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I have loved gospel music all of my life, in my early teens, I really became 'hooked' when Sunday morning started out with "It's Happening with the Oak Ridge Boys" I would get up at 7 am to hear them, then "Bob Poole's Gospel Favorites", a program with the Kingsmen and of course who could forget 'Gospel Jubilee'. Every Sunday I listened and loved the music.

To reinforce that love already born for the music, my grandfather had a radio program on a local station on Sunday afternoons. I spent my Sundays listening to local groups and families sing each week. Also from the time I was eight or nine our church had a Sunday morning program that I sang with some friends every few weeks. The weeks I wasn't singing, my grandfather and mom sang in a church quartet.Through this at the station, I got to know the owners.

The station had 4 hours of gospel each weekday morning and played country the rest of the day. By the time I was 19, I went to the concerts at the Greenville and Spartanburg auditoriums every chance I got and listened every day to the morning gospel radio show. I remember the day the DJ who played the gospel music passed away. We loved Bill and the songs he brought to us, he had no family in the area and we had become his family.

One day the next week I was at the station and asked one of the owners who they were going to get to replace Bill. He said 'we are going to have to go all country'. I asked why and he said 'no one really knows gospel music here; we have a DJ who can 'spin the records, doesn't know who it is, he won't go to the concerts and get liners and interviews, ad he won't sell the advertising, etc'. I looked at him and said 'for heaven's sake, anyone could do that that was willing to'. We talked for a few more minutes and I left. The next day my phone rang and he was on the line, he said 'then you do it'.

Back in those days if you looked at me wrong I would cry, I was very quiet (those who know me now or even a couple of years after that, just went - yeah, right!). I said, "I can help you pick the music; I can tell you who the group is, what member is featured and even some background on the group to complete the DJs knowledge. I've never sold anything but I can go to the local businesses and give that my best shot. BUT I will not do anything on air."

So we reached a compromise, something very forward thinking in the early 70s. We worked out an 'automated' program. We put TONS of music on 8 tracks and reel to reel. For each day of the week, I would 'program' what tapes to have in and what cuts to play from them and which songs to play off the reel to reel.

Then came the really hard part, they wanted me to go to the concerts (not hard) and do interviews and get liners (scared me senseless!). The first concert I went to was the Oak Ridge Boys, The Thrasher Brothers, The Blue Ridge and The Happy Goodmans on the same program. It scared me so bad I was sick, I mean throwing up sick!

I got there and as I went in the back door I ran into Duane Allen, literally, I almost knocked him over! I must have looked green because he asked me what was wrong. I stammered out what I had to do and he was so kind. He introduced me to all of the Oaks and they each gave me liners. Then he took me to each group and introduced me, told them the station I was from and what I needed. They each spent time getting what we were looking for. That night before I left Duane said to me –'remember we NEED radio so that means the groups need to talk to you, you aren't imposing'. What a kind thing to say to a scared 19 year old kid! I'll never forget his encouragement.

Since then I've worked some in radio, written for two Gospel Music newspapers, a couple of Gospel Music magazines, a Gospel Music e-zine. I have attended more concerts than I can count. I have met so many artists, some I have had the privilege to call friend. They have eaten at my table, stayed in my home, talked to me about what was bothering them and listened to what was bothering me. I have been blessed.

Now that entire long intro was to get me where I really wanted to start. But I felt it was important for you to know where it was coming from. Not from a casual fan who just heard about SGM or someone who just has heard a few songs but someone who has followed the business for many years. In the 80s when I was writing for a newspaper, I would work a 4 ten hour day week on my 'real job' and leave on Thursday night or Friday morning most weeks to go to concerts. SC, NC, GA, TN, AL, occasionally AR, VA, WV, KY, I covered a lot of miles.

The last several weeks have brought back a lot of memories. The first concert Anthony Burger played with the Kingsmen, I was there. The first concert in Gainesville, GA where Gold City, the group no one knew, sang, I was there. The Joyful Noise Supper Club in Atlanta, bringing in so much great gospel music, I was there often. I watched Anthony grow into a fine man, devoted to God. I saw Doug for the first time as he was playing in a grassy field in Chattanooga TN and watched him as he began playing the drums for the group. I saw him mature and become a faithful Christian. I won't ever say either was perfect, just as we all have faults no one is perfect, but they were precious people I loved. I know I will see both of these fine men again some day in a much better place, what a comfort!

I remember wonderful people who cared about and helped me at various times. I remember sitting at a concert while another group was on stage and talking for what seemed like ages with Glen Payne and having Wendy Bagwell as a Sunday School teacher while I lived in the Atlanta area. And time spent on the phone or talking in person with Rex Nelon or Eldridge Fox. Laughing at funny things over dinner with a group or rushing to straighten up the house after a concert because a group or individual needed a place to stay. Going to Hardee's to get a hamburger after feeding a group where they literally ate every bite on the table (and it was a FULL table) and I didn't even get leftovers. Running to the store because the six we were feeding after the concert became sixteen. There are so many wonderful memories and I can't begin to tell them all.

It has also brought back memories that were not so good. I've heard it said the Christian army is the only one that shoots its own wounded. I would add to that the SGM community as a whole has made that an art form. I say an art form because it is thorough yet selective. If you are chosen to be sacrificed, it is thorough and without forgiveness. Yet if you are not to be sacrificed, you come through even the worst situations with no noticeable repercussions.

Over the years I traveled these are some of the things I have seen: 1) alcoholics who sang about Jesus every night, sometimes close to drunk, 2) men and women who cheated on the spouses they left at home or who were even in the auditorium, 3) divorce and remarriage - some singers you needed a score card to keep up with who they are married to and in at least a few cases, couples 'swapped' spouses, 4) group members smoking pot after a concert while doing some or all of the above, 4) lying to other groups, to pastors, to promoters – whatever it took to make them look good, 5) tearing down others to build themselves up, 6) rumors of homosexuality in top groups (please notice that was plural).

In seeing those things there is one factor that bothers me more than anything. Because I know that God can and has forgiven so many of these people of these things. But as long as those things were going on and most of the fans didn't know – the artists, promoters and publishers would ignore it. But if the fans became aware, they would turn on the artist like a pack of dogs. Now the sin being committed didn't become worse because the fans became aware – but it did give the artists, promoters and publishers doing the attacking, the appearance of holiness. At least they seemed to believe it did. In most cases this was how you were chosen to be a 'sacrifice'. But in some cases groups or members of groups would make the 'sin' known of another so they could offer that person as the next 'sacrifice'. The logic behind that was never clear, jealousy, greed, self-righteousness; or to keep others from looking at what they wre doing, all of them have applied at times.

Now, please don't get me wrong, we are not to condone sin, it doesn't matter if the sin is adultery, homosexuality or gossiping, in reality, sin is sin. But the Bible clearly tells Christians how to handle sin.

In the New Testament, there are many things said about forgiveness, not just God's forgiveness of us but how we are to forgive. It shows us how to handle 'sin in the camp'. God have us two commandments in the New Testament – to love our brother (and sister) as ourselves and to go and tell others about Him. Our ability to do the second one is severely hindered when we don't do the first.

I know we are to stand against sin, I agree we should not condone continuing to live in unrepentant sin. But we are all guilty of sin! If we truly want to do what Jesus would do, we are to approach the sinner with love and compassion, not back-biting and condemnation. If they refuse to abandon the sin, they have made a choice but if we truly want to walk like Jesus, we are still to love them and pray for them. But what happens sometimes when you approach that 'sinner' you find that appearances were deceiving, they may not have done what you thought they did or there may be more to the story that paints it in a different light, such as the reason someone left a marriage. Instead of the husband leaving the good wife, maybe he left the adulterous and unrepentant wife, or maybe instead of leaving the fine husband she left the abusive and vindictive husband. Maybe they have struggled and been tempted but never completely given in to that struggle. There are many things you can learn if you approach the person in question with love and caring. It will shed understanding and lead to compassion in many cases, rather than finger pointing and the 'thank god I'm not like the publican' attitudes. But most importantly don't assume you know the whole story because 'he said this' or 'she told that'. No one other than those involved and God truly knows what happened in these situations.

Whether it is the fan sitting listening, a fellow artist, a promoter or a magazine (or e-zine) that covers gospel music; we need to remember "gospel, good news" Jesus died that we may be forgiven! Without that forgiveness, none of us has any hope!

It's not happening today on a regular basis, we are so busy condemning, is it any wonder that the lost don't want what we have? They are often more loving and compassionate that we are. The "We must uphold our standards no matter who gets hurt" attitude isn't born of love! We pick and choose who to forgive, like we really have that authority. A while back an artist got in trouble, he had battled with a sin for years and he did something stupid. This stupid thing brought national attention to his sin. There are artists that knew he had this problem, there are promoters and publishers that knew or at the very least were highly suspicious that he had the problem. You may ask why I say that. I say it because on occasions, long before this was revealed, I was party to conversations (many of them over the years, not just recently) where it was discussed by people who had sung on the stage with him or promoted him. One artist actually said to me when a situation came up involving someone else battling this same sin, "I've sung on stage with one of those, I don't intend to do it again". But until it became public, until the majority of the fans knew, how many of these people tried to help him? How many of these promoters still booked him and turned the other way because he was popular and they never said 'this is wrong'?

Few if any did anything other than talk behind his back, he drew a crowd, and people loved him, so his sin wasn't important. Yet once the fans knew about this, so many of them distanced themselves or worse attacked him. There were those who were friends, they stood and did what Jesus would do. They worked to help in restoring him. But many who profess to be so Godly, refused to 'eat with publicans and sinners'. And many are still doing that today.

We have to learn to stand against sin, without attacking the person. It must be done with love and compassion. If the last few months have taught me anything, it has taught me that we need to wake up. If I talk about a person, James tells me 'my tongue needs to be bridled'. That is sin, and sin is wrong. We may choose big sins and little sins but I'm so thankful that Jesus died for all sins.

I saw some people shedding tears recently that I know were tears of regret. How do I know that? A couple of them told me so, "I thought we would have more time", "I didn't think it would end like this or this soon". How much better it would have been to have shed those tears together in forgiveness and love than when it was too late to make it right. Or to have shed those tears while praying for someone that you feel is wrong or in trouble instead of stepping on them while they are down. Still others refuse to acknowledge that their self-righteous and hurtful attitudes are wrong even now. How sad, how much they are missing by overlooking the true forgiveness that God wants us to have. How narrow are their lives, when they are so busy trying to get the splinter out of your eye or mine, they can't see the beam in their own.

One other thing I have learned, you can't stay angry at someone you sincerely pray for, it doesn't work. Praying for a person with a need or who is battling a sin creates a bond, if you truly pray with a heart of concern; your ability to be judgmental and self-righteous will fade during that prayer. Asking God to help this person and give you the ability to reach them breaks barriers that refusing to forgive can build.

Lastly, I have learned to pick up the phone or go to people and tell them I love them, I appreciate them and if I think they are wrong it is ok to say so, if I say it in love without condemning them. I can only do that if I am in a right relationship with God. If I have prayed for them and asked for wisdom, then I can do this. And I have to realize that no matter what I say, I'm not their judge. God is their judge, they may not listen to me and that may make me angry but it still doesn't make me their judge! There may come a time I have to stand against what they are doing, but I can still pray for them and love them.

I realize in supporting a person or group there is a very fine line you walk. None of us wants to support the acts of someone willingly living in sin with no repentance. But if that person says they have repented and their actions give me no reason to doubt what they say, who am I to hold what they have done against them?

Gospel music has the message this world needs, but unless we are willing, from the fan to the artists, to the promoters, to the publishers; unless we are ALL willing to look at what Jesus would do and then follow His direction, that message will never reach everyone that it could. We are responsible for sharing that message. When satan has us so busy fighting each other we can't fight him, he is a victorious.

Now before you believe that I think all of gospel music is full of lying hypocrites let me share one other thing with you. Some of the kindest and most loving people I have ever met are a part of gospel music. When I went through a divorce many years ago it was friends in the SGM world who got me through it. They called to check on me, a couple helped me financially, they prayed with me and for me. When I am discouraged or going through a rough time, there are friends in SGM that I will ask to pray for me.

There are some really great, dedicated and Godly people in this music. Many have showed in recent years their ability to love and care for those who are in need. We don't need to ever forget that. We need to uplift them and all of those involved in this business/ministry every day. We have lost several of these good, Godly Christian people over recent months and it is imperative that others step into the gap they left.

We as Christians, whether in SGM or not, must care for the wounded. We must learn to show love and compassion to those that have fallen. We need to help them be restored and work together to carry the gospel- the good news of forgiveness "to the entire world." Only then can we truly understand the great commission and be a part of reaching souls for Jesus.

Reader Comments

Great article Dee. I agree 100% - care for our wounded, don't shoot them! Christ doesn't shoot - He forgives and restores.

God is good - all the time
All the time - God is good

Terrific article, Dee. I agree with you 100%. If God has forgiven, who do we think we are to not forgive!

God is good all the time & all the time God is good. 

Elaine Harcourt

You hit the nail on the head there!!! That is 110% correct!

Through His Blood, Alicia E. BaileyThrough His Blood, Alicia E. Bailey

erniefan said:
Just as "shooting" them down is wrong, so is giving the appearance it's alright. The world will not/cannot understand the forgiveness issue until they experience it first hand.

Again, I don't necessarily agree or disagree with the article. But I agree it's something of concern. We need to pray for promoters, agents, and the artists, that they not only follow Christian values, but that they know the author of those same values!!

my reply:

No one is saying that we should try to pretend it is right, instead of acknowledging wrong, in fact just the opposite. The concern I have had is that is 'ignored and treated as right' unless a majority of the fans learn of it, then they are 'shot'. Neither is correct if we are following Christian principles.

I do agree that we all need prayer, and if we pray as we should, God can make a difference in any situation.

DeeAnn
TGIF Today God Is First
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