As a lot because it purports to be a “constructive and inspiring” different to the secular world, the world of Up to date Christian Music is way from being proof against scandals and controversies.
In 1994, Michael English—who had simply gained “Artist of the Yr” on the Dove Awards—confessed to having an affair with Marabeth Jordan, a member of the group First Name. English returned his awards, misplaced his recording contract, and was banished from Christian radio for a number of years. As for Jordan, she suffered a miscarriage, and regardless of contributing vocals to albums by CeCe Winans, George Strait, and Martina McBride, her profession by no means recovered like English’s.
Tait has loved unimaginable success whereas reaching hundreds of thousands of followers and releasing a few of CCM’s largest albums. He’s additionally a sexual predator.
Amy Grant, the “Queen of Christian Pop,” skilled a significant backlash in 1999 after submitting for divorce from husband Gary Chapman, additionally a musician. Stated backlash elevated when Grant married nation singer Vince Gill the next yr. (Opposite to in style perception on the time, although, Grant and Gill by no means had an affair.) And naturally, earlier than that, Grant was accused of being too “worldly” when her 1991 album Coronary heart in Movement turned an enormous hit due to the only “Child Child.”
In 2020, singer/songwriter Chris Rice was accused of sexually assaulting a younger man within the late ’90s and early ’00s at numerous worship retreats. Rice had beforehand been nominated for a number of Dove Awards, together with “New Artist of the Yr” and “Male Vocalist of the Yr,” profitable the latter in 1999.
Which brings us to 2025, and the earth-shattering and industry-shaking allegations surrounding Michael Tait.
As a member of DC Speak and the Newsboys, two of probably the most profitable CCM acts of all time, Tait has loved unimaginable success whereas reaching hundreds of thousands of followers and releasing a few of CCM’s largest albums (e.g., DC Speak’s Jesus Freak, Newsboys’ God’s Not Lifeless). He’s additionally a sexual predator.
As reported by The Roys Report on June 4, Tait groomed and sexually assaulted different males because the early ’00s. Throughout this time, Tait fronted his personal band earlier than changing into the Newsboys’ lead singer in 2009 and showing on celebrated albums like Born Once more and Hallelujah for the Cross.
All of this could show, past any doubt, that the Christian music {industry} is simply that, an {industry}.
Tait, who left the Newsboys in January, subsequently posted a confession on Instagram in response to The Roys Report article, admitting that he “used and abused cocaine, consumed far an excessive amount of alcohol, and at occasions touched males in an undesirable, sensual means.” However within the days following The Roys Report’s preliminary article, extra horrific revelations got here to gentle. Tait has now additionally been accused of sexually assaulting minors in addition to drugging a lady and watching a Newsboys crew member rape her. (Up to now, no legal fees have been filed in opposition to Tait, however given the severity of his actions, that looks like a really distinct risk.)
As for the Newsboys, they admitted to listening to rumors of Tait’s conduct, rumors that he would “emphatically” deny. In a Fb submit dated June 5, they wrote that “our hearts had been shattered after we learn the information alleging drug abuse and inappropriate sexual actions by our former lead singer, Michael Tait” and “We’re horrified, heartbroken, and offended at this report and in some ways, we really feel as if we and our households have been deceived for the final fifteen years.”
Nonetheless, the Newsboys’ obvious ignorance has not saved their status or profession. Christian radio stations together with Ok-LOVE, the nation’s largest Christian radio community, have stopped taking part in their music and the band has been dropped by their label, Capitol Christian Music Group. Making issues worse, the band’s newest album, Worldwide Revival (Deluxe), was launched only a few weeks in the past, and so they’re set to play a number of U.S. and European festivals all through the summer season. Nonetheless, one competition has already eliminated the Newsboys from their lineup, and extra cancellations could comply with as followers strain promoters.
Extra damning nonetheless, Darren King (previously of Mutemath) posted a video on X by which he talked about his personal expertise with Tait’s advances earlier than providing a scathing denial of the Newsboys’ ignorance: “I discover it very exhausting to consider that [Tait’s] bandmates didn’t know… If you understand something about touring life or the music {industry}, there’s no means that bandmates and a supervisor wouldn’t find out about a police report.”
All of this could show, past any doubt, that the Christian music {industry} is simply that, an {industry}. And a really profitable and worthwhile {industry} at that. (Actual figures are exhausting to seek out, however Christian music has grow to be a multi-billion-dollar enterprise nowadays.) Lots of these working in CCM, from the artists to the A&R of us to the label execs, are undoubtedly doing so with good and godly intentions. They see this as a religious calling, a strategy to glorify God and unfold the Gospel of Christ.
Mixing movie star and wealth with ministry is a really fraught and harmful mixture.
Fame and cash, nevertheless, are powerfully corrupting influences, and maybe particularly so for Christians. Mixing movie star and wealth with ministry is a really fraught and harmful mixture. We’ve seen this play out in conditions with abusive pastors and worship leaders who loved a sure degree of fame and standing (e.g., Invoice Hybels, Robert Morris, Ravi Zacharias). It’s not exhausting to see that very same dynamic at work within the Tait scenario, as properly.
On this dynamic, persons are primed and keen—even coerced—to miss sins, resist accountability, and silence victims. Maybe they don’t need to lose the facility and status that they take pleasure in. Or possibly they simply can’t consider that somebody with a profitable ministry could be able to such grave sins, and so refuse to consider—or select to naïvely consider the very best. Or possibly they’re afraid of besmirching a beloved and influential individual’s Christian witness, and by extension, making God look dangerous.
In any case, this dynamic sadly makes all of it too straightforward for rock stars like Tait—for all of its religion trappings, the Christian music {industry} does, certainly, have rock stars—to do horrible issues and get away with them for much too lengthy. (Within the weeks following the allegations, people inside the Christian music {industry}, together with former Newsboys producer Steve Taylor and Skillet’s John Cooper, have known as for reform and accountability.)
The Bible has some sharp phrases that strike on the very coronary heart of this dynamic. Individuals love to speak about Jesus’ beautiful phrases in Matthew 18 about childlike religion: “Actually, I say to you, except you flip and grow to be like youngsters, you’ll by no means enter the dominion of heaven. Whoever humbles himself like this youngster is the best within the kingdom of heaven.” It’s straightforward to gloss over the warning in his subsequent phrases: “Whoever causes certainly one of these little ones who consider in me to sin, it could be higher for him to have an amazing millstone fixed round his neck and to be drowned within the depth of the ocean.” Contemplating the impact that Tait’s actions have had on his victims’ religion, his millstone is sizable, certainly.
“The best single reason for atheism on this planet at the moment is Christians who acknowledge Jesus with their lips, then stroll out the door and deny him by their life-style.”
Later within the New Testomony, James writes that “Not a lot of you need to grow to be lecturers, my brothers, for you understand that we who train will likely be judged with higher strictness.” This passage is commonly used within the context of pastors and different church leaders, as a reminder to show God’s Phrase with the utmost care. Its spirit, nevertheless, applies to anybody who misuses the standing and authority with which God has blessed them—even a Christian rock star who misused the celebrity he acquired from spreading the Good Information to be able to abuse and assault those that regarded as much as him, noticed him as a task mannequin, and had been impressed by his obvious religion.
It’s deeply ironic that certainly one of Tait’s most well-known songs—“What If I Stumble” from DC Speak’s Jesus Freak—begins with this recording of Brennan Manning: “The best single reason for atheism on this planet at the moment is Christians who acknowledge Jesus with their lips, then stroll out the door and deny him by their life-style. That’s what an unbelieving world merely finds unbelievable.” Tragically, it could be that Michael Tait’s best legacy as a Christian music star is making it that a lot tougher for an unbelieving world to consider in Christ.
