The Christian Music Blog Podcast: Christian Music | Songwriting | Worship | Creative Productivity | Music Business

John Maxwell is known for saying "everything rises or falls on leadership". This is true not only for POTUS and the obvious ones who have "excelled", but this also includes the right-brain solo artist who flies by the seat of their pants. In this session of the CMB Podcast, I speak with leadership coach Dave Kraft. We talk about what leadership looks like for folks who don't naturally fit into the "type A" mold that people often think of when the subject of leadership emerges. Everyone needs to learn how to lead themselves. No one is exempt from growing. To move yourself from where you currently are, to a place you see in your mind's eye, is leadership. And, I believe, artists lead others in their own way. No artist is an island unto themselves. Somewhere in this world there is a person who resonates with your music and songwriting. They're simply waiting to be lead by your gift as an artist. Dave's book Leaders Who Last really impacted my life not only in my life as a ministry leader at my church and with my band, but also in my personal life. His insights helped me find clarity and focus in the over-arching life purpose the God has called me to. Here's what Dave and I covered: The story of his conversion Working at the US post office Dave's work with the Navigators Why leadership matters for everyone Leading yourself Why intentionality is important Dave's definition of leadership Go from where you are to where you want to go Leading with focus and rest The Leadership Wheel Vertical (power and purpose) Horizontal (priorities and pacing) Daily spiritual disciplines What's the number one priority? Power principles Practical tip for active minds during devotions Ezra 7 Council for burned out people Ideal week and balance Proactive rather than reactive Capacity and knowing who you are Examples of burned out folks who changed their ways Sabbath as a principle One day off won't save you The weakness of being a doer and not a delegator Get a road builder Encouraged by the young people His latest book Mistakes Leaders Make Dave Online davekraft.org Dave's twitter Dave on The Resurgence Dave's book notes Leader Who Last Mistakes Leaders Make A series of video interviews between Dave and Doug Wilson This is a great post that Dave wrote on contentment. Artists need this Extras Leading On Empty The Power of Full Engagement D.I.S.C. personality profile    

In session 26 of the CMB Podcast, I was privileged to sit down with singer/songwriter, Derek Webb. Derek has been an inspiration to a lot of people. Certainly in his years with Caedmon’s Call he left an impact on the church, and since his time with them, with now 8 full length studio records under his belt, he’s been a leader and influencer for independent artists. Not only has he been a pioneer in helping create the popular online music movement Noisetrade, but his out-of-the-box creativity as an independent artist himself has inspired thousands. He’s an artist. And whether or not you agree with everything he says isn’t the point... He can’t be ignored. The issues he raises in his music, and the questions he asks, should be discussed... In this episode I’m not going to even go into all those things. In fact, at the end of my call with Derek, we talked about lining up another interview to talk about Noisetrade and the future of the music industry. More on that later... For now, I’m excited to help promote his new album I Was Wrong, I’m Sorry and I Love You... Here's what we chatted about: Derek's story growing up Derek's transition from Caedmon's Call to going solo Marriage and changes Risk taking Looking out for the coordinates 3 things we must say to keep relationships going Ctrl Taking an account ten years in Still believing and building on that foundation Wired for disruption… These affects on Derek's core audience Songs being the main coordinate that says he's on to something I Was Wrong, I'm Sorry, and I Love You The most intentional record for the church Members of the same body Repentance, confession, and love Heavy in a confession booth Derek's music is prophetic for Derek The most confessional, autobiographical record so far Their studio and creativity Complete solo vs collaborating Demos?? Apply reactivity to every part of the job Creativity in the whole of your business Win a copy of the new album... In the podcast, Derek mentioned the importance of knowing what season you're in as an artist, and applying the same creativity that you would apply in your music making to every stage of the process - right down to the marketing and promotion of your music. What season are you in? How are you creatively approaching it? Leave us a comment below to be entered in a drawing for Derek's new album!      

If you're like me, then you've been stressed out a time or two over the administrative side of songwriting, music making, and... ...copyright compliance. Perhaps you've wondered about how to get permission to do an amazing cover for YouTube, or even a desire to release some cover songs and not worry about digital distribution. If you're a worship leader who writes songs for your church, and even a handful of other churches are doing your songs, you've probably had the thought of getting those songs registered with CCLI. Copyrights, licensing, and publishing, can be incredibly complicated this day and age, and it's more important than ever to do things right. In session 25 of the podcast, I share with you an interview I had with Susan Fontaine Godwin, founder and CEO of Christian Copyright Solutions (CCS). CCS is an amazing company and online service helping churches and artists everywhere. Understanding copyright is a very important piece of the puzzle - especially if you're an artist looking to build a small business as an indie musician. Here are a few highlights... Susan's work with Integrity Communications in 1984 The Hosanna Music Explosion and Susan's involvement in publishing Started Righteous Oaks Music in 1996 Rick Muchow and Saddleback Church, and the launch of CCS PRO = Performing Rights Organization (Ascap, BMI, SESAC, etc...) The difference between CCS and CCLI The WORSHIPcast license and PERFORMmusic license INDIEadmin Steps for protecting and publishing your songs Stewardship for creative people Don't wait for a publisher to come to you Ownership breakdown of a song Letter of agreement between writers in a co-write Some examples of the different kinds of publishing agreements Truth about the US Copyright Office Basic Steps for Publishing Fact Sheet CCS is a different publishing admin model Getting ready for YouTube Getting licensing for covers The reason CCS exists Serving music entrepreneurs Being clear in your calling and vocation Being surrounded by other believers Important Links for CCS Their main website IndieAdmin helpful fact sheets CCS's easy song registering service CCS on Twitter CCS on Facebook CCS on LinkedIn Toll free: +1 (855) 576-5837 Other important links you should know Susan's personal twitter http://www.copyright.gov/ Join ASCAP here Join BMI here The post on doing covers songs I mentioned    

In session 24 of the podcast, I was privileged to talk to Cam Huxford, lead singer of the band Ghost Ship. With a unique sound that blends each member's influences, Ghost Ship (originally called The Holy Ghost Ship), is a convergence of folk, rock, alt-country, pop, and traditional church music, all with a message that is undeniably gospel centered. In our conversation we touched on the following things... His story of faith in Christ The early days of being a a worship pastor The difference between a hired hand and a shepherd Redeeming music and ministry The story of Ghost Ship Songwriting as a band The importance of the message The Good King Practical things for writing songs people will sing Practical ways Cam stays inspired as a songwriter Letting the gospel inspire Creativity actually improves when you put clarity first Art is better when it's driven by a message and not self-expression Links for Ghost Ship Their new album The Good King on iTunes Ghost Ship at Mars Hill Music Ghost Ship on Facebook Ghost Ship on Twitter Cam on Twitter    

In the 23rd episode of the CMB Podcast, I share with you my conversation with dynamic songwriting couple, Bobby and Kristen Gilles. They both have important roles in the life of Sojourn Community Church in Louisville, KY - Bobby as Communications Director, and Kristen as a worship leader. Together, they have written songs for the Sojourn Music albums, released an EP called The Whole Big Story, and are currently working on a new full length album to release in the spring of 2014. You can also find them creating a wealth of practical and inspiring content at mysonginthenight.com, serving songwriters and worship leaders. Here are a few of the things we discussed: Their story of how they met How they work together as husband and wife writing duo The marriage of lyrics and music Not holding on to your ideas too tightly Revising and editing Writing in community Learning how to receive feedback on your song Not putting the songwriting process in a box Tragedy, songwriting, and a new album The song, "Bless The Lord Who Gives and Takes" Learning to worship the Lord in suffering Thinking liturgically in worship leading Writing from a wide spectrum of human experience, while pointing back to truth Important Links for Bobby and Kristen http://mysonginthenight.com The Whole Big Story Kristen on Facebook Bobby on Facebook Bobby on Twitter Your Story At the end of the episode, I invited you to share a story where God lead you through a trial or tragedy of some kind, and what you learned from it. It doesn't have to be long, but I'm sure your testimony, like Bobby and Kristen's, will encourage those who are going through something similar. So, feel free to make use of the comments below!    

Christa Wells is a songwriter we should all learn from. Not only is she a skilled writer of lyric and melody, but her journey as a songwriter is a great example for us to follow. Her new album, Feed Your Soul (fully funded by her fans through Kickstarter), is scheduled to release Tuesday, August the 13th. In this episode, I was able to sit down with Christa as she shared her story of coming to faith in Christ, how she got started as a writer, a behind the scenes look into her songwriting process, and more. Most people would know of her poignant song Held as performed by Natalie Grant, which lead to Christa being named Songwriter of the year in 2006 by the Gospel Music Association. But she's a performer of her own songs as well; which can be seen on more than 5 recording projects. Here are some of the other things we talked about in the interview: Erasing lines between music and faith Being a home-schooling mom of five and finding time to write How doors for publishing opened for her The importance of making time for yourself as an artist Her work with Masterpiece Ministries The story of the upcoming album Feed Your Soul Important Links for Christa http://christawellsmusic.com Christa on Facebook Christa on Twitter Her music on iTunes Christa's songwriting credits Other Things Mentioned Masterpiece Ministries More Than Rubies (songs for the church) Nicole Whitt For CMB-ites only... If you got the e-mail you know what to do in the comments to win a copy of Christa's upcoming album...

This is the final installment of a series I'm calling Fuel Your Productivity with D.O.S.E. - My Father's Acronym for Daily Discipline That Sticks Do you want to grow in your productivity? Who doesn't? Being productive and "on the ball" is necessary for feeling less stressed and anxious about things. Your ideas, your desires, and your creativity depend on it. This series has been all about understanding the true nature of discipline, organization, and simplification. The result? Being energized for more of the same, each and every day. D.O.S.E. Here are the links to the other parts of this series: Discipline Consistent discipline starts with a compelling vision... (CMB 018) Organize Organization is NOT a personality issue, it's a wisdom issue... (CMB 019) Simplify Less is more, so cut the clutter... (CMB 020) Energize The reward: an energized sense of purpose... (listen above!) Items Mentioned: Discipline according to Chris Brogan Switch (the book I mention) The 1% Inspiration, 99% Perspiration Myth (Debunked) Song Search Let's get behind each other in this song contest. It ends this coming Wednesday at midnight (GMT). I would love to see a push for the songs that are lower in the rankings. Check out the songs by the other CMB-ites here. Follow the leader board here. How's it going? Seriously... Let us know in the comments!    

Crazy that we’re at number 20. Time just keeps on moving! We have a shorter episode today, but a lot to mention. Here are the four main things talked about. Big Launch Giveaway winner, contests, and a look at biblical competition Audience Building Discovering New Music Segment with Stephen Bradley Part 3 of our productivity series The winner of the Big Launch Giveaway We launched the site on June 15th and to help get it going, we did what we called the Big Launch Giveaway. There were over 800 entries. Awesome! People were tweeting about the site, signing up, and spreading the word... But you know what’s more exciting than that? A very fortunate winner will receive a $200 gift certificate to sweetwater.com to go towards their music making journey. And that to me is awesome. So I don’t wanna leave you hanging... So the winner of the Big Launch Giveaway is Chris Etling. Congrats Chris! We’ll be doing more giveaways... Primarily through our e-mail list, so make sure you sign up for our newsletter and you won't miss out on exclusive giveaways and prizes. There's an opt in form below this post. Another contest going on currently, not at CMB, but at weareworship.com, is a songwriting contest that a handful of CMB-ites have signed up for, including myself. WeAreWorship is looking for a song, born in the local church. A song that is not only one born out of a worshiper's heart, but one that is born out of a worshiping community. A song serving the local church. Here's a link to a recent blog post about the song contest with a list of CMB-ites submitted their music. A word on contests, and competitions... Is competition biblical? I was talking with someone about that this week. Can Christians enter contests like this? I believe the answer is yes. I wouldn’t encourage you to enter it if I thought there was something ungodly about contests. The issue isn’t competition. The issue is our heart. What’s the motive? Why do you want to win? Do you want to win too much? What lengths will you go to win in a game or a sports match? Will you cheat? Will you steal? Will you get mad and start a fight? Those are the things people often think about when it comes to really competitive people. Here's the issue: Not the competition itself, but the character of those involved. The world looks at competition completely differently than God does. The devil does not create. The devil only perverts! God has created a world that has in it work and reward. God’s economics are not socialism. He gives the gifts he wants, in the measure he wants, to the people he wants - and he asks them to be faithful with them. To work at them. To become better at them. Think of Paul who uses the runner as a metaphor. The runner competes in such a way to win the prize. But the runner should be one of integrity; not pushing down others around him in order to win, but simply doing his very best with what God has given him. The runner still wants to win! He runs in such a way to win the prize. He does his best. That is good, healthy, Biblical competition... ...And here’s the thing: It glorifies God when you see people in a contest who honor and respect each other. Audience Building As a practical example of what artists can do to promote their song in a contest like this, you can check out a landing page that I created at my personal site where I’m giving away a chord chart and mp3 for Glorious God. It’s the song I entered, and that’s one way that I’m getting the word out... Head over to this page and you can download a free mp3 and chord chart of the song. The reason I say this, is because this is something we will talk about a lot at CMB. How musicians and artists can grow in their understanding of building an audience through blogging and online inbound content marketing. That’s certainly something I’m passionate about helping artists learn more about... More on that later...

The feature segment of this week's episode is part two of the new series, Fuel Your Productivity with D.O.S.E. (Part 2) Do you know how many times I've made excuses for my disorganization? And how often I blame my personality? Organization is not a personality issue, it's a wisdom issue. I used to really envy highly organized people. I used to think that I needed a different personality, and a different soul structure all together to be as organized as I wanted to be. I loved the thought of being organized. Being on top of everything, having it all together. Having everything accounted for, every e-mail replied to and processed. Every dollar tracked down perfectly and under budget. My instruments maintained perfectly. Batteries replaced on time, fresh guitar strings on a regular basis, my schedule flowing like a well oiled machine... You can relate right? Who out there actually enjoys being scattered and stressed out? None of us like the idea of running around like headless chickens do we? We long to be more organized because we intuitively know that we’ll have more time, more resources, and more motivation to get to work and be more productive. I think often, we wrongly associate organization with personalty types. Here's my definition of organization... Organization: A collection of previously thought about ideas that help a system or process run more smoothly... Good ideas are all rooted in wisdom. Organization is not a personality issue, it's a wisdom issue. In this episode, I tell you what the Bible says about this, why it's important, and what to do about it. I ask you to think about the area in your life where you're the most disorganized. I then ask you to think of someone you know of who's really wise and knowledgeable in that area. Chances are, they're very organized in that area too. Learn from them. Ask them questions. Adopt their systems and tools for organization. He who walks with the wise will be wise... Proverbs 13:20 Tools I Use To Stay Organized These were note mentioned in the podcast, but I use these tools every day... Mailbox (for iOS) This is a fantastic approach to staying on top of e-mail. Evernote - THE BEST for note taking, and never forgetting anything. YNAB - A fresh look at tracking your money and keeping a budget Google Drive - Word docs, Spreadsheets, and anything you need stored online 30/30 - A great time management app that keeps you task. Very helpful! Evernote Songwriting Method If you've been around CMB at all, you've heard about this. This is a great way to use Evernote (as mentioned above) for your songwriting. Never forget your ideas, and constantly sit down to write with inspiration waiting on you. Not the other way around... Other Items Mentioned CMB Songwriting Checklist Song Contest Post Song Contest Page at http://weareworship.com   THOUGHTS? Let us know below!    

Growing up, my dad had a very effective acronym that he would always say. When it was time for us to rally together around some work at the house, he would bring it up. It's called D.O.S.E. Discipline. Organize. Simplify. Energize Today's session of the podcast is part one in a four part series I'm calling Fuel Your Productivity with D.O.S.E. - My Father's Acronym for discipline that sticks. In this episode there's a single point. A big idea. And it's this: Consistent discipline starts with a compelling vision. I've come to believe that our lack of productivity isn't primarily due to a lack of discipline, or even sheer laziness. These issues may be present, but they're not the root problem. The root problem is a lack of vision. The Bible tells us that "where there is no vision, the people cast off restraint". Another way to say it would be, "where there is no vision, the people lack discipline". Some of us may remember the old KJV translation: Where there is no vision the people perish. (Proverbs 29:18) People will ultimately perish without discipline. Without discipline, no one would care. There would be no desire to change the status quo. We would witness a slow downward spiral towards nothingness. There'd be no greatness anymore. No God-honoring, God-glorifying ideas that change the world. Discipline is the daily work of making our ideas happen. And it's our vision that drives us toward that goal. What's your vision? In this episode, I invite you to do a little homework assignment this week: Write a clear and powerful vision statement for your life. Doing this will affect the choices you make each and every day. Having a compelling vision will make your discipline more consistent. Some ideas on writing a vision statement: Read this book Interesting post at http://creativesolopreneur.com Wired to Grow BUT... Don't get tripped up over the particular do's and dont's. The main thing to remember is this: A vision statement is the why behind what you plan to do. It's the end result of accomplishing your mission. A mission statement says this is what I'm supposed to do. A vision statement says this is what I want to see happen when I go and do it. It's the why. Other things mentioned in this episode: 1% Inspiration 99% Perspiration MYTH CMB-ite Spotlight Big Launch Giveaway Thoughts? Disagreements? Let us know in the comments!  

In this Friday's feature segment of the podcast, I spoke with singer, songwriter, and worship leader, Zach Bolen of the band Citizens. Their first full length self-titled album, was released in March of this year, with a fresh sound - born right in the U-District of Seattle. Zach has a heart for his local church, and the mission they're on together. It's really refreshing to see a band who cares about the people they live around, seeking to serve them, showing them Jesus in a face-to-face way. The band is simply a crew of guys who are musically talented, accessible to their fans, and eager to talk to anyone they can about the gospel. In this post, you'll find the show notes for the episode, along with a way for you to win their latest album. Here are a few of the things we discussed: Zach's story of faith surrounding the events of his dad's death His musical story in the church The story of how the album was birthed His songwriting process The song "I Am Living in a Land of Death" and Psalm 19 Their heart to serve the people of Mars Hill Church in the U-District of Seattle Gospel identity Travel vs. local ministry The false tensions that Christian musicians tend to create Links for Citizens: Their new album on iTunes Their main page at MarsHill.com The Already/Not Yet EP - (I love their version of Nothing But the Blood!) Twitter link Facebook link Take Action and Win Some Music! As I said in the podcast, we don't want CMB just to be all about ideation without any action. Here's the deal: People say you're way more likely to accomplish your goals if you write them down. So to that end, answer the following two questions, and you'll be entered into a drawing to win a copy of the Citizens album. 1) What project for your music (with a deadline) are you planning this year? Just to be clear: There are tons of different projects you could plan. Don't limit yourself to thinking you have to release a full length album, or a five song EP. Perhaps there's an event at your church, or an upcoming birthday in your family that you could write a song for. The big idea here is to do decide. Decide on a project of some kind, and set a deadline for it. And pray as you go! Don't forget how Zach talked about the grace that God brought during that season, as they leaned on the Holy Spirit along the way. Pretty awesome. 2) In what specific ways does your heart beat for your own local church? This could be musical or not. Share with us your thoughts on your local church, and how your heart beats for the people that God has placed right around you. Answering this question might help you think of a project for the first question if you're feeling stumped. Let us know in the Comments! I'l announce the winners in next week's podcast on July 5th.      

In the 16th session of the CMB Podcast, I spoke with pastor and songwriter, Mark Altrogge. Mark is one of the most humble men I've ever met. He loves God, loves his family, loves his church, and though it would seem he has a lot of bragging rights, he never takes himself too seriously. He has written several songs over the course of his 30 year ministry, including the well known songs I Stand In Awe, and I'm Forever Grateful. Here's what we talked about: His life as an artist before meeting Jesus His story of faith The early days of leading worship at his Bible study which later became Sovereign Grace Church The early days of Sovereign Grace Music and Mark's songs Valley of Vision album In A Little While (album recorded with his son Stephen) Mark's songwriting process Songwriting from the title Repetition in the chorus Why we need the local church (whether you're musical or not) Your Life as an Artist in the Life of the Local Church Near the end, we talked about the reasons every believer should be a part of a life giving, gospel preaching, local church. If you've listened to the CMB Podcast at all, you know how strongly I feel about this. As artists, we should never separate our "artist-life" from our "member-life" in the body of Christ. Practically, this simply means that I need to stop compartmentalizing my ministry as an artist apart from my ministry as a Christian in my local church. We need to look at the local church more holistically. There is no other place where we will grow more. We are more than just artists. We are husbands, wives, dads, mothers, friends, co-workers, students, teachers. And before we are any of those things, we are Christians. This really ties to what was mentioned last week in session 15. King David is a great example of this: He lived life first and he wrote songs second. Music was simply the filter that he poured his life experiences into. When we separate our art from the other areas in our lives, what tends to happen is our art quickly rises to the top, taking on a position that it shouldn't. Sites to Check Out for Mark Altrogge The Blazing Center Forever Grateful Music Mark's songs with Sovereign Grace Music Mark's paintings Mark on Twitter Mark on Facebook Other Links Mentioned in Session 16 How To Discourage Artists in the Local Church Communion with God : It's Not A Chore. It's Sweet. Big Launch Giveaway Now It's Your Turn What jumped out to you from this episode? How important to you is your local church? How is it going as it relates to your engagement in it, not just an artist, but as a believer? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below!

This is a very special edition of the CMB podcast... In this episode, we discuss the launch of the new site, we introduce our very first "New Music Segment" with Stephen Bradley, and, for the feature segment, I share a conversation I had with Robbie...

Super excited about this week's episode on the CMB Podcast. In the 14th session, I speak with founder of allaboutworship.com and thesongwriterscafe.com, Wisdom Moon. But first... ...If you're new Aren't sure what this podcast is all about? CMB Podcast is a podcast designed for people of faith that make music. You hear it right in the opener of each and every episode. We are all about the conversation of music making through eyes of faith. We get practical, we get theological, we get philosophical. If you are a Christian musician - and by that I simply mean a person of faith who is musical - there are a lot of things to talk about with regard to your worldview of music in general. Your creativity and how it relates to the mission of God and the local church, is vastly important. So I invite you to join us in this discussion. Especially if you're just getting into the podcast for the first time. Every single week I want to say thank you practically, and give you an opportunity to join our email list. There are places for you to sign-up all over the site, but I want to give you a gift too: Go check out freemusicgift.com You can also subscribe on iTunes, Siticher, Zune, or just subscribe to the regular old RSS feed. Read this post: Subscribe, Rate, and Review, for more on why this matters to your music making and the music making of others. Podcasts are awesome in this regard! You don't miss out on any episodes. By subscribing, you'll get new episodes automatically every time a new one goes live. So whether it's iTunes, Stitcher, or whatever you use, you'll have each Friday's new episode the moment it goes live. Upcoming Giveaway I want to share something exciting with you. The new site christianmusicblog.com will officially go live on the 15th, along with a special launch episode with Robbie Seay of the Robbie Seay Band. And, from June 15th to July 15th, we'll be doing a very special launch giveaway... Between June 15th and July 15th, we'll be blitzing the internet to promote the launch of CMB. And the more you promote the new site, the more chances you'll have in winning a great prize: A $200 gift certificate to Sweetwater music. As a musician myself, I have a long list of gear that I'm saving money for. I know that $200 will go a long way towards something! In fact, here are just a few ideas: PreSonus AudioBox USB This is a fantastic value if you're looking to get an inexpensive recording interface for your home studio. Just $149.00 Sony MDR-7506 Need a great sounding pair of headphones? These sound amazing and feel great too... They run at around $90.   Shure SM57 Every musician who does any recording of any kind should own at least one of these... It's a standard go to for recording guitar amps, snare drums, and every now and then vocals too. A great mic for only $99. You can also check out the Sweetwater DealZone for other great deals. So Spread The Word! We wanna spread the word about CMB and what's happening here. And when I say we, I mean you and me. This is a community. And a successful launch happens when each person in the community generates buzz. I can't do that by myself. It takes you... More details on the giveaway to follow! All About Worship with Wisdom Moon And now for today's podcast episode... Wisdom Moon is doing a lot. He's a songwriter, a worship leader, a podcaster, a husband, and dad of 3…. he's the founder of allaboutworship.com, a website committed to resourcing worship leaders in the local church, and is providing high value to musicians, songwriters, and leaders. Here are a few of the things we talked about: His personal story of faith and music making How All About Worship was born Exciting things about the future of "worship music" Concerns about the current trend of "worship music" The ministries of Chris Tomlin and Matt Kearney Songwriting seasons and the busyness of life

In the 13th session of the Christian Music Blog Podcast, I spoke with singer/songwriter, Matt Tinsley. I always love finding new artists who are out in the pubs, coffee shops, and music venues - performing original music outside the four walls of the church building. And here's something even more intriguing to me: Even though he's pursuing a career as a songwriter, he loves leading worship every week at his home church. He effectively draws a line between his ministry as a worship leader, and his ministry out in the world as a singer/songwriter. He's an artist, singing about his life and doing it all unto the Lord as worship. And, as he's doing so, he's seeing opportunities to speak to people about Jesus. He's recently released his third project of original songs entitled Water and Stone. You can buy it at Bandcamp here. Here are some of the things we touched on in our conversation: His story of faith in Christ How he started in music Balancing all the things in his life while pursuing a music career His new EP Water and Stone and the creative process behind it How he gathered support from his friends His local church and how it ties to his music and more... Matt's Links http://matttinsleymusic.com @mTinsleyMusic (Twitter) Bandcamp (buy his music here) Other Links Mentioned Noisetrade Music Kickstarter Chris Lawson Jones (great music!) Subscribe, Rate and Review! In order for other folks, like yourself, to find out about our community, it's important that we're easily found in the search results of iTunes. The way to improve our rankings is to simply get more ratings and reviews... If you've yet to do so, please rate and review the CMB Podcast here (follow the blue link to launch your iTunes application, "view in iTunes").