Showing posts with label Joy To The world. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Joy To The world. Show all posts

Sunday, December 2, 2018

Joy to the World - Antioch International Church worship team. Trista Smith - lead


Joy to the World - Antioch International Church worship team. Trista Smith - lead, Katie WYns - vocals, Toni Bogart - keyboard
Dr. Peter Wyns - greeting



Published on Dec 2, 2018
Joy to the World - Antioch International Church worship team. Trista Smith, lead vocal, Katie Wyns - vocals. Followed by Dr. Peter Wyns greeting and prayer. Dec. 2, 2018, Sunday 10 am. Dr. Peter Wyns Videos filmed and shared by Steve Martin - to give appreciation to and love for those we support, through Love For His People, Inc.

Wednesday, December 16, 2015

Joy to the World—Except During an Election Season? - J. LEE GRADY CHARISMA MAGAZINE

Why are American Christians so outraged this Christmas season?
Why are American Christians so outraged this Christmas season? (iStock photo )

Fire in My Bones, by J. Lee Grady
On the first Christmas, the shepherds in Bethlehem learned that Jesus' birth was a cause for celebration. The angel said in Luke 2:10: "For I bring you good news of great joy, which will be to all people." It's too bad Christmas cheer is in low supply these days. I don't know if it's due to the mudslinging in this presidential campaign or the warmer-than-usual December, but people in general are angrier, more fearful and more negative than I can ever remember.
Christians should be the happiest people this time of year. But if Facebook posts are any indication of the national mood, folks aren't just mad—they're outraged. And others are so spooked by blood moons, Obama conspiracy theories and Muslim terrorists that they are ready to head for the hills to hide. It's as if the Grinch really did steal Christmas.
Personally I believe we have a lot to rejoice about during this holiday. If you only listen to Fox News or CNN, the world is a gloomy place—with plane crashes, terrorist attacks and bickering politicians. But I don't let today's alarming headlines steal my peace. I don't let angry opinions steal my love. And I don't let grumpy people steal my joy.
Here are 10 positive trends I'm celebrating this Christmas:
1. Muslims are coming to Christ faster than ever. David Garrison, author of the new book A Wind in the House of Islam, says something unprecedented is stirring in the Muslim world. "We are living in the midst of the greatest turning of Muslims to Christ in history," he writes—citing evidence that dozens of powerful Christian movements have started among Muslims since the year 2000.
2. The gospel is transforming China. The British newspaper The Telegraph reported two years ago that Christianity is growing so fast in China that it will most likely be considered a Christian nation by 2030, when its Christian population will exceed that of the United States, Mexico and Brazil. Given China's economic power in the world, this has huge implications for our future.
3. The United States is in a church-planting boom. There has been lots of handwringing about the decline of mainline churches in America. But church growth expert Ed Stetzer says new churches are actually being planted in the United States faster than old ones are dying—and research shows that 60-80 percent of the people who join new churches are from unchurched backgrounds. That means more people are being reached with the gospel today than when dead religious churches talked and sang about evangelism but never did it.
4. Latin America is experiencing a political and spiritual awakening. Recent elections in Venezuela were one more indication that leftist governments are losing power in Latin America. Today two-thirds of Venezuela's parliament members oppose leftist President Nicolas Maduro. Similar movements against socialism and corruption are occurring in Argentina, Brazil and other Latin countries—at a time when evangelical churches are growing at unprecedented rates.
5. Spiritual hunger is rising in our nation. I'm not denying that segments of our culture have grown hostile to Christian faith. But the popularity of faith-based films such as War Room caught Hollywood by surprise this year. Meanwhile popular Bible teachers such as Joyce Meyer, Andy Stanley and T.D. Jakes get as much traction on Twitter and other social media than secular celebrities such as Katy Perry or Lady Gaga. And the amount of Christian content on You Tube, Periscope or other digital media today is staggering.
6. Global violence is actually decreasing. Because we have easy access to news, and we hear about mass shootings or terrorist attacks as soon as they occur, Americans think the world is more dangerous than ever. That's actually not true. If you compare violent deaths from wars, genocide and crime over the centuries, the numbers have never been lower than today—even with 21st-century terrorists on the loose.
7. There are fewer dictators in the world. The number of authoritarian countries has actually dropped from a high of almost 90 in 1976 to about 25 now. Democracy is growing—and it's likely that authoritarian nations in the Middle East (such as Iran) will see drastic political changes in our lifetime.
8. The Bible is still the most popular book ever. The Bible ranks at the top of all favorite book lists among Americans. And according to the Guinness Book of World Records, it is also the best-selling and most widely distributed book in the world. Nearly 4 billion copies of the Bible were printed and sold globally in the last five decades—far exceeding any other book.
9. We can still celebrate Christmas. Don't worry about Starbucks' decision to take a generic holiday message off their coffee cups. Instead of complaining about the war on Christmas, let's be more proactive about telling people why Jesus was born. Nobody is stopping us from doing that.
10. Jesus is still on the throne. The last book of the Bible reminds me that when it's time for Jesus to come back, He will return victorious. All His enemies will bow down and acknowledge His lordship. Jesus is not worried about ISIS, Hillary Clinton, gay marriage, illegal immigrants, Obamacare or the war on Christmas.
Don't let the evening news steal your joy. Christ is born. We have something to celebrate.
J. Lee Grady is the former editor of Charisma. You can follow him on Twitter at leegrady. He is the author of several books including 10 Lies the Church Tells Women, 10 Lies Men Believe, Fearless Daughters of the Bible and The Holy Spirit Is Not for Sale. You can learn more about his ministry, The Mordecai Project, atthemordecaiproject.org.
For a limited time, we are extending our celebration of the 40th anniversary of Charisma. As a special offer, you can get 40 issues of Charisma magazine for only $40!
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Friday, December 20, 2013

Casting Crowns - full Christmas Album "Peace On Earth" - including "I Heard The Bells On Christmas Day" - GREAT ALBUM!



From the Casting Crowns album Peace On Earth. 
  • Category

  • License

    Standard YouTube License

Track listing

No. TitleWriter(s) Length 

2. "Oh Come All Ye FaithfulJohn F. Wade, Hall, Adam Lester 3:47

4. "While You Were Sleeping" (Original Christmas Version) Hall 4:55

5. "Silent NightJosef MohrFranz X. Gruber, Hall, Lester 3:33

6. "God Is With Us" Wayne Kirkpatrick 4:31

7. "Away In A Manger" Unknown lyricist, James R. Murray, William J. Kirkpatrick, Oliver 3:35

8. "Christmas Offering" Paul Baloche 5:14

9. "Sweet Little Jesus Boy" (arranged by Hall, Bernie Herms, and Jim Gray) Robert MacGimsey 3:08

10. "O Come, O Come, Emmanuel" (arranged by Melodee DeVevo and Herms) Unknown author 6:38


 "I Heard The Bells On Christmas Day" Lyricst]
by Casting Crowns | from the album Peace On Earth

I heard the bells on Christmas day

Their old familiar carols play
And mild and sweet their songs repeat
Of peace on earth good will to men



And the bells are ringing
Like a choir they're singing
In my heart I hear them
Peace on earth, good will to men




And in despair I bowed my head
There is no peace on earth I said
For hate is strong and mocks the song
Of peace on earth, good will to men



But the bells are ringing
Like a choir singing
Does anybody hear them?
Peace on earth, good will to men



Then rang the bells more loud and deep
God is not dead, nor doth He sleep
The wrong shall fail, the right prevail
With peace on earth, good will to men



Then ringing singing on its way



The world revolved from night to day
A voice, a chime, a chant sublime
Of peace on earth, good will to men



And the bells they're ringing 
Like a choir they're singing
And with our hearts we'll hear them 
Peace on earth, good will to men



Do you hear the bells they're ringing?
The life the angels singing
Open up your heart and hear them
Peace on earth, good will to men



Peace on earth, Peace on earth
Peace on earth, Good will to men


Peace on Earth (Casting Crowns album)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia



Peace on Earth

Released October 7, 2008

Recorded Zoo Studio (Franklin, TN)
My Refuge Studio (McDonough, GA)
Ocean Way (Nashville, TN)
Genre Christmas

Length 39:53

Label Reunion
Producer Mark Hall, Mark A. Miller

Released: 2008


Peace on Earth is the first Christmas album by American Christian rock band Casting Crowns. Produced by Mark Hall and Mark A. Miller, it was released on October 7, 2008. Intended by Hall to bring out the worshipful aspect of Christmas, the album does not have songs relating to secular Christmas traditions, instead featuring a mix of traditional Christmas carols and original songs. As co-producer, Hall attempted to differentiate the album from their previous ones by attempting to use creative ideas they had not tried before, and he also wanted to utilize the band's female members in a broader and more visible role on the album.

Upon its release, Peace on Earth met with mixed reviews. Some critics praised the album's emphasis on traditional Christmas songs and the worship aspect of Christmas, while others criticized the album's original songs and felt it was a disappointment in comparison to the band's previous albums. The album peaked at number one on the Billboard Christian Albums and Catalog Albums charts, number two on the Holiday Albums chart, and number fifteen on the Billboard 200. Peace on Earth has been certified Gold by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA), signifying shipments of five hundred thousand copies in the United States.


Contents

1 Background and recording
2 Composition
3 Commercial reception
4 Critical reception and accolades
5 Track listing
6 Personnel and credits
7 Charts and certifications
7.1 Album charts
7.2 Song charts
7.3 Certifications
8 References


Background and recording

According to Casting Crowns' lead vocalist Mark Hall, Peace on Earth was written based on the question "How do you know there's peace on earth in a world that isn't very peaceful?" Hall opined that when people hear Christmas carols, they often don't hear their true message. Hall intended the album to help people rediscover the worshipful nature behind the carols. As an example of a message he wanted people to hear, he gave "I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day", a song written by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow about his rediscovery of hope amidst several personal tragedies. 

Hall felt that the song's message of hope was one that his kids and their generation needed to hear. As a co-producer on the album, Hall wanted to introduce aspects and ideas that the band had not done before, and he felt the album offered a chance to branch out. He wanted the band's female members, Megan Garrett and Melodee DeVevo, to play a more prominent role, in part to show people "the gifts they have".
Composition

Peace on Earth does not contain material relating to secular Christmas traditions like Santa Claus or Jack Frost, instead featuring a mix of traditional Christmas carols and original songs. "I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day", instead of using a carol of bells, has a choir of children personifying the bells by singing the refrain of 'peace on earth'. "While You Were Sleeping", originally included on the band's 2005 album Lifesong, is included in its original form. 

On the Lifesong version, the band had altered the song (originally written as a Christmas song) to remove the most "seasonal" elements; the version included on Peace on Earth features the lyrics in their original form. On "God Is With Us", originally recorded by Amy Grant, Hall shares lead vocal duties with the band's female members. "O Come, O Come, Emmanuel" is an instrumental piece, which makes extensive use of DeVevo's violin playing."Away in a Manger" was originally included on WOW Christmas (2005), and is included on Peace on Earth in that form.
Commercial reception

Peace on Earth was released on October 7, 2008. It debuted at number four on the Billboard Christian Albums chart as well as at number two on the Holiday Albums chart and number fifty-six on the Billboard 200. It reached a peak of number one, two, and fifteen on those charts, respectively, as well as a peak of number one on the Catalog Albums chart. In the United States, it ranked as the thirtieth best-selling Christian album of 2008, the fifth best-selling Christian album of 2009, and the 151st best-selling album of 2009.Peace on Earth received a Gold certification from the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) in November 2009, signifying shipments of over 500,000 copies in the United States.

The album's lead single, "I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day", peaked at number three on the Billboard Christian Songs chart and number one on the Hot Christian AC chart; it also became the band's first and only entry on theAdult Contemporary chart, peaking at number twenty-six. Several other songs from the album also charted; "Away in a Manger" charted in 2005 following its appearance on WOW Christmas, peaking at number seven on the Christian Songs and Hot Christian AC chart. "While You Were Sleeping" peaked at number eight on the Christian Songs chart and number four on the Hot Christian AC chart, and "Joy to the World" peaked at number twenty-two on the Christian Songs chart.

Critical reception and accolades
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
Allmusic
CCM Magazine
Christianity Today
Cross Rhythms
Jesus Freak Hideout


Upon its release, Peace on Earth met with a mixed reception from music critics. Jared Johnson of Allmusic gave the album 4.5 out of 5 stars, praising it for its "wide appeal" and for having "a cohesive set of songs that brings out the worship aspect of the holidays" and particularly praising "While You Were Sleeping" and "O Come, O Come, Emmanuel".

Andrew Greer of CCM Magazine gave it 3 out of 5 stars, regarding it as a let-down in comparison to the band's previous albums as well as holiday albums that other artists had put out. Russ Breimier of Christianity Today gave it 2 out of 5 stars, describing it as "predictable". However, he praised "While You Were Sleeping" as an example of Mark Hall's "bold, poignant songwriting". Tony Cummings of Cross Rhythms gave the album a perfect 10 out of 10 stars, saying that it "bucks all the trends in that it doesn't contain saccharine, sleigh bell-drenched arrangements nor those ghastly songs about Santa and chestnuts roasting in an open fire" and praising it as an "inventive and on occasions brilliant exploration of the wonders of the incarnation".

Justin Mabee of Jesus Freak Hideout gave the album 3 out of 5 stars, praising the traditional Christmas songs on the album but criticizing the original songs as having a "forced feel to them, almost like Casting Crowns wanted to do a whole album of traditional songs, but were told differently"; he remarked that "this would have probably worked better, because the originality is lacking in these few original Christmas tunes".

At the 40th GMA Dove Awards, Peace on Earth was nominated for and received the award for Christmas Album of the Year.

Track listing

No.TitleWriter(s)Length 

2. "Oh Come All Ye Faithful" John F. Wade, Hall, Adam Lester 3:47

4. "While You Were Sleeping" (Original Christmas Version) Hall 4:55

5. "Silent Night" Josef Mohr, Franz X. Gruber, Hall, Lester 3:33

6. "God Is With Us" Wayne Kirkpatrick 4:31

7. "Away In A Manger" Unknown lyricist, James R. Murray, William J. Kirkpatrick, Oliver 3:35

8. "Christmas Offering" Paul Baloche 5:14

9. "Sweet Little Jesus Boy" (arranged by Hall, Bernie Herms, and Jim Gray) Robert MacGimsey 3:08

10. "O Come, O Come, Emmanuel" (arranged by Melodee DeVevo and Herms) Unknown author 6:38