This past week, I had the privilege of meeting several people in Melbourne who are involved in music. Jeff Crabtree, for one, is a well-known award-winning Australian producer and songwriter who is producing the album you’re probably tired of me mentioning. It was great working with him and I hope I get a chance to do it again in the future.

I became friends with another songwriter named Brad Ellis. Brad heads up 614 Melbourne, and was nice enough to give me a tour of their building downtown. It’s a great building. The words you see below are from Matthew 11:28:

Brad recently organized an event called “Souls n Justice”, with the aim of bringing together worshippers to sing out about issues of social justice. I wish I had been there. We got a chance to hang out and talk and play each other some of our own tunes. Brad is involved in some innovative ministry in downtown Melbourne. He has a real heart for hurting and broken people.

I don’t think it’s a coincidence that these two events happened in my life so close together. I used to think of social justice and worship as two separate issues, but I can no longer think of them as anything but inextricably intertwined.

Hey, a big thanks to the people who’ve already volunteered to help me out with some grassroots stuff once the time comes. There are exciting things happening. I’ve already mentioned the Heart Life Voice project.

I have more new material than I can shake a stick at, which begs the questions, “How much is more than you can shake a stick at?” and “Who shakes sticks?”

In preparation for the forthcoming album(s), I’ve put just about every song from my first two solo efforts online at www.saytunes.com. You can listen to them online and even download them – free! Enjoy. I hope you are still being blessed by some of it (and maybe getting a kick out of the rest).

Really stoked about some of these new songs. Just to give you a teaser, here are some titles of new songs which may or may not appear on the next album(s):

Boy Become a Man
Unsatisfied
Well Done
Praise Belongs to You
Beggar’s Hand

Just to name a few.

Hey guys. Some exciting news. A new song of mine is going to be included on an album called “Heart Life Voice”, produced by Jeff Crabtree for the Australian branch of an organization called Micah Challenge. From their website, Micah Challenge Australia is:

Part of a global movement of Christian agencies, churches, groups and individuals inspiring and equipping Christians to speak out against poverty and injustice.

The album will contain “biblically-based songs that can be sung in congregational settings, stirring churches everywhere to action”, as well as “non-congregational songs suitable for performance”. The purpose of the album is to call on Christians everywhere “to consider the social implications of the gospel and be the hands and voice of God for people oppressed by injustice.” Only about 2% of songs used in contemporary congregational settings are about God’s justice for the poor. This album will speak directly to that lack, and will include artists from Hillsong, Parachute, CCC, Saddleback, Zimbabwe, Indonesia and other countries to proclaim God’s justice, mercy and might.

I’m actually leaving for Melbourne, Australia in a couple days (on other business) and will be recording the vocals for the song while I’m there! I’m absolutely stoked and humbled to be a part of this important album.