I was a two week old baby Christian in August of 1963 and one Sunday afternoon I was out driving my new 1963 Corvette when I pulled up to a stoplight, looked to my left and read a big sign: GOSPEL MUSIC CONCERT TODAY AT 2:00 pm. As a new babe in Christ I was hungry to learn more about the Lord and in that I had no place to go I thought I would investigate. That Sunday afternoon was a life changing event that would tie me to the songs of my Lord for the rest of my life. Think about this, more songs have been written about our creator, the Lord Jesus Christ than any other person on earth. How many songs have been written about George Washington, Abraham Lincoln, Bill Gates, Elon Musk or any other well known individual. Thousands and thousands of songs have been written from the heart of the redeemed who fell in love with their Lord, Redeemer and Savior.
There basically is three kinds of what we will call Christian music. 1. Christian Sacred Music and I would put George Beverly Shea of the Billy Graham Crusades in that category. Great songs that he sang such as HOW GREAT THOU ART, THE WONDER OF IT ALL, THE OLD RUGGED CROSS ETC. There would be of course thousands of singers thru the ages who sang Christian Sacred Music. 2. Then there is Gospel Music. The Word Gospel mean Good News and the good news is that Christ died and made an atonement for our sins, was buried and rose again the third day. By this one marvelous act, God has forgiven every person who will yield and simply come to Him by faith alone. Salvation is all the work of God and given as a free gift to those who accept Him by simply Believing. It was Gospel Music that was to be sung under the big tent that Sunday afternoon by the Mariner’s Quartet. As a new two week old Christian I could only digest spiritual baby food, steaks, pork chops, would never do for a two week old baby. And baby food was what I got that day as the Mariner’s sang “It’s Different Now”. I had only been saved two weeks but I already knew my life was different. I had broken with my bar room friends and told them so long, “I am done with the bars and honky tonks.” And so the quartet sang It’s Different Now to these words. “I once was lost in sin, I had no peace within, to save my weary soul I knew not how. I went to church one day, just to hear them sing and pray, the preacher firmly used the Gospel plow, He said “you must repent, so down the aisle I went” now it different, Oh so different now. It was a simple little song that went right along with the simple message I had been given. That message was that I was a sinner, on my way to hell, I needed a Savior, and if I would Believe and commit my life to Jesus Christ I would be saved, a New Creature In Christ Jesus and that is just what I had experienced two weeks earlier when I found Jesus Christ as my Savior while working in the factory of my employment. (Another story) Now it has been 59 years ago since I heard that Gospel song and I have never lost the words to it. It can be heard on Gospel Music Time Capsule song # 2. It speaks of my personal testimony, I found Jesus and I became an all together different person. I have added to that one song hundreds of Gospel songs in my life since the day I sat and listened at the Mariner’s Quartet sing. Songs like “He Heard My Ernest Prayer.” Oh What A Savior, Unworthy, I’ve Come to Far to Look Back. He Locked the Gates and near countless Gospel music songs. 3. There is a third type of Christian music and I am not sure what you call it. Many are clinging to it today as it obviously meets a need in their spiritual life. It usually is accompanied by rising from your seat, standing and praising the Lord often with up lifted hands and this may continue for 20 to 30 minutes. Please understand I am trying to be kind, I am not belittling those who needs are met who enjoy this what I will call PRAISE MUSIC, some might classify it as Contemporary Music. If this music puts you in a mood of worship and meets the longing in your heart, then by all means enjoy.
We are all different and when God made each of us I am sure He threw the mold away and our music tastes will vary. My counsel to you would be investigate the three types of music and rejoice in the one that draws you closer to our Lord. Some of the great hymns of the faith are hundreds of years old and they live on. The song, It’s Different Now is rarely heard and probably forgotten by all except those who heard if soon after their life changing born again experience. For me that day under the tent of a Gospel Music Concert was a baby feeding station, I was fed, I tucked that song into my heart and I will never forget it until the day that I die.
In my view, sadly, music has changed today. Most Christian Radio stations have gone to what is called Contemporary music and that is all they will play. You will not hear a Sacred Music Song nor a Gospel Music song played on that station. For the life of me I cannot see where this is a benefit to the furtherance of the Gospel and meeting the need of the heart. It has robbed the Christian audience of some great music that was written at times by some people who were going through the fires of life. Like H. G. Spafford who was a victim of the Chicago Fire and lost his business, he then placed his family on an ocean liner to send them away while he rebuilt his home and his business. While on the journey the ship sank and his two daughters were lost at sea. It was then while in the fires of life that Spafford wrote the beloved song, “It Is Well With My Soul” Of course you will not here this song of tragedy and then victory on a Contemporary Gospel Music Station.
Thankfully today in our modern world we live in the age of advanced technology and we have the computer in our hands and on that computer is Youtube and Google. Hundreds and Hundreds of Gospel songs sang by the pioneer singers of the past as well as present day singers are available. To Help you get started I will list a few of my favorites:
YOUTUBE OR GOOGLE THE FOLLOWING EXAMPLES TO GET YOU STARTED on these songs which fall in the realm of Gospel Songs.
The song “He Heard My Ernest Prayer” by the Dove Brothers Quartet or a great version Is Bill Gaither He Heard My Prayer. I just Googled it and it came right up. Why does this song relate to the Christian. Because the day you got saved and believed on the Lord you probably whispered a prayer in committing your life to Christ, you were born again, and yes He Heard your erneast Prayer.
YouTube or Google: Kingdom Heirs Quartet “He Locked the Gates”
Charles Johnson – Until Then
Hovie Lister Statesmen Oh What A Savior
John Rulapaugh “Unworthy”
The Happy Goodmans “Would take nothing for my journey Now.” I Wish the Song writer would have said, “I wouldn’t take nothing for my Journey now, gotta make to heaven and Jesus is how. But it is a fun song and certainly the devil does fight us as we journey on.
The Dixie Echoes Quartet “I‘ll Take Jesus”
Willie Wynn “Momma’s Teaching angels how to sing.”
Songs by Johnny Cook “That sounds like home to me.” “I was Nothing” “Here they Come” “Where the Roses Never Fade”
George Beverly Shea Video Music
If you enjoy remembering some of the early pioneers of Gospel Music YouTube or Google some of the quartets of the past. You will get a list of so many songs. “Hovie Lister and the Statesmen” The Speer Family, The Old Palmetto State Quartet. Tenor Brian Carter Blackwood Brothers Quartet Florida Boys Quartet, Kingdom Heirs Quartet, Gold City Quartet, The Inspirations Quartet, The Happy Goodman’s, The Rebels Quartet The Trav’lers Quartet, The Clark Thompson Trio (very good trio) Kingsmen Quartet, Dove Brothers Quartet Greater Vision Mark Trammel Quartet and of course Bill Gaither Home coming videos are available just about anywhere music is sold.
“Meet Me There” – Palmetto State Quartet (1994)
As I wrote earlier, more songs, thousands upon thousands of song have been written and recorded of our Lord and you have a host of opportunities to enrich your heart as you face the trials of life with a song in your heart. I go about my day every day with a song in my heart and often I will break out singing aloud the praises of my Savior. God bless you as you grow in stature as a new creation in Christ Jesus your Savior.