Reflections on Keith Green

Thirty-two years ago I was in Germany on a missions trip with Greater Europe Mission. I was living with a Canadian family, the Boldts, struggling to understand German and to find my place in the world.


In that world of Airmail, before the Internet, before email, cell phones and instant information, the news somehow reached me that Keith Green had died in a plane crash in Texas. I believe it was on the radio, perhaps an English language news broadcast, but I remember the disbelief I felt. This couldn’t be. It couldn’t be the same Keith Green I knew. I sang his songs at our church, sort of under the radar. I remember letting my pastor hear "The Lord is My Shepherd" and him being okay with it until the guitar part.

I was one of those people who sent a check to Last Days Ministries for $6, I think, and received a copy of So You Wanna Go Back To Egypt in the mail. I read every one of the Last Days Newsletters. I learned how to play "I Want To Be More Like Jesus" in B-flat, for crying out loud, that was how committed I was.

There was something about his voice—it wasn’t just the songs he sang or the lyrics, there was more behind them. Call it passion, fervency—there was just something about Keith Green that made you sit up and listen.

Years later, while working at Moody Radio, I would interview Melody Green and others who knew Keith and worked with him. They described a passionate guy who wasn’t always easy to get along with. He was headstrong and opinionated. And God used him to speak to a generation. Foibles, faults and all that hair, God took his songs and words and reached into hearts.

Today is the 32nd anniversary of Keith’s death and the others on that plane. On the program today we’ll talk with some of his friends and ask a provocative question: If Keith had not died in 1982, what would he be doing today? How would God have changed him, used him? (And if you don't hear it live, you can visit the Chris Fabry Live! website to listen to the podcast or stream.)

This brings a question for you and me—what have we done with the 32 years Keith didn’t have? What will you do with the time you have left?