Jonathan Nelson and Purpose 2nd Live Recording

By Richard Cox

On Friday, December 1, 2006, the spectacular Stellar Award-winning singer/songwriter Jonathan Nelson and Purpose 2nd live CD/DVD recording took place at the Empowerment Temple A.M.E. Church in Baltimore, Maryland.  Jonathan serves as the Minister of Music for Pastor Jamal Bryant at this church.

There was a huge toy drive at this event for disadvantaged children where people gave so many gifts that they overflowed the bins.  The church was packed with so many well-known gospel artists, pastors, radio execs and numerous fans. 

Nolan Williams, Jr. opened the recording with God Made an Exception from his latest project Inspiration that set the atmosphere for worship in the place. 

Pastor Bryant gave a rousing introduction.  Jonathan started the recording by stating that the songs on this CD have the themes of success, victory and triumph.  The lyrics of the songs were shown on the side screens in the church for everyone to join in and participate in this worship experience.  I know that many praise teams and church choirs will be singing many of the songs that were sung at the recording.

The festive opening song Champions was filled with high energy that had a group of children singing with Purpose along with joyful dancers celebrating and proclaiming that we are champions in Jesus Christ.  My Name Is Victory had everyone in the church cheering and declaring to one another "My name is victory."  Drench My Heart shifted the pace to intense worship with the church joining in singing the lyrics of the chorus that said “drench my heart, drench my mind, drench my spirit be now with us.”  Jonathan sang the song until worship consumed the place.

Before the next song Jonathan encouraged the church by saying "My answer is yes and my yes is guaranteed."  The song My Yes is Coming was lead by the anointed voice of Sheri Jones-Moffett.  We went into a down home church moment with shouting and rejoicing that filled the room.  Already Mine continued the upbeat praise lead by the powerful voice of Nikki Ross.  The rejoicing continued with everyone clapping their hands and shouting sounds of praise.

Jonathan and Jason Nelson sang a duet on Right Now Praise.  Jonathan stated before singing the song that his definition of praise is a right now praise.  This was a moving slow paced praise song.

During the intermission, DeWayne Woods sang his hit, Let Go.  Tye Tribbett gave a powerful exhortation about praise before he introduced Jonathan Nelson and Purpose for the second half of the recording. 

Jonathan set the atmosphere of worship by singing the song Fill My Cup Lord and flowed into the song I Need You Now.  The dancers were gracefully worshiping in dance as songs of exultation went forth.  Jonathan’s spontaneous songs of worship created the spirit of one in the church and brought the spirit of one accord thoroughout the congregation.

The corporate worship set the stage for Jonathan to transition into his next song Increase My Capacity for You.  This song intensified the worship moment.  William Murphy then led Great and Mighty.  It started as an upbeat praise song that later shifted gears into a slower-paced song that caused everyone in the church to enter into a time of personal worship.  People were crying, lifting their hands in total surrender and lying prostrate on the floor.

Before the last song there was any altar call and seven souls were saved!  This lets you know how the anointed songs from the recording convicted the hearts in the church. Jonathan ended his recording singing his Stellar Award-winning song Healed.  He called a host of the artists who attended the recording Crystal Rucker, JJ Hairston, Lexi, Brent Jones, Stephen Hurd, Lucinda Moore, and Maurette Brown-Clark to come to the stage to help him sing this last song.  

This praise and worship CD/DVD is going to be an awesome blessing to the body of Christ once it’s released.