Ezra Worship Initiative has released the Great and Glorious God EP, a four-song collaboration with the Calvin University Gospel Choir that brings contemporary congregational songwriting into a fuller gospel setting.
The choir is not there simply to decorate the choruses. Its harmonies add movement and communal energy to songs already written for a roomful of people to sing together.
Rebekah Trapnell leads “Praise Upon Praise,” a celebration of Christ’s finished work and the gratitude that follows it. Trapnell wrote the song with Coby James, William Stewart and Jimmy Daniels. Chris Springer and Nate Glasper handled the arrangement and production.
The collaboration gives “Praise Upon Praise” much of its lift. Rather than leaving the song as a personal declaration, the Calvin University Gospel Choir makes the response sound communal, as if one voice has quickly become many.
Four Songs, Four Different Angles
Anne Elise Sherrod appears on the title track, while Marco Virtudazo leads “Same God.” Alyssa Campbell closes the project with “Faithful Through It All.” Across the four songs, the writers move through praise, confession, dependence and perseverance without forcing every idea into the same emotional register.
“Great and Glorious God” takes the widest view. The song draws on creation and redemption while centering its chorus on the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. “Same God” turns inward, pairing confession with confidence that God’s mercy remains available. “Faithful Through It All” shifts toward endurance when circumstances feel less dependable than the character of God.
That range helps keep the EP from sounding like four variations on the same worship-song template. The choir provides a common musical thread, but each song approaches congregational worship from a different direction.
Ezra Worship Initiative operates as a summer internship for developing worship leaders, combining theology, leadership, musicianship and practical ministry. The initiative also functions as a songwriting collective, which helps explain why these songs feel designed for use beyond the recording itself.
Great and Glorious God was released July 24 through NCS Records in partnership with NRT Music and is available now on digital streaming platforms.