Chris Tomlin

Christopher Dwayne Tomlin (born May 4, 1972) is an American contemporary Christian music (CCM) artist, worship leader, and songwriter from Grand Saline, Texas, United States who has sold nearly 30 million records. He is a former staff member at Austin Stone Community Church and is signed to EMI's sixstepsrecords. Tomlin leads worship at many Passion events. Some of his most well-known songs are "How Great Is Our God", "Jesus Messiah", "Amazing Grace (My Chains Are Gone)", "Our God", which he co-wrote with Matt Redman, Jesse Reeves, and Jonas Myrin, and "Whom Shall I Fear (God of Angel Armies)". He is currently a worship leader at Passion City Church in Atlanta, Georgia, with Louie Giglio, Kristian Stanfill, Christy Nockels, and Brett Younker.

He was awarded Male Vocalist of the Year at the 2006, 2007 (along with Artist of the Year), and 2008 GMA Dove Awards, and a Grammy Award for Best Contemporary Christian Music Album in 2012. He is one of the members of CompassionArt, a charity founded by Martin Smith of the band Delirious? and Smith's wife, Anna, and is on the Board of Directors of CURE International, a nonprofit organization that provides medical care to children in the developing world.

Worship

Worship is an act of religious devotion usually directed towards a deity. An act of worship may be performed individually, in an informal or formal group, or by a designated leader.

Etymology

The word is derived from the Old English weorþscipe, meaning worship, honour shown to an object, which has been etymologised as "worthiness or worth-ship"—to give, at its simplest, worth to something.

Worship in various religions

Buddhism

Worship in Buddhism may take innumerable forms given the doctrine of skillful means. Worship is evident in Buddhism in such forms as: guru yoga, mandala, thanka, yantra yoga, the discipline of the fighting monks of Shaolin, panchamrita, mantra recitation, tea ceremony, ganacakra, amongst others. Buddhist Devotion is an important part of the practice of most Buddhists. According to a spokesman of the Sasana Council of Burma, devotion to Buddhist spiritual practices inspires devotion to the Triple Gem. Most Buddhists use ritual in pursuit of their spiritual aspirations. In Buddhism, puja (Sanskrit & Pali: pūjā) are expressions of "honour, worship and devotional attention." Acts of puja include bowing, making offerings and chanting. These devotional acts are generally performed daily at home (either in the morning or evening or both) as well as during communal festivals and Uposatha days at a temple.

Jesus Culture

Jesus Culture is an international Christian revivalist youth outreach ministry that was formed at the Bethel Church of Redding, California. Jesus Culture Ministry hosts conferences and operates a record label, Jesus Culture Music, to share its message and spread worship. In 2013 Jesus Culture moved to plant a church in Sacramento. Meetings started on September 14, 2014.

Background

In late 1999, when the youth group at Bethel Church in Redding, California, led by youth pastor Banning Liebscher, launched the first Jesus Culture conference. Tony Cummings, music editor of Cross Rhythms, described the ministry as "one of the most significant Christian movements in post-war America".

According to Jesus Culture's website, "The heart of these gatherings was to serve other churches and lead young people to experience the radical love of God."

In 2013 Jesus Culture moved to Sacramento to plant a church, and meetings started at Folsom High School on September 14, 2014.

Conferences

Growing from the original conference in Redding, the organization now hosts annual conferences in Redding, Atlanta, Las Vegas, Dallas, Cleveland, and locations in Australia and the United Kingdom. The conferences bring thousands of young people from around the world to the host cities.

Jesse Reeves

Jessica "Jesse" Miriam Reeves is a fictional character in The Vampire Chronicles universe created by Anne Rice.

Character background

Jesse is a descendant of Maharet, and a member of the Great Family. She was made a vampire when she was 35 and has green eyes, pale skin and red hair.

Her mother Miriam died in a car accident as a teenager when she was seven months pregnant with Jesse, who was by some kind of miracle born and found at the side of the road only minutes after the car crash. She remained in the hospital for two weeks, nameless, until Maharet came and gave her a name. Jesse was the last survivor of the Reeve family of South Carolina, and was brought up by her cousins Maria and Matthew Godwin in New York. It was Maharet who provided for Jesse, and made sure that she could go to any college she wanted. She even arranged it so Jesse got to meet other members of the Great Family who were spread all over the world.

Maharet, whom Jesse first knew as her aunt, kept in touch with Jesse through letters and Jesse considered her a good friend. As Jesse grew up, she discovered that she could read minds and see ghosts and spirits and she confided this to her aunt. Maharet explained to her that seers of spirits were common with women in the Great Family, and that it was a gift that seemed to come with the attributes of green eyes, pale skin and red hair. She urged Jesse to write her whenever she would be frightened by it.

Paul Baloche

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Paul Joseph Baloche (/bəˈlɒʃ/ bə-LOSH; born on June 4, 1962) is an American Christian music artist, worship leader, and singer-songwriter. A native of Maple Shade Township, New Jersey, Baloche is currently the worship pastor at Community Christian Fellowship in Lindale, Texas. Baloche composes on piano and acoustic guitar, favoring guitar when leading worship. His wife, Rita Baloche, is also a Christian songwriter. Baloche is one of the writers for Compassionart, a charity founded by Martin Smith from Delirious?.

Musical career

Numerous artists have performed Baloche's songs, including Michael W. Smith,Casting Crowns,Rebecca St. James,Phillips, Craig and Dean,Anthony Evans, and Sonicflood. Baloche has co-written songs with Aaron Shust,Kari Jobe,Meredith Andrews, and Lincoln Brewster for use on their respective albums. Some of Baloche's songs rank among the most-performed songs in services according to CCLI. Top-ranked songs include "Open the Eyes of My Heart", "Hosanna", "Your Name", "Today Is The Day", and "Above All". Baloche has received numerous Dove Awards over the years. He was nominated for Song of the Year in both the 2002 and 2003 Dove Awards, and in 2002, Michael W. Smith's version of the same song won Inspirational Recorded Song of the Year. Baloche was also nominated for Songwriter of the Year in 2002. In 2009, Baloche won a Dove Award for Inspiration Recorded Song of the Year as co-author of "A New Hallelujah" with Michael W. Smith and his wife Debbie Smith.