1) Petra is a Christia… Read Full Bio ↴There is more than one artist with this name:
1) Petra is a Christian Rock band formed in 1972 by Bob Hartman, Bill Glover, John DeGroff, and Greg Hough. "Petra" means "rock" in NT Greek, making the band name a triple pun. Rising from the Jesus music movement, and initially signed to [recordlabel]Myrrh Records[/recordlabel], they fought to gain acceptance and recognition in a church culture that at the time believed rock music to be off-limits. Over time they eventually won over most of their critics, thanks to a steady approach and some solid adult contemporary airplay hits like "The Coloring Song," outside of their usual rock fare. By the mid-80's, when lead singer Greg X. Volz left the band and was replaced by John Schlitt, Petra had solidified their place as the foremost Christian rock band in the industry with a string of hit albums and singles and strong touring. The release of Petra Praise: The Rock Cries Out marked a turn towards modern-sounding worship music that would soon explode into the modern worship movement.
Petra was nominated for and won numerous Grammy and Dove Awards. In 1991, after the release of their acclaimed Beyond Belief record, Petra became the first rock band ever to win for Group of the Year at the Dove Awards. They were also the first Christian rock band to be inducted into the Gospel Music Hall of Fame.
For three decades Petra continued to produce albums despite changes in their line-up as well as the genre and market. On May 24th, 2005 Petra announced their retirement after 33 years of ministry. They recorded one of their final performances in Franklin, Tennessee to release it as their last album, Farewell. Their last performance finished in the early hours of January 1, 2006 in Murphy, North Carolina. Bob Hartman and John Schlitt continue to tour under the moniker II Guys From Petra.
Lineups through the years:
Early 80's Captured in Time & Space lineup: Bob Hartman, Greg X. Volz, John Slick, Mark Kelly, Louie Weaver, John Lawry
Late 80's "Beyond Belief dream team" lineup: Bob Hartman, John Schlitt, John Lawry, Louie Weaver, Ronny Cates
Late 90's Petra Praise 2 - We Need Jesus lineup: John Schlitt, Louie Weaver, Lonnie Chapin, Pete Orta, Kevin Brandow
Farewell CD lineup: John Schlitt, Bob Hartman, Greg Bailey, Paul Simmons, with special appearances by Greg X. Volz and John Lawry
More members: Rob Frazier, Jim Cooper, David Lichens, Trent Thomason, Bryce Bell, Quinton Gibson, Justin Johnson
See also http://www.petraband.com/
Strong Convictions
Petra Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And the meek will inherit the dregs
Living now in the twilight time
Will the world hear the answer it begs?
Secular and sacred blur
Without even raising a flag
When so many masters call
Is it the tail or the dog that will wag?
And many others who do as they please
There still remains a witness
The few who will stand and say
I've got strong convictions 'bout the way that I live
I've got no concessions that I'm willing to give
Strong convictions that are worth living by
Strong convictions till the day I die
It's so hard seeing black and white
When so much appears to be gray
With no faith in the absolute
It's no wonder the standard will stray
With bold convictions leading the way
With those who have them willing to say
There's a new horizon
I can say for me and mine
Pressure makes the perfect diamond
Measure of the saints refining
Don't ever want to stray
I really want to stay
Steadfast and immovable in Him
The lyrics of Petra's song "Strong Convictions" reflect the difficulties of living in a world that values strength and survival over meekness and compassion. The singer acknowledges that the world is in a twilight time, and wonders if it will find the answer it seeks. In this time, the line between sacred and secular is blurred, and people are being called to serve many different masters. It is unclear whether the tail or the dog will wag, whether the strong or the meek will ultimately inherit the earth.
Despite it all, the singer vows to hold fast to their strong convictions, with no concessions given. They believe that these convictions are worth living by, and they will hold onto them until the day they die. In a world where so much appears to be gray, the singer acknowledges the difficulty in seeing in black and white. Without faith in the absolute, it is easy for the standard to stray. But those with bold convictions can lead the way, standing up for what they believe in and refusing to be swayed. The singer finds hope in this, looking forward to a new horizon and vowing to remain steadfast and immovable in Him.
Line by Line Meaning
Western world where the strong survive
The world we live is competitive and success goes to the strongest
And the meek will inherit the dregs
The weak will be left with the leftovers in society
Living now in the twilight time
The present generation is in a state of confusion and disorder
Will the world hear the answer it begs?
The world is seeking answers but will it ever find them?
Secular and sacred blur
There is no distinct boundary between the religious and non-religious
Without even raising a flag
This mixing of sacred and secular is happening without any clear distinction
When so many masters call
The world is filled with many voices all claiming to be right
Is it the tail or the dog that will wag?
Who will emerge the winner in all of these competing claims?
With some among us weak at the knees
There are some who are easily swayed by these competing claims
And many others who do as they please
There are others who reject everything and follow their own desires
There still remains a witness
Despite all of this confusion, there are still some who stand firm in their beliefs
The few who will stand and say
These people are few, but they are strong in their convictions
I've got strong convictions 'bout the way that I live
They believe in their way of life deeply
I've got no concessions that I'm willing to give
They are not willing to compromise their beliefs for anyone
Strong convictions that are worth living by
Their beliefs are not arbitrary, but instead, provide them with guidance in life
Strong convictions till the day I die
They will hold onto their beliefs no matter what
It's so hard seeing black and white
In a world of gray areas, it is difficult to discern the truth
When so much appears to be gray
There are many complicated issues that are not easily understood
With no faith in the absolute
Without belief in something transcendent, it is challenging to have a clear sense of right and wrong
It's no wonder the standard will stray
Without a clear sense of right and wrong, the moral compass of society will become lost
With bold convictions leading the way
However, with strong convictions leading the charge, there is hope for something great
With those who have them willing to say
These strong convictions must be shared and spoken out loud
There's a new horizon
The future is not yet set in stone
I can say for me and mine
I speak only for myself and my beliefs
Pressure makes the perfect diamond
Only under pressure will the true nature of character be revealed
Measure of the saints refining
This refining process is essential in developing genuine faith
Don't ever want to stray
They refuse to deviate from their beliefs, no matter the cost
I really want to stay
They are determined to remain faithful, even in the face of adversity
Steadfast and immovable in Him
Ultimately, their convictions are rooted in something unchanging and steadfast
Lyrics © Peermusic Publishing
Written by: ROBERT HARTMAN
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Kentora Makoto
A classic Petra song--very powerful and reaches down into one's Heart. These guys were the first concert I went to after leaving for college. I still remember it as if it was yesterday. For those who know me, it takes a lot to impress me, but these brothers deliver time and time again. (as does Whiteheart for those looking for other inspiring music of similar genre.)
HTTR Gunzou
This song drescribes my life.
Sara Rodrigues
Thanks for uploading such great music. God bless.
Justin denson
I love this.
CRISTI
UnknownPetraFan thank you so much for all that you have uploaded videos and encourage you to always stay a fan Petra because this band is a real band ! God bless you and Petra fans all around the world
Romero Xavier
Muito bom
CRISTI
come one , this song is so cool ... thanks man for posted
CRISTI
great song
Deigratia Mylliem umlong
I love to listen Petra song
PumpkinDog33
6 people don't have strong convictions