The Brooklyn Tabernacle Choir
It takes more than talent to be one of the 240 vocalists in The Brooklyn Tabernacle Choir. It takes commitment. A commitment to musical excellence. A commitment to rehearse for up to five hours every Friday night of the year. A commitment to sing during two church services every Sunday. A commitment to pay for there own travel expenses whenever the choir performs on the road. And most of all, a commitment to ministry. "This is about Christ and the gospel," says choir director, Carol Cymbala. "Lives aren't changed because we've performed well. It's because of God's spirit and people hearing the truth of the gospel."
Of course, that doesn't mean they take their performances lightly. A look at the group's history is testimony to that. They've recorded 17 albums that have helped change the face of modern Christian music., won two Grammy awards, been nominated for numerous Dove awards, filmed two worship videos (one of which has been certified Gold), and performed at sold-out, high-profile venues like Madison Square Garden, Carnegie Hall, Radio City Music Hall, the Paramount Theater, and the Sun Dome in Tampa Florida.
Still, it's the day-to-day, week-in-week-out ministry at their urban church in greater New York City that makes it all worthwhile for members of the Brooklyn Tabernacle Choir. After all, it's that ministry that first brought/many of them into the family of God and into this church. It remains a well-loved and integral part of four services attracting 6,000 people each Sunday at the Brooklyn Tabernacle,
Perhaps that's why the members of this multi-cultural choir come from all races and economic backgrounds. African-American, Caucasian, Latino, Asian, the homeless, the banker, the fashion model, the former drug addict, the single parent, the well-educated, the uneducated, the rich, the poor, and a host of others all standing side by side as they sing their praise to God.
And perhaps that's why The Brooklyn Tabernacle Choir's album, Favorite Song of ALL features songs they've been using at the church for some time. In fact, the album was recorded live during three worship services at the church. Warner Alliance president (and producer of this album), Neal Joseph says, "My job as the producer is to capture the essence of The Brooklyn Tabernacle Choir. The best way to capture that is to take things they're already doing, that are already proven, and get them down on a record." The result is an album filled with the fiery passion of 240 expert ministers of worship.
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