I first heard Michael Card’s music in early 1985. I was a relatively new believer, and the album was Known by the Scars, Michael’s first in a trilogy of albums on the life of Christ. I appreciated how he took Scripture and put it to music. I remember thinking that he sounded just like Dan Fogelberg, a popular singer from Illinois at the time. Since that time, I have purchased all of his albums and books and seen him in concert many times. And yet it is his teaching that I think I appreciate the most. It is what Michael calls biblical imagination. It’s amazing the insights he provides on passages that we have read or heard preached hundreds of times.

Michael is always intentional with his music, oftentimes doing an album and book on a particular theme. In addition to the trilogy on the life of Christ, Michael has done a three album series on the Old Testament, an album and book on lament, an album on Hebrews, one on Revelation, a hymns and a Christmas album, a few albums of songs for children, and most recently an album and book on each Gospel in the Biblical Imagination Series. He also takes an annual group to Israel to tour the Holy Land, which is something that is on my personal “bucket list”.

Now I know Michael is just a fallen man. As Alistair Begg often says, quoting J.C. Ryle, “The best of men are only men at their very best.” But the Lord has used him in a mighty way to help me grow in my faith and knowledge of the Bible through his music, books and teaching.

Several years ago, my pastor, who also very much appreciates Michael, asked me if we could bring Michael in for a concert at our church. It didn’t work out back then, but in 2012 we were able to bring him in for a Biblical Imagination Conference and concert on the Gospel of Mark. The response from those who attended was so positive, that we asked Michael and his team to come back in 2014, this time for a conference on the Gospel of Matthew and a concert, which will take place in a little more than two weeks. I hope you can join us.