| Originally published in the Fall 2020 edition of OurSeniors.net Magazine |
On our magazine cover, we have Garrett Hornbuckle, his wife Danielle and daughter Ella Grace, because they are an inspiration that we should look to for hope for our next generation.
When he was younger, Garrett grew up in a broken home, not having a close relationship with his biological father and his mother remarrying when he was nine into a broken marriage. After attempting to find validation in a variety of things during high school, he found a place in his youth group that changed his life forever. His youth pastor invested in him and believed in him telling him that he should pursue something with his music talent.
When his band, All Things New, was climbing the charts and becoming very successful, Garrett went through a traumatic experience. His band members abandoned him just as their second song hit the radio and they were going on tour with famous singer, Colton Dixon. This moment was pivotal in his life as he realized he was in it for the fame and not for spreading the Gospel. Like many of us have experienced, Garrett had a moment of weakness and time to examine his life. With a moment like this, he was able to pick himself up, find his relationship with Christ and move toward the life he has today. During that time, he met his wife as ministers of the same church and later welcomed a beautiful daughter that led them to move back to their hometown in Central Florida. The beautiful message behind Garrett’s experience is that God doesn’t hold a record of wrongs against anyone and if you ask for mercy, you will be forgiven, and life will change for the better.
Since then, Garrett has rebuilt his band by himself and has toured the country singing his own songs with hired band members and moving crowds of Christians. He has seen thousands of people both old and young come together as worshipers of Christ to listen to his music and the positive messages of many other artists. Most people wouldn’t know just how much of the nation’s youth are moving toward Christianity. With so much of us longing for hope, many are moving to Jesus after realizing that everything else is temporary. This is something we all can be happy about knowing that Christianity is still living on and growing stronger.
For people that are worried about the nation’s youth, Garrett has seen firsthand the new wave of Christians through churches like Hillsong, Mosaic, and Zoe that young people are flocking to. He has seen the Georgia Dome sold out for a Christian gospel conference, which means thousands of people coming together. While it may not look like the traditional church we are familiar with, it’s a new way to get to the next generation. Throughout history, people have fallen away from Christianity, but the good news is it’s still around today after centuries and there are new ways that people are getting excited about it.
While the church is still standing, Garrett believes it’s the job of the elders to lead by example. It’s important to show the younger generation how to love because they can’t be told what to do. By practicing patience and gentleness, people see the way you live and how it looks different. This is what can inspire and change someone and help them understand what life is like as a believer in Jesus. Just as Jesus said, “We will be known by our love,” it is our job to love while it is the Holy Spirit’s job to save. Trying to pressure someone or lecture them will not drive them closer to the church but push them away. By being men and women of prayer, others will see the difference and how great it is.
During this time when we can’t go to church or listen to gospel music in person, Garrett says it’s important to engage in online church and not to use only Sunday to fill our faith. We have more time these days to reflect on our personal walk with Christ, which is a beautiful thing. Even with the pandemic giving us doubt and worry, now is the time to get closer to Christ. A few ways Garrett recommends doing this are to:
- Find a good podcast
- Find a devotional on YouVersion (the Bible App)
- Listen to worship music throughout the week
- Have a prayer journal to keep you accountable
- Thank God every day and start the day with thankfulness
By doing these things, the issue of not being able to go to church will no longer matter. Adding doses of devotion throughout the week will prove to be a positive change. We shouldn’t wait for Sunday to be our only day of worship anymore as every day is an opportunity to get closer to God.
To learn more about Garrett, check out this video:
Garrett Hornbuckle (From All Things New) – Ransom Note
If you want to listen to Garrett Hornbuckle’s music, follow him on Facebook at the All Things New page!