A new album of songs launched in Sydney on Thursday gives fresh voice to God’s heart for justice. Songwriters across the globe contributed their songs and thirteen of the best have been chosen for the Heart Life VOICE album.

The album is a project of Micah Challenge, a campaign to encourage Christians to engage more with issues of injustice and to take action for the poor. The album is inspired by the spiritual impact that music has had in the Bible and in many Christian social movements. The civil rights movement is strongly associated with songs of freedom and faith and Amazing Grace was the anthem of the British anti-slavery movement.

Amanda Jackson, national coordinator of Micah Challenge, says of the album: “A powerful way to connect Christians to the Word of God and his character is through worship songs. Heart Life VOICE wants to meet the need for great songs which help to connect people to God’s character and inspire action.”

The album has brought together some of the best Christian musical talent in the country.

The launch featured artists from the album – Andrew Kitchen from Antiskeptik, Steph Vanden Hengel from Garage Hymnal, and new talent Brent Keough.

Guest at the launch was Mark Evans, head of the contemporary music department at Macquarie University. “Christian music needs to be more courageous,” he says, "and more concerned with broader themes of repentance, judgement and even social justice”.

For more information about the album and the launch, see www.heartlifevoice.org