Christ Alone
CHRIST ALONE
Verse 1:
There’s a battle raging on for my soul
My hope is found in You Lord
My hope is found
Verse 2:
There’s a war that’s fighting now for control
I won’t let go of you Lord
I won’t let go
Be honest… how many times have you felt these lyrics in your heart? Honestly, I feel like this is a song that is on every believer’s heart that is going through “it” right now. We tend to call “it” so many different things:
The valley
The darkest night of the soul
Trials, troubles, and tribulations
A season
I’m sure this list can go on and on with all the Christian lingo for pain, sorrow, and even temptation.
I believe everyone who believes in God, or wants to believe has this song on their heart… in the midst of the battle for our soul, we are seeking and clinging to God even when we cannot see or feel Him working; WANTING and HOPING for Him to do what only He can do.
This song is like the last song of desperation when all hope seems lost — when everything is fighting for your attention, time, energy, money… your soul. Satan will do anything and everything to get your eyes off Christ and His Kingdom come.
Well, this song is here as a help for all of us to say, sing, and proclaim, “You’re still providing for me…No, You’re not done with me yet!”
Story Behind the Song
The song was inspired by a lot of different music styles that are currently being tested and played in the Christian Music world… one song in particular — COUNT ‘EM by Brandon Lake. This song was also inspired by ONE specific teaching by Steffany Gretzinger that has WRECKED. MY. WORLD.
Teaching: WARNING LONG VIDEO
If you have the time, or can listen to this video during work… I STRONGLY encourage it! In this video, you will hear Steffany teach on “Jesus is the dream.” Since watching this video… my approach to life, music, and ministry has honestly been different.
“Quit thinking about all the things He has called you to do and HE becomes the dream… All those things can be done without Him and it’s heartbreaking because it happens all the time. And we can get used to the evidence of His hand on our lives is stadiums. That the evidence of His hand on our lives is a room full of people singing songs that we’ve written. It’s NOT. Because He said, many will say to Me, “Lord, Lord” but not enter in.” - Steffany Gretzinger
Now, can I just say… Steffany Gretzinger is one of the most genuine artists I have witnessed from afar. After listening to incredible women like Steffany teach… I can BOLDLY proclaim, LET WOMEN PREACH. Steffany is like the Mother Teresa of modern-day Christian music haha. Her heart for the gospel and bringing people into the presence of God through worship is simply profound.
NOW BEFORE I GO AND GET MYSELF CANCELED by all the men of the church for saying “let woman preach,” let me be clear on something (even though I should not have to)…
I boldly believe this:
This is biblical. If you look into the context of scripture (remember friends, context is everything)… you will see that women are called (by Christ) to the Great Commission just as much as men. The biblical definition “to preach” is to declare and teach the truth of God’s Word and goodness — and praise be to His name. That definition… No that calling is to EVERY born again believer. Once saved, everyone should be preaching… not just a pastor. End of discussion. End of argument. End of story. End of unnecessary cancellations.
WITH THAT - I ALSO BELIEVE God has called MEN to lead and head up households and ministry. BUT that does not mean to exclude women or banish them to teach in children’s church or cook in the kitchen. Women are profound children of God who have powerful voices and impact on the kingdom of GOD. If you look into the context of scripture where it teaches “women should not do this and that” there is a situational background behind to it — it has less to do with gender and more to do with protecting and building up and the early church while also scolding the men who were not fulfilling their God-given role of leadership.
SO…when it comes to men and women in leadership… all I will say, there are those in leadership that need to eat a slice of humble pie (men and women alike). We need to remember that pride comes before the fall. We are better together. We are stronger together. We are all called to the Great Commission. Christ-centered leadership teams, biblically accurate theology, and humble hearts help build the church and fill heaven — not a gender or role.
If you liked the sticker above, you can buy it here.
Let’s Get Personal
Why did Steffany Gretzinger’s teaching impact me on such a deep, soul-wrenching level? How did it impact this song?
It’s biblical accurate and theologically sound.
GOD spoke through Steffany to wake me up.
Steffany spoke on a topic that was specific to my walk of life.
Ever since I was in college, I chased after dreams bigger than I could ever imagine… but it was evident that God was in every step I was taking — so I pursued the dreams wholeheartedly. But, like any arrogant young man… I was impatient and I rushed the dream, I wanted it in my timing, way, order, everything. The dream was my calling. My calling was my dream. While I loved Jesus with all my heart… it became clear that the evidence of God’s blessings in my life was based on my success in my calling and my dream and NOT on my relationship with Jesus.
Looking back… it makes sense why I fell apart. It makes sense how in 2016… everything was lining up for me with the music industry, but then it all disappeared. It makes sense how, no matter how much I tried to succeed with music, I “failed.” It makes sense how music exhausted me instead of bringing me life like it did before. It makes sense how I landed in a dark season of depression and anxiety.
God was saving me from myself.
Now… before moving forward, I want to emphasize, did God want to sideline me, punish me, or hurt me? NO. But like any good parent, He could see five steps ahead of me. While I was just learning to run… I was only staring at my feet instead of the path in front of me — God was looking ahead and seeing the hazard lights and oncoming traffic.
After releasing my EP in 2019, I walked away from artistry. I still loved God, but I was also furious — I didn’t get what I wanted when I wanted it and how I wanted it. So I gave him my ability on Sunday mornings as a worship leader, but that was it. My focus was completely out of whack.
I now know and understand that if my focus, dream, and calling are focused on God… then it can’t be selfish. Truthfully, my anger and pain came from selfish ambition. If God allowed me to pursue my dreams and calling along with my selfish ambition following my college experience… my work would have been in vain. That is not to say God would not have spoken into the moments of my leading. Would not have moved in rooms where I lead. BUT… I would have become a leader who fell victim to “many will say to Me, “Lord, Lord” but not enter in.”
That is NOT what I want for my future. I do not want to be a lukewarm follower of Christ. I want to be ALL IN, ON FIRE, FULLY DEVOTED, AND SET APART FOR HEAVEN.
God was teaching me to:
Put Him first in my life.
Seek Him and His Kingdom.
Make being in His presence my dream.
Make my calling nothing more than the Great Commission… just with my skill set.
Trust Him, His timing, and His blessing.
Christ Alone is the latest song I have written for the album… I wanted… no needed a song focused and centered on Jesus in the midst of the darkness, chaos, hurt, and confusion of life… and let me just say, I AM PUMPED for what was created!
The original idea was written in August of this past year and I immediately sent it off my voice memo to three of the best songwriters I know — Ryky Legg, Jesse Phillips, and Adam Lavadiere knowing they’d be the perfect team to help me finish this song. Praise God, they liked the idea and we scheduled a co-write session.
One thing to know about me — I boldly live out the phrase, “You can’t do life alone,” in every aspect of my life… especially in music. I welcome the best of the best at my table who not only encourage, uplift, speak into, and hold me accountable… but also help me just the be the best I can be as I strive to be the man God has called me to be. Ryky, Jesse, and Adam are three men who do all these things in the realm of music and I am EXTREMELY grateful for them.
During our co-writing session, I told Ryky, Jesse, and Adam I had three main goals for this song:
Christ had to be the center, focus, and goal.
It had to be upbeat.
It had to fit within the storyline of the album.
And MANNNN did these men succeed at helping finish this song and accomplishing all these goals and more!
Biblical Roots
2 Corinthians 5:7
Ephesians 6:12
Hope and Prayer for the Song
In my hurt… in my pain… in my confusion… in my depression… in my anxiety… I hope people can see and learn from me. I hope people can see me earnestly seek Christ alone. My prayer is that just as I discovered that CHRIST ALONE should be the center, dream, and focus, others will as well.
God will let us fail (or even succeed and be miserable) until we realize no one will ever satisfied like He does.