Purevdorj and his wife, Amartungalag

Purevdorj and his wife, Amartungalag, have written 25 Christian songs and produced three compilation albums of contemporary Mongolian Christian music. They expect to release their own third album in 2006.

Their songs are used widely in Mongolia, from small house churches in the ger districts around Ulaanbaatar to the city’s largest churches. “When people use our music to worship God, that is, of course, the greatest joy,” said Purevdorj.

Both are trained music teachers; he composes, and she writes the lyrics--guided by the Holy Spirit and a desire to worship God with truth and feeling. They said they don’t always have much time to write music, but they’d rather write a few songs well than to produce a large collection poorly.

Purevdorj and Amartungalag started Christian Songwriters Fellowship of Mongolia to support and encourage others working to sing God’s praises. They also organize annual concerts of Mongolian Christian musicians, releasing compact discs of the performances. Last year, they focused much of their attention on writing songs for Sunday schools, and they are working on a Mongolian hymn and praise song book.

“Without becoming Christians, we wouldn’t imagine our lives as happy,” Purevdorj said.

Purevdorj was a professor of music education when he first visited a church in 1991. It was only a year after the country had peacefully abandoned communism and lifted a 66-year ban on all religious worship. Mongolians were tentatively seeking something to believe in, and a shy colleague asked him for moral support in checking out a church.

“He wasn’t a Christian, but he brought me to church. I wasn’t a Christian, but I started ministering there,” Purevdorj said.

With only 20 worshippers at the time, the Mongolian church was eager to enlist helpers. A trained musician--even a non-Christian one--was too good to pass up, and Purevdorj began leading worshippers in singing praises to a God he did not yet know.

Sitting through the service, the uninterested young man could not help hearing the sermons and songs of the loving God who came down to die for us that we might have eternal life in Him, through Him, and with Him. After a month, Purevdorj realized the truth of Christ and accepted Him as Lord and Savior.

Amartungalag accepted Christ when she visited a church in Ulaanbaatar in the summer of 1992 then returned to the countryside to teach music. Purevdorj also went there, witnessing to his rural countrymen.

On Feb. 15, 1993, they became the first Mongolians to exchange Christian wedding vows. They have four children.