Steven Curtis Chapman scores 39th #1 hit

Steven Curtis Chapman has reached the top at radio again with “Magnificent Obsession,” his fourth radio single from his Gold-selling album Declaration, and this time, for eight weeks in a row, setting the new record on R&R’s AC Christian Chart. The first single released from Declaration, “Live Out Loud,” was #1 at AC consecutively for six weeks.

Written by Chapman, the idea behind “Magnificent Obsession” came to him during a sermon he heard by his pastor. He comments, “He (the pastor) was using Paul’s words that ‘I will boast in the cross of Christ.’ The cross represents God’s expression of love and it represented life for Paul -- the cross and Jesus, giving his life for Him, led to Paul becoming obsessed with the cross. It became Paul’s magnificent obsession.”

Chapman explains further, “This song talks about wanting God to recapture my heart again, to say to Him I want You to be the one thing that consumes me and my passion and my desire. I want You to be my magnificent obsession.”

The next single, “Jesus Is Life,” released to AC and CHR formats this month.

Chapman has recently returned from the jungles of Ecuador and his second visit with the Woadoni tribe, this time in part to premiere the documentary about the them entitled Beyond the Gates of Splendor (beyondthegatesthemovie.com). His 24-city Live Out Loud U.S. Fall Tour, presented by Wycliffe Bible Translators (www.wycliffe.org), kicks off September 13 in Fairfax, VA. For tour updates see www.stevencurtischapman.com.