniversary of the famous Christmas truce of World War I, has become a global campaign resulting in an album (Silent Night Carols), soccer stadiums filled with hundreds of thousands of carolers and now a new single from "Britain's Got Talent" winner Paul Potts with sales from the single supporting Syrian refugees.

Commemorating the Christmas truce and remarkable period of peace, Integrity Music released the album Silent Night Carols, which features "Silent Night (Christ The Savior Is Born)," a new version of the classic carol penned by Franz Gruber in 1818, that prompted the 1914 event. It was hearing this familiar carol sung in English and German - - - "Silent Night" / "Stille Nacht" - - that induced the soldiers to leave their trenches and meet their adversaries in peace amidst the chaos and ruin of the Western Front. During this brief truce, the soldiers celebrated Christmas together, exchanged gifts, played football (soccer) and buried their dead before returning to the horrors of war.

Integrity's UK office has been working with Sports Chaplaincy UK and HOPE Together, coordinating national caroling events to commemorate the truce and the anniversary of "The Great War," which devastated Europe. Most recently, the label partnered with platinum-selling tenor Paul Potts to record the new version of the song as a single in support of Syrian refugees. Profits from the sale of "Silent Night (Christ The Savior Is Born"), available globally through iTunes, support TearFund.org's efforts to aid women and children fleeing the war-torn nation.

"It's fantastic to be invited to record such an iconic Christmas carol for such a worthwhile cause," says Potts. "I hope that people will enjoy it as much as I do and it becomes part of their Christmas."

The Most Reverend and Right Honorable Justin Welby, Archbishop of Canterbury adds: "On Christmas Day 1914, the guns fell silent on the Western Front as German and British soldiers laid down their weapons… this Christmas 2014, we are invited to leave our defended positions and meet those we might consider to be our enemies, exchange greetings, make peace and sing carols. We do this not because of the actions of those soldiers 100 years ago but because of the actions of God over 2,000 years ago, as He came to us, at great cost, to bring reconciliation and peace, joy and hope, life and light. And he came to us not just to bring change for one day, but for the whole of our lives."

For more information on Silent Night Carols, the "Sing Silent Night" caroling events in the UK, and the Paul Potts "Silent Night (Christ The Savior Is Born)" single, visit http://singsilentnight.com.

Lecrae To Battle Eminem and Drake for Best Rap Grammy

Three Grammy nominations cap a break-out year for critically-acclaimed rapper Lecrae. He joins his contemporaries Drake, Childish Gambino, Kendrick Lamar and Eminem as a nominee in the hip-hop category Best Rap Performance ("All I Need Is You"). He's also nominated for Best Contemporary Christian Music Performance/Song ("Messengers") and as a featured artist on Erica Campbell's hit record "Help" for Best Gospel Performance/Song.

On Sept. 9th, Grammy-award winning Lecrae released his seventh studio album, Anomaly to critical praise. The album debuted at #1 on the Billboard 200 Album Chart as well as several other Billboard charts.

The album features guest artists Andy Mineo, Kari Jobe, for King and Country and Crystal Nicole.

Lecrae, known for his music message that is often at odds with his hip-hop peers, speaks of monogamy, contentment, and faith. While remaining true to his beliefs, Lecrae has previously managed to garner critical media buzz, release chart-topping albums and mixtapes, headline the highest ticketed tour in the country, draw a Grammy nomination and win a Grammy award for Best Gospel Album. These additional three nominations now gives Lecrae the distinction of four total Grammy nominations spanning his career.

Lecrae has been praised by mainstream and hip-hop press alike with features in Time Magazine, The Atlantic, Entertainment Weekly, XXL, Essence Magazine, Billboard and Vibe Magazine, among others. Radio personality and MTV News Executive Producer Sway Calloway recently proclaimed Lecrae's music as the "Evolution of Hip-Hop."

Lecrae recently completed the U.S. portion of his self-titled "Anomaly" tour, performed with The Roots on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon and appeared live on ESPN's nationally televised program SportsNation. He will be releasing his next music video for the fan favorite song "Say I Won't," featuring Andy Mineo, this Tuesday, Dec. 16, 2014 in a one-of-a-kind fan event during halftime of the Brooklyn Nets/Miami Heat game at the Barclay's Arena in Brooklyn, N.Y. Lecrae and featured guest artist Andy Mineo will be on hand at the game to deliver the premiere. T-shirts and free song download cards will be distributed to fans. One lucky contest winner will join Lecrae and Andy Mineo in the Sony Suite to enjoy the game and the video premiere. This event is sponsored by Sony Action Cam.

Pastor Has 8 minutes to Convince Prostitutes to Quit in New Reality Show

A&E has greenlit a provocative new reality series in which a man tries to convince prostitutes to quit their jobs. EW has learned that the network has ordered eight episodes of 8 Minutes (working title), a series featuring cop-turned-pastor Kevin Brown surprising escorts in hotel rooms and offering to rescue them from a life of trading sex for cash. In each episode, Brown has eight minutes to make his case.

Executive producer Tom Forman (Extreme Makeover: Home Edition) says the show was inspired by a 2013 LA Times article about Brown, an Orange County vice cop turned pastor who teamed with his church to create an undercover prostitute intervention operation.

“This is one of those great shows that was actually happening whether anybody was shooting it or not,” Forman said. “Brown told his congregation that for 20 years he’s had to arrest these women when what he’s really wanted to do is help them. It launched a drive within his church to run these undercover operations. We read that and thought somebody should put a camera on this, it’s the most incredible thing I've ever heard.”

Entertainment Weekly: So Brown is out there doing this in real life. This isn’t just for the show.
He’s a cop in Orange County who retired a couple years ago, then devoted himself full time to his church. So he was a full-time cop turned full-time pastor. As a cop, he worked vice. He saw girls who had no place else to go, who had been abused by their pimps, girls who really needed a helping hand, and what he had to do as a cop is arrest them. Now that he’s running a church, he can offer them that help. That’s what he was doing well before we called him. I like a little reality in my reality shows.

Entertainment Weekly: What’s the reaction when the women are presented with this surprise?
It has varied. Women have burst into tears and said, “I've been waiting for someone to offer me a path out.” And you have women who say, “I’m doing what I’m doing and I’m not doing anything else,” and they decline. No one has been angry. No one has resented him for being offered an opportunity to leave a life that’s so hard, and so violent and so dangerous.

Entertainment Weekly: Why set an eight-minute time limit?
Kevin has got a lot of safety protocols. He’s a cop and knows just how dangerous these rescues can be. Before he goes in and does one of these operations, he surveys the scene, he puts his church members in prime locations so they can observe, they have cops on speed dial. And one of his other rules is they would only have eight minutes to talk to any individual girl. In his experience, she’s got eight minutes in which she could return to her pimp and say, “I got a bad feeling about that guy, he backed out, I thought he was a cop,” without having the pimp come looking for her, which could create a dangerous situation for Kevin and his team. So for her safety and theirs, it’s a self-imposed hard deadline. They've got eight minutes to talk her out of prostitution. If she says yes, that’s great. If after eight minutes she hasn't, they give her a phone number and tell her they’ll always be there, but they cut off the intervention.

Entertainment Weekly: What’s his success rate?
It’s about 50-50. But the ones where he succeeds, we follow them out of the rescue and see the girls subsequently get back on their feet and see the good he’s doing. Sometimes they turn and leave, but that’s the case when trying to save prostitutes. If she says yes, they’re sneaking her out the back of that hotel into to a van and off to a safe house. If an angry pimp is coming to look for her, they want to make sure he can’t find her. They’re also getting her out of the city, if not out of the state. They’re putting her first in a rehab program if she needs one, and then a halfway house teaching her life skills, helping her get a job and rebuilding her life. It’s a pretty big decision and a fairly intensive program if you choose to take him up on his offer.

Read full article on Entertainment Weekly

Bringing Up Bates Parents Appear on 700 Club

“Bringing Up Bates” is a new reality series that will premiere on UP at 9 PM/ET on New Year’s Day. The series will focus on the supersized, everyday life of this close knit, hard-working, ever-expanding Tennessee family with 19 children and their new grandchild. Gil and Kelly Jo appeared on the 700 Club to talk about the show.