Chris Whittington Revisits "Bright Portal" and SharesTestimony of God's Faithfulness

Blending his passion for worship, rich theological reflection, and a life story marked by both hardship and redemption, Chris Whittington unveils a powerful remastered edition of his landmark album Bright Portal. Originally released a decade ago, the newly reimagined project features enhanced audio by renowned mastering engineer Bob Boyd and includes a moving bonus track, "God Will Supply All Our Needs," written during the 2008 financial crisis and inspired by Whittington's own childhood poverty. The album resonates with a call to obedience, endurance, and faith in God's provision-messages Whittington lives out both in his music and as the head of Whittington Steel, where he sees his business as a means of honoring God and serving others.

Q: Chris, thank you for taking the time to do this interview with us. Congratulations on the release of "Bright Portal" 2025 Remastered Version. Why did you decide to remaster and re-release "Bright Portal"?

Thanks so much for this opportunity to speak with you again! With the success of my project, Realitorium, we felt that the songs on Bright Portal deserved to be heard by a larger audience. I was also sure that Bob Boyd would do a great job remastering Bright Portal, which he has surely done! Bob is a true audio genius. These tracks found a fresh wind in his hands.

Q: You put out the original version of "Bright Portal" ten years ago, and the songs have held up well. Are there songs on the album that you feel are more relevant to today's world than when you originally recorded them?

Thank you for saying that. Our world has decayed morally in the last decade since Bright Portal was released. The theme of the music is that we seek to know God and walk in obedience to Him. That message is needed more now than ever. Toward the end, the song "Coram Deo," which means before the face of God, calls us to live our entire lives, not just portions of it, as if God were involved in every aspect. He is ever present, and we must live in this truth and the responsibility to Him. "Sing With All The Saints In Glory," with all of its wonderful theology, echoing Hebrews 11:13, communicates the truth that on this side of the Fall of Man, we will never receive all of God's promises. But we are still to work tirelessly to know Him and to keep His commandments.

Q: What were you most proud of about the record?

All of it. Really. Lyrics, melodies, arrangements, performances. All of it. I am grateful to all the talented musicians who contributed to the work.

Q: You have included a bonus track on the newly released version called "God Will Supply All Our Needs." I understand that this song draws on the poverty your family experienced in Houston when you were a child. What can you tell me about this new track?

When I was eleven years old, my parents acrimoniously divorced over my father's infidelities, which plunged my mother and my siblings into an overnight and deep poverty. Those were dark years, but God never abandoned us. I had to buy my own clothes and some food, and I'm grateful to God for the opportunities to do those things. Years later, during the 2008 financial crisis, I wrote "God Will Supply All Our Needs" to be sung in church to encourage people to hang on and trust God to care for them. The song is inspired by Matthew 6:25-34. "So, do not say what will we eat, what will we wear, our Heavenly Father knows we need these things. But let's seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things He will give to us."

Q: You have gone from childhood poverty to success as a businessman. How did God lead you on this journey?

Despite myself, my sanctification, as is common, has included many mistakes and the privilege of watching God redeem those mistakes to make me more like Jesus. There are things that I would like to change, of course, but the truth is that God knows our frailties and uses them for His glory. As clichéd as that may sound, I know it's true and have the scars to prove it. Most days, I remember to ask myself if I believe God when He says He makes ALL things work together for my good. And, although it's a struggle to believe God, it's always the right thing to do as only the truth sets us free.

Q: Your business, Whittington Steel, seems unique, almost like a family. Tell me about that, and why you felt led to structure it that way.

Because we are all family, every person is a fellow image bearer of the Living God. This means that we each are responsible to be "our brother's keeper" inasmuch as God gives us opportunities and means to do so. I see my business as a vehicle to live out God's call to have dominion over His earth, as we see in Genesis 1:26. This includes taking care of all of creation, which is in our everyday world.

Q: Are you currently working on new music? What do you think our readers can look forward to?

I'm working on some new songs that, Lord willing, will see the light of day sooner rather than later. I am embedded in a creative Christian community that inspires and tempers my work to glorify God.

For more information about the album and to explore Chris Whittington's other projects, visit his official website. chriswhittington.com 

 

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