Chris would have dreams that he was listening to songs on the radio. He heard all the music and lyrics. He would wake up and record himself on a portable tape recorder so that he wouldn’t forget what he dreamed. Eventually, we kept a portable recorder on the nightstand. We used many of those songs, with their Biblically-principled lyrics, to reinforce the lessons in our weekly sessions with teenagers.
During those years, we also began writing songs that were embraced by our larger church community as our pastor recognized that our tunes contained lyrics that could impact more people beyond the youth in the congregation. We were given one Sunday each month to lead the entire congregation in songs of praise and worship, and we taught them the songs God was giving us.
We also brought the songs to the neighborhood in which our church resided. Every week our ministry had a food outreach. The neighbors were allowed to gather in the fellowship hall. While their groceries were being bagged, we assembled some of the teenagers as a small ensemble to sing to the people while they waited for their food. We literally taught the attendees our simple little tunes, and then prayed for everyone.
This outreach grew to the point where we had 50 families, (not just 50 people), yes, 50 families attending every week. They completely filled the hall. It was as if though we had another church meeting in the building. They were an incredible mix of black, white, old and young. Some said that they no longer came for the food. They were coming for the worship and the prayer. One such attendee was a young white girl who happened to be pregnant. Then, for several weeks, we didn’t see her.
Suddenly she returned with a little bundle of joy. Our volunteers and teenagers surrounded her as she kept saying, “Come see my miracle baby! See my little miracle!”
Of course, we wanted to know why she kept referring to her baby as a miracle. Then she shared her testimony and it forever changed our view of songwriting and worship.
She revealed that when the baby was born, the child died immediately afterwards. The baby was dead; gone. She said, “All I knew to do was just to sing the songs you guys taught me. So I just started singing those songs over my baby, and she came back to life. So here she is; my little miracle.”
Of course we all rejoiced with her.
From that moment to this one right now, we have not cared about trying to make it ‘big’ in the music industry. We don’t care if we are ever well-known, famous worship artists, worship writers, or any of those titles. Our songs may never receive any awards or accolades in the Christian music industry or any other music industry.
The highest level has already been reached and that was for them to be used by God in a powerful way. God had given us songs, and those songs of praise and worship had been instrumental in imparting faith into a new mother; in resurrecting her baby from the dead.
When it comes to writing songs, poetry, books, or anything else that we put down on paper or type into a computer, we realize God has allowed us to experience His purpose for our writing gifts.
Only a small elite group of songwriters in this world will receive earthly awards and recognition, but this miracle was the highest honor. Our focus was set: We’re writing for God alone.
---Chris and Carol Green
