From a young age, it was clear Keith Green was a prodigious talent. Born in 1953, he had already made several television appearances by the time he was eight years old. By the time he was 11, he had written over 50 original songs and become the youngest member of ASCAP (American Society of Publishers and Composers). At one point, Time Magazine predicted he would be America’s next teen sweetheart. When Donny Osmond took the nation by storm instead, it sent him into a tailspin.
At age 15, he ran away from home, embarking on a journey to find life’s meaning. He became a hippie for a while, embracing free love, drugs and eastern mysticism. They left him empty. When a psychedelic drug took him on a frightening trip, he gave up drugs for good and continued pursuing his career on stage.
He was playing at a club in Las Angeles when he met his wife-to-be, Melody Steiner. Melody was a singer, songwriter and clothing designer who, like Keith, was searching for spiritual truth. They married within a year and continued their search together. Both of them had studied the New Testament and were fans of Jesus but didn’t feel Christian churches accurately represented the Man they met in the Bible.
Until Randy Stonehill invited them to a Bible study at Vineyard Chistian Fellowship. God had been preparing them both to hear the gospel. Keith surrendered his life to Christ on their first visit, and Melody on their second.
His music changed almost overnight. The focus shifted from searching for spiritual truth to inviting others to discover and pursue Jesus, the one and only Truth. The Green residence became a sanctuary for the homeless, the addicts, the unwed mothers – to anyone who needed the hope and healing found only in Christ.
Keith’s convictions ran deep. He rightly believed God’s call on our lives demands uncompromising faith and surrender, so his lyrics called the church to repent, wake up, and pursue holiness. His honest, often convicting words flowed from his heart as he fought his own spiritual battles. He was hungry for a deeper relationship with God and let his listeners see his vulnerability as he fought the good fight.
In 1978, Last Days Ministries was born as a simple newsletter filled with Bible teaching, articles, and the gospel message. It eventually became a full-color magazine that reached over 16 million subscribers worldwide. Keith and Melody wanted to bring God’s truth to the lost so desperately, they even gave away albums or sold them for whatever the buyer could afford.
The Green’s planned to expand their ministry and return to its evangelistic roots by going into prisons, out on the streets and into other nations with the God’s message of salvation. However, God had other plans. Keith and two of his children, as well as eight other souls on board, were killed in a small plane crash in 1982. Keith was only 28 years old. He left behind his wife, Melody, who carried on Last Days Ministries, and two younger children.
It would be impossible to quantify the impact this one man, sold out for his Savior, had on the world in seven short years. His music continues to compel and challenge generations of believers who embrace the messages in his inspired music.
“If your heart takes more pleasure in reading novels, or watching TV, or going to the movies, or talking to friends, rather than just sitting along with God and embracing Him, then how are you going to handle forever and ever in His presence? You’d be bored to tears in heaven if you’re not ecstatic about God now!” – Keith Green
