From CCM Magazine

(NASHVILLE, TN) — After a remarkable first full year of reimagined cover stories featuring some of Christian music’s biggest legends and brightest newcomers, CCM Magazine has revealed Franni Cash as the cover artist for its August 2026 issue.

The Cover Story is a deeply personal feature that explores Cash’s journey from chart-topping success to profound personal healing.

Franni Cash is already a 2x Grammy-nominated artist and 3x Dove Award winner with her former band We The Kingdom, but it’s time for her debut solo album, Here I Am, coming September 18.

While the music marks the beginning of a new chapter, the CCM Magazine cover story goes far beyond the upcoming album. In an open and transparent interview, Cash opens up about faith, heartbreak, forgiveness, identity, and the unexpected freedom that has emerged from seasons of profound personal pain. It’s a conversation filled with vulnerability, humor, and ultimately, hope.

Amanda Sekulow, Co-Editor of CCM Magazine, said the experience of spending time with Cash left a lasting impression.

Says Amanda: “Spending time with Franni reminded me that some of the most powerful stories are born from the deepest wounds. Her honesty, her faith, and these songs are going to resonate with people who have been waiting to hear someone put words to what they’ve lived.”

Logan Sekulow, Publisher and Co-Editor of CCM Magazine, believes Cash’s story reflects an exciting moment for Christian music.

Says Logan: “Franni represents an exciting new chapter in Christian music, where authenticity is overarching message. We believe this is the beginning of something truly special, and we’re honored to share her incredibly story and amazing music.”

Cash shared her excitement about the feature after seeing the finished cover.

“I am on the COVER of CCM Magazine this month?! What an absolute honor!! I had the best time getting to know Amanda and Logan and sharing my story with them, now YOU.”

She also celebrated the role Christian music continues to play in people’s lives.

“God is doing something incredible in and through Christian music and I truly love getting to be a part of it. Thank you to CCM Magazine for championing artists and giving space for Christian music to be featured, supported, and given a further reach.”

The August cover package continues CCM Magazine’s renewed commitment to long-form storytelling, cinematic photography, exclusive performances, and in-depth conversations that allow readers to experience the heart behind today’s most influential Christian artists.

Readers can access the complete Franni Cash cover story, exclusive interview, and live performance videos beginning August 5th at CCMmagazine.com.

Art Direction / Editor: Amanda Sekulow

Producer / Editor: Amanda Sekulow

Cover Photo: Alicia St Gelais

Director of Photography / Video: Patrick Johnson

Music Engineer: Mark Lee Townsend

When CCM Magazine returned, we didn’t just want to tell stories, we wanted to capture moments. Some artists were celebrating legendary careers, others were introducing themselves to the world, and a few were standing on the edge of breakthrough seasons that none of us could have predicted.

A year later, it’s amazing to look back.

Our cover artists have filled arenas, launched new tours, released career-defining music, earned Dove Award nominations, celebrated milestones, and continued pointing listeners toward Christ through every season. Some stories have come full circle. Others are just getting started.

Here’s a look at where each of our cover artists is now,and where you can catch them next.

Steven Curtis Chapman

It all began with Steven Curtis Chapman. Our first cover story celebrated the 25th anniversary of Speechless, and fans responded in a big way. What started as a celebration became one of Steven’s most beloved tours in years, prompting a final 14-city fall leg before the Speechless 25th Anniversary Tour officially comes to a close. Catch the farewell run this fall before the curtain falls on one of Christian music’s most beloved albums.

  Megan Woods

Few artists have experienced a rise quite like Megan Woods. Since appearing on our cover, she’s earned a Dove Award nomination for New Artist of the Year and announced an expanded 30-city return of The Truth Tour. With “The Truth” surpassing 150 million global streams, Megan has quickly become one of Christian music’s brightest new stars. The tour kicks off October 1 in Centralia, Illinois, wraps November 22 in Sumter, South Carolina, and hits nearly every corner of the country along the way.

  Third Day

One of the most unforgettable moments of our year happened inside the CCM studio when Third Day reunited for the first time in more than a decade. That reunion sparked one of the year’s biggest tours, and now the celebration is only getting bigger. Following their acclaimed reunion run, the band will join TobyMac and Chris Tomlin this November for one of the most anticipated Christian tours in recent memory, hitting 12 arena dates from November 5–22. And just announced today, the celebration isn’t ending there. Third Day has unveiled the final leg of their 30th Anniversary Tour, returning to the road in April and May 2027 with special guest Zach Williams and Scout & The Saints. The 24-city farewell run kicks off April 1 in Clarksville, Tennessee, travels from Florida to the Pacific Northwest and back through Texas, before concluding May 9 in Beaumont, Texas. For a band that reunited in our studio after more than a decade apart, it’s been incredible to watch the momentum continue to grow—and it looks like fans will have one last chance to celebrate one of Christian music’s most beloved bands.

  Katy Nichole

Katy Nichole’s cover story remains one of our readers’ favorites, and for good reason. Equal parts heartfelt and hilarious, it perfectly captured her personality. Since then, “Have Your Way,” which she first performed for CCM, has continued to grow following a standout Winter Jam season and her successful Honest Conversations Tour. Lately, fans have been getting sneak peeks at brand-new music with a noticeable country influence. Nothing has officially been announced yet, but if social media is any indication, Katy’s next chapter is right around the corner.

  Danny Gokey

Danny Gokey never slows down. Between Carnegie Hall, a packed touring schedule, and the release of his powerful new single, “Jesus Over Everything,” he’s continued one of the strongest seasons of his career. His latest music video revisits the gravesite of his late wife, Sophia, not from a place of heartbreak, but from a place of healing, offering one of the most moving testimonies we’ve seen this year.

  1K Phew

We joked about having a “Phew Year,” and somehow it actually happened. “Move” with Forrest Frank exploded, becoming both a Fortnite Jam Track and eventually an official Fortnite emote. Add a brand-new album and festival appearances stretching from Chattanooga and Atlanta to SoulFest, Uprise Festival, Oceanside, and beyond, and it’s safe to say 1K Phew’s momentum isn’t slowing anytime soon.

  Colton Dixon

Colton Dixon brought “The Love I Have For You” to our studio, and he’s been just as busy off-camera. Between new music, his expanding fragrance line, and another packed touring schedule, Colton will spend the rest of the year everywhere from Red Rocks and ShineFest to state fairs, theaters, and festival stages across the country, wrapping the fall with dates alongside Micah Tyler and stops from Virginia to Nebraska.

  Jamie MacDonald

If anyone owned 2026, it might be Jamie MacDonald. K-LOVE Song of the Year. Multiple Dove Award nominations. Guest appearances with Forrest Frank. A major supporting slot on Phil Wickham’s Songs of the Saints Tour. And now, just as her momentum continues to build, Jamie has released Left It In The River [Reimagined], a four-song collection that gives fresh life to the career-defining anthem that spent 12 weeks at No. 1 and was named K-LOVE’s 2026 Song of the Year. Fresh off Dove Award nominations for New Artist of the Year, Pop/Contemporary Album of the Year, Song of the Year, and Pop/Contemporary Recorded Song of the Year, Jamie launches her own Left It In The River Tour this fall, carrying one of Christian music’s biggest breakthrough stories into its next chapter.

Listen to Left It In The River [Reimagined] here:

jamiemacdonald.lnk.to/LeftInTheRiverReimaginedPR

        Tommee Profitt

Tommee Profitt doesn’t tour often,but when he does, it’s an event. Following another year of cinematic releases and fan demand for his live arrangements, The Birth of a King LIVE returns to Nashville’s Bridgestone Arena on December 12 & 13 after last year’s sold-out debut. With more than 20 artists, a 50-piece orchestra, a 100-person choir, and Tommee’s signature cinematic arrangements, Christmas simply doesn’t get much bigger than this.

  Amy Grant

Amy Grant made history by becoming our most-featured cover artist, and she followed it with one of the year’s most acclaimed albums, The Me That Remains. She’s spending late summer and fall touring with longtime collaborator Mac McAnally and,spoiler alert,our next cover artist, Franni Cash, before joining Michael W. Smith and CeCe Winansfor the Christmas Together Tour from November 27 through December 8. Then, as only Amy can, she’ll close the year with her beloved Christmas at the Ryman residency with Vince Gill, running December 14-23 in Nashville.

  CAIN

When CAIN visited CCM, they introduced Living Water,and now they’re taking that vision on the road. Their new Live and In Worship Tour launches in September and runs through November, pairing CAIN’s signature celebration with worship leaders including Jenn Johnson, Kristian Stanfill, Jon Reddick, Leeland, Bodie, Patrick Mayberry, Joe L Barnes, and Lizzie Morgan. It’s colorful, creative, and one of the most unique tours hitting Christian music this fall.

  Ben Fuller

It may have only been weeks since Ben Fuller graced our cover, but life isn’t slowing down. Dove Award nominations, a wedding on the horizon, and an expanded Black Sheep Tour have kept one of Christian music’s most authentic voices constantly on the move. After a summer packed with festivals, Ben launches another leg of the Black Sheep Tour in October, with headline dates stretching from Louisiana to Indiana before sailing into 2027 aboard the K-LOVE Cruise.

The Story Continues…

One of the greatest joys of producing these cover stories has been watching what happens after the cameras stop rolling. Every conversation captured a unique moment in time, but none of these artists have stood still. They’ve continued writing songs, sharing their testimonies, filling venues, and impacting lives across the country.

Looking back, we’re incredibly grateful to every artist, manager, publicist, label, photographer, crew member, and partner who trusted CCM Magazine with their stories. Most of all, we’re thankful for you, our readers and viewers, who have made this relaunch more successful than we ever imagined.

This past year has reminded us why Christian music matters. Behind every chart-topping single, sold-out tour, and award nomination is a story of faith, redemption, perseverance, and the God who continues to write better endings than any of us could imagine.

Thank you for joining us for our first year back. We can’t wait to show you what’s next.

See you on the next cover.

When CCM Magazine returned, we didn’t just want to tell stories, we wanted to capture moments. Some artists were celebrating legendary careers, others were introducing themselves to the world, and a few were standing on the edge of breakthrough seasons that none of us could have predicted.

A year later, it’s amazing to look back.

Our cover artists have filled arenas, launched new tours, released career-defining music, earned Dove Award nominations, celebrated milestones, and continued pointing listeners toward Christ through every season. Some stories have come full circle. Others are just getting started.

Here’s a look at where each of our cover artists is now,and where you can catch them next.

Steven Curtis Chapman

It all began with Steven Curtis Chapman. Our first cover story celebrated the 25th anniversary of Speechless, and fans responded in a big way. What started as a celebration became one of Steven’s most beloved tours in years, prompting a final 14-city fall leg before the Speechless 25th Anniversary Tour officially comes to a close. Catch the farewell run this fall before the curtain falls on one of Christian music’s most beloved albums.

  Megan Woods

Few artists have experienced a rise quite like Megan Woods. Since appearing on our cover, she’s earned a Dove Award nomination for New Artist of the Year and announced an expanded 30-city return of The Truth Tour. With “The Truth” surpassing 150 million global streams, Megan has quickly become one of Christian music’s brightest new stars. The tour kicks off October 1 in Centralia, Illinois, wraps November 22 in Sumter, South Carolina, and hits nearly every corner of the country along the way.

  Third Day

One of the most unforgettable moments of our year happened inside the CCM studio when Third Day reunited for the first time in more than a decade. That reunion sparked one of the year’s biggest tours, and now the band is keeping the momentum alive with an incredible co-headlining run alongside TobyMac and Chris Tomlin. The 12-city arena tour runs November 5-22, stopping in Columbia, Evansville, Cleveland, Greensboro, Hershey, Buffalo, Portland (ME), Baltimore, Des Moines, Lincoln, Peoria, and North Little Rock. Three legends. One stage. No filler.

  Katy Nichole

Katy Nichole’s cover story remains one of our readers’ favorites, and for good reason. Equal parts heartfelt and hilarious, it perfectly captured her personality. Since then, “Have Your Way,” which she first performed for CCM, has continued to grow following a standout Winter Jam season and her successful Honest Conversations Tour. Lately, fans have been getting sneak peeks at brand-new music with a noticeable country influence. Nothing has officially been announced yet, but if social media is any indication, Katy’s next chapter is right around the corner.

  Danny Gokey

Danny Gokey never slows down. Between Carnegie Hall, a packed touring schedule, and the release of his powerful new single, “Jesus Over Everything,” he’s continued one of the strongest seasons of his career. His latest music video revisits the gravesite of his late wife, Sophia, not from a place of heartbreak, but from a place of healing, offering one of the most moving testimonies we’ve seen this year.

  1K Phew

We joked about having a “Phew Year,” and somehow it actually happened. “Move” with Forrest Frank exploded, becoming both a Fortnite Jam Track and eventually an official Fortnite emote. Add a brand-new album and festival appearances stretching from Chattanooga and Atlanta to SoulFest, Uprise Festival, Oceanside, and beyond, and it’s safe to say 1K Phew’s momentum isn’t slowing anytime soon.

  Colton Dixon

Colton Dixon brought “The Love I Have For You” to our studio, and he’s been just as busy off-camera. Between new music, his expanding fragrance line, and another packed touring schedule, Colton will spend the rest of the year everywhere from Red Rocks and ShineFest to state fairs, theaters, and festival stages across the country, wrapping the fall with dates alongside Micah Tyler and stops from Virginia to Nebraska.

  Jamie MacDonald

If anyone owned 2026, it might be Jamie MacDonald. K-LOVE Song of the Year. Multiple Dove Award nominations. Guest appearances with Forrest Frank. A major supporting slot on Phil Wickham’s Songs of the Saints Tour. Then, beginning October 20, Jamie launches her own Left It In The River Tour, carrying the momentum through more than a month of headline dates across the West Coast, East Coast, South, and Midwest. From breakthrough artist to household name in just months, Jamie’s story is still being written.

  Tommee Profitt

Tommee Profitt doesn’t tour often,but when he does, it’s an event. Following another year of cinematic releases and fan demand for his live arrangements, The Birth of a King LIVE returns to Nashville’s Bridgestone Arena on December 12 & 13 after last year’s sold-out debut. With more than 20 artists, a 50-piece orchestra, a 100-person choir, and Tommee’s signature cinematic arrangements, Christmas simply doesn’t get much bigger than this.

  Amy Grant

Amy Grant made history by becoming our most-featured cover artist, and she followed it with one of the year’s most acclaimed albums, The Me That Remains. She’s spending late summer and fall touring with longtime collaborator Mac McAnally and,spoiler alert,our next cover artist, Franni Cash, before joining Michael W. Smith and CeCe Winansfor the Christmas Together Tour from November 27 through December 8. Then, as only Amy can, she’ll close the year with her beloved Christmas at the Ryman residency with Vince Gill, running December 14-23 in Nashville.

  CAIN

When CAIN visited CCM, they introduced Living Water,and now they’re taking that vision on the road. Their new Live and In Worship Tour launches in September and runs through November, pairing CAIN’s signature celebration with worship leaders including Jenn Johnson, Kristian Stanfill, Jon Reddick, Leeland, Bodie, Patrick Mayberry, Joe L Barnes, and Lizzie Morgan. It’s colorful, creative, and one of the most unique tours hitting Christian music this fall.

  Ben Fuller

It may have only been weeks since Ben Fuller graced our cover, but life isn’t slowing down. Dove Award nominations, a wedding on the horizon, and an expanded Black Sheep Tour have kept one of Christian music’s most authentic voices constantly on the move. After a summer packed with festivals, Ben launches another leg of the Black Sheep Tour in October, with headline dates stretching from Louisiana to Indiana before sailing into 2027 aboard the K-LOVE Cruise.

The Story Continues…

One of the greatest joys of producing these cover stories has been watching what happens after the cameras stop rolling. Every conversation captured a unique moment in time, but none of these artists have stood still. They’ve continued writing songs, sharing their testimonies, filling venues, and impacting lives across the country.

Looking back, we’re incredibly grateful to every artist, manager, publicist, label, photographer, crew member, and partner who trusted CCM Magazine with their stories. Most of all, we’re thankful for you, our readers and viewers, who have made this relaunch more successful than we ever imagined.

This past year has reminded us why Christian music matters. Behind every chart-topping single, sold-out tour, and award nomination is a story of faith, redemption, perseverance, and the God who continues to write better endings than any of us could imagine.

Thank you for joining us for our first year back. We can’t wait to show you what’s next.

See you on the next cover.

Rolling green hills glisten in every direction beneath a pink Tennessee sky as the sun fades away. The air is still damp. The storm that threatened to ruin the evening only an hour earlier still drips from the trees and the barn eaves. In the distance, a few thick clouds remind us of their presence, but now it’s an old teal pickup that rumbles by under strings of popcorn lights. Inside the brightly lit barn, line dancers glide across the wooden floor while Dolly Parton karaoke echoes through the trees.

But this particular night, my view isn’t just another of God’s masterpieces. It’s the set of A Music City Story – a new feature film from SONY Affirm Films, being shot in and around Nashville. And based on my experience, this story will be something we haven’t seen before and could, if not redefine, broaden what we tend to think of as “Christian movies.”

A Music City Story stars actor and recording artist Moriah (MŌRIAH) Smallbone alongside her real-life husband, Joel Smallbone. Joel will be familiar to many audiences from films like Unsung Hero and Young Washington – but you’ve probably also heard of his other gig as half of the GRAMMY winning Christian recording duo for KING + COUNTRY.

As described in the film’s official press release:

Written off by Nashville as past her prime, struggling singer-songwriter Mo (Moriah Smallbone) walks away from her controlling manager and takes a chance on starting over. As she works to rebuild her career, she forms an unexpected connection with Ran (Joel Smallbone), a contractor whose encouragement helps her rediscover her faith, her voice and the courage to pursue the future she’s always believed possible. Together, they learn that every comeback starts with believing there’s another verse to write.

While this movie is not a traditional biopic, it draws its inspiration from the real-life experiences of Moriah, and her personal journey establishing herself as a female recording artist in Nashville. And it’s no fairy tale. This film doesn’t shy away from the darker parts of the music industry that others would ignore.

During a conversation on set, Moriah explained how deeply personal the story is for her, and her family:

[My] dad and I started a version of this story that was very different, but it all kind of started with us just wanting to spend time together and create something together. And to tell a story that was born out of our family. Family traumas. Experiences in church as a woman, and the women that I come from, the incredible amounts of abuse that they’ve had to experience and survive . . . And I think it’s been quieted and suppressed in our community for so long.

But lest you think this movie is meant to be a seething indictment against the music business, A Music City Story is ultimately about love, hope, and redemption. Like the storm that gave way to the beautiful evening surrounding us, the darkness exists only to make the light shine brighter.

Joel Smallbone made clear that this is unabashedly a love story – something mostly absent from Christian filmmaking:

Part of our responsibility as creators, whether it’s putting music on the airwaves or film or influencing, is to find stories that represent and resonate with the gospel that haven’t been told yet. And one of the things that struck us when we first started talking about it is…where are all the love stories?

Like we’re telling the greatest love story the world has ever known. And this whole idea of the bride and groom, like it’s written into the gospel, it’s written into the good news. It’s Jesus’s great allegory.

Another element that may set A Music City Story apart is the production itself. Shooting this film became a living act of service. In the movie, Joel’s character is restoring a dilapidated church. The church you’ll see is not a Hollywood set. It’s Nashville’s Holy Trinity Episcopal Church, a breathtaking 174-year-old Nashville landmark that had fallen into disrepair. A fact the production used for the purposes of storytelling and funded the real-life restoration of the church.

Now, Holy Trinity will live on, not just on film – it will continue to stand, serving the people of Nashville for generations to come.

Under the leadership of director Adam Anders (Journey to Bethlehem) who also co-wrote the screenplay with his wife Nikki Anders, and veteran producer Kevin Lowndes (I Can Only Imagine, Jesus Revolution), filming is expected to wrap later this summer ahead of a planned Fall 2027 release.

The film will include a soundtrack of original songs crossing multiple genres from country to Latin.

A Music City Story looks to tell a different Nashville story – of music, culture, love, and redemption. From what I’ve seen and heard, this film should absolutely be on your radar.

Check out the official Instagram page @amusiccitystorymovie to follow the production and receive updates.

 

Rolling green hills glisten in every direction beneath a pink Tennessee sky as the sun fades away. The air is still damp. The storm that threatened to ruin the evening only an hour earlier still drips from the trees and the barn eaves. In the distance, a few thick clouds remind us of their presence, but now it’s an old teal pickup that rumbles by under strings of popcorn lights. Inside the brightly lit barn, line dancers glide across the wooden floor while Dolly Parton karaoke echoes through the trees.

But this particular night, my view isn’t just another of God’s masterpieces. It’s the set of A Music City Story – a new feature film from SONY Affirm Films, being shot in and around Nashville. And based on my experience, this story will be something we haven’t seen before and could, if not redefine, broaden what we tend to think of as “Christian movies.”

A Music City Story stars actor and recording artist Moriah (MŌRIAH) Smallbone alongside her real-life husband, Joel Smallbone. Joel will be familiar to many audiences from films like Unsung Hero and Young Washington – but you’ve probably also heard of his other gig as half of the GRAMMY winning Christian recording duo for KING + COUNTRY.

As described in the film’s official press release:

Written off by Nashville as past her prime, struggling singer-songwriter Mo (Moriah Smallbone) walks away from her controlling manager and takes a chance on starting over. As she works to rebuild her career, she forms an unexpected connection with Ran (Joel Smallbone), a contractor whose encouragement helps her rediscover her faith, her voice and the courage to pursue the future she’s always believed possible. Together, they learn that every comeback starts with believing there’s another verse to write.

While this movie is not a traditional biopic, it draws its inspiration from the real-life experiences of Moriah, and her personal journey establishing herself as a female recording artist in Nashville. And it’s no fairy tale. This film doesn’t shy away from the darker parts of the music industry that others would ignore.

During a conversation on set, Moriah explained how deeply personal the story is for her, and her family:

[My] dad and I started a version of this story that was very different, but it all kind of started with us just wanting to spend time together and create something together. And to tell a story that was born out of our family. Family traumas. Experiences in church as a woman, and the women that I come from, the incredible amounts of abuse that they’ve had to experience and survive . . . And I think it’s been quieted and suppressed in our community for so long.

But lest you think this movie is meant to be a seething indictment against the music business, A Music City Story is ultimately about love, hope, and redemption. Like the storm that gave way to the beautiful evening surrounding us, the darkness exists only to make the light shine brighter.

Joel Smallbone made clear that this is unabashedly a love story – something mostly absent from Christian filmmaking:

Part of our responsibility as creators, whether it’s putting music on the airwaves or film or influencing, is to find stories that represent and resonate with the gospel that haven’t been told yet. And one of the things that struck us when we first started talking about it is…where are all the love stories?

Like we’re telling the greatest love story the world has ever known. And this whole idea of the bride and groom, like it’s written into the gospel, it’s written into the good news. It’s Jesus’s great allegory.

Another element that may set A Music City Story apart is the production itself. Shooting this film became a living act of service. In the movie, Joel’s character is restoring a dilapidated church. The church you’ll see is not a Hollywood set. It’s Nashville’s Holy Trinity Episcopal Church, a breathtaking 174-year-old Nashville landmark that had fallen into disrepair. A fact the production used for the purposes of storytelling and funded the real-life restoration of the church.

Now, Holy Trinity will live on, not just on film – it will continue to stand, serving the people of Nashville for generations to come.

Under the leadership of director Adam Anders (Journey to Bethlehem) who also co-wrote the screenplay with his wife Nikki Anders, and veteran producer Kevin Lowndes (I Can Only Imagine, Jesus Revolution), filming is expected to wrap later this summer ahead of a planned Fall 2027 release.

The film will include a soundtrack of original songs crossing multiple genres from country to Latin.

A Music City Story looks to tell a different Nashville story – of music, culture, love, and redemption. From what I’ve seen and heard, this film should absolutely be on your radar.

Check out the official Instagram page @amusiccitystorymovie to follow the production and receive updates.

 

The Chosen isn’t just gearing up for its most emotional season yet, it is also preparing to release a brand-new collection of music inspired by the record-breaking series.

The first single from the upcoming collaboration between 5&2 Studios and Capitol Christian Music Group arrives August 7, with multi-platinum country star Tyler Hubbard stepping outside his familiar lane for the deeply personal “All I Need Is You.”

“My wife, my three kids, and I have a nightly ritual of watching The Chosen. We really got into it!” Hubbard shared. “It’s a show that I love and am connected to, so I was really excited to personally be a part of the show and part of the music. All I Need Is You is a song that’s out of my normal country music box. It’s a song that hits close to home. I think a lot of people can relate to the need for Jesus. To write a song about something that really matters is extra special.”

Hubbard surprised fans by performing the song acoustically during a livestream hosted by series creator Dallas Jenkins, where the first teaser for The Chosen Season 6 was also unveiled. Additional artists contributing to the forthcoming album will be announced in the coming weeks.

The music release accompanies what promises to be the most significant chapter of the series to date. The newly released teaser gives fans their first look at Season 6, which chronicles the final day of Jesus’ earthly ministry leading to the crucifixion.

Season 6 premieres November 15 on Prime Video with its first three episodes, followed by weekly releases through December 6. Rather than concluding on streaming, the season will culminate in a theatrical feature film arriving exclusively in theaters on March 12, 2027.

According to the official synopsis:

The hour has come. Before the sun sets, Jesus of Nazareth will be dead. Season Six captures the historic events of Jesus’ final day through the lives of those who love Him—and those who condemn Him. Pharisees call it justice. Romans call it peace. Followers call it murder. But in the face of loneliness and death, Jesus stands resolute in His plan that has always led to one place: the cross.

For music fans, the new companion album represents another expansion of The Chosen‘s growing influence beyond television, bringing together artists to create original songs inspired by the series’ journey through the life of Christ. Hubbard’s heartfelt contribution serves as the project’s opening chapter, with more artists and songs expected to be revealed throughout the fall.

As anticipation builds for both the music and the next season, viewers still have time to revisit—or experience for the first time—the story so far. Seasons 1 through 5 of The Chosen are currently streaming on Prime Video.

Watch the newly released Season 6 teaser below and stay tuned for more announcements surrounding the upcoming The Chosen soundtrack.

The Chosen isn’t just gearing up for its most emotional season yet, it is also preparing to release a brand-new collection of music inspired by the record-breaking series.

The first single from the upcoming collaboration between 5&2 Studios and Capitol Christian Music Group arrives August 7, with multi-platinum country star Tyler Hubbard stepping outside his familiar lane for the deeply personal “All I Need Is You.”

“My wife, my three kids, and I have a nightly ritual of watching The Chosen. We really got into it!” Hubbard shared. “It’s a show that I love and am connected to, so I was really excited to personally be a part of the show and part of the music. All I Need Is You is a song that’s out of my normal country music box. It’s a song that hits close to home. I think a lot of people can relate to the need for Jesus. To write a song about something that really matters is extra special.”

Hubbard surprised fans by performing the song acoustically during a livestream hosted by series creator Dallas Jenkins, where the first teaser for The Chosen Season 6 was also unveiled. Additional artists contributing to the forthcoming album will be announced in the coming weeks.

The music release accompanies what promises to be the most significant chapter of the series to date. The newly released teaser gives fans their first look at Season 6, which chronicles the final day of Jesus’ earthly ministry leading to the crucifixion.

Season 6 premieres November 15 on Prime Video with its first three episodes, followed by weekly releases through December 6. Rather than concluding on streaming, the season will culminate in a theatrical feature film arriving exclusively in theaters on March 12, 2027.

According to the official synopsis:

The hour has come. Before the sun sets, Jesus of Nazareth will be dead. Season Six captures the historic events of Jesus’ final day through the lives of those who love Him—and those who condemn Him. Pharisees call it justice. Romans call it peace. Followers call it murder. But in the face of loneliness and death, Jesus stands resolute in His plan that has always led to one place: the cross.

For music fans, the new companion album represents another expansion of The Chosen‘s growing influence beyond television, bringing together artists to create original songs inspired by the series’ journey through the life of Christ. Hubbard’s heartfelt contribution serves as the project’s opening chapter, with more artists and songs expected to be revealed throughout the fall.

As anticipation builds for both the music and the next season, viewers still have time to revisit—or experience for the first time—the story so far. Seasons 1 through 5 of The Chosen are currently streaming on Prime Video.

Watch the newly released Season 6 teaser below and stay tuned for more announcements surrounding the upcoming The Chosen soundtrack.

For a generation of music fans, Warped Tour was a rite of passage.

It was where lifelong friendships were made, favorite bands were discovered, and countless sunburned summers were spent sprinting from stage to stage what you hoped was a clean bottle of water in the other. We’d all end up back in someones van with a face dripping in eyeliner (or guy-liner)  running down your face from a potential heat stroke… but how lucky were we!

For many CCM Magazine readers, however, there was another festival that occupied an equally important place in our memories. Unlike a lot of the punk scene, Warped Tour accepted strongly Christian and Tooth & Nail style Christian adjacent artist at its cultural peak including MxPx, Underoath, Five Iron Frenzy, Relient K, Anberlin and many more. The inclusion actually began to the put the death nail in the dedicated festivals like Cornerstone. Purple Door. TomFest. Now all your favorite alt-Christian bands came to you AND you got to see NOFX, Rancid, Blink-182, and Sum-41.

Not too much longer though the pop punk domination of mainstream music disappointed and Warped Tour closed up show. Last year we saw a big return that was fueled with mostly new artists which was exciting and maybe a little disappointing that we weren’t getting a big family reunion for us fans whose pink hair has turned a little grey.

But this fall, Warped Tour’s return to Orlando may be the closest thing we’ve had in years to experiencing that same spirit again.

No, it isn’t a Christian festival but, much like the Christian alternative / punk scene, it never existed in isolation. Fans who discovered MxPx often found themselves listening to New Found Glory. Emery fans bought Silverstein records. Norma Jean fans stayed for Every Time I Die. The lines between Christian and mainstream alternative music were always blurrier than many people remember.

That crossover is still alive at Warped Tour.

Why Orlando Stands Out

While every stop on Warped Tour’s 2026 comeback features artists with ties to the Christian rock and hardcore scene, the Orlando stop (November 14–15) may be the strongest destination for CCM readers.

Artists with Christian roots include:

• Emery
• Family Force 5 REUNION SHOW
• Fit For A King
• Gideon
• Maylene and the Sons of Disaster
• MxPx
• Norma Jean
• Elijah

The lineup also includes numerous artists whose careers have long intersected with Christian audiences, including:

• Thrice
• Silverstein
• Hawthorne Heights
• Jimmy Eat World
• New Found Glory
• Motion City Soundtrack
• Taking Back Sunday
• The Used
• Simple Plan
• Sleeping With Sirens
• Alexisonfire
• From First to Last

Whether through shared tours, overlapping fanbases, or members who openly identify with the Christian faith, these bands helped shape the soundtrack of an entire generation.

Every Warped Stop Has Something for Christian Music Fans

Orlando may offer the deepest lineup for fans of Christian alternative music, but every city on the 2026 tour features artists with roots in or longstanding connections to the Christian rock scene.

Long Beach, California

July 25–26

Christian / Christian Roots

• Emery
• Norma Jean
• The Devil Wears Prada
• Underoath
• MxPx

Christian-Adjacent

• Thrice
• Silverstein
• Hawthorne Heights
• Jimmy Eat World
• Sleeping With Sirens
• From First to Last

Montreal, Quebec

August 21–22

Christian / Christian Roots

• MxPx
• The Devil Wears Prada

Christian-Adjacent

• Thrice
• Hawthorne Heights
• Jimmy Eat World
• Story of the Year
• Acceptance
• Yellowcard

Orlando, Florida

November 14–15

Christian / Christian Roots

• Emery
• Family Force 5
• Fit For A King
• Gideon
• Maylene and the Sons of Disaster
• MxPx
• Norma Jean
• Elijah

Christian-Adjacent

• Thrice
• Silverstein
• Hawthorne Heights
• Jimmy Eat World
• New Found Glory
• Motion City Soundtrack
• Taking Back Sunday
• The Used
• Simple Plan
• Sleeping With Sirens
• Alexisonfire
• From First to Last

Mexico City, Mexico

November 28–29

Christian / Christian Roots

• Anberlin
• Emery
• MxPx
• The Devil Wears Prada
• Underoath

Christian-Adjacent

• Thrice
• Saosin
• We Came As Romans
• Hawthorne Heights
• Jimmy Eat World
• New Found Glory
• Story of the Year
• Yellowcard
• Simple Plan
• Taking Back Sunday

More Than Nostalgia

This year’s Orlando festival will also mark my own return to Warped Tour after many years away.

Like many of you, I grew up going to Warped Tour. While CCM Magazine has always celebrated Christian music, I’ve never stopped loving the broader punk, emo, ska, and hardcore scene that existed right alongside it. Those bands, and those sweat drenched days, were a huge part of my musical upbringing.

That’s why I’m genuinely excited to cover this year’s event.

Not simply because of the Christian artists on the bill, but because Warped Tour represents something much bigger. It reminds us that music has always had a way of bringing different communities together. Long before playlists and algorithms, festivals introduced us to bands we’d never heard before and questionable decisions with friendships we’d never forget.

For many of us, Warped Tour and Cornerstone weren’t competing worlds. They were complementary chapters of the same story.

One weekend we were singing along with MxPx and Five Iron Frenzy. The next we were discovering New Found Glory, Jimmy Eat World, or Taking Back Sunday.

If you’ve been looking for an excuse to dust off the Halfcabs, dig out an old Stavesacre tee, and relive a little of that magic, Warped Tour Orlando may be exactly what you’ve been waiting for.

And if you can’t make Orlando, the good news is that every stop on Warped Tour’s 2026 return offers a reminder that the relationship between Christian alternative music and the broader punk scene has always been stronger than many people realize.

I hope to see you in Orlando this November.

For a generation of music fans, Warped Tour was a rite of passage.

It was where lifelong friendships were made, favorite bands were discovered, and countless sunburned summers were spent sprinting from stage to stage what you hoped was a clean bottle of water in the other. We’d all end up back in someones van with a face dripping in eyeliner (or guy-liner)  running down your face from a potential heat stroke… but how lucky were we!

For many CCM Magazine readers, however, there was another festival that occupied an equally important place in our memories. Unlike a lot of the punk scene, Warped Tour accepted strongly Christian and Tooth & Nail style Christian adjacent artist at its cultural peak including MxPx, Underoath, Five Iron Frenzy, Relient K, Anberlin and many more. The inclusion actually began to the put the death nail in the dedicated festivals like Cornerstone. Purple Door. TomFest. Now all your favorite alt-Christian bands came to you AND you got to see NOFX, Rancid, Blink-182, and Sum-41.

Not too much longer though the pop punk domination of mainstream music disappointed and Warped Tour closed up show. Last year we saw a big return that was fueled with mostly new artists which was exciting and maybe a little disappointing that we weren’t getting a big family reunion for us fans whose pink hair has turned a little grey.

But this fall, Warped Tour’s return to Orlando may be the closest thing we’ve had in years to experiencing that same spirit again.

No, it isn’t a Christian festival but, much like the Christian alternative / punk scene, it never existed in isolation. Fans who discovered MxPx often found themselves listening to New Found Glory. Emery fans bought Silverstein records. Norma Jean fans stayed for Every Time I Die. The lines between Christian and mainstream alternative music were always blurrier than many people remember.

That crossover is still alive at Warped Tour.

Why Orlando Stands Out

While every stop on Warped Tour’s 2026 comeback features artists with ties to the Christian rock and hardcore scene, the Orlando stop (November 14–15) may be the strongest destination for CCM readers.

Artists with Christian roots include:

• Emery
• Family Force 5 REUNION SHOW
• Fit For A King
• Gideon
• Maylene and the Sons of Disaster
• MxPx
• Norma Jean
• Elijah

The lineup also includes numerous artists whose careers have long intersected with Christian audiences, including:

• Thrice
• Silverstein
• Hawthorne Heights
• Jimmy Eat World
• New Found Glory
• Motion City Soundtrack
• Taking Back Sunday
• The Used
• Simple Plan
• Sleeping With Sirens
• Alexisonfire
• From First to Last

Whether through shared tours, overlapping fanbases, or members who openly identify with the Christian faith, these bands helped shape the soundtrack of an entire generation.

Every Warped Stop Has Something for Christian Music Fans

Orlando may offer the deepest lineup for fans of Christian alternative music, but every city on the 2026 tour features artists with roots in or longstanding connections to the Christian rock scene.

Long Beach, California

July 25–26

Christian / Christian Roots

• Emery
• Norma Jean
• The Devil Wears Prada
• Underoath
• MxPx

Christian-Adjacent

• Thrice
• Silverstein
• Hawthorne Heights
• Jimmy Eat World
• Sleeping With Sirens
• From First to Last

Montreal, Quebec

August 21–22

Christian / Christian Roots

• MxPx
• The Devil Wears Prada

Christian-Adjacent

• Thrice
• Hawthorne Heights
• Jimmy Eat World
• Story of the Year
• Acceptance
• Yellowcard

Orlando, Florida

November 14–15

Christian / Christian Roots

• Emery
• Family Force 5
• Fit For A King
• Gideon
• Maylene and the Sons of Disaster
• MxPx
• Norma Jean
• Elijah

Christian-Adjacent

• Thrice
• Silverstein
• Hawthorne Heights
• Jimmy Eat World
• New Found Glory
• Motion City Soundtrack
• Taking Back Sunday
• The Used
• Simple Plan
• Sleeping With Sirens
• Alexisonfire
• From First to Last

Mexico City, Mexico

November 28–29

Christian / Christian Roots

• Anberlin
• Emery
• MxPx
• The Devil Wears Prada
• Underoath

Christian-Adjacent

• Thrice
• Saosin
• We Came As Romans
• Hawthorne Heights
• Jimmy Eat World
• New Found Glory
• Story of the Year
• Yellowcard
• Simple Plan
• Taking Back Sunday

More Than Nostalgia

This year’s Orlando festival will also mark my own return to Warped Tour after many years away.

Like many of you, I grew up going to Warped Tour. While CCM Magazine has always celebrated Christian music, I’ve never stopped loving the broader punk, emo, ska, and hardcore scene that existed right alongside it. Those bands, and those sweat drenched days, were a huge part of my musical upbringing.

That’s why I’m genuinely excited to cover this year’s event.

Not simply because of the Christian artists on the bill, but because Warped Tour represents something much bigger. It reminds us that music has always had a way of bringing different communities together. Long before playlists and algorithms, festivals introduced us to bands we’d never heard before and questionable decisions with friendships we’d never forget.

For many of us, Warped Tour and Cornerstone weren’t competing worlds. They were complementary chapters of the same story.

One weekend we were singing along with MxPx and Five Iron Frenzy. The next we were discovering New Found Glory, Jimmy Eat World, or Taking Back Sunday.

If you’ve been looking for an excuse to dust off the Halfcabs, dig out an old Stavesacre tee, and relive a little of that magic, Warped Tour Orlando may be exactly what you’ve been waiting for.

And if you can’t make Orlando, the good news is that every stop on Warped Tour’s 2026 return offers a reminder that the relationship between Christian alternative music and the broader punk scene has always been stronger than many people realize.

I hope to see you in Orlando this November.

For an entire generation of worshippers, the songs of Brian Doerksen were the soundtrack of the modern worship movement.

From the reverence of “Refiner’s Fire” to the global anthem “Come Now Is the Time to Worship,” Doerksen helped define the sound of congregational worship throughout the 1990s and early 2000s. His songs found their way into churches of every denomination, conference halls, youth camps, weddings, funerals, and living rooms around the world, giving believers language for praise, repentance, surrender, and hope.

Brian Doerksen has passed away at the age of 61, leaving behind an influential catalogue of contemporary worship music.

Among his best-known compositions are “Refiner’s Fire” (1990), “Light the Fire Again” (1994), “Come Now Is the Time to Worship” (1998), “Faithful One” (2002), “Hope of the Nations” (2003), and “Today (As For Me and My House)” (2008). These songs that have been translated into numerous languages and sung by millions of Christians across the globe.

The Canadian songwriter was also a trailblazer in Christian music, becoming only the second Canadian songwriter to receive a GMA Dove Award, further cementing his place among the most respected voices in modern worship.

Doerksen’s influence reached far beyond his songwriting. As one of the founding voices of the Vineyard Worship movement, he helped shape a style of worship that emphasized intimacy with God and authentic expressions of faith. This approach that continues to reverberate on Christian radio and in churches decades later.

In a heartfelt tribute, Vineyard Worship reflected on the immeasurable impact of his ministry.

“Brian was one of the fathers of Vineyard Worship. Through his songs, leadership and friendship, he helped shape worship in the Vineyard and, far beyond that, the worship of the global Church.”

The organization continued by recognizing the lasting impact of songs that became staples of worship services worldwide.

“Generations of us have encountered God through songs like Come, Now Is the Time to Worship, Refiner’s Fire, Faithful One, Your Love Is Amazing, and so many more. These songs have been sung in countless churches, at weddings and funerals, in conferences and living rooms, in moments of celebration and seasons of suffering. They have given language to our hearts and pointed us, time and again, to intimacy with Jesus.” Vineyard Worship also emphasized that Brian’s impact extends well beyond the music.”Brian’s legacy is far greater than the songs he wrote. Those who knew him speak of a man marked by humility, kindness, generosity and deep faith. He was a worshipper before he was a songwriter, and his life reflected the One he so faithfully sang about.”

Throughout his career, Doerksen was known not only for writing songs that resonated across denominations but for mentoring worship leaders, encouraging younger artists, and consistently pointing attention away from himself and toward Christ.

Legendary Christian music radio promoter Chris Hauser shared a personal reflection that echoed the sentiments of many who were impacted by his music.

“Brian Doerksen consistently wrote and performed songs I needed to hear in many important stops in my faith journey. His 30 year old album through Vineyard Music Group ‘Isn’t He – Acoustic Worship’ still holds up. ‘Come Now is the Time to Worship,’ ‘Refiner’s Fire,’ ‘Purify My Heart’ and many others have been the soundtrack for tens of millions over decades.”

Even as Christian music has continued to evolve stylistically over the past three decades, Doerksen’s songs have remained timeless fixtures in churches around the world. Their enduring appeal speaks not only to memorable melodies but to lyrics rooted deeply in Scripture and a genuine desire to draw people closer to Jesus.

CCM Magazine extends its deepest condolences to Joyce, their children, the entire Doerksen family, and the countless friends, ministry partners, and worshippers mourning this tremendous loss. May Brian Doerksen’s songs will continue to echo in sanctuaries around the world for generations to come.

Those wishing to support Brian’s family during this difficult time are encouraged to donate to and share the family’s GoFundMe campaign:
https://gofund.me/d23998cc4

For an entire generation of worshippers, the songs of Brian Doerksen were the soundtrack of the modern worship movement.

From the reverence of “Refiner’s Fire” to the global anthem “Come Now Is the Time to Worship,” Doerksen helped define the sound of congregational worship throughout the 1990s and early 2000s. His songs found their way into churches of every denomination, conference halls, youth camps, weddings, funerals, and living rooms around the world, giving believers language for praise, repentance, surrender, and hope.

Brian Doerksen has passed away at the age of 61, leaving behind an influential catalogue of contemporary worship music.

Among his best-known compositions are “Refiner’s Fire” (1990), “Light the Fire Again” (1994), “Come Now Is the Time to Worship” (1998), “Faithful One” (2002), “Hope of the Nations” (2003), and “Today (As For Me and My House)” (2008). These songs that have been translated into numerous languages and sung by millions of Christians across the globe.

The Canadian songwriter was also a trailblazer in Christian music, becoming only the second Canadian songwriter to receive a GMA Dove Award, further cementing his place among the most respected voices in modern worship.

Doerksen’s influence reached far beyond his songwriting. As one of the founding voices of the Vineyard Worship movement, he helped shape a style of worship that emphasized intimacy with God and authentic expressions of faith. This approach that continues to reverberate on Christian radio and in churches decades later.

In a heartfelt tribute, Vineyard Worship reflected on the immeasurable impact of his ministry.

“Brian was one of the fathers of Vineyard Worship. Through his songs, leadership and friendship, he helped shape worship in the Vineyard and, far beyond that, the worship of the global Church.”

The organization continued by recognizing the lasting impact of songs that became staples of worship services worldwide.

“Generations of us have encountered God through songs like Come, Now Is the Time to Worship, Refiner’s Fire, Faithful One, Your Love Is Amazing, and so many more. These songs have been sung in countless churches, at weddings and funerals, in conferences and living rooms, in moments of celebration and seasons of suffering. They have given language to our hearts and pointed us, time and again, to intimacy with Jesus.” Vineyard Worship also emphasized that Brian’s impact extends well beyond the music.”Brian’s legacy is far greater than the songs he wrote. Those who knew him speak of a man marked by humility, kindness, generosity and deep faith. He was a worshipper before he was a songwriter, and his life reflected the One he so faithfully sang about.”

Throughout his career, Doerksen was known not only for writing songs that resonated across denominations but for mentoring worship leaders, encouraging younger artists, and consistently pointing attention away from himself and toward Christ.

Legendary Christian music radio promoter Chris Hauser shared a personal reflection that echoed the sentiments of many who were impacted by his music.

“Brian Doerksen consistently wrote and performed songs I needed to hear in many important stops in my faith journey. His 30 year old album through Vineyard Music Group ‘Isn’t He – Acoustic Worship’ still holds up. ‘Come Now is the Time to Worship,’ ‘Refiner’s Fire,’ ‘Purify My Heart’ and many others have been the soundtrack for tens of millions over decades.”

Even as Christian music has continued to evolve stylistically over the past three decades, Doerksen’s songs have remained timeless fixtures in churches around the world. Their enduring appeal speaks not only to memorable melodies but to lyrics rooted deeply in Scripture and a genuine desire to draw people closer to Jesus.

CCM Magazine extends its deepest condolences to Joyce, their children, the entire Doerksen family, and the countless friends, ministry partners, and worshippers mourning this tremendous loss. May Brian Doerksen’s songs will continue to echo in sanctuaries around the world for generations to come.

Those wishing to support Brian’s family during this difficult time are encouraged to donate to and share the family’s GoFundMe campaign:
https://gofund.me/d23998cc4

Author, songwriter, professor, and former CCM Rock News Editor and regular feature writer John J Thompson will release his first new single in several years this week when “Sweet Marianne” comes out on Friday, July 24. The tune comes from the pages of his latest book, a “rock and soul fable” called The Ballad of the Lost Dogs of East Nashville (no connection to the real-life band), and features electric guitar and backing vocals by Phil Keaggy, accordion by Jeff Taylor (Bob Dylan, Emmylou Harris, Amy Grant, Keith & Kristin Getty), percussion by Steve Hindalong (The Choir, the real Lost Dogs,) and backing vocals by his longtime musical partner (and wife) Michelle Lynn Thompson of The Wayside. He is also performed last night at Hope Church Nashville with Scout and The Saints and Grable Howie both to celebrate the launch of “Sweet Marianne” and to support the organizers of a new festival called Holy Mountain. (Thompson’s group with his wife, The Wayside, will be playing their first official Nashville show in many years on August 16th at Sacrament Church in East Nashville.) Details can be found at JohnJThompson.com.

Longtime CCM readers may remember Thompson’s contributions to the magazine as a feature writer between 1999 and the end of the initial run. But his history with CCM goes back much farther than that. “The first time I had an article published by any magazine other than my own True Tunes News, was when CCM hired me to review a John Fischer and Noel Paul Stookey show at Wheaton College in the early 90s.” And while Thompson has been writing and recording music – primarily as The Wayside – as far back as 1991, most people outside of the fringes of the alternative rock or the Cornerstone Festival world only knew him for his work with True Tunes. In recent years he was featured in The Jesus Music film as a historian. He has two previous books, Raised By Wolves; The Story of Christian Rock and Roll (2000) and Jesus Bread and Chocolate: Crafting a Handmade Faith in a Mass Market World (2015). The Ballad of the Lost Dogs of East Nashville is his first novel. He currently serves as a professor and as the Director of Music Industry Studies at Lipscomb University and manages Community Music, the Chicago worship writers behind the song “Make Room.”

“I never stopped making my own music,” Thompson insists, “but I have been very busy for many years helping other artists and writers get their work out. I spent nearly 10 years working on this story and got to write several songs within the context of the novel. That was a totally new experience for me. But this one, “Sweet Marianne” is central to the whole story. It starts as a lullaby – just a chorus that a young father composes on the fly for his baby girl – but then it keeps coming back throughout the story. I wanted the song to grow that way, so I brought different friends in along the way. Dan Wheeler helped me expand it harmonically and even lyrically. Then when Phil Keaggy offered to record it and play on it, things really opened up.”

Thompson’s story includes a sort of “accidental band” made up of people of different ages, ethnicities, cultures, and backgrounds, who initially come together in a garage in East Nashville just for fun. One of those characters, Cesar Jimenez, is a 70-something man originally from Mexico who brings a David Hidalgo (Los Lobos) type of accordion style to the mix. Thompson and Wheeler tapped Jeff Taylor to add that element to the track. “Jeff read some of the book,” Thompson explains, “He immediately understood what we were going for. He contributed such lovely, important elements. The accordion really does represent the prayer-like aspect of the song, and it was a dream to have that in there.”

As much as the song captures the essence of that spirit of his story, Thompson insists that it hits a different nerve he hadn’t even considered when he was writing it. “This really is the sound of community,” he adds. “I could not have done this on my own. I had to let people in, trust others with ‘my’ thing. The result is so much stronger than what I could have accomplished if I had insisted on control. Community and control don’t work together. That Thompson’s “solo” show on the 21st includes Sam Wade (who recently completed a 2-year run as the guitarist for the touring company of the massively popular Hadestown musical), and 2 especially talented Lipscomb students just adds to the sense of community found in the book, and his long story in music.

“We are collectively living through an era of toxic voices and fractured community on all sides,” he says. “There’s a verse that gets me every time I hear – or sing it. ‘Many the voices, many the choices, that told us who we are. Running on fumes, living in ruins, loving from afar. But there is a sound, calling us home, back to that light in the dark. Where we find our names, trade beauty for chains, and hearts that carry the scars.’ That, to me, is the Gospel.”

More info and links at JohnJThompson.com

It’s Christmas in July and the first major Christmas tour announcement of the season has arrived, and suddenly we’re craving hot cocoa.

There’s something wonderfully disorienting about scrolling through Christmas tour dates while your weather app still says 97°.

We’re halfway through July. Kids are still squeezing in summer vacations. Pumpkin Spice hasn’t returned. Mariah Carey is (presumably) still asleep.

And yet…Christmas officially arrived in Christian music and we are here for it.

Amy Grant, Michael W. Smith and CeCe Winans have become the first major Christian artists to throw open the holiday season, announcing the return of their Christmas Together arena tour.

After a successful inaugural run, Christmas Together returns and once again pairing three of Christian music’s most beloved voices.

The tour launches Thanksgiving weekend before winding through arenas across the country during the first half of December.

Full Tour Dates:

Nov. 27 — Columbus, OH
Nov. 28 — Hershey, PA
Nov. 29 — Charlotte, NC
Nov. 30 — Raleigh, NC
Dec. 2 — Fort Wayne, IN
Dec. 3 — Grand Rapids, MI
Dec. 4 — Saint Paul, MN
Dec. 5 — Lincoln, NE
Dec. 7 — Kansas City, MO
Dec. 8 — Loveland, CO

Then the MegaZord of Christian music disassemble, but the Christmas magic doesn’t end there.

Amy Grant will once again return home to Nashville for her annual Christmas at the Ryman residency with Vince Gill. For many Middle Tennessee families, it’s simply part of Christmas.

The combination of Amy, Vince, the Ryman Auditorium, storytelling, carols and surprise guests has quietly become one of Nashville’s most treasured holiday traditions. A matinee show sounds pretty perfect!

Dec. 14 — 7:30 p.m.
Dec. 15 — 7:30 p.m.
Dec. 16 — 7:30 p.m.
Dec. 17 — 7:30 p.m.
Dec. 19 — 3:00 p.m.
Dec. 19 — 7:30 p.m.
Dec. 20 — 3:00 p.m.
Dec. 20 — 7:30 p.m.
Dec. 22 — 3:00 p.m.
Dec. 22 — 7:30 p.m.
Dec. 23 — 3:00 p.m.
Dec. 23 — 7:30 p.m.

For Cece, Once Christmas Together wraps, she’ll head west for Christmas with CeCe Winans, joined by sisters Angie and Debbie Winans for a special series of holiday concerts.

Dec. 10 — Seattle, WA
Dec. 11 — Portland, OR
Dec. 15 — Phoenix, AZ
Dec. 16 — Bakersfield, CA
Dec. 17 — Los Angeles, CA
Dec. 18 — Sacramento, CA

And What About Michael?

Here’s the question we’re already asking…

Will Michael W. Smith return to Belmont University’s Fisher Center?

Over the last several years, the Fisher Center has become Michael’s Nashville Christmas home.

While nothing has been announced (yet), it would almost feel strange not to see another residency added once the arena tour concludes.

We’re certainly hoping.

Then There’s that Jaw Dropping Arena Show

While the legendary trio defines the Christmas season… let’s not forget about the dark horse arena show everyone is talking about. Not a tour. Just two unforgettable nights.  CCM Magazine Cover Story artist Tommee Profitt will bring his Christmas spectacular The Birth of a King LIVE to Nashville’s Bridgestone Arena on December 12–13. Billed as “The Most Epic Christmas Event in History,” the production transforms Profitt’s acclaimed cinematic Christmas album into an unforgettable live experience featuring more than 20 guest artists, a 60-piece orchestra, 100-person choir, and full band.

This is on my can’t miss list this year!

They were the soundtrack to youth groups, summer camps, late-night sporadic worship services in your friends first apartment, and countless church stages. Songs like “King,” “Treasure,” “Look What You’ve Done,” and their Dove Award-winning rendition of “Blessed Be Your Name” became woven into the fabric of modern worship during the early 2000s.

Then… they disappeared.

After what was intended to be a six-month sabbatical turned into nearly fifteen years away, founding vocalist and songwriter John Ellis wasn’t sure Tree63 would ever return. Burnout, life, family, and a season away from music left him believing the band’s story might already be finished.

Instead, it became the beginning of a new chapter.

With the release of Voyage, Tree63 returns with its first full-length album in nearly eleven years. But as I quickly discovered while sitting down with John Ellis, this isn’t simply an attempt to relive the past. It’s a record written by someone who has actually lived through the years between those classic albums and today.

 

“I thought I was done. So, to be sitting here talking to you about a new Tree63 record years later is pretty wild. I’m excited and very, very thankful.”

Ironically, it wasn’t an industry meeting or record label phone call that brought Tree63 back together. It was an old friend in South Africa who challenged Ellis to stop hiding behind cover songs.

“He said to me, ‘What are you doing in the corner of the venue singing Bryan Adams? You’re the guy who wrote these Tree63 songs. What are you doing?’… Suddenly God was kind of prompting me and going, ‘Hey, this thing that you do… it’s time to sing those songs again.'”

Bringing in a new lineup, with the blessing of the original bandmates who are now all over the globe, the band was reborn from the ground up. Ellis is joined by Deon Knipe and Angus Warden and spent an entire year simply rehearsing before recording a single note.

But the biggest surprise of our conversation wasn’t about the music. It was about who this record is actually for.

So much of Christian music naturally focuses on introducing people to Jesus. Ellis still celebrates that. Yet after decades of ministry, touring, and personal struggles, his heart has shifted toward another audience.

“This is an album by somebody who is 20 years on from his initial walk with Jesus… looking around at people my age who have, one by one, lost their faith…I feel real hard for people who’ve been through the mill, been through life, been through divorce, been through death in the family… and have walked away from their faith thinking that God wasn’t there for them when they needed Him most.”

That led us into one of my favorite moments of the interview.

We talked about how Christian music often celebrates the excitement of new believers. We remember youth group. We remember camp. We remember those first moments of faith.

But what about everyone who has lived twenty or thirty years since then?

Ellis believes that’s the conversation *Voyage* is meant to have.

“We both know what it was like to be in a youth group or a young people’s meeting in our early 20s. It was exciting as all get out… But what does it feel like to be a Christian in your 30s and 40s and 50s? We don’t talk about that level of faith. We talk about our young, exciting days and then death. There’s a lot of life in between… The miracle isn’t getting saved. The miracle really is keeping going and staying on that voyage… It’s great to get born again. It’s fantastic. It’s life changing. But staying in it when you’re 30 and 40 and 50 and after going through some stuff. That’s miracle stuff.”

Ellis isn’t trying to recreate the soundtrack of your youth. It’s written for the people who have actually lived long enough to discover that faith isn’t one defining moment, it’s thousands of ordinary steps taken over decades.

By the end of our conversation, Ellis summed up Tree63’s return with a simple statement that perfectly captures this season of his life:

“I still have a guitar, I still know Jesus, and I’ve got some songs to sing. That’s all that really matters for me.”

By the mid-1980s, Contemporary Christian Music was changing.

The pioneering Jesus Music movement had matured. Arena rock was arriving through bands like Petra and DeGarmo & Key. Artists like Steve Taylors were proving Christian music could be creative, clever, and culturally relevant. Meanwhile, a new sound was emerging from across the Atlantic. New wave, with its shimmering synthesizers, angular guitars, and infectious pop melodies, was reshaping mainstream music through artists like Tears for Fears, The Cars, Duran Duran, and Simple Minds.

Christian music needed its own answer.

In 1986, Bash-N-The-Code arrived. Now the band is ready to celebrate. Four decades after the release of their groundbreaking self-titled debut on Myrrh Records, Bash-N-The-Code is reuniting for a single, one-night-only concert celebrating the album that helped redefine what Christian pop and new wave could sound like.

The Bash-N-The-Code 40th Anniversary Reunion Show takes place Saturday, October 3, 2026, at the Roy E. Barberi Theatre in Brentwood, Tennessee, just outside Nashville, and only a few nights before the Gospel Music Association’s Dove Awards, making it a fitting gathering point for Christian music fans from across the country.

And to be clear: this is not the start of a reunion tour. This is the only show currently planned.

The evening reunites the original lineup for the first time in 40 years, featuring Greg Sparks, Rebecca (Ed) Sparks, Mark Lee Townsend, Keith Lancaster, Scott Carmichael, Chris Kearney, and Trent Dean performing the songs that made Bash-N-The-Code one of the most innovative acts of the 1980s Christian music movement.

Long before alternative Christian music became commonplace, Bash-N-The-Code fused shimmering synthesizers, soaring guitar work, and infectious pop hooks into a sound that felt fresh, daring, and unlike anything else happening in CCM. Their debut became a cult favorite among fans who were looking for music that pushed creative boundaries while remaining rooted in faith.

CCM Magazine supporters may recognize one member in particular.

If you’ve enjoyed the exclusive live performances we’ve produced since relaunching CCM Magazine, you’ve already experienced the work of Mark Lee Townsend. As CCM Magazine’s Music Producer and Engineer, Townsend has been the driving force behind the pristine audio quality heard in every CCM Cover Story and Spotlight session we’ve released. His work has helped define the sound of this new chapter of CCM Magazine. Seeing Townsend return to the stage alongside the band where so much of that journey began is something special.

“It’s going to be really exciting and kind of surreal to reunite with the band I came into the Christian industry with as a 21-year-old kid. The seven of us haven’t been in a room together, let alone played together, since back in the day, and I’m sure that will be both scary and fun at the same time. We were such a high-energy, almost party-atmosphere band, and I think we’re all secretly hoping to recapture some of that—even though we’re all a bit older now. I’m pretty certain it will be soulful, unique, and focused on honoring God.”

This is also an opportunity, if you’ve never heard BASH, to discover one of Christian rocks most important hidden gems.

Bash-N-The-Code: 40th Anniversary Reunion Show

Saturday, October 3, 2026
7:30 p.m. CDT
Roy E. Barberi Theatre
Brentwood, Tennessee

For tickets and additional information, visit BashNtheCode.com

Today we join the Christian music community in mourning the passing of Bob Farrell, one-half of the groundbreaking duo Farrell & Farrell and a songwriter, producer, and creative visionary whose influence reached generations of believers.

Long before Christian music became the thriving industry it is today, Bob Farrell was helping define what it could become.

Alongside his wife, Jayne, Bob formed Farrell & Farrell, releasing their self-titled debut in 1978. Their first single, “Earthmaker,” became a Top 5 Christian radio hit, launching a career marked by musical innovation and lyrical depth. Throughout the late 1970s and 1980s, albums like A Portrait of Us All, Make Me Ready, Choices, Jump to Conclusions, Manifesto, and Superpower showcased a band unafraid to experiment while remaining firmly rooted in their faith.

When Farrell & Farrell signed with Star Song Records in 1984, they embraced a bold new wave and synth-pop sound that helped expand the musical boundaries of Christian music. Songs like “People in a Box,” “Hosanna Gloria,” and “The Meek and the Mighty” demonstrated that faith-filled music could be both artistically adventurous and spiritually compelling.

It was no surprise that CCM Magazine proudly featured Farrell & Farrell on our September 1984 cover, recognizing a duo whose creativity and excellence were helping shape an entire generation of Christian artists.

After stepping away from touring, Bob never stopped creating. He turned his gifts toward songwriting, production, and musical theater, earning additional Dove Awards through collaborations with producer Greg Nelson. Many millennials were introduced to Bob in an unexpected way, as his portrayal of Pontius Pilate in the 2003 rock opera !Hero, a role that became a memorable part of one of Christian music’s most ambitious stage productions.

“He was a brilliant creative force… We shared way more than songs. Treasured time.”

Greg Nelson, Bob’s longtime collaborator and dear friend, shared a moving tribute that beautifully captures the man behind the music:

Nelson continued:

“He knew what he believed. He lived what he believed. And now those beliefs are confirmed.”

For many, Bob Farrell will be remembered as an innovator, a songwriter, and a Dove Award-winning creator. But perhaps his greatest legacy is that his life reflected the very Gospel he spent decades proclaiming through song.

At CCM Magazine, we are grateful that we had the privilege of chronicling part of that journey. We extend our deepest prayers to Jayne Farrell, their family, Greg Nelson, and the countless friends, collaborators, and listeners whose lives were touched by Bob’s extraordinary life and ministry.

For years, the conversation around social media has sounded the same. It’s too toxic. It’s too addictive. It’s making us anxious. It’s dividing us. Most people agree there’s a problem. Few believe there’s a real solution.

Then I sat down with Shawn Whitson, founder and CEO of ActsSocial, and I realized he isn’t simply trying to build another social network, he’s trying to rethink what social media rewards in the first place.

 

His pitch isn’t, “Come to our Christian version of Facebook.” It’s much bigger than that.

As Whitson told me, “A lot of people call us a Christian social media app. We’re really a social media app for everybody. It’s just our rules, our algorithms, our backbone are all Bible and Christ-centered.”

That distinction matters. Because ActsSocial isn’t asking users to simply escape the internet. It’s asking whether the internet itself can become healthier.

One sentence on the ActsSocial homepage immediately caught my attention:

“You’re not addicted. You’re starving for gratitude.”

Whitson believes today’s social platforms aren’t just consuming our attention, they’re quietly shaping our hearts.

“I think one of the things that Jesus left behind with us was, man, if you’re just grateful, it is amazing how your anxiety, your stress levels and everything… if you will just learn to be grateful throughout the day,” he said.

Contrast that with today’s feeds.

“The reason that a lot of people have a problem with traditional social media is that rage… those algorithms just bait you, bait you, bait you… and gratefulness is almost all the way gone.”

That’s where ActsSocial makes its biggest philosophical shift. Instead of optimizing for outrage… it optimizes for gratitude.

Every major social network wants one thing:

More of your time. ActsSocial intentionally doesn’t.

Whitson told me his team spent three-and-a-half years, employed 18 developers, and invested $3.5 million studying the biggest social platforms before building something completely different. “We studied everything that TikTok and Facebook and all them did,” he explained. “We ran it against the Bible and flipped the algorithm completely on its head.”

How does that work? “If you get on and downplay somebody, you get buried. You come in and lift people up—you go viral!”

It’s refreshingly simple. Instead of rewarding controversy,  ActsSocial rewards encouragement.

Instead of promoting bullying, it buries it. Instead of rage bait, it amplifies gratitude.

In today’s digital world, that’s almost revolutionary.

Here’s the part that made me laugh.

One of ActsSocial’s biggest promises isn’t that you’ll spend more time there. It’s that you’ll spend less.

Their website proudly declares the platform is “Designed for you to log off.”

I couldn’t help but ask Whitson if investors had questioned that strategy.

He laughed. “I know… the investors call and want to talk about this part,” he admitted. “But the true reason for this is to help human society.”

Then he said something you’ll never hear from another social media CEO. “We know that you shouldn’t be addicted to your social media. So we have not put anything in there that’s going to rage bait you or make you continue to scroll… you’re done. You should kind of feel done. I know that doesn’t sound like the best business model… but it’s not good for you to be on this type of stuff long-term.”

Imagine that. A social platform that actually wants you to put your phone down.

Another feature that immediately stood out is ActsSocial’s insistence on verified human accounts. No anonymous trolls. No bot farms. No armies of fake profiles.

Each account is tied to an actual person. “If we’re going to have an honest platform, we’ve got to have people with heartbeats in their chest.”

That philosophy feels increasingly relevant in an age where AI-generated content, fake engagement, and anonymous accounts dominate so much of the internet.

ActsSocial is betting people are hungry for something real.

One thing I appreciated is that ActsSocial isn’t just thinking about individual users.

Whitson pointed out that many churches currently rely on Facebook Groups simply because there hasn’t been another viable option.

ActsSocial changes that.

Churches can create communities, send prayer requests, communicate through group notifications, and engage members without forcing them through the noise and negativity that often accompanies mainstream platforms.

For ministries already creating content online, ActsSocial provides another place to build authentic community without sacrificing biblical values or quality user experience.

“What Would Jesus Post?”

Late in our conversation, Whitson shared the story behind one of my favorite slogans.

He was wearing a hat that read “WWJP.”

Someone asked him:

“Would Jesus even be on social media?”

His response became the heartbeat of the platform.

“I came back and I said, ‘Would Jesus repost the content you put on social media?'”

He laughed remembering her reaction.

“It wiped it all off her face.”

“What would Jesus post? Consider it all public, even in front of Him, every time you hit Enter.”

Whether you’re posting on ActsSocial or somewhere else, that’s a question worth asking.

A Different Kind of Feed

After spending time with Shawn Whitson—and after exploring ActsSocial myself, I came away impressed. Not because it’s “Christian.” Because it doesn’t feel like a compromise.

Too often in the past, faith-based alternatives were built with great intentions but lacked the polish to compete. ActsSocial doesn’t feel that way.

It feels modern. Fast. Thoughtfully designed.

And, perhaps most importantly, intentional. Whitson believes the platform can become “a breath of fresh air,” and judging by the early response, that vision seems to be resonating.

If you’re looking for another place to argue online, ActsSocial probably isn’t for you.

If you’re looking for another platform to endlessly scroll until midnight, it definitely isn’t.

But if you’re looking for a place where gratitude is rewarded, where real people matter more than engagement metrics, where churches and ministries can build community without navigating outrage, and where the goal is to spend more time with people than on screens, ActsSocial is worth exploring.

As Whitson put it, “We’re going to teach people how to act on their social again.”

Disclosure: This article is part of a paid partnership between CCM Magazine and ActsSocial. While sponsored, the interview and opinions expressed are those of the participants. We only partner with organizations and companies we believe will be of interest to our readers.

When I pulled up to The Well Coffeehouse in Brentwood, Tennessee, a place where I frequently meet friends or grab an iced latte, I knew something special was happening. A line stretched out the door and around the corner. I had been invited to attend a live recording of SiriusXM The Message’s Acoustic Story Time with host Jason Gray.

The guests for the evening were Drew & Ellie Holcomb and Bear Rinehart of NEEDTOBREATHE. I expected a typical Nashville songwriter’s round. What I experienced was something far more intimate.

It felt less like a concert and more like sitting on a back porch on a summer evening with family and old friends, celebrating the things that make life, faith, and community beautiful. Authenticity wrapped itself around the room like a warm blanket. Looking back, I should have known with this lineup that I was in for a memorable night.

Jason Gray opened the evening by sharing a brand-new song inspired by the late Rich Mullins. Mullins famously addressed the topic of church hypocrisy by saying, “The church isn’t full of hypocrites; we’ve always got room for more.” Gray’s new song, “Room for More,” carried that same grace-filled spirit and set the tone for everything that followed.

Ellie Holcomb kept the evening moving with “Hope Is Gonna Find Me,” while Drew shared his anthem “Find Your People.” Both songs felt tailor-made for a room full of listeners who knew every word and weren’t afraid to sing along. Bear Rinehart followed with “Momma Loves,” the first track from the band’s latest record.

Then the stories began to flow.

Ellie shared memories of performing at Red Rocks alongside Michael W. Smith and Third Day, along with stories from a recent trip to Peru celebrating her and Drew’s twentieth anniversary, including a visit to Machu Picchu. Drew reflected on the journey of his song “Tennessee” becoming an official state song and spoke about how music helps us find our sense of home, reaffirming why he continues to write and perform.

One of the night’s most touching moments came when Drew and Ellie covered each other’s songs. Ellie performed Drew’s “What Would I Do Without You,” while Drew shared how Ellie’s song “Constellations” had deeply impacted his own faith journey.

Bear rounded out the storytelling portion of the evening with the title track from NEEDTOBREATHE’s latest album, The Long Surrender. He described the record as the product of hitting rock bottom and learning what it means to surrender over time rather than all at once. Speaking candidly about the album, he admitted it felt almost like cheating because the songs were simply his story, “ripped from the pages of my journal.”

When the applause finally settled after “The Long Surrender,” Ellie summed up what many in the room seemed to be thinking. “That song feels like it’s always been there,” she said. “In the best way possible.”

The evening could have ended there and everyone would have gone home satisfied, but Jason Gray had one more surprise. He shared “Land of the Living,” a song he co-wrote with Ellie, and then invited Drew and Bear to each play one final song. With Drew & Ellie Holcomb and NEEDTOBREATHE heading out on tour together later this year, Jason also asked them to share what they appreciated about touring with one another.

Drew praised Bear by saying that great artists need great songs, but they also need a voice that sounds human and real. Bear’s response about Drew was equally heartfelt. “He’s consistent,” Bear said. “It’s how he writes and how he lives. His songs are earnest.”

For the final songs, Ellie performed “The Whole Thing.” Drew chose the Drew & Ellie favorite “Feels Like Home.” Then Bear let Jason and Drew pick his closer. Before they could answer, the audience loudly made its own choice: “Washed by the Water.”

And that’s how the night ended.

Voices filled the room as everyone sang along to the NEEDTOBREATHE anthem. We may have been packed into a coffeehouse in Brentwood, but for a couple of hours, surrounded by stories, songs, laughter, and faith, it felt like home.

Catch this episode all weekend on SiriusXM’s The Message and on-demand on the Sirius XM app. 

By the time Michael Cochren walked into our studio, I’d already spent a week with, Cochren & Co’s new release, Runs In The Blood on repeat. This is Cochren & Co.’s third album, but it feels like a creative leap. It’s soulful without losing its country roots, nostalgic without sounding dated, and full of the kind of hooks that stick with you.

 

Michael laughed as he explained that none of it happened overnight. “It’s been a long process… almost three years. When an album comes out, I immediately start working on the next one.”

Instead of trying to recreate what had worked before, he picked the song “The Lows” and decided to see where it could lead.

“It’s got this grooving bass line… almost like a funk thing. I said, ‘Let’s start there and jump off into the deep end.'”

The deeper he went, the more the album began sounding like… well, Michael.

Country from growing up in southern Indiana, soul music from his dad. soft rock from his mom’s nightly Delilah radio listens. Southern Gospel from his grandparents and, as he happily admitted with a laugh, a healthy dose of NSYNC* and Britney Spears.

“There was a boy bander in your heart,” I joked.

“There is,” he laughed. That’s what makes Runs In The Blood so enjoyable. It doesn’t chase one style. It simply embraces everything that shaped him. “I wanted all my influences to bleed into this album.” Mission accomplished.

The music may be bigger this time around, but the heart behind it remains familiar. Many of the songs grew out of a season of change. Michael and his wife recently welcomed their first child after praying for eight years, and life looks a little different than it did when the last record was released.

“I’m in my 30s now… I’m an actual adult. I have a little baby now. So who am I? What’s made me what I am? Where have I come from? Where am I going?”

Those questions became songs, but not in a way that feels heavy. Instead, the record moves naturally between celebration, reflection, gratitude and joy. Michael realized he wasn’t simply writing about himself anymore.

“These are not just my stories. These are a lot of people’s stories.”

That idea became the heartbeat of Runs In The Blood.

“I wanted to invite everybody into that… talking about heritage and family… where I’ve been, but also where I’m going as a result of what runs in the blood of Jesus.”

One of my favorite moments came when we started talking about fatherhood. Michael was refreshingly honest. “My wife and I prayed for eight years for a baby. It’s so crazy how you can get your prayer answered and then go, ‘Is this the right thing?’ Because this is really hard. But God is showing us some amazing things in this season.”

It’s that last sentence that seems to define where he is today. There’s gratitude woven through this entire record, and you hear it just as clearly in conversation as you do in the music.

Of course, we also spent plenty of time talking about what’s next.

Festival season is in full swing, a fall tour with Zach Williams is on the calendar, and if our conversation is any indication, Michael is enjoying every minute of it. “I just try to approach every day with this of like, ‘What a gift it is to do this.'”

That joy carries into the performances he recorded for us at CCM Studios.

The full conversation is full of laughter, great stories, and plenty of behind-the-scenes moments that didn’t fit here. If Runs In The Blood is already on your playlist, you’re going to love hearing how it came together. And if you haven’t heard it yet… our CCM Spotlight is a pretty great place to start.

Willie and Korie Robertson have spent decades creating television, films, books, podcasts, and businesses that point families toward faith. Now, they’re bringing those worlds together in one place.

During a quick convo with CCM Magazine, the Robertsons made a big announcement. “We are launching a streaming platform called EKKL,” Korie Robertson told me. “It’s this amazing space that brings together film, podcasting, television series, daily devotionals, even a little travel perks thing and a connect area where there’s news articles and everything. We were hoping to just kind of be this one-stop trusted home for your family’s entertainment.”

They, along with Michael Scott (former Pureflix CEO), have launched their new faith-and-family platform designed to be more than just another streaming service.

Pronounced “EK-uhl,” EKKL takes its name from the Greek word ekklesia, meaning a gathering of people brought together around what matters most. Fittingly, the platform brings together movies, television series, podcasts, daily devotionals, community content, travel perks, and more into what the Robertsons hope becomes a trusted destination for families looking for entertainment with heart, hope, humor, and meaning.

For Willie, the launch reflects how audiences consume entertainment today.

“People are at platforms now. That’s where the people have congregated,” he said. “That’s what they like. We thought, ‘What if we brought all this together—with podcasting, with stuff that’s faith-friendly, stuff that we like—and put that together?'”

The vision extends beyond serving audiences. Having produced films and television themselves, the Robertsons also hope EKKL becomes a place where creators can thrive.

“We wanted to make it easier for producers, for directors… We know how hard it is to get past the gatekeepers,” Willie explained. “We want to make it as easy as possible for them—not only to make money, but for creators to come up with these kinds of projects.”

Korie said the inspiration also became deeply personal as their family entered a new season of life.

“Entertainment is shaping our culture in powerful ways, for good or bad,” she said. “We’re sitting here with grandchildren now… and realizing, where do you find it? How do you have a trusted space—a safe space—that you know is going to have wholesome values? Not just the one show that you choose to watch, but what about the advertisements they’re going to see? What’s the algorithm going to show them next? We’re experiencing that within our own family and realizing people are looking for something like this. So why don’t we create it?”

The announcement also included the first theatrical release under the EKKL banner, Elijah Peel, arriving exclusively in theaters on August 14 before making its way to the platform. Executive produced by Willie and Korie Robertson, the film follows a stadium-filling rock star whose life is interrupted by a near-fatal heart attack and whose unexpected friendship with a young girl begins a journey toward healing, reconciliation, and faith.

“It’s just a great story of redemption,” Korie said. “It has those same themes of hope, redemption and forgiveness. It’s a rock star who’s at the height of his success and fame—what the world would say is he has it all—but you realize he actually doesn’t have it all.”

Willie added that the film represents exactly the kind of storytelling EKKL hopes to champion.

“It’s one of those movies where you’re watching it and you’re like, ‘Oh, I didn’t realize this was a faith movie.’ Those are the ones I like. It just feels like a normal movie… and then you realize it has a message.”

As the Robertsons continue expanding beyond Duck Dynasty into film, television, and digital media, EKKL represents their biggest step yet—a platform built to gather families, creators, and stories around values they believe are worth sharing.

Watch my full conversation with Willie and Korie Robertson below as they announce EKKL Entertainment, discuss the vision behind the platform, and preview Elijah Peel, coming to theaters August 14.