Jesus and Music
Here’s the lesson I taught to explore how Jesus is portrayed through music.
Play a short excerpt from track 4 different tracks (i used “a Male voice choir”, a Matt Redman Track, A U2 Track and shackles by Mary Mary). Ask them which track do you think is played in church? Trying to draw out stereotypes. Then explain that each song is written to express feelings about faith.
Pose the question “Why Christians use music?”
- Worship
- Learn the bible
- To express worship together in unity
Super Hero
Draw a super hero on the board and ask the class what attributes someone needs to be a Super Hero. Then play the track Jesus Super Hero by Nigel Hemming (Great Big God 3). Draw out a class discussion about super heroes and why Christians might describe Jesus as a Super Hero, comparing the attributes on the board.
Jesus Walks
Give the class the lyrics to the song Jesus Walks by Kanye West (be careful to get the edited version) then listen to the track. Get them in to pairs or small groups and get them to answer these questions.
1. What is the writer trying to say?
2. How does the writer describe Jesus?
3. Who is the song written to?
4. Do you like the song? Why?
Play the track again. Draw out a class discussion to your discretion.
Sum up and recap lesson.
Hi Matt, this looks really interesting! What year group was this for? How did it go down?
I love the idea of using art to explore faith and the life of Jesus. We’ve used some similar ideas to explore the idea of worship and why Christians worship. We used music excerpts in different styles to try and break the stereotype of what students assume Christian music worship sounds like (i.e. old church organs), and what it means to worship.
Great stuff!
This Lesson was used in KS3 (Yr7-9). We first did the lesson two years a go in an all boys school and went down really well, and we were asked back again to repeat the lesson with another year group a year later. The Boys really identified with Jesus being a Super Hero and sat up and took notice of Kanye West.
Hi. I think using music to engage students is a great idea. I’d love to use something like this in a lesson on the existence of God (one of the classic RE lessons schoolsworkers might take).
Normally we explain different view points to students from the front, but what about having different music tracks to express those different views? Like a song that talks about how God can’t exist at all, one that is about searching for God… and others, like one that is about how suffering makes you wonder if there’s a God. Plus, of course, a song about believing in and finding God.I think engaging with music would be a much better way to get teenagers exploring the themes.
The problem is I don’t have much knowledge of music beyond esotreric Icelandic music (come on, Sigur Ros!) and donwbeat film scores. Is there anyone out there who has some better ideas than this old geezer?
Greetings
Music is great ..I can’t remember all the titles / artists - I’m sure others can. My favourite (used it yesterday) is ‘Shackles’ by Mary Mary - direct link/connection with Paul & Silas in prison in Acts 16:16-40 especially verse 25-27 and even this morning I’ve had a mum say to me that her son didn’t know that song is connected with the bible!
One I’ve used only in PSHE as it was on young people, sex & relationships is by ‘Shaggy’ - ‘It wasn’t me’. Great lyrics and the indirect bible connection is David & Bathsheba in 2 Samuel 11. David saying ‘It wasn’t me..’ and the key lyric in the song linked with Psalm 51. (I’m going to tell her I’m sorry for the thing I have done..’
Then there’s Wycliffe Jean’s ‘Perfect Gentleman’ with the classic quote from John 8:1-11 and the woman caught in adultery and the lyric ‘let him who is without sin cast the first stone’ (v7)
Then there was the song about ‘If god was one of us’ by??? - that I know people have used in class and been helpful.
For your information many years ago some lasses wrote a rap based on Zacchaeus in Luke 19:1-10 that I’ve used in schools - churches and with ‘It’s Your Move!’ presentations. Some people I know suggested putting it on youtube and they have put it there. That has been been interesting and led to some great chats in local schools with young people and from time to time I come across people who have left school and still remember the rap. Certainly has encouraged me.
If anyone has some more current tunes - do please share. Have a good day / weekend
Wayne Dixon
man i haven’t used music in ages, i used to love using it so here are some of my old tunes (although some wouldn’t be popular enough now!)
Walk away by Christina Aguilera used this with an older girls group about how sin can trap us etc etc
Father by Ms Dynamite- there is a vaguely clean version out there. looking at issues of fatherhood and how that compares to fatherhood of God- but theres loads of newer songs out there that say the same thing
Gold by Beverly knight, i don’t know maybe i read things too deep but the lyrics of this song always struck me as spiritual
i’ve often used dnb or chill out euphoric albums for relaxation stuff - oh and the chemical brothers make awsome backing tracks for stuff! (partiularly liked galvernize)
recently used dan le sac- i think there is another post about him up here
the weirdest one was using Akon “lonely” and i think in the next session “apologies of a thug” R Kelly. i think these two songs bought the most response ever. Funny story (well kind of) we’d done God of emotions (this is with a youth group not school) and put lonely on and just let them write down how they were feeling. we went in 3 minutes to not much going on to a whole room of teenagers either crying or having prayer or both(!) mayhem- but in a good way!
oh yeah - chris try the lyrics for Hero by nickleback for God not existing?