The Brooklyn Tabernacle Choir PRAY - Reviewed

Press Release:

(Brooklyn, NY)--The new CD Pray from six-time Grammy Award-winning Brooklyn Tabernacle Choir debuted in the #1 spot on iTunes Christian and Gospel Albums chart.  

Since its inception over 40 years ago when the Choir began with only nine members, the choir director, Carol Cymbala, has never read music – though she has written numerous hit songs—and the choir has never used charts.  The 300-voice choir is a blend of ethnic and economic backgrounds, with members ranging from lawyers and doctors to former drug addicts.  Cymbala believes that choirs and praise teams have important responsibilities to the churches they serve.  

"When we truly worship, we open our hearts to hear from God," says Cymbala. "Church praise teams should never perform praise and worship. If we simply perform, our congregations become spectators instead of worshipers, and it is vital that we worship from our hearts in spirit and in truth. Worship is contagious, and when we worship as a choir and praise team, the congregation, in turn, begins to lift their hearts and worship God. I also believe our song selections should be simple enough that young and old, the diverse body of Christ, can lift their hearts in praise and worship together as one."

The Brooklyn Tabernacle Choir has performed at major music venues such as Radio City Music Hall, Carnegie Hall, and Madison Square Garden.  In addition to their six Grammy Awards, the Choir has been honored with seven Dove Awards (Gospel Music’s Grammy equivalent), two #1 Billboard charting CDs and over four million albums sold.  The choir sang “The Battle Hymn of The Republic” at President Obama’s second inauguration ceremony on the steps of the U.S. Capitol to a worldwide television audience of over a billion people. The Choir has performed on various national TV shows including Good Morning America andFox and Friends, among others.  Brooklyn Tabernacle Choir was featured on the cover ofThe New York Times and highlighted in  Time Magazine.  The choir’s previous CD, Love Lead the Way, also debuted at #1 on the iTunes Christian/Gospel album chart last year.  For more information, visit www.brooklyntabernacle.org.

My Review:

I really don’t have words to express how deeply this CD has touched my heart.  I have been brought into God’s holy presence, brought to tears, raised my hands in joy….because Jesus is worthy of my praise, and the Brooklyn Tabernacle Choir has lifted Christ alone in praise and worship!!  This is such a gift! Such blessed assurance that through Christ we can have the peace, assurance and hope that we long for.  We can rest in the promise that our faith in Christ is enough, no matter our circumstances.  

This is a tremendous offering of praise.  You are able to experience a live performance of this very gifted choir.  I have always been drawn to choir music, and this CD is absolutely gorgeous!  There is a wide variety of music, and every single word and note brings praise to our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.  What a blessing!!

If I had to pick a favorite….this would be it.  But really, every song on this project is a precious gift!!

All Because of Him  

All of my trust is in // Jesus my faithful friend // Now I am born again // All because of Him // All of my guilt erased // All because He took my place // I am alive today // All because of Him // I still believe // Oh I still believe // I will trust my father’s plan // Yes my heart is in His hands // I still believe // He is all I need // Oh He is all I need // It’s Him I love who loved me first // With the Love that broke sin’s curse // I still believe