Glo Bible (Redux)
Jun 3, 2011 Feature
Back in March of 2010, I wrote a review for a new multimedia software bible called “glo.” At the time it was only available on the PC, it was a powerful bible tool with many fascinating features. Now, a year later, I have a full-blown version on my Mac with all the same features and more.
The most significant change is the global licensing and cloud-based features. I now can register “glo” online and pay one price for multiple devices. I am currently running “glo” on my MacBook and iPad. (I would love to be testing it on my iPod Touch as well but that is currently out of commission.) The use of the “cloud” means that I can synchronize bookmarks and personal notes within the application. And the possibilities are limitless when it comes to the information that can be provide through the application.
Another cool piece of “glo” is their integration with the “You Version” bible app. As far as light applications go, the “You Version” bible is one of the most downloaded apps for phones and iPods. Within “glo” you can start and manage many of the same reading plans provided by “You Version.” However, there does not appear to be a direct link to the “You Version” cloud so any plans I may have started with that account are not connected to “You Version” inside of the “glo” application.
I have been using both the iPad and my android-based smart phone to read daily devotions from “You Version” and not having that connection with “glo” means that I still have to run multiple applications to get that functionality. However, the partnership with “You Version” is an integral piece to the “glo” application and it means there is a lot of potential for growth and inventiveness within the “glo” application.
The full version on the laptop/desktop has a few more features (aka “lenses”) than the mobile versions, including a timeline and topical search. The iPad app so far only includes the bible and media lenses. Content is downloadable as long as you have a wireless connection and it is typically downloaded on an as needed (are called upon) basis. However, on the laptop/desktop version you have the option to download the entire package.
The new “glo” is a serious update from the original and it still remains to be the best multimedia bible application. The amount of information at your fingertips is phenomenal and with the use of the cloud that database of information can only get more expansive. The usual problem of parsing through so much information usually lies in the interface of the application, and with glo lenses access all this information is categorized and easily searchable.
Check out http://www.globible.com/ for more information and the free “Lite” version of glo.
- Ken W.
Josh Wilson – See You
Feb 2, 2011 CD Reviews, Feature
Josh Wilson
See You
Sparrow Records
Grade – A
Josh Wilson has been hard at work preparing his third full-length release, entitled “See You”. Following up to hits such as “Savior Please”, “Three Minute Song” and “Before The Morning”, “See You” is loaded with the creativity and wit Josh brought in his two previous offerings. It’s no surprise that Josh is an accomplished guitarist, but throughout the recording portion of the project, he mastered a few other instruments – over twenty to be exact! Some of these include the ukelele, glockenspiel, mandolin, and hammered dulcimer, just to name a few. Aside from learning and playing over 20 new instruments, Josh also recorded the piano, keyboard, acoustic and electric guitars. I had the opportunity to interview Josh and get to know more about him and his new record!
“When I’m writing, I try as much as I can, to draw from experiences that I’ve gone through or my friends have gone through. I just take notes on life and things that happen and try to relay those in music” admits Josh. This technique gives the album a very personal edge, allowing listeners a unique look into Josh’s life.
“Sing It” the opening track sets the stage nicely for the rest of the album with the line, “You placed this song inside my heart, and all I know to do for You is sing it.” For “Behind the Beauty” josh took in the beauty and wonder all around him as inspiration. The song reminds listeners to look “behind the beauty” and find the true meaning for life. “I Refuse”, the first single from the album, has already found its way to the radio. The song was written to encourage listeners to take part in something bigger than themselves, inspired by disasters such as the Haiti earthquake and Nashville flood.
Josh has a real gift when it comes to writing. Throughout the album, he asks some of the harder questions that many of us only think to ourselves. In the title track, “See You”, Josh struggles as he watches friends and family go through some harder things. He boldly asks God, “How am I supposed to see you standing here?” in the midst of tragedy. Ultimately the song reminds listeners that God is always present, even though we don’t always see Him when things get hard. “Fall Apart” is another really profound track on the album. Admitting that it’s easier for us to praise God when life is easy, he discovers that we often find God when our lives fall apart.
Josh showcases his brilliant guitar skills in the instrumental version of the hymn “It Is Well”, aptly placed after the title track. “Always Only You” is a fun, witty song of devotion and love shared between Josh and his wife who were recently married. The album ends with a slower reprise of the opening track “Sing It”, closing everything nicely.
“See You” is an album of discovery. Josh sees the world with wide-eyed wonder and curiosity, and it shows through each track on the record. He really lets listeners in on his hopes and fears throughout the album, and the honest, heartfelt lyrics are truly refreshing. “See You” is an inspiring, encouraging album filled with catchy melodies. It’s a wonderful addition to Josh’s previous albums.
Tom F.
Kristian Stanfill (Full Text)
Jan 18, 2011 Feature
Full Text – Interview with Kristian Stanfill – 01/12/2011
Tom: Congratulations on the big release, yesterday. How’s that feel?
Kris: Thank you, bro, thank you. Man, it feels so good. So much hard work goes into something like this, so to have it out and see the fruit of so many people’s hard work is a really rewarding thing. So we’re excited, man, we’re glad to get these songs out there.
Tom: That’s awesome. It must be a great feeling, I mean, you’ve worked on this thing since it was an idea and a dream back in the early phases of writing and recording and now it’s released to the public, so that’s pretty cool.
Kris: It’s very cool, I mean, I actually spent some time thinking about what you just said. Last week I was just thinking back on all of 2010 and all the different things that God did that helped make this record happen, and get recorded, and get the songs written. It’s pretty overwhelming and honestly, it’s a little bit emotional, you know, to start thinking about it, and look back now and see how God has directed the steps of everything. It’s pretty cool, man. We’re really excited about it.
Tom: I definitely enjoyed the album. The first time through it was a really worshipful experience for me. It really inspired me and spoke to me, and I’m sure it will do the same for many other people. I can’t wait to see how it impacts them.
Kris: That’s awesome, man. Thanks so much. That’s a huge complement, thanks so much.
Tom: No problem, man. So throughout recording and writing the album, was there a certain message or theme you wanted to get across most?
Kris: Well, honestly, the only goal that we set before us in the songwriting process and throughout making the record, we just wanted to have simple songs that everybody could find accessible and sing to God. I mean, honestly what you just said, was the goal of this record. That it was a worshipful experience and led you to God, and that is the only thing-I set that before my band and set that before our producer, Jason Ingram. I said, ‘look, all I want to do is have a record, that if you’re 15 or 50, you can find your voice in these songs.’ So that was really the goal, I mean, I’m a worship leader, and we are a worship band on a worship label, and so the whole goal of what we do, when we make records and write music, is to write songs the church can sing to God, and lead people to God. So, that was really the whole goal, but grammatically, the way God always does it-you know the songs that come out do have a theme, and there’s this current through the record of having faith in God, and believing His promises for our lives. And while we are worship leaders and we want to lead people, I do understand and know that we are leading very real people, and they are dealing with very real things-these mountains in their lives. So, this record is really calling people, to have faith in this God, who is alive and capable of moving those mountains, so that was the goal. You know, what you just said is so cool and poignant, and it’s exactly what we want people to do-to just experience God through these songs.
Tom: I could really feel that when I listened to it. I could tell you guys were on fire for God when you were writing and especially when recording. So, when you were writing and recording, were there any life experiences that really helped you, as an individual, shape the album, because it had a very personal feel to it. (3:42 into the interview)
Kris: Without going into a lot of detail, I mean, 2010 was a pretty interesting year for my family, so a lot of the songs that came out on this record, have come from a really personal place, you’re right. “Holding My World” and “Always” and “Day After Day”-a lot of these songs have come from a pretty personal place of just saying, “I need to hear it, I need to believe it, right now. God is my strength and He’s holding my world together, and He’s unshaken, He’s always reigning.” Those were things that I needed to say to God, you know? And so I will say though, that through this past year, even though it was kind of a hard year, and my wife and I felt pretty pressed on every side, through all of that, we really came to know the personal side of our God and were just reminded in 2010 how personal our God is. When we pray to Him and cry out to Him, He hears us. When we see Him come through on our behalf, it’s an amazing thing. It just showed us a side of God that we always believed was there, but we really just saw that side of God this past year.
Tom: That is really awesome, man. Well, I hope and pray that 2011 is a great year for you and your family.
Kris: Thanks so much, man. We appreciate that.
Tom: So I’ve got to ask, when you were writing and recording this album, was there a song that really stood out to you more than the rest? Maybe a favorite one?
Kris: You know, really, in the early stages of the record, the song called “You Will Reign” was the song that I was and still am really excited about. It’s where the title of the record came from. I think grammatically and content-wise, “You Will Reign” serves as a kind of anchor for this record. That has always been a song that stood out to me, but now at this point, it’s a new year-we’re just getting into 2011, and I just keep asking God, if He would help me live out “My Reward”. If I could live that song in 2011, I would just love His help in doing that. “My Reward” has become a song for me and my wife and band to say, like Paul said in Philippians, “For me to live as Christ and to die is gain”. In this life, if I live, I’m going to proclaim Christ and live for Him. If I die, I get to be with Him. So in life and in death, Jesus is our reward. That song has become my cry for this year, just saying “Lord, help me to live that out.” So those two songs are really standing out to me, but to be honest with you, man, I’m so happy about the whole record, so it’s hard for me to pick a favorite. You know, each song-when I hear each song I hear the story behind it and I hear how it was written. So each song means a lot to me. Those two in particular though.
Tom: I have to agree with you there. I think “You Will Reign” is probably the one that grabbed ahold of me the most. It’s been on repeat a lot over the past week or so. I really liked that one a lot.
Kris: That is awesome, man. I’m so glad you enjoyed it. Thanks so much.
Tom: Well, now I’ve got to throw the impossible question at you, so be ready. (both laugh) Do you have a favorite song in general? It could be yours or someone else’s, or maybe it’s one you like to lead most.
Kris: Oh wow, man, I am such a music nerd, bro, like I listen to music all the time. So, you know, it’s constantly changing for me. I will say, right now, at the moment, I think maybe my favorite song to lead, and it’s not one of our songs, it’s a song called “Forever Reign”. It’s a Hillsong song that Jason Ingram and Reuben Morgan wrote, and that song, man, it is just blowing up in my heart and also wherever we go, we lead this song and it’s just blowing up. So I think right now, at the moment, “Forever Reign” has got to be the number one song for me to lead. I will say though, apart from worship music and just diving into favorite songs, there’s a song right now that you may have heard. It’s by Andrew Peterson, called “Dancing In The Minefields”. Have you heard this song?
Tom: Absolutely, I love it.
Kris: Bro, I mean, killer, killer record. I mean “Counting Stars” is one of my favorite records in a long, long time. The second track on that record is called “Dancing In The Minefields” and it is just a phenomenal song. It’s a love story about him and his wife and what it means to be married. I just love that song right now too. I could honestly talk for another hour about these songs, I just love music so much. Another one that I love is Coldplay’s Christmas song. Have you heard that one?
Tom: Yeah, I have, I loved it.
Kris: Bro, that was on repeat at Christmas time. It is so fantastic. Um, Chris August has a song called 7×70.
Tom: Yeah, I love that one too.
Kris: Man, oh my gosh, that song is gorgeous. I think God is going to use that in huge ways in people’s lives.
Tom: I saw his music video for that last week actually.
Kris: Yeah, I mean, doesn’t that just bring you to tears? It’s such a beautiful song and the video is gorgeous. I love that one too. So, anyways.
Tom: Hey, there’s nothing wrong with having several favorites, right?
Kris: I know, I know.
Tom: So I hear you’ll be doing some things with Passion 2011 this spring? What are you looking forward to most about that?
Kris: Well, actually, we just did an event here in Atlanta, Passion 2011. We did an event for 22,000 college students. We were at Phillips Arena, it was an amazing few days. It was so cool. Then we’re doing one other event in April, in Dallas/Ft. Worth. We’re only doing those two events. We’re actually taking some time off from the world tour. Passion has done a world tour the past couple of years, but we’re taking 2011 off of the world tour. But I and the guys in my band will be doing some touring this spring. We’re trying to get the record out there, and we’re really excited about that. You know, we’ve had some time at home with our families. I’m married and have a few kids, I love them to death, they’re amazing, and I love being home with them. We’ve had some good time home with them in November and December. We’re ready to work hard though and get this record out there. So we’ll be doing some of that this spring as well, for sure.
Tom: That’s great, it sounds really exciting. Is there something you enjoy most about being on the road when you are touring?
Kris: You know, there’s a lot of things that I love about it. I feel like I have the personality to be on the move. I love being in new cities, I love meeting new people. I love eating in different restaurants that I couldn’t eat at here in Atlanta, you know, I love all these things about traveling. I think my favorite thing about being on the road is playing live. Just being on that stage with my band and being able to lead all these people to worship God, and really experience God is really the high of everything we do. And what we do as a worship band is so different than a pop artist. Like, a pop artist will go out and be in an arena packed full of people, and I love pop music. I listen to a lot of pop music, but pop artists sing about relationships and sometimes, some pretty graphic not-so-cool stuff. But us as a worship band-what sets us apart, is we get to sing to a God, and experience a God who is alive and real. He meets us where we are and that is powerful. That’s what changes lives, so to be able to do that, when we’re on the road-to experience God in that way, is really a supernatural thing. It’s not like anything else that we could experience here on the earth. I think that’s probably the most fantastic part of what we do, for sure.
Tom: That sounds like an amazing, amazing thing.
Kris: It’s great. I wish there was some kind of way that we could relay that feeling or experience to people, but it’s hard to explain it.
Tom: Definitely. It sounds awesome, though.
Kris: Yeah, it’s great, man.
Tom: Well, I’m really excited to see what God has in store for you this year, I feel like He has some pretty big things for you, and I know that as a reviewer on AlphaOmegaNews.org, the review website I do some stuff for, I do pray for all the artists , whose music I get to review. I definitely keep you guys in my thoughts and prayers.
Kris: Thank you so much, man. Thank you. I appreciate that so much.
Tom: No problem, man. Um, do you have a particular prayer for 2011? In general, for you?
Kris: Well, It’s like I mentioned earlier, you know, if God would help us to live out Paul’s confession. To live as Christ, to live that out and choose Jesus before everything else. If you could pray that I and my family and my band and their families could all do that, that would be amazing. You know, we want to carry this record faithfully. If you could pray for that too. God has given us these songs. He’s entrusted these songs to us, and we want to carry them the best way we can. To work hard and carry them faithfully. Um, I think a third thing would be, that since we have wives, all of us are married and three guys in the band have two kids-that they would sense God’s peace and strength in their lives while we’re gone. You know, we leave them at home and they have the harder job, Tom, I’m just going to be honest with you. When our wives are at home with the kids, it is the harder job. They work so hard. I just want to see them really sense God’s grace and strength for them, so I really appreciate y’all praying for us. It means a lot.
Tom: For sure. You guys definitely have blessed me, so it’s the least I can do.
Kris: That’s great man, it’s awesome. Thank You.
Tom: Not a problem. Well, those are actually about all of the questions I had for you. Is there anything else you’d like to add to that?
Kris: No, man, I think those were great questions. I think we covered it all, thanks man.
Tom: Well thank you for taking the time to talk with me! It was great!
Kris: No problem, Tom, I really hope we get to do it again. It was great.
Tom: Me too. Hopefully you guys will be able to come to Wisconsin some day and we’ll get to see you guys here.
Kris: I would love it. I would absolutely love to shake your hand and give ya a big bear hug. That’d be fun!
Tom: Awesome, that sounds good. I’ll hold you to it.
Kris: Alright, Tom, let’s do it man, for sure.
Tom: Thanks Kristian! It’s been great.
Not a Fan – A Small Group Discipleship Study
Dec 15, 2010 DVD Reviews, Feature
Not a Fan
Small Group Discipleship Study
City on a Hill Productions
“Not a Fan” is a multimedia based Bible study for small groups which primary tool are six video lessons combined with a “follower’s journal.” The overall premise of the study is about being more than a fan when it comes to your faith. It immediately questions your commitment to Christ – “Are you a fan, or a follower.”
The video clips are very engaging and the follower’s journal is highly interactive and will require a commitment of time for sure, but as I reviewed the journal I was amazed at how well it was put together. Personally, I like the challenging front that this project takes. It is not about being confrontational, but at the same time it is certainly not about hanging out in the stands being a nominal Christian or a “fan.”
The DVD comes with a leaders guide as well and after watching the leaders tutorial on the DVD anyone should feel comfortable leading the group study with a little effort. While the box says that this is a discipleship study for adults I would argue that it would be more suitable for a high-school youth group because of the nature of the delivery – the dramatic mini movies are more apt to appeal to this age group.
Check out the official website and watch the trailer for “Not a Fan” and while there you can check out the page samples for the study book. I personally believe that this series is a wonderful tool for small group leaders. It gives you the background information, including Biblical principles, and the guides also help to take off the usual pressures of leading a group.
Again, check out http://www.notafan.com for more information.
- Ken W.
Tags: Not a Fan
The Story of Your Life Tour
Nov 11, 2010 Concert News, Feature
The Story of Your Life Tour
By Tom F.
“The Story Of Your Life” tour, starring Josh Wilson, Jonny Diaz and Matthew West, provided a truly one-of-a-kind concert experience! I was very excited when I first heard about the tour, seeing as how I’m a fan of their music. Matthew West recently released his newest album, “Story of Your Life” (read the review here, in which he used personal stories from everyday people to create a truly inspirational, hope-infused album.
Josh Wilson opened the concert, by himself, a one-man-band. Using only a loop pedal, harmonica, and his trusty guitar, he crafted in real time, the backgrounds for his tracks (which impressed me, for sure). He kicked the show off with “Listen” from his latest self-titled release. “Before the Morning”, his major radio-hit came next, followed by his instrumental take on the hymn “Amazing Grace.” To say Josh has amazing guitar skills is a gross understatement. His set’s finale showcased his talent, and left us all speechless! (Check it out on Youtube sometime, you’ll see what I mean.)
Jonny Diaz also performed as a one-man-band in a very personal, acoustic show. He opened his set with the hilarious and equally fitting track, “The Opener”. The song takes a very comical look at the life of a new, relatively unknown singer. Jonny followed up with his current hits “Stand For You” and “More Beautiful You”. Not only did his sincerity shine through his performance and his music, but his comedic side had the audience laughing, the entire duration of his set.
Matthew West began his portion of the show with an acoustic, piano-driven version of “The Motions”. “More”, “You Are Everything”, “History” and “The Next Thing You Know” followed before a brief intermission. He explained his latest album, at length, giving the audience a look at his latest its inspiration before performing an album in its entirety for the very first time. Before each song from “Story of Your Life” was performed, he gave a quick preview of the song’s background. He read the actual stories the songs were written from and also showed quick video interviews with some of the authors whose stories set the stage for the album. The stage was another unique feature in the show. While the songs were being performed, animated music videos were projected on the backdrop (which looked like a log cabin wall and window). The music videos were subtle and gave clear pictures of the song’s meanings and messages. It definitely helped create an even more unique experience throughout the show.
The evening was filled with laughter, stories, songs, and true worship. It was an amazing experience and I would definitely recommend Josh, Jonny & Matthew’s music to anyone looking for hope, worshipful music, and reassurance in a loving God. These guys don’t disappoint!!
For concert photos check out our Facebook page.
An Evening with Brandon Heath & Jars of Clay
Nov 11, 2010 Concert News, Feature
An Evening with Brandon Heath & Jars of Clay
By Tom F.
Back in mid-August I saw an update from Brandon heath on Facebook, detailing an upcoming, 21 city tour with Jars of Clay. I knew, then and there, that I had to go. The tickets were bought and I began counting the days until I would see one of my all-time favorite musicians in concert. Having been a die-hard fan since his debut album “Don’t Get Comfortable” this, naturally, was the concert for me. I was excited, not only to get to see him perform, but to get the chance to see Jars of Clay live as well. I had always been an admirer of the music I’d heard on the radio or in compilations such as the WOW hits series, but had never really listened to them much aside from those. I knew the concert would be a great intro to their music, but I never expected to get such an in-depth look at their hits from the past 15 years! As the band celebrated their 15th year in action, they performed some of their best-loved songs from each album! It was definitely a great introduction for a new fan.
The evening started off, entirely different than I would have imagined! As I waited for the church to be unlocked, I and several other attendees had the unexpected opportunity to watch Brandon and Jars go head to head in a round of bocce ball. Brandon let a few concert-goers play on his team, which was really cool to see. Everyone seemed so down to earth. The doors soon opened, and our pre-show backstage session began. The Q&A session was scrapped due to time concerns, but it was replaced by something equally enjoyable – one-on-one time with the singers. After they took some pictures and signed posters or anything else fans pushed their way, they just spent some time talking with us. The only real encounters I’d had with some of my favorite musicians were in a crowded line at an autograph table after the show, so this was a new experience for me. It was refreshing to see how laid back and down to earth both Brandon and the Jars guys were. They mingled and spent time with us for about half an hour before the show. It gave me a unique look at a side of these people, I’d never expected to see! That on its own made the backstage pass worth it to me.
The concert began about half an hour later, with both Brandon and Jars on stage singing “Movin’ on Up” together. It was really cool seeing both perform together. They continued their “duet” with “Sore Eyes” from Brandon’s latest CD. He co-wrote the song with Jars so it only made sense to perform it live together! Once again, very cool. The harmonies were spot on. Brandon went on to perform several hits from his current albums along with 5 songs from his upcoming release “Leaving Eden”. Brandon’s set list consisted of:
1. Movin’ on Up (With Jars)
2. Sore Eyes (With Jars)
3. Wait and See
4. Don’t Get Comfortable
5. I’m Not Who I Was
6. Love Never Fails
7. Sunrise
8. Leaving Eden*
9. Your Love*
10. Only Water*
11. Might Just Save Your Life*
12. One*
13. Give Me Your Eyes
[* indicates tracks from “Leaving Eden”]
Check out our Facebook Page for photos.
Glo: The Bible for the Digital World
Mar 5, 2010 Feature
Glo: The Bible for the Digital World
Immersion Digital
by Ken Wiegman
I have been a techno-geek a long time, at least since the days when I would take apart my electronic games (Merlin & Simon) just to see how they worked. Fortunately, I was always able to get them back together in working condition as well. Since those days I have worked my way into a full-time job in IT where I get to dabble in all kinds of technology, from simple power point presentations to graphic design software and digital recording. My interest then of course peeked immediately when the first press release for Glo came across my inbox. Thankfully I received a pre-release of the package as an industry “influencer.” (It’s the small things like that title that get me all giddy, fortunately I am very humble and it didn’t go to my head.)
Glo is a full digital package that is more than just a bible, it is more than just bits and bytes of digitized text. Glo is a comprehensive study package all under one easy to use application. The program has five general areas; the NIV & NKJ Bible, Atlas, Timeline, Topical subjects, and high-definition Media. Glo delivers all of this through an easy to use graphical interface.
The amount of data available for research and study is amazing. It reminds me of when my parents first purchased an updated volume of encyclopedias. I could spend hours just clicking through the materials and looking at the pictures, maps, and virtual tours and I would just be putting a scratch in the surface of data available. Aside from the five major categories listed above, Glo also has applicable study notes, thousands of pictures (literally), linked web based articles, maps and more, all available in a searchable and cross-referenced package. One of the most amazing parts is the virtual tour where you can zoom in closer and closer to the object or place. For example, you can effortlessly click through an interactive tour from the outer courts to the inner room of the Holy of Holies.
I was fortunate to be able to speak to co-creator and CIO of Immersion Digital, Nelson Saba. Coming away from the conversation I was blown away by the immensity of the project and the technology behind it. This current version of the program is just the beginning. Mr. Saba describes the current platform as a launching point for future content.
The next big release is coming in the fall of 2010 and according to Mr. Saba it will be a “BIG” launch. As the product evolves it will include content from mainstream providers and well-known and reputable sources, like pastor and speaker Max Lucado for example. This collaboration will differ from what we know as the wiki, as the content will be more strictly controlled – hence making it more reliable. Additionally, with the new release the program will be able to run on multiple devices such as an iPhone, or any Windows based portable device. One license will give the user multiple interfaces to get to the data, either from your home computer or your handheld. It will all be covered under one purchase.
The updated Glo will also be more integrated into the Internet so that you do not have to install the entire package on your device. In some ways it will be much like video on demand, which is something most people are familiar with these days. This will benefit the portable devices immensely, but for faster access it will be more advantageous to have the data stored on a local hard drive.
Glo is a highly advanced program and it really takes digital media one giant step further than many of the ebook readers that are now available. The high-definition pictures and interactive maps, virtual tours and study guides, will all truly make this an immersion experience. Although I am not an advocate of completely replacing paper Bibles, I do believe Glo can save time while studying the Bible, and at the same time, it will increase learning and comprehension.
On a more technical note, the pure immensity of the program is certain to cause some anxiety for the not-so-tech-savvy users. The full install could take up to three hours to install and a lot can go wrong during that time. Not necessarily with the program, but more so with individual computers of varying degrees of speed and capacity. Personally, I ran into problems immediately with the installation, but I believe that issue was with the promotional version only and not the full release. However, there is a decent tech support operation setup and as the product grows so will the support staff.
The space requirements for the complete package are high at 18 gigs of hard drive space for a complete install. This is due to two positive factors however, high quality digital files and the sheer number of files included, a positive trade off for time and hard drive space used up in the installation. Lastly, for the Mac users there is no compatible application at this time. That too will be released in the fall with the new version.
The quality of the content and ease of use are both very impressive. I have found the search function to be most helpful in linking bible passages to teaching articles, pictures, maps and more. Also, after talking to Mr. Saba I believe that the enthusiasm for the program is still bubbling over and I believe there is more to come that they have not even thought about yet. Even as I was speaking to Mr. Saba he was working on an international deal and he advised me that the product is going to be available in other languages eventually.
You need not worry about buying Glo now and paying for it again later either. As a present owner of Glo you will receive automatic updates as the new features are added. So there is a bonus to buying now, as you will get the updates as they come out instead of waiting until the fall of 2010 to get started. I highly recommend checking out Glo. I highly suggest you consider adding it to your library of resources, especially if you are a pastor or in a teaching position. As an avid user of power point for enhancing lectures, I can easily see where Glo will be used in the same way. It is all very exciting and there is nothing like getting pumped up for the Word of God.
Tags: Glo
VeggieTales®: Saint Nicholas—A Story of Joyful Giving
Nov 27, 2009 DVD Reviews, Feature
“What If December Looked Different This Year?”
by Deborah Evans Price
Leave it to Bob the Tomato and Larry the Cucumber to share the spirit of Christmas with humor and heart as they discover the power of giving in VeggieTales®: Saint Nicholas—A Story of Joyful Giving. The popular VeggieTales characters anchor the third Christmas DVD in the best-selling children’s franchise; the first new VeggieTales Christmas project from Big Idea Inc. in seven years.
In a perfect relationship that underscores the message of giving in the new DVD, Big Idea has partnered with Operation Christmas Child to collect gifts for needy children around the world. More than 65,000 churches across the country will hold shoe box collection activities, and many churches plan to hold screenings of Saint Nicholas to encourage kids in the spirit of giving.
“Right after watching Saint Nicholas, in the wake of being so inspired to give, that’s the perfect time to put a shoe box together,” says GRAMMY Award-winning recording artist Amy Grant, who has teamed with singer/songwriter Matthew West for the Saint Nicholas theme song “Give This Christmas Away.” “It’s love in action. It’s active learning with a great example of the joy of giving through the life of the real Saint Nicholas. And what better way to say, ‘Hey kids, we could change a life, too. We could do something just that special.’”
Teaching children faith-based lessons through entertaining animation has made VeggieTales one of the most successful children’s brands in the world. Big Idea Inc. was launched in 1993 and since then VeggieTales has sold over 52 million videos, 13 million books and more than seven million CDs. VeggieTales is in its fourth season as a top-rated series on NBC Saturday mornings. There have also been two successful theatrical releases—2002’s “Jonah—A VeggieTales Movie” and 2008’s “The Pirates Who Don’t Do Anything—A VeggieTales Movie.”
In true VeggieTales style, Saint Nicholas illustrates an important message—We don’t give to others to make ourselves happy, we give because we are happy, thanks to the gifts God has given to us first.
In a plot that will resonate with viewers during these troubled economic times, Bob and Larry share the plight of Laura Carrot, whose stocking may be empty this year because her dad is in danger of losing his job. Larry thinks a letter to the North Pole should fix the problem, but Bob offers a solution by sharing the story of a little boy named Nicholas. While in Bethlehem, Nicholas made a great discovery that changes Christmas forever when he met Sister Claire and she shared with him the reason she was so devoted to helping the poor—to spread the love of Jesus.
Nicholas’ heart had been hardened by the loss of his parents, but the important lesson he learned set him on a new mission for his life. As he returns to his village and begins helping others less fortunate—even though the evil town mayor had forbidden such generous acts—the legend of Saint Nicholas is born. After Bob shares the story, it becomes obvious to Laura Carrot’s friends what they need to do.
“When I was asked to consider writing a song for the end credits of Saint Nicholas, I was given an inside look at one of the earlier drafts of the script. And honestly, the script impacted my approach to the lyrics almost 100%,” says Matthew West, who co-wrote “Give This Christmas Away” with Sam Mizell. “What it means to me to ‘give this Christmas away’ is to be mindful of the world around us that may be in need–the people you may ordinarily overlook and the causes that have greater needs this year. It’s about stopping and pausing long enough to look at the world from a perspective of ‘How can I help? How can I give? How can God use me to help meet the needs of somebody else this Christmas instead of me just checking off the list of everything I want?’”
Amy Grant adds, “We’ve gotten Christmas a little backwards haven’t we? Of course, you’re going to give your sibling or best friend a gift. But what about when you reach beyond that circle of family and friends – and say, ‘I want to give to somebody who’s not even expecting it?’ Now that is the Gospel and a perfect example of God’s love. This song is such a great reminder that the reason we celebrate gifts is because we are just mimicking what God did for us. He loved us so much that He gave.”
West and Grant’s recording of “Give This Christmas Away” and the partnership with Operation Christmas Child in conjunction with the October 3rd DVD release create a perfect storm of opportunity to demonstrate how art and entertainment can inspire youngsters to make an impact on the world around them. “As I read through the script, I was thinking about how amazing Operation Christmas Child is and how well the movie is tied in with that cause,” says West.
Operation Christmas Child is a project of the international Christian relief organization Samaritan’s Purse and is the world’s largest Christmas project. Since 1993, Operation Christmas Child has delivered more than 70 million gift-filled shoe boxes to underprivileged children in more than 140 countries. This year the goal is to deliver more than eight million shoe boxes worldwide.
In partnering with Operation Christmas Child, Big Idea executives hope to help the organization meet or exceed that goal. “Saint Nicholas—A Story of Joyful Giving captures the message of giving in a very special story as little Nicholas learns how and why we give to others,” says VeggieTales Co-creator, VP of Creative Development and voice of Larry The Cucumber, Mike Nawrocki. “This new DVD release combined with the mission of Operation Christmas Child will help show our kids how they too can reach out to children around the world with the Gospel of Jesus Christ while sharing the message that VeggieTales has been telling kids for many years – ‘God made you special and He loves you very much!’”
Franklin Graham, President and CEO of Samaritan’s Purse and the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association, shares, “We are delighted that VeggieTales is joining with Operation Christmas Child to help give even more children the opportunity to know about God’s Son Jesus Christ.”
Randy Riddle, Domestic Director for Operation Christmas Child, Samaritan’s Purse, agrees, “The message of giving found in Saint Nicholas will encourage many children and families to give and to pray for needy children this Christmas. We look forward with anticipation to many more shoe box gifts and opportunities to share the Gospel from those who learn about this ministry through Saint Nicholas.”
As part of these efforts, Big Idea is making a special giveaway offer available to anyone who purchases a VeggieTales: Saint Nicholas—A Story of Joyful Giving DVD. Through this unique offer inside the DVD, Veggie fans can log onto a designated website and select a second VeggieTales DVD for free to give to a friend or someone in need with only $2.99 for shipping and handling.
In addition to the 45-minute Saint Nicholas DVD, there will also be a Saint Nicholas Little Golden Book from Random House, plush toys from Pint Size, a Christmas Ornament from DaySpring and shoes and shoe charms from Jibbitz, a subsidiary of Crocs. There will also be a Saint Nicholas album available exclusively at iTunes, which will include “Give This Christmas Away.” The song will further be serviced by Sparrow Records/EMI CMG as a single to radio in November.
Tags: Veggie Tales
Interview – Jason Gray
Sep 6, 2009 Feature
Welcome, Jason Gray, singer-songwriter and brother in Christ, last we talked you were in the process of making the new album, Everything Sad is Coming Untrue. You mentioned then and I’ve read again about a significant event that preceded this recording, that being a two-year struggle with writers block. What a relief it must be to have the record complete and on the shelves so to speak.
Is it possible to even express in a few words how that time felt to you? How it impacted you emotionally, physically, and spiritually?
It was scary, for sure. I tried not to worry about it, trusting that it’s good to let the ground have a season of rest and that it would eventually yield something again – I try to trust the process – but as the time stretched on I began to worry that maybe my music making days were over, or worse – that I no longer had anything to say.
Do you believe breaking through and accomplishing Everything Sad is Coming Untrue will put that time wholly behind you?
There are always seasons where you let the ground rest, but I do hope that I won’t have such an extended season like that again.
Being a singer-songwriter, the personal story of the writer is usually forefront of the product. Is there a singular song that was is the expression of this former time in your life?
You know, actually, there’s a song about it from my last record, “All The Lovely Losers,” an older album I recorded independently and then was later picked up by Centricity Records. They asked me to write 3 new songs to add to that record, and that was when the creative block really reared its ugly head and I had a hard time squeezing those songs out. “Sing Through Me” off my last record was inspired by my creative block, and it proved to be a block that only worsened and then went much longer than I imagined – nearly 3 years. But “The Golden Boy and The Prodigal” from my new record was the song that broke the writer’s block. In this song, I gave up trying to please anyone – radio, my audience, my peer artists – and just tried to write something true without regard to how it would be received. That proved to be liberating enough to knock a little crack in the dam, and the songs started flowing after I wrote that one.
You have written that the album was originally themed around confession, but was eventually penned more towards renewal. Do you think the two themes are intertwined within your own experience?
Absolutely. There’s a part of me that wishes I could have done a whole album about confession, but I had to be grateful for the songs that came! And confession is truly a part of renewal. And there’s another part of me that is grateful that things went the way they did – I think in the end I’ve ended up with a much more accessible album that I hope will give me more chances to explore the minor theme of confession within the larger theme of renewal.
If I have read it right, the song “More Like Falling In Love” is about moving into a relationship with Jesus as compared to having a faith centered on knowledge alone. In essence it would be like going from ceremonial to relational with your faith. Is that a fair assessment? Do you see a separation from the relational aspect of Christianity as a major concern for the church today?
You know, I’m not trying to be controversial – and I understand why I might make some people nervous with this – but that song came, in part, from this moment when it hit me as strange that though almost the whole of scripture defines our faith as relational and having to do with the heart, parts of evangelical Christianity keep emphasizing faith as an intellectual assent. We can get to thinking that salvation comes from believing a certain set of propositional facts about who Jesus is. That’s part of it, but the scriptures talk about how God looks upon the heart… I’ve even wondered if it’s possible for a person whose heart is toward God to be saved before their mind catches up. I remember as a boy always having a sense of God’s presence in my life, a sense that He was pursuing me, and I would pray and talk to him – and this was long before I’d heard of Jesus. When I finally heard of Jesus, it was clear that this was who I’d been praying to all along, and now I finally knew his name. At which point was I saved? If we define salvation as something that occurs with intellectual assent, then probably when I was about 15. If we define it relationally, then maybe when I was in the 3rd grade. If you’re a Calvinist, then maybe it occurred when the foundations of the earth were being laid. Who knows, it’s all a wonderful mystery, and though that’s not all of what this song is about, this was some of the wondering that I was doing around the time that I wrote this song. Essentially, it’s a song about moving from religion to relationship, that Jesus came to give us more than information about who God is, but to give us access to his heart.
You are personally involved in ministries – youth retreats, World Vision – and touring (extensively). You have a lovely family with a quiver full of joyful rambunctiousness. Between life on the road and life at home how do you maintain and strengthen the relational aspect of your faith? How do you really come to the point where your worship is as you say “more to do with the kind of life I live”?
I think you’re asking about my relationship with my family, right? It is difficult to maintain healthy relationships when you’re on the road as much as I am, but first and foremost I believe that God has given us grace for it – that’s the best explanation I can give. But when I am home, I believe my worship consists of being a good, available parent/spouse. It looks like really listening to my wife, not getting defensive and taking it as criticism when she expresses her loneliness, need, or what’s overwhelming to her. I think for a lot of marriages, insecurity is the great enemy. If a wife says she are lonely or overwhelmed, the husband might get defensive and tell her he’s doing all he can to provide for her, etc. – what more does she want? Then both feel overwhelmed and alienated. But if he can let her have her feelings without taking it personally, he can say, “I’m so sorry you feel that way, I know that this busy season with my work must be hard on you – I can’t wait til things slow down so I can give you the attention that I want to.” So learning to be secure as the head of our household, not be defensive, and honoring my wife’s feelings are a large part of my worship as a spouse. It’s similar with my sons, too – giving them my attention whenever I’m home.
Sometimes saying “no” to worthy causes or events that ask me for my participation is a form of worship, too. Saying “no” to certain things is in essence saying “yes” to my family.
Stepping aside from the more personal side lets talk about the “making of” Everything Sad Is Coming Untrue. From what I have viewed on your MySpace page the actual process seemed to go quite well. Do you see the partnership with Jason Ingram continuing on with future efforts?
If he’ll work with me, I’d love to continue working with him. He’s really in demand these days, but we did have a great time working together and I think we produced something worthwhile. He really helped me take what I do and wrap it up in a package that hopefully is more accessible.
The final production has a fair mix of singer-songwriter type songs and some more heavily pop-flavored tunes. The overall translation of your prose into song appears effortless. How exciting was it to hear the final product after checking off all the squares on the production board?
Glad to hear it sounds effortless – it wasn’t! That aspect of it was very hard for me. I naturally write with more of a singer/songwriter kind of language and with several of these songs I had to discipline myself to write broader lyrics. The simplest sounding songs on the record were the hardest for me to write.
You have some crazy options here when it comes to buying the new album. Where did all this creativity come from? And what size is your shirt?
It kind of started as a joke, and then we thought we’d run with it – and we’ve had a few takers! A fan bought the package where they will be coming to our house for dinner, a mini-concert, followed by watching Nacho Libre and playing board games. The other packages are still available on my site and I’m hoping that people will take advantage of them, and maybe even pick the one where they can have a shirt from my closet! (I wear XL and L, depending on the shirt 
Last question, I observed in the videos on your MySpace (and on the Bethlehem Skyline tour) that there appears to be a real community within the Centricity label. Do you see it that way? Does it feel that way?
Definitely, the DNA of the label is very relationally driven. Whereas many labels don’t want their artists getting together, talking with each other, comparing notes (and contracts!), Centricity keeps bringing us together and encouraging our relationships. There’s no place I’d rather be than with Centricity Music.
In closing I would like to say that when I work on a crossword puzzle, I usually have my finger on the answer page in the back of the book. If I could, I would do the same with liner notes when it comes to singer/songwriter type music. So what does it mean that Everything Sad is Coming Untrue?
Well, if you or your readers order my special or deluxe edition of my CD, it comes with a 32 page devotional-style booklet with commentary on each of the songs, kind of like the answer page (wink wink 
I’ll include a passage from the book that talks about this:
The idea of everything sad coming untrue came from Tolkien’s “The Lord Of The Rings” where Sam wakes after the darkest day of his life to find those he thought dead were alive and that all was well.
“’Gandalf! I thought you were dead! But then I thought I was dead myself. Is everything sad going to come untrue? What’s happened to the world?’
‘A great shadow has departed,’ said Gandalf, and then he laughed, and the sound was like music, or like water in a parched land… “
The beauty of those words rang so many bells inside of me: the idea not that everything sad is untrue (which would be a cruel invalidation of our present sorrows) – nor that everything will come untrue someday (which reduces the hope of redemption to mere wishful thinking) – but that somehow, even right now in the face of the saddest that we see, the seeds of its undoing are sown. In fact, they were sown the day the body of Jesus, like a seed himself, was laid in the ground. What took root on Easter is the undoing of the curse, and it is flowering all around us if we have eyes to see it. Everything that’s been on my mind in the making of this record – confession, redemption, renewal – can be summed up, I think, in the thought and hope that everything sad is coming untrue.
Thanks for your time Jason. I can see that your touring schedule is tight right now and I know that summers are a busy time for you as well. I hope we get the chance to actually meet in person again in the future – still working on Ken C. to line that up for us! Peace.
It was great to talk with you again! I was just in Waukesha again this past weekend and was remembering our conversation there. Be blessed!
JG
Tags: Jason Gray
Featuring – Travis Cottrell
Jul 6, 2009 Feature
Alpha Omega News
Interview With Travis Cottrell
Submitted by Rob Snyder
Travis, congratulations on your new record, “Jesus Saves LIVE.”
Thank you! It was a very hard process…harder than any project I have done in the past. We had so many obstacles, but I am so thankful for the finished product.
First, what do you hope to accomplish through your gift of music? Do you want to lead worship? See your compositions used by the church-at-large?
More than anything, I feel like my calling in the kingdom of God is that of EQUIPPER. I hope that any project or resource I am a part of creating will equip people to worship. That may mean for the soccer moms who need encouragement in their car…or it may mean for the worship pastor who needs accessible music and resources to use to lead his or her church body in worship. Whatever the scenario, I pray that this project (and all of my music) will ultimately equip people to worship the Lord, and connect to Him through the presence of the Holy Spirit.
I must admit I’m not a big fan of live recordings but your audio engineer did a great job-the recording sounds very clean.
Thank you. Paul Mills mixed the project. He is the king of live worship records. I am so thankful for his gifts and his heart to serve people.
The record opens with “To the King.” It comes across as one of those praise songs that while you’re lifting up the Lord, you’re being lifted up as well.
“To The King” is one of my favorites on the record. My wife wrote it. The verses and chorus are straight scripture. It is a good way to start any worship time…with the Word of God from the very onset.
Your audience was very enthusiastic. Does that feed into your performance?
We had an awesome crowd the night of the recording. As a worship leader, I do my best to meet the crowd where they are, listen to the leading of the Holy Spirit, and hopefully take them to a new place. I want them to feel safe to be who they are in the presence of God, but also gently push them to be as expressive as they feel God would have them to be. Definitely the crowd at the recording was high energy, and that was very nice to embrace for the project.
Is there an overall message in the new record?
I didn’t set out to have a defining theme. But it seems that the Lordship and Kingship of Christ is a prevalent theme throughout. We live in a generation that seems to question, run from, and disrespect authority more and more. So establishing Jesus as Lord through our own personal worship is an important message to embrace.
What was it like working with Cindy Morgan? And how does her song “Praise the King” fit in with what you’re trying to accomplish with this recording?
Cindy is probably my favorite songwriter on the planet. I am so honored to have her on this project. And “Praise the King” is one of my favorite songs ever. I can’t imagine a worship setting where it wouldn’t fit.
I also really enjoyed “Mercy Seat.” Tell me about that song.
“Mercy Seat” is an older song that has been around for a while. But because of our ministry alongside Beth Moore, it fits what we do live so well. She is such a great communicator of the mercies of God. So the song has become an integral part of our ministry with her. Angela Cruz sings on my team. And she communicates when she sings that sings that song in an amazing and powerful way.
What’s going to be included on the bonus DVD?
The bonus DVD is a taste of what is to come in the full length concert DVD, which releases September 1. The bonus version has some clips of some of the songs, as well as some teaching from the concert night from both Max Lucado and Beth Moore.
You’re going to be at the National Worship Leader Conference in July. Are you leading worship? Workshops? Both?
I’m leading worship.
You participated in this year’s Annual Day of Prayer in Washington, D.C. What was your role?
I led worship for the main event in Washington with the Dobsons, and with Beth, who was this year’s national spokesperson. Beth and I also traveled to Lancaster, PA to be a part of their NDOP rally, which had over 18,000 in attendance.
Good luck with your new record. May your activities continue to bless others.
Thanks so much. May God bless you and your ministry, too.
Tags: Travis Cottrell
