The Last
Batch of Free CDs Shipped Tonight!
YES! The last 203 CDs shipped tonight via
Mail Boxes Etc! So, those of you who had ordered a free CD since
November 18th (wow, has it been THAT long?) should have received
an email from us. Our apologizes to those who waited so long.
We hope the wait will be worth it.
If you didn't get a chance to order a free
one, you can still buy one at MP3.COM. Remember that all our
profits from the sales of the CDs (exactly $5 per CD sold) go
to the Church on the Rock building fund.
We placed all 18 tracks of the Volume 1 CD
on MP3.COM. By doing this, we've gained a few new features:
- All 18 tracks can be played back to back
with ONE click! Just click on the "artist radio" Lo
Hi (for 56K modems) or Hi Fi links (for high speed connections).
- If you're already a user of MP3.COM, you
can add our songs to your personal play lists.
- Although we're no longer giving it away,
the Volume 1 CD can be purchased for $10.00 plus shipping. We
had to separate the vocal and instrument tracks into two CDs
because of the 60 minute limit imposed by MP3.COM. So, if you
didn't get a free copy and still want one, you can order one
from MP3.COM. $5.00 will go to the Church on the Rock building
fund for each CD sold to help build our new 3,000 seat sanctuary.
So, any time you select an MP3 link on our
site, we'll redirect you to our new page on MP3.COM. As always,
all of our MP3 files are free to download. Finally, new songs
in development for our Volume 2 project will ONLY be listed on
our site. Once Volume 2 is finished, we'll add the MP3 files
to our MP3.COM site...
An update on "Praises on the Altar,
Volume 2"
We wanted to give our users an update on our
newest CD project, "Praises on the Altar, Volume 2".
While we're making progress on this project, it has not progressed
as fast as we had anticipated. And we don't want to just put
together another CD just to say we did. We want this 2nd CD to
be all it should be for God's glory. So, we won't be making this
CD available until sometime next year. We know that your prayers
are with us that this project would be everything God would have
it to be, and we thank you in advance for your prayers and intercession.
We appreciate those of you who lift us up to the Father every
day!
"Jesus, You're Everything To Me"
Preview
On July 14th, 1999, our first new song for
Volume 2 was used during the Wednesday night service at my home
church, Church on the Rock,
in St. Peters, Missouri. What a privilege it was to have Kyle
McCarty and the best choir and band in the entire world (so I'm
a little biased!!) sing this song to Jesus!
Kyle McCarty is an anointed, nationally known
worship leader and song writer. He has been mentoring me on worship
and songwriting for almost two years, and his insight helped
us make our Volume 1 CD a great success. His insights on songwriting
also contributed to the success of this song! His lead vocal
is inspiring!
Church on the Rock's music ministry "Raise
the Praise" is comprised of a large choir, front line singers,
a 14 piece orchestra, and a complete rhythm section. It has been
my joy to serve Pastor David Blunt for over 7 years through this
ministry, and it brings me great pleasure to present them to
you. I know you will enter into the presence of God as they worship
Him on this recording!
The entire recording is live and unedited.
Statement of Purpose (The Vision)
Gift on the Altar Praise is a Christian music ministry dedicated
to providing anointed praise and worship music to churches around
the world, especially small churches which have limited funds
to spend on music materials like sheet music, rehearsal CDs,
and MIDI files. We understand that small churches either go without
these materials or only buy a few materials as funds become available.
The ministry's founder, Douglas Birk, was prompted by God
to start Gift on the Altar Praise in 1994. The foundational scripture
upon which the ministry was formed is Matthew 23:18-19. Jesus
said:
18 You also say, 'If anyone swears by the altar, it means
nothing; but if anyone swears by the gift on it, he is bound
by his oath.'
19 You blind men! Which is greater: the gift, or the altar
that makes the gift sacred?
"Scripture taken from the HOLY BIBLE,
NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION. Copyright 1973, 1978, 1984 International
Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan Bible Publishers."
We understand from this scripture that God doesn't focus first
on the gifts we have to offer (talent, ability). He wants us
to focus first and foremost on our relationship with Him (altar
means "a place of offering") and spending time with
Him. That relationship with Him makes the gifts we offer to him
acceptable in His sight. God's not looking for great artists,
he's looking for worshipers!
The gift itself is nothing until it is offered to God in obedience
to His will. That's why this ministry is called Gift on the Altar
Praise. We will always remember that the music we write is nothing
without God's Altar making it everything we cannot. We rely on
the Anointed One and His Anointing to make our gifts acceptable
and usable by God for His glory. We're just musical servants...
A Change to the Licensing
Agreement!
We've changed the licensing agreement to allow EVERYONE to
download the files. Using the songs in public worship is still
limited under CCLI guidelines, and these songs and materials
are still fully protected by copyright. But please feel free
to use these materials to draw near to God in your own personal
worship and praise and give them to the music director or worship
leader of your church for him or her to use.
Do the Right Thing!
We want to encourage everyone using materials provided by
other Christian music publishers, such as Brentwood Music, Word
Music, Integrity Music, and Hosanna Music. Please pay for what
you use! For most of the writers and arrangers that write for
these wonderful ministries, the royalties from the sales of their
materials are a major source of the provision God is providing
them. While we are providing our materials for free, we can do
this because God has blessed us financially in other ways. If
you purchase one copy of a choir book and make photo copies for
everyone else in the choir without permission from the publisher,
SHAME ON YOU! If you do this, do you honestly think God will
anoint your music? Let's do the right thing. The right thing
is not always easy, but it is ALWAYS RIGHT! Pay for what you
use!
CMCA Award
We have received an award for our web page! We want to express
our thanks to the folks at CMCA for reviewing our web page and
helping us make more people aware of our presence. Be sure to
check out their site
after you're done here!
Free Materials for CCLI License Holders
Gift on the Altar's income will mostly be derived from royalty
payments made via CCLI,
Christian Copyright Licensing International. Any church that
has a current CCLI license can freely download sheet music (presently
we use Adobe
Acrobat 4.0 , download the free player below) and MIDI files.
For small churches of less than 100 members, the cost of a CCLI
license is under $100.
Churches may use the sheet music and MIDI materials for both
rehearsal purposes and for worship services. We also provide
RealAudio®
and MP3 demos so you can hear each song being used in worship.
These demos may be reproduced and copied to cassette for rehearsal
purposes only.
Selling recordings of worship that use our songs, without
additional permission from us, is only allowed within the CCLI
guidelines. If your church or organization would like to sell
more copies than the CCLI guidelines allow or you're intending
on selling retail copies, please send e-mail to licenses@giftonthealtar.com
so we can work out the details of purchasing a non-exclusive
license for the songs you want to use on your album.
Downloads
The following songs are currently available:
Like An Eagle
This song was written by Vince Clark. Vince is a true worshipper
of God as well as being a very faithful, dependable, and accomplished
bass player for the Lord. It has been my pleasure and privilege
to serve with him in the music ministry at Church on the Rock,
and I know this song will certainly bless you and your congregation
as you soar in God's presence.
The notation and MIDI files include parts for various instruments.
The RealAudio® demo combines Vince's bass guitar and piano
playing with the playback of the instrumental-only MIDI file,
played through a Roland SC-7 Sound Canvas and a Turtle Beach
Montego sound card. Douglas Birk adds a live lead vocal, strings,
drums, and rhythm guitar. This demo now represents what you'll
hear on the CD.
I Feel Your Strength
This song was written by Douglas Birk. This is a special song
for me. The chorus came to me early one morning as I worshipped
Jesus through song. And some weeks later, I was singing it in
my car one night after choir practice. I was crying out to God
and letting the tears fall. My wife's illness was getting worse,
not better, and I felt the weight of the world upon me. Yet,
I knew that God's strength was there, ready to rise up inside
of me. As I cried, I prayed, "Lord, I need Your strength
to rise inside me like this song says.". In seconds, I was
singing the song again in faith. It was then that God inspired
me with the words for the verse. And as I sang the verse, I DID
feel His strength! By the time I got home, I wasn't crying any
longer! I was singing at the top of my lungs and praising God
for His faithfulness and mercy! Never doubt that God will do
for you what He did for me!
The notation and MIDI files include orchestra parts for various
instruments.
The RealAudio® demo combines the playback of the instrumental-only
MIDI file, played through a Roland SC-7 Sound Canvas, with a
live lead vocal and guitar from Douglas Birk played through a
Turtle Beach Montego sound card. This demo now represents what
you'll hear on the CD (you can't really hear the acoustic guitar
that well here, but you sure will on the CD in stereo!).
I've Got Peace
This song was written by Debbie Mohr and Douglas Birk. You
know when God has inspired and anointed a song when it ministers
to you the writer and brings you into the very presence of God.
And this song has certainly done that for each of us individually.
For her, it was the song she sang to herself as she went to surgery
recently (and by the way, the surgery was a complete success,
Praise God!!) For me, this song has drawn me near to God to receive
His peace when facing some serious situations with my wife's
health. I can tell you, I've received from God while worshipping
with this song. You can too!
The notation and MIDI files include orchestra parts for various
instruments.
The RealAudio® demo combines the playback of the instrumental-only
MIDI file, played through a Roland SC-7 Sound Canvas and a Turtle
Beach Montego sound card, with a live lead vocal from Douglas
Birk.
Two separate MIDI files are available for this song. One with
melody / choir and instruments and one with only instrumentals.
The Saints Are Praying
This song was written by Debbie Mohr. She first shared the
song with me one night after choir practice, and when I first
heard the words and music that night, I knew there was nothing
I could do to improve on it. The Holy Spirit had inspired her!
It was my job to add the arrangement and nothing more! The notation
and MIDI files include orchestra parts for various instruments.
The RealAudio® demo combines the playback of the instrumental-only
MIDI file, played through a Roland SC-7 Sound Canvas, with a
live lead vocal, guitar, and strings from Douglas Birk.
Two separate MIDI files are available for this song. One with
melody / choir and instruments and one with only instrumentals.
Your Will Be Done
This song was written in 1994 spontaneously while driving
home from church one Wednesday night but was not committed to
paper until 1996. Pastor Blunt was teaching that evening on the
will of God and how we will be our happiest when we're in God's
perfect will. The notation and MIDI files include orchestra parts
for various instruments.
The RealAudio® demo combines the playback of the instrumental-only
MIDI file, played through a Roland SC-7 Sound Canvas, with a
live lead vocal, guitar, and strings from Douglas Birk.
Two separate MIDI files are available for this song. One with
melody and instruments and one with only instrumentals.
Just One Touch
This song was written in 1995 and is a very simple song that
recognizes that it only takes one touch from Jesus to change
our lives forever. The notation and MIDI files include orchestra
parts for various instruments.
The RealAudio® demo combines the playback of the instrumental-only
MIDI file, played through a Roland SC-7 Sound Canvas, with a
live lead vocal and guitar from Douglas Birk played through a
Turtle Beach Montego sound card. This demo now represents what
you'll hear on the CD
Holy Spirit, Descend Like
a Dove
This song was written in 1996 and was first used during a
Marilyn Hickey conference, held at Church on the Rock, while
Marliyn was teaching about the Holy Spirit. The sheet music and
MIDI files include parts for various instruments.
The RealAudio® demo combines the playback of the instrumental-only
MIDI file, played through a Roland SC-7 Sound Canvas and a Turtle
Beach Montego sound card, with a live lead vocal and guitar from
Douglas Birk. This demo now represents what you'll hear on the
CD
I've Seen Jesus!
This song combines the anointed lyrics of Debbie Mohr and
music and arrangement by Douglas Birk. This song speaks of the
benefits of a personal relationship with Jesus and illustrates
the changes that occur in one's life when you encounter the King
of Kings face to face.
The RealAudio® demo combines the playback of the instrumental-only
MIDI file, played through a Roland SC-7 Sound Canvas, with a
live lead vocal from Douglas Birk.
Two separate MIDI files are available for this song. One with
choir aahs and one with only instrumentals.
God Changed Me!
Sometimes we focus on changing ourselves. We want to be the
person God wants us to be. But the true power of the Gospel is
in God's ability to change us! We just need to receive His gift
to us, His Only Son...
The RealAudio® demo combines the playback of the instrumental-only
MIDI file, played through a Roland SC-7 Sound Canvas, with a
live lead vocal and rhythm guitar from Douglas Birk.
Two separate MIDI files are available for this song. One with
melody "Doo"s and one with only instrumentals.