Randall Crawford : I Was Born Into a Revival:
The Voices, The Songs, and Stories of the Jesus Movement That Still Speak Today
Some people have asked me why I continue to write about the Jesus Movement, the Jesus People, and the incredible music that came out of that season.
The answer goes all the way back to my childhood.
I was born in 1970, right in the middle of one of the most unique spiritual awakenings in modern history. Before I understood the significance of it, I was already surrounded by the sounds of it.
The Jesus Movement was playing in our home.
My childhood soundtrack was filled with artists like Second Chapter of Acts, Keith Green, Leon Patillo, Andraé Crouch, Larry Norman, and so many others who weren’t just creating music, they were carrying a message.
My mom made sure our home was centered around Jesus. We watched David Wilkerson. We watched The Cross and the Switchblade. We listened to Christian music because, in our house, everything pointed back to Christ.
Those songs weren’t just songs.
They were ministry.
They were hope.
They were a glimpse of what God was doing in a generation that was searching for something real.
I remember the heartbreak when I found out that Keith Green had passed away, along with his children and the others who were on that plane. It was devastating. But what amazed me was that his music didn’t disappear.
It was like he was still here.
His voice was still reaching people.
His songs were still pointing people to Jesus.
I remember turning up Leon Patillo and Andraé Crouch in our house and feeling like we were having church right there in the living room. We weren’t just listening to music, we were experiencing the presence of God.
At a very young age, I became a student of Christian music and the Jesus Movement without even realizing it.
Years later, I moved to Nashville and became involved in Christian music. I met some incredible people, and there were many wonderful moments. But I also noticed something that felt different.
The passion and desperation for Jesus that I heard in those early Jesus Movement stories often felt harder to find.
Too much of the industry became about formulas, charts, the next hit song, and building careers. Some people I met in Christian music felt no different than people I encountered in mainstream music.
Interestingly, some of my most meaningful conversations were actually with people outside the Christian industry because many of them respected my faith, listened to my testimony, and gave me opportunities to share Jesus with them.
There were still amazing people in Christian music, and I’m thankful for them.
But my heart kept going back to those stories from the Jesus Movement.
Because the stories I kept hearing from the pioneers were different.
The focus was Jesus.
The mission was Jesus.
The music was about reaching people with the love of Christ.
As I have been writing more and more about this movement, something incredible has happened…
I have discovered artists from that era that I never even knew existed.
I have been digging into their music, listening to their songs, and realizing there was a treasure chest of incredible voices and ministries that many people today have never heard.
Some of these artists were pioneers. Some never received the recognition they deserved. But their music still carries the same spirit, the same passion, and the same message.
And I want to encourage people, especially this younger generation to go back and discover these amazing artists.
Listen to their stories.
Listen to their songs.
Experience the heart behind the music.
Because this wasn’t just a movement in history.
It was a movement of God.
I have been blessed that many of the pioneers of the Jesus Movement have reached out to me, encouraged me, shared stories with me, and even graciously corrected me when I get a name or detail wrong. I appreciate their kindness and their willingness to help preserve these stories.
For those who criticize the Jesus Movement, I always want to respond with the love of Jesus. But sometimes I have to step away from negativity because I truly believe God is doing something right now, and I don’t want anything to distract from what the Holy Spirit is stirring.
Because I believe this with all my heart…
The Jesus Movement never ended.
It is still alive.
It is still moving.
The same God who touched lives in the 1970s is still raising up young artists, worship leaders, and storytellers today.
I believe we are entering another season where God is bringing generations together, the pioneers who carried the fire then and the young voices who will carry it forward now.
That is why I write.
That is why I tell these stories.
That is why I keep searching for the songs and the voices that helped shape a generation.
And I believe the best is still ahead.
Because the name above every name is still Jesus.
#JesusMovement #CCMHistory #ChristianMusic #CCM #JesusPeople #70sChristianMusic #ChristianMusicLegacy #TheJesusMovementLives #SongsThatChangedAGeneration #FaithAndMusic #RevivalIsHere #PassingTheTorchRandall Crawford : I Was Born Into a Revival:
The Voices, The Songs, and Stories of the Jesus Movement That Still Speak Today
Some people have asked me why I continue to write about the Jesus Movement, the Jesus People, and the incredible music that came out of that season.
The answer goes all the way back to my childhood.
I was born in 1970, right in the middle of one of the most unique spiritual awakenings in modern history. Before I understood the significance of it, I was already surrounded by the sounds of it.
The Jesus Movement was playing in our home.
My childhood soundtrack was filled with artists like Second Chapter of Acts, Keith Green, Leon Patillo, Andraé Crouch, Larry Norman, and so many others who weren’t just creating music, they were carrying a message.
My mom made sure our home was centered around Jesus. We watched David Wilkerson. We watched The Cross and the Switchblade. We listened to Christian music because, in our house, everything pointed back to Christ.
Those songs weren’t just songs.
They were ministry.
They were hope.
They were a glimpse of what God was doing in a generation that was searching for something real.
I remember the heartbreak when I found out that Keith Green had passed away, along with his children and the others who were on that plane. It was devastating. But what amazed me was that his music didn’t disappear.
It was like he was still here.
His voice was still reaching people.
His songs were still pointing people to Jesus.
I remember turning up Leon Patillo and Andraé Crouch in our house and feeling like we were having church right there in the living room. We weren’t just listening to music, we were experiencing the presence of God.
At a very young age, I became a student of Christian music and the Jesus Movement without even realizing it.
Years later, I moved to Nashville and became involved in Christian music. I met some incredible people, and there were many wonderful moments. But I also noticed something that felt different.
The passion and desperation for Jesus that I heard in those early Jesus Movement stories often felt harder to find.
Too much of the industry became about formulas, charts, the next hit song, and building careers. Some people I met in Christian music felt no different than people I encountered in mainstream music.
Interestingly, some of my most meaningful conversations were actually with people outside the Christian industry because many of them respected my faith, listened to my testimony, and gave me opportunities to share Jesus with them.
There were still amazing people in Christian music, and I’m thankful for them.
But my heart kept going back to those stories from the Jesus Movement.
Because the stories I kept hearing from the pioneers were different.
The focus was Jesus.
The mission was Jesus.
The music was about reaching people with the love of Christ.
As I have been writing more and more about this movement, something incredible has happened…
I have discovered artists from that era that I never even knew existed.
I have been digging into their music, listening to their songs, and realizing there was a treasure chest of incredible voices and ministries that many people today have never heard.
Some of these artists were pioneers. Some never received the recognition they deserved. But their music still carries the same spirit, the same passion, and the same message.
And I want to encourage people, especially this younger generation to go back and discover these amazing artists.
Listen to their stories.
Listen to their songs.
Experience the heart behind the music.
Because this wasn’t just a movement in history.
It was a movement of God.
I have been blessed that many of the pioneers of the Jesus Movement have reached out to me, encouraged me, shared stories with me, and even graciously corrected me when I get a name or detail wrong. I appreciate their kindness and their willingness to help preserve these stories.
For those who criticize the Jesus Movement, I always want to respond with the love of Jesus. But sometimes I have to step away from negativity because I truly believe God is doing something right now, and I don’t want anything to distract from what the Holy Spirit is stirring.
Because I believe this with all my heart…
The Jesus Movement never ended.
It is still alive.
It is still moving.
The same God who touched lives in the 1970s is still raising up young artists, worship leaders, and storytellers today.
I believe we are entering another season where God is bringing generations together, the pioneers who carried the fire then and the young voices who will carry it forward now.
That is why I write.
That is why I tell these stories.
That is why I keep searching for the songs and the voices that helped shape a generation.
And I believe the best is still ahead.
Because the name above every name is still Jesus. ❤️🔥
#JesusMovement
#CCMHistory
#ChristianMusic
#CCM
#JesusPeople
#70sChristianMusic
#ChristianMusicLegacy
#TheJesusMovementLives
#SongsThatChangedAGeneration
#FaithAndMusic
#RevivalIsHere
#PassingTheTorch
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