Behind the Songs

From Greek Philosophy to Southern Gospel

Song: All Because of God’s Amazing Grace

Scripture: Ephesians 2:1-13
"That in the ages to come He might shew the exceeding riches of His grace in His kindness toward us through Christ Jesus."

Stephen Adams, a native of Woonsocket, Rhode Island, was born into a Nazarene pastor’s home in 1943, and has possibly made the most extreme transition into Southern Gospel music of any songwriter I have ever interviewed. However, Adams writes in other areas of music, also.

His music training started at age seven when he began taking piano lessons from Rita Rundlett, who was affiliated with the Boston Conservatory. After the death of her husband Rundlett moved to a location near a Nazarene college, not too far from the Adams home, to teach piano. She needed to feed her children. Stephen explains the process of taking music lessons:

“My Dad was a pastor and was going to college himself, so he didn’t have a lot of money for music lessons. He went to Mrs. Rundlett and asked, ‘If I open up my house once a week, as a studio, and fill up your schedule, would you give my kids free music lessons?’ She agreed to do so and began coming to the Adams home every Tuesday.

After the piano lessons she would stay for supper, and afterward would go into the living room and play new songs that she had written. Dad was a tenor soloists and he would sing her lovely songs.

As a kid I was awe struck that someone’s grief could be turned into something so positive. At the same time my Dad was instilling into my brother and me a real love for literature and poetry. So, the two were tied together for me.

I remember that as a child, only eight years of age, the Lord spoke to my heart in a campmeeting service, telling me that when I became older He wanted me to write music for the church to sing.”

When Stephen was sixteen year of age his Dad accepted a call as pastor of a church in Frankfort, Indiana, only about 45 miles from the home of Bill and Gloria Gaither. Someone in Frankfort suggested that he go to meet Gaither in Alexandria, a publisher of music. He got into his car and without an appointment drove over to the Gaither home and knocked on the front door. They opened their home to him, taking a real interest in this young, aspiring songwriter, inviting him to stay for supper.

Stephen was already a talented musician and the organist for his Dad’s church, so Gaither invited him to play organ accompaniment for the Gaither Trio in some of their church engagements.

After graduating from Indiana University with an undergraduate degree in Aristotelian (Greek) Philosophy and a graduate degree in English Literature, he was married. God gave Stephen and his wife Janet two wonderful sons, Chris and Craig. During those days, in addition to teaching school, he traveled with such notable singers as Doug Oldham, The Gaither Trio, and Henry and Hazel Slaughter.

The mix of traveling and teaching school became too strenuous. Yet, in spite of his hectic schedule, he won an award as Young Educator of the Year. Following that honor he was selected by the education board to head the English department, and to go to Purdue University and pursue a doctorate. Stephen decided in favor of the music and left teaching to become a full-time keyboard artist and songwriter.
Following is Stephen’s story behind one of his greatest songs:

“One Friday night, after getting out of class I drove up to New Haven, Indiana for a concert with Doug Oldham, the Gaithers, and the Slaughters, in a high school auditorium. I was to accompany Doug on the piano. I remember thinking on the way to the concert how much I was enjoying my career. The Lord was greatly blessing my wife, Janet, and me -- we were new parents.

Doug was first on the program. We did our set of songs and were to be followed by Henry and Hazel. I have always loved them very much. They were the kind of people I could look up to and admire in so many ways . As I walked off the stage, I stopped and sat down, just behind the curtain. I wanted to hear their music.

Henry turned to his wife during one of those special moments that we referred to as ‘the quiet,’ a time when the Lord was very close to us in the service. Henry, still sitting the piano bench, took Hazel by the hand and began to speak of God blessings. With tears in his eyes he said, ‘You know honey, everything we are and everything we hope to be is because of God’s amazing grace at work in our lives.’ I remember being struck by that thought, because God was being good to me. I was experiencing His grace at work in the life of my young family.

I remember how good it was to get back home after that busy weekend on the road. I taught school on Monday, and all through the day the thought of God’s amazing grace kept rolling through my mind. I realized that I had the theme for a song. I left school, went right home, and sat down at our little spinet piano in the living room.

After a short time I called my wife at her work and said, ‘Is anyone listening to you?’ She said, ‘No.’ I said, ‘Good, because I am going to sing to you.’ I began to sing the song I had just written. It was a song that would mean a great deal to us in our early years.

Before long the Speer Family found out about the song and recorded it.” Of course, since then it has been recorded by hundreds, if not thousands, of singers.
The first and second stanza of Adams’ song is a slight rewording of the first and fourth stanzas of John Newton’s “Amazing Grace.” The chorus is a joyous testimony of a Christian, who anticipated a grand and “glorious morning” when we will see Jesus, face to face -- all because of His marvelous, amazing grace.

Reflection:
There are many words in the Scriptures that are very precious to us -- “love,” “peace,” “forgiven,” “happiness,” and the list could go on and on. But, no word in the Bible portrays the goodness of God more than “GRACE.”