Dr. Jerry Goff Attends Madison Heights Baptist Church

Sunday, September 1, 2013, was an extra special day at Madison Heights Baptist Church, as Dr. Jerry Goff dropped in unannounced to worship with our congregation.  Needless to say, I asked him to share a song with us, and he graciously agreed to share with us.  At the age of 78, his zeal, nor his ability to sing a song have diminished in the least.  Every Sunday, we expect the Holy Spirit to be in the service with us, but what a delight when Brother Goff showed up!  As everybody knows, Jerry is always obedient to the Holy Spirit when he is ministering to an audience, so when he partnered with the Holy Spirit at our church, you can guess what happened.  Yep!  The power of God came down, and many folks touched the hem of His garment as Jesus passed by.  As a true "legend" in the field of Gospel Music, it is difficult not to been in awe when Jerry is present.  His persona is larger than life, but his character reflects that of Christ's.  As most know, Dr. Goff is as adept at preaching as he is singing and songwriting.  I only have one regret, and that is that I did not ask him to share God's word with us, but perhaps on another occasion God will allow that to happen.  Honestly, Brother Goff's physical appearance is as youthful and robust as ever, and his vocal strength has never waned.  I had never met Jerry until the 2013 Gospel Legend's Reunion, although I have been a fan of his for years.  I was taken by Jerry & the Goffs after they recorded the song "Please Search the Book Again".  I heard them sing that profound song at a concert at the Paramount Theater in Ashland, Kentucky in 1975.  Jerry's influence in Southern Gospel  continues, and will be remembered long after he is gone, not only through the songs he has written, the music he's published and recorded, the TV shows he's produced and hosted, but mostly by the life he has lived for the Lord, and the souls he has won to Christ.  Now, that my friends, constitutes a "Legend"!

    

The Therapeutic Value of Gospel Music

Everybody, from time to time, goes through one of those days when you just "kinda have the blues". You know those times you just feel like you aren't quite the success you had hoped for, or when you feel like the world is against you, or you can't seem to make anybody happy.  One of the quickest "pick-me-ups" is listening to a peppy gospel tune.  I don't know about you, but I cannot stay depressed when I listen to one of those old Kingsmen recordings with Jim Hamill singing lead on "I'd Rather Be An Old-time Christian", or "Excuses", and I really get happy when I an old recording of the Statesmen singing "Get Away Jordan".  Without a doubt there has never been anything that can touch the soul like a good ole gospel song, and nothing can chase the blues away any faster.  It has to be a pretty dead church that will not respond to "foot-tapping" gospel music.  There have been untold multitudes of souls who have come to Christ while listening to an anointed gospel singer.  I truly believe God has been the inspiration behind the music that untold millions have come to love, and unlike many, I believe Gospel Music is here to stay. 

This weekend, my wife Judy and I went to Lexington, Kentucky to join our life-long friends Dinsmore and Joann Nisbet, John Paul and Kay Barker, Henry and Jane Horton Wilhoit, Carl and Bobbi Jo Taylor, and Ted and Barbara Faulconer in a reunion that has been taking place every year since 1971.  In the beginning when this group would get together, we would start singing gospel music early in the evening, and we would sing through the night and never repeat a song.  Very often, we would be standing in a circle, arms around each other's necks, singing way after the sun had come up.  Of course now we don't sing through the night because of our old age, but our time together is none-the-less therapeutic for the few hours spent singing about the Savior we all know so well.  Judy and I, in our mid-sixties, are the youngest of the group who are in their late-seventies to early-eighties.  It's amazing how many songs you can sing from memory in four or five hours.  The group has decided that we're going to cram as many reunions into what little time we have left on this earth, so we're going to get together every quarter from now 'til the Lord calls us all home.  We're going to sing 'til the last man is standing (or sitting)!  This gang started when we were all very young, and we found out then that gospel music created an unbreakable bond between us.  We all consider each other as "best friends".  These friends have been the greatest blessing in our lives, and when God has called us all home, we're going to gather on the front porch of Dinsmore's log cabin and sing "While the Ages Roll On".  Well this weekend was therapeutic for Judy and me, and I know for days we'll be hearing from the gang reiterating what a great time we all had together.

I guess in all my ramblings I would like to convince somebody to listen to some good ole gospel music.  It'll be therapeutic for you!