Christian Music News

Worship leader, recording artist and award-winning songwriter, Travis Ryan, releases today his five-song EP, You Hold It All, globally through Integrity Music. The EP is meant to be a shining testament to God’s faithfulness, through both the beautiful and the tragic circumstances of his own life and journey God has providentially led him on.

Produced by fellow Integrity Music writer Michael Farren and Ryan’s brother, Brandon Collins, You Hold It All was recorded live just outside of Nashville at LifePoint Church (Smyrna, TN), where Ryan serves as worship pastor. With all songs on the new recording inspired by, written for and sung by his local church, one of these songs has already traveled far beyond his local congregation. The track “We Believe,” which was written to set the tenants of the Church to music, became a No. 1 hit song popularized by Newsboys and is a GMA Dove Awards “Song of the Year” and “Pop/Contemporary Song of the Year” nominee as well as a winner of the KLOVE Fan Awards.

“It’s the Nicene Creed, the Apostles’ Creed—it’s just foundationally what we believe as a church,” shares Ryan, a writer of the song. “God took that song on a journey, and He has used Newsboys to carry that song around the world.”

Along with “We Believe,” all the songs on the new album became a source of profound strength recently for Ryan and his family. The title track was the inspiration for Ryan’s brother, Chad Collins, to create the cover art for the album, as months after writing the title track with Jordan Merritt and his brother Brandon, Ryan’s wife, Hayley, miscarried.

“The first thing I thought was, ‘OK, do I believe that God holds it all?’” Ryan confesses. “My wife and I looked at each and were like, ‘Wow, God gave us that line because He knows the future. He gave us that anchor—a cornerstone—just to walk through that difficult time. God wrote that on our hearts before we even knew we were going to be walking through this season.”

Holding fast to the words they were singing, it wasn’t long before redemption entered their story. “God, in His great goodness and mercy, gave us a ‘rainbow child’,” Ryan says, describing his daughter who was born following the miscarriage. Today, the couple and their two sons, Hudson (6) and Jude (4), can’t imagine life without baby Scarlett, who just turned one. “Our daughter is a massive part of the whole story of this album,” Ryan adds.

Other songs featured on the album include the poignant ballad “You Are Able” that decries a circumstantial mindset for worship, and “Forever Holy,” which takes cues from Revelation and further implores praises due God despite one’s circumstances.

The anthemic “Until My Voice Is Gone” was inspired by crowds cheering their favorite sports teams. “When it comes to Sunday morning, we are singing to the greatest Creator, God, who has made the heavens and thought of the earth and breathed it into existence. Why is it that our worship often looks more similar to a funeral than to a soccer game? When you see the King of Kings for who He is, you see the worship of heaven happening. Our worship should look the same,” suggests Ryan. “I believe the Church isn’t singing because they don’t see Jesus for who He truly is.”

While continuing to lead worship in his own congregation, Ryan will also take the message and music of You Hold It All to communities across North America during “We Are” events with The City Harmonic. These events will bring together local churches for a time of worship, prayer and fellowship, and are meant to unite people to serve their communities. The events across the US and Canada begin Sept. 11 in Gulf Shores, AL.