Voices of Praise deliver musical gospel message to Spain_72604
Posted: 7/23/04
| Some members of “Voices of Praise” perform at a BGCT Church Multiplication dinner during the African American Fellowship/Church Health and Growth Conference. The group recently returned from a trip to Spain where more than 100 people made decisions for Christ. |
Voices of Praise deliver musical gospel message to Spain
By John Hall
Texas Baptist Communications
SAN ANTONIO–More than 100 people made decisions for Christ when pastors put their musical talent to use during a recent mission trip to Spain.
Voices of Praise, a 13-member group made up primarily of pastors, performed in five packed venues in Spain. One of the performances was in front of more than 1,000 people in a civic center where the Christian message previously was not allowed. About 104 individuals made spiritual decisions.
Charlie Singleton, pastor of First Missionary Baptist Church in Fort Worth, said the energy of the people, movement of the Holy Spirit and tremendous fellowship created a “different atmosphere” in the venues where God was allowed to work.
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| Two women pray during a worship service. |
Texans and Spaniards bonded through meals, conversations and hours spent meeting people after concerts.
“They (Spaniards) showed up, but more importantly, God showed up,” said Roy Cotton, consultant for the Baptist General Convention of Texas Church Multiplication Center.
Michael Evans, director of the BGCT African-American ministries office, said God moved in amazing ways because the volunteers allowed God to use their singing talents.
Mission work largely is letting God use a person's gifts, he said.
The trip resulted from two years of planning by the BGCT African-American ministries office, the BGCT Texas Partnerships Resource Center and Jorge Pastor, a Spanish minister who invited the group because he noticed Spaniards are interested in African-American gospel music.
The Texas Baptist group performed classic gospel pieces such as “Oh Happy Day,” “When the Saints Go Marching In” and “Order My Steps” to excited Spanish crowds. Each night, a member of the ensemble also told about the power of God.
Members of the group said they acted like themselves, and God gave their words and actions power to impact lives. In addition to the Spaniards who made decisions, the group also ministered to and among Gypsies, a population commonly looked down upon in Spain.
Mission trips such as this one remind him of God's work around the world, Singleton said.
“I love to see the way the Lord works,” he added. “It gives you a whole different perspective. Sometimes we get so caught up here, we forget he is the same God around the world.”
The trip encouraged the group to become more active in missions through singing, Evans said.
Part of the group performed back in Texas during the African American Fellowship/Church Health and Growth Conference in San Antonio.
Evans hopes the testimonies of participants urge other Texas Baptist African-American churches to get involved in partnership missions, whether in Spain, Nigeria–the site of the African-American ministries office's official partnership–or somewhere else through Texas Partnerships.
The trip “really convinced individuals in our group who never had been involved in missions before to get more involved in mission work,” Evans said.