Over two thousand years, men and women have responded to God's invitation to grace, all as part of the Body of Christ; the church. To accept the revelation that Jesus Christ is Lord and Savior of mankind; that He paid the price for all of humanity's transgressions, and that this gift of reconciliation with God is made for all to receive freely through the cross. As part of the body, each person's response is lived in a way as unique as the individual. Yet, despite the distance of time, culture, and ethnic origins, each call is connected in common struggles and themes, chief of which is, as Jesus says in the gospel of Luke, to "pick up his cross and follow me"... to empty oneself and be filled with that beautiful grace... to be 'empty and beautiful'.

For singer/songwriter/worship leader Matt Maher, there is nothing more special about his call than anyone else's, and like those before him, he is trying to live that same call, as his 12-track Essential Records debut album's title says, to be made Empty & Beautiful. Maher breaks open these two simple words on the project, in songs that are both corporate and reflective; driving and soft; each one telling the story from a different perspective. Empty & Beautiful was co-produced by Maher and Jeff Thomas, except for, "As It Is In Heaven", which was produced by Ed Cash (Chris Tomlin, Bebo Norman, Bethany Dillon).