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In recent weeks the 2004 Horizon Award winners, Safe Harbor, have sung several times near their home base of Pelzer, SC. We had the opportunity to spend some time with them while they were here.
Safe Harbor was founded 13 years ago and Johnny Beachum, lead singer is a founding member. We asked Johnny about some of the changes in the group since winning the Horizon Award.
"As a group we have not had that many changes over the years. The ones recently, Dale Vicars, baritone, leaving the road completely took a while to fill. We tried out a lot of guys and several of them traveled with us a few weeks each. Then God sent us Bryan Walker our way. I firmly believe he is the man that God wants in Safe Harbor to minister.
"Mike Presnell retired from singing, something he reserved to do and while we hated to see him go, we were happy he was able to do that. Again, our search for a bass singer took time and we waited to find the man we felt God had for us. Scott Townsend is that man.
"Almost any group in the industry has had turn over, things change. In the 13 years we have been singing we have really had less than most groups. We have had one person leave for another group, Keith Plott. Brian Norris left to start an intercity ministry in Ohio. Mike retired, Dale came off the road for his family, Kurt Rising left to become a state wide youth director in NC and Scott Bagwell left when his job moved to Virginia."
Chris Cooper adds, "What people often miss is that while this is a ministry, it is also our job and people do change jobs and careers every day. People often look at groups and think we are something different and we are not, we are human."
Speaking how God sent them Bryan, he's the son of David Walker, former singer with the Singing Americans and the Kingdom Heirs. We asked Bryan if that background was a plus or a minus when he considered singing full-time. "It has been both, at first I wasn't sure I wanted to do this. Growing up around it, I had seen both the good and the bad. But one day I realized this was what God had given me the talent to do. I filled in for Scott Inman with Triumphant and during those two weeks I was happier than I had ever been, emotionally and spiritually. Eventually the Lord sent me to the right group."
When asked about their goals, Johnny shares, "Chris and I own the group but we all talk about everything, we know that we still have a way to go to reach our goals. My mother made a statement to me several years ago, 'Johnny, when God gets the 4 men in your group that He wants there, you will begin to really see His blessings.' I believe we are at that place today. Our number one priority is to be a soul-saving station for God and be used of Him.
"Are we where we want to be? Absolutely not, but we will never be satisfied, we will always strive to do more for Him, regardless of our success from the world's standards. We want to be better every time someone sees us and for our focus to be more directed every time someone sees us."
When asked why he believes so strongly that this is the group that God wants together in Safe Harbor, Johnny answers, "I've been here the entire 13 ½ years and this is the first time that all four men on the bus have exactly the same focus and goals. All four of us are on the same page; no one is deviating from our goals. We know what our job is; we have four men from four different states and two different denominations - three if you see Independent Baptist and Southern Baptist as different. We are from four different backgrounds and upbringings yet we compliment each other perfectly. God has sent so many people to give us a word from Him. In fact, the last time we were at this church, the men of the church gathered around us to pray for us and our ministry. The pastor said to Chris and me, 'God has two men out there that you have never met that will complete this ministry. And you are going to have to trust God to bring them to you.' Now Chris and I had been talking to and interviewing people we knew. About four days later we talked to Scott and we knew. It took a while to replace Dale with Bryan. We had some people who could flat sing, they could have done the job but we didn't have peace about it. Regardless of what people think, we are going to do what God tells us"
When asked about their growth this past year and the hardest part of that growth, Chris replied, "We have grown as our goals have become not just career oriented but are spiritually oriented. We don't leave the bus without praying and having a devotion and read scripture together before we go into minister to others. We share what is on our hearts with each other. When we get into the Word together we grow, you can't get into the Word and not grow. It gives you unity, it creates a different feeling. We grow because we get into the Word together."
Bryan adds, 'Exactly what I was going to say. The one thing that unifies is getting into the scripture together. The truth of the Lord, no ifs, ands or buts about it, we share from the scripture and share what is on our hearts. Traveling the way we do, you get to know the hearts very quickly of those you are with and where they stand on the scripture. These guys see everything; they see the life you live."
Johnny says, "The hardest part is negativity in the industry towards many groups. But no matter what you do, people will talk about you. Instead of supporting and praying for you, they think and say the worse. It doesn't work the way it should. The saying is that Christians are the only ones who kick their wounded when they have a problem."
Chris has sung with N'Harmony, Won By One and filled in with Legacy Five, we asked why he believes this is where he is supposed to be right now. "When I left Won By One, I had the attitude, I'm tired of struggling, I'm tired of coming home with $200 offerings, it seemed like you could never get any where and I was sick and tired of it. I said I would not sing again unless the group came along that could pay me top dollar, I'm not going to do it any more. The next thing that happened is Scott Fowler called me and I thought 'this is it'. But God had other plans. God showed me that He wasn't through with me singing. There were several groups with vacancies that I was talking to, it was a time in my life where I had started to grow spiritually and I just asked the Lord to take away all the options He didn't want me to have and leave the one He wanted. Little by little they began to fall away and then a group I had never heard of and had no desire to sing with, five hours from my home, God left that group standing there. And low and behold the girl that I met while with Legacy Five and I'm now married to lived seven miles from them."
Bryan is often the comic relief for the group but when asked what other attributes he brings to this ministry he relates how God called him in December 2002 to be in the ministry and to speak His word. While he feels he hasn't totally fulfilled that, he has the opportunity to do that here. He also does the booking for the group. He also is the one who 'throws the curve ball' to see that they look at all sides of an issue.
When asked what song best describes him and his Christian walk Bryan replies, "Shoutin' On The Hills of Glory". And when asked if he sees himself with Safe Harbor 5 years down the road he firmly answered, "Yes, I do. I don't know what God has down the road and I want to follow Him but I believe I will be here. I know there will be struggles, I know this because I haven't had to go through that many and I will probably have to experience some of those. To be able to appreciate some of the things God will do, I will need to experience those. Satan plays with your mind a lot and I need to be aware of that."
Bryan and Scott still live out of state from the group, Bryan in Tennessee and Scott in Georgia but they both are ready when the time comes to move to South Carolina. They know as the dates become more plentiful, it will 'behoove them' to move - and you really had to be there to understand how funny 'behooving them' is!
Scott is the quiet one in the group and when asked about the constant chatter, he says he helps to balance the group. They on the other hand say he just falls asleep when they are all talking! Some of them are so out going it helps to have someone who is more laid back.
Bryan interjects, "Scott is very quiet on stage and in front of a lot of people but there is another side of him that you need to see." With his tongue planted firmly in his check he continues, "It's exciting!"
The one most important thing that Scott wants to accomplish is to do the Lord's will and be the kind of person that people can come to when they have a need. To talk with them and pray with them, to live the life that God wants him to live. Chris added one other thing, "To be with this group for 25 years."
One of Scott's favorite songs is "Just a Step from Calvary" that was written by Johnny's grandfather. Johnny quickly names his grandfather as one of his favorite songwriters.
Johnny laughs about the group all being younger than him now when for years he was the youngest. He knows that God has put His hand on his group and the level of commitment is what makes the difference between 'long term and short term' for this group.
One exciting thing upcoming for Safe Harbor is the live video they are recording in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee May 22nd. They will be there with the Martins. They will also be opening for Signature Sound in Greenville, SC on April 20th.
When asked why a promoter should book Safe Harbor the answers were as diverse the members of the group. Energy, anointing, excitement, appeal to a wide age range but Chris may have summed it up best, "A promoter's goal is ultimately to make money and have the people there enjoy the show and you can get all of these things for less money that some of the other groups! We have found a combination that has both ministry and entertainment."
Having spent time with them we were also able to be a part of the devotion and prayer time with them before the concert. It was a time of sweet fellowship that truly reinforced our love for the men in this group. In the year and a half since winning the Horizon Award, they have had a few setbacks. But we saw them in a quiet reserved Baptist church and spirit filled Church of God and in each their ministry and entertainment touched those who were there. Were these things really setbacks or opportunities God allowed to see them grow?
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Written: 04/01/2006 
Author: Dee Ann Bailey
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DeeAnn Bailey
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