In an era marked by “followers” and wanting to be “liked” has come a time when Christ followers are unfollowing their faith. Acknowledging the fear of rejection and division may be a root cause for the reservations of thought leaders, Christian rock artist Jodi Essex is fed up with rising fear-based excuses. Bearing witness to public denouncements of faith and the watered-down messages of mainstream culture, Essex implores, “Would you offend for the Gospel?” Out September 10th, 2021 with a music video, “Offend” is ready to shatter the silence through what some may call “unpopular opinion.”

“When you have something to say,” Essex declares, “it should transcend your fear of speaking up.”

Written by Jodi Essex and Josiah Prince of Disciple, “Offend” is the first song in a series of songs to mark their new collaboration. Similar to her experience with Sean Hill (Jamie Grace, Clay Crosse, Landry Cantrell) for her 10-song debut album, Irreverent, Essex has described the process of writing with Josiah as amazing and positive, backed by “RADICALLY EPIC” songs that have emerged. Citing a vast array of musical influences like 80s and 90s rock legends like Def Leppard, Guns N Roses and Sevendust, Jodi’s music is never too far from her roots. With a sound that could be compared to Skillet, Fireflight and Alice in Chains, “Offend” forges a new path for Jodi that is a cross between classic and hard-hitting modern rock.

By challenging listeners through “Offend,” Jodi hopes its message will ring loud and clear for both church leadership and congregants, alike. Upon listening, Jodi wants them to feel empowered, emboldened and PUMPED. In Jodi’s words, “I want them to feel energized and re-energized as they traverse their journeys.”

There’s absolute no doubt that this is CeCe Winans’ year to shine and share the Gospel like never before. The 2021 nominations for the 52nd GMA Dove Awards were recently announced and the celebrated singer landed a total of five Dove nominations:

Gospel Artist of the Year
CeCe Winans

Inspirational Recorded Song of the Year
“Great is Thy Faithfulness” Carrie Underwood (featuring CeCe Winans)

Contemporary Gospel Recorded Song of the year
“Never Lost”

Gospel Album of the Year
Believe For It

Gospel Worship Recorded Song of the Year
“Believe For It”

The Gospel Music Association has announced that the 52nd Annual Dove Awards will be broadcast worldwide on Friday, Oct. 22 through TBN. The live taping of the show will be held on Tuesday, Oct. 19 at Lipscomb University’s Allen Arena in Nashville.

“I’m grateful, overwhelmed and humbled by the five Dove nominations. To God be the Glory!” says, Winans.

After breaking Top 30 this week on both the Mediabase Gospel Chart(#22) and the Billboard Gospel Airplay Chart at (#23) earning this week’s titles for highest debut and most increased airplay. The single, “Believe For It” holds on to the coveted #1 spot on the Billboard Hot Gospel Songs Chart for the 9th Week, confirms Winans’ solid radio presence and non-stop trajectory up the music charts.

Visit: www.cecewinans.com

The Provident Entertainment family of artists, labels, songwriters, and publishers are pleased to announce multiple nominations in 23 categories for the 52nd Annual GMA Dove Awards. All of the nominees were virtually announced earlier today for the show, which will be held Tuesday, October 19 at Lipscomb University’s Allen Arena and air Friday, Oct. 22 on Trinity Broadcast Network (TBN). The theme for this year’s awards is Stronger Together.

The nominations are across several Provident Entertainment entities – Provident Label Group, RCA Inspiration, Distribution, and Essential Music Publishing. Top nominations include Steven Furtick with ten nominations, Chris Brown with nine, seven nominations for Elevation Worship, and five nods for Zach Williams.

“On behalf of the entire team of Provident Entertainment, we could not be more proud of the recognitions received today for the upcoming GMA Dove Awards,” says Terry Hemmings, CEO, Provident Entertainment. “From the celebrated songs, artists, writers, and publishers, we’re so honored to walk beside this community of prodigious talent that calls Provident Entertainment their home.”

Voted on by the GMA Professional Membership, this year’s nominees were chosen from over 4,600 submitted entries and include a wide range of creativity and artistic integrity in both artist and non-artist categories.

The indefatigable gospel singer Marvin Sapp is up for two 2021 Dove Awards. His 13^th album, Chosen Vessel, is nominated for Traditional Gospel Album of the Year, while the album’s lead single – “Thank You For It All” – received a Song of the Year nod.

Written by Sapp, with Aaron Lindsey, Christopher Thomas Leach and Jamone Davis, “Thank You For It All” marked the fourth time Sapp had a #1 position on the Hot Gospel Songs chart, a trend that began with his seminal “Never Would Have Made It” in 2007. “Thank You For It All” also ascended to #1 on Billboard’s Gospel Digital Songs and Gospel National Airplay charts.

“I’m grateful to the Gospel Music Association and everyone involved with the Dove Award nominations this year. It is a blessing to have my music ministry acknowledged alongside so many great Christian creators,” says Sapp. “We do this because we are called to, but a little celebrating is okay too! Congratulations to all of the nominees. I’m looking forward to the big night!”

Marvin Sapp is a three-time Dove Award winner.

Four-time GRAMMY winning duo and Curb | Word Entertainment recording artist for KING & COUNTRY are among the leaders of the 2021 Dove Award nominations after the morning’s announcement that the duo has been nominated seven times – Artist of the Year, Contemporary Christian Artist of the Year, Song of the Year, Pop / Contemporary Recorded Song of the Year, Christmas / Special Event Album, Recorded Music Packaging, and Long Form Video. Voting for the final winners will run August 19 through August 26. The 52 Annual GMA Dove Awards will air exclusively on TBN (Trinity Broadcasting Network) on Friday, October 22.

This morning’s announcement continues a busy few days for the No. 1 hitmakers. On August 6^th, for KING & COUNTRY debuted their BRAND-NEW single, “Relate,” with a live performance on the nationally syndicated morning show Fox & Friends. Additionally, the duo premiered the official music video for “Relate” on Apple Music, while the lyric video premiered across SiriusXM’s social platforms. The official music video, filmed in part against the backdrop of a dusky Los Angeles skyline, explores what it means ttravel through the stories of other people’s lives in search of community, togetherness, and unity. Watch the music video HERE.

Since for KING & COUNTRY premiered the track on Good Morning America, “TOGETHER (feat. Kirk Franklin & Tori Kelly)” has given hope to millions with its message of perseverance and has spun off a multitude of remixes and multi-genre collaborations. “TOGETHER” has hit No. 1 on the Christian AC charts, and has seen mainstream success hitting No. 15 on the AC charts and No. 6 on the Digital Song Sales chart. for KING & COUNTRY has broken their own industry record with their sixth consecutive No. 1 single, the multi-chart smash hit “Amen.” Billboard recently wrote about the duo’s unparalleled success in a Chart Beat piece at the link provided HERE.

Mike Donehey, a songwriter, performing artist, author, and podcaster to name just a few titles, is set to release his first solo album. Titled Flourish, the project will drop August 27 with Fair Trade Services.

Encouragement. Radical vulnerability. Acknowledgment. Acceptance. Mourning. Honesty. These are just a handful of the topics Donehey tackles in his upcoming collection of eleven songs birthed out of his struggle to learn what it takes to truly flourish in any and every circumstance.

When the world was impacted by the pandemic, Donehey, like so many others, found himself struggling. Tenth Avenue North, the band that he founded and led for so many years, was amicably disbanding and planning their farewell tour when everything stopped. With the tour canceled and the band officially over, Donehey found himself lost, not only about what his next steps were going to be but was feeling like—in his own words—a dried-out sponge.

As months went on, he realized he needed to mourn these drastic life changes as well as the unknown. The more he began to open up and let himself feel sadness and the sting of the pain, “the more joy came flooding in on the other side,” he explains. Songs began pouring out and an album was quickly penned.

Writing during the pandemic became the anthem he needed to sing for himself, and, as the title song explains, he directs to Psalm 126 that in Christ he has what he needs to truly flourish. “If you want more joy, allow sadness,” Donehey says. “Grieve to get where you need to go because the more you shrink your sadness, you’re numbing the pain of hope. Flourish isn’t an album of naivete, it’s acknowledging that I was in a desert to appreciate the streams running through it.”

With “Glory I Couldn’t See,” produced by We The Kingdom’s Andrew Bergthold, Donehey admits to missing life’s joyful moments by instead feeling like a victim, eventually discovering that no matter the circumstances beauty is right in front of us. “Something That I Can’t Explain,” co-written and produced by Micah Kuiper (TobyMac, Newsboys, Hawk Nelson), “is a worship song for the deconstructionist,” while “Unity Hymn,” which closes out the album, was written with his sister Kanene Donehey Pipkin (of The Lone Bellow). “Unity Hymn,” which they penned in a quick 15 minutes, was produced by former bandmate Jeff Owen, is an important reminder about forgiveness and loving one another.

All in all, the unexpected has a way of disrupting our lives in ways we might not have ever chosen. For Mike Donehey, learning to embrace the unexpected has been the very thing that continually brings forth encouraging and soul-healing music.FLOURISH tracklisting:

1. Standing At The Edge Of My World
2. Follow You Into The Fire
3. All Together
4. Glory I Couldn’t See
5. Glory Reprise
6. Flourish
7. Abundance
8. From The Start
9. Something That I Can’t Explain
10. Breathe In Breathe Out
11. Unity Hymn 

The Grammy® Award nominated gospel act, Anthony Brown & group therAPy, has scored their fourth No. 1 Billboard Gospel Airplay hit with the heart-wrenching ballad, “Help” from their digital EP, Stuck in the House: The Pandemic Project (Key of A / Tyscot / FairTrade).

The song tops the chart for the week ending August 14, 2021, and it also holds the top spot on the Mediabase Gospel Airplay charts too.

Watch “Help” video below;

Chicago, IL —  For 40 years, Bishop Larry D. Trotter has served as senior pastor of the historic Sweet Holy Spirit Church in Chicago, IL. Under his leadership, the ministry has grown from twenty-two members in 1981 to over seven thousand members presently.  

Bishop Larry D. Trotter and the Sweet Holy Spirit Choir (SHSC) are among the most distinguished choirs in the nation who have recorded eleven albums, landed on top of the Billboard Gospel charts multiple times, and claimed 9 Stellar Awards.  They carry forth the classic ‘Chicago Gospel’ sound and are the quintessential Gospel Choir.

This summer, Bishop Trotter and SHSC have been heard throughout the country on Gospel radio with their hit “Alright” featuring Mrs. Betty Lott.  The high-octane instrumentation power drives the choir’s vehemence to activate the emanation of the Holy Spirit on this uplifting track.  “Alright” can be downloaded and streamed now on all digital music outlets.

With encouragement and deliverance in mind, “Alright” has been set as the precursor to Bishop Trotter and SHSC’s highly anticipated album RESTORED!

“As we were preparing for RESTORED!, I remember some of the dry seasons we recently experienced and God’s people who were living through them,” Bishop Trotter states. “The struggles, pain and heaviness…yet even still, I continuously heard the Lord saying that after so much calamity and sorrow, that He was bringing RESTORATION to His people immediately, and in all areas.”

RESTORED! is produced by Bishop Trotter, the late James A. Lott, Calvin Rodgers, and Brian Lofton.  Vocal guests on the album include Vashawn Mitchell, DeAndre Patterson, Lillian Lloyd, and Lavargna Hubbard.  

“We have had many projects over the years, all of which balanced with traditional, contemporary, and even a little bit of the quartet gospel sound, to ensure a worship encounter for both the young and old,” says Bishop Trotter.  “But I think that this project stands in a category by itself. It shows our growth as a music ministry while remaining true to our commitment to worshipping God through great choir music.” 

Bishop Trotter invites everyone to listen, be RESTORED!, and join Sweet Holy Spirit on this worship journey.  RESTORED! is available for pre-order now and will release on August 20 on all digital music outlets via Bishop Trotter’s Utopia Music Group label and Entertainment One. 

“As always, know that I love you! See yourself in the future, and remember that what’s to come, is better than what’s been!” — Bishop Larry D. Trotter.

Bethel Music’s Josh Baldwin announced plans for a fall tour. His ‘Nights Of Worship’ lineup will feature special guests David Leonard and Gable Price & Friends. A pre-sale for tickets launches on August 11. See the full itinerary below. For more information, click here.

‘Nights Of Worship’ Fall Tour
9/23/21 – Chattanooga, TN
9/24/21 – Clarksville, TN
9/25/21 – Florence, AL
9/26/21 – Memphis, TN
10/1/21 – Kansas City (Oak Grove), MO
10/2/21 – Dallas (Irving), TX
10/3/21 – Amarillo, TX
10/8/21 – Miami, FL
10/9/21 – Lake City, FL
10/10/21 – Orlando (Longwood), FL
10/21/21 – Reading, PA
10/24/21 – Pittsburgh (Moon Twp), PA
10/26/21 – Vineland, NJ
10/28/21 – Portland (Biddeford), ME
10/29/21 – Fairfield, CT
10/30/21 – Syracuse (Cicero), NY

Lauren Daigle shared an exciting update about the partnership between her foundation, The Price Fund, and Bob Goff’s Love Does Foundation. The partnership, announced last September, focused on building a brand new school in Congo that aimed to educate more than 300 students.

“You may know about the work I’ve been so fortunate to be a part of with Love Does and my friend Bob Goff. Last year, thanks to your contributions to The Price Fund, we were able to help build a school in the Congo that served over 300 students. Unfortunately, a volcano burned the school down earlier this year — but here comes the good news,” shares Daigle alongside the announcement.

She continues, “We are not only going to rebuild that school, but we are also going to provide income for the teachers who are now dealing with the aftermath of a true tragedy. I’m so grateful for the opportunity to help these people — and I hope you’ll join in the work that needs to be done to provide these students with quality education, assist in character development, peace building skills, conflict resolution and leadership.”

Donate to The Price Fund: http://www.thepricefund.org. Donate to Love Does: https://lovedoes.org.