Tag: News

Texas Gospel Canada Top 30 – March 2025

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DAVID INGRAM

Welcome to the Texas Gospel Canada Top 30 Songs of March 2025! This list is meticulously compiled based on the actual number of plays each song received in the previous month (February.) The Texas Gospel Top 30 is proudly submitted to top Southern Gospel publications including The Singing News and SGNScoops.

1 Grateful For The Gospel – Brian Free & Assurance – Daywind/New Day
2 More Than You Know – Tim Livingston – Diamond Mill Music
3 Bigger On The Inside – Legacy Five – StowTown/Provident-Sony
4 Big Ole Stone (Victory) – Triumphant Quartet – StowTown/Provident-Sony
5 The Good, Bad And The Ugly – Justified Quartet – Big Picture Records/New Day
6 The Hour I First Believed – PromisedLand Quartet – StowTown/Provident-Sony
7 No One Greater – Browns – StowTown/Provident-Sony
8 My Name’s Already There – Inspirations – Horizon/Crossroads
9 When It’s Gone For Good – Gold City – New Haven/Provident-Sony
10 Come On Let’s Go To That Land – Tribute Quartet- Daywind/New Day
11 What Are You Waiting For – Tim Menzies (with The Isaacs) – ARS/New Day
12 Rock Bottom – 11th Hour – Sonlite/Crossroads
13 Jesus Walked In – Joseph Habedank – Daywind/New Day
14 We Still Believe – Hyssongs – ARS/New Day
15 Can He, Could He, Would He – Mark Trammell Quartet – Crimson Road
16 There’s A River – High Road – New Day Records/New Day
17 I’d Rather Hear Preachin’ – Greater Vision – Daywind/New Day
18 If Not For Christ – Whisnants – Independent
19 I Left It In The Water – Southbound – Daywind/New Day
20 I Remember Lost – Poet Voices – StowTown/Provident-Sony
21 Keep Turning Your Eyes On Jesus – Booth Brothers – StowTown/Provident-Sony
22 Count For Something – Jay Stone Singers – ARS/New Day
23 Things We Cannot Change – LeFevre Quartet – New Day Records/New Day
24 By Grace – Lore Family – Horizon/Crossroads
25 Thank You Jesus For The Blood – Lauren Talley – Horizon/Crossroads
26 I Just Stopped By On My Way Home – Kingsmen – Horizon/Crossroads
27 God Won’t – Nelons (featuring Autumn Nelon Streetman) – Daywind/New Day
28 Good Ole Gospel Sing – Kelly Garner – Independent
29 Old Blind Bartimaeus – Jonathan Wilburn – Daywind/New Day
30 God Has A Way Of Workin’ It Out – Chronicle – ARS/New Day

Anthem Edition’s New Gospel Album Promises Kept

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TEXAS GOSPEL VOLUNTEER

2024 has proven to be a transformative year for Anthem Edition, the gospel quartet formerly known as The Old Paths. Following the success of their 2023 holiday album, Here Comes Christmas, the group has undergone changes, including the addition of tenor singer Cameron Edens, and the release of three singles: “Graveyard,” “Still Under His Feet,” and “Running.” The group’s latest project is Promises Kept and is released through Sonlite Records.

Tim Rackley, founding member and lead singer of Anthem Edition, says this album represents a meaningful milestone for the group. “This album is special to us,” said Rackley. “It marks the first time we’re making music together as a team with Cameron Edens and Andrew Utech, alongside our longtime brother, Doug Roark. These songs are a testament to God’s unwavering faithfulness, and we can’t wait for you to experience the message of hope and promise we’ve poured our hearts into.”

The album opens with the energetic track “Every Promise Made Is a Promise Kept,” written by Kenna Turner West and Jason Cox. Featuring a country-inspired arrangement and lively quartet harmonies, the song’s lyrics introduces the album’s central theme of God’s steadfast faithfulness:

There’s never been a time that He’s not faithfulNever been a day His words aren’t trueNever been a moment that our God won’tDo just what He said He’d doHe’s never ever failed to keep one yetEvery promise made is a promise kept.

Roger Talley, the producer of Promises Kept, praised the group’s dedication and renewed energy during the project’s creation. “I thoroughly enjoyed producing this new EP for Anthem Edition,” Talley shared. “They approached this project with a renewed passion and more energy than they have ever had before. We found some great new songs to express their commitment to singing the Gospel with a new excitement that I can’t wait for you to hear. A unique feature of this project is the number of uptempo songs they have chosen. For anyone who has ever complained about too many slow songs, this project is for you!”

With Promises Kept, Anthem Edition builds on their storied history while embracing a new chapter with Edens and Utech as part of their lineup.

Police Investigate Church Assault in Sarnia

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TEXAS GOSPEL STAFF

On January 4, 2025, Sarnia police responded to an assault report at a church near Christina Street and London Road shortly before 7 p.m.

A media release from the Sarina Police Service says officers spoke with a 23-year-old man who said he had been praying alone in the church when an unknown individual attacked him. According to the victim, the suspect approached from behind and placed a ligature around his neck in an attempt to strangle him. A struggle followed, during which the victim managed to escape and seek help. He was later treated in hospital for injuries that were not life-threatening.

Police searched the area for the suspect and determined that he had also tried to tamper with a security camera at the church before leaving the scene. Through further investigation, officers identified the suspect as Nicholas Ritonja, a 38-year-old Sarnia resident.

The search for Ritonja extended to surrounding police agencies. Later that evening, at 11:55 p.m., the suspect attempted to surrender at the Ontario Provincial Police station in Point Edward. He was arrested there and transferred to the custody of Sarnia police.

Ritonja has been charged with several offences, including:

Assault Causing Bodily Harm – Choke, Suffocate, or Strangle
Assault with a Weapon
Mischief Under $5,000
Uttering Threats

Police have stated that the motive for this unprovoked attack remains unclear. However, investigators believe that the suspect’s possible use of illegal substances may have contributed to the incident.

Authorities continue to investigate.

Atheist Driver’s Attack on Magdeburg Christmas Market Leaves Christians Mourning

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TEXAS GOSPEL STAFF

A devastating incident unfolded at a Christmas market in Magdeburg, Germany on 20 December, where a vehicle driven by Taleb al-Abdulmohsen, 50, struck a crowd, resulting in five deaths, including a nine-year-old child, and injuring over 200 others. The attack has raised questions about safety, community unity, and the risks posed by extremism.

Abdulmohsen, a Saudi national and refugee, was previously associated with far-right movements and anti-Muslim rhetoric. He had publicly declared himself an atheist and advocated for Middle Eastern non-believers to migrate to Germany. He spoke of this in a July 2019 BBC documentary. Reports from the Australian Broadcasting Corporation and The Guardian corroborated his background, noting his atheism and open opposition to Islam.

Concerns about Abdulmohsen’s behaviour had been raised long before this tragedy. German publication Der Spiegel reported that the Saudi secret service had warned Germany’s intelligence agency, the BND, about threats he posted online. In one instance, he warned Germany would “pay a price” for its treatment of Saudi refugees.

Abdulmohsen’s history included other troubling incidents. In 2013, a court in Rostock fined him for “disturbing the public peace by threatening to commit crimes.” More recently, in Berlin, he was investigated for “misuse of emergency calls” following a heated exchange with police officers. He had been on medical leave from his job at an addiction clinic near Magdeburg since October. The day before the attack, he missed a court appearance for charges related to the Berlin incident.

The attack deeply impacted Christians celebrating the Advent season. Christmas markets in Germany are cherished traditions, symbolizing hope and togetherness. The violence disrupted the spirit of the season, leaving the Christian community mourning those lost and praying for the injured.

Chancellor Olaf Scholz visited the scene of the attack, accompanied by national and regional leaders, where they laid flowers near Magdeburg’s main church. A memorial service was held at Johanneskirche, providing a space for reflection and grief.

The incident has led to calls for increased vigilance, especially during public events. For Christians, it serves as a reminder of the importance of standing together in faith and compassion during challenging times.

Pakistan Court Sentences Two for Blasphemy on WhatsApp

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TEXAS GOSPEL STAFF

A court in Gujranwala, Pakistan, has issued severe punishments in a blasphemy case involving social media messages. A 22-year-old student received a death sentence, while a 17-year-old was given life imprisonment for sharing content deemed blasphemous through WhatsApp. The sentences were announced this week.

The case began when the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) filed charges in Lahore based on a complaint. The plaintiff stated that he had received offensive videos and photos from three different mobile numbers. After examining the plaintiff’s phone, the FIA concluded that “obscene material” had been sent.

Initially handled by the Lahore High Court, the case was later transferred to a local court in Gujranwala for trial. An additional district and sessions judge delivered the verdicts. Defence lawyers contend that the accused students were “trapped in a false case”. However, details about the specific nature of the shared content or the defence’s evidence were not provided in the available information.

Pakistan’s blasphemy laws are among the strictest globally. They mandate capital punishment or life imprisonment for individuals found guilty of insulting Islam or the Prophet Mohammad. This applies to offences committed through spoken or written words, visual representations, or indirect insinuations.

It is worth noting that many blasphemy convictions in Pakistan are overturned on appeal in higher courts. However, the accused often face significant dangers even before their cases go to trial. There have been numerous instances of mob violence against individuals accused of blasphemy, with some being lynched before formal legal proceedings could take place.

The case highlights ongoing concerns about the application of blasphemy laws in Pakistan, particularly in relation to social media content. Human rights organizations have expressed worry about the potential for these laws to be misused or to infringe on freedom of expression. As this case progresses, it is likely to draw attention from both domestic and international observers, given the severity of the sentences and the young age of the accused.