Twila Paris, “He Is Exalted,” 1985, from Elm Springs, AR. Graduate of John Brown University and veteran of Youth with a Mission (YWAM), associated with Ecclesia College; dedicated to Christian higher education and home-schooling; has thoughtfully considered what makes quality worship. Also wrote: “We Will Glorify,” 1982; “We Bow Down,” 1982; “Lamb of God,” 1985; “How Beautiful,” 1991; God Is in Control, 199_; and many more.
Jack Hayford, “Majesty,” 1981. Founder of The Church on the Way, and The King’s College and Seminary. President of the International Church of the Four Square Gospel; prolific author; respected leader across a broad spectrum of Christianity. While visiting England during the events celebrating Queen Elizabeth’s 50th year as queen, Hayford was impressed with the way royalty had steadied British hearts in various tough times in history and concluded that Christians should be far more steadied by our Divine King. As he drove with his wife away from Blenheim Palace, he asked her to take dictation of the words and musical notes of the hymn that was coming into his mind.
Sophie Conty, Naomi Batya Ginsberg (a.k.a. Nomi Yah) “King of Kings and Lord of Lords,” 1980. The writers were 13 years old at the time.
Robert Cull, “Open Our Eyes, Lord,” 1976. Pastor.
Lanny Wolfe, “Surely the Presence of the Lord,” 1976. A major professional Christian musician, asscoiated with the production of musicals/cantatas and comtemporary Christian music in addition to worship music.
Melody and Keith Green, “There Is a Redeemer,” 1982. Melody was pregnant with their fourth child when contemporary Christian singer Keith Green took a song Melody had written several years earlier and had almost forgotten, added a third verse, recorded it, and turned it into a major worship song. Not much later, Keith and their two older children, ages 4 and 2, were killed in a plane crash just after attempting take-off from their Texas ranch that was dedicated to offering new beginnings for troubled young adults. Melody has since had to deal with determining how to sustain and then bring to conclusion their outreach ministry to troubled young adults, has suffered a life-threatening illness, has endured a troubled second marriage that ended in divorce, and other challenges, but nothing can take away this valuable and enduring contribution to our worship. Despite much pain and grief, she and her two grown daughters remain committed and active Christians.
Kurt Kaiser, “Pass It On” 1969. Kaiser’s love for music of all kinds--classical, traditional, folk, choral, light rock, and spirituals—and his sensitivity to what is widely acceptable--smoothed the way for the emergence of praise and worship music. Education: two degrees from Northwestern University; one from the American Conservatory. Beginning in 1959, director of artists, arranger, producer, and eventually vice-president of Word, Incorporated, Waco, Texas; helped make the company a major force in contemporary Christian music. Co-wrote and co-produced several youth musicals with Ralph Carmichael, most notably "Tell It like It Is" which introduced “Pass It On.” During my college days, nearly every college and high school church youth group across the country must have sung that song. Kaiser’s praise and worship chorus, "Oh How He Loves You and Me," 1975, has touched the hearts of millions and will probably endure. Kaiser led several student choirs at Baylor University. Judy sang in his choir for the Baylor Religious Hour, a mid-week campus worship service. She had a deep admiration for his genuine Christian commitment which he lived out in his private life as well as in public. He and his wife Pat took in many foster children. Today, semi-retired, Kaiser remains active as an accomplished pianist, a musician in his local Baptist church, and a consultant to church choirs. The Kaisers still reside in Waco, where they have lived with Christian integrity for fifty years.
Major shapers of Christian music in the time period 1960-1985 that I had to leave completely out of the worship service today (Perhaps at some future time, we will give a Sunday each of the following):
(1) Bill and Gloria Gaither (whose influence has been HUGE) and their protégés in both the Southern and contemporary gospel movements. Gaither songs include: “He Touched Me,” 1963, “The Longer I Serve Him,” 1965, “I Believe in a Hill Called Mount Calvary,” 1968, “The Family of God,” 1970, “There’s Something About That Name,” 1970, “Because He Lives,” 1971, “Something Beautiful,” 1971, “Jesus Is Lord of All,” 1973, and Gloria Gaither’s mainline hymn, “I Then Shall Live,” 1981. Their Christian integrity is admirable.
(2) Andrae Crouch and the African-American contemporary gospel movement; Crouch songs include: "The Blood Will Never Lose Its Power," 1957, 1966, “Through It All,” 1966, "My Tribute," 1971, "Bless His Holy Name," 1973, and “Soon and Very Soon,” 1976. Crouch was fifteen years old when he wrote, “The Blood Will Never Lose its Power,” thought it was no good, and threw it in the trash. His twin sister Sandra disagreed and rescued it.
(3) David and Dale Garratt, New Zealand, who founded Scripture in Song in 1968, a very influential development in the unfolding of praise and worship music.
(4) the Roman Catholic praise and worship movement which was as prolific as the Protestant and which included our own local John Michael Talbot. “I Am the Bread of Life,”1971, “Abba, Father,” 1977, “One Bread, One Body,” 1978, “On Eagle’s Wings,” 1979, “Come, Worship the Lord,” 1980, “Here I Am, Lord” 1981, and many more.
Of the many others we should note, here are a few:
John Wimber, “Spirit Song,” 1979 Founder of Vineyard Christian Fellowship which continues beyond Wimber's own lifetime as a major influencer of contemporary Christian worship music.
Lynn DeShazo, “More Precious than Silver,” 1979. Written as she was repenting for breaking a fast while working at McDonald’s (nibbling a couple of French fries). She continues as an important creative force. “Ancient Words,” 2001, is another of hers.
Michael W. Smith, “How Majestic Is Your Name,” 1981. Major writer and performer. Co-wrote “Great is the Lord,” 1982, with wife Deborah Smith and “Thy Word,” 1984 with Amy Grant.
Michael Card, “El Shaddai,” 1981. Also “Jesus Let Us Come to Know You,” 1982. A Bible scholar who has produced a large quantiity of Bible-based music and als has produced a couple of hymns albums that have a combination Celtic and American frontier sounds. He jokingly calls himself, "the broccoli of contemporary Christian music."
Christopher Beatty, “Holy Ground,” 1982. Geron Davis, “Holy Ground,” 1983. The two “Holy Ground” choruses combine well.
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