Actually, as the Gospel Choir forcefully told us last night, really “our God” is “worthy to be praised.” At the concert, the choirs reminded of so many reasons why I love Gospel music. But it all comes down to the same point: Gospel music has FORCE and POWER—which is the nature of the relationship with God that I have found and yet, still seek.

I love that Gospel music is loud and has a persistent beat—rarely does it allow for passive listening. I appreciate that there are so many strong ways to express praise to our endlessly praiseworthy God. Last night, I heard smooth R&B, scat singing, classical spiritual singing, Bach-like inventions and more.

I remember the first time I ever saw/heard live Gospel music. It was not in my home church, it was on TV. A large, beautiful choir was televised in some worship service. I can still remember one of the songs that I heard: Going Up Yonder. I had known church choral music, up to that point, only as anthems. This moment was truly a revelation.  A few years later, my mother and some of her church friends founded a Gospel Choir called New Generation Gospel Choir. I used to go to their rehearsals to listen to the songs, and equally significant, the ways that they learned and sang them.

The concert last night was filled with good music and singing by both the Gospel Choir and the Festival of Voices Choir. The moment that inscribed itself into my heart was Djore’s “testimony.” (Djore Nance is our beloved new Gospel Choir director) His testimony became mine, once again, as he sang an old Gospel standard:

I've had some good days
I've had some hills to climb
I've had some weary days
And some sleepless nights

But when I look around
And I think things over
All of my good days
Outweigh my bad days
I won't complain

I feel like my faith journey exists inside this song, especially as it goes on toward the end:

The Lord
Has been so good to me
[God's] been good to me
More than this old world or you could ever be
[God's] been so good
To me

God dried all of my tears away
Turned my midnights into day
So I'll just say thank you Lord

The song ends in a position of radical thanksgiving. Again, not a passive act but a forceful and powerful offering of thanks to God who is endlessly benevolent, bountiful and loving. Whatever my situation or condition, just thank you, God! Thank you God for all and thank you for the particular expression of Gospel Music.