This year, the three finalists up for Song of the Year are Britt Nicole and “Set the World on Fire”, Josh Wilson and “I Refuse” and last but not least, Brandon Heath and “The One”.

Harmony of Hearts chose these three songs because each of them reflects the heart of Christ in reaching out to the poor, and carries that message to the world.

Isaiah 61:1 says “The Spirit of the Sovereign LORD is on me, because the LORD has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives and release from darkness for the prisoners.”

This verse has really come alive for me this week as I’ve been spending time in the word. To know that Christ came to “bind up the brokenhearted” is so liberating. We don’t have to stay broken or afraid. He has come to proclaim freedom.

In 2009, the band Leeland won the Harmony of Hearts award for their song “Follow You”. Cross took this song and infused video and audio clips from our project in Africa, as you can see below.

To vote for this year’s Song of the Year, visit www.crossinternational.org/SOTY

 - Briana B

The two rising stars (Scott McCreery and Lauren Alaina) have also not been shy about their Christian faith. McCreery has been seen wearing a large black cross necklace since his audition, and Christian ministry I Am Second pointed out this week that he is wearing a black I Am Second bracelet on his right wrist.

The I am Second movement teaches the importance of making Jesus Christ the first focus in a person’s life and making oneself second.

“It is inspiring to see him confidently display his faith to millions each week,” said Mike Jorgensen, I Am Second executive director. “We wish him the best in the finals.”

McCreery told Hollywood Life that, “My faith is a big part of my life. I love Jesus Christ with all my heart. He’s got me through this for sure. I need to stay by him through this competition. He’s the only way I’m getting through it.”

And his favorite day of the week? Sunday, because he gets to go to church and have a home-cooked meal by his mom.

Competitor and good friend Lauren Alaina shared with Us Magazine that her pre-show ritual is prayer.

“I just pray before I go out every time,” she told the Hollywood celebrity-focused magazine.

Have you noticed how many AI contestants have church singing and/or music backgrounds?

Pray for these two, that they will stand clearly, firmly, and winsomely for Jesus.  Not an easy task for anyone, but I’d assume especially challenging for these two and their families.

Before they were famous, many of the biggest pop stars in the world believed that God wanted them to be famous, that this was his plan for them, just as it was his plan for the rest of us not to be famous. Conversely, many equally talented but slightly less famous musicians I’ve interviewed felt their success was accidental or undeserved—and soon after fell out of the limelight.

His conclusion:

…Believing that God wants you to be famous actually improves your chances of being famous. Of course, from the standpoint of traditional theology, even in the Calvinistic world of predestination, God is much more concerned with the fate of an individual’s soul than his or her secular success, and one’s destiny is unknowable. So what’s helping these stars is not so much religion as belief—specifically, the belief that God favors their own personal, temporal success over that of almost everyone else.

While this certainly smacks of presumption, I wonder if it doesn’t also provide us insight.

Could it be that the creative mind, even in a fallen state, recognizes the ultimate Creator?

See Romans 1:18-21, Psalm 19.

Question 4 Mike Grayson

Congratulations to MikesChair for being awarded out 2010 Song of the Year award for “Keep on Changin’ the World”

MikesChair, Jan 2011 (www.crossinternational.org)

Question 3 Jesse Hale (mp3)

MikesChair, Jan 2011 (www.crossinternational.org)

Jesse Hale of MikesChair, our 2010 Song of the Year award winner, shares how their song “Keep Changing the World” has made a  impact:

Question 2 Jesse Hale (mp3 download)

MikesChair, Jan 2011 (www.crossinternational.org)

Mike Grayson of MikesChair explains a bit about the history and meaning behind band’s name :

Mike Grayson from MikesChair (mp3 download)

MikesChair & Rhonda G - www.CrossInternational.org

“Winning Cross International’s song of the year is such an incredible honor for us. We are so honored because this award lines up exactly with the heart of the song. Our prayer is for more songs that encourage the church to rise up and take part in drastically changing the world.”

Mike Grayson (lead singer of MIKESCHAIR)

Mikes Chair - Winner, 2010 Cross International Song of the Year

Press release (November 2010)

(Pompano Beach, FL) – Cross International is pleased to announce the winner of the 2010 Song of the Year Award to “Keep Changing the World,” written by Mike Grayson, Seth Jones, and Jason Ingram and performed by MikesChair and LeCrae, from the self-titled release MikesChair (Curb Records)

“Keep On Changing the World” won over some stiff competition in a year that many relief efforts were focused on Haiti from the January earthquake.  The runners-up are:

• Come Together Now (Music City Unites for Haiti) – written by Cindy Morgan, performed by Music City Unites for Haiti – a group of Nashville-area artists including Michael W. Smith, Steven Curtis Chapman, Toby Mac, and others – and featured on the release Healing 4 Haiti (Integrity/Columbia)
• The Generous Mr. Lovewell – written by Jim Bryson, Mike Schuechzer, Barry Graul, Robby Shaffer, Bart Millard & Nathan Cochran and performed by MercyMe on their release The Generous Mr. Lovewell (Reunion Records).

Fans weighed in on the award by casting ballots on-line at www.crossinternational.org/songoftheyear. “Keep Changing the World” placed first with on-line ballots, garnering 61% of the votes, with “Come Together for Haiti” and “The Generous Mr. Lovewell” placing 2^nd and 3^rd (26% and 11%) respectively.

Chuck Burge, Director of the Music Outreach for Cross International, said the ministry is delighted to present the award to the band.  “With this energetic, upbeat song MikesChair is encouraging the church to look beyond itself in the U-S to serve ‘the least of these’ in the name of Christ.  We are thrilled to encourage the guys with this award.”

Burge says the objective is not just to benefit the poor overseas but also the church in the U-S.  “Jesus Himself said that it is more blessed to give than to receive.  Something happens inside of you when you give to someone who has no hope of giving in return.  You understand first-hand just a bit of what it meant for Christ to make Himself poor so that we could become rich.”

The annual Harmony of Hearts Award goes to the creative forces responsible for the song which best represents God’s concern for the poor and call to serve them.  It is designed to spur songwriters and musicians towards creating songs that illustrate God’s compassion to the poor and the church’s obligation to serve them in Jesus’ name.

HARMONY OF HEARTS

Harmony of Hearts is the music outreach program of Cross International, which delivers food, shelter and hope to the poorest of the poor in Jesus’ name.  The goal is to incite mercy through music and that God would be pleased to spiritually revive and renew His people through worship and serving the poor.

Harmony of Hearts provides music and worship material free of charge to local churches for a worship service as special music or an offertory.  Materials include music charts, song suggestions, DVD accompaniment, and audio Scripture readings by James Earl Jones that reinforce serving the poor.  While there is no cost for materials, we request credit given to Cross International by distributing a brochure, saying a word with the presentation, or printing our website in the bulletin.

For information and interviews, contact:

Chuck Burge / Cross International

Phone:    (800) 391-8545 ext. 174

Email:    click here

Web:      www.HarmonyofHearts.org

Blog:     www.HarmonyBlog.org