November 6, 2020

Planetshakers Declares Praise & Worship As Essential


 Based in Melbourne, Australia, where citizens are under one of the world's most extreme and crippling quarantine measures due to COVID-19, Planetshakers has been following all the governmental guidelines while finding ways to connect and continue its mission. Known for its songs and albums recorded in massive stadium settings with engaging praise and worship, the internationally recognized band has been inspired to find new ways to raise up a generation of Christ followers with a clear vision of taking the Gospel to the nations.

 

Taking to heart the encouragement in Psalm 96 to sing a new song to the Lord, Planetshakers members Joth Hunt, Sam Evans, Aimee Evans, BJ Pridham, Andy Harrison, Josh Ham, Joshua Brown, Rudy Nikkerud and Chelsi Nikkerud are excited to release 10 finely crafted songs, all inspired by the hurt and the hope they see around them. With Hunt producing and co-writing nine of the songs, the new album, Over It All, releases Nov. 6 and is available to pre-order / pre-save now at digital and streaming outlets globally from Venture3Media (V3M).

 

"From a sonic perspective, we have been able to push the envelope, doing things in the studio that we couldn't do live," shares Hunt. "While we can't have people together in a building, we are finding a way around some pretty incredible challenges. The church is essential. Praise is essential. And this pandemic is not going to quarantine our worship. We may not be able to gather physically, but we can join in praise and worship remotely and through this new album."

 

With many of these songs sharing Bible-based, faith declarations, the album opens with the "247 365" principle of worship as the title track emphasizes that God is "Over It All." The closing track, "The Great Outpouring," looks past the present pandemic, and declares:

 Can you see it, revival is in the air/

There is freedom, the churches be filled again/

In this season, Heaven is rushing in/

This is the great outpouring

 As part of that mission to "empower generations to win generations," Planetshakers is seeing phenomenal streaming numbers online. Hundreds of thousands of people from all across the globe are connecting to this ministry remotely and are being inspired by the hope of the gospel.

 

"People are not wanting to quarantine their faith, their worship," says Russell Evans, Planetshakers Founder and Lead Pastor. "We are called to release a sound of heaven on the earth. Our prayer is as people worship the Lord with our new album, this will change the atmosphere over their homes, churches, cities and nations. I believe there are many prophetic declarations in the songs of this new album. We are so excited to see what God is going to do."

 

"No one is excluded from having to deal with the pandemic, but the Lord can make this horrible situation turn around into something good. We are already seeing that," adds Joshua Brown. "While there is much fear and uncertainty in this world, God came to give us life. He is the Prince of Peace. We are choosing to lift up the name of Jesus, to believe the Word of God, to make a joyful noise, even if there isn't much joy around us right now."