Early last week, I had the special blessing of attending a luncheon with Keith and Kristyn Getty at Redeemer Seminary in Dallas, Texas. Then, the very next day, God increased my blessing by allowing me to interview this lovely couple.
It's always a joy when the Lord connects me with saints in Christ who love the Him and are devoted to His Kingdom work with humility and integrity.
It's always a joy when the Lord connects me with saints in Christ who love the Him and are devoted to His Kingdom work with humility and integrity.
I really can't say enough about how genuinely kind, down-to-earth and pleasant both Keith and Kristyn are.
"Do nothing out of rivalry or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interest of others. Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus"
~Philippians 2:3-5
My interview with Keith and Kristyn reminded me our heavenly Father's command to love Him with everything we have and love others as Christ has loved us. I was greatly encouraged by their prominent love for Christ, His people, and for the lost.
What made you decide to write modern-day hymns? Why not be another Christian pop-artist?
We saw such a need for a new canon of hymnity. The Bible is readily available in many languages, but many Christians still remain biblically illiterate. We want to write lyrics that are theologically sound because, just like we are what we eat, we are what we sing too. People have a strong relationship with songs. What someone chooses to listen to says a lot about who they are and what matters most to them.
I agree. We have so much access to biblical teaching: books, sermons, online access, etc., but we don't use these resources as much as we could. Or if we do, we seek to find resources that are a quick fix for whatever ails us, rather than doing things the old way...just read the Scriptures.
When you first came to the US, you were at Alistair Begg's church. How did that happen and how and why did you move to Nashville, Tennessee?
We lived in Switzerland for the first year of our marriage. During that year, we made two tours to the US and Alistair saw us there. He also saw us in concert when he was in Switzerland once. We just kept bumping into him.
Alistair said he loved our hymns and wanted to support our ministry if we ever moved to America. So in 2006, we moved to America and made Parkside our home church for four and a half years.
When we wanted to start having a family, we didn't know if we would live in the UK, Ohio or Nashville. We wanted to have a bus family and felt we needed to get our creative juices rolling in new ways, so we chose to move to Nashville where we could learn more about the organizing and administrative part of music. It was almost like going back to school.☺
Two days after we arrived in Nashville, I got pregnant.☺
We've been in Nashville for three years now and we've met some great people and have been able to grow as a result of being there.
{Keith had to leave the interview at this point because he had a very important appointment to go swimming with their precious daughter Eliza. I told him that Daddy-Daughter appointments always trump interviews.}
Wow. God's ways and timing is always perfect! So, how often do you travel and how does that affect "normal" family life?
We love to travel because we get to travel together as a family. Eliza loves traveling too. We only travel 12 weeks out of the year: Fall Tour, Christmas Tour and Spring Tour. We tour primarily in the US, although we have done some UK tours. We can't commit to too many international tours since we're in the little kiddie years and having babies makes it difficult to travel internationally.☺
I bet it does. What a special blessing from the Lord that you get to work in a ministry you love and do it with the people you love. God is exceedingly kind!
Kristyn, as a wife and mother in ministry, how do you balance and maintain being a biblically submissive wife while being your husband's ministry partner?
I grew up with a dad who was a pastor and a mom who was a teacher. I grew up with the strong sense as my dad as the head of the family. I grew up with strong male leadership and have a strong leading husband who's an absolute pleasure and challenge to follow.☺ I want Eliza to grow up having this too.
When I stand up and sing I'm doing that with my husband...so I already have my headship there and really, we're doing it together.
Amen sister! I've loved watching you these past two days and how you interact with Keith and Eliza. I've been very encouraged by your biblical submission through your actions and words. Your love and respect for your husband is evident and it's truly the beautiful thing God talks about in 1 Peter 3.
Now, back to a musical question. Do you have any advice for Christian lyricists/musicians?
Whatever you put your hand to, it is important to stay close and accountable to your pastor and local church as well as maintaining a healthy devotional life—this helps keep the main things the main things.
In terms of writing songs specifically, find ways to keep the well of creativity within you replenished so you have something to draw from—through reading, conversation, personal study and reflection, and different creative works around you. Also, try and cultivate a vulnerability around people you trust to speak into your work. It can be painful and frustrating but more often than not, it makes the outcome better!
Above is a music video of one of the songs we sang at the luncheon. I absolutely fell in love with this hymn and wanted to share it with all of you, so we, as children of the Most High God, can join together, with one voice and praise His holy and awesome name!
What shall I render to the LORD for all His benefits to me? I will lift up the cup of salvation and call on the name of the LORD, I will pay my vows to the LORD in the presence of all His people.
~Psalm 116:12-14
Below are the lyrics to the hymn "My Heart is Filled with Thankfulness" if you'd like to sing along.
My heart is filled with thankfulness
To Him who bore my pain;
Who plumbed the depths of my disgrace
And gave me life again;
Who crushed my curse of sinfulness
And clothed me in His light
And wrote His law of righteousness
With pow'r upon my heart.
My heart is filled with thankfulness
To Him who walks beside;
Who floods my weaknesses with strength
And causes fears to fly;
Whose ev'ry promise is enough
For ev'ry step I take,
Sustaining me with arms of love
And crowning me with grace.
My heart is filled with thankfulness
To him who reigns above,
Whose wisdom is my perfect peace,
Whose ev'ry thought is love.
For ev'ry day I have on earth
Is given by the King;
So I will give my life, my all,
To love and follow him.
"My Heart Is Filled with Thankfulness" Words and Music by Keith Getty and Stuart Townend | Copyright © 2003 Thankyou Music
The Getty's are expecting their second daughter to arrive in just a couple of months. Please keep them all in your prayers.
Keith and Kristyn will return to the Dallas, Texas area on Thursday, October 3, 2013 and will have a concert at the Meyerson Symphony Center at 8:00 p.m.
To purchase tickets for this event, click the following link: http://gettymusic.com/tour.aspx. When purchasing tickets, use the promotional code: R777 to get any seat for $20.00.
