Keep The Faith magazine - Britain's leading publication about Black faith

Juliet Fletcher explores how gospel music has enabled churches to engage with the wider community, and argues that gospel artists should be used more, so that they have greater societal impact

Every day we listen to music, and if you are deeply inspired by it, gospel music may well be your number one choice. However, it is increasingly recognised that the experience of gospel music is not just about ‘the worship experience’.

Artists and Influence

Throughout the ages, in every culture, within every nation, communities and minority groupings, the minstrel, poet, composer, musician and singers have been interpreters of the people’s feelings and barometers of change. Some are hailed as (s)heroes whenever, in an awesome stroke of genius or mystical inspiration, they define and complete a lyrical song or musical composition that ‘says it all’.

In the Black Church movement of the USA, gospel artists and songwriters have defined and indeed provoked acceptance of social and cultural changes within itself, as well as impacting change in the wider society.

Andrae Crouch is often cited at the ‘father of contemporary gospel’, with the Winans continuing Crouch’s advanced engagement, by composing greater in-depth lyrical content and musical arrangements that moved gospel well away from the traditionally simple verse-and-chorus formats for groups; few would argue against the idea that Walter and Edwin Hawkins did this for choirs. It is well documented how gospel was part of the ongoing voice for social change during the Civil Rights era and beyond.

Driven to Change

Here in the UK, our gospel artists have been used, I would say, in a different way to mark social and cultural changes in and out of our churches.

Of course we are a much younger Church movement – by more than a century. Nonetheless, similar to our US counterpart, the UK Black Church was forged into existence by the fires of racial discrimination and the soothing waters of cultural distinction. However, by the 1980s, social discontent in the Black British community was at breaking point. It eventually erupted into a spate of riots, which started in Brixton and extended to various UK urban cities. This year marks the 30th anniversary of that period.

Black Church leaders during that time were accused by Black activists and others of being “so heavenly minded ... of no earthly good”.   The music and lyrics of Bob Marley and similar artists articulated much of the feelings of many disillusioned youth and the mood of the moment.

There were no popular social commentary songs that called for justice or condemnation of ‘the system’ from the Church.  However, what did eventually reach the ears and eyes of the British public by then, was a contrasting picture to the troubled, law-defying youths: it was the jubilant voice of the youth of the Black Churches celebrating their God with impassioned musical commitment.  And although some stereotypical assumptions were made  - like ‘happy-clappy Blacks singing minstrels’ - exposure of the music broke new boundaries in almost every sense of the word, and critically, the Black Church was perceived and experienced by all levels of society in a new way that was, by and large, positive. But it was not a ‘one way street’.

Creative Purpose Maintains Relevance

The exposure of our music became both ‘a window’ and ‘a bridge’ for an erstwhile inward-looking and retrospective community. When singing groups started to visit prisons and minister to inmates, dialogue took place that opened some leaders and church workers to ideas for youth initiatives. It led to deeper engagement around the social issues of our youth, and gave rise to a growing confidence to speak out on other matters. I’m not saying that the Church’s advances in social and cultural inclusion is ALL down to gospel music, but I witnessed how it certainly opened many doors for the Church to engage with the wider community.

Today, gospel music continues to be utilised with zeal and purpose in ever-increasing settings by our musicians and singers. It is greatly utilised in school music education; extensive prison mentoring programmes, and mental health initiatives. Creatives like Andrea Encinas, Arts Director of the British Gospel Arts Consortium, have even successfully applied gospel music to swimming: in 2008, Swim Gospel brought gospel singing and swimming together at leisure centres. The pilot was conducted in partnership with Everyday Swim Lewisham, and by the national arts programme, Sing Up. Under-19s were encouraged to bring their parents, carers and grandparents with them for this experience. The aim: to encourage more families, particularly from African and Caribbean communities, to sing and swim together. Can you get more innovative than that? In an interview about the project, Andrea described gospel practitioners as latter day missionaries, who should be fully supported by the churches.

In my view, this alienated generation of youth is within touching distance of the Church, due to the actions and music of a powerful, engaging peer group of young people, who are unashamedly attached to the message of our Lord Jesus Christ. Could it be time for the church to employ such people in full-time roles?

Purpose-Driven Direction

Our music has purpose but to sustain its future, it now needs to be driven towards major consolidation of all the assets that has brought it this far. Now is the season for converging partnerships around the dynamics of developing infrastructures and other systems, combined with the creative generation of self-sustaining economic initiatives. A rallying point is the new GMIA – Gospel Music Industry Alliance. Aiming to develop into a representative organisation for UK Gospel, it has begun as a website resource. However, nothing can replace the critical personal relationships upon which all of these things rely, and successive events are planned to ensure this.

Visit www.gospelmusicindustryalliance.org and sign up to be part of a new phase of development in the UK Gospel scene