Don Moen Talks Honor, Faith, and Celebrated Career

Don Moen, a pioneer of the modern praise & worship movement, was recently inducted into the Gospel Music Hall of Fame.  CBN caught up with the internationally renowned worship leader, songwriter, and executive for the GMA Honors & Hall of Fame Ceremony in Nashville.

“I look up to these guys and gals, they're my heroes.  I thank God for the things I’ve gotten to do all over the world and I believe God's not finished with me yet.”

The house was packed with gospel greats and the evening was filled with special musical tributes. Amid the celebration, Don’s heart overflowed with gratefulness.

“Many years ago, I was praying about writing new songs, and God spoke to me very clearly from the book of Psalms, Chapter 40, Verse 3. It says, 'I have put a new song in your mouth, a song of praise to our God.’…And I’m thankful to God for answering my prayer."

While a student at Oral Roberts University in the early 70s, Don began touring with the musical group Living Sound and Evangelist Terry Law. For ten years, he ministered internationally.

By 1986, he recorded Give Thanks for the Hosanna praise and worship series at Integrity Music. And eventually, went on to become president of the label for 20 years.

“There were just worship leaders, leading worship at their churches and my job was to find where God was moving.  And usually, if I found a church where God was moving, there were songwriters who were writing songs coming out of the movement.”

With more than 30 years of experience in ministry, he shares wisdom that made all the difference in his career.

“I'd get on the stage with, you know, all of my heroes, and I would feel so insignificant and I would look at—I'd say, I know why you're here. I know why you’re here. I know why you’re here. Why am I here? When I'd get up to sing, one voice I would hear would be Don Moen, you'd better dial this up because Don Moen is not enough.  And then I'd hear another voice, which I believe is the Holy Spirit saying, Don, just be yourself. And I've realized God will not anoint who you want to be, he anoints who you are. It starts there. So, I would say to worship leaders and artists all over the world, just be yourself.

Don and Laura, his wife of 46 years, live in Nashville. They have 5 children and 7 grandchildren…but he opened up about their past struggles to have a child and hopes their story will encourage couples.  

“We were married 12 years before we had any children. We could not have children, we didn't think. Didn't share this with a lot of our friends about not being able to have children because we – I didn't want them to think, ‘Poor Don and Laura, they're so unhappy.’  We were happy, but in our heart we really wanted children.  And the fact that the Lord did that for us is such a miracle.  I write about this story in the book, God Will Make a Way. And I, you know, the Lord has given me faith to believe that he will do for other couples what he did for us.”

Don is currently writing a new project. And his YouTube channel, DonMoen.TV features teaching, training, and new music for subscribers. He’s president of Don Moen productions and oversees his international nonprofit ministry, Worship In Action, which partners with CBN’s Operation Blessing.

“I can't think of anybody better than Operation Blessing in terms of the work they're doing around the world.  One of my most well-known songs, God Will Make a Way, it is a song of hope. And when I see these stories that are shared on The 700 Club, just bringing hope to people who have lost hope, that's what it's about. And it's been my honor to partner with Operation Blessing, really, all over the world.

2019 Gospel Music Hall of Fame Inductee, Don Moen.  Leaving a legacy of sincere worship and leading people to experience God’s presence in new and beautiful ways.

“Worship transcends cultures and denominations and generations. It brings everyone together and I’m very, very honored and humbled to see what God has done with that.”