Are You up for the Challenge?

By Gordon Walker

I’ll never forget where I was when I heard the news that Keith Green had died in a plane crash. We were at Falls Creek in the summer of 1982 after graduating from high school. The crash took the lives of 12 people, including Green and two of his young children.

In retrospect, it’s even more amazing to look back at the impact of Keith Green, who seemed really old to me at the time but was only 28. His music was very worshipful with tracks like There Is a Redeemer and Oh Lord, You’re Beautiful (to my delight included in the 2018 soundtrack for the fabulous “made in Oklahoma” Christian film I Can Only Imagine). His music was extremely challenging to my generation, and particularly to me and the wonderful youth group in which I was privileged to be a member. Keith Green, who was inducted into the Gospel Music Hall of Fame in 2001, had a very sincere faith, and his ability to challenge young people through his music made us want to live out our faith in a like manner.

When I think of being challenged spiritually, I think of three men: my dad, my youth minister and Keith Green.

Dad would often remind me, “Remember Who you belong to, and it’s not me.” I knew Who he was referring to, and though my actions often indicated I had fallen unaware of that truth, I never forgot it.

My youth minister was a young stud named Steve McNeil. Steve was a guy who grew up in a home of non-believers. He was a terrific athlete, one who came to Christ after being invited to Falls Creek by some older guys on the basketball team at Northwest Classen. He got saved that summer at camp and soon gravitated toward ministry. (At the end of this month, he will retire as Executive Director of the State Convention of Baptists in Indiana.) Early in his days on our church staff, Steve was committed to helping young people find meaningful life in Christ and encouraging the members of his youth group to be involved in the work. But the thing I will always remember about Steve is this: starting in my teen years and then on into my adult years, even after he had moved to Indiana and after I had started my own family, he would frequently ask me “How are you doing?” It wasn’t casual conversation, but a serious spiritual inquiry. What he really meant—and I always knew what he meant—was “How is your fellowship time with the Lord? Are you growing or drifting?” I could always give Steve a straight answer because he could look into my eyes and know the truth without me saying a word otherwise. He had earned the right to hold me accountable, yet I never felt like I was being judged. I will forever be indebted to my spiritual big brother, Steve McNeil, and his ability to lovingly challenge me to be the man the Creator designed me to be.

Keith Green didn’t know me, but he sure knew how to get my attention. Thirty-nine years after the plane crash, his music still stirs my soul. Listen to the lyrics of “Asleep in the Light” and you will hear what I mean. The words of the song point to how we (me, especially) have this tendency to keep ignoring God’s call to be about the Father’s business, and then it hits home with this gut punch: The world is sleeping in the dark that the church just can't fight 'cause it's asleep in the light.

You can do the math from my context clues above to sort out my age. But let me tell you, no matter how old I get, I still need to be challenged. Perhaps you do as well. As a brother in the faith, let me ask you, “How are you doing?”

Author Bio
Gordon Walker and his wife, Beverly, will celebrate their 32nd anniversary later this month. The Walkers serve as directors of the TBD Connection Class. They have been members at Council Road since 2008. During the week, they operate NightOWL Publications. They have three children: Brooks, (and wife, Dru), Memphis, Tenn.; Annie, Yukon; and Clay, (1991-1997), Heaven.