Keith and Kristyn Getty Courtesy of Getty Music

Irish composers and artists Keith and Kristyn Getty are on a mission—to revive the art of hymnody.

Thirty-two-year-old Keith Getty grew up in Belfast, Ireland, where his father was the church organist and his mother a piano teacher. He loved singing hymns, and he began playing the piano and writing songs by the age of 10.

Keith is best known for "In Christ Alone," which he wrote with friend Stuart Townend. The anthemic hymn has been recorded more than 200 times, by top artists such as Natalie Grant, as well as large cathedral choirs.

Keith is amazed at the response to the song. "A pastor in Belfast challenged me to bring to the contemporary church some of what the old hymns of the faith brought to congregations through the centuries," he says. "I didn't set out to create the modern hymn. I wanted to write songs that contemporary, traditional, and liturgical churches could all use."

Before Keith and Kristyn married in 2004, they had been composing songs together for three years. Whether in concert or leading congregational worship, Kristyn's crystal-clear soprano is an ideal complement to Keith's richly melodic piano accompaniment. Kristyn sees her relationship with Keith as one arranged by God: "We both have a passion to communicate the basic tenets of Christianity in hymns that will not only cause people to worship, but build their faith."

The Gettys strongly believe that hymns should be cross-generational. "My understanding of a hymn is when the whole congregation can sing and worship together," says Keith. "We long to bring that dimension back to the church."

In 2006 the Gettys moved to the United States for several years of touring and teaching. Their 2007 album, In Christ Alone, features renditions of 11 of Keith and Kristyn's most well-known hymns.

"We've had incredible feedback about how people have been helped by the songs," Keith says. He heard from one U.S. soldier serving in Iraq who prayed through each verse of "In Christ Alone" every day. "The promises of God's protection and grace sustained him through the enormous pressures of war."

Keith adds: "I've found that people will sing theology forever if the song takes them on a journey."

Linda Owen is a freelance writer and the editor of www.saWorship.com in San Antonio, Texas.

	What did you think of this story?
	Please to give us your feedback.

Read more from 'Today's Culture'

Home  |  People of Faith  |  Stories of Hope  |  Today's Culture
Build Your Faith  |  Laughing Matters  |  Archives  |  Contact Us

				Try Today's Christian Woman Free! Name Street Address City/State/Zip E-mail Address No credit card required. Please allow 4-6 weeks for delivery. Offer valid in U.S. only. If you decide you want to keep Today's Christian Woman coming, honor your invoice for just $17.95 and receive five more issues, a full year in all. If not, simply write "cancel" across the invoice and return it. The trial issue is yours to keep, regardless. Give Today's Christian Woman as a gift Order a gift subscription!

FREE Newsletter Subscribe to the Today's Christian Newsletter    RSS Feed   RSS Help