The landmark albums of the mid-1990s--Take Me To Your Leader by Newsboys, Bloom by Audio Adrenaline, Jesus Freak by dcTalk and Jars of Clay's self-titled album--were certainly major influences to many. These albums helped lead people to seek Christ (myself included), and didn't hold back in proclaiming the truth of the Gospel.
Since Michael Tait started as a founding member of dcTalk, and has taken over as the lead vocalist of Newsboys, he has consistently played a part in my testimony as a believer. He's helped shape my thoughts by breathing his voice into some of Christian music's top selling and beloved songs.
Newsboys' songs "God's Not Dead,""Guilty," "Stand," "How Many Times," "Live with Abandon" and the God's Not Dead movies are great inspirations about standing up for our faith following up the bold proclamations, "Let our faith be more than anthems, greater than the songs we sing" from hit song, "We Believe." The band has continued proclaiming the Good News of the Gospel with their albums Stand and Worldwide Revival (Pt. 1).
Without faith it is impossible to please God. He tells us in the Bible that with faith, we can do anything in Christ. I had the chance to speak with Adam Agee in-person before their concert in Pennsylvania about "How Many Times."
Please tell me the personal story behind this song.
"How Many Times" is a song that reflects on God's unwavering faithfulness throughout life's different seasons, essentially saying that no matter how many times you face challenges or experience highs and lows, God's love remains constant; it's a testament to the band's journey together and my own personal journey to joining the band after having been in Stellar Kart and Audio Adrenaline. This song is about experiencing both great times and difficult periods, while still finding strength in our faith journeys.
Which Bible verses connect to the message of the song?
Ephesians 3:17-19 (NIV): "And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the Lord's holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge--that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God."
Proverbs 3:5-6 (NKJV): "Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight."
Psalm 63:2-4 (NKJV): "I have seen You in the sanctuary and beheld Your power and Your glory. Because Your love is better than life, my lips will glorify You. I will praise You as long as I live, and in Your name I will lift up my hands."
Philippians 1:21 (NKJV): "For to me, to live is Christ, and to die is gain."
2 Corinthians 4:5-6 (NIV): "For it is God who commanded light to shine out of darkness, who has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ."
Romans 1:16-17 (MSG): "It's news I'm most proud to proclaim, this extraordinary Message of God's powerful plan to rescue everyone who trusts him, starting with Jews and then right on to everyone else! God's way of putting people right shows up in the acts of faith, confirming what Scripture has said all along: "The person in right standing before God by trusting him really lives."
Romans 8:38-39 (NIV): "For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord."
What is the takeaway message?
The lyrics speak to the idea that God's love and support are always present, even during tough times. We emphasize the phrase "how many times" to highlight the consistent nature of God's faithfulness. The song holds personal meaning for all of us in the band, reflecting on our own experiences and the challenges we've faced throughout our lives and careers. "How Many Times" resonates deeply with us, and we hope listeners find comfort in the message of God's unwavering presence, especially during difficult times.
Lyrics
How many times
Have You rescued a desperate soul
Paved a way through a dead-end road
Brought a garden to life from the ashes
How many times
Have you held me in valleys low
Told this prodigal welcome home
And restored me with peace in the madness
More than the stars
In a thousand-night skies
More than the minutes
In a million lifetimes
How many times
Have You proven You love me
Oh, how You love me
How many times
Have You answered a hopeless prayer
Healed my heart that's beyond repair
Led this captive from shackles to freedom
How many times
Can I thank You for the price You paid
Tell of how You walked out of that grave
How many times Will I sing of amazing grace?
More than my heart
Could ever fathom
More than my mind
Could ever imagine
How many times
Have you proven you love me
Oh, how you love me
How many times
How many times
Closing Thoughts
One of my favorite Newsboys memories is seeing them at Creation Festival in 1998 after they released their album Step up to the Microphone. As a crowd of believers, we all sang their bold anthems "Shine," "Breakfast," "Take Me to Your Leader," "I'm Not Ashamed," "Entertaining Angels," and "Spirit Thing" at the top of our lungs. That's when I became a huge fan of the Newsboys and the next year, I gave my life to Jesus after saying the sinner's prayer and listening to a Christian album in my car, for which I'm eternally grateful. Christians are called to display their faith in their words, letting their "faith be more than anthems," and also in their actions once they are changed on the inside and become followers of Jesus.
We are challenged in God's Word in Matthew 5:14-16 as believers to not hide the light of Jesus that is in us as His redeemed sons and daughters, and remember that "God is not a secret to be kept." I find Paul's exhortation in 2nd Corinthians 4:5-6 very relevant to us as believers today and a strong reminder of why we all need to live for Jesus. One of the lessons I've seen about life from is that we shouldn't wait to fix ourselves before we step out in faith. We need to fully trust God. The faith statements found in the lyrics: "How many times/Have You held me in valleys low/Told this prodigal welcome home/And restored me with peace in the madness," has been resonating with me as I realize that Jesus commands us to trust God completely no matter our circumstances or personal distractions or concerns.
This song and the God's Not Dead movies light a fire in Christians to know and proclaim what you stand for, no matter what the world tells you to do. Don't compromise. Don't forsake God or be ashamed of the Gospel. Stand up for what you believe. There is an infectious urgency to this song. As we live in these last days, it is very important to think about what you would be found doing if the Lord were to return today.
"How Many Times" is a great way to pray along with the band and to remember that God will never leave or forsake you. There is nothing that can separate us from the love of Jesus. This song celebrates the truth from Ephesians and Romans about grasping "how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ." Allow the fullness of Christ's love to indwell in your heart and proclaim the truth of this song. This great new worship song really sets me in the proper mindset to praise God for loving me so much that He gave His life away for all that was lost. I am challenged to believe these words when I sing along and proclaim with all of my heart: "More than my heart/Could ever fathom/More than my mind/Could ever imagine/How many times/Have You proven You love me/Oh, how You love me." Amen to that.
NRT lead contributor Kevin Davis is a long-time Christian music fan and an avid collector. He credits the message of Christian music for leading him to Christ. He lives in Pennsylvania with his wife and three daughters.
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