The Porter's Gate is a sacred ecumenical arts collective reimagining and recreating worship that welcomes, reflects and impacts both the community and the church.
The Porter's Gate was founded in 2017 by Isaac and Megan Wardell, with a mission to be a "porter" for the Christian Church - one who looks for guests to welcome. Isaac also works as Director of Worship Arts at Trinity Church in Charlottesville, Virginia. It started as a group of 50-plus songwriters, musicians, scholars, pastors and music industry professionals from a variety of worship traditions and cultural backgrounds gathered for meaningful conversation about worship and vocation. The result was the release of Work Songs.
In January of this 2019, the collective gathered again over three days for a series of discussions about the challenges of worshipping across lines of difference. This group consisted of Christians from all theological backgrounds, denominations, worship traditions, as well as cultural and racial difference. As they discussed challenges, they composed new worship songs and hymns with the hope of providing the church with more songs that specifically celebrate God's call to love our neighbors as ourselves.
"We were so pleased to have so many songwriters who spoke different languages and came from such different worship traditions all sitting around tables and learning from one another and writing new worship music together," shares Isaac Wardell. "We hope that the result is something that will be really useful to churches looking to welcome in neighbors of all backgrounds."
Artists of The Porter's Gate such as Audrey Assad, Casey J, Diana Gameros, Josh Garrels, Latifah Alattas, Lauren Goans, Leslie Jordan, Paul Zach, Urban Doxology and Zach Bolen gathered to record the new album, Neighbor Songs. The upcoming project features stripped down song arrangements that range in style from Gospel, to Contemporary Christian, to Neo-classical to Mexican Ranchero. In the current times of political and civic strife and polarization, it is the hope of The Porter's Gate that these new songs will help churches continue to grow in worship practices that unite worshipers around the good news of the gospel - that God is truly redeeming all things.
Daughters of Zion
- The Porter's Gate
Wood and Nails
- The Porter's Gate - Audrey Assad - Josh Garrels
Establish the Work of Our Hands
- The Porter's Gate - Aaron Keyes
The Greatest Commandment
- The Porter's Gate
He Is Among Us
- The Porter's Gate
Let Us Be Known
- The Porter's Gate
Nothing To Fear
- Audrey Assad - The Porter's Gate
The Earth Shall Know
- The Porter's Gate - Casey J
Christ Has No Body Now But Yours
- The Porter's Gate - Josh Garrels
We Labor Unto Glory
- The Porter's Gate - Josh Garrels
Hallelujah Sing
- The Porter's Gate - Audrey Assad
Love Will Never Fail
- The Porter's Gate
Little Things With Great Love
- The Porter's Gate
Have Mercy On Me
- The Porter's Gate
In a Land By Death O'ershadowed
- The Porter's Gate
Take it Easy
- The Porter's Gate
Every Mother Every Father
- The Porter's Gate - Audrey Assad
Bring in the Year of Jubilee (Psalm 37)
- The Porter's Gate
Blessed Are Merciful
- The Porter's Gate
He is Among Us (The Least of These)
- The Porter's Gate