A CD that started out as an “in-house” project for the Salt Company, the largest Christian group at Iowa State, has reached a much broader audience than the group anticipated.

The full-length CD, “Shout to the Lord,” was recorded March 20, 1997, when over 400 students turned out for a night of Salt Company’s praise music.

The concert was recorded for the original purpose of “giving students a way to remember the night,” Todd Wallace, Salt Company worship team leader, said.

Although digital recording was not the Salt Company’s original plan, the concert was put on CD for easier student access.

“[The] goal was just for our own students to have something to take home and listen to over breaks, even walking on campus,” Jeff Dodge, Salt Company leader, said.

“I don’t know that any of us thought about other people wanting to purchase it,” he added.

In early September, however, the CD exceeded all expectations by earning a spot on the shelves of Lemstone Books at North Grand Mall, Musicland in Ames and Ames Christian Supply.

Besides giving members of the Salt Company a way to worship on their own time, the CD also has been a great outreach tool, Dodge said. The worship team has begun taking copies of the CD when it plays at high school retreats.

“It’s a great way to let high school students and their parents know that there are people at college who honor God,” Wallace said.

Profits from the CD are going directly back into the Salt Company worship team in hopes that they can buy a larger sound board and more equipment allowing them to “do more things and involve more people,” Wallace said.

Following the unforeseen success of “Shout to the Lord,” is the possibility for the group to get caught up in the whirlwind of the spotlight.

“We realize it’s easy to get excited about making a name for ourselves,” Wallace said. But he emphasized that fame is in no way the group’s goal.

“It’s not a big deal for us to promote the Salt Company,” he added. “A verse that is kind of our motto is Psalm 115:1, ‘Not to us, O Lord, not to us, but to your name be the glory.'”

“The most encouraging thing is that we believe God really brought [the CD] together,” Dodge said. “God has really been the backdrop for this whole thing, and that way all the glory goes to Him.”