NASHVILLE, Tenn. (RNS)—Most songwriters in Nashville want to get their songs on the radio. Keith and Kristyn Getty hope their songs end up in dusty old hymnbooks.

The Gettys, originally from Belfast, Ireland, hope to revive the art of hymn writing at a time when the most popular new church songs are written for rock bands rather than choirs.

They’ve had surprising success.

Songwriters Keith and Kristyn Getty.One of the first songs that Keith co-wrote, called “In Christ Alone,” has been among the top 20 songs sung in newer churches in the United States for the past five years, according to Christian Copyright Licensing International. It is also a favorite in more traditional venues — including the recent enthronement service for Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby.

Hearing that hymn sung by a boys’ choir with a brass ensemble and thousands of worshippers was a thrill for Keith Getty, a self-described classical nerd.

“We couldn’t watch it here so my mom, as soon as it came on, turned up the television on full and phoned us,” he said.

Began in Ireland

The Gettys got their start writing music about a dozen years ago, when they were living in Northern Ireland.

Keith Getty, now 38, was an aspiring songwriter. His wife, now 32, was a student. She sang on his demo recordings in exchange for fajita dinners at a Mexican restaurant in Belfast. They married nine years ago and have a 2-year-old daughter, Eliza.

Keith Getty wrote the tune for “In Christ Alone” on the back of an electric bill and sent it to his friend, Stuart Townend, another modern hymn writer. Townend wrote the lyrics and began playing it in churches in England, where people would line up to get the sheet music afterward.

Today it’s often sung in churches where young people congregate, like the Axis Church in Nashville.

Best of both worlds

Keith and Kristyn Getty perform ‘A Mother’s Prayer.’The Rev. Jeremy Rose of Axis, who is in his 30s, said most new songs focus on how worshippers feel about God but don’t contain much theology. Older hymns often have good theology but lack a personal touch. But “In Christ Alone” has both.

“This hymn takes theology and attaches it to my day-in and day-out life and practice,” he said. “It has such depth and truth put to music.”

Similar to hymns such as “Amazing Grace” or “Be Thou My Vision,” the song makes people want to sing along.

That’s a lost art, said Mark Hosny, artistic director of the National Praise and Worship Institute at Trevecca Nazarene University in Nashville.

Engaging the congregation

Newer Christian music often makes the band or lead singer sound good but doesn’t engage the congregation. That’s missing the point, Hosny said.

“A lot of today’s melodies are not singable. That’s why they don’t stick,” he said.

Hosny recently attended a Getty concert at the famed Ryman Auditorium, which featured their hymns as well as gospel songs and traditional Irish music. Everyone was singing along, he said.

That’s what hymns are supposed to do, said Dave Clark, director of creative development, publishing and A&R for Nashville-based Lillenas Publishing. They make space for people to join in.

“There is a familiarity in hymns — that even if you are hearing it for the first time, you feel like you know it,” he said.

The Gettys, who moved to Nashville in 2011, were in Orlando, Fla., recently to lead worship at the Gospel Coalition conference, which drew about 5,000 people.

One of the songs they played was one called “A Rich Young Man.” It’s an Irish tune that recounts the story of Jesus telling a rich young man to sell all he had and give it to the poor.

Combining theology, practical faith

The song had the congregation clapping and singing along while focusing on a serious topic. It was another example of the Gettys’ gift of combining theology and practical faith, all wrapped up in a catchy tune.

“We learn our faith through what we sing,” said Keith Getty.

The Gettys plan to take a sabbatical for a few months to write more hymns. Keith Getty said he tries to write five new ideas for melodies a day, trying to find just the right combination of notes and rhythm.

He said he doesn’t just want people to sing along. He wants to connect with their souls when they sing one of his songs.

“You want them to breathe deeper. You want them to stand taller,” he said. “If you can’t do that, you have lost them.”

Inspired bby old hymnbooks

The Gettys find much of their inspiration these days in their collection of old hymnbooks, which stands not far from the piano in the living room of their Nashville home.

Kristyn Getty said she often thumbs through the indexes of those hymnbooks while she’s working on new lyrics and looking for ideas.

The daughter of a pastor, she grew up singing hymns in church. She said there’s something powerful in singing the same words and music that have been passed down from generation to generation.

“Not everything you write will last,” she said. “And you won’t know which ones do, because you’ll not be here. But you hope that some of them will stick.”

(Bob Smietana writes for USA Today.)

NASHVILLE, Tenn.—As singer/songwriter Rhett Walker performs concerts around the country, he desires to connect audiences with the gospel by sharing messages about how God has transformed and redeemed his life.

“There’s just nothing we can do without God’s grace,” Walker said. “When we try to do things our own way, the plans fail or cause trouble. We’ve all messed up plenty of times in our lives and need a Savior. Because of God’s grace, we find his love and mercy waiting for us when we surrender to him.”

During his teenage years, Walker followed the wrong crowd, and it took him down a rebellious path. 

Rhett Walker Band will appear on the 2013 Rock & Worship Roadshow at American Airlines Center in Dallas Feb. 15.

“When I was 16, we moved away from my hometown, and I was trying to find my way around a new place,” Walker said. “The loudest crowd was the easiest crowd to join, but it wasn’t the smartest choice. I started getting in trouble with the law and expelled from school. My girlfriend became pregnant when I was only 17 years old. That was the moment when I realized that I needed to give up living for myself.” 

As Walker’s life was interrupted with a dose of reality, he decided to step up and changed the direction of his life by returning to Jesus. 

“Growing up in the church, I knew all the right answers,” Walker said. “I knew how I was supposed to be living and acting, but I still chose to live selfishly. It was a pivotal moment when I realized that I needed to turn back to the Lord.

“I sat down with my girlfriend, April, who is now my wife, and said: ‘We’ve done everything wrong. Let’s do things right from here on out and give everything to Christ.’”

Soon after the birth of their daughter, Rileigh, the young couple became involved in a church, where Walker began leading worship.

“I started out playing the drums, but one day, they asked me to sing ‘Grace Like Rain’ by Todd Agnew.  I didn’t think I was a good singer, but my wife kept encouraging me.  I remember thinking, ‘Lord, I don’t know why I’m being asked to sing, but I will this one time.’ After that song, they never let me go back to drums. From there, opportunities started opening up for me to lead worship at other churches. With these opportunities, I knew that I wanted to share my testimony and help other people who were struggling to find their way in life.”

Last year, Walker released his debut album, Come to the River, and has garnered a Grammy nomination for the hit single, “When Mercy Found Me.” 

“This record is full of personal stories—encouraging people to live each day to the fullest and to stand up for what you believe in,” Walker said. “It’s been amazing to hear so many stories about how people are attaching themselves to these songs and how God is using the lyrics to speak truth into their lives.  I recently received a message from a lady who said this album and my story opened up a door to share the gospel with a co-worker.”

Desiring to further help audiences connect with the message behind the music, Walker maintains a busy touring schedule and will appear on the 2013 Rock & Worship Roadshow Feb. 15 at American Airlines Center in Dallas.

“It’s such an incredible experience to look over a crowd of people and to hear them singing about where I’ve been and how God has redeemed. My life drastically changed when I was willing to surrender my life to Christ. We can’t make it through this life on our own strength. Sometimes, it takes us coming to the end of our rope when we’re broken and on our knees to realize that we must give our lives over to the Lord.”