NRT Now Podcast

It's entirely possible, likely even, that you were introduced to Anthem Lights through one of their medleys or mashups on social media. With close to 8 million followers across all platforms, their passion for creating family friendly entertainment is resonating with so many. The group stops in to share with us about why they have poured so much into these projects and about incorporating mainstream music in along with the Christian songs. If you've noticed that they've been a little quiet lately, it's because they have been focusing on their upcoming album of original music! The song "God Gave Me Freedom" has recently been released to radio, although the guys of Anthem Lights didn't expect it to be their next single. The group shares the story and the life behind the song and about the upcoming project. We couldn't end the episode without talking about influential vocal groups and boy bands. Anthem Lights talks about the groups that were most influential to them being at the spot they are today.  

The Ward brothers have been doing ministry through music for longer than they haven't at this point, which means they have lived a lot of life cooped up in enclosed spaces together. Funny enough, Caleb, Jordan, and Josh share that they were probably better behaved on the road when they were younger and their parents were their means of travel. The heart behind their hit song First Things First comes from the ups and downs of being brothers on the road: in the moments when they're getting on each other's nerves the most, keep the first things first. The Wards talk about the lessons their dad taught them and the influence he had on them. They share about their parents' legacy of church plants and support for their music career. They also talk about growing up together and which one of the brothers was the instigators and who got injured the most.

Sometimes life hits us hard and in the ways we least expect it... and it can surface wounds we forgot that we had. When this happens, we can either sit in the hurt and the pain, or we can run to our God that can heal us. Blanca shares about her journey of healing coming out of some of the toughest seasons of her life. Blanca also chats with us about her Latin heritage that is infused in her music and her ministry. Part of her healing was discovering who Blanca really is, which included a trip to visit the places where her parents grew up. The healing journey she has been walking through has taken her from walking through life on autopilot to walking in joy in her identity, both heavenly and earthly.  

Tobymac Hits Deep Tour. Newsboys Stand Together Tour. K-Love Live at Red Rocks. Along with quite a few festivals and other shows, Cochren & Co. has had a busy year. Michael Cochren shares his journey from a regional opening artist to taking the stage of some of biggest tours. Podcast host Jake had the chance to attend a few of these shows, Michael and Jake reminisce about some of these incredible nights. Somewhere in the middle of this busy season, Cochren & Co. found the time to write and record a new album. Michael shares about the life and the lessons that went into this album, both the musical influences that shine through and the lyrics that point people to run home to God.  

The CoJo Show has taken the Internet by storm with videos like "K-Love Dads" and "The Steven Curtis Chapman Song", a video that led to a huge surprise while in the K-Love studios. Coby James and Joseph O'Brien sang that they wanted to write a banger like Steven Curtis Chapman... they got the chance to just a short while later! Coby and Joseph talk about the experience of the whirlwind experience. In a CoJo Now Show challenge, Coby gets the chance to redeem his loss to Joseph in Way Nation's Best of 2022 Song Battle. The duo also share how the podcast got started and the reason why they are passionate about releasing content that is fresh and creative while continuing to point people to Jesus.   Video links: K-Love Surprises CoJo Show Way Nation Best of 2022 Song Battle  

In this installment of the Next Big Thing series, we would like to introduce you to CLINE. The group is comprised of the siblings Darrick, Garrett, and Jacquelyn Cline. Garrett and Darrick are brothers, Jacquelyn is Garrett's wife and I'm sure they would all say she's there to make them sound and look good. While they are relatively new to the CCM and worship space, they are no strangers to the music industry. Jacquelyn has been in and out of studios, and Garrett and Darrick have been in the mainstream Country space as a part of Dylan Scott's band for almost a decade. The Cline's share their experience of being Christians in music and how they keep their faith strong in a mainstream band. They also share about listening to the assignments God gives you to share his word, whether it's staying home with kids, serving in your church, or on the road in a bar. The Cline's also share their journey in CCM to this point and how working with others and co-writing has been the key to finding their identity.    

Ben Fuller's song "Who I Am" has made an impact on so many of us... as evidenced by how long it dominated the charts at #1 and recently earning an NRT We Love Awards nomination. Behind that song is a man who has fought through addictions in a primarily unchurched part of the country. After moving to Nashville, Ben had an encounter with Jesus that broke the chains of addiction.   Ben chats with us about the peace he found once he surrendered his life to Christ. Through his relatively short time as a Christian, he has seen God restore relationships in his life, break addictions, and restore mental health. One of the relationships that has been restored is one with his Dad, a relationship that is now open to emotion. We chat about how important it is for guys to express emotion and to find the kind of friends you can be raw and authentic around.

The term Selah traditionally refers to a rest, most often in a musical context. This is ironic as the group Selah has done everything but rest this past year. They've released 3 full albums, spent time on the road, and celebrated their 25th anniversary. Selah member Todd Smith shares Selah history and stories from their 25 years. One of the albums released this year was their third volume of hymns... but why hymns? He talks about the heart behind their love of hymns and why they are intentional about sharing them with this next generation. Todd also gives us the story behind his Santa Wars rivalry with author Jon Acuff.

A lot has happened since we chatted with Tasha Layton about this time last year: she released her debut album, there were #1 songs, the tours... and then on top of all that, she released a second album for Christmas. While she's found success and received the accolades, she is more focused on following the call that God has on her life. Plaques fade and a career could be gone in an instant, but loving her family and sharing Jesus lasts long after the lights go down. Tasha shares some of the moments that this year has brought, from an Opry debut to spending time on the road with her kids. She also tells us how some of the seasons in her life she thought were detours were actually just stops on the journey to get her to where God was leading her.

The magic formula for how to reach the next generation seems to be the most elusive item in the modern church. Every youth group and students ministry has had to struggle with how to best reach students. In modern times, it seems even more of a struggle as social media is ingrained in culture and there are so many voices and ideologies tugging at our young crowd. At 23 years old, Zauntee is working hard to reach his generation for Jesus. He shares his heart for reaching Gen Z and what makes this generation tick. Zauntee talks about how Gen Z wants to be a part of a movement and to be a part of something real... how they desire authenticity and consistency in how people talk about Jesus and live for them. He suggests that it's not complicated to say, but it can be tough to live out. Zauntee also shares stories about mentors in the music industry that have helped shape who he is as an artist. He talks about guys like Mark Hall (Casting Crowns) or Tauren Wells who have been consistent in the message they share on stage and the life they live when the lights go down.

In a recent interview, Bart Millard of MercyMe was asked if he felt like he was preaching to the choir sometimes. His response was that now he absolutely is preaching to the choir because it's divided and splintered. With their time on stage, their hope is that maybe the few thousand people there can agree on something for an hour and a half when it seems impossible to agree on anything.  Although we'll still have our own opinions and viewpoints, the heart of MercyMe is to guide the Church to unity on the foundation of Jesus. This theme is woven throughout Always Only Jesus through songs like "To Not Worship You" and "Then Christ Came."   Bart shares parts of the journey in writing the album and the moments in the studio that were special to him. He also shares a hint at a potential special album in the near future?

In this installment of the Next Big Thing series, we are introduced to Todd Rukes. Todd is a Worship Pastor turned HR Director turned Recruiter turned Recording Artist. From his unique vantage point as a recruiter, Todd shares some wisdom for both churches and potential worship pastors as they search for the match for their ministries. Todd also talks about his journey and why he has chosen now to release his debut album after years as a worship pastor in churches. In the process of recording this album, he has had a team behind him that has pushed him forward and was honest when things were not up to par. We chat about the power of having people who can speak truth into our lives and walking through tough seasons in our churches.

Since his debut in 2018, Peabod has become known for his unique, poppy brand of hip hop. While Peabod didn't start out in hip hop, he has found freedom in the genre to explore new ways to create. Just as his career in music was starting to take off, he got thrown a curveball when the pandemic took hold. As a newlywed, there was a silver lining since he was given a season to spend with his wife before being on the road as a full time musician. In this episode, Peabod shares about his start in music and some fun stories along the way. He also talks about marriage lessons he's learned and his jump to a full time career in music.

Andrew Greer offers the thought that in our efforts to become more diverse, maybe we have become homogenized than we intend. We must speak, act, think the same in order to be heard, and humans are not designed for this. We are created to have relationships and exchange thoughts in a manner that is enriching to one another... but do we have the habit of putting God in a box that looks strangely more like our own opinions and judge people from that standard? What doors would open and who would we meet if we pursued God for how big he is and followed how Jesus taught us to live with each other?   As we chat about a recent project Andrew has produced, an album tribute to the late Rich Mullins, maybe that's what made Rich so relatable. In this episode, Andrew talks about Rich's legacy and the process of recording "Bellsburg." Andrew also shares about other projects that strangely seem to revolve around conversations, including "Empty Stage" and "Dinner Conversations with Mark Lowry and Andrew Greer."

What is the NRT Now Podcast? In each episode, we spend some time with your favorite Christian Artists (or introduce you to an artist... maybe your new favorite artist?) and share stories. Whether it's a story from their journey or the music itself... we share a laugh, encouragement, and deepen our faith one conversation at a time.

A couple years after releasing one of the biggest songs of 2020 with his wife Kari Jobe, Cody Carnes is set to release a live album declaring this truth: God Is Good. In a time where everything seems so complicated, there is power in the simplicity of that truth. There are so many depths of that truth to explore, but it is truly that simple. Cody talks about his heart behind sharing that message through this live album. Cody shares his journey that started at Gateway Church in the Dallas/Ft. Worth Metroplex (TX).

When Hope Darst introduces a new song as part of her church, she can gauge how the song is impacting and how people connect with it. When Hope released her debut solo album in 2020, not only was she stepping out in faith in becoming a solo artist, she released the songs in a period where she couldn't be in the room to see the connection. As she is starting to get out on the road, she's discovering what she was missing as she hears people singing her songs and sharing stories about how her songs have impacted people across the country.   Hope also shares about writing for her church, The Belonging Co. She shares about the heart of why the church pursues excellence in creativity. 

After several years of meeting in nightclubs around LA, Fearless Church finally found a building and was getting ready to move in at the beginning of 2020. Though the pandemic delayed their move into the new building for services, Pastor Jeremy Johnson shares how they used their building and the area around it to serve their community faithfully so that the city even took note and partnered with them to help distribute food. In a period where so many issues tried to darken their area, they chose to be a light and build their foundation on Jesus. Jeremy shares these stories and the season the church has been through that birthed the songs from the Hope St. Revival album.

It's hard to believe that it's been 20 years since Kutless released their debut album. To celebrate the album's 20th anniversary, Kutless re-recorded 3 songs from the album and added a 'Kutless in 2022' flavor to them. As we continue the 20th anniversary celebration, Jon Micah Sumrall and James Mead join us to share some stories. Whether it's near death experiences or epic tour pranks, there has been a lot of life lived since Kutless released that first album. Jon Micah and James talk about the history of the band and the members who have left a mark on the band's legacy. They also give us some hints as to what the future holds for Kutless, although they aren't leaking too much out just quite yet.

In this installment of the Next Big Thing series, we are introduced to Sean BE. Sean invites us to step into his story as he talks about his journey from Next Gen pastor to recording artist. Sean shares with us about the leaps of faith it took to get to this season, as well as some of the challenges he faced growing up as a pastor's grandkid.

The hit series The Chosen is filming season 3 in North Texas. One of the episodes in Season 3 is the miracle of the Feeding of the 5,000. Back in August of 2021, The Chosen announced that they would be opening up the opportunity to be an extra in the episode. Over the course of 2 days, over 12,000 people descended on Midlothian, TX to be a part of this episode.   As we went behind the scenes, we had the opportunity to chat with some of the people behind the production: Derral Eves, Executive Producer and The Chosen CEO Amber Shana Williams, Tamar Robert Akin, Owner of CRC Construction and Tad Eckerle, COO View our time on set here: https://youtu.be/hs5c97fE9LY

When we last caught up with Ryan Williams from River Valley Worship in the summer of 2020, River Valley Church was on the front end of a season full of challenges. Between a pandemic, their city being at the center of our news cycles, and division surrounding them, RVC had a lot to navigate. As we chat with Ryan at the release of their album 'Faith in Our Time,' he shares about the journey that RVC has walked through and how their church has grown in the process.

Kevin Olusola was a pre-med student and training in classical music on the cello. Donovan Donnell was a male exotic dancer. Both Kevin and Donovan stepped out onto the path God had for them and found that it led toward reaching their dreams. Donovan is an author, life coach, and speaker, among many other things. Kevin is now a member of the wildly successful band Pentatonix. They have come together to bring us the Imagine Faith Talk podcast, unpacking biblical principles for optimizing performance and finding success through a partnership with God. Through their respective journeys, each of them brings a unique perspective to the conversation. In this episode, Kevin shares the journey from his hometown in Kentucky to the spotlight, starting with his parents' immigration from Nigeria and Grenada. He talks about the God moments that happened along the way which opened the doors to be a part of Pentatonix. He wraps this all into sharing the heart behind Imagine Faith Talk and the following the dreams God has placed on your heart–how do you achieve your dreams without having to sell your soul? We want to hear about how Christian Music has impacted you. Share your story below: https://nrt.cc/fiveminutes

Mark Lowry's career has spanned a few decades and he has cemented his legacy in not only the Southern Gospel community, but also the Christian Comedian community. Or is that the other way around? Maybe it was his song "Mary, Did You Know?" Either way, he has impacted many lives and shared the Gospel all over the world as part of the Gaither Vocal Band and as part of the Gaither Homecoming series. In Episode 108, Jeff Allen shared his story about meeting Mark and his encouragement while Jeff was doing some shows with the Gaither's.   In this episode, Mark shares a bit about his story and the power of comedy along with music. He also talks about how he has gone high tech to keep the old hymns alive.

As Josh Holiday from Elevation Rhythm reminds us, so many periods of time are marked by the art and music that emerge from them. You can see and feel what's happening as you listen to music or gaze at a painting from that period. Josh and fellow Elevation Rhythm member Davide Mutendji share about this period in Elevation Church's Youth ministry that has been captured in their latest release, Growing Pains. Davide and Josh also talk about the path that Elevation Rhythm has been on and their relationship with Elevation Worship.

The idea for Honor & Glory was started by conversations in the back of Disciple's tour bus. As they were chatting about their weekends, the realization hit them that worship was important enough that they were all playing in church on their days off. Since they were all worshipping separately at their respective churches, why not do it together... right? As Kevin Young tells us, they're all best friends who are wanting to share the message of Christ through music. Every opportunity to share Christ is important, and the Honor & Glory project opens different doors for them to do so.

Over the last few years, for KING & COUNTRY has become one of the biggest names in Christian music. Despite having their faces featured on billboards and touring semi-trucks, features in major publications and TV programming, and all the accolades... their mission remains the same as it was when they started: connecting to people and connecting people to God. Luke Smallbone shares that while they write songs that mean a lot to them, there is power when those songs become part of people's stories. Also in this episode, Luke shares stories from their current tour, writing the What Are We Waiting For album, and talks about their first meet and greets of 2022 at bookstore CD signings. 

River Valley Worship released Altars in the late spring of 2020 while the world was still trying to figure out what was happening and right before their hometown of Minneapolis/St. Paul, MN was thrust into the center of national conversations. Even though all this was swirling around, something was bubbling in the Youth ministry at River Valley Church. Ages leader Wes Schrock shares how AGES was birthed to add fuel to a fire that was burning in student worship leaders as they were bringing in their own songs to the church. Wes also shares what has been happening in their youth ministry and how they have navigated the difficult season their area has been walking through.

We Love Awards nominated artist Abby Robertson joined the ranks of artists like Sarah Reeves, for KING & COUNTRY, Sidewalk Prophets... Not only have all these artists been nominated for We Love Awards, but they have all been Pre-Jam artists on past WinterJam tours. On the last stop of WinterJam 2022, Abby talks about her time on tour and how she has grown. She tells us about her journey as an artist and performing for the We Love Awards show.

It's crazy how conversations we have or songs we write wind up ministering to us just as much as anyone else. When Jordan St. Cyr wrote the hit song Fires a few years ago, he wrote it about a man who was on the verge of losing everything. When Jordan was faced with his own fires when his youngest daughter was diagnosed with health concerns, God used his own song to minister to him. Jordan shares his journey with this album and Fires. He also shares about sharing tours with some of the artists that have shaped his faith and his path in becoming an artist.

Life comes at us hard and at times it feels like we're alone in what we're going through. 10th Annual We Love Awards Host Branan Murphy shares about his heartbeat for connecting with people and walking alongside them. He tells us that even though the last couple years have been tough for him, he wouldn't trade the lessons he's learned or how it's deepened his faith. Branan is hoping that the music that comes from this past season encourages those listening and speaks the universal truth that they are not alone; they are known, seen, and loved by God. 

The Bible tells us that there will be trials in this life, but it also tells us that a joyful heart is good medicine. If Comedian Jeff Allen has made you laugh till your sides hurt and made you forget about everything else for a while, he's accomplished his mission. Though Jeff has been in the comedy game for many years, his brand of humor changed after he encountered Jesus. In this episode, Jeff shares his powerful testimony and how that has influenced what you see on YouTube and network TV today. We also talk marriage tips and how our marriages bring us some of the funniest moments... some of the funniest things can only happen in the deepest of relationships.

Just like so many artists, Elevation Worship was set to take Elevation Nights on the road before the whole world shut down. During the season that followed, Elevation Worship released 'Graves Into Gardens' and 'Old Church Basement.' Worship Leader Chris Brown shares about the move that happened in their church and their worship team that came from that season/albums and how that's led into the upcoming album 'Lion.' Collaborations with other worship leaders have unlocked a whole new perspective and how they write, along with the hunger that came from being separated. Chris also shares with us about finally being able to take Elevation Church on the road with Elevation Nights and being able to share these last two albums to live crowds. 

When life changes on a dime, it's easy to long for what life was like before and where we were comfortable. In these moments, however, things are revealed that we weren't able to see before. Planetboom, the youth expression of Planetshakers church, is located in Melbourne, Australia where Pastor Noah and Pastor Aimee describe as one of the most locked-down locations during the pandemic. Although Boom nights looked radically different, they discovered new areas to disciple and minister the youth that attended.

When life gets tough, it's easy to say all the Christian things out loud while being in pain quietly. Joseph Rojas of Seventh Day Slumber shares with us how Christian Rock tends to live in the space of expressing the emotion that is under the surface. As we chat about how music impacts us, Joseph shares a story of a CCM Artist friend who helped him get through one of the toughest parts of his life. We also discuss what it means to come alongside each other when it gets tough.

Passion Conference's website says this about their mission: "We are calling this generation, with different voices, but one song, different backgrounds, but one Father, different nationalities, but one eternal home. When we come together for the name of Jesus, we are changed, personally and collectively." Worship Leader Kristian Stanfill shares about the most welcome return of the conference in 2022 after the world shut down. He shares his favorite moments from the conference... from the power in group sessions to the voices that contributed to the music that emerged from Conference. Kristian talks about his journey from solo artist through time with Passion.

After about a decade and 5 albums, life caught up with the members of the Dove Award-winning band Stellar Kart and they decided it was time for a change of seasons. Frontman Adam Agee has continued his career in music as a member of Audio Adrenaline and with his solo projects. As he's releasing his first solo album, he shares his journey from the Stellar Kart days and why he continues to be passionate about Christian music. He also shares why partnering with missions organizations is so important to why he's sets out on the road.

Music has always been a part of Coby James's life. While he may not have been releasing chart-topping hits at 15, he was laying the groundwork for a ministry he knew God was calling him to. Coby's story includes health issues as a kid and moving to a new place as the world was shutting down, but he has remained faithful to his ministry and has weaved those experiences into his music. He shares some of these stories and talks about the community he's found in this episode, along with celebrating his nomination in the 10th annual We Love Awards.

As we close out this amazing year in Christian music, we brought in a panel to discuss our 10th annual We Love Christian Music Awards. NRT President, Founder, and all-around good guy Kevin McNeese joins host Jake Frederick and Visible Music College/Madison Line Records' own Crystal Bergman. The panel chats about the music that came out in 2021, the awards, and the partnership between NRT and Visible Music College.

You may know Mac Powell's distinctive voice from the iconic band Third Day. Although the season of Third Day has come to a close, Mac has not slowed down at all. He has pursued his solo Country work with Mac Powell and the Family Reunion and has recently released his debut solo CCM project. In this Christmas episode, Mac shares about his family Christmas traditions, which include him sharing a birthday with Jesus. We also take a moment to celebrate Waffle House and his Tunie award.

Author and Artist Maddie Rey has been a part of her family's youth-focused ministry since she was about 12 years old. Maddie has continued that passion for youth ministry into books and music. In this episode, Maddie shares about speaking biblical truth into this next generation.

There is power when you're open and raw with your story. When Mōriah Smallbone and her husband Joel Smallbone (for KING & COUNTRY) started their cinematic podcast BECOMING:us, being open with their story was a priority. In this episode, Mōriah shares about their podcast and about her new EP. Part of the story of her EP is the diverse group of friends that contributed to the project, and she shares her heart behind it.

We're starting our 2021 Christmas episodes with a hint of an #NRTwenty theme. We catch up with Shelley from Point of Grace to chat about their music from the albums in the '90s to their brand new Christmas album. We talk about books from Girls of Grace to their recent book How You Live: Lessons Learned. Shelley shares some of their journey over the last twenty years and shares some of her family's Christmas traditions.

We first caught up with Tasha in 2019 for Episode 17 as she shared her testimony. She shared about her faith journey and the miracles that she and her husband Keith Everett Smith have witnessed. We catch back up with Tasha for another Thanksgiving episode and to hear what God has done in their lives over the past couple of years. From their second miracle baby being born to a move that has planted them in a new season, God has definitely still been on the move.

Christmas is the season for joy, generosity, and good cheer. By the time Christmas rolls around, there has been a lot of life lived since the beginning of the year. After the last couple of years that we've walked through, we could definitely use some Christmas. Matthew West has released an album aptly named 'We Need Christmas' and we discuss some events of this past year.

It's not common for an artist to follow up several #1 hits with a hiatus. Shortly after Chasen released their 'That Was Then, This Is Now' album that had 2 of their #1's, Chasen Callahan hit pause and joined the staff at his church in South Carolina. Chasen shares about the season in between where he has found the balance between ministry and being present for his family. It's been over 10 years since 'That Was Then, This Is Now'... Chasen has released a new album with renewed vision.

A prerequisite for revival is desperation... a desperation for God that is new and fresh. Have you heard the phrase God won't give you anything that you can't handle? Rebecca St. James discusses that one piece to this Biblical concept that can get overlooked is that we find ourselves in situations that we cannot handle by ourselves, but we can with Jesus. In a time where it seems like so many are desperate, we need revival and we need the hope that is found in Jesus.

Gospel artist Jason Clayborn and CCM worship leader Stephen McWhirter first connected while Jason's group performed on a Louisville, KY TV show called "The Sound." The instant friendship has led to a series of collaborations celebrating both artists' musical cultures. If Heaven is going to be filled with people of every tongue and every nation, we can only imagine what Heaven will sound like. Although we won't know what that sounds like until we get there, Stephen and Jason are pursuing a creative process that produces music that brings different voices together here on Earth. 

Love is a powerful force, it can do things without even saying things. Danny Gokey shares with he wishes that was something he learned when he was younger, and how something as simple as loving your kids can make an impact on someone without you ever noticing. Danny also talks about his new album Jesus People and the heart of compassion that went into writing this album.

The Newsboys have been given the gift of time, both in the longevity of the band and in this recent season. In this episode, we chat about the Newsboys' legacy and the seasons that have gone into this legacy. We also discuss the time that went into crafting the new album, Stand. The Newsboys share their heart behind the album and the songs.

It's inevitable that the seasons in life will change, but sometimes the challenge is moving between seasons when God calls you. As Mike Donehey changes season from Tenth Avenue North to a solo career, we chat about the transition between these seasons and how that has impacted his family time and songwriting. We also chat about loving people through the changes in their seasons.