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I vividly remember a night back in the late 60’s when The Trav’Lers and the Blue Ridge Quartet were in concert together. I was fresh out of college and was living the dream. I had been chosen to play piano for a great, professional group. Back stage, Burl Streval, their bass singer, was feeling particularly philosophical this night and was sharing many of his insights with me.

Burl talked about booking churches, dealing with promoters and handling the admiration of the fans. Then he said something I shall never forget. He looked me squarely in the eyes and said, “Enjoy the cheers and the appreciation while you can because it is a cold world out there when you take your quartet suit off.” When the Lord later led me to resign the quartet and begin pastoring, I discovered how right he was in his perception. In nearly 20 years as a pastor, I never had one parishioner ask me for an 8x10 autographed glossy suitable for framing!

It is a different world going from receiving a standing ovation in 1969 from the largest crowd in the history of the Quartet Convention as your group sings one of your compositions, to praying you will have 51 in Sunday School so you can break the attendance record. It is not easy transitioning from having your photo regularly appear in the “Good News”, being THE featured group at the Sixteenth World Convention of the Full Gospel Business Men’s Fellowship International at the Hilton Hotel in Washington, DC with 4,000 people giving us a standing ovation, to sitting at a broken piano in a nursing home singing to 13 elderly people in Colorado. This is precisely what happened to me.

There was a fundamental principle at work in my life that would give impact to Burl’s words. It is commonly held in the behavioral sciences that women’s greatest love need is emotional security and man’s greatest love need is admiration. This axiom not only explains many of the challenges faced by married couples who do not understand the love need of their spouse but it helps explain some unusual human behavior. Women, it gives you insight as to why your man drives like a daredevil, jumps out of planes, scales mountains, loves to tell his “fish stories,” displays trophies or insists on mounting his moose head over your sofa.

Men’s greatest emotional need is for someone to give him an “Atta Boy!” Male Gospel singers are no different. We are always striving for the accolades of someone. That motivation can drive you to obsessions to excel in the male dominated world of Gospel Music. “Serving” the Master can become “striving” for acceptance and approval by your peers. I found myself in the grasp of this monster. I was living every moment trying to advance our group, not our Lord. God wasn’t happy with me and I wasn’t happy with myself. The admiration of man is a cheap substitute for the approval and admiration of our Lord Jesus.

Burl was right...if you define your sense of purpose by the slick suits and the adoring fans it is a cold world. But, for many of you, I believe you have decided that the wardrobe, custom bus, the booking agency and the record contract are NOT the things that define you. These are simply a means to accomplish the purpose God has deposited in your heart. You don’t need the limelight to be fulfilled.
You use the limelight because of your love for God and the calling to His ministry. Sadly, it is very easy to become more addicted to the limelight than to the “SONLIGHT”. I hope that will change. Limelight fades, as many of us have discovered, but SONLIGHT radiates forever.

There are some wonderful and articulate voices in Gospel music that talk about the industry and the drive it takes to excel. There is nothing wrong with wanting to excel. The problem arises when you discover that you or your group will never reach the top tier in popularity, product sales or media exposure. What do you do then? I faced this when I was made manager of the Trav’Lers and allowed my ambition for fame and parity with the great groups to define my purpose in life.

When I discovered that there certainly is competition in the industry, that there is a pecking order at concerts and being good didn’t necessarily get you to the top, I decided to enter that arena of “Doing as the Romans.” Instead of continuing to use the music to minister as God had called me, I fell prey to pride and ambition that became my taskmasters. I became obsessed with making our group more “upwardly mobile”.

Two events from those days are etched in my memory. The first was the same night that I mentioned earlier when we had received a standing ovation for my song and I was walking the hall of Ellis Auditorium. A group of fans excitedly approached me and wanted my autograph. As I was about to comply with their request one spoke up and said, “You are one of the Happy Goodmans, aren’t you?” When I informed them that I was not, they politely moved on without my autograph! Could I help it if both groups were wearing GOLD SUITS that night? My few minutes of fame were fleeting faster than I could imagine.

The next event was when, after months of passionate pursuit, I finally convinced J. D. Sumner and John Matthews to sign The Trav’Lers to their “stable of stars” at Sumar Talent Agency. I felt like a million dollars as Tom Brown and I arrived in Nashville for the big event of signing the contract. I still have the photos of this high point of my career. I had finally made a name for myself with “the big boys.”

The Trav’Lers were now in the same fold as the Statesmen, Blackwood Brothers, Stamps, Imperials, Dixie Echoes, Jake Hess and the Music City Singers, Prophets, Smitty Gatlin Trio, Kingsmen and the Klaudt Indian Family. Our albums even received a “Four Star” special recognition in Billboard Magazine. Being in this limelight sure did beat singing with my family at my father’s little church. I had finally arrived. I was even referred to as “a rising star in Gospel Music.” I felt significant!

My photo appeared twice in the “Good News” edition featuring the first Dove Award show in 1969. I was there and the photographer sought me out for “photo ops”. Seeing your photograph twice in the industry newspaper highlighting this momentous occasion will definitely make you feel significant...for a few moments. I thought I was really on my way UP in the Gospel Music industry. Actually, I was on my way OUT!

I felt that these accomplishments would satisfy me but there was a constant gnawing on the inside of me that did not go away. Having breakfast with Joe Moscheo, dropping by J.D. Sumner’s house for a visit, being on a first-name basis with people like Hovie, James, Duane, Elmo and Laverne was an ego trip of the highest magnitude. HOWEVER, I knew I was called to minister, not called to compete and I had lost my focus. Loving the feeling of being significant motivated me to care more about running with the big boys than using these opportunities to minister to the people who attended a concert.

Being faithful to “the call” became less important than becoming successful. It was not very long until I knew I had become “a Demos”. Paul says, “For Demos hath forsaken me, having loved this present world” (2 Timothy 4). That was now ME! But I am not alone, nor is Gospel Music the only arena where the limelight can blind you to your true calling. The industry was feeding my need for significance. There was a vital lesson in store for me.


The Scriptures give an insightful vignette of one man's SECRET OF SIGNIFICANCE. He did not have the scientific knowledge of Luke, or the classical education of Paul. He could not sway the devotion of the people nor electrify the crowds with his preaching like Peter. He was not entrusted with a treasurer's purse like Judas, nor asked to chair the business meetings like James. He had no fan club and no one sought his products. He wrote no epistles nor saw any visions. He planted no churches nor performed any miracles. After approximately six months, his public ministry was brutally ended. However, he was a man on a mission and he knew what his mission was.

The Apostle John speaking of this man writes, "There was a man sent from God, whose name was John" (John 1:6). John the Baptist never worried about the "Glitz and glitter" lifestyle. He went beyond the "Burbs" to fulfill his ministry. He did not have a Wall Street mentality or wardrobe. He was a man on a mission and he knew what his mission was.

As often happens, some of his supporters defected, leaving him for a more charismatic, high profile person. He accepted their departure with dignity and grace. He did not try to compensate for this loss by criticizing or demeaning his competition. Why should he try to rationalize decline in popularity and disappointment by resorting to mud slinging? He was a man sent from God; he had a mission for his life. John the Baptist had SIGNIFICANCE that statisti¬cal measurements and industry acceptance could not provide. His “Secret of Signifi¬cance” was founded in his perception of his eternal purpose. HE WAS A MAN SENT FROM GOD!

Each of you that have received the call of God to minister through the preaching of the Word or Singing the Gospel message are, like John the Baptist, apostles of the Lord Jesus Christ. You, too, are a "Sent one”. Some of you are sent to the city, some to the country; some to pastor, some to evangelism; some to sing, some to play; some to popularity and many to obscurity. Your field of labor may not be the great auditoriums of the country. Your moments in ministry might be confined to the little churches, civic clubs, the nursing homes, or a VFW Hall. Singer, God will never ask you if you were successful. He’ll only ask you if you were faithful.

There are some of you who will serve with longevity, some with brevity; some seem to blossom, some seem to wither; some plant, some water, some help gather the harvest. Nevertheless, if you are called, do not allow anyone to diminish your sense of calling or discourage you from fulfilling your destiny in the ministry to which God has called you.

The search for meaningfulness and fulfillment in life can be a tormenting pursuit for the uninformed. Without the understanding of God's purposes for your life, you can flounder in a sea of insignificance and inferiority. Allow the Holy Spirit to enlighten you with the Kingdom's Secret of Significance.

Adopt the Apostle John’s words for your life today. Let them ease your anxieties and produce calm assurance in your heart. Meditate on them throughout the day until you become totally convinced that in your town, your Church, your world, "There is a man/ woman sent from God, whose name is
(YOUR NAME GOES HERE)”.

EPILOGUE: In recent years, the Lord has allowed me to re-enter the “Ministry” of Gospel Music. Thankfully, I learned the focus is all about Him.

Donald M. Frazier
http://www.donfrazier.com

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