Integrity Music is partnering with The Porter's Gate, a sacred ecumenical arts collective, to release its second project titled Neighbor Songs on October 25. The first track, "Nothing to Fear (feat. Audrey Assad)," is available today (click here).
The Porter's Gate was founded in 2017 by Isaac and Megan Wardell, with a mission to be a "porter" for the Christian Church - one who looks beyond church doors for guests to welcome. Isaac also works as Director of Worship Arts at Trinity Church in Charlottesville, Virginia. It started as a group of 50-plus songwriters, musicians, scholars, pastors and music industry professionals from a variety of worship traditions and cultural backgrounds gathered for meaningful conversation about worship and vocation. The result was the release of Work Songs.
In January of this year, the collective gathered again over three days for a series of discussions about the challenges of worshipping across lines of difference. This group consisted of Christians from all theological backgrounds, denominations, worship traditions, as well as cultural and racial difference. As they discussed challenges, they composed new worship songs and hymns with the hope of providing the church with more songs that specifically celebrate God's call to love our neighbors as ourselves.
"We were so pleased to have so many songwriters who spoke different languages and came from such different worship traditions all sitting around tables and learning from one another and writing new worship music together," shares Isaac Wardell. "We hope that the result is something that will be really useful to churches looking to welcome in neighbors of all backgrounds."
Artists of The Porter's Gate such as Audrey Assad, Casey J, Diana Gameros, Josh Garrels, Latifah Alattas, Lauren Goans, Leslie Jordan, Paul Zach, Urban Doxology and Zach Bolen gathered to record the new album, Neighbor Songs. The upcoming project features stripped down song arrangements that range in style from Gospel, to Contemporary Christian, to Neo-classical to Mexican Ranchero. In the current times of political and civic strife and polarization, it is the hope of The Porter's Gate that these new songs will help churches continue to grow in worship practices that unite worshipers around the good news of the gospel - that God is truly redeeming all things.
Track Listing for Neighbor Songs:
Blessed Are The Merciful
Nothing to Fear (feat. Audrey Assad)
The Earth Shall Know (feat. Urban Doxology, Casey J & Leslie Jordan)
Love Will Never Fail (I Corinthians 13) (feat. Leslie Jordan)
Let Us Be Known (feat. Diana Gameros)
The Greatest Commandment (feat. Paul Zach)
Daughters of Zion (feat. Casey J & Josh Garrels)
Hallelujah Sing (feat. Latifah Alattas & Audrey Assad)
Jesus, Bread of Life (feat. Diana Gameros)
He Is Among Us (The Least of These) (feat. Zach Bolen)
Teach Us Your Ways (feat. Leslie Jordan)
Daughters of Zion (Reprise) (feat. Paul Zach and Lauren Goans)
En Comunidad (feat. Diana Gameros)
