
What Christians Need To Sing Amidst Our Crazy Times with Matt Maher
From Good Faith by Good Faith
April 16, 2026 · 47 min · Season 1 · Episode 228
About this episode
Matt Maher discusses the significance of church music in expressing suffering and hope.
How Does the Church Sings Through Suffering and Why Do the Songs Matter? Grammy Award nominee and Dove Award winner Matt Maher joins the Good Faith podcast for a conversation about the power of songs and church music to tell the truth about suffering. Reflecting on protest, justice, prophetic art, ecumenism, and even Rich Mullins, Maher explores how the church can hold lament and praise together while still pointing people to the hope and holiness of God. Drawing on Psalm 22 and Jesus' cry of abandonment on the cross, he argues that the church, like Jesus, must sing honestly about pain and abandonment without losing sight of the worship and honor God deserves. *This episode was recorded live at the Illuminate Arts + Faith Conference 00:00:00 - Tease: The Duality of Abandonment and Praise 00:01:00 - Introduction from Curtis Chang 05:31 - Conversion and the Impact of Catholic Liturgy on His Faith 08:13 - Theology in Songwriting and Collaboration 09:57- Can Ecumenism Expand Your Perspective? 13:06 - John 17 and Praying for Church Unity 14:35 - Prophetic Calling Comforts the Afflicted and Challenges the Comfortable 16:38 - Protest Themes and the Burden of Truth 20:30 - Holding Space…
People in this episode
Host: Curtis Chang
Guest: Matt Maher
Topics covered
- church music
- suffering
- praise and lament
- ecumenism
- justice
- prophetic art
Keywords
- church
- songs
- suffering
- praise
- lament
- justice
- ecumenism
- prophetic art
Mentioned in this episode
Books & works: Psalm 22, The After Party Album
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