The Power of the Cross -- Keith Getty and Stuart Townend

 

They wanted to remind their hearers about ‘the story’, what Christian believers consider the most important one ever told. To Stuart Townend and Keith Getty, the historical truth of God becoming man, and then willingly dying for everyone on planet Earth is “The Power of the Cross”. You can read their own thoughts about this 2003 song in the first two links below – they stand pretty complete without further explanation by this blogger-writer.

 

After you’ve read what Townend and Getty have said, and also listened to this Easter-like song try this: Let what they wrote inside yourself, perhaps with your eyes closed, as you imagine what they describe in the four verses they crafted. It’s not difficult music, and doesn’t stretch anyone’s voice range very much; yet, don’t be underwhelmed by this. It’s the words, and the progression of the notes and thoughts in concert that penetrate the spirit. Let them move you, and as Keith and Stuart say in their comments, this song is about fundamental Christianity. It’s the most basic truth and hope for all humankind, what’s been described as the hinge-point of all history. If you aren’t yet a believer, it’s for you too – that this God came and died for you, and there’s still space for you in His eternal home. You should not now, and will not be able at death’s door, to ignore the truth about this God. ‘What a love, what a cost’, Stuart and Keith write, and what a God we have!     

 

See here for brief remarks about the song from one of the authors-composers: https://www.stuarttownend.co.uk/song/the-power-of-the-cross/

See also here what they say about this song: https://www.umcdiscipleship.org/resources/the-power-of-the-cross

Read briefly about the two authors-composers here: https://hymnary.org/text/o_to_see_the_dawn_of_the_darkest_day

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stuart_Townend_(musician)

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Keith_Getty

More here on their philosophy of hymn-writing: https://worship.calvin.edu/resources/resource-library/keith-getty-on-writing-hymns-for-the-church-universal/