Urgent Call To Prayer From Keith & Kristyn Getty
“Do not be slothful in zeal, be fervent in spirit, serve the Lord.”
-Romans 12:11 (ESV)
The events of the past few weeks, from listening with excitement to partners who are hosting upcoming Sing! World Tour events, to weeping at the Covenant School shooting, to mourning the death of missions advocate George Verwer, have all freshly increased our zeal to share the good news of Jesus with the world around us and have underscored the spiritual importance of Sing! The Great Commission.
When Paul exhorts us to “be fervent,” he means “to boil.” What a challenge to our often casual hearts. This verse, of course, follows Romans chapters 1-11, which may be the finest articulation of the gospel ever known to mankind. In the case of George Verwer, John Piper said he lived like “my gunpowder blows up at the smallest spark of God’s saving grace.”
With that in mind, we are writing to ask you to join us in prayer.
1. What is Sing! The Great Commission <https://gettymusic.us10.list-manage.com/track/click?u=aa4cd9a5b4688d5ec76f457cb&id=c9c52c6d34&e=843a733a52> and how can we pray?
* This year’s conference in Nashville is September 4-6, 2023, and it focuses on how worship fuels our witness. Pray that this year’s event would lead to increased depth and biblical faithfulness in congregational worship, such that churches come to see each Sunday morning as integral to fulfilling the Great Commission.
* We also are excited to host three related events in June:
1. Sing! Europe | Belfast| SSE Arena
2. Sing! Asia | Singapore | Star Theatre & Adam Road Presbyterian Church
3. Sing! Australia | Sydney | Sydney Opera House & St. Paul’s Castle Hill Church
Each of these gatherings, like the Nashville conference, will focus on the urgency of the “unfinished task” of making disciples of all nations—and how our songs shape our evangelism and missions.
* So, please pray for Keith, Kristyn, Matt Merker, our whole team, and our local partners in Belfast, Singapore, and Sydney as we creatively prepare each event in the coming months. Pray that words of our mouths and the meditations of our hearts would be pleasing to God, our Rock and our Redeemer.
2. What are we praying for?
* We are praying that the three days of Sing! The Great Commission would help us to understand how singing fuels our witness in three spheres: local (Monday), global (Tuesday), and on into the future (Wednesday).
* Our prayer is that those involved in leading singing would care more deeply about missions, and that those involved in missions would care more deeply about singing.
* Pray for church leaders and pastors to be blessed, challenged, and built up.
* Pray for music leaders, musicians, singers, choir directors, and A/V volunteers to come away with an expansive vision for how our work involves gospel proclamation.
3. How can we pray specifically for songs and songwriters?
Pray for our team of hymn writers and for other hymn writers around the world, that the Holy Spirit would grant wisdom, creativity, and faithfulness to our efforts—especially as we write in view to the forthcoming Sing! Hymnal in 2025. As our team prepares for a writing week together in Northern Ireland and as we look forward to meeting young songwriters at the June events, we feel more than ever our need for God’s guidance and strength as we long to hear a whole new collection of beautiful, truth-filled expressions of praise.
4. What are the new aspects of the conference we can lift up in prayer?
* Instead of a separate event for children’s leaders, we plan to include in every single session a discussion about how to apply these truths among children and families—the need is that urgent. So, pray that parents, grandparents, children’s leaders and teachers would be especially equipped.
* Pray for the increased international dimension this year as we look forward to learning from speakers and musicians from around the world.
* Pray that we would have the largest number of college students ever at the conference, as we are zealously praying for the rising generation.
* Also, pray for the choir program (we hope to gather a 1000-voice choir this year!), that it would help reinforce the beauty and vitality of choral singing.
5. How can we pray beyond the conference for the upcoming years?
This year’s focus on the Great Commission launches a 36-month plan to commit to global mission events. In addition to this year’s gatherings in Belfast, Singapore, and Sydney, we are beyond excited to be partnering with Lausanne Movement for their 2024 Congress in Seoul, and we are praying for opportunities to serve in Latin America and Africa in 2025. Pray for the Getty Music Foundation, which will play an integral part in these initiatives—particularly as the Foundation looks to support the next generation of hymn writers on every continent.
We are so grateful for your partnership in prayer. Thank you for your support, encouragement, and fellowship in this ministry!
Grace & peace,
Keith & Kristyn