The Beginning (1989)

The Beginning is the eighth studio album by Christian singer/songwriter/author Michael Card, released in late 1989 by Sparrow Records.

Card once again teams up with Norbert Putnam to produce the start of a new trilogy, but this time on the Old Testament based on the Bible titled The Ancient Faith. The Beginning is taken from the first five books of the Pentateuch, which is also the first five tracks on the CD, while the other six tracks looks at the patriarchs like Abraham, Issac, Jacob (Israel) and Moses. The tracks listed will also show from where in the Bible the song is based on with parenthesis (). The Beginning peaked at number 9 on the Billboard Top Christian Albums chart in the spring of 1990.

The Beginning was repackaged, along with The Way of Wisdom and The Word:

Recapturing the Imagination, into a 2-CD boxed set titled The Ancient Faith.

In 1990, Sparrow Video released four Front Row videos on VHS featuring the artists performing acoustic songs of past hits and favorites as well as testimonies and some stories behind the songs. Card's Front Row video contains "Jubilee" from The Beginning, the title song from The Final Word, "Know You in the Now" from Present Reality and more. Card is accompanied with musician John Catchings on the cello and musician - songwriter Scott Brasher on acoustic guitar.

Track listing

All songs written and composed by Michael Card.

1. The Beginning (Genesis) -5:04

2. In the Wilderness (Exodus) -3:13

3. Jubilee (Leviticus) -2:44

4. Lift Up the Suffering Symbol (Numbers) -3:35

5. The Word is So Near (Deuteronomy) -2:20

6. Meditation -#3 Shema (instrumental) -4:14

7. God Will Provide a Lamb (Abraham) -4:08

8. They Called Him Laughter (Issac) -3:09

9. Asleep On Holy Ground (Jacob/Israel) -5:16

10. A Face That Shone (Moses) -3:24

11. Barocha -2:43

Radio singles

1990 "Jubilee" -#7 Christian CHR, -#1 Christian AC for 2 weeks

1990 "Lift Up the Suffering Symbol" -#23 Christian CHR, -#5 Christian AC

1990 "They Called Him Laughter" -#15 Christian AC

Previous release: Sleep Sound in Jesus: Gentle Lullabies for Baby (1989) 

Next release: The Way of Wisdom (1990)

Watch Michael Card's Front Row concert video here: