So yesterday I decided to write a post on my thoughts about Committed winning the Sing-Off. Based on the strong response that post received by so many readers, I decided that it was necessary for me to write a follow-up post. So here’s my follow-up response – WOW! That was part 1 of my response.
For part 2, I would like to start with something that the Late E.E. Cleveland used to say:
[box]“I’ve seen God do so much, with so little, that I’m convinced that He can do anything, with nothing. Meaning Me!”[/box]
While reading through the almost 50 comments (and counting), there seems to be three categories of responses:
- Category 1: Those who are VERY excited for Committed and can’t wait to see what will come next.
- Category 2: Those who are excited for Committed, but also concerned about the potential for it to go in the wrong direction.
- Category 3: Those who condemn Committed for what they’ve done and think they should Run away from Sony like a mouse running from a Lion!
When I wrote the post, my intention was definitely NOT to condemn or judge Committed.
I consider myself to be in the second Category described above. I’m excited for them, but also concerned. You know – it’s EASY to look at people who are in the limelight and judge their actions.
The big difference between “famous Christians” (if you know what I mean) and the rest of US (including myself) is this – EVERYONE sees what the famous folk do! Fortunately for us, the rest of the world doesn’t see the way we treat our families, the drink we take when no one is looking, what we do in our bedrooms when no one else is around, and many of the thoughts we have never come to light. In many ways, I feel sorry for famous people.
So Why did I write it then?
That is a valid question. I mean really. Why not write about the so many other situations that are happening in the world today? I’m going to answer that question this way.
Last weekend, I had the privilege of playing the piano at the Cedar Lake SDA Church. That day, I woke up early (as I usually do), spent time with God (as I usually do) and asked Him to use me that day. I told Him to take my fingers and use them to play the chord progressions that would glorify Him and cause people to be drawn to him.
My experience that day, while playing the piano was one that I can only attribute to God. I felt Him moving in me, showing me what to play and when. At the end of the service, I was lead to play a song that to me, speaks to what it should be about in these last days. Here’s the chorus:
I’m coming back to the heart of worship
And it’s all about You
It’s all about You, Jesus
I’m sorry, Lord, for the thing I’ve made it
When it’s all about You
It’s all about You, Jesus
Music is a Powerful, Potent force – One that I STRONGLY believe will play a HUGE part in ushering in the second coming of Jesus. It can help to sooth an aching heart, tame a wild person, and lift someone out of depression. That’s the GIFT of music that God has Given to us all.
So why did I write it? – I think that they are in a prime position right now, regardless of any mistakes that might have been made, and I want to see them use what God has given them to Glorify HIM. With their talent, they can make music that lifts people all the way up to the throne of grace.
There was one comment that I would like to highlight. It was left by a good friend of mine – Matthew Harris. He’s a fellow musician with big dreams, and he takes action towards meeting his goals. Here’s some of what he had to say.
[box]“I can tell from first hand experience in the entertainment industry that the second I got into the industry all these church people started talking about how i was going to lose my way….it was the must unsupportive atmosphere ever….it actually made it more difficult for me to show up to church, because i felt like i was being judged…even though i was living my life according to God’s call…my prayer really is more for Christians (read-SDAs) out there to be more supportive of these young men, because if we reject them the world will definitely take them in with open arms!”[/box]
When I read that comment, it REALLY resonated with me. Maybe because I’ve been in situations where my I’ve played piano in church and have been criticized for “the way I played”, which wasn’t “holy enough” for some of the Christian Critics out there. OBVIOUSLY, the world would be more than happy to take them in. They Rock. But their potential is so much greater.
Lets try to make the church more welcoming than the world,
So, with all of that said, here’s my request, and it goes beyond Committed:
As I’ve said, music is powerful. We need to pray for our musicians, from Committed to the church pianist, the Singer to the Songwriter. Lets pray that we all use the gifts God has Given us to lift HIM up and that God fills us all with so much of the Holy Spirit that when we sing, play, and worship, the devil will have to flee.
As for Committed, there are A LOT of eyes on them right now, as is evident from the response to my first post. Lets keep them in prayer, that God’s will be done in their lives. Let me know if you will join me in that below in the comments.
I’ll end this post with my prayer for Committed:
[box]God, Wow, You have surely blessed committed with a gift that can only come from You. Keep them in your ways. Give them the strength to overcome the temptations that will come their way. Give them the determination they need to do what You’ve called them to do, and use them to accomplish YOUR will, and YOUR will alone. Amen![/box]
Father. Husband. Anatomy Professor. Blogger. Changing the world one blog at a time! 
Preach it Matthew Harris!! We can’t even give these guys a chance to make a mistake or not and we’re already just SURE they’re gonna mess up…well guess what…they might! We all do…they also might touch someone’s heart with the message of the gospel, and even if that turns out to be just one heart that is something to celebrate! I got the distinct feeling watching Sing Off that those around Committed and specifically the judges could feel the God-presence surrounding them…of course they are on Satan’s radar now, they are in such a useful position to be workers for God…so let’s support them, pray for them, encourage them, help them succeed…you rock Committed! I’m buying your album for everyone in my family (make it good!)
PS. I’ve been to MANY Take 6 concerts, and at the last one I had the opportunity to talk directly with Claude McKnight…he had such a bitter taste in his mouth from his encounters with Adventists that when I told him I was one he literally cringed…I can’t even tell you how sad that made me…
Wow Nicole, that’s a sad statement. It’s easy to point the finger, but as Christians (Adventist or Non-Adventist), we really need to be mindful of HOW we treat people, whether we like what they are doing or not.
Btw, I’ve ALWAYS wanted to go to a Take 6 concert. For some reason, something always comes up when there is a possibility to go to one. I know they are AWESOME in concert though.
I can’t wait to go to a live Committed gospel concert. I think that would be HOT!
Preach it Matthew Harris!! We can’t even give these guys a chance to make a mistake or not and we’re already just SURE they’re gonna mess up…well guess what…they might! We all do…they also might touch someone’s heart with the message of the gospel, and even if that turns out to be just one heart that is something to celebrate! I got the distinct feeling watching Sing Off that those around Committed and specifically the judges could feel the God-presence surrounding them…of course they are on Satan’s radar now, they are in such a useful position to be workers for God…so let’s support them, pray for them, encourage them, help them succeed…you rock Committed! I’m buying your album for everyone in my family (make it good!)
PS. I’ve been to MANY Take 6 concerts, and at the last one I had the opportunity to talk directly with Claude McKnight…he had such a bitter taste in his mouth from his encounters with Adventists that when I told him I was one he literally cringed…I can’t even tell you how sad that made me…
Wow Nicole, that’s a sad statement. It’s easy to point the finger, but as Christians (Adventist or Non-Adventist), we really need to be mindful of HOW we treat people, whether we like what they are doing or not.
Btw, I’ve ALWAYS wanted to go to a Take 6 concert. For some reason, something always comes up when there is a possibility to go to one. I know they are AWESOME in concert though.
I can’t wait to go to a live Committed gospel concert. I think that would be HOT!
If we embrace committed the wrong way then we send the wrong message which is “If you compromise your values to win souls then that is Ok”. Other inspiring artist will follow likewise in their footstep. In fact who did they have in mind when they compromise Christ or winning? We are not suppose to be like the rest of the word. We have being entrusted with a message and can not put ourselves in the same boat or employ the same method to win souls which uses compromise rather then a strong conviction and unmovable stance. Christ said it best when he said to much given then much is required.
some people thought Jesus was compromising “values” in His ministry too…just saying…if God can’t use you to do His work, He WILL get the rocks and ravens to do it…don’t set yourself SO apart from the world that you can’t get into the boat God is trying to lead you to…strong conviction and unmovable stance is all well and good until God is asking you to kill your only son that He blessed you with…being in a position to judge others is a dangerous place to be…I for one will try to support Committed as best I can, and pray that they can keep their connection with God well-oiled enough to know where He is leading (even if it isn’t where the church thinks they should be heading for one reason or another)…God knows what He is doing…He has given them success and He can take it away.
They were on Access Hollywood today. They will be on the Today show, and pretty much everywhere else. Eyes will be on them like nobodies business. I would definitely rather hear them than have to wait for Rocks to cry out, lol. So I’ma be praying along with ya.
As of now, the only thing that I have seen Committed do is enter a contest, play by the rules and win the contest. They could have done that without identifying themselves as christians or SDA’s, yet they did identify themselves as such and with pride. So why all the judging and jumping the gun. Let’s wait and see what’s ahead. As Leslie put it: Let’s pray for them, that the Good Lord will keep leading them.
I still remember when the first SDA person got involved in politics and all the criticism that went on. I still beleive we need many more real SDA’s and… Christians to be involve in politics and why not … in show biz as well. May be they can show how it can be done right, so for now I will say: Don’t be surprise if you don’t see them in hell!!
Merry Christmas!! or maybe that is also a compromise?
That’s a very good point. We need good Christians everywhere -- even in Hollywood (did I say that?). There are people EVERYWHERE that need to be reached, and who knows -- Committed might be able to reach some folk for Christ that we would NEVER have access to.
That’s easy to say. I’m sure that you have not ever had a conversation with them and asked any of them what their motives are. Now, the same is true of me, so I can’t say what their motives are. However, I do believe that they had pure motives. Call me naive, but looking at some of their facial expressions during the competition, that’s the impression I got.
The truth is, if I had the opportunity to take part in a national competition, I would probably jump at it. Can’t say that it would play out the same way or not, but I don’t see anything wrong with entering.
I really hope you hold yourself to the same standard you are trying to hold them to. And remember, the person without sin should be the first to cast that stone
I also hope that the statements you are making are out of love, because according to God, that’s the greatest commandment
If we embrace committed the wrong way then we send the wrong message which is “If you compromise your values to win souls then that is Ok”. Other inspiring artist will follow likewise in their footstep. In fact who did they have in mind when they compromise Christ or winning? We are not suppose to be like the rest of the word. We have being entrusted with a message and can not put ourselves in the same boat or employ the same method to win souls which uses compromise rather then a strong conviction and unmovable stance. Christ said it best when he said to much given then much is required.
some people thought Jesus was compromising “values” in His ministry too…just saying…if God can’t use you to do His work, He WILL get the rocks and ravens to do it…don’t set yourself SO apart from the world that you can’t get into the boat God is trying to lead you to…strong conviction and unmovable stance is all well and good until God is asking you to kill your only son that He blessed you with…being in a position to judge others is a dangerous place to be…I for one will try to support Committed as best I can, and pray that they can keep their connection with God well-oiled enough to know where He is leading (even if it isn’t where the church thinks they should be heading for one reason or another)…God knows what He is doing…He has given them success and He can take it away.
They were on Access Hollywood today. They will be on the Today show, and pretty much everywhere else. Eyes will be on them like nobodies business. I would definitely rather hear them than have to wait for Rocks to cry out, lol. So I’ma be praying along with ya.
As of now, the only thing that I have seen Committed do is enter a contest, play by the rules and win the contest. They could have done that without identifying themselves as christians or SDA’s, yet they did identify themselves as such and with pride. So why all the judging and jumping the gun. Let’s wait and see what’s ahead. As Leslie put it: Let’s pray for them, that the Good Lord will keep leading them.
I still remember when the first SDA person got involved in politics and all the criticism that went on. I still beleive we need many more real SDA’s and… Christians to be involve in politics and why not … in show biz as well. May be they can show how it can be done right, so for now I will say: Don’t be surprise if you don’t see them in hell!!
Merry Christmas!! or maybe that is also a compromise?
That’s a very good point. We need good Christians everywhere -- even in Hollywood (did I say that?). There are people EVERYWHERE that need to be reached, and who knows -- Committed might be able to reach some folk for Christ that we would NEVER have access to.
That’s easy to say. I’m sure that you have not ever had a conversation with them and asked any of them what their motives are. Now, the same is true of me, so I can’t say what their motives are. However, I do believe that they had pure motives. Call me naive, but looking at some of their facial expressions during the competition, that’s the impression I got.
The truth is, if I had the opportunity to take part in a national competition, I would probably jump at it. Can’t say that it would play out the same way or not, but I don’t see anything wrong with entering.
I really hope you hold yourself to the same standard you are trying to hold them to. And remember, the person without sin should be the first to cast that stone
I also hope that the statements you are making are out of love, because according to God, that’s the greatest commandment
Leslie, thanks for your second commentary. Great points again. Concerning the things shone in the spotlight compared to regular commoners whose everyday lives are hidden, we should always be on caution to do what reflects [as Christians] the character of Christ. I know we don’t have the spotlight on us as Committed did, but whether we are in the spotlight or not we should take caution not to look at the faults of others so quickly that we forget our own. I have to also side with Matthew Harris. We most certainly should be happy for Committed’s achievement, support them on their music journey, and pray for them, instead of finding fault. It’s an incredible achievement to be on national television! Yet, why do so many professed Christians find fault so easily? Why is it so easy for us to tear someone down when they become successful? Is it jealousy, anger, hatred, bitterness? Growing up in church, I’ve witnessed since the days of my youth how powerful music plays a part in resonating positively with people--young and old. It’s unfortunate, however, that music has also torn people away from the church because of the type of music that’s played. Honestly, I think it childish when we quarrel over such things, because I see it that as long as the lyrics use the word God, Jesus, Heavenly Father and similar words included, the rhythm and beat are nice, and the words are clearly understood and I find myself wanting to exalt God rather than myself, I’m fine with it. That’s another topic, but I’d like to see more Christians encouraging one another and supporting one another. I mean, really, when I heard Committed won I couldn’t believe it, especially hearing they are Seventh-day Adventists or of that background, but if we are to keep people in the church, esp. youth, we need to show them how much we are proud of them. You know that word love, that’s all they need to be shown to keep them in the church and that’s what we too need to show Committed--our love and support. I’m sure Committed has a lot to deal with now on their shoulders as their music career takes off, but we should not be too quick to judge their actions. Seventh-day Adventists have an upper hand spiritually and should set the example to people of the world what a Christian is, yet we have a hard time doing that because we act too much like the world due to deconstructive criticizing. You know that old adage, “Why can’t we all just get along?” My answer: Stop hating and start praying (for yourself and others) and maybe, just maybe treating others with love, respect and support won’t be a phenomenon and uplifting Jesus will become genuinely natural.
Amen Sista!
I’m right with you on that one. Love is where it’s at. We need more of that and less judging! Thanks for sharing!
Leslie, thanks for your second commentary. Great points again. Concerning the things shone in the spotlight compared to regular commoners whose everyday lives are hidden, we should always be on caution to do what reflects [as Christians] the character of Christ. I know we don’t have the spotlight on us as Committed did, but whether we are in the spotlight or not we should take caution not to look at the faults of others so quickly that we forget our own. I have to also side with Matthew Harris. We most certainly should be happy for Committed’s achievement, support them on their music journey, and pray for them, instead of finding fault. It’s an incredible achievement to be on national television! Yet, why do so many professed Christians find fault so easily? Why is it so easy for us to tear someone down when they become successful? Is it jealousy, anger, hatred, bitterness? Growing up in church, I’ve witnessed since the days of my youth how powerful music plays a part in resonating positively with people--young and old. It’s unfortunate, however, that music has also torn people away from the church because of the type of music that’s played. Honestly, I think it childish when we quarrel over such things, because I see it that as long as the lyrics use the word God, Jesus, Heavenly Father and similar words included, the rhythm and beat are nice, and the words are clearly understood and I find myself wanting to exalt God rather than myself, I’m fine with it. That’s another topic, but I’d like to see more Christians encouraging one another and supporting one another. I mean, really, when I heard Committed won I couldn’t believe it, especially hearing they are Seventh-day Adventists or of that background, but if we are to keep people in the church, esp. youth, we need to show them how much we are proud of them. You know that word love, that’s all they need to be shown to keep them in the church and that’s what we too need to show Committed--our love and support. I’m sure Committed has a lot to deal with now on their shoulders as their music career takes off, but we should not be too quick to judge their actions. Seventh-day Adventists have an upper hand spiritually and should set the example to people of the world what a Christian is, yet we have a hard time doing that because we act too much like the world due to deconstructive criticizing. You know that old adage, “Why can’t we all just get along?” My answer: Stop hating and start praying (for yourself and others) and maybe, just maybe treating others with love, respect and support won’t be a phenomenon and uplifting Jesus will become genuinely natural.
Amen Sista!
I’m right with you on that one. Love is where it’s at. We need more of that and less judging! Thanks for sharing!
They just opened for Natalie Cole at Jazz Fest in Jamaica 1/29/11 (yes that was yesterday and yes that is the sabbath) thats their new current reality. http://jamaicajazzandblues.com/jazz2011/
They just opened for Natalie Cole at Jazz Fest in Jamaica 1/29/11 (yes that was yesterday and yes that is the sabbath) thats their new current reality. http://jamaicajazzandblues.com/jazz2011/