2 Serve the Lord with gladness; Come before His presence with singing.
3 Know that the Lord, He is God; It is He who has made us, and not we ourselves; We are His people and the sheep of His pasture.
4 Enter into His gates with thanksgiving, And into His courts with praise. Be thankful to Him, and bless His name.
5 For the Lord is good; His mercy is everlasting, And His truth endures to all generations.
In Ephesians, the Bible speaks of coming before the Lord with "psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs." He has a purpose for music and for singing. I think music can set a tone, "create an atmosphere," as I am fond of saying. So, it's important that we surround ourselves with content that will motivate and inspire us to draw closer to Christ; we can participate in worship and in so doing, find that we have a Lord who loves us and delights in our praises.
Music, I believe, is something that was created by God in order to give praise to Him - it's His idea, and what an wonderful way to express our love of Him by singing or even listening to Christian music. Psalm 96 states:
1 Oh, sing to the Lord a new song! Sing to the Lord, all the earth.
2 Sing to the Lord, bless His name; Proclaim the good news of His salvation from day to day.
3 Declare His glory among the nations, His wonders among all peoples.
4 For the Lord is great and greatly to be praised; He is to be feared above all gods.
The year was 1977. After a turbulent freshman year at the University of Tennessee, I returned home where God had a very special summer for me. I reconnected with the youth group at my church, and made a discovery that would essentially change the direction of my life.
I had received Christ at a summer camp between my fourth and fifth grade years of school, was a relatively faithful church attendee with my family, but really didn't consciously realize what it meant to be a disciple, to truly follow Christ. It was an unsatisfying place. My senior year of high school, I began to look for something deeper - I found a youth group that truly loved and included me, but got off track when I left home and went to college.
I don't remember exactly how it happened, but someone suggested at one point that summer that I tune in to a local Christian radio station. Songs I heard included Love Broke Through by Phil Keaggy and Rise Again by Dallas Holm. Several of us in the youth group discovered an album called, Live at Carnegie Hall by Andrae Crouch and the Disciples. Later that summer, if my memory serves me correctly, I attended a concert at Six Flags with Andrae and local favorite, The Pat Terry Group. After than summer, things were never the same. I was determined that my sophomore year would have a different outcome.
I share this because a documentary about contemporary Christian music, which was really in its infancy in those days, is coming to theatres this weekend - it's called, The Jesus Music. And, my career in radio has paralleled the stories that will be presented in this film.
My first radio job, which I landed during my sophomore year, was at a Christian radio station close to campus. I had changed my major to broadcasting - my third major in less than 2 years - and wanted to get experience. My job included a monster 12-hour shift, during which I ushered preachers into the studio for them to do their programs and even took their money they brought to buy the time. I also made sure the scheduled recorded shows were on at the allotted times. And, when there was no purchased time, I played music. Including Saturday night!
Ah, those Knoxville Saturday nights - my discovery of contemporary Christian music motivated me to share it with whoever would listen. So, my Saturday night show was, as I recall, about two hours long, and a thrill to host. I later was able to share Sunday morning Christian music shows on several secular stations in the area. I think part of God's call on my life at that time was to make people more aware of this new platform for sharing His truth.
Three of my friends and I actually decided to promote Christian concerts. Our first one, with the legendary 2nd Chapter of Acts, was an incredible experience that brought hundreds face-to-face with this inspiring group. We also had Fireworks, the Pat Terry Group, and another 2nd Chapter concert before graduation sent us our separate ways. My Christian music journey has though, has continued, with radio stints in the Atlanta area, Birmingham, and now for 30 years at Faith Radio. Through the years, I have seen God use music and artists to encourage His people.
Christian music has certainly grown throughout the years and the artists you will see in the film, The Jesus Music, are part of the overall history of this genre. It's not a perfect story, by any means, and it is 100% full of imperfect people - some have drifted, in my estimation, but there are those without whom you really can't tell the comprehensive story. Just like the Bible. Just like history - there are maybe some people you think should be erased, but they're part of the story - good or bad.
So, we can rejoice in what our God has produced, and be thankful for the vessels whom He has chosen to bring His message. So many have sacrificed so much in order to be part of this wonderful story, which is still be written.
I think we can stop to consider how Christian music - and Christian radio, for that matter - has been a part of the "soundtrack" of our lives. Each day, we need the inspiration and encouragement that comes from solid Bible teaching and uplifting music, and Faith Radio is here to accompany you and be used of the Lord to help you on your spiritual journey in Christ.
No comments:
Post a Comment