It’s been 24 years since Indelible Grace released its first album. Last month, the group released the first song off its 10th album, “Bright Hope for Tomorrow,” recorded live during a celebration concert at the PCA’s 50th General Assembly.
According to Kevin Twit, RUF campus minister and Indelible Grace’s founder, this latest album, which will be fully released on August 23, invites listeners into a concert of Indelible Grace classics, with a few songs re-tailored with a gospel music feel.
“Since our first live record in 2010, RUF has grown so much, not just in the numbers of campuses, but in the types of schools as well. We are now present on a number of historically black colleges and universities and have worked hard over the last 10 years to find songs that we can sing together at our annual RUF summer conference.”
Released on July 15, the new live version of John Newton’s “Let Us Love and Sing and Wonder” brings together this gospel music flavor and the voices of younger Indelible Grace members, including Twit’s son Cooper, who was in the womb when the group released its first album.
Historically, Indelible Grace arose from Twit’s desire to refresh old hymn texts for the college students he was ministering to at Belmont University. “Arise, My Soul, Arise,” was the first text Twit wrote new music for and introduced at Serge’s Sonship conference in 1995.
“This grew out of ministering to college students … and trying to get the gospel into their heart, and along the way I discovered that I really needed the gospel in my heart.”
Twit invited the talented then-Belmont students Sandra McCracken, Matthew Smith, and Will Sayles to help his effort, and the first album—“Indelible Grace”—was released in 2000. The new album retains some of these same voices – McCracken and Smith both appear on the album – but incorporates new ones, like Cooper and Michelle Raybourn.
“We have always felt that the idea of setting great old texts to new music (especially texts that had dropped out of use) could be incarnated in lots of different musical styles. I think we have explored that over the years, and I think people will be excited to hear what we called the ‘gospel version’ of ‘Arise My Soul,’” Twit said.
The new version of “Abide With Me” released on August 2, with the full album anticipated for release on all streaming platforms on August 23. Twit raised the funds for the new album through Kickstarter, with 349 backers pledging more than $25,000 to fund the project.
Ultimately, Twit hopes that this latest album brings gospel hope, just like the other ones.
“I want people to be encouraged by what he has done and be reminded that the story isn’t over yet.”
Zoe Erler is a contributing writer for byFaith.