Add this entry to Your Favorites | [0] Favorites [3] Comments

Please wait...

I greatly enjoyed the response to my first article last month. I was surprised with the direction that each debate took and how many different opinions there were. Some were very thought provoking and intelligent, while others were the usual idiotic responses. The latter prove that there are people who really don’t care about our industry at all. They post opinions, start debates, and then are offended by the responses they get. They seem to be more concerned about syntax, punctuation, and grammar than they were about the point at hand. For that reason, I have asked a third party to proof-read my articles before they are submitted. I would hate for some people to miss the point of my articles, because their self-righteous mote hunting gets in the way. It was also pointed out to me that I do not follow protocol because I respond to the readers and their comments. On this one, I say that I really don’t care. I can assure you that if I am going to take the time to write the article, I am going to take the time to follow up on it. I am not sure where that book of protocol is, but I have read a lot of books in my life and have never found that one. It was said ( regarding my last article ) that my sloppy writing skills ( the misuse of a word or two ) was in some way a reflection of the problems we face in our industry. That is simply absurd!! This was probably the kind of person who would veer off the point of the State Of The Union Address because the president used the word “ Strategery “ or got all freaked out and took Rick Warren seriously when he used the phrase “ Cone Of Silence “ during the Saddleback Forum. That kind of self indulgent snobbery is why this country and the Southern Gospel Muisc Industry is in a mess. Some people have risen to a level of self driven superiority (not to be confused with striving for perfection) that makes everybody an expert on protocol and etiquette. I said all that to say this, there is no rule book! Get over it! I never claimed to be the world’s greatest writer, but I was asked to write a monthly article. So like it or not, I’m going to keep sharing my thoughts, convictions and opinions with you.

The Debate:

Entertainment or Ministry?

Mankind has wrestled with this age-old question only to find themselves at odds over business and the call to minister. Let me just say, as always, this is just my OPINION. Anything more would put me in the self-proclaimed EXPERT category.

I have been watching for some time as this debate has swelled to the size of a downright FIGHT. On one side we have the entertainers who oppose anyone who does not meet their qualifications of musical ability. On the other side we have the ministry only crowd who oppose anyone who does not meet their qualifications of spirituality. Well, they’re both WRONG! On both sides of this debate we have two distinct groups who are neither qualified nor justified in their argument. With their high brow, intellectual hollowness, they have created a mess.

Group 1:

The Entertainers.

This group would have us believe that our industry should be separated into two parts: the professionals and the amateurs. Unfortunately, their own list of qualifications is biased and corrupt. They would tell you that they are looking for a certain quality (in their opinion). Also, if you break the boundaries of the almighty CHART or get a nod of approval from someone at the top, they will let you in the group or their clique. That in itself destroys their definition of quality. One of the big problems with our industry is the fact that no one knows the rules. They like to claim that they do, but at the first opportunity to make a little money they will toss out the rulebook and write a new one to accommodate their new found endeavor.

This group has a valid point that we cannot ignore. We should all strive for a higher level of quality. Of course we should. God expects nothing less. We should take pride in what we do and should try to rise above the common and mundane and reach for the best we can be.

This group wants the SHOW to be at the level of our secular counterparts and to compete for the markets beyond the boundaries of the fences we have built around Southern Gospel. Unfortunately, they have dismissed the GOD factor. If GOD wants something done, he will do it. This group can’t stop GOD from bringing up the next McKameys or Bishops whenever He sees fit to do so. The entertainers are unhappy with that. The illusion that they somehow have control over who gets in, when they get in and where they get in, is fueling their every effort. They are consumed with trying to control the industry, but they tend to ignore what God is doing in the process.

Another problem that plagues some Christian entertainers is that they ignore and close their eyes to sin.

We’ve got GUYS running around the NQC and other events wearing MAKEUP!! Not theatre anti-reflective makeup for lighting. I mean GIRLY, GIRL MAKEUP, like eyeliner and such. But it seems to be ok as long as they sing with some quartet that puts on a good show. ARE YOU KIDDING ME!?!

We’ve got women showing more flesh than on the cover of some magazines, but we look the other way because they sing with some TOP NOTCH group and that makes it okay. Somewhere along the way we have all gone INSANE!

Just because you support entertainment does not justify the support of SIN. If you support SIN, you enable it as well. I don’t really care who I make mad at me, but regardless of how good someone performs or sings, if they look and act like a homosexual, we should not enable or support that action. If some woman, regardless of who she is, in the upper ranks of Southern Gospel gets rid of her old husband, gets herself a new BOY fifteen or twenty years her junior, and runs around looking like some kind of street walker, we should not enable or support that either.

But this group seems okay with all of that. As long as you entertain, record with the right company, and make some money, the rest is okay. It’s NOT okay. We can entertain people right into hell if we are not careful. We have a responsibility to comport ourselves in a different way. Just because we sing on a stage, it does not excuse us from living our life in the public eye as Christian examples, and showing some discretion in our actions. I believe in entertainment, but not at the cost of a soul.

Group 2:

The Ministry Only Crowd

This group likes to push the concept that if you are not ministry minded you should get out of their way. With their self-righteousness in tow, they hammer away at anyone who will listen. They also have a valid point that we cannot ignore. Without a heart and genuine concern for people (lost or otherwise), our efforts are pointless. I agree with that, however, I have seen a lot of people who HIDE behind the word “Ministry.” Many of these individuals lack the talent to do much more than sing in local churches and do benefits. So in order to validate themselves, they shout, “Ministry!”

There is nothing wrong with singing in local churches, or simply singing for fun, but that does not make you a ministry-not by a long shot. They seem to think they are “Special” in some way. They brag about their ministry and are very arrogant in front of people. They brag that they are not concerned with “the business” and are only in it for “the ministry.” They often use the phrase, “we didn’t come here to put on a show.” I DON’T BUY THAT AT ALL!! Some of my favorite preachers have some of the best SHOWS I have ever seen

It amazes me, how in the same breath, they start bragging about their ministry and then begin to talk about their latest single or the record deal they just got. If your ministry is your ONLY concern, what do you need a record deal for?

This group also has a “CLIQUE”. It is comprised of the “Holy” crowd. As long as you are spiritual and mix a little bit of long-winded testifying in with your singing and call it preaching, you can get in this clique. It doesn’t matter if you’re an abomination or even an idiot; just act a little holy, renounce business, and you’re in.

This group tends to ignore the GOD factor as well. They seem to assume that as long as they claim to be indifferent to the industry or its politics, that’s all they will need for GOD’S approval. They seem to miss the part where GOD can use anyone he chooses. They forget our self-righteousness is as filthy rags before GOD.

This group tends to pat each other on the back and give obligatory hugs regardless of how terrible the performance was. Then when someone with REAL talent gets up on stage, they become so envious and jealous they can’t stand it. Later at the Waffle House they will gossip about how the talented singer is only in it for the money. This is an attempt to justify their own inadequacies, lack of talent, and laziness in not trying to improve at all.

Group 3:

The Middle Ground.

I take the middle ground and believe we need BOTH Entertainment and Ministry. Whether we like it or not, our listeners are going to be entertained. If you refuse to believe that we are competing on some level with one another you are kidding yourself. You can believe all you want that Ministry alone will get the job done. Christians and non-Christians are listening to artists like Rascal Flatts and Carrie Underwood and if you have not done your homework, you are going to PALE in comparison. Every day we are competing with television, movies and secular radio. They are all light years ahead of our little corner of the world. A sad reality for the ministry only crowd is that we cannot even come close in our best efforts to getting anyone’s attention by getting up on stage and singing our Southern Gospel music in some boring and halfway done manner. And for the entertainment bunch, you can forget competing with the light shows and theatrics of the secular stage shows. Even the grandest show Gaither could ever put together wouldn’t even come close.

Let’s consider what might work. What if we entertained the best possible way we can and when we have their attention, we allow the anointing of the Holy Spirit to take over and begin to minister THROUGH us? WOW, what an idea! That has been working for years for a few who have tried it. There is one group in particular I have seen use this concept. The Pfeifers (whether you like them or not) have mastered this combination. Not only do they entertain on a massive level, they minister in an anointed way. Anyone who has ever worked with them would have to agree. On top of that, they have a flourishing home ministry. They are getting it done and GOD is blessing them. They use every resource they can and every inch of the industry as a tool to reach their goals of ministry. They are constantly trying to figure out how to make their show better so they can gain as much attention as possible in order to spread the gospel. It is a beautiful thing when done right.

Jesus said “go into the highways and hedges, and compel them to come in.” The word compel suggests getting excited and showy about it and to speak with passion and conviction about the gospel of Jesus Christ. There are a lot out there that are just plain boring and others that only have a show with no spirit at all. Neither one effectively compels anyone to do anything. By the way, when you get saved you are immediately called to ministry, to go out and testify to the lost, and to compel them to come in.

There are certain leaders in our industry and the Christian market as a whole who have become disgustingly hypocritical. They preach the message of integrity and holiness, then turn around and allow washed-up has been Country Music artists to share our stage and radio markets. It sickened me to see Randy Travis and Carrie Underwood sharing airtime with The Hoppers and Greater Vision. To top it all off, TBN parades these people around like heroes. Did it ever occur to anyone that the only reason they are even over here is to either launch a career, i.e. ( Carrie Underwood, Josh Turner) or because they are on the backside of their career, i.e. ( Randy Travis, The Oakridge Boys, Colin Ray). I do not have an issue with these people, but they are not in the ministry in any way at all. This is just one more example of us simply turning our heads and allowing this sort of thing to continue because they are stars. Maybe we think some of that stardust will rub off and help us in some way.

My Point: the public has no problem accepting these people who ENTERTAIN even though they are not getting ministered to by them. Maybe we should wake up and see what’s going on here. We need to take back what is OURS! Let’s go out there and give them a great SHOW!! (Yes I said Show) Then allow GOD to use us to minister to them in a way they never saw coming. We may even reach a few new people while we are at it, gain a new listening audience, and build Southern Gospel music up larger than it has ever been!! WOW, that would be GREAT!
I don’t really care what you think of my skills as a writer as long as you understand what I am saying. If you want to see my SKILLS, come see my SHOW. It is my goal to combine entertainment and ministry to the glory of God. You might just get ministered to. Shane Roark

Add this entry to Your Favorites | [0] Favorites [0] Comments

Please wait...

The phrase “passing the buck” means transferring responsibility or blame to another person. The phrase got started back in the second half of the 19th century when people played a lot of poker. There was lots of cheating going on, and so they would change the dealer with each turn. They passed a knife with a buckhorn handle from person to person to determine who would be the next dealer. When someone didn’t want the responsibility of dealing or the blame for dealing a bad hand they would “pass the buck” – the knife – to the next person. Hence the term “passing the buck” came to be known as not wanting the responsibility or blame

PASSING THE BUCK IS AS OLD AS HUMANITY

The art of passing the buck became a part of the human race at the very moment sin did. Before the fall, Adam and Eve were content with each other and whatever they had. But as soon as they sinned, their first response was to pass the buck. Eve blamed the snake and Adam blamed Eve. Adam even went so far as to give God some blame too when he reminded God that it was “the woman you gave me” who had caused all the problems. The “blame” game began then and continues to this day.

It’s easy to pass the buck. It takes very little intestinal fortitude to blame someone else for our failures. Little children are exceptional “buck passers”… “Sis spilled the milk”… “He hit me first”… “The dog ate my homework.” Part of their maturing process is learning to accept responsibility for their actions.

It is sometimes easier for many in SGM to pass the responsibility of their failure to others. I’ve heard lots of passing the buck and blaming others for lack of progress; “Our song didn’t chart,” Our mix was bad,” Our booking agent didn’t get us any dates,”… on and on and on and on.

There is no doubt in my mind that SGM is the finest music that exists. It grieves me to see that at times we haven’t properly handled the gift God has given us. The answers to the problems and lack of growth for many artists have little or nothing to do with whom is running SGM, the politics involved, or whether SGM is failing.

Listen friends, spouting off is easy. Providing solutions takes a little more brainpower.

THE BUCK STOPS HERE

In the history of this great nation, there have been times of immense difficulty and upheaval. Decades ago, when Harry S. Truman was our President, our nation was going through such a time of disparity and discouragement, and then, as now, there was lots of finger pointing, blame and passing the buck. President Truman coined a phrase that inspired and uplifted the country. He had the phrase made into a sign and placed it on his desk for all to see. This phrase, “THE BUCK STOPS HERE,” was President Truman’s way of saying, “No blaming others…not on my watch”!

When a “newbie” in SGM accepts this premise… “THE BUCK STOPS HERE”… that is when the solutions I teach can take root in fertile soil.

“EARNING” vs. “LEARNING”

It is my often-stated opinion that there is nothing wrong with folks trying to make money. There is not a company or an artist in SGM that can operate without making money. It is easy to spout off about all the “eeevil” people in SGM making money. Making money is not evil – loving money is evil. If making money helps your ministry keep going, then you will be reaching more people with the good news of the Gospel.

However, there is a trend developing among the up and coming artists that is so subtle and yet it is one of the core reasons that will guarantee a group’s failure. When a group concentrates on “earning” at the expense of “learning” there is not much hope of a long career in SGM.


Over the last several years I have had countless meetings and one on one teaching sessions with “newbies” and here is what they want to know:

How do we stop coming out of our pocket to pay for our ministry?

• How do we get more bookings?


• How do we get better offerings?


• How do we increase our sales?


• How do we find fresh new songs?


• How do we move up to another level?

• “Record with us, we are a full service company…you will feel at home.”


• “Let us promote your next single, we are promoting over 70 artists.”


• “Come to NQC.”


• “Buy an ad in our magazine.”


• “Buses for sale.”


• “Let us help you with your sound system.”

Add this entry to Your Favorites | [0] Favorites [0] Comments

Please wait...

Add this entry to Your Favorites | [0] Favorites [1] Comments

Please wait...

Sometimes I wonder just how much prayer and thought we, as Gospel Singers, put into what we sing, the way we write our songs and the way we sing them.

When I was teaching in the Music School, I often taught a workshop on just what Gospel Music really is. I would like to address that very subject this month, because I believe in order to sing the music right, you must have the right music, and you must know what Gospel music really is, according to the scripture. In order for the music to be right, it must be written by people who know what the music really means, and sung by singers who know the man that they are singing about. I'll grant that a song written by a person who knows the subject personally can be sung by any singer and others will receive the message. I believe the Bible tells us that "God will not let His word return void",

However, to be the most effective witness you can be, LIVE IT. The story,when sung by someone who lives it,always does the work that it was originally designed to do, and that is to win the hearts of men and women who are lost; to comfort the weary; and uplift the soul who is battling with some outside problem such as health issues, financial issues, or just general interference in their lives by satan and his minions.

What is music? Webster says: "The art of putting tones together in various melodies, rythms, and harmonies to form compositions for singing or playing on instruments".
That is the secular definition.

However, if we look into the Greek word used for music or singing in the Bible, we find that it is always used to mean "Praise To God". That particular Greek word is actually ADO.

There is another Greek word used for singing in the Bible and that is PSALLO. It literally means to sing " Psalms, Hymns and Spiritual songs,singing and making melody
IN YOUR HEART to the Lord". This quote comes from Ephesians 5:19. Note here that real music comes from THE HEART. This explains why genuine annointed Gospel music is music that comes from someone's heart who has experienced the subject.

Colossians 3:16 says: "Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdon; teaching and admonishing one another in Psalms and hymns, and spiritual songs, singing ,WITH GRACE IN YOUR HEART , TO THE LORD."

What does this mean? It literally means that when you receive the grace of the Lord in your heart, the singing that you should be doing is what comes from your heart that has been cleansed, through Jesus blood, by the grace of God. Therefore the singing would necessarily be Psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs. All gospel singing should be a form of worship to God. Now I know that some of you think that we can have Gospel singing as entertainment. I believe that is possible, but the singer, even though he or she is very entertaining with their singing, will have to have something good (God) in his or her heart, in order to really fulfill the mission that God has set forth for us as Christians, and as a consequence of that, he or she will sing that good news in a blessed and anointed way. When done this way singing will minister to people in the way it is supposed to, even though it seems to be entertaining also at the time.

A. SINGING GOSPEL MUSIC IS IMPORTANT TO WORSHIP, AND MINISTRY , BECAUSE WE, AS the SCRIPTURE COLOSSIANS 3:16 SAYS:

1. Speak to one another through it


2. We admonish or build up one another through it.


3. It brings melody from our heart (inner being), which builds up the individual singing as well as those listening.


4. It helps "the word of Christ dwell in us with all wisdom".
   
   (a) GOOD SONGS LIFT UP THE LORD!


5. We teach one another through music. Especially through music that is Bible based, and isn't necessarily promoting the latest fad in worship or ministry in the modern church.

1. Birds sing, Psalm 104:12


2. Trees sing ,1 Chronicles 16:33


3. Mountains sing, Isaiah 55:12


4. Believers sing, Ephesians 5:19


5. The Redeemed sing, Revelation 5:9


6. Angels sing, Job 38:7

1. Times of Victory , Exodus 15:1-21


2. Revelry , Exodus 32:18


3. Imprisonment, Acts 16:25


4. Joy , James 5:13


5. The Lord's Supper, Matthew 26:30

Add this entry to Your Favorites | [0] Favorites [0] Comments

Please wait...

HAVE A CHRIST CENTERED CHRIST-MAS! If there is anything else that is more important in your life, then you have missed not only the true meaning of Christmas, but the true meaning of being a Christian.

This time of year always seems to bring a lot of great memories and reflections from a year gone by so fast. The one thing that I love seeing is more people and businesses saying Merry Christmas instead of the so-called correctness of Happy Holidays or the dreaded Merry X-mas (I really dislike that one)! The lights, the nativity scenes in windows and yards, and nicely decorated trees in houses and shops always seem to get us in the mood for fellowship (eating food) with friends and family. During that time, don't forget that there are so many folks that are struggling. Whether it is money problems, lost jobs, addiction, depression, or just life, give of yourself this year and help those around you that are less fortunate. Tell them of a Savior that can change every situation if we only trust in Him.

The Cavaliers Quartet want to thank SoGospelnews.com for allowing us and so many artists the opportunity to connect with you, the fans of the best music with a message. Make sure to keep up with us at http://www.cavaliersquartet.com .

Hey, why don't we encourage each other right now by leaving some comments about your favorite memory of Christmas past or of a loved one that shared the true meaning of Christ-mas with you. How fun would that be? In His Arms!Anthony, Ben, Jason, Wayne The Cavaliers Quartet

http://www.cavaliersquartet.com

Add this entry to Your Favorites | [0] Favorites [2] Comments

Please wait...

The King's Heralds have been around a long time, but haven't had a presence in Southern Gospel Music that long. I'm sure that we have many readers who aren't aware of your history. Can you share some of your history with us?

The musical journey of The King’s Heralds began in 1927 at what is now Southwestern Union College in Keene, Texas.  Lewis, Waldo and Wesley Crane along with bass singer Ray Turner from Oklahoma, began a quartet that they called The Lone Star Four. These four young men were studying nursing but wanted to use their musical talents for the Lord. Times were hard, and because they had no extra money with which to buy instruments, they bought a pitch pipe, which was all they could afford, and began singing gospel songs acapella. It wasn’t too long before Pastor R.L. Benton heard this young quartet and recognized that there just might be some potential there. He invited the group to join him on his radio broadcast that he was pioneering at the time on KFPL from Waco, Texas.  

A decade had past and in 1937 another radio preacher, H.M.S. Richards, invited the quartet to become part of what would soon become the national radio broadcast The Voice of Prophecy. Since the broadcast was taped in the Los Angeles area, the group relocated to California. Pastor Richards felt that the quartet needed a name that would more clearly define the mission of the group to their new found radio audience. Not long thereafter, the name The King’s Heralds was adopted. Wherever H.M.S. Richards was called to preach, The King’s Heralds were always there singing before he brought his message. As a result, doors have opened over the years for the group to share Jesus in some 50 countries worldwide sharing the Gospel in song. Some of the audiences have included command performances for kings and heads of state.

In 1982, the group left The Voice Of Prophecy and became an independent ministry, however, every combination of King’s Heralds continue to share the vision and the mission of those who have come before  to take the gospel unto all the world. Over the years there have been 30 men who have been a part of the rich musical history of The King’s Heralds. As a matter of fact, there is a whole other combination of King’s Heralds who are retired who live in California. They get together and play golf two or three times a week. Occasionally they will venture out and sing for some special event. The amazing thing is that even though they have not really sung together all that often over the past several years, it’s as if they never retired. They are singing just as good if not better than when they were in the road fulltime.  In October of 2007, our original bass singer Ray Turner passed away. He was 99 years old.

As I said before, you guys have decided to make your presence known in SGM, but it hasn't been that long ago that you made that decision. How have you been accepted in the industry? What's the ride been like?

Actually, we are pretty happy with the way that things are going for us in The Southern Gospel community. As most folks know, even though we are probably the oldest continuous gospel quartet in America and maybe even the world, we are relative new comers to Southern Gospel. Everyone has been very gracious and to us and doors have been opening as a result of our appearing at places such as SoGospelNews Fan Festival and NQC. Our song, "All The Time Ready," is climbing the charts and as a result promoters are calling. Last year we sang in 45 new venues and it looks like next year will be more than that. We are humbled and grateful that we have been able to make as many friends as we have in such a short amount of time. To tell you the truth, it has all sort of happened so fast that sometimes we can’t believe it ourselves. We just say Praise the Lord and just keep going!  

This is the second year that you guys have been at the National Quartet Convention. You guys have performed both years, but in a different way than most groups. Tell us what you did, what it was like, and how it was accepted?

The National Quartet Convention has become one of the highlights of our year. Back in 2006, we decided that we would get a booth and just get acquainted with several of the artists whose music we had enjoyed over the years. We really didn’t plan to sing at all.  That is of course until our bass singer, Jeff Pearles, started making some phone calls to let some of his friends know that we would be at the convention all week long. Long story short, we wound up getting invited to sing on several showcases that year.  The following year in 2007, the convention contacted us about an idea they had for using the King’s Heralds in an unusual way. They had heard that we sing more acapella than most groups and wanted to know if we would be interested in performing one acapella song every night in the main auditorium from the audience. Since this had never been done before, we all wondered exactly how it would work. They told us that in an effort to help give the M.C.’s a break during the evening, they would like to for us to sing while the stage was being changed for the bluegrass groups since that takes a little extra time. We agreed to give it a try. To tell you the truth, we were a little worried about how we would be accepted. However, it went over so well that we were invited to do the same thing again last year in addition to performing on several of the showcases during the week. As a result, we have become known as the group who sings the acapella song in the main auditorium every night. Even though we do quite a bit of acapella singing it is by no means the sum total of what we do. However, if that is how the folks remember us we certainly don’t mind. We feel that we have gained some acceptance in the southern gospel community and for that we are grateful.

You guys are the first national group since the Imperials back in the 1970s who have been a racially mixed group. In view of that, do you feel that you are treated any differently than any other group in the industry? It certainly hasn't hampered your success.

We feel that being a racially mixed group has worked to our advantage for a couple of reasons.  First, it brings diversity, not only from an imaging standpoint, but musically as well.  Doors of opportunity have opened for us that would have not otherwise opened on account of this diversity. We do not feel that we have been treated any differently or unfairly because of this. When you actually stop and try to see things and feel things from another person’s perspective, it makes your world that much bigger. It’s a growing process.  The message of the Gospel is for everyone. When trying to reach all people with the gospel, it helps when you can have a small insight into how people who have had a different background than you think. We feel that since we have had the privilege of gaining small insights like this from our overseas travel, and being such a diverse group of guys, we are better equipped to reach more people with the gospel.

The King's Heralds have some great, but very complicated arrangements. Who comes up with those arrangements? Does Jeff Pearles really have a hard time learning his part?

It seems that everywhere we go, folks are interested in how we get our arrangements and who does them. Actually our baritone Russell Hospedales does a fair amount of arranging for the group. For those of you who have heard some of those arrangements, you can attest to the fact that they are not what you would consider the norm for southern gospel. Russell has challenged us musically…especially Jeff. It all goes back to the diversity thing that we talked about in the previous question. His musical influences are groups like The Singers Unlimited, Take 6, The Manhattan Transfer, The Real Group, The King Singers etc. His arranging reflects not only elements of classical music, but jazz as well. He is a graduate of the New York Conservatory of Jazz, so he has a lot to draw from when arranging.  On our latest recording, I Just Can’t Wait, we also tapped into the arranging and producing talents of Wayne Haun. He did an outstanding job of making sure that our recording was palatable to the southern gospel community, while at the same time making sure that there was something on the recording stylistically for everyone. Each individual in the group is so musically diverse. For example, Russell is a jazz guy. Joel Borg, our lead, studied classical music as well as opera in college. Don Scroggs the first tenor is opera trained. When folks ask our bass singer, Jeff Pearles,  where he studied music, he’s quick to tell them out behind the barn.  By his own admission, he has no formal training in music whatsoever. The training he does have is first-hand knowledge and stage experience from all of his years in singing with some of southern gospels finest groups. Someone at one of our concerts observed that it is truly amazing how you can bring a group as diverse as we are together and have something that people not only enjoy listening to, but something that actually works on stage.

Who brings the most junk food on the trips? Who eats the healthiest? Who snores the loudest? Who is most blackmailable because they talk so much in their sleep?

What a loaded question. Well, actually as far as the junk food thing goes, we all try to maintain fairly healthy diets on the road. You will notice that we said try. That isn’t always possible to the extent that we would like but we do make an effort. However, here is typical snack food for each member of the group. Let’s start with Russell. He can be seen regularly snacking on trail mix and vitamin water. Joel’s main snack on the road is either almonds or Fritos. For Don the main staple is coffee and lots of it. As a matter of fact we have joked that we are going to put him on an I.V. drip of nothing but coffee! Jeff’s favorite snack these days is the peanut butter cliff protein bars. So there you have it in a nutshell. As to who is the healthiest….you decide. Now on to more important matter like who snores the loudest. This question has one clear cut winner. And the winner is…..Russell!! As a matter of fact Jeff has requested that when we check into a hotel, that he not have the room next to Russell. Jeff say’s he snores so loud that he can hear him through the walls! As far as who talks in their sleep..we don’t know because we get separate rooms every night.

What's the most moving thing to happen while on the road, both on the stage and off the stage?

There are several moving things that have happened recently. One that stands out happened within the last couple of months. We were doing a church service in the Southeast. We had a wonderful service and we felt blessed ourselves for having the opportunity to be there. Just as we were packing up getting ready to leave for our evening service we got word that a gentleman who had attended that morning had recently been diagnosed with cancer.  We were told that he was angry with God for permitting this to happen. He was having a difficult time praying and had resigned himself to the fact that he was going to die. After that morning service, he sought out the pastor of that church for some encouragement and counseling because of the encouragement that he had received from the music. We have not been told how that situation turned out, but the bottom line is you never know how The Lord will use music to penetrate a heart. We would have never known that had ever happened unless someone told us. For every story that we hear about, there are several that we don’t hear about. We are reminded of the single mother and her two daughters as well as her youngest daughter’s best friend that we met a few months back. They came to one of our concerts and afterwards the mother came up to Jeff and said that her youngest daughter and her best friend had not been saved and wanted to get saved that night. What a wonderful privilege it was for Jeff and Joel to sit down with them and share God’s plan of salvation. They shared with them for over 45 minutes and were able to help them pray about some things that they were facing in their lives. The girls were both saved as a result of the Holy Spirit working through music that night. The one thing that we have learned is that you never know what is going on in the lives of the people that come to the concerts. Some are dealing with things that are unimaginable.


You guys do a lot of missionary ministry. Tell us a little of some of the places you have been been and what it was like ministering there? Is there anything from one of those missionary trips that really changed your lives?

Over the past 82 years the group has had the privilege to have ministered in over 50 countries worldwide. Last year we traveled to South Africa and sang to record crowds as well as South Korea. One thing that we are finding out is that are folks outside this country are hungry for the Gospel. They do not have the many luxuries that we enjoy here in this country. Nearly four years ago, the group spent an entire month in Africa doing crusades in which we did the preaching and the singing. That was something new for the group since we are trained as singers and not preachers. There were over 2500 people in attendance during the week and nearly 40,000 on the weekends. At the end of the crusade 1062 people made decisions for Jesus Christ. While we were there, we had the opportunity to fly out into the bush and visit some of the villages. When we got there we told them that we were Americans on Safari and that we wanted to visit their village. We were welcomed and as a kind gesture, the women and children of the village wanted to sing for us. Now keep in mind that they no idea that we were a singing group. After the woman and children sang, the men sang a very powerful song. Well, we couldn’t let that opportunity go by, so we sang a song for them in their native tongue. Over the years the King’s Heralds have recorded in 32 languages including several African dialects. When we had finished singing, a young man stepped forward pointed at us and said in perfect English, “You are the King’s Heralds aren’t you?” You talk about us being surprised! We said “yes, how did you know?” He said, “Our entire village are Christians and we have been listening to your music for years.” So, you never know who your music will reach. If you have never had the opportunity to go on a mission trip, we would encourage you to do so. We guarantee that your life will never be the same.

What can the fans expect to see when the come to a King's Heralds church service or concert? How could a Pastor or Promoter get in touch with you for service or concert?

We believe that a King’s Heralds concert should first and foremost, honor Jesus Christ. That is our purpose every time we take the stage. However, we also believe that we should have fun while we are doing that. The first half of the concert is light and fun. Lots of singing and laughter. We sing some new songs as well as some old favorites. However, last 20 minutes we really get serious with the people and get them to thinking about salvation and their eternal destiny. Our main goal is to present the gospel in a positive and relaxed way. It is very important to us that the audience feel relaxed and comfortable. We feel that humor is a great way to break the ice with folks. You would be surprised at how many uptight churches there are in this country. We feel that it is our job to get the folks involved in the concert. We are always trying to break down walls and barriers and encourage the people to participate either by singing along or asking questions. Sometimes we do a question and answer segment that works out really well. The bottom line is we just want folks to know that we are just common people trying to fulfill the gospel commission. The last half of the concert is specifically designed to challenge the people to get out of their comfort zone and do something for the Lord they have never done before, so we can spend eternity in a place we’ve never been before! We always welcome the opportunity to minister wherever the Lord opens the door. We believe the Gospel is for EVERYONE! If there are any pastors or promoters interested in having The King’s Heralds you can reach us a couple of different ways. The first one is our website. Our web address is: www.theheralds.org

Rest Area Ahead

Add this entry to Your Favorites | [0] Favorites [0] Comments

Please wait...

I am a “race horse” who lives in a world full of turtles. I love to gallop, except for when I can run at full speed. Deadlines and schedules are motivators for me. I don’t like “late-nicks.” My mantra is, “It is better to be fifteen minutes early than to be fifteen seconds late”. That is my long-running philosophy that has served me well in life. My race-horse mentality is never more in evidence than when I travel.

I am very utilitarian when I am on the road. Therefore, I have only stopped at a handful of Rest Areas in my 40+ years of traveling (unless there was female or a dog traveling with me). I have driven by many opportunities to pull over, stretch my legs, rest my brain and relax my body. Many times I have zoomed past these exits of opportunity while I haughtily scoffed at the amateurs who couldn’t take the pace of being a “professional traveler”.

These “namby-pamby” types who think travel is supposed to be a pleasant experience of sight-seeing and wafting the interstates just do not understand my sense of urgency. These “Sunday Drivers” may know that the shortest distance between Point A and Point B is a straight line, but they have not figured out that the fastest way to get there is with your cruise control set on 75 mph. They don’t call the inside lane of a freeway or an interstate highway the “Bullet Lane” for nothing. These “turtles” just don’t realize that you can rest and relax WHEN you get to your destination! 


I, on the other hand, coordinate my stops to maximize my travel time. I fill my tank, empty my bladder and hit the road. My stops truly are comparable to the NASCAR Pit Stop mentality. Eating on the road is a “drive-thru” experience. Nutrition is a word that never crosses my lips when I travel. It is the least of my considerations. If I cannot hold it, eat it and drive simultaneously, then it is not on my menu. My trips never include foods like chili, biscuits and gravy, or salads. I know that if I leave Houston at the right time to avoid traffic snarls, and can average 65 miles an hour, I can make the 969 mile trip to my old home place in Greenville, SC in 14 hours and 56 minutes. I have done it so many times that I have it down to a science. I know every burger joint and multi-stall facility in five states. When I travel, I am a man on a mission!

I know this is not what AAA or AARP suggests as the norm for travelers. I understand their perspective of stopping every two hours to stretch your legs and rest your eyes. But that’s just not who I am. I am all about the enjoyment of BEING there, not the grind of getting there. My absolute imperative when I travel is to keep my eyes on the prize, and that means “the arrival”, not “the process” is my goal. After all, I am a race horse, not a turtle, and if I snooze, I loose.

With this insight into my persona, it should come as no surprise that I am this way about Kingdom living. My race horse mentality often finds me looking at Jesus in my rearview mirror. There are days when it seems that He has real difficulty keeping up with my pace. Maybe He is not slow, just methodical. For whatever the reason, I frequently appear to be the “bell cow” on this missionary enterprise. My theme song is,”If you’re waitin on me you’re backing up”.

Jesus, on the other hand, appears to enjoy the more “laid-back” approach. In fact, it has taken Him over 2,000 years to get His Bride ready for the “Wedding of the Ages” and, according to Paul’s epistle, we still have “spots and wrinkles”. Come on now, even our Federal Government does not move that slowly. What’s up with this lack of urgency in the Kingdom? Maybe we should explore this subject a little more.

Let me go on record as saying, right here and right now, that I love Jesus very much. However, there are things about Him I just do not understand. For instance, (1) Why did He hang around with “low-lifes”, druggies, drunks, prostitutes, thieves and fishermen, when He could have been preaching to mayors, governors and the elite of His day? What is wrong with “Silk-Stocking Evangelism?” Didn’t the aristocrats need to be saved just as much as the commoners? (2) Why did Jesus, the Savior of the world, lounge around for hours with His friends, go fishing and mountain climbing when He had a WORLD to save in just a little over three years? What kind of time management was that? (3) After His resurrection, why did Jesus appear to these same simpletons instead of marching into Pilate’s Courtroom or Caiaphas’s office and confronting them about their obnoxious behavior? I could go on, but you get my point. These are simply samplings of Kingdom Principles that are just beyond the scope of our human understanding.

It then follows that, if I do not understand some of the things Jesus did, I may not understand some of the things He is doing! For example, why does He use reins on the race horses and spurs on the turtles? I can see the reason to spur the turtles, but why restrain the race horse? Aren’t we in a hurry to win the lost, save the world and prepare the Bride of Christ for the wedding? The answer to these questions is an unequivocal “YES”. But Christ is also interested in limiting the list of casualties during the process and, as the National Transportation Department tells us, “Speed Kills.”

A Psalm of great significance was written 28 generations before Christ’s birth that will shed some light on this subject. In David’s masterpiece he penned, “…He maketh me to lie down in green pastures…” (Ps. 23:2). What was David telling us some 1,400 years before Jesus would become our Shepherd? He said that Jesus would MAKE US lie down. The exact Hebrew word means, “ To crouch [on all four legs folded, like a recumbent animal]; by implication, to recline, repose, crouch down, fall down, make a fold, lay, cause to or make to lie down, make to rest, or sit.” (Hebrew, Rabats, Strong’s Concordance #7257).

Many of us are like the little school boy who would not stay seated during class so his teacher pulled a chair up beside her. After making the little boy come sit beside her in front of all his classmates she turned to him and said, “Johnny, what do you think about this arrangement?” To which he responded, “Well, I may be sitting down on the outside, but I am definitely standing up on the inside!” Doesn’t that sound a lot like us when Christ makes us to sit for awhile?

Remember Paul, the ever-restless one? He was forbidden by the Holy Spirit to go preach in Asia. God made him to stay put for the time being. The Shepherd made him to SIT where he did not want to sit and rest. Earlier, Moses and the children of Israel were stopped in their tracks when the cloud did not move forward. For days, the Shepherd made them SIT OR REST. Elijah was made to sit OR REST by a drying creek. David, the newly anointed King, was made to sit on the sidelines for years as Saul tried to kill him 21 times. The Bible is filled with examples of God’s people who were MADE TO SIT OR LIE DOWN against their will.

It is critical for us, especially those in ministry, to remember that the Shepherd is responsible for the 
(1) mission, (2) condition, (3) position and (4) nutrition of His Sheep. Just as surely as the steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord, so also the STOPS of a good man are ordered by the Lord 
(Ps. 37:23). Our Shepherd knows that, if we do not take the time to come apart for awhile, we may eventually just “come apart”. Jesus displayed the need for personal relaxing and refreshing during His earthly ministry so that we could follow His example during our ministry without feeling guilty.

We must never reject our Shepherd’s voice or rebuff Him when He commands us to sit, rest or relax. No matter how strongly we view the imperative to “GO”, there are times when He will tell us to “STAY”. If we do not heed His still, small voice, our Shepherd knows how to “Make us lie down”. After all, the Shepherd knows what is best for His sheep. Do not be guilty of trying to speed past the Exit Ramp when the Lord places a Rest Area on your itinerary.

Christ’s Rest Areas may not look so inviting at first glance, but the Shepherd only makes you lie down in “Green pastures.” These stops may be designed (1) as a punishment for bad behavior, as in the case of Moses’ forty years of separation from his Hebrew family, or (2) it may be a place designed for spiritual, emotional or physical recovery and rehabilitation. Whatever the reason, you can trust the Shepherd’s love for you. He knows when you need to get out of the “rat race” or away from the scene of the crime and enjoy the amenities you will discover when you just lie down and linger at “Green Pastures Rest Area”. Learn to stop struggling and start snuggling with your Shepherd. Life is definitely better that way.
There is much more to explore about resting in the Lord (Ps.37:7) as you go to the Gold Mine of God’s Word.

****A Personal Word to Our Readers from Dr. Frazier****
There are great insights to be derived from the study of the Greek or Hebrew Testaments. Each month I will endeavor to share a nugget of truth from the Book of Truth, God’s Eternal Word. These will be concise and should not intrude into your time or opportunity to explore the richness of the vein from which they were extracted. That is for you and the Holy Spirit to excavate together. These nuggets are just to let you know where to begin the digging, if you so desire. They are NOT designed to be an exhaustive commentary providing all the answers on the subject. The Spirit will guide you in how deep to dig. Please feel free to share your questions, observations or insights with our readers and me.
Website: http://www.donfrazier.com

Allison Lynn - Dec 08

Add this entry to Your Favorites | [0] Favorites [1] Comments

Please wait...

Glad to be here!

What a blessing to have my words on this site! My thanks to Deon for the invitation!

For those of you who don’t know me, my name is Allison Lynn, and I’m an alien. In 2005, I traveled from my hometown of Toronto, Ontario, Canada to Nashville, Tennessee to attend Ben Speer’s Stamps-Baxter School of Music. It was an incredible experience, and on the last night of the school, God answered months of prayer by calling me into full-time music ministry.

By Christmas of that year, God was calling both me and my then-fiance, Gerald, to move to Nashville. Being Canadian citizens, that meant hiring a lawyer and applying for a work visa. In 2007, all the doors opened, our visas were approved, and we became aliens!

We’re now here in Nashville, living out our dreams. Gerald is a singer, guitar player, and songwriter, so Nashville is perfect for him. I’m focused on learning, writing, and singing the Gospel through Southern Gospel music. And, because God has a plan that is perfect and unexpected, I now work for Ben Speer and the Stamps-Baxter School of Music!

I’m going to use this space to share some of my Southern Gospel adventures with you. I always invite your comments, either on this page, or via

Throughout December, Gerald and I will be back in Ontario. We’ll spend lots of time visiting family, spending time with friends, and shopping at IKEA. (There isn’t one in Tennessee! What’s up with that?)

We’ll also be singing almost every day. At the time of writing, I have 20 gigs booked for us, and there’s a good chance we’ll pick up a few more along the way. It’ll be busy, and possibly a little stressful, but one thing will remain constant. With all the craziness of Christmas shopping, next-best-thing presents, and politically correct ‘holiday’ cards, I have over 20 opportunities this month to spread the Gospel of Jesus Christ ... and I’m not going to waste a minute of it!

O come, let us adore Him, Christ the Lord!

Merry Christmas!

To learn more about Allison Lynn, please visit http://www.allisonlynn.com

To hear samples from "Real Big Fan," please visit http://www.shoutlife.com/allisonlynn

David Needham And Cancer: The Shadow Of Death

Add this entry to Your Favorites | [0] Favorites [1] Comments

Please wait...

Cancer. A terrible word that strikes fear into the heart. It was a word completely unexpected as the diagnosis for David Needham, patriarch of The Needhams. In February of 2007, right around his 69th birthday, David began to feel “off”. It was nothing specific, but he was just not well. David’s appetite waned, he had trouble with his digestion, and he began to lose weight--the only real danger signal. “It was like my get up and go got up and went!” he remarked wryly.

Being unable to handle any kind of food and losing so much strength caused David to take a break from traveling with The Needhams in March 2007. Common sense dictated that he see a doctor, and a family friend referred him to a local gastroenterologist. When David went in for his appointment, he proceeded to witness to the doctor and gave him a Needham CD. The doctor responded by quoting Scripture and professing his faith in Christ as well, to David’s great delight and relief. Having a Christian doctor set him at peace, and soon David underwent a series of tests including CT scans, x-rays, and both upper and lower GI scopes to look for anything unusual. The family thought perhaps it was a hernia or some kind of aggravated ulcer.

Father’s Day weekend, David called his children and grandson who were singing in Texas and told them the results were in. The doctor asked for them to come in so he could explain what he had found. Two days later the doctor told David and his family, “Look into these cold grey eyes. It’s cancer.” In the lower GI, the doctor had removed several polyps, leaving him uncertain about the colon. But in the upper GI, he had taken a biopsy from the stomach, which came back as positive for cancer. The Needhams were stunned.

Spend any amount of time conversing with David, and you will quickly realize two of his passions are God Almighty and nutrition. He has spent years of study in the Scriptures and researching nutrition. Not only did he study, but he put in practice those things he had learned: no pork or unclean meats, no margarine, excellent supplements and much more, to the point that he has been asked to write a book. Cancer was unthinkable.

I Thessalonians 4:18 states, “In everything give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.” So the family bowed their heads, and David thanked God sincerely in the face of this frightening diagnosis. He did, however, have three major concerns—how would this affect his wife, Eileen; how it would affect his family; and how this would affect the Needham ministry.

David continued to lose weight and by July, he had dropped from over 200 pounds to the 150’s. The doctor recommended immediate treatment. But a year earlier, he and Eileen had planned and paid for an ocean side vacation in Maine with two couples they had led to Christ decades before. They decided to wait for treatment and go to Maine. “At this point, I knew I was dying,” says David.

They struck out for New England from Tennessee on August 1, 2007. In Connecticut, they stopped for a meal at a Denny’s. David could not eat and ended up with dry heaves in the restroom. Since his legs felt rubbery and he was weak and nauseous, David figured he was probably bleeding internally. Not wanting to frighten Eileen, he simply handed her the keys to have her drive. Several miles up the road on I-84, Eileen pulled over since he was having dry heaves again. David tried to tell Eileen he thought he was bleeding inside, but the words would not come. He was too weak to say them. Eileen realized he was passing out and dove out of the vehicle, reaching David just in time to ease him to the ground as he lost consciousness.

Eileen tried to call for help, but had no cell tower. People thought she was crazy jumping up and down by the side of the road trying to flag someone down. Finally, a man and a woman both stopped and one of them called 911. First, a state trooper arrived. Then a fire truck came, followed eventually by the ambulance. David regained consciousness and remembered being amused and thinking with his own brand of humor, “A fire truck? I’m not on fire. I’ve got the best ‘fire insurance’ in the world! Besides, I’m already ‘put out’!”

The man checking David’s blood pressure was more nervous than he was, and David found himself reassuring the young man that everything would be alright. Eileen followed the ambulance to UCONN Health Center, a mere mile away from where they stopped.

At the medical center, David was given 4 units of blood. He tried to explain what he had, and that his medical records were in Tennessee which could easily be faxed. No one listened, insisting it was his heart and subjecting him to a needless battery of testing. And the test was on for David! The most frustrating thing was being unable to rest at all. Since it was a university hospital, every few minutes some doctor, nurse or student would come into the room to poke, prod, take a temperature or blood pressure, or stab him with another needle for more blood samples. David could get no sleep with the constant activity.

Still, there were positive things happening. A family relationship was restored through the difficulty, and David saw more people praying than he had ever seen. Also, Eileen’s family lived within driving distance of this unfamiliar place, a support network already in place and ready to help her! “I came to realize,” states David, “more people care about us than we can possibly imagine!”

All the testing did confirm the earlier diagnosis of large cell, b-cell, diffuse non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma in his stomach, along with adenocarcinoma of the lower intestine--two kinds of cancer. One doctor came in tearfully explaining that his own father had just passed away from this very cancer, and that David had, at best, two months to live; and that was only pertaining to the lymphoma.

Despite this, David and Eileen were blessed in that The Needhams (their children) had been on the way to Connecticut for concerts when this happened. This enabled them to be there and pray with them and encourage them during most of the ordeal. Eventually, the head surgeon came in announcing that his plans for David included the removal of his stomach to be replaced with an experimental accordion-like bag since the cancer was “probably” pushing on the liver, as well as the removal of the intestine, along with massive chemotherapy and radiation. Red flags flew up all over the place. David’s response to the surgeon was, “I’m outta here!”

His son Dave insisted that he and Eileen fly home. They arrived just in time to make it to the funeral of a dear friend who had passed away from cancer. “Doctors had not offered much hope, but our hope is in the Lord,” explains David.

The decision needed to be made: treatment or no treatment? There was much to consider. I. Cor. 2:9 “…Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him.” David was kind of looking forward to going to heaven, now! But leaving his beloved wife and family and friends and ministry was also ”kind of tough.”

It was quite a dilemma. After studying nutrition so many years, David was aware of many causes and treatments for cancer. The challenge was deciding whether or not to suffer to the point of death. Nutrition calls for incredible dietary and lifestyle discipline. The medical options were frightening. David’s mother had cancer in her 40’s. David was a child and attributed every pain, bump, or lump to cancer. He had such a phobia that he could not even say the word! Ironically enough, he found some lumps on his chest and eventually worked up the courage to go see a doctor. He learned that it was normal muscle tissue. As a young, unsaved man, he climbed Mt. Wachusett in Massachusetts to thank God from the mountain top. But he still feared cancer. Now faced with this decision to simply die, or treat with nutrition or medicine, David knew one thing: God has a plan and a purpose in every event.

In September 2007, David was lying in bed, dying not so slowly, truth be told. He had chosen to wait for any treatment. His son Dave was working in the home office on managerial duties for The Needhams when the phone rang. It was the surgeon. He asked if this was “the son”. Dave told him it was. The doctor asked him if he had addressed the need for treatment with his father. Dave replied he had been trying not to force his opinion, but that his mother and sister were trying to get him to do something, having just received another call from the other doctor. The surgeon told Dave that if his father did nothing, he would be gone before Christmas.

Dave immediately walked from the office into the room with his father and quietly asked him for a decision about treatment. “Whatever you decide, I will back you completely. Dad, you have trusted me with your livelihood as the manager for The Needhams. I am asking you to trust my opinion to have the surgery done, and look into more treatment. I want my children to be able to know their Grandfather.” David agreed, and his daughter Diane literally ran from the room to schedule the surgery. It was done within a week, and David looked markedly improved in only 24 hours after the removal of the colon cancer.

Next, the surgeon referred him to an oncologist. Again, God’s hand was involved. Not only were David’s doctor and surgeon Christians, but he learned his oncologist was a Believer as well. And he took the time to ask David some questions regarding his nutrition. Did he eat totally organic food; did he weigh it on a scale; did he ride a bike 12 miles a day? As it turns out, Lance Armstrong did all these things and still got three kinds of cancer. Likely, the cause for David’s cancer ran along environmental and genetic factors, since David was a master diesel mechanic and two of his brothers also faced cancer.

David asked the doctor if he would use the treatment he was prescribing. The oncologist replied, “If you were my dad, I would use it on you.” The treatment was actually designed for Lance Armstrong. In lay terms, rituxin is an artificial protein which binds to lymphoma, particularly David’s kind. The chemicals that follow attack the protein and the cancer is thereby eradicated. The side effects were not at all inviting: hair loss, muscle pain, bone pain, and other risks including onset of leukemia.

For David, thoughts of Job ensued. The man was broke, grieving, in terrible pain and all he had around him were people giving him terrible advice. Yet he remained faithful in the face of the great question, why? And Job was unaware of the spiritual battle going on around him. In David’s case, he had good advice and knew that there was more to the situation than he was aware of. Trusting that God would see him through and less than ten days after major surgery, David was admitted back into the hospital for this unusual chemotherapy.

Because rituxin combined with chemotherapy is so strong, the possibility arose that it would make a hole in his stomach and cause massive internal bleeding. Also, most people have a strong allergic reaction to the artificial protein. Neither scenario occurred. David had no major reaction and he was sent home the next day.

Every chemotherapy recipient faces nausea, loss of appetite, and hair loss as well as a myriad of other difficulties. For David, nausea had already been a big part of normal life, and in some ways he actually felt better. His appetite began to return. As for the hair loss, that is a story in and of itself.

David’s wife Eileen had been the director of a cosmetology school in New York. So when his hair began to fall out here and there, she decided to shorten it to ease the transition. She clippered his beautiful white hair down to about a half-inch length. The result was very modern. Diane was standing in the doorway of the kitchen when she saw the guard on the clippers pop off. If time slowed, you would have seen Diane reaching to stop Eileen as she made the final pass at David’s head. Too late, though. There was a big bald spot on the top of David’s head from the unguarded clippers. “Oh! Oh, Honey! Oh, I am so sorry! Well, there’s nothing we can do but take it all off now.” By the time Eileen finished those words, and before what was happening had sunk in, David was neatly clean-shaven. So much for a transition!

By Christmas, David felt he looked like a walking skeleton, traversing the valley of the shadow of death. But shadows can’t hurt you, and the smile on his face let everyone know he was still alive and fighting. David had the opportunity to minister to many people in prayer and testimony. Several churches in Virginia organized a benefit concert and raised money for medical bills. By mid-January, he still had “mop-up” treatments to take, but CT scans showed David to be cancer free! Their beloved husband and father, a man of great faith and conviction, had been at death’s door. Many sleepless nights of tearful intercessory prayer had gone by. Tenacious faith that God was not finished with David yet prompted high expectations for his recovery. For The Needhams, the words “cancer free” were nothing short of a miracle.

It has been a little over a year since Dave Needham walked into his father’s room to ask him to consider treatment. David is continuing to be extremely careful with his nutrition. He is dealing with the after-effects of chemicals in the form of some bone and muscle pain. And he needs hernia repair from a persistent cough during chemotherapy that pulled on incisions from surgery. But David plans to return to the ministry at some point in the future. He and his family have much to be thankful for. In the last year, The Needhams have seen a great outpouring of love toward their father, knowing that people all over the country have taken time to pray. He has a new granddaughter, Kayliana. He serves a God Who loves and cares and directs and heals and corrects. Relationships mean a whole lot more. Compassion for others, especially those facing cancer, has become increasingly important. Life is even more precious now. David can add another chapter to his unique testimony—and he is still here to thank God for it!

For more information on The Needhams, visit http://www.theneedhams.com Current radio single—“Give It All To Me” from their CD Streams. Other links include http://www.myspace.com/theneedhams and http://www.shoutlife.com/theneedhams

King’s Heralds- Dec 08

Add this entry to Your Favorites | [0] Favorites [0] Comments

Please wait...

Hello again, we trust that everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving! We trust that you didn't eat too much..yea right! The King's Heralds are very thankful that the Lord has brought us through another year. 2008 has been a good year for the group. We have seen many souls saved, but we have also had challenges this past year that we know if it weren't for the grace of God we may not have survived. We left home on October 30 and did our last tour of the year. That particular trip took us up through New York and into New England. Believe you me it was COLD!! One morning the news said that it was 2 degrees in certain parts of New York City! We returned home on November 23 and began to settle in with our families to enjoy the holiday season. All in all our trip was a success, however, we were glad to get home again as always.

Last month we began telling you about an inncident that happened while we were in Oklahoma. As you may recall, our van broke down and the Lord sent Gary Cooper from Gary's tire shop to take us onto our date and didn't charge us anything. Well, as it turns out, Gary was not the only angel that God sent our way on that trip. The next morning, the good people at the local Ford dealership were looking at the van. They determined that it may have something to do with low rail pressure. We don't know a whole lot about that sort of thing ,but it is our understanding that is helps to start the vehicle. It was going to take them about 3 or 4 days to get the job done. The only problem was, we had to be in Missouri the next night. Enter another angel by the name of Billy Garrison. Billy and his wonderful wife have been such loyal friends to the quartet over the years. They graciously let us use their Ford Ranger King Cab to make our date in Missouri. We met them a few days later and gave Billy his truck back and he delivered our van to us.You never know who God is going to use to meet your need when you least expect it. So it safe to say, that this Holiday season, The King's Heralds are truly thankful that we serve a God who cares about broken down vehicles and we are equally as thankful for the friends as well as strangers that God has sent our way to help us. Let us all count our many blessings this Holiday season.

Remenber, The King's Heralds are going on a cruise in March of next year. Reserve your cabin today!! Get the details by logging onto http://www.theheralds.org to get all the details.

http://www.theheralds.org

The Blackwood Gospel Quartet Speaks Out On Ernie Haase & Signature Sound

Add this entry to Your Favorites | [0] Favorites [1] Comments

Please wait...

We think they're great.

In other news, we've been gearing up for a very busy December that will carry us into an even busier new year. We've also been in the studio recently working on two different projects which we're very excited about. There are some big things in the work for this group and I, for one, am thrilled to be a part of it all.

This past weekend we flew into the state of Missouri. I soon realized how big an impact the original Blackwood Brothers had on that area, when they were based out of Shenandoah, Iowa back in the 1940s. There were many in the crowd that remembered listening to the original radio broadcasts. Those very same people that filled the auditorium we sang in had been packing out Blackwood singing events since the early 1950s.

On another, far less Blackwood-ish note, I wanted to warn any of you who have Missouri marked down in the date book... watch out. While driving down HWY 169 in our rental van, we saw quite a site. One that I never imagined I'd see in Missouri of all places. We were nearing our engagement when one of the guys began pointing to something on our left. We all turned to look and standing there, staring back at us, was a camel. That's right. A camel. Now, I actually researched this on the Internet. The camel we saw had one hump and is called a dromedary or Arabian camel... IN MISSOURI. However, I also found out that they are totally extinct in the wild. So don't worry. Most likely you won't have any of these guys running out in front of the bus or anything. It also means that somebody in Missouri is actually raising this creature, which I find even more interesting. We have yet to come up with a name for the camel and are taking suggestions. I'll keep you posted.

Now, back to gospel music. Before I end this I wanted to make note of something. I've been watching some of the other articles on here and want mine to be different. But, just how much is there really to talk about, concerning gospel music, that isn't already being discussed? I cannot give great advice from experience, because I don't have much. I'm only 26 years old. However, because of my age what I have to offer is a view on the industry from a fresh and young perspective. I most recently read Shane Roark's article, which I tend to agree with, and noticed how the very first comment accused him of being bitter. I don't think so. But that's beside the point. My point is that I am relatively young and as far as the industry goes, have not been around long enough to be bitter about anything. So, hopefully there won't be any blanket, automated responses like, "you're just a bitter old man". At least, not for a while.

I agree with, and echo what Shane said concerning the people who listen to our music. They don't care about any of that stuff. In my humble opinion, all it is, is a chance for one group to compare themselves to the status of another group. People decide to like your music when they find they enjoy listening to it, not because they see a good advertisement or a feature in a magazine. Those people are the ones who ultimately pay your bills and like I said, that's if they like your music. Many groups out there have plenty of advertisement, but they still pay their own bills because (and let's be honest here) they're just not all that good. I don't want to see gospel music become an industry full of people who simply sing as a hobby. That tends to produce bad music and nobody wants that. Forget your ego. Save your money. Hire good talent. Make good music. When you start doing that, then you'll have something to be proud of.

Dave Mann and The Blackwood Gospel Quartet

http://www.bgqmusic.com

30

Nov

2008

Former Florida Boys and Dixie Echoes Bass, Billy Todd, Passes Away

Add this entry to Your Favorites | [0] Favorites [6] Comments

Please wait...

28

Nov

2008

Matt Felts Joins Cross 4 Crowns

Add this entry to Your Favorites | [0] Favorites [1] Comments

Please wait...

27

Nov

2008

Thanksgiving thoughts

Add this entry to Your Favorites | [0] Favorites [1] Comments

Please wait...

26

Nov

2008

Christmas Tour Featuring The Ball Brothers & Roy Webb Enjoys Tremendous Success

Add this entry to Your Favorites | [0] Favorites [1] Comments

Please wait...

Ricky Atkinson’s Grandfather Passes Away

Add this entry to Your Favorites | [0] Favorites [0] Comments

Please wait...

The Stutzman Family Is Thankful For God’s Life Story

Add this entry to Your Favorites | [0] Favorites [0] Comments

Please wait...

Janet Paschal Releases New Book & Recording During West Coast Tour

Add this entry to Your Favorites | [0] Favorites [1] Comments

Please wait...

Canaan Classic Added To Christmas Internet Radio

Add this entry to Your Favorites | [0] Favorites [0] Comments

Please wait...

Daywind Artists Named Among Gospel Music Channel’s Top Ten Best of 2008

Add this entry to Your Favorites | [0] Favorites [0] Comments

Please wait...

HisSong Scores Third Consecutive Top 20 Hit From On the Way Up

Add this entry to Your Favorites | [0] Favorites [0] Comments

Please wait...

2009 Diamond Awards Move to Branson Gospel Music Convention

Add this entry to Your Favorites | [0] Favorites [0] Comments

Please wait...

25

Nov

2008

More than just technique

Add this entry to Your Favorites | [0] Favorites [0] Comments

Please wait...

What it’s all about

Add this entry to Your Favorites | [0] Favorites [3] Comments

Please wait...

24

Nov

2008

History Repeats Itself, 72 Years Later To The Day With The Chuck Wagon Gang

Add this entry to Your Favorites | [0] Favorites [0] Comments

Please wait...

Herschel Lester among 2008 SGMA Hall of Fame inductees

Add this entry to Your Favorites | [0] Favorites [1] Comments

Please wait...

Woody Wright New CD Available

Add this entry to Your Favorites | [0] Favorites [0] Comments

Please wait...

Brandon Andrews Launches Website

Add this entry to Your Favorites | [0] Favorites [0] Comments

Please wait...

Dora Pop Returns From South Africa

Add this entry to Your Favorites | [0] Favorites [0]