No contestant on the X Factor has generated more buzz than Chris Rene. When he first auditioned, he had just gotten out of drug rehab. Now he is a household name, and his stirring audition featuring his original song "Young Homie" has been seen more than nine million times on YouTube. Please pray for Chris Rene as he goes through this process. Often the temptations of fame and fortune can be absolutely overwhelming for a young man. I don't know if he is a Christian or not, but let us all pray that everything that is happening for him will end up drawing him toward God and not away from God.
I really would love to see Chris Rene in heaven someday. But none of us are ever going to make it there without Jesus. Please join with me in praying for Chris Rene. I would love to see him become sold out for Jesus Christ and my hope is that someday he will even be creating some great Christian music.
The following is the Chris Rene "Young Homie" YouTube video that has been viewed more than 9 million times....
The following are the full lyrics to "Young Homie" by Chris Rene....
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Open up my mind with these spoken words,
Let this music heal like an overture,
She’s the only one, one, one, yeah,
And so I roll with her, ooh,
That’s how it’s supposed to be,
Living life with loved ones close to me,
Shh, ahh, this is the remedy,
And I got the recipe, I don’t need no Hennessy,
Yeah, it’s been two months/three years now,
Haven’t had a drink and I’m starting to see clear now,
I’m putting all my fears down,
I can hear the cheers now,
Seeing peace signs when I look around,
Hey, young homie what you trippin’ on
Looking at life, like how did I get it wrong,
Life’s too short, gotta live it long,
To my brothers and sisters when will we get along,
Hey, big homie what you trippin’ on,
What you really tripping on,
Life’s too short, gotta live it long,
To my brothers and sisters when will we get along
Give peace to the war in the streets,
Give peace to the evil that creeps, yeah,
I just ride, put my hand to the sky,
Live life like I’m never gon’ die,
See we be fighting and fussing over nothing,
Courtesy of lyricshall.com
So much destruction, looking upwards,
Combusting like nothing, now listen,
It takes education, to change your reputation,
From bad to good, you're even better now you’re elevating,
They be singing, family's hanging, everybody's chillin'
Not gonna stop this, living on the feeling,
Man this is the real thing, tell me can you feel me,
Wait until they drop this, dancing on the ceiling,
Hey, young homie what you trippin’ on
Looking at life, like how did I get it wrong,
Life’s too short, gotta live it long,
To my brothers and sisters when will we get along,
Hey, big homie what you trippin’ on,
What you really tripping on,
Life’s too short, gotta live it long,
To my brothers and sisters when will we get along
Hey, young homie what you trippin’ on
Looking at life, like how did I get it wrong
What you really trippin’ on,
Life’s too short, gotta live it long,
To my brothers and sisters when will we get along
They never thought I'd make it this far,
Look, now here we are,
See, I never thought I'd take it this far.
Are you ready for the 2011 holidays? Well, the good news is that more Christian music is released during the months leading up to the holiday season than at any other time of the year. In particular, if you are looking for a gift for someone in your family who loves Christian music, there is a very wide selection of great Christian music to choose from in 2011. Michael W. Smith is back, supergroups Third Day, Mercy Me and Casting Crowns have all released albums this year, WOW Hits 2011 looks very promising and a number of groups that we have not heard from in quite some time are coming out with new stuff.
Photo Credit Mark Sebastian's Photostream
The following is some of the top Christian music for the 2011 holidays....
#1 Michael W. Smith - Wonder: Every Michael W. Smith album is a masterpiece, and "Wonder" promises to be more of the same. The following is what Michael W. Smith has to say about his new release: ''These songs on this project are hopeful, anthemic and healing, musically and lyrically. I had a lot I wanted to say and the songs on this album allowed me to open up and do just that.''
#2 Third Day - Move: Third Day has been so incredibly successful in the contemporary Christian music industry that it is hard to even describe. But they are not letting up now. Their new release, "Move", promises to be one of their biggest albums ever.
#3 Newsboys - Born Again: The Newsboys are back! It has been a while, but with "Born Again" they threaten to rocket towards the top of the Christian music charts once again.
#4 Jeremy Camp - We Cry Out: The Worship Project: Are you ready for something different from Jeremy Camp? In "We Cry Out", Camp puts the focus squarely on worship. Every Jeremy Camp fan will definitely want this one.
#5 Various Artists - WOW Hits 2011: Do you know someone who collects WOW Hits albums? Many people out there get WOW Hits each and every year. It is a great way to remember all of the great Christian music from that year. This newest version contains music from 30 of the most prominent Christian artists including Casting Crowns, Chris Tomlin, Kutless, Jeremy Camp and many others.
#6 Lecrae - Rehab: Lecrae is probably the most popular Christian rapper out there today. One reviewer on Amazon described the motivation behind this new album this way: "At the time of this release, Lecrae is in the process of rehabilitation sharing the gospel to a war-stricken country of Sudan. This is what "rehab" is all about as he states that it's not about the hits or record sales, nor anything to do with his popularity and success- all Lecrae wants from this album is to see God glorified to the utmost in advancing the kingdom."
#7 Jars Of Clay - The Shelter: Jars of Clay has returned! Jars of Clay has sold more than six million albums, has won three Grammys and has headlined thousands of sold out shows and festivals. They are hoping that this new album can recapture some of that previous magic.
#8 Bebo Norman - Ocean: Bebo Norman produces some of the most unique music in the Christian music industry today. This is what Bebo has to say about his newest release: "You can't understand light unless you understand darkness, because that's where life is most often lived - somewhere between the two. It's messy and it's beautiful all at the same time."
#9 Lincoln Brewster - Real Life: Are you ready to rock? When it comes to Christian rock, there are very few artists that are more popular than Lincoln Brewster in 2010.
#10 Toby Mac - Tonight: TobyMac's most recent release, "Tonight", contains an incredible mix of rock, pop, urban and hip hop influences.
#11 Casting Crowns - Until The Whole World Hears: Is there anyone out there who does not love Casting Crowns? Casting Crowns has already sold nearly five million albums, they have won numerous Christian music awards and they have consistently topped Christian radio charts. Now they are urging us to join them in sharing the gospel until the whole world hears.
#12 Mercy Me - The Generous Mr. Lovewell: It has been nearly a decade since "I Can Only Imagine" took the entire music industry by storm. Since that time, Mercy Me has matured and has refined its distinctive sound. If you are a fan of Mercy Me, there is little doubt that you will truly love this new release.
Summer is always a great time for the contemporary Christian music scene. Bands are out touring, music festivals are being held across the country and hordes of new albums are being released. There is nothing quite like a summer filled with great new music. We would very much encourage you to go out and support these Christian bands as they tour over the next several months. Many of them are doing a great job of sharing the gospel with our young people. Plus, the music just seems to get more polished as the years go by. There have been some really great albums released recently.
(Photo CarbonNYC Photostream)
The following are the top Christian music albums for summer 2010....
WOW Hits 2010- The most in-demand Christian music release of the year, WOW 2010 contains 30 songs on 2 CDs with the most popular hits heard on Christian radio over the past year. Over the past fourteen years, the Christian music industry has partnered together to bring fans the very best artists and songs available anywhere, and that tradition definitely continues with WOW Hits 2010! The WOW series continues to be the perfect gift for fans of contemporary Christian music.
The Generous Mr. Lovewell- Nearly a decade since "I Can Only Imagine," multiplatinumselling supergroup MercyMe dares to imagine the world as it should be in The Generous Mr. Lovewell. Produced by Brown Bannister (Amy Grant, Michael W. Smith) and Dan Muckala (Brandon Heath, Backstreet Boys), this new release combines heart-provoking lyrics, infectious worship anthems and touching ballads with a powerful message. "It almost goes without saying that we should love generously, that we should love like Jesus," Mike Scheuchzer of MercyMe says, "but does it?" Does hearing it make it real? It's so easy for us to live in our own little self-absorbed bubbles. We forget that above anything else we are called to love our neighbors, to reach out, to engage even the unlovable around us. It's not an option if we really want to be like Christ. The Generous Mr. Lovewell is a picture of the change we want to see in our own lives. Without love like this, everything we do, everything we are, is in vain."
Until The Whole World Hears- Casting Crowns has sold nearly 4.5 million albums, they have won numerous awards and they have consistently topped radio charts in an unprecedented six year span, and now they are seeking to take things to another level. Casting Crowns' lead singer and songwriter Mark Hall says that the group has never strayed from the group's main purpose: "Present discipleship through music". The result with each new song collection is a fresh, relevant perspective on the Christian faith. It's this unwavering commitment that has inspired Casting Crowns' latest release, "Until the Whole World Hears", an offering of encouragement, challenge, hope and truth to a world desperately in need.
Tonight- TobyMac's new release "Tonight" is the highly anticipated follow up to the best-selling album "Portable Sounds". Continuing Toby's unique ability to blend diverse musical influences, Tonight contains an incredible mixture of rock, pop, urban and hip hop sounds.
A Beautiful Exchange- Hillsong is back! For years Hillsong has produced some of the very best praise and worship music in the world, and their new album is entitled "A Beautiful Exchange". Recorded at Hillsong Church in Australia, these powerful worship songs will surely be played in churches around the globe for many years to come. Personally, we try to get our hands on to every single Hillsong album that we can, so we highly recommend not only this new release but Hillsong's entire catalog to everyone.
If you are not a Christian and you would like to find our how you can have a relationship with God through Jesus Christ, we encourage you to check out the following article on our sister site: "What Does The Bible Say About Salvation?"
For more contemporary Christian music, check out the amazing deals on Ebay right now....
*Sanctus Real has just released its fifth studio album, Pieces Of A Real Heart, and it is garnering a great deal of critical acclaim.
*Jars of Clay, Skillet, Jason Crabb and Matt Maher have been nominated for six Dove Awards each, while producer Wayne Haun leads everyone with seven nominations.
*The legendary gospel music group The Nelons were recently honored with a nomination in the upcoming Christian Music Hall of Fame Visionary Awards.
*13 Christian music artists have come together to record 15 songs on the album "Healing 4 Haiti"which was released on Wednesday, March 2nd on iTunes under the Integrity Music label.
*Casting Crowns was named Billboard's Top Christian Album Artist for 2009, which marks the third consecutive year they have received that honor.
*Lastly, the upcoming three city "Life & Faith Tour" will feature a slew of great acts including Amy Grant, MercyMe, Diamond Rio, Israel Houghton, Mary Mary, Point of Grace, David Crowder Band, Natalie Grant, The Nelons and Triumphant Quartet.
For many years, those who follow the Christian music scene have speculated whether or not Switchfoot is a Christian band. They began their career with that "label", but once they achieved mainstream success they seemed to want to distant themselves from that "box". Many of their songs contain a "Christian" message although they seem to avoid using the name of Jesus Christ in their songs.
For those of you not familiar with Switchfoot, they are an alternative rock band from San Diego, California. They have become one of the most popular alternative rock bands in the world in fact. The members of the band include Jon Foreman (vocals and guitar), Tim Foreman (bass guitar and backing vocals), Chad Butler (drums and percussion), Jerome Fontamillas (guitar, keyboards and backing vocals), and Drew Shirley (guitar and backing vocals).
But is Switchfoot a Christian band?
Should they even be included on this site?
How do they actually view their faith?
Jon Foreman put it this way in one interview: "We've always been very open and honest about where the songs are coming from. For us, these songs are for everyone. Calling us 'Christian rock' tends to be a box that closes some people out and excludes them. And that's not what we're trying to do. Music has always opened my mind—and that's what we want".
So is Switchfoot a Christian band or do they just cozy up to the Christian music industry when it will further their career. That is for you to decide. We have posted a live version of their classic song "Dare You To Move" below. It is a truly great song.....
No contestant on the X Factor has generated more buzz than Chris Rene. When he first auditioned, he had just gotten out of drug rehab. Now he is a household name, and his stirring audition featuring his original song "Young Homie" has been seen more than nine million times on YouTube. Please pray for Chris Rene as he goes through this process. Often the temptations of fame and fortune can be absolutely overwhelming for a young man. I don't know if he is a Christian or not, but let us all pray that everything that is happening for him will end up drawing him toward God and not away from God.
- The most in-demand Christian music release of the year, WOW 2010 contains 30 songs on 2 CDs with the most popular hits heard on Christian radio over the past year. Over the past fourteen years, the Christian music industry has partnered together to bring fans the very best artists and songs available anywhere, and that tradition definitely continues with WOW Hits 2010! The WOW series continues to be the perfect gift for fans of contemporary Christian music.
- Nearly a decade since "I Can Only Imagine," multiplatinumselling supergroup MercyMe dares to imagine the world as it should be in The Generous Mr. Lovewell. Produced by Brown Bannister (Amy Grant, Michael W. Smith) and Dan Muckala (Brandon Heath, Backstreet Boys), this new release combines heart-provoking lyrics, infectious worship anthems and touching ballads with a powerful message. "It almost goes without saying that we should love generously, that we should love like Jesus," Mike Scheuchzer of MercyMe says, "but does it?" Does hearing it make it real? It's so easy for us to live in our own little self-absorbed bubbles. We forget that above anything else we are called to love our neighbors, to reach out, to engage even the unlovable around us. It's not an option if we really want to be like Christ. The Generous Mr. Lovewell is a picture of the change we want to see in our own lives. Without love like this, everything we do, everything we are, is in vain."
- Casting Crowns has sold nearly 4.5 million albums, they have won numerous awards and they have consistently topped radio charts in an unprecedented six year span, and now they are seeking to take things to another level. Casting Crowns' lead singer and songwriter Mark Hall says that the group has never strayed from the group's main purpose: "Present discipleship through music". The result with each new song collection is a fresh, relevant perspective on the Christian faith. It's this unwavering commitment that has inspired Casting Crowns' latest release, "Until the Whole World Hears", an offering of encouragement, challenge, hope and truth to a world desperately in need.
- TobyMac's new release "Tonight" is the highly anticipated follow up to the best-selling album "Portable Sounds". Continuing Toby's unique ability to blend diverse musical influences, Tonight contains an incredible mixture of rock, pop, urban and hip hop sounds.
- Hillsong is back! For years Hillsong has produced some of the very best praise and worship music in the world, and their new album is entitled "A Beautiful Exchange". Recorded at Hillsong Church in Australia, these powerful worship songs will surely be played in churches around the globe for many years to come. Personally, we try to get our hands on to every single Hillsong album that we can, so we highly recommend not only this new release but Hillsong's entire catalog to everyone.
US $22.99
