How He Loves

This is an article I wrote for my school newspaper last semester. Enjoy.

By now, you’ve heard this song in chapel, sang along to it, and most likely have it on your iPod. I’m talking about “How He Loves,” one of the most well known worship songs of the year. But the sad part is, not many people know the real meaning behind it. My purpose in writing this is to reveal to you the reason why this song was written and to give you a better understanding of the impact it can have.

Most likely, you’ve heard the version sung by the David Crowder Band. But what most people don’t know is that David Crowder didn’t write this song. It was originally penned by John Mark McMillan, a musician who was relatively unknown at the time. McMillan had the song put on his first album, but he eventually gave the David Crowder Band permission to cover the song, and soon it became the huge worship hit that it is today.

The reason this song is so great is not because of the catchy tune or the impressive lyrics, it is because of the circumstances that surrounded the creation of this song. What most people don’t know is that John Mark McMillan wrote this song in response to his best friend’s death. McMillan got a phone call one night saying that his best friend, Stephen, had been killed in a fatal car accident. McMillan was crushed, but in that moment, he felt inspired and wrote “How He Loves.”

The irony of Stephen’s death is the real heart breaker. The morning before the accident, McMillan went to a prayer meeting with Stephen, who was one of the youth leaders at the time. In the meeting, Stephen prayed saying that he would give his life that day if it would shake the youth of this world. Little did he know, his prayer was accepted.

After Stephen’s death, McMillan kept waiting for this “shaking of the youth” to happen. But it didn’t. McMillan began playing the song wherever he went, and soon the responses came pouring in. People wrote to him saying how they had been saved simply because of this song. He realized that this song was the answer to Stephen’s prayer. This song’s purpose was to change the youth of the nations. This song is for the lost who need to hear about the love that only Jesus can give us. This song has power and it has a resonance that few worship songs have achieved.

When I first heard David Crowder sing this song, I knew it was going to be great, but I could never have guessed the amazing background that formed this song. Even though David Crowder made this song popular, I immediately get annoyed whenever someone gives them all the credit, not knowing who originally created the song. I find myself automatically correcting them, because I’m earnest to let others know about the talented singer/songwriter that McMillan is. I’m a big advocate of giving credit where credit is due, so even though David Crowder sang an excellent cover “How He Loves,” McMillan is the one that deserves most of the praise.

Every time I hear this song, I get chills, remembering the true reason how this song came about and the impact McMillan wants this song to have on our lost world. I love this song and the moving story behind it, and I hope the next time you sing “How He Loves” in chapel, you will remember the story of John Mark McMillan and begin to tell others about the true reason behind this life-changing song.

Interested in hearing John Mark McMillan’s version? Check out: http://www.myspace.com/video/vid/14207875