Ken Medema sets this traditional hymn with a lovely pianistic accompaniment designed to focus our attention on the hymn's fervent prayer for God's healing for the ways our hearts fall short because of our selfish ambitions and personal agendas. We need God's healing to be able to serve this hurting world. This musical setting is suitable for a variety of congregational gatherings. Learn More

Ken Medema borrows the chorus from this well-known African-American spiritual and adds contemporary lyrics in this poignant plea for racial justice and personal repentance. He adds jazzy pianistic flourishes, light percussion, and an improvised solo vocal line over the traditional chorus, which is sung by the choir of the St. John United Church of Christ in Kankakee, Illinois. This piece is suitable for multiple types of gatherings and worship services. Learn More

Tear Down the Walls is part protest song, part lament and and part personal confession. It gives voice to our laments and our anger at the real world walls that divide us while at the same time allowing us to sing our confession for the walls we build between ourselves and others. The last line of the song is a prayer for our churches, our nation, and our personal relationships. “Tear down the walls … so I can see you… So you can see me, too.” Learn More

Quiet Place is from the EP, Have Mercy, from The Many and has been featured as the theme music for Lament Together, the Wednesday night online gatherings hosted by The Many. This is a beautiful, meditative song that can help prepare our hearts and minds to be still, to seek God in the quiet and to express our desire to know God and to learn God’s way. It is perfect as a frame for prayer, or as a prayer response. The piano score alone is an effective underscore to times of lament or congregational prayer. Useful throughout the church year, this song is particularly effective in Lent or Holy Week. Learn More

Especially powerful as a Good Friday/Passion Week solo. Pensive and soul-searching, with reflections of Psalm 22, Romans 7, and the Passion Story. Without using scapegoat theology, it looks at what our lack of faith does to God’s heart. Originally with soft guitar accompaniment, the new piano arrangement adds soulful versatility. Learn More

A song of confession and forgiveness reflecting on Psalm 51. Learn More

From Brian McLaren:  "In the Lord's Prayer, we not only acknowledge our sins ("Forgive us our trespasses") but also our hurts ("those who trespass against us.")  These days we have many songs about our sins, but few songs that acknowledge our hurts.  That was my goal in this song."

From CMP: Brian McLaren was on a road Sabbatical for the first 8 months of 2016.  During this time away from the grind of constant travel and preparation for live events Brian wrote, rewrote, compiled, and recorded demos (not finished studio recordings) of 21 songs.  9 of these demos are currently available here on the CMP site, and we are in the process of creating lead sheets and piano arrangements for them.  If you would like to purchase this entire collection of Brian's demo's, lyrics, and some notes he wrote about each song (21 songs for $18), please email Bryan Sirchio, CMP Lead Designer, and he will send you a link you can use to purchase Brian's entire collection.