Keith Green had a big impact on my life. He was only four years older than me, and actually became a Christian about the same time I did, ’74-75. He died at only age-28. It’s absolutely incredible what he, his wife Melody and their friends were able to in just seven or eight years! Melody says in the film they were in Woodland Hills, a suburb of Los Angeles.

Praise God they were able to attend Ken Gulliksen’s rich, Holy Spirit anointed meetings right away, which was the start of the Vineyard movement. I didn’t find a church I could relate to until 1981, when I moved to Alaska and found Abbott Loop.

I listened to all of Keith’s music, and still have all of their “Last Days Ministries Newsletter” issues.

His legacy was so big, the vision and momentum, that something was seriously lost when he died in 1982. Christianity moved forward for awhile, but then floundered. The Vineyard movement fizzled out in about 1991. [Our church was autocratic, and the founder never did fully repent or reconcile. Anyone who said something was considered anathema. We were like the church of Sardis in Rev. 3:1-6, having a “‘reputation’ for being alive, but….”]

Keith wouldn’t have put up with the world taking over the church like it has. Hardly anyone today seems to have his passion for doing whatever God wants no matter what — “no compromise.”

This story is wonderfully told by Melody, their friends, and the great people who once were Sparrow records, which was later bought out by a secular label. Christian music was wonderful in the ’70s and ’80s! It’s so spiritually dead now. Keith would have never put up with that, and he ended up giving his music away for donations of any amount. He wanted to make sure the world didn’t compromise him through the love of money, and fame too.

I wonder what the world would be like now had Keith not died so early. He showed the impact that one sold-out man for Christ with great friends can do.

Today’s ‘Christian’ radio stations in America like K-LOVE won’t even play even one of his songs. That’s how sad and pathetic ‘Christian’ music has become — deadsville. This needs to radically change. Instead of “no compromise,” their message is “go to sleep;” “Jesus loves you no matter how much you willfully sin and don’t repent or reconcile.” That’s ‘Christian’ music today, and what is preached from most pulpits today too. Churches have almost no holiness, no presence of God, no passion. We have fake churches right now almost everywhere. Keith Green would freak! Imagine how Jesus feels right now with almost everybody doing their own thing, and acting like it’s okay.

Quite a story here! We need to get serious. We need to live no compromised — which is just normal Christianity, the way it’s always supposed to be.

ABOUT THE FILM

This film was apparently released in 2002. This version is the best quality I could find online, and ends at 1:02:25, where it repeats part of it again, strangely. So it really is only an hour long.

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The only song I ever sang/played during a regular, Sunday service at Abbott Loop Christian Center, probably in ’83.

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To Be FREE!

Life in the Son

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I really like this movie, largely because of the outstanding sensitivity and leadership by Lt. Charles B. Gatewood, played by Jason Patric.

Here, he’s rebuked by Robert Duvall (Al Sieber, Chief of Scouts) for not hating the Indians and Geronimo.

Later in the movie, he gives the cross he hung from his neck to Geronimo.

It’s rare for Hollywood to give a Christlike character a leading role.

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Geronimo: An American Legend (1993)

Al Sieber, Chief of Scouts: I just think you’re a real sad case. You don’t love who you’re fighting for, and you don’t hate who you’re fighting against.

1st Lt. Charles B. Gatewood: Perhaps I could learn to hate with the proper vigor from you, Al.