Music You Can See
Written by Hubie Mann   
Thursday, 05 December 2002 00:00
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When Johan Anderson published Songs & Creations in the 1970’s, contemporary Christian music was in its infancy and few praise and worship songs were capturing the interest of high school or college students. Anderson’s songbook became the “hymnal” for youth groups and parachurch ministries for the next twenty years. It included songs recorded by secular artists and played on secular radio stations but with themes of interest to Christian students—songs like “One Tin Soldier,” “Cat’s in the Cradle,” “Country Roads,” and “Blowing in the Wind.” Because music is such an important part of youth culture, the adoption of these songs by youth ministries helped to form a bridge to unchurched students.

Today, nearly thirty years later, it’s not enough just to have a song. You’ve got to have a music video, too. And in despite of all the inroads that contemporary Christian music has made into mainstream society, most students outside the church don’t listen to or watch Christian music. (Not many of our “churched” youth do, either.)

The students at Saxe Gotha church have borrowed a page from Johan Anderson: They’ve taken songs recorded by secular artists and played on secular radio stations and created a live drama that conveys a Christian message to go along with the song. We call these “human videos.” We’ve got to listen carefully to the content and lyrics and be intentional in our selection, but if we think creatively, we’ll find a lot of popular songs that can be made into human videos. Our students have performed their human videos in worship services, at PFR Congregational Renewal youth events, on mission trips, and at youth rallies and outreach events. Audience response has been tremendous!

Whether you’re looking for an opportunity for students to express themselves creatively in worship or a new approach for evangelistic outreach, human videos can be a powerful tool for ministry.

Hubie Mann is one of many creative youth pastors to join a PFR Congregational Renewal team and offer a special program for youth. Here’s a ministry tool he uses, a great idea to try with your own youth group. Hubie is Director of Youth and Students at the Saxe Gotha Presbyterian Church, Lexington, South Carolina.

Want to try your hand at creating a human video?

Try one of these songs to get started: “My Sacrifice” by Creed; “All You Wanted” by Michelle Branch; “In the End” by Lincoln Park; “I’ll Go Wherever You Will Go” by The Calling; “Caught in the Sun” by Course of Nature; “Blurry” by Puddle of Mudd; “Alive” by P.O.D.; or “Ordinary Day” by Vanessa Carlton.

Long-time Presbyterian youth-worker and songwriter Sonny Salsbury of Yakima, Washington, collaborated with Johan on Songs and Creations, and has come up with a similar songbook for today: The Freeze-Dried Songbook (3rd Edition). It’s great for youth singing of all kinds and is spectacular around a mountain campfire. Copies can be obtained directly from Sonny at 112 N 32nd Avenue, Yakima, WA 98902; by e-mail at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it ; and by phone at (509) 453-5761
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