This week, we bring you the first of a two-part series chronicling Christian music’s major moments of 2008.

CCM IN CYBERSPACE

After blazing trails as a print magazine throughout the past three decades, CCM Magazine continued to evolve with the times by launching a full-fledged version into cyberspace. Outside of its usual features, CD reviews, concert coverage and news stories, the new site also debuted to tremendous fanfare thanks to podcasts, album streams and several other digital exclusives.

STEVEN CURTIS SADNESS

Pop superstar Steven Curtis Chapman made international headlines after the passing of his daughter, Maria, due to a tragic accident at the family’s Tennessee home. But rather than keeping quiet about the news, the family boldly witnessed their faith to the public, talking about issues of grief and confusion over the incident, but also about their unflinching hope in Christ and unconditional love for one another. Emotional and inspirational appearances included “Larry King Live,” “Good Morning America” and People magazine.

LOSING A LEGEND

The Christian music community also experienced another major loss as pioneering singer/songwriter Larry Norman passed away at age 60. The regularly tagged “Father of Christian Music” was known for the solo smashes “Why Should the Devil Have All the Good Music?” and “I Wish We’d All Been Ready,” along with time with the band People. “I feel like a prize in a box of cracker jacks with God’s hand reaching down to pick me up,” Norman wrote on his website the day before dying. “I have been under medical care for months. My wounds are getting bigger. I have trouble breathing. I am ready to fly home. I won’t be here much longer. I can’t do anything about it. My heart is too weak. I want to say goodbye to everyone … Goodbye, farewell; we will meet again.”

PASSION GOES GLOBAL

What was originally meant as merely an American ministry specifically geared around college-aged worshippers has since become an international phenomenon. This year, the Passion movement launched a global tour, allowing artists like Chris Tomlin, Matt Redman and the David Crowder Band (to name a few), plus speaker Louie Giglio to earn an even greater ministry platform.

DOVES SPREAD WINGS

This year marked the first ever expansion for the number of nominees in key categories for the Dove Awards. Beyond giving industry insiders a larger pool of artists to choose from, those acts were given additional visibility amongst Christian music fans, particularly TV viewers who were able to catch a telecast chock full of more performances than ever before live on Gospel Music Channel, the Dove Awards’ new home.