In the context of Christian music, it is difficult to find an artist who has done as much, or lasted as long, as David Crowder. Over the course of his eleven year career, he has contextualized nearly every musical genre–from math rock to dance pop–in a song about Christ.

“It’s all about telling the story of Jesus in a new way,” said Crowder in a conversation held before the concert. “It’s the same story, just told differently.” His concert on Friday in the Covenant Fine Arts Center auditorium was a testament to his unique ability to play with that familiar story.

The opening acts helped to set the tone; California-based The Young Escape worked to pump up the crowd, with massive pop riffs and one of the most energetic drummers one might see outside of a punk rock performance. Afterward, Georgia-based singer-songwriter Jimi Cravity delivered a performance with sincerity that allowed audience members a chance to get caught up in the moment.

Following the two openers, Crowder himself took the stage and performed to an enthusiastic and entertained crowd. Even though Crowder didn’t delve into his early catalog, perhaps because he broke off from his band in 2012 and went on to pursue a solo career, it was clear from the outset that David Crowder has retained his edge for songwriting.

From the visceral anthem of “Run Devil Run” to the beautiful post-rock build of “American I/O,” David Crowder took the audience on an auditory tour of everything he has been doing since his band’s demise in 2012—whether that be the powerful stomp-clap ballad of “Back to the Garden,” dealing with our human fallibility and desire to be one with God again, or the massive “All Your Burdens,” with a central riff that made even Christians, for one night, throw up the horns. That core focus on God has always been a common ground for all Crowder’s music, even while he is often seen as being so eccentric.

While the concert was full of new and exciting songs, it also included some that were old and recognizable. In the middle of his set, he brought all of the musicians together in the middle of the stage and did an acoustic cover of “How He Loves.” He started the band, sang the first few lines, and from there was silent. What resulted was a non-instrumental auditorium performance; a choir of thousands singing in unison to God.

“It was extremely powerful, for three minutes,” said Ryan Heckaman, a junior.  “We truly were a community in Christ, singing a song with the man who wrote it.”

As Crowder continued to play an acoustic guitar, he was surrounded by the community his music was intended for; a bunch of prodigals, singing to a God they loved. Electing to eschew the encore, David and his band instead ended the performance with the massive crescendo of “American I/O” before taking their leave.