In March 1966, John Lennon sat down with journalist Maureen Cleave for what seemed like just another interview. Little did he know, his next words would ignite one of rock music’s biggest firestorms.
“Christianity will go,” Lennon declared boldly. “It will vanish and shrink. I needn’t argue about that; I know I’m right and I will be proved right. We’re more popular than Jesus now. I don’t know which will go first – rock & roll or Christianity. Jesus was all right, but his disciples were thick and ordinary. It’s them twisting it that ruins it for me.”
Lennon wasn’t out to spark a scandal—he was just speaking his mind. And, to be fair, he wasn’t entirely wrong: Church attendance in England was declining. But those words didn’t stay in England. Months later, they made their way across the Atlantic—and America was not amused.
Radio DJ Tommy Charles of Birmingham, Alabama, wasn’t having it. On WAQY (yes, ‘Wacky Radio’), he launched the now-infamous ‘Ban The Beatles’ campaign, rallying outraged listeners to burn records, smash memorabilia, and declare The Beatles public enemies of Christianity.
But irony, or perhaps divine intervention, had a different plan. Over the years, instead of being shunned, Beatles music found an unexpected home in Christian music. Covers, tributes, and homages didn’t just trickle in—they flourished.
#1. “Help!” – DC Talk
How do you kick off one of the biggest Christian music tours of all time? With a Beatles anthem, of course.
During the mid-90s, DC Talk’s groundbreaking Jesus Freak tour—affectionately called “The Freak Show”—opened each night with an electrifying, stripped-down acoustic version of “Help!” Toby, Mike, and Kevin stood silhouetted dramatically against the stage lights, alongside guitarist Mark Lee Townsend. Townsend fondly recalls:
“Yes, K-Max and I were mutual Beatles fans, and I knew how to play the song. I think he suggested the idea of using it for the concert. When I started playing it in rehearsal, everyone thought it was cool, so it stuck. It was a bit of a watershed moment for me because I was the new guy in the band, and I thought it was really cool that they wanted to do that.”
This unforgettable moment became the opening track of Welcome to the Freak Show—a live album that still stands as one of DC Talk’s most electrifying releases.
#2. “Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da” – MercyMe & Friends
This high-energy performance was as chaotic as it was joyful, perfectly capturing the playful spirit McCartney infused into the original decades earlier. MercyMe’s delightfully quirky rendition became an early YouTube sensation, packed with star power and spontaneous fun. As part of their “Cover Tune Grab Bag” series, the video featured CCM heavyweights like Matt Maher, Lecrae, The Afters, Thousand Foot Krutch, and members of Jars of Clay leading a full-blown conga line.
#3. “Come Together” – Cain
This is the newest—and perhaps most divisive—entry on our list.
Cain’s reimagining of the Lennon classic, swapping in lyrics like “Got to be King Jesus, We Just Do What He Please,” sparked immediate debate. Some fans hailed it as a brilliant, faith-based reinterpretation. Others saw it as rock and roll sacrilege. Every time Cain posts this performance, the comment section explodes—perhaps exactly the reaction they were hoping for.
#4. “Never Gonna Be as Big as Jesus” – Audio Adrenaline
“Maybe be just like the Beatles. Melodic, rocking heavyweights.”
While not a direct cover, Audio Adrenaline didn’t just reference Lennon’s infamous remark—they built an entire anthem around it. “Never Gonna Be as Big as Jesus,” one of Bloom’s standout tracks, cleverly flips the controversy on its head.
#5. “Yesterday” – Tim Foreman (Switchfoot)
During the early days of lockdown, artists turned to at-home creativity like never before—and Tim Foreman delivered one of the standout moments. The Switchfoot bassist recorded a heartfelt acoustic cover of “Yesterday” and shared it on YouTube, offering a beautifully intimate take on the Beatles’ classic.
#6. “Hey Jude” – Josh Wilson (Airport Singalong)
In January 2013, Christian singer-songwriter Josh Wilson turned a mundane travel delay into an unforgettable musical moment. Stuck at Newark Airport due to weather, Wilson pulled out his guitar and led a spontaneous singalong of Hey Jude, lifting the spirits of frustrated travelers. What started as an impromptu performance quickly went viral, proving once again that Beatles songs have a way of uniting people—even in the most unexpected places.
#7. “Birthday” – Kevin Max
Kevin Max, one-third of DC Talk, recorded a studio cover of “Birthday” by The Beatles, which was featured on ForeFront Records’ Ten: The Birthday Album (1998), a compilation celebrating the label’s 10th anniversary. His signature vibrato and dynamic vocal delivery perfectly complement the song’s raw energy.
Max also spoke to us about how The Beatles heavily influenced his first solo album, Stereotype Be. Collaborating with legendary guitarist and producer Adrian Belew, Max acknowledged their shared admiration for the Fab Four. “Adrian and I are both uber fans,” he said, referencing Beatles-inspired tracks from the album like “Shaping Space,” “Her Game,” “I Don’t Belong,” and “Blind.” Their mutual love for The Beatles’ artistry played a key role in shaping the album’s sound and experimental edge.
#8. “Here Comes the Sun” – Phil Keaggy
Phil Keaggy holds a unique honor on this list—he’s the only one who’s actually jammed with a Beatle! Keaggy had the chance to play alongside Paul McCartney at a wedding—specifically, the wedding of McCartney’s sister-in-law, Laura Eastman (sister of Linda McCartney). Keaggy first met Laura while she worked at CBN, and their connection eventually led to this once-in-a-lifetime musical moment.
Beyond that, Keaggy has frequently paid tribute to The Beatles in his music, but his rendition of Here Comes the Sun stands out as something truly special. His delicate guitar work and uncanny vocal delivery capture the essence of George Harrison so well that if you closed your eyes, you’d think it was the Quiet Beatle himself. Few can channel Harrison’s sound quite like Keaggy—without actually being George Harrison.
#9. “We Can Work It Out” – Bethany Dillon
Of course, our list ends at #9. Bethany Dillon brought her unique touch to The Beatles’ classic We Can Work It Out on her 2008 album, So Far: The Acoustic Sessions. This stripped-down rendition highlights Dillon’s heartfelt vocals and raw acoustic style, offering a fresh perspective on the Lennon-McCartney classic. Her version preserves the song’s original themes of reconciliation and understanding, aligning seamlessly with her signature introspective songwriting.
Remarkably, The Beatles’ music has not just survived—it’s flourished in Christian communities. Their universal messages of peace, love, community, and nonviolence resonate deeply with Jesus followers today. Beyond the catchy tunes and unforgettable imagery, it’s these values that have allowed The Beatles’ legacy to find an unlikely yet perfect home within CCM.
This list could likely go on and on as the legacy of the Beatles seems to never stop, even when the boycott from the early days feels tough to shake. Let’s get back to John Lennon. When later asked about his controversial comments, Lennon clarified his intentions “I’m not anti-God, anti-Christ or anti-religion. I was not knocking it. I was not saying we’re better or greater, or comparing us with Jesus Christ as a person or God as a thing or whatever it is. I happened to be talking to a friend and I used the word ‘Beatles’ as a remote thing—‘Beatles’ like other people see us. I said they are having more influence on kids and things than anything else, including Jesus. I wasn’t knocking it or putting it down…”
Paul McCartney set the record straight once and for all during the 1995 Beatles Anthology: “We used to get a number of Catholic priests showing up at our gigs, and we’d do a lot of debating backstage… We’d say, ‘You should have gospel singing—that’ll pull them in!’ We felt the church needed to modernize. It wasn’t some anti-religious statement John was making. We were actually very pro-church.”
Interestingly, The Beatles would later experiment openly with spirituality and religion—including a memorable instance when John Lennon turned on The 700 Club in a hotel room in Tokyo. John Lennon called in the prayer line to dedicate his life to Christ, something he commemorated in the heartfelt demo, “You Saved My Soul.” Though Lennon’s spiritual journey remains somewhat mysterious, one can’t deny the fascinating and enduring connection between The Beatles and Christian music—a twist that might have seemed impossible decades ago, but now feels perfectly natural.
The Beatles and Christian music might have once seemed worlds apart, but after all, sometimes the long and winding road leads right back home.
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