Legendary hymn writer Keith Getty reveals serious apprehensions about contemporary worship music, declaring that some lack “a deep sense of understanding of God,” wherein lies the danger of listeners creating a “God of our own image.”
In a recent interview with Faithwire, where he talked about his and wife Kristyn's currently released album entitled, "Sing! In Christ Alone", their music, the popular contemporary hymn "In Christ Alone's" 20th anniversary, and the state of modern worship songs, Getty boldly stated, "The concerning thing with modern worship - it does not have a deep sense of understanding of God that we see as we study the Bible, as we see how God works in human history."
He explained that genuine worship of God should begin with an authentic picture of who God is, and not whether our hearts are moved by the song. It should not begin with who we are but with who God truly is according to Scripture.
The writer and performer went on to say, "If how God is revealed in the Bible is not within some of their songs, we're making a God of our own image."
Modern Worship Music More "About The Person At The Front"
Getty was also honest in saying that much of modern worship music we hear today does not anymore put the spotlight on God but is more "about the person at the front," Christian Headlines reported.
Further, the singer defined congregational worship as "a representation of eternity in every tribe, tongue, nation, and language gathered." Thus, Getty urged that it should be done in the church at least every week and in Christian homes daily.
'In Christ Alone' A Protest Song
The Northern Irishman just recently celebrated the popular hymn "In Christ Alone", which he created with another legend in worship music and author, Stuart Townend. It was Getty's first collaboration with another writer and has been the most popular, according to UMC Discipleship Ministries. Getty wrote most of the music while Townend wrote most of the lyrics.
The hymn has appeared in 13 hymnals, ranked the number one song in the UK CCLI listing by 2006, and remains in the top 25 hymns, reportedly sung by an average of 100 million people a year and being performed by churches from around the world.
Getty shared that he wrote the melody of the famous hymn on the back of an electric bill, and also revealed that it was some kind of a "protest" music as it was created "out of a frustration with the lack of depth in the songs that were being sung in many churches." It seems that the singer's frustration from 20 years ago is the same as the expressed disappointment he has now with modern worship music.
However, the singer said that the ultimate reason for the creation of "In Christ Alone" was their excitement to give the 21st century Christians a chance to "sing, know and embrace the incredible truth of the Lord in fresh language."
Today, he and his wife continue to spread the Gospel through powerful, transformational, biblically rooted music, saying, "We live every day for eternity in mind."
The Gettys recently released album "Sing! In Christ Alone" is a recorded live performance during the 2021 Sing Conference at the Bridgestone Arena in Nashville, Tennessee. The album was created with the hope that the new worship songs will bring listeners to a stronger, deeper kind of faith. It promises songs that "are a little more rich and deep in meaning" and that people can sing to themselves, with their families, and in their churches.
Related Article: Contemporary Worship Goes Against The ‘Reverence And Awe' Of God, Theologian Says
