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Another
Day Along The Way
Chris Maxwell, Pastor, Evangel Assembly of God, Orlando,
Florida
Music and I
have always been friends. My connection is not that of a talented
musician who can play what others play or what I want to play or what
just happens as I play. I love listening to those who can do all of the
above.
Two decades ago I wanted contemporary Christian music played in a small
Georgia town's country station. The timeless truth in a modern style: I
knew it was for me and believed it was for many others. I wanted to pass
it on. Soon I became the DJ playing the songs.
I have also had the enjoyable opportunity to listen to music and review
those sounds for a variety of magazines. That brings the advantage of
receiving CDs, but the bigger issue is predicting and explaining how
others will react to the noise. Analyzing is fun.
Yesterday I had the chance to talk by phone to a musical artist that was
one of my favorites during my college days on radio. Russ Taff, who then
sang with the Imperials before going on his own, voiced words with
sounds that have never left my mind.
What is going on with him now? He has spent eight months in the studio
and is almost finished with a new release. His next step is a 23-city
tour.
Russ contends that it is crucial for musicians to make the type of music
they want. Influences from a variety of sources blend with new twists as
he approaches his fresh plans. The challenge? "Make the music I am
supposed to make. My career cannot be in control of me. I must control
my effort. I must be real."
What lessons has he learned regarding industry, commitment, and
endurance? "Shut out the voices around you at times," he said.
"Listen to the still, small voice. My father taught that many years
ago. I was raised to be a pastor, but he told me to follow God's
anointing. If it moves me I know it will move somebody else, too."
One challenge is to "block out current trends," Russ said. His
friend Bill Gaither regularly encourages him to take those chances. What motivated
his shifts from southern gospel to contemporary Christian music to linking with secular labels, then toward country music?
"Jesus is bigger than the four walls of a church. We have been told to go into the
world." Russ is comfortable singing anywhere now. Like Jesus, he
hopes to reach a crowd where they are.
His tours in Europe remind him of that. After a morning concert in a
church auditorium, the night music hits a club. He views it as "no
walls, no labels. Jesus loved the hated people." His heart of care
"freaked out religious experts," Russ reminded me.
He then told the story of a recent concert in a club. After concluding,
many gathered around him. One man slowly walked forward, staring with
eyes sending a message of serious hurt. He finally had the courage to
talk and explained to Russ that he became a believer years ago in one of
his concerts. Since then, this man had drifted far from God. He cried,
confessed and asked Russ to help him return to proper spiritual living.
Right there, in a concert hall far from a church aroma or appearance,
Russ placed his hands on that crying man and prayed. The other fans all
joined together in prayer. They knew then that drinks and music were not
enough.
I am a pastor and writer with three sons. Russ grew up as a PK. What
suggestions did he give me regarding raising my boys properly?
"Spend time with them. Go to their games, listen to their words.
They need love and acceptance. If other things are first, they will feel
it."
I ended my phone call with a prayer for him. He knew not that my
"Amen" was to me, hoping to "let it be so" in my
life. Not to sing, not to travel, not to visit Europe. To go into the world around me, to be bigger than the
walls of the church, to be real. To that, I said and say,
"Amen."
Along the way,
Chris Maxwell
Chris
Maxwell is Pastor of Evangel Assembly of God Church in Orlando, Florida.
He has written for numerous magazines and periodicals including Charisma
Magazine and is the author of a new book entitled Beggars
Can Be Chosen.
(c)
1999, Chris Maxwell. Reprinted with permission.
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