Music: Gospel to Secular; Quest for fame or money?

Loading... HomeFaithBelieving Gospel Musicians Going Secular: Monetary Or Quest For Fame? BELIEVING By Our Correspondents 12:15 am , Sun, 19 May 19 0 149 Share Loading... UMA NGOZI, CHINYERE ABIAZIEM Have you ever heard a song that touches the whole of your being and gives you the aura of heavenly fulfillment? That is what gospel music does to the spirit, soul and body of a believer. But in recent times, according to observers many artistes who started singing in the church have left gospel music to sing secular songs. It is no longer news that most musicians started singing in the church, hence it can be said that they discovered and developed their gifts in the church. ABUJA DOCTOR REVEALS HOW MOST NIGERIA MEN ARE NOW OVERCOMING TERRIBLE BEDROOM PERFORMANCE DUE TO THIS BRILLIANT DISCOVERY. DONT BE A VICTIM! An artiste who does not want his name in print told Sunday INDEPENDENT that he started singing at the age of eight in a local church, but all the while he sang nobody appreciated him monetarily, although he was not expecting anything from the church because he enjoyed singing and singing to him was like breathing. “In life, you will agree with me that one needs money to live up to expectations from family and the society. There was a time in my life when I had to live off people, after church I had to beg church members for money to go home. “God gave me break through, when I released my first album. I might not be singing in the church today, but I know my root, my root is in Christ Jesus. I think those in the church that have needs should make it known to the leadership of the church, and they should be assisted by the church.” Reports had it days ago that a gospel minister, Michael Arowosaiye allegedly hung himself due to depression over inability to foot his accommodation bill due to financial challenges. CHECK THIS OUTSteepto A Guy From Lagos Became A Millionaire Using This Method! Cyber Bet These Are The US Jobs That Pay Nigeria To Work From Home Work From Home Want A USA Job Working At Home In Nigeria? Check Here Work From Home Though another gospel artiste, Kolawole Bekes said over the internet that Michael’s death should not be linked to accommodation issues as the CCTV in his house showed that he woke up after a nap to go in search of what to hang himself with. Evangelist Tope Alabi a popular gospel artist In an exclusive interview with Sunday INDEPENDENT who said that she has been singing at an early age, encouraged churches and individuals to support talents. “We all have talents and when you see people coming up you have to help them, during my time nobody wanted to help me. But you see talents even pays more so if you don’t encourage them you will just make them miserable because of the situation in Nigeria people are just using what they have to get what they want. “As long as you are not using your talents for the devil I would make sure I do what I can to support the person. This is my belief and what I stand for. I have been singing since I was very small and I joined the choir in Catholic Church when I was about seven years old. “I have been singing for a very long time. My parents told me while I was growing up that men of God used to tell them that I would be a minister of God,” she stated. Loading... On the many challenges encountered by gospel artistes especially organising concerts, she shared, “You know it is normal like when you want to put a concert together you will want a hall and some things but don’t have much but we still want people to come together and praise God. “When you are planning something like that you will be like ‘let me tell people to come and watch this concert for a particular amount, let us say N200’. “But people have the mentality that gospel concerts should be put for free without considering the cost of putting them together but if is secular if they say the ticket is N5, 000 they will surely pay.” She continued, “So with this any concert that I want to put together if I’m going to spend N20million let the money come from my pocket as I am not going to ask for any gate fee. I will just do it as giving back to God, the grace he has given to us we are giving back to the society as well.” Rev. Prince Obed Ezeonye, senior pastor Excellent Glory Christian Centre Iju Lagos in his view said that it is an end time sign for a music minister to leave gospel music to do secular songs, hence the need for churches to discourage such trend. “Whatever that does not give glory to God, is glorifying Satan. The idea of music ministers going into secular is a sign of the end time and should not be condoled. “It should not be allowed in Christian fold, if we look at the origin of praise and worship, you will see it originated from God. And the person who was in charge of that section was Lucifer and when he was dethroned he tried to divert it to glorify himself,” he said. He noted that most of the instrumentalists in the church also go to clubs to do their business. “Even some instrumentalists will go to clubs to play and on Sunday morning they come to the church to play also. This is not welcome at all, because you cannot serve God and Mammon at the same time. “Our gift is not given for us to make merchandise out of it; every gift is from God and should be used to glorify God. In my church we never encourage the idea of paying music minsters and instrumentalist, we only ask them to maximise their gift and use it to glorify God. “But in the event, where some pastors use money to induce them to do their work, it opens them up to want more money, “he viewed. He concludes with a story of an instrumentalist who achieved nothing while merchandising his gift. “I know of a gospel instrumentalist who all the while he was playing and collecting money, he never achieved anything. But one day God spoke to him, that the gift he gave to him, he was using to do business and he stopped collecting money to play in any church, and God started meeting all his needs. “I agree with you that some church has not encouraged some of them, but that is not enough reason they should be playing secular songs,” he shared. Pastor Adewusi Michael a serving minister in a Pentecostal church sharing his view with Sunday INDEPENDENT tries to differentiate between a gospel artiste and a music minister, he said both of them have different motives in doing music. He said, “There is difference between a music minister and a gospel artist. A music minister is a person who uses his or her gift to glorify God, and not primarily singing because of money. “A music minister is like a pastor, they have a calling, but a gospel artist might not be a born again. You know in Nigeria today many artists feels that once they sing a song that has God name in it, it appeals to the people.” He continued, “It is not every gospel artist is born again. A popular music minister wanted to record his song, and was told to remove the name of Jesus and replace it with God if he wants the song to have many likes. “But because he is a minister of the gospel he rejected the offer, but if it were to be a gospel artiste he would have accepted it, because the aim of gospel artistes is to make money, and they can go any length to get the money. “If you are a music minister or an instrumentalist, the church does not have any obligation on you financially, but that does not mean they cannot assist when you are in need,” he said. The cleric stated further that the church and her leaders cannot be blamed when a person that sings a church decides to sing secular songs, as it has to do with the individual’s value system. “I believe that it has to do with the individual and not the fault of the church, because it was in the church that most musicians discovered and developed their gifts before they opt out. “Many musicians that left the gospel songs to do secular songs do that because they appreciated their skill above the kingdom of God they feel their skill is a means of enriching themselves and do not have value for the word of God,” he said. He added, “They make financial gain reasons for whatever they do. If you ask me if an instrumentalist, choristers should be paid for doing their work in the church, I will say no, they can appreciate those that have needs in the church who are serving in certain capacity; it should only be an appreciation and not a commitment to them. “Pastors are not special from a music minister; we are all ministers of God in the body of Christ irrespective of our gifts The Bible says in 2 Timothy chapter 2 verses 20 ‘But in a great house there are not only vessels of gold and of silver, but also of wood and of earth; and some to honor, and some to dishonor.’” Biyi Samuel, otherwise known as Igi Aruwe or Igi Tiruwe in his opinion said that a lot of things are not right in the Nigerian Music industry, and the church is not giving them enough support. “Assessing the Nigerian gospel music industry, I will say we will get there in Jesus name. Things are not very right I have to say but I want to believe that we will get there. I want to use this medium to say that we will get there. “There are some things that are not right, like-Finance, endorsement and support from the church; the church is not really helping. Being a gospel artiste and making people happy naturally should be enough to pay our bills but otherwise is the case. “For instance if a church invites you and you bill them N250, 000 they say you have backslidden and not a church of God. So because of this the church is not helping except for some churches that you and I know about. “I have been challenged in so many ways- the ‘Igi Aruwe’ controversy, things before and after ‘Igi Aruwe’, the challenge of finance and what have you but I am still standing to the glory of God. “I will rather advise gospel musicians to be themselves and be real anywhere they go. Even if you are being lined up alongside Israel Houghton, Ron Kenoly, Kirk Franklin or Don Moen. You just have to be yourself. It does not mean you cannot express yourself probably in English but let people know that this is who you are and you will go places,” he said. Fido Cleff,a gospel minister from Christ Embassy sharing his testimony, avowed that he will never switch to secular music. His words, “I am a gospel artiste and I am proud to say it anywhere. The revelation of God that you have determines your action. So I will never switch. I see myself waxing stronger by God’s grace. “I have heard many testimonies. A fan turned friend told me he listens to the song every day. That song was released some Fridays ago (then) yet she listens to it every day. A Pastor called me and asked me to come and minister in his church. “He said he listened to my song and he loved the song. I did not plan for it but he is a pastor I respect so much so I had to go. He did not want to partake in it alone; he wanted the congregation also to hear such a beautiful song. “I always tell people it is not about the song we sing, it is about who we are. Everybody can sing but something is differentiating me and you.” CHECK THIS OUTSteepto Washington Real Estate Prices Might Surprise You A Guy From Lagos Became A Millionaire Using This Method! Phoenix Real Estate Prices Might Surprise You Chicago Real Estate Prices Might Surprise You San Diego Real Estate Prices Might Surprise You Dallas Real Estate Prices Might Surprise You Oakland Real Estate Prices Might Surprise You Philadelphia Real Estate Prices Might Surprise You Earn $700 Every 60 Minutes From Your Computer! 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