Movie
Brooke Ligertwood reveals story behind hit single ‘A Thousand Hallelujahs,’ talks new album
Popular worship artist Brooke Ligertwood says her latest single, “A Thousand Hallelujahs,” was inspired by the Christians of old who worshiped in simplicity and truth and that she’s passionate about writing Scripturally sound songs that are helpful for the local church body.
“A Thousand Hallelujahs” is the first single from Ligertwood’s forthcoming album, Seven, releasing next Friday, Feb. 25.
In an interview with The Christian Post, the Grammy Award winner revealed that the song is one of the last she penned for the album, along with her husband, Scott, and fellow worship artist Phil Wickham.
“It was just such a beautiful surprise and such a blessing,” she said.
“My husband and I went down to our friend, Phil Wickham, who lives just about an hour down the road from us. And we were writing in the church that Phil goes to, which is like this old little church hall in Southern California.”
“We were sitting in the church hall with the keyboards and the guitars, and there’s just this beautiful, empty hall, and kind of started talking about all the generations of people who had worshiped in this church. We were just were so inspired by the generational nature of the Church of Jesus. And we started talking about the thousands of hallelujahs that had been sung in that room.”
From there, “A Thousand Hallelujahs” “just kind of poured forth,” Ligertwood shared.
“All of us, at the end of it, were kind of like, ‘Did that just happen? Thank You, Lord.’ I feel so, so blessed that the song has been entrusted to us, and we just really pray that it’s a blessing for the Church and that it actually is really helpful.”
Ligertwood, a mother of two, is no stranger to writing and releasing music, with two decades of experience in the industry. The New Zealand native has six mainstream albums with Sony Music under her maiden name, Brooke Fraser, along with 17 years with Hillsong Worship under her belt.
Seven, the 38-year-old producer revealed, is “probably the first and last album” under her married name. The album was recorded live in Nashville, Tennessee, and features a 30-piece choir. In addition to Ligertwood’s husband and Wickham, collaborators on the album include Elevation Church Pastor Steven Furtick, Brandon Lake and others.
The project, Ligertwood said, was not her idea. But she acknowledged, “my life is not my own.” She called Seven a “step of obedience,” one she felt God calling her to do.
“The Lord made it really clear, to my surprise, relatively recently, that this was something that was going to happen,” she shared, later adding: “I was like, ‘Alright, Lord. I’m going to be as faithful with this as I can. We’ve worked so hard and prayed and saturated this thing so much, but this is yours. You get to do what You want.’”
From the start of her career, the Hillsong Worship leader said she’s sought to make simple, Scripture-laden music that is “helpful” for the local church — a passion that was only magnified in the wake of COVID-19.
“At the moment, our campus of Hillsong, that my family and I attend, we don’t have a building right now. We’re meeting in a tent,” she reflected. “We don’t have a fancy PA. We don’t have a big LED screen, reading lyrics that are on TVs on steroids. It’s a really modest time. So, I think I’m really conscious at the moment of what are the songs that work in that context. Because they’re not the songs that have 5 million parts and are very complex and require four-part harmonies. They’re the songs that are vertical that point people to Jesus straightaway, and that can sound great with just a piano and guitar if that’s all you’ve got.”
“As a local church member, those are the songs that we’re finding are building our faith in the congregations, week by week,” the “What a Beautiful Name” singer added.
“I have a front-row seat to … what’s helpful, what blesses me as a congregant, but also what blesses me as a person who is then leading the congregation in these settings which have been so moveable for so many churches throughout the pandemic.”
Ligertwood is one of the most recognizable voices in CCM, with hits including “Lead Me to The Cross,” “Hosanna” and “Desert Song.” Her songs have been streamed globally more than 1.5 billion times and translated into over 15 languages.
Though her name is synonymous with modern worship music, the artist said she draws inspiration from the hymns of old and their longevity.
“Hymns are so powerful and have endured for so long, obviously, because the theology and poetry are compellingly put forth, but also because, back in the days where the hymns were circulating, it wasn’t recordings that people were listening to learn the songs; people were getting, literally just the melody written down, the sheet music and the words. Songs had to be robust enough and strong enough to stand on their own with just the melody and the words … these songs had to work,” she reflected.
While it’s a blessing to access worship music through modern streaming services and technology, Ligertwood stressed that “it’s good to remember why these hymns have endured for centuries, as many of them have and, and continue to bring to the Church songs that can endure and still speak in that way.”
The artist is also passionate about infusing her songs with Scripturally-sound theology.
She told CP that while “we can and should use poetry and language and metaphor and colloquialism points to be able to paint the picture of the lyric that we are communicating,” “if it can’t be biblically defended, we can’t sing it.”
“The reason theology in song is so important for the Church is because … a lot of people have long commutes, or they listen to worship as they’re commuting or in the car, and sometimes they’re listening to worship music, in terms of a daily basis, more than perhaps they’re spending time reading the Word,” she said.
“It’s so important that the songs that people are listening to, and then, of course, singing out … that it’s true because what we believe about God frames how we live for God, how we interact with God, how we interact with others, how we see the world. So what we believe is really important, and of course, what we sing shapes what we believe.”
When asked about her vision for the future of worship music, Ligertwood hopes for “purity”
and for generations to come through who “recognize worship is a sacred thing.”
“To be honest, I think especially, there’s a lot of noise, and there’s a lot of distraction,” she shared. “I do feel concerned for the generations that are coming through, what they’re seeing, what their understanding of worship is, what their understanding of being a disciple is.”
When purity and integrity are compromised in ministry, Ligertwood pointed out, “God has to do something about it.”
“If f we’re not the first to repent, then eventually, the Lord’s going to have to bring some correction or allow some things to happen to correct our pride or our stubbornness or all of these things,” she said.
Though worship is a “beautiful rainbow of expression” encompassing high praise, lament and rejoicing, humanity “can never be the focus,” she emphasized.
“We, from our place of humanness and understanding of our sin and the grace that we require and the grace that has been given to us through that lens of humanity, we bring to worship, and we don’t deny that, but at the same time, that can’t be the focus of the worship. Christ is always the focus of our worship,” Ligertwood reminded.
The artist described herself as someone who “loves the Church” and wants to see it flourish — and through her music, hopes to help the Body of Christ do just that.
“I think that’s so important that we have these songs that prepare our hearts to receive the Word … that the time of singing is actually a beautiful part of something greater that God is doing through the service, which is part of something that He’s doing in a community of people, which is part of what He’s doing in His Church,” she said. “I just love the way that God uses all of those parts of the service and all of our gifts combined to mature us as a body of Christ.”
Sources:Christian Post
ചെന്നൈ : സിദ്ദിഖ് ലാൽ സംവിധാനം ചെയ്ത വിയറ്റ്നാം കോളനിയിലെ റാവുത്തർ എന്ന കഥാപാത്രത്തിലൂടെ ശ്രദ്ധേയനായ തെലുങ്ക് നടൻ വിജയ രംഗ രാജു (70) അന്തരിച്ചു.ചെന്നൈയിലെ സ്വകാര്യ ആശുപത്രിയിൽ ഹൃദയാഘാതത്തെ തുടർന്നായിരുന്നു അന്ത്യം സംഭവിച്ചത്.
കഴിഞ്ഞ ആഴ്ച ഹൈദരാബാദിൽ സിനിമാ ചിത്രീകരണത്തിനിടെ വിജയ രംഗ രാജുവിന് ഹൃദയാഘാതം അനുഭവപ്പെട്ടിരുന്നു.തുടർന്ന് അദ്ദേഹത്തെ ചെന്നൈയിലെ സ്വകാര്യ ആശുപത്രിയിലേക്ക് മാറ്റി.ഇവിടെ ചികിത്സയിലിരിക്കെയാണ് മരണം സംഭവിച്ചത്.അദ്ദേഹത്തിന്റെ അന്ത്യകർമ്മങ്ങൾ ചെന്നൈയിൽ നടക്കും.
തെലുങ്ക്, മലയാളം സിനിമകളിലായി വിജയ രംഗ രാജു വില്ലൻവേഷങ്ങളിലും സഹനടനായും തിളങ്ങി.നന്ദമൂരി ബാലകൃഷ്ണയുടെ ഭൈരവ ദീപം എന്ന ചിത്രത്തിലൂടെയായിരുന്നു തെലുങ്കിലെ അരങ്ങേറ്റം.അശോക ചക്രവർത്തി, സ്റ്റേറ്റ റൗഡി, വിജയ് തുടങ്ങിയവാണ് മറ്റ് ശ്രദ്ധേയ ചിത്രങ്ങൾ.അഭിനയത്തിന് പുറമേ ഭാരോദ്വഹനത്തിലും ബോഡി ബിൽഡിംഗിലും വിജയ രംഗ രാജു ശ്രദ്ധ പതിപ്പിച്ചിരുന്നു.
Telugu actor Vijaya Rangaraju, also known as Raj Kumar, passed away due to a heart attack in Chennai. The 70-year-old actor had reportedly suffered an injury while shooting for a film in Hyderabad last week. He was later shifted to a private hospital in Chennai for treatment. Unfortunately, he succumbed to his injuries and health complications.
Vijaya Rangaraju was a popular actor in the Telugu and Malayalam film industries, known for his strong performances in negative and supporting roles. He gained fame with his portrayal of villains in various movies, which showcased his versatility and talent. One of his most iconic roles was in Gopichand’s film Yagnam, where he played a villain, earning immense praise for his acting skills.
Raj Kumar began his acting journey with theater in Chennai and later transitioned to the film industry. His first breakthrough came with the Telugu film Bhairava Dweepam, starring Nandamuri Balakrishna. Over the years, he worked in several notable films, including Ashoka Chakravarthy, State Rowdy, Vijay, and many others. He also worked with legendary director Bapu in the film Seetha Kalyanam, which marked his entry into Telugu cinema.
Beyond acting, Vijaya Rangaraju was passionate about weightlifting and bodybuilding. He was admired for his dedication both on and off-screen. His contributions to the film industry left a lasting impact, and he was respected by his colleagues and fans.
A popular retelling of the Bible in comic book form just hit a major milestone, selling more than three million copies in the United States.
“The Action Bible,” first released in 2010, continues to dominate Amazon bookselling charts, remaining in the top 100 among all books.
Brock Eastman, senior director of The Action Bible brand at David C. Cook, said he believes the project’s success is rooted in its unique approach to bringing the Gospel to young and emerging generations.
“What strikes people that read ‘The Action Bible’ is just the beautiful, full action-packed [presentation] and our illustrations that really bring the story to life,” he said. “And we like to think about … bringing the Bible to life in a different way.”
Eastman continued, “For this generation, specifically, who is involved with graphic novels, this Bible appeals to them because they like that kind of, ‘Oh, I can see the images of the story moving,’ and there’s a narrative, like a paraphrase narrative of the Bible story that’s easy to understand and sounds like a conversation.”
This all creates what Eastman called an “inviting” experience that allows young people to fully immerse themselves in this Bible version, including 230 stories from Scripture and extends to 830 pages.
The roots for “The Action Bible” were set in the 1970s with a preceding project known as “The Picture Bible.” With young people diving into the comic book world — and with new ways of evangelizing emerging — “The Action Bible” was seen as an innovative tool to build upon successes with “The Picture Bible” and deliver timeless truth to a new generation.
As a dad of four kids himself, Eastman said, “The Action Bible” does two important things: it seizes upon the interest of youths in graphic novels while also delivering hope to youths who desperately need it.
Many of the popular graphic novels and comics of the day simply don’t offer “hope,” he said.
“Those stories don’t provide the hope and the beautiful story that God does and the redemptive story … of the plan of bringing Jesus and our salvation,” Eastman said. “And, so, the Bible does that.”
This is especially important right now, as young people in Generation Alpha — those born between 2010 and 2024 — recently dealt with the COVID-19 pandemic and other struggles. Hopelessness, for some, has been a result of the chaos, with Eastman believing “The Action Bible” holds power and sway to help ease some of this pain.
“Something like ‘The Action Bible’ that has these graphics that the kids … are drawn to, telling this narrative of this beautiful story of redemption, of hope, of stories and the characters in the Bible that are just like them — people who struggled with things, who had fear but overcame it with courage because they were empowered by God,” he said. “These fantastic stories that kids are connecting to. They’re like, ‘I see myself in that story and I can be that.’”
“The Action Bible” has carefully worked to ensure it keeps “true to what God’s word is.”
“There’s a lot of careful effort put into not only the language and the words, but also the imagery that took those pages and basically … brought them to life,” Eastman said.
The impact of “The Action Bible” has been undeniable, with the project being translated into 108 languages around the globe. While the book has sold 3 million copies in the U.S., the worldwide number is “much larger.”
“In the last four years alone, we’ve sold 1.1 million action Bibles around the world,” Eastman said, explaining this is in addition to the 3 million sold in America.
Ultimately, Eastman said the mission of “The Action Bible” — to bring Jesus’ story to the masses — is being recognized, with stories of the project’s impact continuing to reach his team.
Sources:faithwire
Movie
Actor Carlos PenaVega Praises God, Shares ‘Supernatural Peace’ He Experienced After Loss: ‘God Has Just Been Covering us’
Actors Carlos and Alexa PenaVega believe God has been faithful in their lives, expressing how they have found peace and contentedness even amid the unthinkable.
“God has just been covering us,” Carlos recently told CBN News.
The couple, who maintain a busy Hollywood career and just released their new movie, “Get Him Back for Christmas,” made headlines last year after the stillbirth of their fourth child, Indy.
Despite such a difficult challenge, they relied on the Lord to find strength and overcome.
Carlos recently recalled the tragic Saturday Indy passed away. As he and Alexa pondered whether to attend church in the aftermath — just one day later — they felt God calling them to do so.
“Me, and Alexa, and our three kids went to church that next day and we didn’t know anybody,” he said. “It was our second time ever going, and we were worshiping … and I’ll never forget that we’re standing in the middle … and Alexa and I are holding each other and we’re just bawling.”
In those moments, Carlos described finding a “supernatural peace,” as parishioners — people they barely knew after having recently moved to Tennessee — surrounded them and prayed over them.
“It was like God’s saying … ‘You’re not alone. I got you, and I have you here for a reason, and I’m gonna take you [through] this and make it into something amazing,’” he said.
Since the loss, the PenaVegas have seen God work in amazing ways.
“It’s been amazing to see, especially with Alexa, how much God has been working in her through this loss, because how do you live after that?” he said. “That we have over it … I just keep saying it’s … supernatural — like, God is just covering us.”
Carlos continued, “He has a reason for everything, and He takes whatever the enemy meant for evil and turned it to good.”
As CBN News previously reported, the couple went on to work on passion projects throughout the year. The film “Get Him Back for Christmas” offers a heartfelt romantic story — typical holiday fare.
But it also delivers much deeper themes about doing good, caring for others, and being inspired by genuine and unadulterated kindness. And it’s the first project to come from their new production company, Good for You Entertainment.
“We really believe in creating content that is good for you,” PenaVega said, noting the couple plan to continue creating powerful films and projects. “We feel very strongly that we need more content that is family-friendly. It doesn’t need to be PG-13 or R to be a good movie.”
Sources:faithwire
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ചെന്നൈ : സിദ്ദിഖ് ലാൽ സംവിധാനം ചെയ്ത വിയറ്റ്നാം കോളനിയിലെ റാവുത്തർ എന്ന കഥാപാത്രത്തിലൂടെ ശ്രദ്ധേയനായ തെലുങ്ക് നടൻ വിജയ രംഗ രാജു (70) അന്തരിച്ചു.ചെന്നൈയിലെ സ്വകാര്യ...
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