Dream In Soul – Creativity for the Kingdom:

Check out the latest updates from SOAR Youth:

1. Video: Blanca from Group 1 Crew Talks About “Beautiful”

Blanca Reyes talks about the meaning of the song “Beautiful” from Group 1 Crew’s new EP Spacebound… Read More

2. Video Pick: Oh Well – Sho Baraka

Check out Sho Baraka’s video “Oh Well” from his album Lions & Liars… Read More

3. Paige Armstrong On God’s Love & True Beauty

There are so many pressures to want to look a certain way today, and we as girls often scrutinize ourselves in the mirror and compare ourselves to others. Singer & speaker Paige Armstong talks about true beauty… Read More

4. Trip Lee on Christlikeness & His New Album Between Two Worlds

Trip Lee recently gave a teaching on the topic of “Christlikeness”… Read More

5. Ministry Event: America’s Best Praise Dance Showcase and Competition

Here’s a ministry event combining the creativity of dance and praise, submitted by a SOAR reader… Read More

Trip Lee’s New Album Between Two Worlds

Melding the Gospel and rap, Trip Lee’s new album Between Two Worlds (Reach Records) was recently released, also featuring Lecrae, Sho Baraka, Jimmy Needham, Jai and others. Based on the singles that were released and previewing the album, I’m excited to get my own copy and listen to it in its entirety. Along with the freshly delivered rhymes signature of Trip Lee, the story behind the creation of this project reflects on its deeper substance:

Look around. You can see it. Listen closely. You can hear it. This fallen world is groaning and so are we. A fallen people, in a fallen place, facing fallen situations. Since Adam sinned, this has been our plight.

Trip Lee finds himself in an in-between state-longing for the recreation of our world, yet still trying to navigate through it. His third album, “Between Two Worlds,” offers listeners a collection of personal reflections that echo the struggles of humanity and the joys offered in the solution… Continue Reading

You can also read an interview Trip Lee did about the album with The Gospel Coalition’s Justin Taylor by clicking here. Visit the Reach Records website to listen to tracks from the album and to order. Also check out the two part “Between Two Worlds” Reflection videos below:

Behind the Music: John Mark McMillan on “How He Loves” and Upcoming Album The Medicine

“The love I’m singing about in that song is really not a pretty, clean, not a Hollywood hot pink love… It’s the kind of love that is willing to love things that are messy…”

In the video below John Mark McMillan who wrote the worship song “How He Loves” talks about the story behind the song. In frustration, pain, brokenness, he pieced together an understanding of God’s love that touches us tenderly within our darkest circumstances – and because the feeling is so mutual the song has blown across the world.

John Mark McMillan’s upcoming project, The Medicine, (a re-release) will be available on July 6, 2010. Visit his website at www.thejohnmark.com to pre-order and for updates on his tour and projects. Also see the video below where he describes the vision behind The Medicine.

John Mark McMillan on His Upcoming Album The Medicine

Israel Houghton in the Studio & Deeper Conference 2010

Get ready, Israel Houghton is currently in the studio recording his next album “LOVE GOD LOVE PEOPLE the London Sessions” and so far has been collaborating with artists including Kirk Franklin, Take 6 and Fred Hammond. He recently wrote a blog about his anticipation and excitement for the album. Click here to read the blog on his site.

Also be sure to register for Israel & New Breed’s 4th Annual Deeper 2010 Worship Conference, August 25 – 28th in Houston, The conference is for everyone with a passion for a lifestyle of worship, including Pastors, Worship Teams, Vocalists, Musicians and is aimed to “empower leadership, equip those involved in all areas of music and production and to propel worshipers to action through all who attend.” Visit www.deeperconferences.com for more information and to register.

Group 1 Crew’s EP Spacebound & Free Download

Group 1 Crew released their EP Spacebound at the beginning of June, and rose to #1 in the iTunes Top Christian & Gospel Albums Chart. I love the energy and youthful blend of sounds they mix in the five new songs. One of my favorites is “Walking on the Stars,” which talks about realizing the greatness of God amid the bustle of our lives. You can download the song for free by visiting their site (click here). Listen to the entire EP streamed online from their Facebook page, and visit www.group1crew.com for tour dates and more updates. Click here to order the EP on iTunes.

Watch Manwell talk about the meaning of the song “Walking on the Stars” below:

The Buzz from Around the Web

Read a Recap of the Season Finale of Sunday Best – Gospel Pundit

Video: Sunday Best 3 Finale -See LeAndria Crowned Sunday Best – 1800Gospel.com

DeWayne Woods & When Singers Meet New Release “My Lyric’s Life” – Review on GospelFlava.com

Steven Curtis Chapman and Family’s Extraordinary Tour “A Night with the Chapmans” To Hit U.S. Cities This Fall – CCMmagazine.com



World Vision Presents the Make A Difference Tour 2010 Featuring Michael W. Smith, TobyMac, Third Day & Max Lucado

Gospel Artists Including Kirk Franklin, Shirley Caesar, Mary Mary, The Clark Sisters, Tye Tribbett & More to Attend the ESSENCE Music Festival

…Do not lose heart…

But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us. We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed.

We always carry around in our body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be revealed in our body. For we who are alive are always being given over to death for Jesus’ sake, so that his life may be revealed in our mortal body. So then, death is at work in us, but life is at work in you.

It is written: “I believed; therefore I have spoken.”With that same spirit of faith we also believe and therefore speak, because we know that the one who raised the Lord Jesus from the dead will also raise us with Jesus and present us with you in his presence. All this is for your benefit, so that the grace that is reaching more and more people may cause thanksgiving to overflow to the glory of God.

Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.

2 Corinthians 4:7-18 (New International Version)

Read More In Context

The Dream in Soul Store has officially launched, starting with the Real Love Series of shirts for women, especially young women, to show a commitment to being pure in their season of singleness and waiting for a real love that resembles God’s.

The Dream in Soul line of uplifting line of apparel and gifts were made for you to express your faith in a bold way. The goal of the line is to bring glory to God through creativity and to present unique pieces that speak truth and inspire others. The apparel caters to a variety of tastes, from those that prefer a colorful and youthful look to the more refined.

More designs for men, women and kids will be added shortly. Click here or on the Store tab in the navigation bar to visit the store. Stay tuned for the next series of gifts and apparel coming up soon, and check out some of the first designs below:

Click here for details…

Shirt Description
“Real love is worth the wait…” If we are worth it in the eyes of the God of the universe, then our hearts are worth the wait for true love that resembles His, and a love story written by Him. Based on 1 Corinthians 13 – The top right heart says “Patient” and the “T” in “wait” drips hearts with the words “love,” and “kind.”

Click here for details…

Shirt Description
God’s love is never ending, never wavering, always flowing. Based on Lamentations 3:21-24: Yet I still dare to hope when I remember this: The faithful love of the Lord never ends! His mercies never cease. Great is Thy faithfulness; His mercies begin afresh each morning. I say to myself, “The LORD is my portion; therefore I will wait for Him!” He loves you. Always. Forever.

Below Francesca Battistelli describes the story behind the song “Beautiful, Beautiful” from her album “My Paper Heart.”

“…it’s a song about second chances, and about the beauty of mercy and grace, and having another day to start over…” – Francesca Battistelli

Continue Reading »