Keith was a popular Christian recording artist in the late '70's and early 80's. People give me surprised looks when I say "I was discipled by Keith Green after his death". But his passion and commitment to Christ have significantly affected my walk with God.
I came to know the Lord on September 4th, 1982. About a month later, I heard a choir perform The Easter Song (written by Ann Herring). The director said it was made popular by "the late Keith Green". After I heard the song, I became disheartened that he was "the late Keith Green", because the song was so beautiful, it seemed to have a transcendent quality. I decided I wanted to hear more of this man's work.
My youth pastor at the time, as well as many of my Christian friends, had an extensive Keith Green collection. I began listening to as much as I could get my hands on. When I got some babysitting or birthday money in my hot, little hand, I would go and purchase a cassette tape or record album.
Keith's music was different from other Christian music I listened to at the time. While worshipful and exalting the name of Christ, it called the listener to repentance and a life of radical obedience. Furthermore, it called the church to revival. He really was more than an musician, he was a prophet; not in the sense of predicting the future, but in calling and exhorting Christians to take their commitments to Christ seriously and live their faith.
Keith was delivered as a young adult, from a life of drugs and aimless, spiritual wandering, when he surrendered his life to Christ. He and his wife, Melody, came to Christ around the same time and immediately began following His commands to serve the poor and needy. They took homeless and drug addicted people into their home, fed and clothed them, gave them the gospel, and watched God deliver them through the discipleship process. The need for caring for these people eventually outgrew the capacity of their home and so they bought and rented additional homes on their block and continued their ministry to the disenfranchised.
During this time, Keith continued to develop his musical career. Initially, he had no desire to be recording music for a Christian audience. Eventually, through a series of events, he felt God leading him toward the Christian music industry. His first album, For Him Who Has Ears to Hear, became wildly popular with Christian listeners, eventually rising to the top of the Christian Music Association's charts.
His music was convicting, motivating, passionate and. . . stepped on toes -- especially songs like Asleep in the Light, which calls the church away from apathetic inaction in order to live out our call as Christians to love others sacrificially. Even though his songs were zealous and direct, somehow Christian listeners couldn't get enough of his message. Although he struggled with the balance of law and Gospel, sometimes even with a de-emphasis on grace, when I listened to him, I didn't feel condemned, as if he were better than I. Instead, I felt challenged to take my faith and commitment seriously by a fellow sojourner who was struggling to live out his own faith. It was as if he wasn't just speaking to his audience, he was speaking to himself as well.
Eventually Keith and Melody's ministry to the poor grew to the point where they needed to move. This decision lead them to buy several acres of ranch property in Texas. There they established the headquarters for their organization, Last Days Ministries. Along with the music & discipleship ministries, LDM also produced a monthly newsletter with articles written by Keith, Melody and other Christian leaders.
Eventually, Keith became burdened by the conviction that the Gospel should not have an attached price tag. Because of this, he asked to be released from his contract with Sparrow Records so that he could offer his albums for whatever price the listener could afford -- even if it was nothing. He also refused to charge admittance fees for his concerts.
The last year of his life, Keith and Melody became exposed to international missions through a European ministry tour they took together. This ignited a new passion for mobilizing the church to fulfill the Great Commission. I know songs like Go to the Hungry Ones , Open Your Eyes, Here am I, Send Me and Jesus Commands Us to Go had a significant impact on both my husband and me, helping to fuel our growing burden for the world.
Shortly before his death, Keith began to realize the importance of God's grace in his life, and his songs and message began to reflect this. Although I don't agree with all of his theology (he was more Arminian and I lean more toward Calvanism), I appreciate his transparent struggle in this area as communicated in his music.
Keith died in a private plane crash on a hot, summer day on the LDM property in Texas. He was 28 years old. Two of his children, Josiah, age 3 and Bethany, age 2 died with him. Melody, continued to lead LDM after his death. Only a few months later, she toured with the Keith Green Memorial Concert. Since the burden for missions was the last thing on Keith's heart right before he died, that was the emphasis of the concert. Loren Cunningham founder of Youth With a Mission described the event as "the largest missions challenge in history that I know of". God used the message of that concert tour to mobilize thousands of people to the foreign mission field.
Today, 34 years after the release of his first album and 29 years after his death, Keith's legacy continues through his music and message. Popular worship songs like O Lord You're Beautiful and There is a Redeemer (written by Melody Green) are still sung in churches today. Although I never knew him, I look forward to that moment in heaven when I will get to embrace one of my most influential spiritual fathers.
More about Keith's life and testimony can be found in the biography, No Compromise: The Life Story of Keith Green . You can also view the hour long video The Keith Green Story on Youtube. His music is available through the LDM store and on sites like Amazon.com.
Here is a recording of Rushing Wind, one of my favorite Keith Green songs.
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