Review

If you are interested enough in kids worship music to read this review then I am guessing that you are probably already familiar with Integrity's "Shout Praises Kids" series CD. With its high production values and consistently strong song lists, the "Shout Praises Kids" series has succeeded in becoming a standard-setting resource in the kids worship arena. The latest CD "I Am Free" follows the expected format of kids' choir and soloists singing popular worship songs accompanied by a rock praise band. The songs on "I Am Free" are popular indeed. In addition to the title track there are songs like "Your Name", "My Savior Lives", "Mighty To Save" and "Everlasting God", all songs that kids will recognize from Mom and Dad. And while the songs and production value of the CD are impressive, the real strength of "I Am Free" comes from the flexibility and options of the "I Am Free" supporting worship resources.

In addition to the listening CD, SPK "I Am Free" series also features a "Worship Resource Disc" which is essentially a split-trax CD which includes the full songbook in PDF format. This PDFsongbook is truly the full songbook with sheet music for each song notated in Piano/Vocal/Guitar Chord format. When you consider that you are getting two resources for the price of one, Integrity really has provided a great value here.

There are two DVDs in the "I Am Free" suite of resources. The "Worship Resource DVD" is your standard iWORSHIP style DVD with flexible playback options. These options include three audio playback options (full mix, instrumental or split track mix), pre-programmed worship sets, and lyrics on/off capabilities. The second available DVD doesn't have a fancy resource title and is more akin to the iWORSHIP @home DVDs with on-screen lyrics built-in and no special audio options. This simple DVD is an affordable option for parents and adults who want the kids in their lives to enjoy the DVD and don't need to pay for the bells and whistles of the "Worship Resource DVD".

Finally, for those children's ministries that are using a presentation projection system, there is the "Worship Resource MPEG". This contains MPEG files for each song on "I Am Free". These high quality video files give worship planners the freedom to integrate these videos into worship or special presentations without having to deal with cueing up a DVD. These files also give you the flexibility of multiple audio options.

The song content of SPK "I Am Free" is solid but not anymore than the other CDs in the series. But as I said, the real value of "I Am Free" is in the freedom of choices available. It can be frustrating to buy a new CD and a song book, just to discover that two weeks later there is a new "special deluxe worship" edition resource that would suit your need much more. Integrity has decided to release this entire choice-laden resource suite all at one time. By Integrity honestly laying out all of the options up front, worship leaders and planners can wisely choose which resource is best for them allowing them to be better stewards of their ministry.

Review by Jeremy Dunn