New (old) music on Chavah: Keith Green - Songs for the Shepherd

A listener wrote in to the station asking if we could play Keith Green's music.

For the uninitiated, Keith is a pioneer of modern Christian music and genuine servant of God. Many of his hits are still popular today, like Create in Me a Clean Heart or There is a Redeemer.

I recently discovered some of Keith's music at a Joshua Aaron concert, where Aaron played his version of There is a Redeemer.

Keith's parents were indeed Jewish, but were not practicing. After Keith began seeking the Lord, he married Jewish believer and songwriter Melody Steiner, who, after Keith's untimely death, has continued his ministry and kept his music alive. 

By age 19, Green had stopped using drugs, lost interest in Eastern religions, and started seriously looking into Christianity. In early 1973 he met Melody Steiner, who was also Jewish as well as a songwriter. Becoming inseparable, the couple eloped at The Little Brown Church in Studio City, California, on Christmas Day 1973. The newlywed couple sought more knowledge of Jesus together when, in May 1975, they visited a home bible study in Beverly Hills, California called Vineyard Christian Fellowship. Led by Vineyard founder Kenn Gulliksen, the Greens later said it was during the study that they felt the presence of God through the teaching and guitar-led worship. Hearing the Gospel for the first time and learning about Jesus as a Jewish rabbi, Green and his wife became born again Christians.

Keith's music is honoring to the Lord, part of our heritage as Jewish believers, and ultimately a blessing to Jews and Gentiles alike. For these reasons, I've decided to include Keith's music on the station, starting with Songs for the Shepherd.

Enjoy friends!