'Heavy hearted' Steven Curtis Chapman releases worshipful song amid 'brokenness and division'
As the violent storming of the U.S. Capitol rocked the country, Christian music artist Steve Curtis Chapman released a worshipful new song calling for peace and unity.
The award-winning singer shared the song, titled "A Desperate Benediction," on his Facebook page on Jan. 6, hours after Trump supporters and others stormed the U.S. Capitol building, stalling the certification of Joe Biden as the next president of the United States.
“Words can’t describe the sadness that I feel as I watch the events currently unfolding in our country,” Chapman captioned a video in which he performs the song alongside his son, Will, and daughter-in-law, Jillian.
Get Our Latest News for FREE
“I’m so heavy hearted at the brokenness and division that we are witnessing and experiencing in our world today, and I am processing in the way most natural to me as a singer-songwriter: with a song.”
Chapman said that he actually started writing the song about a year ago and had “been waiting for the right time to share it.”
“I feel like now is that time,” he said. “Now more than ever before, it seems like the soul of our world (& our nation) is aching, longing and desperate for PEACE.”
“Whoever & wherever we are, I’m convinced that at our core we are all brothers and sisters crying out for the same thing, what the bible calls ‘shalom’... a Hebrew word meaning peace, harmony, wholeness, completeness. And ultimately, I believe that true peace...the peace that transcends all understanding and guards our hearts and minds...comes from the Prince of peace, Jesus Christ.”
The singer said he shared his new song as a “prayer” and a “cry” for peace.
Lyrics to the song include the lines: “Let there be peace on the babies being born/and the roses on the grave/the losers and winners/the fearful and the brave/we’re all brothers and sisters crying to the father for/peace on earth ... and let it start with me.”
Chapman joined dozens of other Christian music artists, ministry leaders, and pastors in condemning Wednesday’s violence and calling for peace.
On Instagram, singer/songwriter Natalie Grant shared a video in which she sings “Jesus Is The Answer” by Andraé Crouch.
“Some of the questions may be different today. Circumstances may be different. But the answer is still the same: Jesus. Watching footage from this past week, the words of this song have been ringing in my head and heart. Jesus is the answer. Only and always,” she captioned the video.
Hip-hop artist Lecrae issued a call for unity and warned against political nationalism.
"Right now, it's the empire versus the Kingdom .... and the Kingdom is going to last forever," he said. "The Kingdom will have a King who will righteously rule. The empire is going to fade away. And I think a lot of people are caught up in the empire right now.”
Jon Foreman, lead singer of Switchfoot, said Jan. 6 was an “epiphany on the calendar” and for the nation,” a “time to look at ourselves in the revealing light of the violence we witnessed.”
“Do we believe in the democratic process? Are we are a nation ruled by the people for the people? Who are we? Dear America, I want better than yesterday. For you. For me. For my children."
