San Diego UPC Choir TEARS IT UP with Michael English and Mark Lowry

[NLYP]

Originally Posted by rgcraig

CR - maybe Michael set the tone of how he was treated by refusing the awards?

I applauded him for refusing the awards and he also gave back every one he won. As a sign of repentance and humility.

[rgcraig]

Originally Posted by NLYP

I applauded him for refusing the awards and he also gave back every one he won. As a sign of repentance and humility.

I do too.

[Steve Epley]

Originally Posted by Sherri

Honestly, this amazes me! These men's lifestyles both leave much to be desired, and yet a UPC choir ministers with them?????? Sorry, but I think it's a joke. We are called libs, and we wouldn't have either one of them on our platform. What happened to discernment? Sorry, NLYP, to rain on this parade, but I just find this ridiculous.

A closet legalist!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!:sshhh

[Steve Epley]

Originally Posted by NLYP

This is the mentality that makes me want to puke up a lung!!!!

Im so sick of this ...."we must preach to each other and hang with each other and sing to each other"

I say get out there and hang with trinitarians and sinners!!!!!

These guys that avoid fellowship and friendship with Trinitarians are backslidden heathens who dont have a clue what the great commission is!

Dan endorses the doctrine of Balaam. He also thought there was no harm. See where it got them.

[chaotic_resolve]

Originally Posted by rgcraig

CR - maybe Michael set the tone of how he was treated by refusing the awards?

I don't believe that. It was the biz. Read the letter below.

May 12, 1994 Letter from Warner Alliance:

An Open Letter To Our Friends In Christian Retailing, Radio and Press,

The recent events surrounding the life of Michael English have had a profound effect on all of us involved in Christian music and, ultimately, on the kingdom of God. For those of you who still may be unfamiliar with the facts, the story from our local paper is attached. The decision for Warner Alliance to disassociate itself from Michael was a difficult one; he was the label's first signing in 1990 and has been both a friend and an artist for whom we have worked diligently over these past four years. The ministry value of his music and what God has done through him cannot be minimized.

In the days following the Dove Awards as we learned of this tragic situation, we sought out and received Godly counsel from Pastor Scotty Smith of Christ Community Church in Franklin, TN, who met with both families involved, and from Pastor Jim Cymbala of The Brooklyn Tabernacle and then finally, we met with Michael himself. Ultimately, the difficulty comes in what and Who we are representing. We believe that the Bible teaches that there is a certain standard of conduct and morality that is expected of anyone who names the name of Jesus Christ, especially those who are called into public ministry. Our company helped to build and provide a platform for Michael English and when he decided to take actions that were contrary to the very ideals he had been espousing, our only course of action was to stop representing that "platform" by discontinuing the promotion, marketing and sales of his product. At the same time, on a personal level, we have great compassion for the families involved and continue to pray for healing and restoration.

Our credibility before the Lord and with you, our partners, is of the utmost importance to us. We now look together with you to the future and to wonderful new projects from Andrae Crouch, Steve Taylor, Take 6, Sisters, Carlton Pearson, David Mullen and others as we seek to maintain the highest standards of musical excellence and ministry. We appreciate your continued support, without which none of this would be possible.

Sincerely...in Him,

Neal Joseph
President

Barry Landis
Vice President, Marketing & Promotion

Interesting to note . . . Warner Alliance is a now-defunct daughter company of Warner Music Group, which also has the Warner Brothers label, which includes WORD music . . . Sandy Patti's label.

[South of I 90]

Originally Posted by chaotic_resolve

I have a huge problem with the Christian music industry and their treatment of Michael.

They wasted no time in dropping him from the label; pulling the albums from stores; and taking his music off the air. It was almost immediate.

Yet, at the same time, Sandi Patti has TWO extramarital affairs . . . BOTH with married men. She finally divorces her husband and marries one of the men she had an affair with and is currently married to him.

And NOTHING was done to her. She still is on the radio. Still is producing albums. Still wins awards.

What happened to Michael English was terribly wrong. And there's a blatant double-standard when it comes to the Christian music industry's handling of him and Sandi Patti.

CR, I have to disagree with you somewhat on this. When the stuff came out on Sandy Patti, she quit touring and did not come out with another cd for quite awhile (years).

Here singing career has not come back to popularity she was at one time.

Also the music industry is not very "friendly" to her genre now.

The music industry possibly handled Michael English wrong to some extent initially, but in the long run it looks like they made the right decisions.

Believe me, his mistake with Marabeth Jordon (First Call) was not his only "major" transgression.

[StillStanding]

Originally Posted by chaotic_resolve

Yah, he made a mistake . . . same as some ministers I know.

Michael English was my favorite Christian artist, and still is.

Unfortunately the whole of Christiandom tossed him under the bus.

He went on tour with FirstCall, which was a group of three. A married couple and another married lady, Marabeth Jordan. Michael was on this tour for several months without his wife. During the course of the tour he and Marabeth got close and, unfortunately, made a regretful mistake.

Marabeth had a miscarriage, likely from the trauma the affair caused.

Michael had just won several awards the previous week, but sent them back to the GMA stating that he felt he could not keep them because of his mistake. The GMA didn't know what to do with them, since the awards are for musical ability and not personal conduct. The GMA's contain no morals or character clause. As far as I know, they're probably sitting either in storage somewhere or on some music exec's shelf.

I have a huge problem with the Christian music industry and their treatment of Michael.

They wasted no time in dropping him from the label; pulling the albums from stores; and taking his music off the air. It was almost immediate.

Yet, at the same time, Sandi Patti has TWO extramarital affairs . . . BOTH with married men. She finally divorces her husband and marries one of the men she had an affair with and is currently married to him.

And NOTHING was done to her. She still is on the radio. Still is producing albums. Still wins awards.

What happened to Michael English was terribly wrong. And there's a blatant double-standard when it comes to the Christian music industry's handling of him and Sandi Patti.

I see Michael's coming out with another album. I wish him well. I'd love to see him in concert again.


I don't know Lisa, but there's always two sides to every story.

The story you mentioned is only the tip of the iceberg. I am also friends with some folks that traveled with him!

[NLYP]

Originally Posted by Steve Epley

Dan endorses the doctrine of Balaam. He also thought there was no harm. See where it got them.

Did not say I endorse it!
But I am definitely not afraid of it!

Not sure what doctrine you embrace.....

Originally Posted by NLYP

This is the mentality that makes me want to puke up a lung!!!!

Im so sick of this ...."we must preach to each other and hang with each other and sing to each other"

I say get out there and hang with trinitarians and sinners!!!!!

These guys that avoid fellowship and friendship with Trinitarians are backslidden heathens who dont have a clue what the great commission is!

The problem I have is with the seeming hypocrisy of the UPC saying trinitarians aren't saved while singing their songs, selling and reading their books, and relying on them to translate the Bible.

Of course, trinitarians are almost as bad (but trinitarians don't rely on oneness folks to translate their Bibles).

[Praxeas]

Originally Posted by Steve Epley

Dan endorses the doctrine of Balaam. He also thought there was no harm. See where it got them.

What is the doctrine of Balaam? Not from your own mind but from the word of God and how does Dan endorse it?