This morning I'm sitting out on my back porch wondering why I'm out here instead of sitting in my recliner under the air conditioner. It is hot and humid this morning. I just finished walking my two miles, came home and sat down in our glider patio seat. The morning is full of sound from cars making their way along Hwy 7, and Hwy 43. Occasionally I'll hear the laughter of teenagers up the street waiting for the school bus. Mixed in with all the human sounds is the chirping of sparrows and even a few songbirds. It's peaceful out here.
I am on a profound path of renewal that God began in me early Friday morning. It began with me trying to deal with anger issues born out of frustration with the way things are going in my life. I still feel this profound grief for my wife, and a need to do something beyond that grief. The same old daily routine I've been doing for years is wearing on me. Part of that has to do with my personal relationship to Christ, and some of it is to do with frustration with those around me and their relationship with Christ. So, God slapped me hard Thursday night and told me to get going. Which brings me to me sitting here writing this blog. As part of MY renewal, I began listening to old Christian rock bands that changed my life. When I say old, I'm talking about bands that were part of the Jesus movement of the late sixties and early seventies. The one band that affected my life more than any other was 'Love Song'.
In my Junior year of High School (1972) there was a group of kids who were gathering in our school's quadrangle at lunch and singing songs I'd never heard before. At that time I was going to an Assembly of God church with my parents, and all I knew were hymns. These kids were singing new songs that began to speak to a hunger and desire in me for something more than what I knew. They wore long hair, and hippie clothes, and talked about God in ways that felt young and fresh. Soon, I began to sit with them and I quickly learned the songs they were singing. One day one of the boys asked me if I was a Christian. I told him yes, but that I was tired of the pastor of the church I was going to always preaching about tithes week in and week out. I paid my tithes because I had a job, and my mother had taught me the value of tithes but at the same time, when a Christmas sermon could end up being about tithes, I'd had it. He told me about a group of kids who were meeting at a small church in the middle of town on Friday nights. They called themselves Jesus Chapel, and I later learned that Chuck Smith had helped them to get established. When I first started going there, there were about a hundred kids like me packing ourselves into a building made for 150 people. On the platform there were five college age guys singing the same songs I'd heard at my school. The little group called themselves 'Joy Song' and their love for God was simple, and beyond anything I'd experienced. They would sing and lead worship for about an hour, then the leader of the group would sit on a stool and tell the gospel story for about fifteen minutes, always emphasizing the love of God. Within two months, they had to find another church who would let them meet on Friday nights. We moved to St. Johns Methodist Church because it could hold 500 people. Every service would see the same results, young people would flood the altars and give their lives to Christ. The police placed 40 gallon trash cans at each end of the altars where kids, and adults could throw away their drugs or alcohol without fear of being arrested. This went on for months until they finally had to build their own facility that could hold at least 2,000 people in a service. One Friday night while we were still using the Methodist church facility, a new band stepped up to the stage. It was obvious that our own praise band was in awe of this group. "I'm Chuck Girard," began the leader of the band as he sat down to the piano. "This is Love Song, and we are glad you're here." The praise set was deliciously different with the music ranging from country sound, to almost a jazzy blues. When Chuck began his testimony, you could hear teenagers in the congregation begin to cry and weep. Like our own worship leader, he didn't spend a lot of time preaching, I don't think he could have. It felt like everyone was pressing up against a gate straining to run to the altar. Without knowing how I got there, I found myself on my back under the altar crying my heart out. That's when I realized that all the tradition I'd learned was meaningless and empty. My friend, James (Jimmy) was sitting at my feet when I came to. He had huge tears in his eyes, and a big old goofy smile that only teenage boys can do. We'd both experienced more love and grace than the human body can contain this side of glory. We both stood up and stumbled to our pews, grabbed our motorcycle helmets and headed home. From that moment on, I stopped buying worldly music and went out and bought the Love Song album at our local Christian Book store. Suddenly within the space of a year (1973), there was a large group of Christian rock bands that I could listen to. Chuck Girard, and Love Song changed my life, and shaped my destiny without even knowing it. Eventually I would be introduced to Keith Green, and a host of other Christian musicians who were translating their faith into music that felt like home to me. God was doing a new thing with the very generation that had declared Him dead. There was the Latin inspired sounds of Ron Kenoli. Maranatha leaned heavily into scripture songs, Whiteheart, Petra, all eventually took Christian music to a new place it'd never been before. I think I'd be safe in saying that they all owe their existence to Chuck Girard and Love Song.
Well, yesterday, I was cycling through my YouTube feed and saw a tribute to Chuck Girard from his daughter Alisa Childers. I sat dumbfounded as she related his last few days on this earth. I couldn't hold back the tears, and I'm even tearing up now as I write this. I can't even begin to explain how this unassuming man with a terrible tragic past has affected my life. I am here today, still serving God, because of this man who translated the beauty of the gospel into a language I could understand. I know I'm not the only one. If you were saved because you listened to White Heart, or Keith Green, or Jesus Culture, or Maverick City, Elevation Worship, or any hundreds of other modern Christian music artists, you owe a debt of thanks to Chuck. Not that he would receive it. I had the pleasure of hearing him one more time when he came to Ponca City, Oklahoma one summer. I'm not sure if it was 1974 or 1975, but I do remember it well as he sang "Little Pilgrim" at an out of tune piano. I wished there was another altar for me to lay under.
Chuck left this earth for his reward on August 11th 2025 from stage IV cancer. Even now my heart is pounding as I try to hold back the tears. We all die, it is inevitable, and at 81 years old he'd lived a long life. I encourage anyone reading this to listen to his daughter's tribute. Chuck's music, and life shaped who I am today. His testimony and understanding of grace helped me to fold away the legalism of my youth, and put on the sincere robe of righteousness that Christ gives us.
I'm still on my journey to renewal, but somewhat saddened at the same time. My YouTube feed is filled with the music from Chuck and Keith. As soon as I slam the "publish" button I'll go back inside to my AC with a profound sorrow for what will be missing in his children's lives, and an overwhelming joy knowing that someday I'll be able to press my hand into both of their hands and tell them how much they affected my life. Eventually I'll gravitate back to Brandon Lake, Maverick City, Elevation, Hillsong, and the myriad of other musicians who give me hope with their music to continue on. Right now, I'm jealous of Glenda, because she adored Chuck, and Keith's music. She probably is bugging him right now to sing for her.
