Singing the Gospel – Music and the Message
24 Apr 2024
Eight reasons I produce (and co-produce) worship songs in the languages of least reached people groups.
- God is Worthy
God alone is worthy of all worship. All the angels were standing around the throne and around the elders and the four living creatures. They fell down on their faces before the throne and worshiped God, saying: “Amen! Praise and glory and wisdom and thanks and honour and power and strength be to our God for ever and ever. Amen!” (see Revelation 9:7-12)
- Scripture Engagement
There are many language groups which have the New Testament, or even the whole Bible translated, but often those Bibles are never read. Turning scripture into song helps more people hear God’s Word. Translators often find very few people make use of their backbreaking work. Local believers and cross-cultural workers who spend countless hours interacting with the Word of God as they translate it, can compose Christian songs by the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, and make them available online so that many more hear the gospel. Many who may never read a Bible in their own language, gladly listen to songs.
- Catalytic Influence
As I have produced and co-produced music in other languages, more people have been inspired to do the same. When I came to my current location almost four years ago, I could only find three worship songs online in the national language. Since producing new songs in this and other languages, some local believers have produced songs in their own particular languages too! Catalysts speed up reactions.
- Evangelism
People on mission sometimes tell me how they are using ‘my songs’ in evangelism. They have been played at weddings, included with audio Bible content on solar players, used in unreached peoples language outreach podcasts and on outreach websites, played in a cafe in the Himalayas while monks drink coffee, shared with taxi drivers, passed onto non-Christian friends and family, and used as a conversation starter to raise the gospel message. These new songs have made their way deep into some of the most unreached places in the world – with some people hearing the name of Jesus for the first time through a song.
- Encouraging Christians
Every Christian can attest to the encouragement worship music has been for learning, comfort, drawing close to God, and strengthening our faith. Imagine if there was no accessible Christian music in your mother tongue! This is the case in many ethnic groups with few believers. So far, the CRIMSON WORSHIP youtube channel has more than 100 worship songs in more than 20 unreached people group languages. The songs are mostly from Tibetan Buddhist background ethnicities.
- Enabling Indigenous Worship
When Christians from unreached ethnic groups gather, they often meet with believers from majority cultures and therefore struggle to meaningfully engage in worship. Christians across the Himalayas, for example, may worship in churches where Hindi, Nepali or Mandarin is the dominant language and worship songs in their mother tongues are unheard of. Singing in one’s mother tongues is an immeasurable blessing for linguistically isolated Christians.
- Cultural Relevance
Many people are unaware there are Christians in their own ethnic group. They think Christianity is pertinent to other groups, not theirs, and have never heard of Jesus. When they hear a song about Jesus in their own language they want to know more about the singer and how they came to believe in Christ. For the first time they are forced to consider the legitimacy of someone from their ethnic group becoming a Christian.
- Language Preservation
Some of the languages I’m producing and co-producing songs in are in decline. Bible translation helps preserve languages. Having songs available online in these languages can keep them alive and relevant for future generations.
An Aussie Worker with a gift for music, love for people and passion for God
Is God calling you to join the mission field? Get in touch.