I recently attended a men's retreat where contemporary Christian music aided in turning our hearts to God in unity, gratitude, praise and worship. By the end of the retreat, we had our arms around the shoulders of our neighbors, singing and swaying with the music. Some of us light-heartedly call it "Hug and Sway!" Since then, I’ve been thinking about this kind of music and my history with it. This is music about God with a pop music feel. It’s upbeat and exciting and is typically accompanied by a band complete with drums, guitar and more.
It wasn’t part of my religious upbringing. The music at our church is traditional hymns sung by the congregation and generally accompanied by an organ. This music is sometimes boring but can also help elevate me to deep feelings of gratitude and praise.
Growing up in New Mexico in the 80s, I became aware of stations playing what we called ‘Jesus Music’ as I rolled past them trying to tune in my favorite pop stations. It was something weird people listened to. Later in life after moving to Utah, I was vaguely aware of a ‘Jesus Music’ station called K-Love.
One evening as I was driving home from an addiction recovery meeting, I was inspired to tune K-Love in. It had been a good meeting and I was feeling especially close to my Jesus who had or soon would save me from addiction. The song that came on was Chris Tomlin’s ‘Amazing Grace’. My first thoughts were that it was an old, tired hymn and someone was failing to breathe new life into it with cheap pop music. As I continued listening though, the familiar voice of God began speaking to me through it, and the words “My chains are gone; I've been set free!” set my sole on fire and brought tears of gratitude and hope and peace.
In the following weeks and years many more songs rang sure and true in my heart.
- I smiled one of my most true smiles when Nicole C. Mullen said, “I know my redeemer lives; I spoke with Him this morning!” in her song Redeemer.
- Moriah helped me rejoiced in Gods approval with the words “Well Done!” in her song by the same name.
- Matt Maher and I bore our hearts together with the words, “Lord, I need you!”.
- I marveled with Chris Tomlin when he showed up again with “How Great is Our God!”
- I walked in the light that Sanctus Real shown with “Lead Me.”
- Lauren Daigle helps remind me who I am with “You Say” and how free I am with “How Can It Be?”
- More recently, Jason Gray and I celebrate our wounds with “The Wound is Where the Light Gets In.”
- Zach Williams helps renew my faith with “Fear Is a Liar!”
- I ROAR against my enemies with Elevation Worship, Chirs Brown and Brandon Lake when LION comes on.
The reverent hymns of my church continue to be the core of my Sunday worship. And sometimes Jesus and I passionately sing along with our favorite contemporary Christian praise and worship bands.
“Hallelujah, Amen! Let me tell you ‘bout my Jesus!” (Anne Wilson).
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