Families are always looking for encouraging and hopeful storybooks for their family reading times and now Ali Gilkeson of the Irish folk band Rend Collective offers the imaginative My Lighthouse: A Story of Finding Your Way Home (WaterBrook; on sale 6/18/24), which was inspired by Rend’s platinum-selling song of the same name.

The imaginative story woven through My Lighthouse: A Story of Finding Your Way Home is set in Gilkeson’s homeland of Ireland and it’s wonderfully paired with whimsical illustrations by New York Times bestselling illustrator Lee Wildish.

Fynn has always lived in a lighthouse—just like his father, and his father, and his father before him. His dad insists that living in a round house with a big lightbulb on top is special, but Fynn doesn’t see how. All he knows is that it’s weird—and often inconvenient. Exasperated by trying to fit all his favorite things in a round house and tired of being so different from everyone else, Fynn runs away from his lighthouse, seeking adventure on the sea. But when the winds and waves rise and things get very, very dark, Fynn finds that the light he needs most is the one that he’s known all his life.

“I wanted to write a book that gave kids hope. Fynn is a character who I feel a lot of us, especially kids, can relate to. He is a kid who doesn’t like his house, his lighthouse, and essentially runs away to find adventure. In this day and age there are a lot of children who feel lost and alone,” Gilkeson says.

“My Lighthouse is a book that can bring joy and hope into that circumstance and start helping children understand that God is a safe guiding light who is constant and is always leading them home.”

Children will get swept away in Fynn’s adventure and parents and other caregivers will appreciate the lessons of hope and gratitude that shines through this sweet storybook.

Inspired by Rend Collective’s hit song of the same name, My Lighthouse: A Story of Finding Your Way Home is a memorable tale families will return to again and again.

Atlantic Recording Artist Colton Dixon has received his first RIAA Gold-Certification for his massive hit, “Build A Boat.”  The radio team from K-LOVE and Christian label partner Fairtrade Services surprised Dixon in an interview during the K-LOVE Fan Awards weekend with hundreds of fans sharing in the excitement. 

“Build A Boat” was the biggest song of 2022, holding the No. 1 spot for 11 weeks and also receiving Song of the Year nominations for both the K-LOVE Fan Awards and GMA Dove Awards.

Most recently, Dixon released a brand new single, “UP+UP” and performed the track live for the first time at the annual Christian Music Broadcasters vconference in Orlando, FL., yesterday.  He also joined Danny Gokey as a presenter at K-LOVE Fan Awards, airing tonight at 7pm CT/8pm ET on TBN,  introducing very special tribute to Mandisa and TobyMac’s Diverse City member Gabe Patillo, both of whom passed away this past spring.

Dixon also released the title track for the feature film SIGHT, which hit theaters Memorial Day weekend and stars Greg Kinnear and Terry Chen. The stunning music video for “Rest of My Life (From the Original Motion Picture SIGHT),” debuted on his YouTube page this week.

GRAMMY vrecording artist, Jeremy Camp earns his eighth No. 1 album with ‘Deeper Waters,’ which topped the Billboard Top 200 Christian chart. Released Fri., May 18 via Capitol CMG, ‘Deeper Waters’ marks Camp’s highest album streaming debut of his marquee career.

The 13-track collection is a pop-fused reflection of the past two-plus decades of his life in the spotlight, as well as the appreciation for the moment of the now. Fused with Camp’s personal experiences, steadfast faith, and innate gift of storytelling, ‘Deeper Waters’ takes the listeners on a captivating musical journey of exploration and surrender.

Camp is currently No. 2 at Christian radio with “These Days.” He has already amassed 43 No. 1 singles and is expected to notch 44 in the coming weeks. Camp will also be performing “These Days” on the K-Love Fan Awards this weekend airing Fri., May 31 on TBN at 8PM ET/7PM CT. Additionally, he is performing at fairs and festivals across the US this Summer. For tickets and more information, visit jeremycamp.com.

Natalie Grant will release a new song, “A Luz Te Encontrará,” the Portuguese version of her hit single, “You Will Be Found,” with “America’s Got Talent” finalist, Gabriel Henrique.

Be sure to catch Natalie Grant on 100 Huntley Street on 5/31.  The show can be streamed live via www.100huntley.com  and on their Facebook page @100Huntley – Monday through Friday at 9am EST. 

GRAMMY Award-winning group Elevation Worship announces a special performance at the historic Ryman Auditorium on August 5th during their new Praise Party Summer Tour. This show is the first to be announced out of three shows they will add this week.

This will be the final date of their summer schedule before heading into the fall run of their hit Elevation Nights tour. A one-day-only pre-sale will go live on Friday, May 31st for this date.

“We’re so excited to spend an evening worshiping Jesus with others at the iconic Ryman Auditorium,” states Elevation Worship’s Chris Brown. “I’m sure it’ll be a night we’ll never forget.”

This summer tour follows the sold-out run of Elevation Nights earlier this year, which became one of the largest Christian tours in history, averaging more than 11,600 tickets sold each night.

Elevation Worship’s Praise Party Summer Tour kicks off in July, offering eight outdoor major-market shows including New York City’s Central Park, followed by the Elevation Nights fall run featuring Elevation Worship, Pastor Steven Furtick, and ELEVATION RHYTHM. 

Grammy award winner Chris Tomlin was surprised by his record label and management team with a RIAA certified Gold plaque for the Grammy and Billboard Music Award nominated song “Holy Forever.”

In 2023, “Holy Forever” remained at #1 on the charts for six weeks, became his 21^st career radio #1 single, and began an undeniable movement as church leaders across the country discovered the song and began adding it to their church services.

That attention, and the remarkable run at radio, triggered a global response to the song. “Holy Forever” has consistently achieved 3 million streams a week, with more than 5 million per week since Easter, totaling over 160 Million streams to date, exploding it as Chris’ biggest song since “Good Good Father.”

“’Holy Forever’ being certified Gold this quickly is a tangible example of the presence and the power of the Global Church,” shared Tomlin. “I am so grateful for the team and technology that supports in helping to give people around the world a voice to worship God.”

Chris Tomlin Celebrates RIAA Certified Gold Success With “Holy Forever”

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CCMG Co-President Brad O’Donnell expressed, “’Holy Forever’ is a song that’s impacting the world in a massive way. And no one has written more songs that have done that than Chris Tomlin. It’s a tremendous honor to be involved in the journey of this song and all of what Chris does. We couldn’t be happier to partner with him.”

“Chris is an incredibly gifted artist and writer that we are so grateful to be able to partner with,” adds Hudson Plachy, CCMG Co-President. “It’s so encouraging to see the response to this song and we want to congratulate Chris on this well-deserved accomplishment.”

“Holy Forever” was written by Chris, Jenn Johnson and Brian Johnson of Bethel Music, Phil Wickham and Jason Ingram and is nominated as “Worship Song of The Year” at the upcoming K-LOVE Fan Awards on May 26. Chris is also recognized with a nomination as Male Artist of the Year.

Chris recently wrapped the first leg of U.S. dates on his Holy Forever World Tour with a sold-out concert at the Honda Center Arena in Los Angeles. As a result of the massive response to the tour, Chris is adding new concert dates in Canada this summer and launched the international leg over the weekend.

Nashville’s iconic Grand Ole Opry welcomed the 11th Annual K-LOVE Fan Awards on May 26, 2024. We caught up with Caleb & John on the red carpet for an exclusive interview, where they talked about the success of “Hallelujah Feeling” and shared the heart behind their latest single “Somebody Like Me” featuring CAIN.

Be sure to tune in to the 11th Annual K-LOVE Fan Awards airing Friday, May 31 at 8pm and 10pm ET on TBN.

Exclusive: Caleb & John React To Success Of “Hallelujah Feeling”

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Nashville’s iconic Grand Ole Opry welcomed the 11th Annual K-LOVE Fan Awards on May 26, 2024. We caught up with Josiah Queen on the red carpet for an exclusive interview, where he reflected on the success of his single “The Prodigal” and talked about his album of the same name which is out now.

Be sure to tune in to the 11th Annual K-LOVE Fan Awards airing Friday, May 31 at 8pm and 10pm ET on TBN. For more coverage from the biggest fan weekend in Christian music,

The biggest fan weekend in Christian music, the 11th Annual K-LOVE Fan Awards, is underway at Nashville’s Gaylord Opryland Hotel. Saturday (May 25) kicked off with a powerful Worship In The Round hour that featured performances by renowned worship leaders and songwriters Jon Reddick, Matt Maher, Shane & Shane, Mike Weaver of Big Daddy Weave and Jenn Johnson. See below for exclusive photos and videos from the event.

The 11th Annual K-LOVE Fan Awards weekend will also feature an emerging artists showcase and a songwriters showcase on Saturday, and the annual Sunday morning worship service. Nashville’s iconic OPRY House will welcome the Fan Awards on Sunday afternoon, airing on TBN May 31st at 8pm ET.

Follow The Christian Beat on X (twitter), Facebook, Instagram and YouTube for updates all weekend long.

Curb Records recording artist Steven Malcolm shares his testimony on his new single, “Feels To Be Free,” with Sanctus Real. Returning to Malcolm’s worship roots, “Feels To Be Free” is reminiscent of his impactful 2019 collaboration with Natalie Grant, “Even Louder.”

A soul-stirring anthem blending powerful hip-hop rhythms with uplifting rock elements, “Feels To Be Free” creates a unique worship experience in which Malcolm shares his personal testimony, encouraging listeners to reflect on their own journeys of redemption.

“This song is all about being free. Free from self, free from bondage, free from whatever it is that keeps you in the darkness. No longer living captive to the desires of our flesh and brokenness. But looking towards God, knowing He is the ultimate giver of freedom,” shares Malcolm. Fans of Lecrae, KB, for KING + COUNTRY, NF, and We The Kingdom will find “Feels To Be Free” to be a perfect addition to their playlists.

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The track features soaring choir vocals arranged by Tedd T and Joseph Prielozny, performed by Bethany Cruz and Montel Moore, and accompanied by the dynamic guitars of Chris Rohman. The collaboration brings a fresh yet familiar worship sound that is both powerful and inspiring.

The single was produced by JimmyJames, who also handled engineering duties alongside Steven Malcolm, Dustin Lolli, Chris Rohman, Joseph Prielozny, and Tedd T. Doug Weier mixed the track, while Mike Cervantes at The Foxboro mastered it to perfection.