Photo from Facebook/Keith and Kristyn Getty
Normally, Keith and Kristyn Getty would be singing to packed stadiums and large audiences right now. The well-known Christian hymn writers from Northern Ireland have penned modern favorites such as “In Christ Alone” and “The Power of the Cross,” and they make a living writing and performing music. But thanks to the current lockdowns worldwide, the Gettys had to find a different way to share hymns.
As social distancing began and people found themselves isolated at home, the Gettys, along with their three young daughters, started “Family Hymn Sing,” a series of live stream sing-alongs to help inspire hope and faith through songs of praise.
“It was Kristyn’s idea,” Keith said. “She’d been hearing about so many lonely old folks at home on their own, and friends of hers were talking about how bored their kids were.”
It didn’t take long for the idea to catch on. Each video garnered thousands of views. “By the end of the second week it was total chaos with 1.1million people tuning in,” said Keith. “It’s been a huge hit, in a way we never imagined.”
Like many Christians, the Gettys have found peace in their faith, a peace that they hoped to share through the weekly videos. “We don’t know when lockdown will end, or how it’s going to end,” Keith told the Christian Institute, “We don’t know if our jobs are going to be the same as they were before and we can’t be sure we won’t get Covid-19 or even a variant in a few years’ time.”
But Keith went on to add that despite difficult trials, there’s no reason to fear. “As Christians, we believe life doesn’t stop at death, and that what happens next is extraordinary. If anything, this is a time for people to start having these conversations about what happens next.”
In a recent Facebook post, Kristyn shared her belief that Christ can help us overcome these challenging times: “What a comfort the Lord’s promises are to all who know and trust in Him. We who were not made to be alone are not alone because He is always with us. He has redeemed our souls and has placed us wherever we are to serve Him. He will redeem the time of loss we experience great or small. He will fulfill every desire He has woven into us. He will finish His work in us. He will restore and reunite His family all over the world, throughout time and to their real home. No more goodbyes, no more distance. He who created the world and has guided every chapter of history, bringing about every promise one by one - He will do it.”