The Hurt & The Healer (2012)

The Hurt & The Healer is the eight studio album by the Christian rock band MercyMe, released on May 22, 2012 by Fair Trade Services/Sony Music. The album was produced by Brown Bannister and Dan Muckala. It is the first official MercyMe album released under the INO Records label renamed Fair Trade Services. It is also the first album without founder and keyboardist Jim Bryson. MercyMe remains a five-piece band with keyboard and programming work to be done by members of the band, producers and studio musicians in subsequent releases. Bryson, however, was involved in co-writing all the songs on the album with the band.

The Hurt & The Healer is about the season that the band is currently in at the time of composing the music, particularly on the title track which was the lead single. "The Hurt & The Healer" come from the death of Bart Millard's cousin in the line of duty. The song is the trend setter for the rest of the record because it gives the album its essential theme and was written from the perspective of "telling people they're beautiful in the eyes of Christ." In addition, Millard said that they are "reminding people that their identity is in Christ...not their guilt or shame, that they're not a bad person trying to be good...they're redeemed, sanctified." Only two singles were released with the title song and "You Are I Am." The track "Take the Time" was co-written and features guest vocals by Bear Rinehart, lead singer of the Christian alternative rock band Needtobreathe.

The Hurt & The Healer debuted at number 1 on the Billboard Top Christian Albums and at number 7 on the Billboard 200 Albums with sales of 33,000 copies in its first week. It is MercyMe's third highest charting album, after their # 3 peak of their 2010 album The Generous Mr. Lovewell and their # 4 peak of their next release Welcome to the New. On August 13, 2013, Millard and author Andrew Farley co-wrote and released a book, also titled The Hurt & The Healer, based on MercyMe's hit title song. Writing from the pain they've experienced in their lives, Millard and Farley reveal how their own struggles caused them to feel they had disappointed God. Through their biblical guidance, readers will see that God wants them to be open and honest about their pain. Only then can they discover how to exchange destructive thinking patterns for God's view of them and watch as God's perfect love casts away all their fears. The book was published by Baker Books.

Track listing

1. You Know Better (MercyMe, Brown Bannister, Dan Muckala) -3:27

2. You Don't Care At All (MercyMe, Seth Mosley) -3:06

3. The Hurt & The Healer (MercyMe) -4:51

4. To Whom It May Concern (MercyMe, Jason Ingram) -3:37

5. You Are I Am (MercyMe, Jason Ingram, Seth Mosley, Dan Muckala) -4:21

6. Take the Time (MercyMe, Bear Rinehart) -4:44

7. Don't Give Up On Me (MercyMe, Dan Muckala) -3:56

8. Hold On (MercyMe, Brown Bannister, Dan Muckala) -3:56

9. Best of Me (MercyMe, Seth Mosley) -3:29

10. The First Time (MercyMe, Jason Ingram, Dan Muckala) -3:47

Personnel

MercyMe:

Bart Millard -lead vocals, backing vocals

Barry Graul -guitars, backing vocals

Mike Scheuchzer -guitars, backing vocals

Nathan Cochran -bass guitar, backing vocals

Robby Shaffer -drums

additional musicians:

Dan Muckala -keyboards and programming, backing vocals (all tracks)

Bear Rinehard -guest vocals on track 6

Radio singles

2012 "The Hurt & The Healer" -#1 Billboard Hot Christian Songs for 5 weeks, -#1

Billboard Christian Airplay for 5 weeks, -#1 Billboard Christian AC Airplay for

5 weeks

2012 -2013 "You Are I Am" -#3 Billboard Hot Christian Songs, -#3 Billboard

Christian Airplay, -#2 Billboard Christian AC Airplay

Previous release: The Worship Sessions (2011)   

Next release: Welcome to the New (2014)

Listen to the album The Hurt & The Healer including lyric videos for the title song and "You Are I Am" :