Overview:

A Global Experience
Why another worship series? There are numerous collections out in the market place already. What makes Heart of Worship anything different?

The vision behind this series was three fold:
1) The Best Songs - regardless of who owns the song publishing. So often albums come out from a company with only two or three really strong songs on them. Every song on these albums is strong. We did not allow ourselves to be influenced by song ownership or which company would give us a better songwriter rate. If it is a great song - we wanted it on the album.

2) The Worship Leaders - working with Worship Leaders who are passionate about their craft and what they have been called to do - as most are. Giving these Worship Leaders a platform to share their music. The Worship Leaders on this series are not high profile Worship Leaders but are just as committed as the ones who are. These are people who faithfully encourage and lead their congregations in worship each week for no other reason than this is what they have been called to do.

3) The International Profile - these songs, singers and musicians did not just come from the USA only but is combining the talents an gifts of Worship Leaders, singers and musicians from different parts of the world. Realizing that around the world we all have our cultural differences, music - especially Worship music, brings us all together worshipping our One Lord and God.

So this album was borne out of capturing great songs but not just having them recorded in a studio setting with studio singers and musicians but we focused on capturing the heart and passion of the singers and their Heart for Worship. This was done in part by singing the newer songs that the Church is embracing and then combining that in a live worship experience from a strong worshipping church. The heart and passion of the singers is that unknown quality that cannot be programmed or mixed into a recording. It is not just the singing of the songs - it is the heart-felt intensity of each worship leader. As they sing these songs and allow themselves to become part of the worship experience, this flows over into the recording. This is no longer a sterile recording of great songs and very talented singers - it becomes a worship experience by people who are personally and intimately involved in worshipping our God as the album is being recorded. The hope is that the listener will allow these songs to wash over them. That no matter what the day has been like or whatever issues or situations they are dealing with that these songs, and the singers that recorded them, will bring the listener back to the foundation of their faith and lead them into a time of worship.

This album was recorded in both the USA and the UK and combined singers and musicians and arrangers from both continents plus New Zealand, Europe, Africa and elsewhere. The result is a powerful Worship experience.

Highlights: The International success of this album and series proves that the market is hungry for an album featuring a global perspective in the praise and worship format that is song driven rather than artist driven.

UK and Europe: In the UK and Europe the album was released in April 2000 and went to the number 1 position on their Praise and Worship sales chart. In July 2000 this album was still at number 1 on the sales charts. In November 2000 this album is still Number 5 on the sales charts. 18 months after its initial release Heart of Worship 1 is still number 5 on the Praise and worship charts. In the year 2000 it was Word UK's second largest selling title behind Mary Mary which had very large mainstream sales.

Australia and New Zealand: On September 16, 2000 by Heart Of Worship Vol. 1 being No. 14 on the Koorong Praise and Worship Charts (Australia) and WOW Worship - Orange being number 17. In for the first half of March 2001, Heart of Worship Vol. 1 being their NUMBER TWO overall bestseller for that time period. 15 months after its initial release How of Worship 1 was showing on the top 10 Koorong Praise and Worship charts in the company of albums such as WoW Worship and the Hillsongs Australia Praise and Worship series.

Singapore / Thailand / Malaysia / Indonesia / India / Phillipines: It was the distributors largest sell-in of any title they have had to date across all music styles PLUS the album has gone on to be the biggest selling album across all styles and genre's the distributor has ever released - (album was released August 2000). It attained 'Gold Status' by Christmas 2000 (5 months after release) and has now achieved Platinum status in Singapore.

South Africa: Heart Of Worship - "You Laid Aside Your Majesty" has just been added to the Highway Praise & Worship Top 10 at #5. (October 16, 2000). Based upon one retail chains experience accounting for the sales of Heart Of Worship compared to the WOW Worship series:
- This one chain accounted for 22.5% of WOW Worship sales.
- Whereas for Heart of Worship they accounted for 23.3% of all sales.
Another chain of stores that is not focused on music accounted for 8.8% of all Heart Of Worship Sales. After 18 months Heart of Worship is still on their top selling chart.

Spanish: Heart of Worship is being recorded in Spanish and also plans are underway for Dutch, German and Italian versions. Other languages including Afrikaans are being worked on as well.

USA & Canada: This album has not been released in the USA or Canada to date despite requests to do so. We have purposely held off so as to build up the international profile. This is to help ensure that this album, once it is released in the US and Canada, has a profile and story that gives the consumer a reason to choose this album over the numerous praise and worship albums currently in the marketplace.

A Global Success! Heart of Worship has been a global success with sales outside North America in excess of 150,000 units.

Heart of Worship - Urban
The Heart of Worship series gathers together the very best worship material, presenting fresh versions of the songs that are really making an impact in local churches. This addition to the series adds a refreshing twist. Musically Urban Heart of Worship mixes together R&B, Hip Hop, Caribbean and sweet soul influences to make this double CD a refreshing, uplifting worship experience.