Lift your hands up to the sky.

Whether “Shout to the Lord,” gives you nostalgic warm fuzzies or sends a chill up your spine, if you’ve ever owned a WOW CD, this episode is for you. For many who grew up in evangelical spaces, the music was as defining as any sermon or youth group Bible study. There was the worship music on Sundays, the Christian ska for Friday nights and, if you like REM, maybe check out Newsboys?

Katelyn and Roxy grew up in, we’d argue, the glory days of CCM (Contemporary Christian Music), but our relationship to that particular music of our youth is, well, complicated. We talk with theologian and CCM guru, Leah Payne, about the evolving industry and how worship music became big business. 

We’re also joined by pastor and songwriter David Gungor to explore the formative power of worship liturgies.

GUESTS:

• Leah Payne is a theology professor at Portland Seminary, cohost of the Weird Religion podcast, and author of a forthcoming book on the history of CCM.
• David Gungor is the worship pastor at Good Shepherd New York. He is part of the band The Brilliance and helped found The Good Shepherd Collective.

This episode features the song “I Hear Silence” from the Good Shepherd Collective. Find their albums wherever you listen to your music.