It was around 2008 when he planted some words and lyrics for a new song, as someone might sow something in the garden that he hopes will grow. Randy Gill might tell you that more than just a song was germinating inside himself, and that what emerged then is continuing to flower some 15 years later. He began by saying “We Are Not Afraid” one day, probably while he was in the Nashville, Tennessee area; but, that which took root in central Tennessee has grown branches that reach far outside of its starting point. When he was thinking about what he wanted to say regarding being ‘Fearless for You’ (the song’s subtitle), Randy encapsulated this courage inside three verbs: following, loving, and moving. Perhaps it wasn’t long before Randy shared these basic ideas with some others, including a couple of friends in Texas and Oklahoma. It was a pledge, really, that Randy was making, trusting that God responds to those who want to follow, love, and move in directions that stretch His kingdom to wider borders.
Let’s hear what Randy has to say about the song, in his own words: We Are Not Afraid is a very important song for me. It was written for my church when I noticed that there seemed to be a lot of fear surrounding some of the changes we were going through as a church. Many in my generation had grown up with a sense that if we somehow “messed up in worship” we’d pay a heavy price. I remember several really vivid sermons on Nadab and Abihu making that very point. We were beginning to realize that we actually had much more freedom than we had originally thought, but the old fears were still right there below the surface. I’ve said before that it seems like many in the Church of Christ have a theology of fear when it comes to worship. I wanted to counter that and encourage people to worship with a bit more joy. So, I deliberately wrote a song that repeated the line “We are not afraid” over and over and proclaimed in the chorus “We will be fearless for you.” I thought if our folks were able to sing it often enough, they might start to actually believe it :) Based on the popularity of the song, I’m guessing that message resonated with a lot of other churches as well. …. Thanks for sharing Randy!
That he writes with the plural ‘we’ throughout the lyrics underscores Randy was indeed trying to coax a church. He was saying in effect ‘Let’s take a risk’, when he writes that they would ‘follow’ God to places outside of their experience (v.1), and that they could do this pluckily because they would ‘not (be) alone’. It wasn’t just different places they’d be going, but different people they hoped to encounter, and ‘love’ (v.2). Perhaps that was the most challenging part of this dream that Randy was placing before this group – to wrap their arms around people who were unlovable except for the Spirit of Him who loved us first. So, be Him to these folks, was the exhortation. Randy also mentions that a ‘cost’ of something was ‘high’ (v.3), with ‘some’ folks urging caution and delay, rather than resolute movement. Can you sense that this group was debating, perhaps even disagreeing and squabbling with one another? One person may have the inspiration, but how does a doubtful group spur itself forward? This was where Randy adroitly cast a light on stories about courage in his chorus. Did Peter at first see the ‘waves’ or the wind (Matthew 14:28-29), or Daniel’s three friends see the ‘flames’ (Daniel 3:19-27)? Will we be our spiritual ancestors’ true heirs, or will we shrink when the future beckons?
What happened in the wake of 2008 and ‘We Are Not Afraid’? Randy has already told us in his own words that he’s gratified that so many churches have seemed to embrace what he wrote. And, perhaps Randy or one of his friends, including DJ Bulls or Shane Coffman, could best expand on what else has happened. The three of them manage a site called Fearless4You.com (see its link below) that is a resource for worship ministers. That they borrow the subtitle of Randy’s 2008 song to help share their musical creations illustrates that was a memorable and ultimately successful episode in his experience. Follow, Love, and Move with God. Music does have the ability to so motivate, and perhaps Randy, DJ, and Shane might tell us that is their goal musically in this effort – to help propagate a kind of bold faith that has called His people to action so often. Are you ready to be an actor in one of the continuing stories in this long line?
Website telling a bit about the author: https://www.lipscomb.edu/directory/gill-randy
See here a music site, with the same subtitle name as the song, which the author co-manages (with D.J. Bulls [in TX] and Shane Coffman [in OK]): fearless4you music
Thanks again to Randy Gill for sharing with this blogger his first-hand account of the song story, via an e:mail on 4/11/2023!
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