Gospel Music

We've come this far by faith

Leaning on the Lord

Trusting in God's Holy World

God's never failed me yet.

Can't turn around

We've come this far by faith.

While in the depths of slavery, no one could have imagined. We just wanted to survive the pain of the middle passage. When your family was being ripped apart, your dream was much lower, you just wanted to survive, to have the master stay out of your daughter's room tonight, we dreamed that our husbands and wives would not be sold tomorrow....

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This is a popular thought in the Black Church. The Lord is not only "going to" bless me, but the Lord already is currently blessing me. The song betrays an attitude of gratitude on behalf of the worshiper. We don't come to God only to request things from God, but to acknowledge the "goodness of Jesus and all he has done for me."

One might wonder what has God done, but the singer of this song answers "he woke me up this morning and started me on my way. Certainly the Lord will bless me, but any adequate understanding of God must begin with an acknowledgment of what God has already done.

As we continue to preach and teach in the Black tradition, we must always keep in the mind of the listener that God has already done so much for us that should elicit praise and works of Love. (Galatians 5:6)

Something within me that holdeth the reins.
Something within me that banishes pain;
Something within me I can't explain,
All that I know, there is something within me.

We often think of the Christian life in terms of what God will give us materially. We hear preachers speak of food on the table and a house and a job. We hear about how God will make you successful on your job or take you to the correct job if you lose that one.

However, one of the greatest gifts God has given to you is that "something" that is within you. That "something" that guides and directs you. That "something" that tells pain to stand back. That "something" that keeps you stable in an unstable world. I can't really explain that "something", but God has placed this "something" within you.

Today as we seek to live the life of God, let us keep in mind this great gift that God has given to us which is simply this "something" within.

When God comes in, you aren't the same, you are a new Creature. Tremaine Hawkins reminds of this in this classic gospel song.

Fanny Crosby wrote this song over 100 years ago. In the meantime it has become an important component of the Christian church. It has provided a way to express the deepest emotions. "Draw me nearer, nearer blessed Lord, to the Cross where thou hast died."

These words have been played slowly with a pipe organ, but this rendition is in the style of the great 1950-1960s Black Gospel sound. But, no matter what style the song is sung, it still calls us to a closer walk with the Master. Come listen to the Gales as they take us to church.

Everyone has heard of Sam Cooke. Many Gospel music lovers know that he began in Gospel singing some of the greatest songs that can even still be heard today.

From "Wonderful" to "Jesus be a Fence to Touch the Hem," you can still hear the music made and remade. However few know of the man that influenced both Cooke and much of Gospel music. The man's name is R. H. Harris. Cooke followed R. H. Harris in the Soul Stirrers.

You can listen to an audio podcast on the Down in the Flood website. The podcast provides commentary on the contributions of R. H. Harris to that influential group that made Sam Cooke famous.

Listen to the soaring movement in and out of the falsetto by R. H. Harris on the audios. In addition listen to Paul Foster trading lines with Harris like he later did with Cooke. You also might want to purchase an album of Harris' contributions to the Soul Stirrers from amazon.com entitled Shine on Me.

It gets hard some times, but I am holding on. Even if the things I suffer bring tears to my eyes. Even if Satan is working against me. Even if other folks are working against me. I will not let go. I will trust, believe, hope, and yes hold on and won't let go of my faith.

Let us look towards the future with the determination that our hope and trust in God can give us.

Notice the intensity, the strength and the surety. There is no question that the "Storm will pass over." As a preacher, I want the people to know that I believe what I am preaching. I also want the intensity that these sistas bring as they preach the gospel in their rendition of this great song from the Black church.

The Storm is Passing over...Hallelujah

Someone has put up another classic video of the very influential group "Soul Stirrers."

Thanks to the Jazz Theologian for finding this. Pastor Wintley Phipps teaches the origins of the song Amazing Grace in the Negro Spirituals even though it was written by a white slave ship captain. Then Pastor Phipps sings the song.