By Ashley Wiehe
Director of Communications
Hymns are an integral part of worship in the church.
They date back to the time of David in the Psalms and are an inspiration for much of the music that we hear from the choir loft, as well as on the Worship Anew program.
For Getty Music, hymns are at the heart of what they do. All of their music is scripture-based and reflect ones’ hopes and dreams, as well as the laments of their hearts.
“It speaks to people at all stages of life,” said Deborah Klemme, a violinist with Getty Music. “In my opinion, for a hymnody—in general whether it be old or new—the focus is more on God and who He is and what He has done for us and then how we respond. It’s really meaningful.”
Getty Music started in Northern Ireland when Keith and Kristyn Getty wrote “In Christ Alone,” and has grown to include multiple writers and many musicians. Their music is sung at churches around the world, and their mission is to create modern hymns that churches can sing corporately.
“(They are creating) a body of songs that (churches) can sing that are based in scripture and that are good, singable melodies that can be used in all variety of contexts,” Klemme said. “Whether it’s with a pipe organ or with a rock band or something in between, the music speaks to you.”
For Klemme, she stressed how important hymns are to people throughout their lives, especially those who are in the older generations.
“My grandfather lived to be 102 years old. In the end, he didn’t know much. He didn’t know who I was, but he could still sing ‘Great Is Thy Faithfulness,’” she said. “For many people who have been in the church their whole lives, ... you’ve sung these songs with your family, at funerals, at weddings, at all these big moments, then when you get into the later years of your life, those (hymns) are the things that you can really cling to.”
She stresses that older generations also know the value of a good hymn—a hymn that shares the praises of their hearts but also the challenges that come with life.
“When you do a study of all of the hymns and a hymnal and things like that, the number of songs that deal with lament are very low. We have a lot of songs about singing when we’re joyful and happy, but things are better when we just sing, ‘I don't know why this happened,’” she said. “I think that those subjects are more likely to be found in a hymn that is scripturally based. There’s a model for that in the Psalms.”
She said that there is a resurgence among younger generations to find songs, especially hymns, that speak to truths—something that Getty Music stresses with their scripturally-based hymns. But, she admits that this is something that the older generations have already recognized and known for quite some time.
“I think that those are people who have really valued what Keith and Kristyn are doing in the songs that they’re writing at their core level—that they have something deep and rich about life experiences, and just overall what scripture has to say about those things,” Klemme said, adding that Keith and Kristyn are working on a new hymnal project which will be released soon. “With a hymn, you’re actually singing scripture.”
An Evening with Keith & Kristyn Getty: Live in Concert
Keith and Kristyn Getty, and special guests, Matt Boswell and Matt Papa, are on tour this fall across the United States, and are bringing a special concert to Fort Wayne, Ind., at 7 p.m. Oct. 28, which Worship Anew is helping to host. Tickets for all concerts are available at gettymusic.com/tour.