Worship Trailblazer John Chisum Reflects on His Career, His Hit "Firm Foundation" and New Music

Celebrating three decades since the release of his globally-renowned anthem "Firm Foundation," industry veteran, songwriter and worship leader John Chisum breathes fresh life into the classic praise & worship track with an inspired new rendition, out now from NRT Music.  

A respected songwriter, worship leader and recording artist, as well as a multi-faceted music industry veteran, John Chisum previously served as director of song development and copyright at Integrity Music. Many of his songs were showcased on the company's iconic Hosanna! Music releases, and he was a featured worship leader and songwriter for two projects in the series-Firm Foundation (1994) and Come Expecting Jesus (2001). 

Chisum also held the title of vice president of publishing at Star Song Communications, among other key industry roles through the years. A sought-after songwriter with hundreds of compositions to his credit, Chisum's music has been recorded by such legendary artists as The Gaither Vocal Band, Ron Kenoly, Steve Green, Larnelle Harris, and The Cathedrals. 

Q: John, thanks for doing this interview with us. How did you get involved with Integrity Music's Hosanna! Music series?

I was recruited by Don Moen in late 1991 to join the staff of Integrity Music and step into the position of Director of Song Development. I took the roster of nine songwriters up to 18 in the first year to help with all the incredible music being created. I oversaw 26 Scripture Memory albums in my first 18 months there and couldn't have done that without a fantastic roster of songwriters like Paul Baloche, Ed Kerr, Lynn DeShazo, and many more. In total, I oversaw song development and production for over 200 Integrity Music projects including Scripture Memory, Integrity's Hosanna! Music series, children's music, hymnals and collections, and I directed nearly 20 employees in the Song Development and Copyright areas. Prior to moving to Integrity Music, I was VP of Publishing with Star Song Media in Nashville-home at the time to artists like Petra, Newsboys and Twila Paris-and I had worked with the Gaithers for seven years. 

Q: Why do you think the series became so popular?

The Integrity Hosanna! Music series was a huge part of "harvesting" the move of worship that sprang up from the Jesus Movement and the Charismatic Movement of the late 1960s and 1970s. As music progressed and writers began expressing the worship God was pouring out in the churches, the quality of the songs increased and a company like Integrity was needed to gather them in one place.

The series was able to reflect what God was doing throughout the earth, capturing the pure expressions of sincere worship. Integrity had the blessing of stewarding a few decades of fresh worship songwriting, setting the stage for what we now call "modern worship." It would be difficult to imagine what worship is today without the monumental contribution Integrity made in those early days.

Q: What were some of your most cherished memories from that era?

It was an exciting time indeed. I was at the epicenter of action in my publishing/A&R function, bringing together some amazing worship songwriters such as Nancy Gordon ("Firm Foundation," "Because We Believe"), Gary Sadler ("Ancient of Days"), Paul Baloche ("Open the Eyes of My Heart," "Above All") and many more, with incredible producers like Tom Brooks and Don Harris.

I had the privilege of hosting several songwriting retreats before that was a popular thing. I would gather our writers in Breckenridge or on the beach for several days of worship, writing, and fellowship. Those were golden moments, as well as traveling to many parts of the world with Integrity's Seminar4Worship team.

My greatest memory is of the making of the album Firm Foundation (1994) and being the primary worship leader and songwriter. I wanted to make a "healing record" that would not only reflect my spiritual/emotional healing in Christ from childhood trauma but capture some lasting healing and communion songs that could bless the Church worldwide. That happened and I am so grateful!

Q: Talk to us about the song "Firm Foundation." How did the song come about?

"Firm Foundation" was written by two songwriters I was managing at Integrity, Dr. Jamie Harvill and Nancy Gordon. It was the perfect title-cut for my album and encapsulated everything I wanted to highlight. Jesus is the strength, hope, and healing we need in every circumstance and situation. When I heard it and we stacked it up with everything we were considering for the album, it became obvious that it was the exact song we needed to tie it all together. 

Q: Why do you think many people resonate with "Firm Foundation"?

There's a straightforward simplicity in the song that evokes confidence and a fresh trust in Christ. It's been sung millions of times in these 30 years and will remain a staple in Church worship for decades to come. That's why I wanted to modernize it just a touch with a new intro and bridge. It needed to be updated and made fresh for this current generation looking for solid worship songs that reflect biblical truth and musical power. I think we accomplished a nice balance in updating it without losing anything from the original, even in taking a few liberties with the original melody and adding the intro and bridge. 

 Q: Tell us more about your current ministry.

I started a coaching and resource company called Nashville Christian Songwriters in 2015 that is dedicated to "empower Christian songwriters and artists worldwide." We have a podcast called Song Revolution with John Chisum that has over 200 episodes, including teaching and interviews with guests like Kari Jobe, Cody Carnes, Matt Maher, NEEDTOBREATHE's Bear Rinehart, David Leonard, and many more. We also have four coaching programs, a record label called NCS Collective, and a great studio in Nashville. We are training aspiring Christian songwriters and enabling them to fulfill their own passionate callings to write, record, and release their songs and music to the world. You can learn more about NCS at nashvillechristiansongwriters.com.

Q: Will you be releasing more music soon?

I am currently releasing a single almost every six weeks. I am in a fresh season of songwriting and ministry after many years away building our company. It feels great to be recording again and I think I'm writing the best songs of my entire life! Living this long gives you insights you might not otherwise have had, and I am loving mentoring and challenging younger generations to rise up in all God has for them.

For further information on John Chisum, visit:
johnchisum.com, nashvillechristiansongwriters.com or turningpointpr.com.
Follow Chisum on Instagram and Facebook. 

 

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