“When David approached me,” says Powell, who birthed the album out of his Atlanta-based home studio, "he wanted to make a project that would be organic and almost bluegrass so it would make sense for worship songs.”

Nasser recalls Powell’s brief apprehension about recording a stripped-down album for the largely radio-fed, pop-leaning Christian music listeners.

“In looking at the iPods of the teens and college kids I hang out with,” Nasser says, “they were filled with this roots-driven music.

“When I was 19, I couldn’t get enough James Taylor. It was because I was looking for the simplicity and rest that I could find in that style of music despite the business of my day. I want people to find rest in this record,” he says.

The two quickly agreed on cloaking the songs in soothing instruments that wouldn’t fight the lyrics for attention – instruments such as fiddle, mandolin and Dobro.

Powell and Nasser called on friends to contribute their voices to the CD. Some, like Littrell and Chris Tomlin, served up song ideas as well. Powell says he initially hadn’t planned on penning anything for "Glory Revealed," but found inspiration in passages such as Psalm 51, and one of his personal favorites, Zephaniah 3:17, that Nasser passed along to him.

“I wrote five songs in a matter of four hours,” Powell says. “The lyrics were already there, so it was just a matter of finding the version of the Bible – whether it was the New International Version or New Living Translation or others – that flowed. The Scriptures don’t rhyme like the songs we are familiar with, so the challenge was to phrase lyrics in a way that made sense and [held true] to the scriptural text while making sense in a Westernized song.” Of the album’s 10 tunes, each is comprised of direct passages from Scripture, whether in the verse or chorus, Powell says.

Listeners have the opportunity to experience the music of "Glory Revealed," as well as Nasser’s message, this spring on a unique tour this month. Confirmed artists include Powell, Littrell, Hyper Static Union’s Shawn Lewis, Shane & Shane, Trevor Morgan, Candi Pearson-Shelton and Starfield’s Tim Neufeld. The tour features an intimate, living room-style setup where all the artists will be on the stage leading worship simultaneously.

“We want people to not only get to know the Scriptures better through this, but to get to know Jesus through His own words,” Powell explains. He offers this reason:  “I had made a rough mix of the songs to listen to in my car. I didn’t know that my family had been listening to it while driving, and one day I got in the car with them. They turned the CD on, and my little girl, who is seven, started singing along to Zephaniah 3:17:

The Lord Your God is with you
He’s mighty to save
He will take great delight in you
He will quiet you with his love
He will rejoice over you with His singing

“I just started crying. It’s so powerful that even little children can hear these songs and memorize them,” Powell recalls. “They are planting great seeds of Scripture in their hearts.”

 
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