Dedicated to serving and equipping the Church in Austin, TX and around the world with content rich in theology, mission and expression, Austin Stone Worship's Everflow was crafted by the group's 200-plus songwriters, musicians, photographers, filmmakers, designers and storytellers in response to themes of the book of 1 Peter.
"1 Peter is powerful and timely for today's culture. It deals with suffering, enduring in the faith, and persevering no matter the cost," says Austin Stone Worship Pastor Aaron Ivey. "It helps answer this question: How do we live in a world that is not our home?
"Scripture often uses the sea as an illustration of two dichotomous things: the perils of suffering, and the redeeming work of Jesus," continues Ivey. "Both are true for believers. We may feel lost in a raging sea, but we know that God uses it to save us."
Aiming to point listeners to the supremacy of Jesus in all things: through suffering and through redemption, Everflow intersperses instrumental "Selahs," short pauses amidst the lyrical songs to give the listener a moment to reflect on the truths expressed in the lyrics.
For each of these instrumental pieces, Austin Stone Worship also offers poetry inspired by 1 Peter in a companion Everflow devotional to allow for reflection on who God is and what he has done. The devotional further explores the richness of the theology in each song and is meant to help worshipers understand what they are singing and why. The group's desire with this new project is to exalt God and to be people who worship in spirit and truth.
"My hope is that Everflow will encourage believers to look to Christ through their suffering, trusting that though they are exiles in the world, they belong to Jesus and are His," says the project's producer, Kyle Lent. "Working on this record has forced me to look at the difficult circumstances of my life and see the movement of God even through, and perhaps especially through, those times. It's encouraged me to see and experience the unity of the Church: that Peter's words 2000-years-ago are still relevant and true for believers today."
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