Praise & worship veteran Don Moen, with 17 albums and 5 million units in sales to his credit, has just released what is being billed his most personal recording yet, I Believe There Is More (0-00768-44502-0, Integrity Music/Provident-Integrity), which became available March 3. 

For the first time, Moen produced one of his own albums, but instead of getting caught up in the heady technical aspects, he described the project as one on which he followed his heart. “I’m once again writing and recording new music, fully persuaded that there is still more God has for me to do,” said Moen, 58.

Moen actually wrote or co-wrote nine of the album’s 14 tracks, which range in style from choral to Celtic to gospel. “This is the first time I’ve written in a long, long time,” Moen said. “Writing was always something I crammed into the middle of a busy schedule. But I’ve had time to live with these songs and to be intentional about the writing process. I really think it’s the most personal project I’ve ever done.”

Moen said it’s easy to get discouraged at the thought that the best is in the past, but said he’s out to pursue life with the same vigor he had years ago. “I have a sense that there are lots of family members in the body of Christ who are wondering where they are going with their lives and how they got to where they are today,” he said, adding that the “response is ‘absolutely yes!’ God still has more.”

To order I Believe There Is More, call 800-333-9000, or visit www.provident-integrity.com.

Former ‘American Idol’ contestant sings about addiction on latest album

Though former American Idol contestant Mandisa has already seen success, her third album, Freedom, which hits stores March 24, could reach an even broader audience. On the album, the 32-year-old California native—whose acclaimed 2007 debut, True Beauty, scanned more than 150,000 units—addresses various issues, notably addiction.

Mandisa co-wrote some of the songs, while others were penned by top songwriters. In order to get appropriate song pitches, she sent a document to publishing companies listing issues that were important to her.

“I’m on a journey of freedom,” she said. “I have a food addiction. And it’s not about the way I look, it’s about being a healthy temple of God. Food addiction is my main issue—but these songs don’t really just talk about food. There are a lot of Christians and non-Christians who are bound by (addiction). This album is for anyone who needs to be set free from things.”

Despite covering serious subjects, the new album is meant to be encouraging, “and with the economic downturn, that’s something people really need,” she said.

Based in Nashville, where she has lived since her college days at Fisk University, Mandisa described her brand of upbeat Top 40 pop as “pop-soul” and compares it to songs by “old school” performers like Chaka Khan.

Though she still watches American Idol religiously, she admitted to cringing when she sees judges lambasting contestants. “The ones being made fun of, that was me,” said Mandisa, who was one of the 10 Idol finalists in 2006. “I got the chance to confront (Simon Cowell) and forgive him, but a lot of people don’t get to. … I don’t know if (judges) understand the damage they could be doing in those situations.”

Yet, Mandisa doesn’t regret being on the show because it gave her an opportunity to do what she loves and encourage others. “I’m so thankful to be where I am now,” she said.

To order Freedom, call 800-877-4443, or visit www.emicmgdistribution.com.

Many Christians who decry much of what comes out of Hollywood these days don’t realize that the movie capital of the world not only has a rich Christian heritage, but a strong and growing number of believers at work there as well.

Hollywood on Fire (8-98080-00200-3, $19.98) aims to correct that misrepresentation, sharing stories of the film center’s religious roots—when churches doubled as movie theaters—and from Christians who have taken their faith to work there. Among them are stars Jane Russell, Pat Boone and Chuck Norris, and noted producers and creators.

Documentary Executive Producer Kevin Foster—a well-known former mountain bike adventurer now in the movie business—said he hoped his Pisces Productions project would inspire people to view Hollywood in a different light and believe that they can make a difference there.

“There was and is another side to Hollywood,” he said. “We hope that people will be edified, that people might say, ‘We can do better than (some of) the kind of garbage that is being put out.’ You don’t need to follow everybody else—follow the Lord, and He will direct your path.”

Subtitled “A City on a Hill Cannot Be Hid,” the 105-minute program was an International Family Film Festival finalist last year. It has also earned The Dove Foundation’s top five-dove rating.

Released Feb. 24, Hollywood on Fire is distributed by KES Music and Video Distribution. To order, call 312-321-6256.

Latest junior angels animated adventure is extended to feature length

A successful animation series for tweens returns after a near-two-year hiatus, buoyed by a recent string of big-screen superhero movies that promise heightened interest for the new “Guardian Force” adventure.

Releasing March 17, Angel Wars: The Messengers (0-24543-56961-9, $19.98) finds members of the Guardian Force brotherhood of angels once again battling agents of darkness, in the fourth animated adventure from TeleStoryToons.

Running 90 minutes—compared to the three previous half-hour installments, which sold a total of 400,000 units—the film unfolds in five episodes, centering on junior angels Kira and Eli as they strive to bring hope back to The Dark City.

For creator Chris Waters, who debuted his angelic characters in 2004, the movie is “more to do with our relationship with God and how we honor Him” than heavenly creatures.

The junior angels’ struggle to do the right thing and earn their wings is “a metaphor for our own lives. We can do whatever we want to, but until we really seek God’s wisdom, we will be limited in what we can accomplish,” he said.

Made on a $1 million budget by an international team of animators in partnership with Huhu Studios in New Zealand—where “Hermie & Friends” has also been created— Angel Wars targets a group that Waters says is largely overlooked, 5- to 11-year-olds.

They are “tough to reach, but are at this great developmental age where they are not cynical. They are still open to the wonder of imaginative storytelling,” said Waters, “yet they are old enough to really understand some of the more complex aspects of Scripture and the deeper truths.”

The first “Guardian Force” release since August 2007, The Messengers includes a 12-minute teaser for the next release, due Easter 2010, character profiles and will offer a downloadable Bible study, too.

Distributed by Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment—which previewed the new movie on recent major DVD releases such as Horton Hears a Who and Nim’s Island—Angel Wars is available to Christian retailers through Word Entertainment.

Call 800-876-9673, or visit www.worddistribution.com.

The fun of a field trip has been bound up in a series that involves the whole family. Next month, Master Books, an imprint of New Leaf Publishing Group, adds its third title, The Complete Aquarium Adventure: A Field Trip in a Book (978-0-890-51554-9, $18.99), to this inventive line.

Excellent photography of undersea creatures in their natural habitats accents the text. Puzzles, word games and educational activities that draw kids deeper into the experience of aquariums and oceanic realms —like constructing a diorama— make the book useful for homeschoolers as well as for interactive family times.

Creationists and educators Bill and Merilee Clifton wrote the text that takes kids ages 5 to 10 into the world’s water kingdoms. The Cliftons are qualified as Florida Master Naturalists—promoting awareness of the state’s natural world—and also own and operate Science Partners, a field trip and workshop organization designed to introduce students to animals and nature.

The Complete Aquarium Adventure is spiral-bound like Master Books’ previous “Field Trip” releases, which highlighted the creation museum and zoos. Master Books’ Editor in Chief Laura Welch said the first release, The Complete Zoo Adventure (2007), rose quickly to the top of the publisher’s children’s books for that year. The second title, The Complete Creation Museum Adventure, published in January 2009, benefited from interest in the Creation Museum in Kentucky, which opened in 2007.

“I think the success of these books can be attributed to being something unusual,” Welch said. “They’re creation-based, special activity-focused products that tie in with great family destinations.”

For more information or to order, call New Leaf Publishing Group at 800-999-3777.

Story by singer Cindy Morgan based on the popular Point of Grace song

Music and story come together in Dance Me, Daddy, (978-0-310-71762-1, $16.99) an endearing picture book celebrating the unique relationship between a girl and her father. Singer-songwriter Cindy Morgan wrote the story based on the song “King of the World,” recorded by Point of Grace.

Zonderkidz will publish the book in early April. Included with the jacketed hardcover book for 4- to 7-year-olds is an audio CD of Morgan reading the story with Point of Grace’s rendition of the song.

Vivid illustrations by Philomena O’Neill depict Morgan’s story of a young girl who dresses up in her princess costume—complete with tiara atop her pigtails—and begs her father to “dance her” by spinning her around as she stands on the tops of his feet.

The father-daughter relationship unfolds through the book as dad splashes in the kiddie pool with his girl, chases her and playfully sips tea at her make-believe tea party. As the daughter grows, she develops other interests and friends, but continues to revel in dancing with her dad until their final dance—at her wedding.

Morgan won the 2008 Dove Award for Country Song of the Year and Songwriter of the Year for “How You Live,” the title song for the Point of Grace album that also includes “King of the World.” Of the song, the group’s Denise Jones said: “All three of us have incredible fathers, and we’re thankful to have a song that pays tribute to them. There just aren’t a lot of songs out there that highlight the true importance of a father’s role in a girl’s life.”

Dance Me, Daddy may particularly appeal to fans of singer Steven Curtis Chapman’s popular “Cinderella” ballad, written to remind him to spend time with his daughters while they were still young.

Retailers can cross-promote the Point of Grace album with the book through a Zonderkidz introductory promotion. A 12-copy floor display is available to merchandise the book during the Father’s Day and wedding seasons and offers a pocket in which to display the group’s How You Live: Deluxe Edition CD along with $5 coupons toward the purchase of both the book and CD.

To order, call Zondervan at 800-727-1309, or visit www.zondervan.com.