40 CCM 40 CCM him into your already dynamic mix? What was most inspirational and encouraging about that experience and how did he help to shape Organic Hymnal? Gareth: Yes, Mr. Crowder is an incredibly kind and encouraging man. He co-sang “Faithful” on the album, which was an honor as he is definitely one of our heroes. He wasn’t involved apart from that, but the fact that he said ‘yes’ and believed in us, encouraged us to keep going. CCM: With titles like “You Bled,” “Movements” and “Broken Bread,” you are creating songs that do not necessarily follow in the footsteps of congregational worship. How and where do you go about “speaking from [your] hearts [to] line up with God’s heart for his people?” Gareth: In some ways we aren’t following what has gone on before in congregational worship, but we lead in churches all the time and [I think] people are starting to “get” us. It’s so encouraging to see the body of Christ lost in worship, using songs that we wrote—it’s a very humbling thing! God’s heart for his people is to know [that] He loves them passionately. He wants us to lose our lives in living out his dreams and spend time enjoying Him. Throughout the album the songs we write are inspired by these thoughts. We finished the album with a song, “Find Your Kindness,” which talks about finding the kindness Christ has put in us. In Amos 5, when it says, “away with the noise of your songs… let justice roll like a river,” we were encouraged to not just be about singing, but giving our time, love and money to the lost and the least. CCM: Apart from the verses in scripture that support Rend Collective Experiment as a worship group, are there any verses that speak personally to you, igniting your spirits and energizing you to continue singing to, writing for and uplifting the Jesus’ name? Gareth: In Matthew 16:24-25, when we are told to follow Jesus [and to] lose our lives and shoulder our cross, stirs our hearts. May God save us from a safe and easy gospel. Lincoln Brewster By Emily Hoernschemeyer Real Life—We encounter it everyday. It sparks uncontainable joy, laughter, tears and strife. Still, despite its uncertainties and unknowns, it is what inspires us, challenges us and makes each individual journey worth the while. Sounds like it should be easy, right? Wrong. And acclaimed worship leader and recording artist, Lincoln Brewster, would be the first to agree. Haven’t heard of him? Well, then maybe you would recognize one of his #1 singles, “Everlasting God” or “The Power of Your Name.” His seventh album is titled Real Life. Brewster worked closely with other gifted songwriters and musicians like Paul Baloche, Jason Ingram, Mia Fieldes and Kari Jobe, co-penning nine out of the ten tracks. “It’s definitely the most transparent project I’ve ever done, combining elements of worship and real life experiences,” says Brewster. “[The album contains] a lot of my vulnerability about life—from hard times growing up in Alaska to the responsibility of being a husband and father now,” Brewster explains. CLICK HERE download the free ChoRd ChaRt for “Movements”