Are Gospel Musicians Holier Than Their Secular Counterparts?

Finally the day of the Gospel music show had arrived. We had put much effort in organizing this event. Someone handled the publicity. Another identified and booked the venue which was supposed to be centrally located for easy accessibility to all, even commuters.

I was assigned the rigorous task of inviting the musicians, artists if you like. All responded favourably except two who were tied up with similar events elsewhere. Each invited singer was supposed to be given an agreed amount of money as a token of appreciation for helping us in this building project fundraising venture.

Due to a number of factors, including good publicity, the turn up was good. The show started on a good note and was going on well till she came in, mid way through the show.

She immediately demanded to see me before taking on to the stage. When we met, she sailed around no point but told me that the amount of money we had agreed upon has to be adjusted upwards because her name had pulled this entire great crowd.

According to her, though she will sing only four songs in this show, she must receive K200, 000.00 and not the K50, 000.00 each participating artist had agreed to receive. She threatened to disrupt the show if we didn't comply. She said she would do that because we had used her name to assemble that great crowd.

The above is just one of the many nasty incidences that some of our holy singers are capable of doing. I will not write about the many pregnancies that we have heard or read about.

I will say nothing about chamba in some motel, or arrests for fraud and other scandals that have rocked this side of the music industry. I haven't mentioned that, some even don't go to church. I am afraid that some sarcastic songs may be composed in retaliation, songs that hit back on their critics.

One question is loudly begging for an answer, is gospel music a ministry or money making profession? When you sit at the back of some church, you easily get confused. I was told that Gospel musicians are supposed to complement the preaching of the word of God. Simply put they are supposed to sing in church, before, in between or after the preaching of the word.

I don't mind having them sing in some auditoriums elsewhere but when you subtract the Gospel message, Gospel music ceases being Gospel music. The Gospel is preached in word as well as in deeds. When some of our Gospel artists are behaving like pagans, what right do they have to classify others as secular? Yes, SECULAR, the word sounds beautiful in English, but its Chichewa rendition produces its true ugliness – ACHIKUNJA.

Are not some of the so called secular musicians better behaved than some of our holy singers (Peace Be upon Them)? Some of the so called secular songs are even more meaningful and leave a lasting impression on the listener than some of our so called “holy songs.”

The mere mention of God or Jesus in a song does not make it Gospel music. The inspiration in it and the character of the musician have a part to play too. From the back of some church, we are watching and rating you. Your message should not be in song only but in your character as well.