Justin Hines: Say What You Will

Let me introduce Justin Hines, a composer, musician and Canadian.

Justin Hines



Two years ago, Justin performed in Calgary, to a packed auditorium at Centre Street Church. I was thrilled to be part of that awed and cheering crowd. It’s an experience I won’t soon forget.

Justin was a hit with people of all ages, including my family members, who are teenagers and middle-aged adults. They were still raving about him the next day.

That night, Justin performed his song Say What You Will, reminding us to say the words our loved ones need to hear -- before it’s too late.

Here's Justin's Say What You Will video.

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Justin has performed throughout the States, across Canada, and in numerous countries around the world, growing more fans everywhere.

Some of his youngest fans, a Grade 4 class in Indianapolis, created their own video of Say What You Will.

Here's the Grade 4 students' video.

 

They posted it online and sent Justin hand-written letters, inviting him to come and visit.

Justin thanked them for the letters and the video, but didn’t respond to the invitation -- at least not right away.

A few months later, Justin went to Indianapolis for another event. This is what happened the next morning. (Before you click, make sure you have Kleenex nearby.)

 

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I wanted you to meet Justin today, because I love the story of what Justin did for those children and their teacher. (I love it especially because I'm a teacher, but you don't have to be a teacher or a student to appreciate it.)

 

I also wanted to introduce Justin so I could tell you some great news:

 

Justin Hines is coming to Calgary this fall!

 

He's coming back to Centre Street Church on October 12, to perform in Courage: A Concert with Justin Hines and Tony Melendez.

 

I promise, you don’t want to miss it. Get your tickets here.

 

See you at the concert October 12!

Dietrich Bonhoeffer Plays Drums at Centre Street Church

Dietrich Bonhoeffer, a German pastor and teacher, is well-known for being executed by the Nazis for his role in a plot to assassinate Hitler. What is less well-known is that Dietrich was also a highly-skilled musician. In his large family, where everyone sang and played musical instruments, Dietrich’s siblings said he was the best pianist of them all.*

A young man who plays the drums at Centre Street Church, where I attend, resembles a young Dietrich Bonhoeffer. Like the Dietrich of 70 years ago, our drummer has a fair, round face and light-colored hair, and he wears round wire glasses. Whenever I see this young man on stage, I imagine for a moment Dietrich Bonhoeffer is playing drums in church today.

That makes me think of how church music has changed from 1930’s-40’s Germany to 21^st century Canada. If Dietrich Bonhoeffer were expressing his worship through music in 2011, perhaps he’d be playing drums instead of the more traditional piano. Very likely, he’d be playing a much different musical style.

But some people, sincere Christ-followers, will be uncomfortable with that suggestion. The hymns used in the German church when Dietrich Bonhoeffer was alive, were worshipful and sacred, they feel. They have a hard time believing that the music sung in today’s Canadian churches is worshipful. After all, the music is so much faster and louder. The songs are less rhythmical, and many of them don’t even rhyme!

Let me assure you – I won’t claim that all of today’s church music is worshipful. But nor do I believe all traditional music is worshipful either.

Worshipfulness of music (if we can call it that) has nothing to do with volume, tempo, beat, or the era in which it was written. A song’s worship value depends solely on the truths contained in the lyrics.

To each generation, God has given a new way to worship Him through music. Thousands of years ago, the Psalmist said God had put a new song in his mouth. (Psalms 40:3). Today, God is still doing that for those He’s gifted to compose worship music.

Now we who are, well, older, or who have different musical preferences, don’t have to like the new music. We are, however, called to love the people who are making the music.

We are all members of the Body of Christ. At all ages, in many languages, and through the music of every generation, we worship Him together. And He is pleased.

*Bonhoeffer: Pastor, Martyr, Prophet, Spy; by Eric Metazas; published by Thomas Nelson.