Taylor Hosts Christian Pop Band for KING + COUNTRY

On the morning of February 23rd, Taylor University hosted Christian pop band for KING + COUNTRY at chapel. The band is currently on their 2024 tour, and while traveling from Illinois to West Lafayette, they stopped at Taylor to bless the students and employees with a quick show at 10 am.

About the Band

For KING + COUNTRY is a Christian pop band composed of two brothers, Joel and Luke Smallbone. The Smallbones were born in the 1980s in Australia and immigrated to the United States and settled in Nashville, Tennessee.

In 2012, Joel and Luke released their first album, Crave. This album reached No. 2 on the iTunes Top Christian & Gospel albums on its release day and then remained on Billboard’s Christian Albums chart for 41 weeks. Two years later, they released their second album, Run Wild. Live Free. Love Strong., which reached No. 13 on the Billboard 200 and won a Grammy award.

Over the last decade, the band has had immense success with four Grammys and 13 GMA Dove Awards as well as collaborations with Lecrae, Kirk Franklin, and even Dolly Parton.

In late November 2022, the brothers announced their partnership with their brother Ben Smallbone in the creation of a movie about their mother called Unsung Hero. While looking for places to screen their upcoming film, the band offered, through Taylor’s alumni network, to play for chapel and screen their movie for the students.

The Chapel Experience

When Taylor announced on Monday morning that for KING + COUNTRY was playing in chapel on Friday, the excitement was evident throughout campus.

On Friday morning, students were lined up at the doors by 8 am. The band came out strong with their popular song “Fix My Eyes.” They continued through their set, playing their Grammy-winning songs, “joy.” and “God Only Knows.” The atmosphere was full as students praised the Lord in one voice, led by the gifted Smallbone brothers.

After a prayer from Luke, the brothers then were interviewed by President Lindsay and shared the story of their lives, praising God’s faithfulness and testifying to His goodness and provision through the midst of loss and uncertainty.

“If the sequences of events [in our lives] did not happen the way they did, or the tragedies did not happen the way they did, we wouldn't be here,” said Luke. “We make our plans; God ordains our steps.”

Before leaving, the brothers encouraged the students to remember the blessings God has given, saying: “If you want to change the world, go home and love your family.”

Later today, a screening of Unsung Hero will be shown in Rediger Chapel/Auditorium, which tells the story of the Smallbone family and recounts God’s faithfulness throughout their lives. The film will be released on April 26, 2024.