Unconventionally recorded under the stars at a church retreat, Sand & Stars reveals a more organic, reflective sound with new songs drawn from scripture. This includes the album’s title track, inspired by Genesis 15:5, 17:3-8 and the scriptural covenant God made to Abraham in Genesis 22:17… blessing I will bless you, and multiplying I will multiply your descendants as the stars of the heaven and as the sand which is on the seashore (NKJV).

“All of these scriptures speak of legacy, the promise of future generations,” declares worship pastor David Binion, who leads the Covenant Worship team along with his wife, Nicole Binion, and Josh Dufrene. “In Deuteronomy, legacy is referred to as the Seed of Abraham. The New Testament connects us to that promise, referring to all people grafted into the family of Israel… legacy has always been close to the Father's heart.

“Last October, Covenant Church celebrated 40-years of ministry and in that celebration, set into action a transition of family legacy,” continues Binion. “Our Pastor, Mike Hayes, very beautifully handed the ministry to his son, Stephen Hayes. During the celebration, Pastor Stephen and his sister, Amie Dockery, shared a profound message about their personal legacy as leaders of Covenant Church, and the name of their message was ‘sand and stars.’”

The title track to the new Covenant Worship album is the song that was written to support this declarative message of the faithful’s legacy.

On and on, Your love goes on and on…

From the dust

You breathed on us

Speaking hope and destiny

It is a message that resounds with the Binions who are mentoring the next generation of worship leaders, songwriters and musicians within the 10,000 member congregation that ranges in ethnicity from Caucasian and African-American to Hispanic, Indian and Asian.

“The whole essence of the heart of what we’re doing is this blended expression of young, middle age and older,” he adds. “I need to be able to pass the baton to a well-trained young person and give them a higher starting place than I had… that is the whole thought process. Live with legacy in mind.”

In addition to the title track, worship set-ready songs for Sand & Stars include “All Things,” which goes to radio mid-April, “All Honor” and the closing “Doxology.”

The full Sand & Stars track listing follows:

1. Gate Of Heaven
2. All Things
3. Back To The Father
4. Song Of My Heart
5. Love Has Overcome
6. Highest Praise
7. Persuaded
8. Sand and Stars
9. All Honor
10. Doxology

*Digital Deluxe version includes above tracks, plus videos for: Gate of Heaven, Back to the Father, Sand and Stars, All Honor

Covenant Worship will lead new music from Sand & Stars on TBN’s “Praise” April 17, which will also be guest-hosted by David and Nicole Binion. The program will receive several re-airings thoughout Holy Week. (See local TV listings for days/times.)

For more Covenant Worship and Sand & Stars news, go to www.covenantcarrollton.org/covenant-worship, www.covenantchurch.org, Twitter and Facebook.

About Covenant Worship:

Covenant Worship is the dynamic music ministry of Covenant Church, a multi-campus, non-denominational congregation based in the Dallas, TX area with another 40 Covenant-affiliated churches throughout the US. Internationally known for songs like “Risen,” “Can’t Stop Singing” and “Kingdom Come,” Covenant Worship is led by senior worship pastors and husband/wife David and Nicole Binion and also includes worship leaders Joshua DuFrene and Colin Edge among others. In addition to leading worship for the church, the team faciliates an annual worship training conference and leads/teaches for events held around the globe. In addition to Sand & Stars, Covenant Worship’s albums include Take Heart, Kingdom and Standing.

About Integrity Music:

Integrity Music is part of the David C Cook family, a nonprofit global resource provider serving the Church with life-transforming materials. With offices in Nashville, Tennessee (US) and Eastbourne, East Sussex (UK), Integrity is committed to taking songs of substance to the local church and its leaders around the world. Integrity publishes many of the top songs in the Church, including “Great Are You Lord,” “Revelation Song,” “Open The Eyes Of My Heart,” “Your Great Name,” “I Am Free,” “How He Loves,” “Great I Am,” and “We Believe,” among others. Additional information is available at www.integritymusic.com.