Remembering Keith Green 1953-1982

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Webcasting around the world from the desert metropolis of Phoenix, Arizona. This is the dividing line
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The Apostle Peter commanded Christians to be ready to give a defense for the hope that is within us
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Yet to give that answer with gentleness and reverence Our host is dr. James White director of Alpha Omega Ministries and an elder at the
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Phoenix Reformed Baptist Church This is a live program and we invite your participation. If you'd like to talk with dr.
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White call now 602 nine seven three four six zero two or toll -free across the
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United States It's one eight six six eight five four six seven six three and now with today's topic.
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Here is James white He walked the
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Lord seven short years before a tragic plane crash killed him and two of his children Yet his music ministers to many today
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In fact of all the influences I could list at the vitally important time of my life That was high school in college.
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His music would be near the top of the list as I walked the halls of Independence High School and one of the very few open
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Christians there carrying my Bible and getting the looks and Comments such behavior will always receive his music was in my mind and in my mouth
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His name was Keith green. He died July 28th 1982 20 years ago next month.
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He was only 28 years old today. We celebrate what the
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Lord did and continues to do through the music Ministry of Keith Green This is a personal story most of those with whom
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I have spoken have very personal feelings about Keith Green's music Especially if they're the same age as I am toward the end of my sophomore year in high school in late 1978 the
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Lord renewed my love and commitment to him I felt a deep and abiding love for his word and I began memorizing it and studying it voraciously
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But I also love to listen to music and so I began to listen to Christian music
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My parents had some Bill and Gloria Gaither albums around and I can still sing along with Doug Oldham as well as anyone else
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I joined the youth choir at church and eventually was chosen to sing bass and a traveling seeing ensemble called liberation
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The North Phoenix Baptist Church It was during a trip with the youth that I heard someone else playing music that simply entranced me.
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It was challenging It was exciting and spoke to my heart in an almost prophetic fashion.
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That music was the music of Keith Green the first song that I heard the one that still makes me stop and listen even to this day when
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I hear its opening bars and One that I've found is probably the favorite of most everyone else.
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I've talked to it starts off like this To the sky all my hopes would come tumbling down All these wasted years and I thought
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I was so wise Took me by surprise
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Like waking up Until you
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Oh All my life
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I've been searching for that crazy missing part and with one touch
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You just rolled away the stone that held my heart
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Now I see that the answer was as easy Just asking you
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And I am so sure Never doubt your gentle touch again.
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It's like Oh Of course you recognize the song as your love broke through and as I'm watching the chat channel
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We are live today many other people likewise found that to be one of their favorite songs
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But I am very very very pleased today to be joined by and and I I was thinking about this beforehand everybody always says well my good friend, but Steve camp and I are good friends and Before we bring
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Steve up. I hope you can hear me. I was just mentioning in the chat channel There's so many young people even in our own chat channel that I've been mentioning
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Keith Green and and they go who's Keith Green? They've never heard of Keith Green before and that makes me feel old
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And so I can't just automatically assume everybody's gonna know my good friend Steve camp. And so I put together
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I put together a little anthology a little collection of Steve Camp's music because Steve has unlike a
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Keith who was only given a small number of years Steve has had a long ministry now in Christian music and Some of you may have heard some of these songs just didn't put names with song titles and so before we bring
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Steve camp on to give his Recollections his memories of Keith Green and by the way to take your phone calls at eight seven seven seven five three thirty three forty one
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Let's listen to a little bit of what Steve camps done Run to the battle
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Must not be forgotten fear the world become a friend
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Someday So I am very very happy to have joining me and now we're gonna have a few challenges here because Steve is on his cell phone.
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We we had everything worked out, but you know how it works in God's providence Things change over time and and airlines cancel airline flights and things like that and You know
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Steve, I honestly think there's a picture of you hanging in the American Airlines corporate headquarters is am
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I correct about that? You know, you're not too far off from that. I just landed in Minnesota.
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I had a 614 a .m. Flight cancel and people were
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Ministering to the various heads over there in Nashville Airport Due to the delays, but I am thrilled to have landed safely here
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And I'm able to be on with you for the entire broadcast and so it is my joy to be with you today Well, I'll tell you
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Steve. I really really appreciate it. You will recall I'm not sure how long ago was now two and a half three years ago
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I forget exactly how long ago was now you and I Stopped at a health food store right on the beach called
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McDonald's and We we started you started filling me in on on some of the just a very small portion of what you could relate about really the the genesis of what might be called modern contemporary
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Christian music and You started talking a little bit about Keith Green and how did how did you first?
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Encounter Keith and how long ago was that? Oh boy. That's a great question. I was in 1977
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I believe it was 78. I was doing the banquet with Pat and Debbie Boone out in Los Angeles Pardon me.
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I've been throwing bags here the carousel With Pat and Debbie Boone It was a reception
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Hosted by word records and if my first album for word was was just coming out at that time and I Had heard of Keith His first album had been released a few years earlier for those who have ears to hear a great record a
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Christian classic and After the banquet I had heard that Keith was in town and some friends of mine
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Arranged a meeting where we could have a chance to hook up and talk and spend some time of fellowship and That was my first encounter with Keith.
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He had he had just bought James a couple of houses And he was a very good businessman and he had bought a couple of houses over In a section of Los Angeles and was using them
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Just to take in anyone off the street he could possibly take in to talk to them about the
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Lord when I went over there, we were all having hot dogs and beans and And having a great time of fellowship and some of the folks from the group's second chapter of acts were there
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Just others that were part of that whole time. I think Jamie Owens Collins might have been there her husband
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Dan and we just had a lovely time of fellowship And Keith was really saying
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Steve I just I'm so concerned even then about Christian music and how people are not concerned about the poor and The unborn and how people are using it only to make profits for themselves
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I wonder what he would say today in the midst of everything, but he really and initially
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James had a tremendous zeal for the things of the
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Lord and Was just his one theme if there was a theme that marked his life and his ministry over the years was this
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Unending cry for revival for the church For missions near the end of his life.
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He was praying that the Lord Similar to William Booth and and other great missionaries
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Hudson Taylor that the Lord would raise up especially among young people 100 ,000 missionaries and in our case musician areas to go out and to use music as an opportunity to Do one thing and that's to exalt the name of Christ and to share the gospel and that that was my first encounter with Keith I didn't know as you had pointed out earlier that those encounters would be cut short
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By now 20 years ago his now home going to the Lord Now he was
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I was doing some reading this week he was converted at 21 and died at 28 7 7 years is not a long period of time and yet his music how did his music did his music have an impact on you as You continued on and and all the all the other people what kind of impact that his music have on on you and and everyone
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Else in the in the 1980s and 90s. Well, you know Keith never Fit the mold did he know in fact he broke it not not unlike a gentleman
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I'm talking to here on the radio this afternoon He was not afraid as as you have not been to speak the truth to say it in love
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But to really take on the hard issues and and so last day's ministries
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Immediately we knew Keith was going to transcend the minute the music area
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I mean he was calling back then for people to give away their products
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He was calling back then for a reformation of the Christian music industry back to a ministry a calling and cause that that I have picked up throughout the years
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He was he was again at every single point where the industry was being fruitful as it were in Worldly things he was calling for great change.
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So I want you to know that his his music. It wasn't just the songs It was the zeal and the life of this dear brother.
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That was the real contagious element that Was infectious for many of us in the industry at that time
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I mean, I I you know, I remember James him coming up to me and saying the festival, you know,
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Steve When are you gonna get serious about the Lord? And hey, I grew up in Wheaton, Illinois. You can't get much more serious than that You know,
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I grew up in the Holy City the Vatican, you know We have more churches than fire hydrants.
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I was serious I was born in a wonderful Christian family went to Wheaton Bible Church most of my life.
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I had the pedigree and And he was challenging me Man, you know a lot about the
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Lord. Where's your zeal and passion for the lost? Where is you know, this music should not just be about you and another single and another number one song and Think of eternal things and this is where he would constantly encourage me
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We would have great discussions about this and the thing was I wasn't fighting him on those issues. I agreed with him
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None of us really knew how it would take shape and he didn't know either he he says boy
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I'm just kind of heading out here and he started the last day's newsletter with his album my favorite of the
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Keith Green records, by the way the album no compromise and And it was that record that really set him apart
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He coined a phrase that I use James to this day called concert crusades, and I love that It's opening up the doors for free.
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It's partnering with local churches It's even making our products available for whatever people can afford so that money doesn't stand in the way of genuine ministry
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And that's where Keith really made an impact as a co -laborer in Christ He was willing at any point just to lay it down and risk it all.
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In fact James I was with him about a month before he Had gone home to be with the
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Lord visiting down at last days Seeing all the buildings and the people there that were doing work and he and his precious wife melody at that time and And she had written, you know, a great song
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There is a Redeemer a beautiful song almost a modern -day hymn of our Lord and his redemption for his
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It was coming out on that album songs for the Shepherd, right? And this song
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Had so ministered to me at that time that here at Keith Keith had an insatiable desire and honor to serve the
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Lord Jesus Christ and and it was that thing during that time That was so impactful and they say last words are lasting words, and it was those last words that we had together
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Of him he said Steve. I'm willing to lay down music Completely. I I don't even want
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To sing another note if it can't bring glory to the Lord. In fact, he said I'm willing to walk away from it Entirely just I'll just become a preacher or a teacher a
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Missionary anything that I can do as long as my life glorifies the Lord. Hmm Well, Steve, let me let you catch your breath for just one second while we listen to a little of the song you just mentioned
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The work When I stand in glory
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I Will see his face And there
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I'll serve my king forever in that holy place
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Oh There is a
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Redeemer Jesus God's own son
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A precious lamb of God Messiah Surely one of the classics from Keith Green there is a
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Redeemer just mentioned by our special guests today live I cannot believe that he is able to do this.
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He is a multitasker He is multi -talented. He is able to carry baggage while speaking on a cell phone in an
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Airport his name is Steve camp. I tell you, you know Steve you I I must
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I don't want to embarrass you here But but you you really whipped yourself into shape
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Before the last time I saw you remember when I came out to Nashville last October you had you had dropped a bunch of weight
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You're looking great. Now. I know how you do it. You don't hit the gym You just it's lifting those bags off those things with cell phones in your hand.
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Yeah, it's layovers and traveling and lost luggage and and All those things though.
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It's fun, especially up in Minneapolis where I'm calling you from right now. They have I think the longest corridor
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To travel from from the gate down to the baggage area in the United States It's big but I think
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Northwest and and their compliance today. It's fun to be here. Well, you know, I that demonstrates the fact that you have
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Breath control because you're a singer and I don't that's that's why you're able to do this now.
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I This is the there's one thing that comes up over and over and over again.
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Oh, by the way summer says hi She just messaged me. She's listening over at the house and she says hi.
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She's the summer says hi to you Great little gal and I hope that she can meet my kids one day too.
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Oh, I'm it'll be cool to to get you all together That's the fun part doing about webcasts you can do anything you want like this and no one can say boo about it
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But anyways, the big thing that I'm hearing is I've started talking about Keith Green again Is I get a bunch of reform folks that immediately hit me with oh, well, but his theology wasn't perfect I mean, he was really influenced by Charles Finney and all the rest of stuff
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What do you how do you respond when people say things like here's here's a person who who was only a
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Christian for seven years What do you what do you say when when folks bring issues like that up?
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Oh, well, first of all, his theology is perfect now, isn't it? Yes, it is He knows the truth.
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All the holes are filled You know, it's true Keith came from more I guess of a holiness fulcrum in his view of theology
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You know, it was Arminian in In its foundations and and he was captivated no question by the writings of Charles Finney and There are serious issues in Finney's theology
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However, as the old saying goes, it's easier to cool down a fanatic than to try to warm up a corpse
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And and I think with Keith, you know, he would stress you on points of his beliefs
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He and I would lock horns biblically theologically on many issues But I found him in the end even though there was a you know you had to Wait through it seemed like a pond of piranha to to get to him on some of those things because he would he would be very impulsive when it came to put two points of doctrine and so forth
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I Found him teachable James and I think that's that's the mark of a real disciple
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The month a toss is the one who's a learner, right? And and it's one that that it should be our hallmark my dear friend and mentor.
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Dr. John MacArthur It's great to listen to John's tapes over these last 30 plus years of ministry at Grace Community Church Because John has changed his views in some areas
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I think all of us would want to plug in the holes in our theology. We just don't know where they are
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Because we want to honor the Lord with with a perfect Faith a perfect doctrine and so I think
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Paul brings my unity with Keith at least was Ephesians 4 where Paul Brings in verse 3 protecting the bond of the unity of the
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Spirit. There's a unity that we have by Relationship when we are baptized by Christ through his
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Holy Spirit into the body And so I have a kinship say with Keith Immediately because we are both united in Christ But then
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Paul I think later in that chapter in about verse 12 or 13 talks about until we all come to the unity of the faith
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And so we realize that the the growth and doctrine the growth of theology is a process.
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We don't arrive mature Paul addresses that in Colossians 1 28 and 29
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That the job of the pastor of the church the local church Especially the elders who are gifted in teaching is to bring every man complete in Christ.
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There's a process to our sanctification and So with both Keith and I would would lock horns on issues of doctrine
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I'm more Calvinistic and reformed in my soteriology and other areas I also have to own up to the fact that you know
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Calvin as much as I love this dear brother and in respect his writings He never taught on the book of Revelation eschatology was an escaping
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Kind of fleeting thing for him. And so do we discredit Calvin because he got it wrong on Revelation Or it may be wrong on baptism
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You know, well, no, I've always joked around Hey, listen, if we're doing a conference on our with on justification by faith, man
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You want RC Sproul there if you're doing it on baptism, you don't want him anywhere around the building And and I think that's the thing here that we all have to be teachable and realize that none of us have
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Come to full revelation on all aspects of doctrine, but but here's the key thing for me Are the core issues and I know this has been dear to your heart
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James throughout the year are the core issues Intact are the essentials of the faith intact and I have to say this with all kindness
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That even though Finney denied original sin and other key essential doctrines
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Keith did not On the essential issues of the faith the virgin birth the authority of Scripture the bodily resurrection of Christ original sin
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Justification by faith alone the doctrine of the Trinity on and on those essential doctrines our brother
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Embraced wholeheartedly and and I have to say that even though he he weighed in those
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Finney esque territories and so forth His music for the most part has been protected hasn't it?
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It was you know I'm looking at the last days ministries website and in the article on Keith's history
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I found this a very very fascinating paragraph It said for Keith meeting
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Jesus was one thing becoming more like him was another After striving for years to measure up to God's holiness at times questioning his own salvation
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Yeah He came into a deeper understanding of the sacrifice of Jesus on the cross Both to forgive his sins and to close clothe him in his own righteousness
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It wasn't at Keith became less concerned with purity and holiness But he was now motivated more by love and less by fear in his pursuit of Jesus and I think of some of his songs and I'm sure you're familiar with them just as I am but I think of Especially when
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I hear the praises start by Keith green that talks about it You can't add anything to what
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I have done for you That I wonder if that comes from what what they're referring to there in that particular paragraph in his history
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Yeah, well, you know like with Keith James Some of his tracks that he put out through last days ministries
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Some of them what's wrong with the gospel a two -part track that that was wonderful that he was taking to task
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Many people that were trying to water down the truth of the gospel Keith was in many respects more like Luther than like Finney you know, he had a
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Wonderful love for the truth of God's Word and wrote several tracks Against Romanism.
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Yes Against the Roman Catholic Church, not because he had a bone to pick specifically with them
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But he realized that this was the the mother of all cults that that what
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Romanism propagates is a different gospel and So if you look at a lot of the things that he wrote and was teaching and calling for now
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No, he came from not only the holiness background But also his call to revival which
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I know a lot of people struggle with today and and with the Invitationalism and the emotionalism associated with that and that might have been his
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Achilles heel I remember after the oral Robert University three or four days of Crusades there
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You know that that Winky Pratt knee dear friend of Keith even shared with me that you know
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Keith was calling people to repent of their sin and you might have even seen in his book Cardinal Compromise the aerial photographs of the stage flooded with people prostrate before the
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Lord And Keith was calling for repentance and there was much to repent of it.
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Oh, are you hmm? And and that he was being kind of labeled as this emotional fanatic similar to Finney well you know
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Keith was gifted in his words and and could if and I think like any of us like the
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Prophet Isaiah who brought the very Instrument of his gifting to the Lord to be cauterized.
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He was a man of sinful lips and Keith was very powerful with his lips He was very persuasive as Finney was and others throughout the years but here
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His motive was not through emotionalism to sometimes to somehow produce this emotional cathartic response and call it revival
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Right. He came back apparently James after that Or are you meeting and talk to waiting winking said is this what they did?
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Is this what the great revivalist did? The great evangelist did is this what they experienced?
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He was constantly wanting to bring his life and work and ministry in line with great theologians of redemptive history and And again,
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I think that's the hallmark of such a wonderful mark of this dear brother is that he was teachable
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He had a zeal for the things of the Lord not always in accordance with knowledge You know, but he he really was out there as a voice for the gospel and it's evidence now
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After 20 years of his home going that not only are we still talking about him?
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But more importantly that he's left a body of work that is unmistakably Christ exalting
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Christ centered That is based upon the Word of God and I'm out of a spirit control life
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And I I use Keith today James is the example with a lot of new artists that are coming in We're seeing a lot of talented artists in our
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Christian music, but absent of a calling to be in it They sing. Well, they even look good or can dance.
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Well and all these things that people look at Unlike myself they can jump over drummers and things like that's right.
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Oh, yeah Don't worry. I'm not gonna tell that story. You know that which we have repented of James We don't want to bring
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No, but I tried to do do antics like that and and received a humbling right away through the splitting of my trousers
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But we won't go there this afternoon But it was it was a thing that that Today you see a lot of young artists that even my most staunch opponents on this call to Reformation of Christian music today agree
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That the industry primarily is biblically illiterate and it's absent of sound doctrine and theology.
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And so what you have is an industry That has been raised to There's a family that is excited to see some other family
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Screaming in the background only only a little bit but but here what you have is an industry today
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James That is teaching a large group of people I mean literally millions of people around the world how to feel
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God and not know God It's impossible to catechize with today's
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Christian music, even though there is some good things. I'm not trying to throw the baby out with the bathwater or or Be given over to a gift of amputation of throwing it all away.
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No, there's some good things being done, too but with a lot of Keith's music the the one thing that I So appreciate is it it really teaches us from the
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Word of God about the character of our Lord or about the duty and the Life of the believer in Christ. Mmm, that is missing from so much of Christian music today, and so I try to use
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Keith as a great example. He was wonderfully gifted a fantastic piano player Oh, yes could assign a major multi -million dollar deal with Clive Davis and CBS Records and turned it down Not in a martyr to martyr kind of way or a a false humility
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Prideful way of saying look what I gave up for the Lord But he could have competed on the on the national music scene with anybody in his time whether it be
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Elton John or Billy Joel You know on and on it goes Van Morrison Keith was that talented a great writer a great singer
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But I have to say I heard some tapes of his earlier music before he met the Lord Oh, I should say rather before the
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Lord met him. That's right and And chose him for salvation and I tell you he was great he was really good, but his music didn't have passion and Meaning and real power until he was writing music about the
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King of Kings and Lord of Lords And I try to point to Keith as an example for a lot of younger artists today to say what is a
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Christian? Musician dedicated to the things of God look like we have George Beverly Shea in a past generation.
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We have Keith Green in our Excellent stuff our special guest today is Steve camp
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He is joining us on his cell phone from from the Minneapolis Airport that I have been to I have run through it
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Many times myself because my publisher is up there, so I know exact fact. You know I was born up there right
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Steve I didn't know that I was born in Robbinsdale, which is a suburb there of Minneapolis So that's you're right near my hometown, and I let
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Steve take a take a breather. We have two folks online We're gonna get to them there's folks who want to talk to you
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Steve and I have an excellent example as well you catch your breath of That kind of prophetic music from Keith Green, and I'm also going to be asking you
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Steve for your favorite Keith Green song But first let's listen to this Do you see do you see all the people sinking down?
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Don't you care? Don't you care? Are you gonna let them drown?
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How can you be so numb not to care if they come?
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You close your eyes and pretend the job's done
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Oh bless me Lord bless me Lord. You know it's all I ever hear
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No one aches no one hurts No one even sheds one tear
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But he cries he weeps he bleeds and he cares for your knees
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And you just lay back and keep so Can't you see it's such a sin
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As he brings people to your door and you turn
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As you smile and say Cuz Jesus came to You've left him out on the streets
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Open up Open up And give yourself away
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You see the need you hear the cries So how can you delay?
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God's calling and you're the one but like Jonah you run He's told you to speak, but you keep holding it in This sleeping in the dark that the church just can't fight cuz it's asleep in the light
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Can you be so dead when you've been so well fed?
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Jesus rose from the grave And you you can't even get out of bed
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Jesus rose from the dead Come on get out of your bed
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That Of course is the music of Keith green asleep in the light, and I think that really exemplifies the
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Prophetic style of song I remember when I first heard that you can't listen to that without being convicted
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By what is being said? The church just can't fight because it's asleep in the light
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And I'm afraid that I don't know that Keith would be overly happy with Developments since he went home to be with the
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Lord as far as the church's ability to to fight in the sense of being
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Being awake, and we have a special guest with us today Steve camp my good friend a a pioneer in his own way in Christian music
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I'd like to how could you know we we never did get around Steve to figuring out
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I have wanted to make Abandoned to God and mercy in the wilderness and things available through our ministry
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And we've never gotten around to you and I working out how that works So how can people especially
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I get this this question all the time where can I find? Good Christian music today that that has reformed themes and things like that and abandoned to God is is
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Just simply a classic along those lines. How can how can people get hold of? Abandoned to God well if they and you're very kind to mention that if they want to contact
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Alpha Omega ministries, I'm delighted to forward on whatever copies that people want to request you know all of our my music is available for whatever people can afford and So if you can only afford a dollar if you can't afford a thing let us know that if you can afford
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Usually a cassette price of 10 or a CD of 15, then that's helpful maybe some could afford a little more so it helps cover the cost but James we can make whatever number of units available that people would like to have so if you have folks that write in or call
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Also, we're beginning a new company called audience one music, and you just spell it out
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Www .audience one music org and They can leave us an email message.
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They're requesting the music Also excellent by the way that that was my favorite
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Keith Green song I do that in concert not every night, but many of the nights really and I I So appreciate that song
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I I heard that song when Keith was in Washington, DC And I went to see him at a little high school there there might have been 400 people 350 people and he came on out and ministered effectively for about an hour and then sang that song before he got up to teach out of God's Word for a season and I just I couldn't but I was with Scott Wesley Brown One of the earlier artists in Christian music, and we were listening to this
41:44
And I just thought my goodness what I've never heard a song like this, and it's to me.
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It's the greatest mission song And at least in contemporary music that's ever been written
41:55
I was so riveted. It was even hard to listen to it here now. I don't mind telling you some tears were Coming to my eyes listening to this just this dear man and and That unfortunate tragic accident of that plane crash on his property 20 years ago this
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July But here a powerful prophetic as you said reminder
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You can't help but listen that song and be convicted are we? You know are we asleep in the light are we just consuming the truth of God?
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Are we like Vance Havner said showing up to church 11 o 'clock sharp and leaving 12 o 'clock dull? You know are are are we what
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Matthew Meade says is are there many that think they're saved, but in reality They're simply the almost Christian They have all the outward extremities and trappings of Going to church and loving their neighbor
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And they say they love God and they're kind to people and sweet dispositions And they've been elected even deacons and elderships of churches, but they're dead man's bones inside.
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They've never met the Savior and So that song cuts quick even to my own heart today and that message of no compromise
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Was that was the hallmark message along with revival that that really marked our brother's ministry
43:13
Now Steve you you I bet you you could guess If I if I were to ask you knowing
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Recent requests I've made of you you could probably guess my Probably my two favorite
43:28
Steve camp songs Well I would say one would be living in Laodicea Okay, and it might be either
43:37
Cornerstone or pounding on Wittenberg's door Cornerstone would be the would be the other yeah, and Now you know that now.
43:44
What do you think now? This is this isn't fair because we've never discussed it Yeah, but what do you think my favorite
43:49
Keith Green song would be? Boy that is a that is a great question
43:57
There's no way I suppose you I think you'll once I once I play the first few bars of it here
44:03
You'll you'll go well of course especially given what I've done for a number of years going up to to Utah and things like that But just real quickly then we go to our phone calls.
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Here's Yep, how can they live without Jesus that I I will never ever forget
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My my young very young wife, and I just a couple of months Had been married went up to went up to Utah to pass out tracks
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Outside the temples up there, and I remember driving through these these highways in Utah singing nothing, but Keith Green songs
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And that one was one that went through my mind over and over and over again
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How can they live without Jesus? Just tremendous stuff well now here's going to be one of our biggest challenges.
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You're on a cell phone in Minneapolis and Now we're going to try to bring up callers and let them talk to you now.
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This has worked well At times in the past and at times it has not well I'll be delighted to speak to whoever calls in well
45:17
Let me our first caller is actually a very good friend of mine a student of mine a very good student of mine who hails from from across the pond as they say in in England and Colin Smith has called in I had an opportunity of ministering at Collins Church Back in December actually just a couple months after we were together in Nashville So we're gonna if you can't hear him you make sure to let us know and we'll do whatever we can
45:46
But let's see if we can get our callers and Steve camp together. Okay. Let's try it rich Colin. Are you there?
45:52
I'm here all right Colin Steve can you hear Colin at all I can just barely but I can hear him
45:58
Colin good day to you Okay Good to hear from you again
46:05
Colin. What's your what would you like to ask Steve today? Make sure to speak up nice and loud. Okay. Well, I kind of had a comment really and I think
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Steve is really Touched on it. But one of the things that really challenged me with with Keith Green's music when
46:20
I was a student His music obviously impacted me a great deal But really then following up from that reading book no compromise when
46:31
I actually kind of dug behind the music and Thought got an insight into who Keith Green was what made him take and his real passion and desire for the things of God that And really
46:43
I kind of look at that and look at the the way that that came through in his music and there was just this passion this desire for for the things of the
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Lord in his music and the teaching that came from that and that kind of introduced me to the whole era of the early
46:57
CCM movement and into the music of Early Phil Keggy and second chapter of Acts and you know people like this and I look at that and I look at what there
47:06
Is today and I just there's a there's a gulf of difference There's a there's a kind of like almost a naivety in the in the in that in the 70s
47:15
The CCM but in the naivety of the of the music there was a very genuine
47:21
Style a very genuine feeling and a very genuine heart for ministry That I feel is often absent in in modern
47:29
CCM and wonderful they want to Comment on that in other words.
47:35
There wasn't any you are my soul tattoo in early CCM Well, yeah, and what
47:43
I what I classically it's a great question Collin what I classically call a lot of today's Christian music is
47:49
God Is my girlfriend songs? Yeah, you you don't Sense that there is a that there's a real difference between how they would express their
48:00
Passions or desires or dedication to their girlfriend unlike they look at the Lord and I think that's part of the problem with the church these days is that they have a very serendipitous or low view of God and Rather than one that that approaches him with reverence and holiness and godly fear
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Even when you have elements and offshoots like the Toronto blessing, which is no laughing matter Coming around and you have groups that are approaching the
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Lord with such a frivolity In a casualness rather than a high view of God that demands are our reverence and respect of him
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Those early days that the best thing that way I guess I could answer that those early days, you know Christian music at least the contemporary arm of it born out of the peace pollution revolution crowd of the late 60s
48:51
Artists like Larry Norman were really paving the way and they were they were a unique blend of artists
48:58
We had a movement through the u .s. Come a lot of people familiar with it called the Jesus movement
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That started in the late 60s and and culminated in the earlier mid 1970s
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And I remember being down at X below 72 as a junior in high school bill bright with campus crusade put this on there was a 130 ,000 people
49:18
I think a lot of different artists like Barry McGuire second chapter of Acts Larry Norman and Danny Lee and the children of truth and love song and on and on it goes
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Randy Stonehill. I remember seeing guys Larry on a street corner in Dallas.
49:34
We were staying at SMU In one of the dorm rooms there And I remember seeing
49:41
Larry on a street corner in Dallas With his guitar singing some songs and he was there praying and sharing the gospel with four policemen
49:51
Being used by the Lord to share the good news of the truth of the gospel Then I went out to a hillside and there must have been three thousand people there and second chapter was singing
50:01
Easter song and some of These songs and sharing the gospel The difference was there was an urgency
50:08
That that marked society and marked the church Even Elton John in some of his earlier music was tiny dancer
50:18
Jesus freaks out on the streets handing tickets out for God The Doobie Brothers Jesus is just all right with me and certainly these songs don't represent the character of our
50:27
Lord Nor we want to call them Christian, but there were commentaries at the time spirit in the sky by Norman Greenbaum That were relating to the movement that they saw they saw all these people
50:39
Now called Jesus freaks, which I DC talk notwithstanding. I can't stand the term
50:45
There's nothing freakish about loving the Lord your God with all your heart soul mind and strength. No matter what dictionary they quote from But it's interesting that there was an insatiable passionate desire
50:56
That people that were coming out of that again of the Janice Joplin Jimi Hendrix era
51:02
Now looking for solidity Looking for foundation and wanting a great message to proclaim had taken their social concern
51:11
Agendas and their passion against war and their passion for free love and their passion against nuclear weapons and all the other things
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To now they were there were one for the gospel and all of that urgency and all that passion was now directed to eternal things in the precious gospel of grace and And so that came through in the music.
51:34
I remember seeing second chapter of Acts you mentioned them Traveling in a old broken -down bus and they would sing in front of 200 people at a soup kitchen line at a downtown mission just as soon as they would to 3 ,000 people at a packed auditorium or 30 ,000 people at a
51:52
Christian music festival. It made no difference to them. There was a selflessness That was not chart driven sales driven market driven consumer driven.
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It was heaven driven It was a biblical mandate We are here to communicate the truth of the gospel of Christ and this urgency
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Permeated those early musicians lives and the times demanded it. I really think that in a postmodern moral pluralistic
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Society that we live in it's hard to find that urgency But what a day in an hour to see that recovered through musicians that will speak unashamedly and boldly into the postmodern culture to the things of the
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Lord Thank you very much Colin for your call today And I tell you I just I just love sitting back and listening to all this now
52:41
Steve. Let me ask you a question Did Keith Wright pledge my head?
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Pledge my head to heaven. Yes, he did. Okay Now you have in fact
52:52
I'm give you another break here and we're gonna get a chance to actually listen to you sing that song
52:58
What but before I play it what what prompted you to to to record that?
53:05
Well on the album abandoned to God Which in a lot of ways was written for pastors and and churchmen
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I was wanting a song that was really That individual commitment
53:19
James of of abandonment of all things except for knowing
53:25
Christ Martin Luther in his great hymn of mighty fortresses
53:31
Our God has a little phrase that R .C. Sproul sent to me on a card that it was a treasured letter that I that I Just it treasured to this day when
53:43
I was writing the hundred and seven theses and he all that said was dear Steve Let goods and kindred go love
53:49
R .C. Hmm, and that's what this song is I heard Keith give an introduction to it at a at a concert one time where he said it's one thing
54:00
When you say I'm gonna follow the Lord Lord take my life and just whatever you want to do with it do with it
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But it's another thing when you have laid all on the altar for the sake of Christ And this was a song about pledging that which is most dear to us our families our lives
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The calling on our lives say Lord take it all we are not our own We are here to honor and glorify you we are at yours at your disposal
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Let's listen to Steve Camp I am in felon with his love
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And the trust him like little ones he feet
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It's my wife to heaven for the gospel
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Even though each passing day our love does grow
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Yes When we were Surely rather be fine day
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I've been to love more than the one who saved us
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I'm gonna live in your family forever. I'm your child
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Follow you no matter whatever the cost
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Things love Let's my children to heaven for the gospel
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And though they're persecuted ridiculed and scorned
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Life will teach them to rejoice Praise for thankful boy
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And to serve him who bore the nails and crown I'm gonna live in your family forever
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I'll follow you no matter
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The cost I want to count all things love
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And if I gave this whole wide world wouldn't mean a thing
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And knowing Jesus That's my wife all my children
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It's my wife my children
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That's my head It's my wife my children
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It's my head For the gospel
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My good friend and our special guest today on the dividing line Steve camp with a Keith green song
57:39
Pledge my head to heaven for the gospel a beautiful song and it is from The album that we were mentioning just a few moments ago.
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I think it is it is truly a classic album Entitled abandoned to God the songs on its are challenging.
57:55
They are beautiful They're wonderfully performed and I one of my greatest Things I like to brag about for myself as I got to sing back up to Steve camp just once at a church in Florida I'll tell you that you know, that's as big as it's going to get for me
58:14
Steve. That's just all there is to it well, listen, my honor was To partner with you
58:20
I mean you you have written James and if I can say this Not only some wonderful books as of late, but the probably the greatest work on the doctrine of justification by faith alone
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Paralleling with Buchanan's work in the 60s, but certainly in the last few hundred years the greatest work on this precious doctrine of the heart and the soul of the gospel and I just want to say for those listening if you don't have this book you need to get it
58:48
It is essential. In fact, if if you want to give a gift, I don't care if it's
58:53
July or June or December you celebrate Christmas early for your pastor and you give him this book on the doctrine of justification it will encourage his heart to preach the word and clearly the gospel of grace and no other and And that's really kind of a kind of a theme here today, isn't it?
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in a way that the key In his music was was really about the true gospel
59:23
And real conversions for the Lord as John Ford tells us. The Lord was not after converts he's after true worshipers and and Keith's music encouraged us to worship in spirit with the right motives as we come to the
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Lord and In truth with sound doctrine and the message of God's Word Well, we really appreciate your joining with us today
59:45
Steve because I tell you it's you know I could have played lots of Keith green music, but Having you on with us today has just made this
59:53
I know the people in the chat channel I know you can't see them right now, but they are truly Enjoying this program.
59:58
I think it's going to be one of the most popular Programs we've ever done and we have folks waiting to talk to you
01:00:05
In fact, we have David over in Austin, Texas that would like to speak with you
01:00:10
David. Are you there? I'm here Speak up real loud. Okay, can you hear me? Yes, just barely but good to good to talk with you
01:00:17
Good to talk to you too, Steve. Um, I gotta tell you, you know, the first four Christmas Christian albums that I owned
01:00:24
Were Keith Green's No Compromise your album fire and ice Hmm and Scott Wesley Brown's Kingdom of Love.
01:00:32
Oh My goodness collection was all the blue and white, you know from Sparrow yes, because at the time they were they were producing the most solid music around and I Said I Used to work in a
01:00:44
Christian bookstore and I worked for about four years doing the music school and I got so discouraged Because I thought what was happening and I think
01:00:51
Colin mentioned earlier about and you mentioned about the you know The Jesus is my girlfriend type of music and I'm a type person.
01:00:58
It's very I love music I just I can't express music. However, without annoying somebody But anyway,
01:01:04
I can't you know, I'm not a musical person But I love music and it would just really discourage me to see all the watered -down pop
01:01:12
Crossover stuff that's coming out. Yeah, but a question I have is do you see anything positive happening today in Christian music?
01:01:19
Do you think we have I know there's some groups coming up like Cayman's call sure. I know you're still around Michael card still around and there's a feeling positive happening that you may be
01:01:29
Encouraging something that we you know, maybe the encouraging force that we can pull Sure, and I and I thank you for your kind words of encouragement and for your question
01:01:39
No question This is not a throw the baby out with a bathwater
01:01:45
Call when we speak of Reformation what we're saying is even though there are individuals doing
01:01:51
Great work. I think third day and some of their recent music is just doing some wonderful work and Friend of ours
01:02:00
Lance Quinn recently heard them a little rock and said that they clearly shared the gospel That's an encouragement
01:02:05
Wow, and we need to honor and and encourage those that are that are doing this to keep on Cayman's call these guys are just tremendous and they love the
01:02:17
Lord and so You know, there are some pockets of those Steve Green would be another one and you mentioned
01:02:24
Michael card There are several that are writing music and and I think that's all positive
01:02:29
One of the things that I think that we can thank the Lord for Is is the influx of a new a breed of worship music?
01:02:40
There are some exciting things being done with contemporary music and praise and worship
01:02:47
Unfortunately, as you know when when when a genre of music Connects with a wide group of people out of a true heartfelt response of worship to the
01:02:56
Lord and study of his word Then others simply want to imitate and come out with maybe a carbon copy
01:03:05
That's not real authentic and what we're seeing today is some some good worship music being being done
01:03:11
And at the same time those that are simply wanting to capitalize on this. I think the time life
01:03:17
Record series they've recently said that their most successful sales going on is the series of faith based music that they have with Christian artists and So what you find is is when a segment of the church is is writing music that honors the
01:03:34
Lord Now the world wants to capitalize on that and we have to say with Paul and Colossians 2 17 that we are not like many
01:03:41
Who cop a loss the word of truth who make it like cheap merch merchandise and for retail consumption for the sake of sordid gain or for money and So the system is is aberrant the system is away from the
01:03:56
Lord even though there are individuals within it That some of which we just mentioned are Doing wonderful work a new artist
01:04:04
Shawn Groves. I would highly recommend his music to your listeners and There are others but This this is a concern
01:04:14
And so it's always a double -edged sword why we see some newer artists like this coming on and some people maintaining sound biblical doctrine and music
01:04:23
We find for the most part that there is a concern but just like in the contemporary worship and praise while we thank the
01:04:30
Lord for songs like shout to the Lord and others like this You know that there's a growing concern to that now worship music has become its own brand of performance
01:04:43
Where people today will pay a ticket to see artists perform worship music? That's that's just insane and so we have to be careful where there's the good
01:04:52
There's always going to be those profiteers and others that will try to counterfeit and again because there are false preachers
01:04:58
We don't want to throw out all preaching Because there are people writing books that don't honor the Lord We don't want to discredit sound authors like James White And because there are singers that are not using that medium well to the honor and glory of the
01:05:12
Lord It's not we don't want to say well It's all bad and label it to a contemporary style of music there are some hymns that you should not be singing and at the same time
01:05:21
We want to say all that honors the Lord must be in accordance with his holy word and and as a sidebar here to your question
01:05:29
People ask all the time Steve. How can we guard ourselves? What do we do as parents? I'm I'm hearing you know a lot of other kinds of music that I don't fully understand, and what can we do?
01:05:39
Can I can I just encourage you this afternoon? Regardless of the style even though. I don't think music is amoral in its style
01:05:46
Regardless though first and foremost of the style can I encourage you to be a Berean believer? I know something that this radio program stands for Examine everything as Paul said in first Thessalonians 5 test everything and cling to that which is good
01:06:00
Can I encourage you as moms and dads and as teenagers listening? Hopefully we have some younger ones listening today
01:06:06
Man, just don't be the casual listener where everything is so open in your mind that you're allowing anything to flood it and To persuade it and to infiltrate it guard your mind guard your hearts and do this by examining any artist
01:06:22
As their music content wise will stack up with scripture does it pass test? When compared to the eternal plumb line of God's Holy Word if it does
01:06:32
Then then go to other areas see them in concert See how they are where they're talking with people evaluate their character, but Paul told
01:06:41
Timothy watch your life in doctrine closely godliness and sound theology are two powerful weapons in terms of a witness and Even though you can be falsely accused as Paul was of a myriad of things
01:06:56
Godliness will ultimately went out in this in the truth of God's will will ultimately triumph regardless of who tries to pervert it
01:07:02
And so I would encourage people in music to really guard your hearts and minds You know music is a powerful tool
01:07:09
Keith understood this that if you have a well -crafted song Man four or five listens to that song.
01:07:16
It's in your heart and mind for years to come You don't even have to think about memorizing it. Yep, and and though I love
01:07:22
James and his books. I've never memorized his book And you wouldn't want to hear me singing it either.
01:07:27
I wish I wish I had that capacity mentally to memorize But you know if we can take the truth of those books the truth of Scripture put them into a song
01:07:38
They'll stay with people and I believe it's not a coincidence that in God's Holy Word that the greatest chapter
01:07:44
The longest chapter in all the Bible on the authority of God's Word Psalm 119 is a song the greatest chapter or set of verses on the authority of Scripture in Psalm 19 7 and 9 is a song and So we have the
01:07:56
Psalms instructing us on the character and sufficiency of our God the hymns the
01:08:02
Paradoxes the language of tradition the spiritual songs if we can apply it this way the new songs of another generation
01:08:09
Speaking in their genre the things of the Lord it all must agree with God's Holy Word And that's really the absent missing piece today in Christian music itinerant ministries are great and we thank the
01:08:23
Lord for individuals that are going out into the marketplace as Keith did and They deserve our prayers and support and so forth if they're honoring the
01:08:31
Lord But at the same time we must understand that the Lord came to establish his church Not only worldwide universal to be sure but the local church
01:08:40
And what we find today in Christian music is not music that is sometimes cannot pass the test of Scripture But artists that are not accountable to their local church
01:08:50
That's a very important missing element today that also ensures us of a sound life
01:08:57
So how can you pray for Christian uses music and more importantly Christian musicians today? Pray that we become students of God's Word Articulating the great themes of faith that we're not just students of the culture
01:09:10
But more importantly having an eternal biblical worldview as to response to the culture
01:09:16
That we're doing it to the glory of God in accordance with his word under the accountability of the local church
01:09:22
You know I have to say that folks very very plainly and honestly If you're going to listen to music without Jesus, you know don't don't buy
01:09:30
Amy can I just be that honest with you? You know by Phil Collins by Bruce Springsteen By Stevie Wonder it's going to be better music
01:09:39
But if you're after music by a Christian that wants to glorify the Lord Jesus Christ By the artists that are singing unashamedly
01:09:49
For that because let's be on anybody can sing for CBS But not many are given the privilege to represent the
01:09:55
Lord Keith's music is a wonderful place to start if you've never invested in a collection of Christian songs
01:10:02
His ministry CDs or some of the albums that James referred to no compromise or for those who have ears to hear
01:10:08
You want to go back to Egypt or some of these great albums songs for the shepherd a wonderful praise and worship record
01:10:14
I would encourage you to make go to your bookstore and make a first acquisition of these songs
01:10:20
They'll bless your whole family, and they'll encourage you in your daily walk with the Lord. They most certainly will thank you very much
01:10:26
David Let me just mention Steve before we go any farther because I tend to forget things. You know how old
01:10:31
I'm getting and how bald I am they seem to go together, but Good old
01:10:37
Simon is here and Simon want to say hello to you and also to say that his favorite song is there is no other
01:10:43
Name, so you'll have to have to keep that one in mind the next day Simon We all end up on a maybe on a boat together or something
01:10:52
So hey we do have Brian on the line now Brian would like to ask a question make sure to speak up Brian Take a nice big deep breath and say hello to Steve camp
01:11:03
Steve. Hey Brian. Hey, how's it going? Well doing well good to be with you. Oh, what a blessing that your music is to me personally
01:11:12
I Remember the time when we went to California first time to see
01:11:17
Tom MacArthur at his church and James was aside, and I was driving and we were playing your music and wow
01:11:27
I mean just an encouragement for me well, thanks for that encouragement yep, and Last time we
01:11:38
Listen to music was a lifting weight You know
01:11:44
I think that's fairly appropriate Steve given the fact that I have been out there lifting weights with the guys when you've called with a
01:11:49
PowerPoint presentation question So I sort of figure it's good
01:11:55
We're listening to Steve camp over while we're lifting weights and and now now Steve you you did lift weights with me once remember you
01:12:01
Did go over and pick up those five pound dumbbells and did some curls remember, but you helped me with them, so that No you know what
01:12:10
I used to be an athlete in high school I played basketball for three years And I was in really good shape, and I tell people these days no matter how much fuel is in the
01:12:19
DC 10 It's not going to get off the ground I used to be able to dunk the basketball and touch the rim and I I can barely get to the net these days and Even though I'll buy a pair of Air Jordan sneakers or Allen Iverson shoes
01:12:34
You know what I could do I could do well with lead weights You know it's just not there anymore my my kids will laugh at me
01:12:42
I have five kids, and they're all athletes max has just turned 13. He says dad He's really growing quick right now
01:12:49
And he says dad you know am I am I do I have a six -pack and I said yeah you do son You're really in great shape.
01:12:54
He goes dad. What do you have I said I have a one -pack So anyway such as such as life well it that's that's the way it works out
01:13:04
Brian Did you have a question or was just comment? You know again. Thank you for the blessing
01:13:10
The mark of man of God hmm well, that's one of them, and then
01:13:20
I'm not gonna go on to more but James I missed his comment. Well. He was he was saying that his one of his favorite songs is mark of the man of God Oh Brian well, thank you.
01:13:30
I wrote that song for dr. MacArthur celebrating his 30th
01:13:37
Anniversary as being the pastor of Grace Community Church And I was I was struggling on what to get him obviously
01:13:43
I couldn't get him a commentary And and I couldn't get him a Bible so I was wondering about a gift to get
01:13:52
John and and This song came together just two days or three days before His Celebration on that Sunday in February three years ago, and and it was a joy
01:14:06
To present that to him But what I so appreciated the Lord doing was here so many people came up after that Sunday evening and said you know
01:14:14
That's a song about my dad Or that's a song about my uncle or granddad or my brother or my my friends and some were saying
01:14:21
I know it's called mark of a man of God, but but boy I think the Lord for a godly mom or a godly grandma that impacted my life
01:14:29
So it wasn't intended to be on the abandoned to God album But through God's providence that the
01:14:35
Lord worked that out, and thanks for that encouragement because that song is special meaning to myself as well
01:14:40
Let's give Steve a chance to catch his breath with a few bars of that song mark of a man of God from abandoned to God It's such a rarity today
01:15:13
So many stars Strong and true and quickly fall away
01:15:20
But the man will take his stand he can't be bought or sold
01:15:27
And to the plow he won't look back though other hearts turn cold
01:15:36
He keeps the faith Keeps his conscience clear
01:15:42
He lives this life of grace through The mark of a man of God What is fleeing from and what is fighting for The heart of a money daily pursue his family friends the world the church and worship of the
01:16:16
Lord the godly man Daily takes up the cross of Christ And faithfully follows him as a living sacrifice
01:16:32
That of course the mark of a man of God Steve camp our special guest today reminiscing remembering
01:16:44
Keith green and his ministry and the impact that he has had on many of us and of course the impact the
01:16:50
Steve camps Ministry has had as well Beautiful song I'm trying to keep a bunch of things going here
01:16:57
We've got the phone lines are just absolutely exploding that always works the last few minutes And so I'm doing the
01:17:03
I'm doing the music, and I'm doing the the levels on the music and also keeping an eye on The notes that are being sent to me electronically someday when you're out here sometimes
01:17:12
Steve You'll have to see how we do this. You'll you'll just laugh hysterically actually that we managed to get through it all without making numerous errors, but anyway anyways we do
01:17:22
I want at least get to to Peter calling from Monterey, California Speak up real loud.
01:17:29
Hey. I'm here. How are you guys doing? I can I can hear you clear as a bell. Hey, that's great
01:17:34
I don't know if you remember me from Adam or not, but I was I worked for grace to you from 1985 to 1991
01:17:43
And I was actually managing the tape shack there at Grace Church And you can remember yes, very kind to my daughter myself you give it some
01:17:54
Some cassettes of your music which we have Enjoyed tremendous tremendously to this day well.
01:18:00
Thank you. I do remember you nice to nice to talk with you Yeah, it's good to hear you, too I didn't realize
01:18:06
I didn't think I was going to get on so I will try to say something coherent and intelligent Just to thank you for bringing back and bringing up again so many memories from the from the 70s and the 80s and especially appreciate your 107 theses which
01:18:24
I think is right on the mark for Really? What is what
01:18:30
I see is a downgrade in? Contemporary Christian music to read something like that is so So encouraging and I wanted to say that as a word of encouragement to you and also to To to dr.
01:18:48
White I have appreciated your work so much in fact I've really been focusing in on your stuff since the release of a hunts book which
01:19:02
I Think has left a lot of us very very disappointed But what it has done for me is it has really focused my attention on really what is what is the true gospel and what is true biblical exposition and It's good this afternoon to hear both a
01:19:23
Preacher of the gospel and a singer of the gospel bringing these two things together
01:19:31
And I really really thank the Lord for you guys And we really pray for revival of this kind of stature to come to come back to the church
01:19:42
I remember hearing you or somebody talked about Phoenix reformed Baptist Church being 4250 60 people right
01:19:51
Well what a blessing What a blessing to come to some place where the
01:19:57
Word of God is taught Instead of going to a place that has thousands and thousands thousands of people where Exposition is virtually absent
01:20:07
So much more to say that I know you got a lot more people on the line Well Peter, I really appreciate your kind words.
01:20:13
Just pray for me as I'm writing the book with Dave Hunt right now the the point counterpoint work on that subject is just pray that that's it's gonna be a challenge and Just pray that I will
01:20:25
Do it right shall we say, you know, I just wanted to throw in one more comment I was in I was a
01:20:31
Calvary Chapel Coast Mesa about four years ago and Ran across George Bryson's book.
01:20:38
Mm -hmm, and I was just thumbing through it I didn't buy it because it was you know, so short. I sat there and read it in about half an hour
01:20:44
Mm -hmm, and the thought that kept coming back to me is you know It's not so much whether we agree with Calvinism or not
01:20:54
As much as it is Properly representing what a particular what a particular position believes
01:21:02
Mm -hmm, and I was really concerned about that when I read his book and even more concerned about it when
01:21:08
I read Dave Hunts book. Yeah, that's very very true. And I don't know if you've had a chance to hear it
01:21:15
Steve We just now started offering Via mp3 off of our website
01:21:20
You can download the mp3s of my debate with George Bryson who wrote the five points of Calvinism Wade and found wanting
01:21:26
We did a debate at the Anaheim vineyard at the beginning of April. Oh my I haven't heard that yet Yeah, we'll have to we just we're just now getting the videotapes ready
01:21:35
And we'll have to get that over to you because I think you'd find it to be very very interesting But Peter, thank you so much.
01:21:40
Yeah Peter. I appreciate his comments James because so much of Current Christianity is based on numbers church growth rather than we forget that God doesn't number us.
01:21:51
He weighs us and And examines our lives and certainly men like Thomas Watson who had a church of under a hundred what a contribution this dear man has made throughout the years and and Jonathan Edwards and Just a church of a few hundred not many by today's standards
01:22:08
But again powerful in regards of eternity and and that's what we have to remember even in Christian music
01:22:15
I know that one of Keith's mentors was Leonard Ravenhill who wrote a wonderful book called why revival
01:22:22
Terry's and His mentor was a W Tozer and I know these brothers come from more of the mystic
01:22:30
Side of things but made a tremendous contribution to the body of Christ Especially a lot of a
01:22:37
W's works on the God of entertainment in the local church, and he wrote this in the 40s and 50s
01:22:44
And what would he say now if he could see it? I was reading of a church James in Dallas that has exploded
01:22:53
To over 10 ,000 people in a very short period of time and when interviewed I believe it was even
01:22:58
Katie Carrick possibly That interviewed the pastor there a young pastor It's a seeker friendly church and they said that their growth was attributed to primarily one thing and that was the
01:23:09
Exclusive use of secular music in the worship of God Now, you know,
01:23:14
I love the Beatles but singing I want to hold your hand as a praise song as a bit of a stretch just a bit and It's a sad thing when churches are designing the theme and the focus of their service
01:23:27
To appeal to unsaved people to simply attract them on a felt -need basis
01:23:32
Rather than asking the one question in church of what is it that we can further do this week to bring glory to a holy?
01:23:39
God and the same thing in Christian music Keith and in particular was not concerned about being liked or being marketable or appealing to a market driven strategy
01:23:51
He was concerned about doing one thing will the Lord find favor in what
01:23:57
I do for him is it going to be wood hay and stubble burned up or will it be gold silver and precious stone and well,
01:24:06
Steve, I had to let you know my my wife came in channel and Wanted to know that he covers me as her favorite song
01:24:15
Next Tuesday is Kelly and I's 20th wedding anniversary Congratulations, I thought you mentioned
01:24:22
Scott Wesley Brown and I just had to tell you I am one of the few people that you will ever meet that was brave enough to sing to his wife at his wedding and I sang of a flesh of my flesh.
01:24:33
Oh my goodness. So someday I'll have to show you the video I've got hair like you would not believe
01:24:39
And could actually carry a tune in a bucket, but just a few my wife said no.
01:24:44
No you won't just Just a few months Well, actually the month after we were married.
01:24:51
I was working at kwa o radio and around 10 o 'clock at night the
01:24:57
UPI machine went ding ding ding ding and I am reading from the actual
01:25:03
UPI printout that I taped inside a a Bible that night and this is what it said
01:25:10
Officials now say only 11 people were killed late Wednesday when a small plane taking off from a Christian evangelical group's private airstrip near Van Texas crashed just 500 yards from the end of the runway early reports
01:25:22
It said 12 people died in the crash a staff member at last day's ministry Says the plane burned upon impact in a densely wooded area
01:25:30
The crash occurred about 20 miles northwest of Tyler authorities say among those killed was ministry director
01:25:36
Keith Green who also wrote and recorded Christian music Jim McNichols a Dundee, Illinois radio personality calls green
01:25:43
One of the top Christian contemporary artists in the country. That's how I heard About the death of Keith Green was within a few hours because I was actually on the air at that time
01:25:54
Oh, and I have kept that and I really appreciate your joining with us this afternoon to give us your
01:26:01
Recollections of Keith and and we've talked about all sorts of things And I would really like to I hope that your cell phone battery that doesn't explode when
01:26:11
I say this but I'd really like to get you to come back where we can just talk about the entirety of of Christian music and your ministry and and focus a little bit more upon what you what you've done
01:26:20
But I really want to thank you for joining with us and making this just a tremendous program James Thank you, and really an honor to be invited and thank you that That you're able to to flex here with the airlines and and I really want to thank
01:26:35
Northwest because My favorite airline American could not get me up here
01:26:41
But Northwest came through and it I was heartbroken I think we may not be able to do this interview at all or just be on for a few moments
01:26:48
Right, and I thank the Lord for this opportunity and for all the callers and the folks that I haven't read comments through on the chat lines keep on for the
01:26:57
Lord and And may we be those that that will turn our world upside down for the cross of Christ.
01:27:04
Amen Well, I think you'd find this appropriate he sang this while he was alive, but after July 28th 1982
01:27:12
Keith Green was able to to sing this in a way that you and I can only look forward to sometime in the future
01:27:19
I think it would be appropriate for us to finish our tribute to the life of Keith Green With a beautiful rendition of a song that I truly think is worthy of being sung around the throne
01:30:16
Oh The dividing line has been brought to you by Alpha Omega ministries
01:32:21
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01:32:29
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01:32:36
That's a o m i n dot o RG where you'll find a complete listing of James White's books tapes debates and tracks