The Spiritual Formation Team’s “Good Music” concert seeks to establish a truth-speaking community at APU
In the spirit of the “Speak Life” university practice series, the Spiritual Formation SALT Team hosted the “Good Music” concert on Oct. 31 in the Upper Turner Campus Center (UTCC).
Associate Campus Pastor for Spiritual Formation Ta’Tyana Leonard explained that the event was meant to raise awareness about the power of words.
“We just want to speak life through music, so not just through the words we say to each other, and not just what we write on social media, but also what we listen to,” Leonard said.
Leonard also shared that the artists who performed at the event are talented and able to speak life through their music.
“Our Spiritual Formation SALT Team put the planning together, and the cool thing is that I know all of the artists, so they are personal friends of mine, so just being able to invite my friends to come out was really fun. They are talented, and they speak life through their music.” Leonard said.
Mykiea Williams and Levi Williams performed at the concert. Mykiea is a rapper, singer and guitarist, and Levi is a singer and guitarist.
“The theme “Speak Life” is really important to use as artists, and music is actually bringing people up or tearing people down, or instilling negative messages, so that is really important to us,” Levi said.
Mykiea’s songs were “It’s Easier Said Than Done” and “With Me And You.”
She explained that the messages from these songs were primarily about displaying the Gospel in our relationships through speaking life, and to keep going even when it is difficult because God will always enable us.
Levi shared some of his songs, which were “What You’re Gonna Do,” “Take Back” and “We Were Made To Worship.”
His main messages throughout these songs were freedom, healing and redemption in the middle of this broken and sinful world, and our true identity in Christ and His purpose for creating us. Levi added that everyone needs to reflect and display God’s power and worship and glorify Him.
“We believe that [this event] will help the community speak life,” Leonard said. “When we listen to music that builds us up on a daily basis, it will help us to be more encouraging and patient when we speak to each other, help us to be really willing to compliment and affirm each other. Good music encourages us in really deep and meaningful way.”
Leonard acknowledged that positive music helps everyone speak positively and encouraging music can help everyone speak truth.
“The lesson that students should take away from this event is that there are talented music artists who love Jesus and talk about Him in their music, just as good as secular music,” Leonard said. “We need to open our playlist to artists that love Jesus and talk about Him.”
Mykiea and Mykiea left with the hope that APU students would choose to listen to music that truly speaks life.
“Although APU is a Christian school, not everybody here is a Christian,” Levi said. “It is important that we, the Christians who are here, really reach out to those who are not, and really set up an atmosphere where everyone can come and mutually enjoy and reflect that relationship with God to others.”
Junior psychology major and SALT leader Maddie Webber attended this event because music has a tremendous influence on her life.
“Music is something that really shapes me and my experiences in my life,” Webber said. “I think that coming to this event and hearing good music was really important, and that is something very different that you do not normally hear on a daily basis.”
Fellow junior psychology major and SALT leader Tiffany Lemke explained that the event was about picking music that would glorify God, respecting ourselves and others and paying close attention to the words being spoken through song lyrics.
“With this being more of us speaking life through our music, it just makes me want to change my playlist in terms of what I am listening to and what I am putting into my ears, because what you put through your ears can come out to your mouth,” Lemke said. “So it just makes me want to watch what I am listening to.”
Lemke also added the awareness about the power of tongues, which can be used to either glorify God or tear down others.
“They had some spoken words that really represented what ‘speak life’ means in terms of making sure that our tongues are being used to glorify God instead of putting down others,” Lemke said. “It is very important for us to watch our tongues as a powerful part of His creation.”