Christian Media, Books, Music & Entertainment from The Atlanta Christian Web & Atlanta Christian Magazine

August 14, 2025

In This Issue

Christian Music & Entertainment

from The Atlanta Christian Web

PHIL WICKHAM'S

“What an Awesome God” Breathes New Life into

Rich Mullins’ Timeless Anthem

(Phil Wickham's "What An Awesome God" from his new album, "Song of the Saints," is #1 on Billboard's CCM charts for the second straight week)

<<Rich Mullins wondered if he had a place in Contemporary Christian music.

<<Despite struggling to feel like he fit in the artist mold and speaking prophetically about flaws in worship and church cultures, Mullins wrote a song that became as beloved as any song of the past fifty years - “Awesome God.”

Nearly forty years ago, “Awesome God” exploded up the charts with a power that lacked polish but oozed with authenticity. In 2004, CCM Magazine named “Awesome God” the #1 greatest song in Christian music history.

<<So, when Phil Wickham had the idea to record “What An Awesome God,” it’s no wonder he felt the weight of the song’s beloved history. In an interview, he shared about striving to present a new version full of reverence for the place “Awesome God” has in the hearts of millions, as well as pointing listeners to One the song is about.

<<“It’s hard to even describe what it means to me to share a small part of the legacy of this song,” Phil said about the song. “What started as a fun idea in the studio grew into an unexpected new take on the ‘Awesome God’ story. It has quickly become one of my favorite songs to sing with the church, proudly declaring each night how awesome our God is!”

<<Wickham’s “What an Awesome God” maintains the chorus of the original song while adding new verses which follow similar themes. The original song echoes the words of 2 Timothy 1:7 (“For God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity, but of power, love, and self-discipline”), as it talks about God’s wisdom, power, and love.

Click Here To Read The Full Story

Billboard Magazine's Current Top Contemporary Christian

Music Chart

#1 (LW1) -

Phil Wickham

"What An Awesome God"

(from Song of the Saints)

(1st week at #2)

#2 (LW2) - MercyMe

“Oh Death

(from Wonder & Awe)

#3 (LW3) - Micah Tyler

“God Did It"

(Single)

#4 (LW5) - Forrest Frank

“Your Way's Better“

(from Child of God II)

#5 (LW8) - Elevation Worship, Brandon lake, Chris Brown

“I Know A Name"

(Single)

Click Here For This Week's Top 25

Contemporary Christian Music Songs

FORREST FRANK Witnesses a ‘Miracle’ as he recovers from broken back days after fracturing spine in skateboarding fall

<<Two weeks ago, Grammy nominated Christian artist Forrest Frank broke his back while skateboarding with his son. In a candid video shared on his social media page, the singer shares how calling on Jesus has eased his pain.

<<The most excruciating part is getting out of bed to use the bathroom, but he and his wife, Grace, have seen God work through the pain.

“Help me, help me, Jesus,” Frank began to pray in a video of him and Grace getting him out of bed. The singer grimaces in pain as he continues to say, “Help me, Jesus. Help me, Jesus.”

<<The video then cuts to Frank lying in his bed with a smile on his face.

<<“We just witnessed a miracle,” Grace, said.

“My back kept getting tighter and tighter and tighter,” Frank explained. “And I needed to lie down. But the transition is just so hard, and every time we’ve like fully focused our mind on ‘Jesus, let me body worship you.’ When we’ve stayed right there, it hasn’t hurt.”

<<“Every time we’ve done it, it’s worked,” Grace echoed.

<<Forrest has found inspiration in the fall making his biggest career chart debut this week with “Lemonade,” currently No. 2 on several Billboard charts for its first charting frame, his second consecutive leading debut on the chart, following last week’s “God’s Got My Back.” Those and “Selah”, each were inspired by the skateboarding injury.

<<Frank has already done his first show at the Iowa State Fair after the injury.

Click Here To Watch Video Of The Story

Metro Atlanta Christian Concerts & Family Events

Saturday, August 9

Newsboys, North Point Worship

At The Frederick Brown Amphitheater

201 McIntosh Trail,

Peachtree City, GA 30269,

Tickets on sale now.

7:30 p.m. (770) 631-0630

www.amphitheater.org/ (CANCELLED)

Saturday, August 16

The Crowder concert originally scheduled for August 16th at the Georgia Mountain Fairgrounds in Hiawassee has been rescheduled to November 1, 2025 due to an injury.

Crowder

At Georgia Mountain Fair Anderson Music Hall

1311 Music Hall Rd,

Hiawassee, GA 30546

Atlanta based Crowder has over 3 Million records sold, 1.8 Billion global streams, and 5 GRAMMY® Nominations. "Somebody Prayed" is currently #1 on Billboard's Contemporary Christian Music charts for the 5th straight week. Ticket includes Georgia Mountain Fair admission. 7:00 p.m. (706) 896-4191

www.georgiamountainfairgrounds.com

Sunday, August 17

Gospel Music Show

Carolina The Band, Triumphant Quartet & The Inspirations

At Georgia Mountain Fair Anderson Music Hall

1311 Music Hall Rd,

Hiawassee, GA 30546

Triumphant Quartet remains a quintessential act in the gospel music industry. Consistently voted a fan favorite, the group has garnered multiple chart-topping hits, as well as Dove, Singing News and BMI Awards, including numerous Quartet of the Year honors. admission. 2:00 p.m. 2pm

Admission: $20, Ticket includes Georgia Mountain Fair admission (706) 896-4191

www.georgiamountainfairgrounds.com

Friday August 29

Ryan Ellis with Lee Vasi

at Vinyl at Center Stage,

1374 West Peachtree Street,

Atlanta, GA 30309

8:00 p.m. (404) 885-1365 www.centerstage-atlanta.com

Sunday, October 12

Gospel Music Show

Southbound, The Martins

& High Road

At Georgia Mountain Fair Anderson Music Hall

1311 Music Hall Rd,

Hiawassee, GA 30546

Southbound is a contemporary Southern Gospel Trio. Join Bishop Clint Brown, Seth J. Elbe, and Jody Braselton as they travel toward their roots of Southern Gospel music, with its powerful lyrics and harmonies! They are bringing a brand new sound to some old classics and a soulful feel to some new songs!

2:00 p.m. Admission: $20, Ticket includes Fall Festival admission (706) 896-4191

www.georgiamountainfairgrounds.com

Click Here For All Upcoming Concerts and Links For More Information

Billboard Magazine's

Current Top

Gospel Music Chart

#1 (LW2) - Donald Lawrence

"Words"

(from Global Love Alive (London))

#2 (LW3) - Maverick CITY MUSIC/JORDIN SPARKS

with Anthony Gargiula

"Constant"

(from Live At Maverick City)

#3 (LW5) - Me'Kayla

"Give Me You"

(Single)

4 (LW1) - VaShawn Mitchell

"Make A Way"

(Single)

(1st Week at #1)

#5 (LW4) - Erica Campbell

"Trust & Obey" (Single)

Click Here For This Week's Top 25

Gospel Music Songs

VASHAWN MITCHELL "Make A Way"

(VaShawn Mitchell was #1 last week on Billboard's Gospel Music charts with his single, "Make A Way")

<<VaShawn Mitchell opened up about his latest single, “Make A Way,” sharing the heart and inspiration behind the song. “When I wrote ‘Make A Way,’ I wanted to remind everyone that no matter what you’re facing, God is faithful and He will always provide a way,” VaShawn explained. “I say in the song, ‘He gon’ make a way, make a way, make a, I know He will.’ That’s the foundation of our faith.”

<<Reflecting on his passion for church, VaShawn expressed, “Church is more than just a building; it’s where I’m strengthened. I love the atmosphere of worship, the community, and how it brings people together in faith and hope.” He emphasized how the environment of the church fuels his creativity and spirit, saying, “Being in church reminds me of God’s presence and power. It’s where I feel connected and uplifted.”

<<The Chicago native also talked about the message he hopes listeners will take from “Make A Way.” “I tell people, even when you’re broken, ‘don’t be hopeless.’ The lyrics say, ‘Even when I’m broken, I am never hopeless.’ That’s real life. We face trials, but God brings us through. ‘Weeping may endure for a night, but joy comes in the morning.’ This song is designed to encourage people to keep believing.”

<<The Chicago native shared a personal testimony about perseverance: “I’m a living witness that He’ll make a way. Like the song says, ‘Tried in the fire, came out as pure gold.’ It’s proof that God’s power transforms us through every challenge.” His advice to believers was clear and heartfelt: “Hold on, don’t give up. God’s timing is perfect, and ‘He’s got you.’”

<<Mitchell expressed hopes for the impact of “Make A Way” in churches and communities: “I want choirs and believers to see this song as more than just music. It’s a declaration of victory, an anthem of faith, a reminder that God will ‘work it out just for you.’”

Brandon Lake, CeCe Winans, Forrest Frank lead nominations for GMA Dove Awards

<<Brandon Lake, CeCe Winans, Forrest Frank, Josiah Queen, Lauren Daigle and Phil Wickham are among the artists vying for artist of the year at the 56th annual GMA Dove Awards, the Gospel Music Association announced Tuesday.

<<Lake, who serves as worship pastor at the multi-site megachurch Seacoast Church based in Charleston, South Carolina, leads this year’s nominations with nine, including artist of the year, song of the year and pop/contemporary recorded song of the year.

His collaboration with Jelly Roll, “Hard Fought Hallelujah,” recently spent 17 weeks on the Billboard Hot 100, while his recent album "King of Hearts" debuted in the top 10 of the Billboard 200.

<<At last year’s Dove Awards, where he was nominated for 16 awards, Lake told The Christian Post he tries to stay “in tune with the spirit” when creating music.

‘<<My greatest thing I can offer is my testimony,” he said. “Sometimes there's a day where I'm feeling certain things and different portions of the Bible, and I'm like, ‘I need to lean into this,’ and write a song about how the grace of God applies to me, and how I've experienced it.

<<"Some days, I like to write songs about the healing that I've seen God do, and not downplay it or water it down, but quite literally, use phrases like, ‘I've seen metal plates dissolve,’ and that's in my testimony. I've seen crazy things happen. Not to under spiritualize it, but I'm just trying to stay in tune with the Spirit, and just ask Him what He wants me to sing. And hopefully, it blesses people. I'm still learning myself.”

Click Here For The Full Story

CCM Pioneer Chuck Girard Enters Heaven at 81. Amy Grant and More

Share Tributes

<<“In my weakness, You always make me strong. All I wanna do now is praise You all day long.”

<<In these soul-stirring lines, Chuck Girard captured the essence of what would become his life’s work: the raw honesty of weakness transformed by strength, and a heart entirely devoted to praise. On August 11, 2025, Girard entered his eternal home surrounded by his family after a courageous battle with cancer, leaving behind a legacy that helped shape the very foundation of Contemporary Christian Music.

<<It would not be an overstatement to say that CCM Magazine, and the entire genre it represents, might not have existed without Chuck Girard and Love Song. As a Founding Father of the Jesus Movement in the early 1970s, Girard blazed a bold trail of faith-formed artistry, creating a path that would grow into the vast terrain of Christian music we know today.

Click Here For The Full Story

Crowder recovering after breaking leg, thanks fans for prayer; postpones Georgia Mountain Fair concert to

Nov. 1: 'I am not the athlete

I suspected I was'

Click Here To Read The Full Story

Forrest Frank turns Crowder’s recent injury Into a song of faith and hope

Click Here To Read The Full Story

STANDARD LESSON COMMENTARIES 2025-26

The popular Standard Lesson Commentary series is out for 2025-26. Three versions show up in this month's Top 25 Christian Book Seller's list...“KJV Standard Lesson Commentary Large Print” is at #2,

“NIV Standard Lesson Commentary Large Print" is at #21 and

"KJV Standard Lesson Commentary (normal size print) is at #25.

<<The Standard Lesson Commentary (SLC) 2025-26 continues its long tradition as one of the most widely used and trusted annual Bible commentaries for adult Sunday school, personal study, and sermon preparation. Here’s a thorough review based on its features, user feedback, and educational value.

Key Features:

<<* 52 Weeks of Study: The 2025-26 edition offers a full year of weekly lessons, covering a wide range of biblical themes in a structured, easy-to-follow format.

<<* Verse-by-Verse Commentary: Each lesson provides detailed, verse-by-verse explanations of the Bible text (available in both KJV and NIV), helping readers understand Scripture in depth.

<<* Printed Scripture Text: Lessons include the full Scripture passage being studied, which is particularly helpful for those without a Bible on hand.

<<* Discussion Questions & Engagement: Each lesson is supplemented with discussion starters to foster deeper group dialogue and encourage personal reflection.

<<* Modern Life Application: Verbal illustrations connect ancient Scripture to relevant, contemporary life scenarios.

<<* Learning Tools: A pronunciation guide for difficult biblical names, quarterly review quizzes, and reproducible activity pages enrich the learning experience.

<<* Flexible Formats: Available in regular print, large print, deluxe (which includes access to a library of digital resources through Logos Bible Software), and digital formats for Kindle and iPad.

2025-2026 Study Themes

<<* Judah, From Isaiah to the Exile (Isaiah, 2 Chronicles, Jeremiah, 2 Kings, Ezekiel)

<<* Enduring Beliefs of the Christian Faith (various Old and New Testament books)

<<* Social Teachings of the Church (Genesis, Exodus, Deuteronomy, Nehemiah, Isaiah, Daniel, Jonah, Psalms, Gospels, Acts, Romans, Corinthians, Galatians, Ephesians, Hebrews, Timothy, Thessalonians, James)

<<* The Testimony of Faithful Witnesses (Judges, Samuel, Amos, Gospels, Acts, Timothy, Philemon).

<<The Standard Lesson Commentary comes in NIV and KJV in both large and regular print.