FredMcKinnon.Com

Hey Everyone,

We’ve been spreading the word this week about a great new song we’re featuring over at TheWorshipCommunity.Com and HighestPraise.Com called “Hallelujah!  I Am Free”.  You can download free leadsheets and chord charts to it here.

This morning the songwriter, Trent Smith, uploaded a great video showing how he plays the song.  Check it out.  Most importantly, share it with your friends.  I hope you’ll consider using this song in your personal times of worship and even in your corporate worship at your church.

Song:
Hallelujah! I Am Free (Trent Smith) by highestpraise

Video:

I’m back from the re:create conference.  We hit the ground running wide open … what’s new.  I need to sit down and unpack everything that happened last week during re:create, but haven’t found a slow moment.  Do they exist?

Anyway, while I was there I experienced “Gungor” – formerly known as “The Michael Gungor Band”.  Folks, unless you’ve just offline, you’ve already seen the buzz on Twitter and blogs about this band.  I have witnessed some amazing performances in my life and this ranks as one of the most inspiring performances of my lifetime.  I’m not exaggerating.

Gungor’s CD (which he presented from start to end for us with the full band and multimedia experience) released today, Feb 15.  It’s called “Beautiful Things”.  I’d encourage you to spend the $10 and download it right away from iTunes.  It’s so worth it.

Here’s their “EPK” video.  Enjoy the heart of a husband/wife and band that show some of the most inspiring, creative, passionate worship I’ve encountered … ever.  Also, my friend Russ Hutto just published an amazing review of the album and the live experience we had with Gungor over at TheWorshipCommunity.Com.  Go checkout that review after watching the EPK below.

After hearing about the much-anticipated, controversial book for nearly a full year, Randy Elrod has officially released his book, “Sex, Lies, and Religion”.

I’ve had the pleasure of spending some quality time with Randy and his wife, Chris.  He’s one of those guys that you are immediately captivated by.  Chris, his lovely wife and life partner is equally amazing and when you hang around them you get the idea that this is how God intended marriage to be.

I got my pre-release copy of this book a couple of weeks ago and was drawn into the story from the very beginning.  The opening scene hits home for me because it is literally taking place a stone’s throw from my home and I couldn’t help but smile, recalling the “personal connection” I had to this book and it’s author.

I won’t go into a lot of details about the book – you can get that information when you buy it and read it for yourself.  Known for beautiful works of watercolor art, many of which are nudes, I began to get a better understanding of Randy’s heart for true art, the physical body, and expression.

What is the difference between nude art and pornography?  This book addresses that topic and many, many others.

“Sex, Lies, and Religion” will be a challenging read, especially for those who are overly religious.  Randy will tackle some issues of sexuality, expression, and intimacy that can challenge your thinking.  He certainly challenged mine.  I honestly can’t say that I’d endorse or agree with every statement in the book.

On the whole, the book is a welcome challenge and I am already inspired by reading it.  Personally, with four young children in our home and decades of religious influences  affecting my paradigms and ways of thinking,  I NEEDED TO READ THIS BOOK.

In closing, I think this book can certainly bring about freedom to so many people who could be in bondage to sexual sins, lusts, or intimacy issues.  Most importantly, the purpose is not just to “improve your sex life” … it’s to bring a greater awareness of our intimacy with Christ.

Curious yet?  Go get your copy of “Sex, Lies, and Religion” by Randy Elrod today at:
http://sexliesandreligion.skyroo.com
———–
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from cre:ate 2.0 Publishing to read and post a review on my site. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 > “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

Hey Everybody,

Today is the day!  If you’ve been into blogging and social networking at all, Carlos Whittaker (aka “Los”) is no stranger to you.  He’s the blogger over at RagamuffinSoul.Com and we are teaming up with Carlos and Integrity Music to give you a 3-day blog tour of his brand new EP that launched TODAY.

There are 3 songs on the EP:

1.  “Jesus Saves” (hear it right here on FredMcKinnon.Com)
2.  “Rain It Down” (hear it tomorrow, Jan 27 over at Klampert.Com)
3.  “We Will Worship” (hear it Thursdays, Jan 28 over at ChrisFromCanada.Com)

Here’s an exclusive preview of the first song, “Jesus Saves”.

“Jesus Saves”
By:  Mia Fieldes, Jason Ingram and Carlos Whittaker
© 2010 Mia Fieldes/Shout! Publishing (adm in the U.S. and Canada by Integrity Worship Music)/ASCAP, Sony/ATV Timber Publishing/West Main Music/Windsor Hill Music/SESAC and Integrity Worship Music/ASCAP

Jesus Saves by highestpraise

Lyrics:

Your wounded hands have broken my chains
Your holiness has carried the weight
And I am the sum of failing and of grace
You overcame

Jesus saves my Jesus saves
Jesus saves my Jesus saves

Your innocence has covered my shame
Your love has spoken me by name
And I have victory over the grave over the grave
You overcame

Jesus saves my Jesus saves
Jesus saves my Jesus saves

I was dying You came for me
Now I’m living for my savior
Hope is rising up within me
You’re my Savior and Lord

Want a FREE CHORD CHART so you can start singing this anthem in your church right away?  Download it!

Want to buy this song and the entire EP?  Get it on iTunes today!

First, let me just apologize and say that I was supposed to post a review of this book for Thomas Nelson Publishers a month or so ago … when the book was released.  I had two pre-release copies but didn’t finish the book in time.

So – now, I’m going to GIVEAWAY a brand new copy of this book – all you have to do is leave a comment here on the blog.  Facebook folks … you have to click over to FredMcKinnon.Com and leave a comment here, not on Facebook, sorry!

I’ll do the giveaway sometime early next week.

The Review:

OK, so I’ll be honest here.  I had a hard time finishing this book.  From the get-go, I was pretty disappointed.  A lot of that came from confusion – I didn’t really understand how the book was written.  Was it fiction?  Was it for real?  Did this stuff really happen to Donald Miller, or was he just writing about it happening to him?  Did he really have someone approach him about making a movie of one of his previous books?  If so, which book was it?

And guess what.  I still don’t know the answers to those questions.

So, I wasn’t blow away by the book – I kept giving up on it, only to pick it up again.  And it started growing on me.  It felt like the entire first half of the book was the same thing over and over … and then, all of a sudden, he started “walking out” the stuff he was learning – making changes in his life … so that his “story” would be more exciting.  And it was.

So I’m happy to say that when I finally finished the book, I was glad I’d pressed through.  The second half of the book was much better than the first half and make it worth the read.  I realize my “less than blown away” review is a contrast to all the cool folks who reviewed this book … many whom are blog and real-life friends that I have a great deal of respect for.  But when it’s all said and done, I was like “what’s the big deal”?

There are some great stories in here, though … like I said, especially at the end.  And hey – it’s DEFINITELY worth getting a FREE COPY, so leave a comment below for your chance to win!