A Sound That Sets ORU Apart: Isaac Murray's Journey Through Music and Faith

It is a mistake to try to classify Gen Z. They are less a generation, more individuals than many believe. Take ORU's Isaac Murray, for instance, an 18-year-old musician from Rochester, Michigan. Define him by a generation, and you might assume his musical influences run from pop stars to playlists to Tik Tok artists. If you make this assumption, you're making a mistake.

"One of my biggest musical inspirations," Issac said, "is Elvis Pressley. I love the way he incorporated Gospel music and rock. When I listen to Elvis Presley's Gospel album, the song 'You'll Never Walk Alone' resonates with me. His rendition is so heartfelt and so different than the original, which is a more classical version. The way Elvis added a Gospel flair is the way I write music now."

Faith in Every Note

As a composer, performer, and pianist, Isaac's passion can be found in his music. At the same time, his music is an outpouring of his faith. As a member of ORU's Chorale, Issac says he's been growing both as a singer and as a believer. Issac credits Dr. David Dehner, ORU's Director of Choral Studies, for expanding his talent and deepening his spirituality.

"Dr. Dehner emphasizes the spiritual importance of every song we sing," Issac said. "For example, we sing 'Agnus Dei,' which is Latin for 'Lamb of God.' As singers, this is important because we're singing about the Lamb of God who was slain for us. With this in mind, Dr. Dehner teaches us to to sing with intentionality, from a place of somberness but also rejoicing."

ORU Chorale is the performance part of Issac's story, his opportunity to stand on the ORU stage and share his talents with an audience. But not every performance is for an audience. For Issac, some performances are small, personal, and reflective. This part of Issac's story happens during Prayer Movement, ORU's student-led collective that seeks the heart of Jesus through community, prayer, and worship.

"President Wilson says the Prayer Room is the 'furnace' on our campus," Issac said, "which is true because we all come together in that room. Through music and intercession, we work to impact the world around us. We worship, and we pray for nations, for Tulsa, and for people. Prayer Movement unites us for the Lord, and together as musicians and worshipers, we're interceding on behalf of an entire generation."

Where Worship Fuels Creativity

Worship is an important part of the ORU experience. Isaac points to it as something that sets ORU apart from other universities. At ORU, worship happens in the dorms. It happens in the classroom. It happens in Chapel. It happens nearly everywhere you go on campus. This, Issac says, is part of the ORU education … part of the growth that students experience in a Spirit-empowered environment.

"Excellent music is created at ORU," Issac said, "which is another way to spread the Gospel. Everyone, whether you sing or not, was born to worship. When we worship at ORU, it allows us to connect with God. It's good for the soul, but it's also good for people who create music. As a musician, surrounding myself with worship allows me to expand my creativity. When it comes to composing my own music, ORU's atmosphere of worship has encouraged me to write whatever the Lord puts on my heart."

Nationally Ranked, Globally Recognized

ORU is a Christian, Spirit-empowered, interdenominational university in Tulsa, Oklahoma, with 17 years of consecutive enrollment growth. Regionally accredited by the Higher Learning Commission, ORU offers over 150 majors, minors, concentrations, and pre-professional programs at the bachelor's level, ranging from business and engineering to nursing, ministry, and more. In 2024, the Carnegie Foundation recognized ORU with a "Leadership for Public Purpose" award, a distinction earned by only 25 universities nationwide. Under the leadership of President Dr. William Wilson, ORU is preparing students from all 50 states and 176 nations in the last 7 years to be whole leaders for the whole world.

ORU has been ranked by U.S. News & World Report as:

• #1 in Undergraduate Teaching
• #2 in Most International Students
• #3 in Best Value
• #6 in Best College for Veterans
• #7 in Best Regional Colleges in the West

For more information, visit www.oru.edu.