What a night of Southern Gospel Music! If you were unable to attend this event, you missed a blessing. This was “Crown Promotions” fifth annual southern gospel music sing and just ask any one who attended, it was not just a sing, but we had church. A lot of songs and groups today are feel good, none biblical, in it for the fame, and just try to make it popular with the world. Not in this case. All the groups that performed that night had a strong meaning with a Biblical message. This in turn gave all the praise to our Lord, Jesus Christ. The MC for the evening was Evangelist Jack Yarbrough from Hinesville GA. He began the program with the song “The Blood Covenant” in which he did an outstanding job.
The first group of the evening was “The Bland Family” from here in Glennville, GA. They sang several old hymns from the old red hymn book. They featured their entire family. Westley, age 13, and Jordan, age 12, have been singing with their parents, Stuart and Michelle Bland, for the past 7 years. If you have been following their ministry you can see and hear their family harmony grow as the boys mature. You can tell that they each sing from the heart and enjoy performing. Their main objective though is to encourage families to live for Christ and raise their children in the nuture and admonition of the Lord. (Eph. 6:1-4) Michelle sang a song, Gods Precious Gifts that God had given to her a few years back. It tells what a precious gift God gives when he gives to us our children. During this song, they experienced some technical difficulties with the key board, but she didn’t let this stop her. She finished the song acapello. At the end of the song the rest of the family and audience joined in on “Jesus Loves the Little Children”, as they introduced their newest member of the group, their son and baby brother, Adam. Adam turned one year old that same day. What an exciting day for the family! The excitement didn’t end there. They finished their program out with a patriotic medley and slide show in honor of all the past and present military that have fought so hard for our freedom. Without them no one could present the gospel in the way “The Bland Family” and all the other groups did that night.
The next group of the evening was “Danny Funderburk & Mercy’s Way” from Indian Trail N.C. Danny is a very well known Southern Gospel Tenor singer. He has sung with such groups as “The Cathedrals”, “The Singing Americans”, and “Perfect Heart”. He has also brought to gospel music such songs as “He Touched Me”, “I Can See the Hand”, and many more including his most notable song, “I Just started Living”. Singing along with Danny was also Keith Plott, Stan Shuman and Greg Day. Stan has written over 100 songs for many of the top quartets in southern gospel music. His voice has been compared to gospels great legendary Rusty Goodman. Greg is also a great song writer who is famous for co-writing the song “The Midnight Cry” which was also made popular by the movie Left Behind. Keith did an outstanding job singing the bass for the group. He has sang with many popular groups with one of the most well known being “Brian Free and Assurance. Even though these men share many of the same talents there is one other thing they share which is of greater importance than it all, and that is the saving grace and knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ. All four of these men are evangelists and come together once a month to sing and share Gods word in song.
The third group of the night was another local group from Glenville GA. “The Heirs of Grace”. The group consists of Alan and Kim Knight and Clint and Ginger Durrence. They also introduced the newest member of their group, their pianist Chad Lunstford from Waynesboro GA. They began their first performance of the night with something we all can not live with out and that’s Gods “Amazing Grace”. The group has been singing together for the past seven years. It is a wonderful coincidence that two couples can fulfill the four part harmony of lead and alto by Clint and Ginger and tenor and bass by Kim and Alan. They sing solely to glorify God and hope that the sermon in songs will touch people’s lives as well as minister to the lost. This was evident in the message of their newest songs such as “In My Rob of White”, “Wouldn’t Take Nothing for My Journey Now” and “Just a Little Talk with Jesus”. In talking with the group they expressed that if one soul could be reached for Christ their ministry was worth the while.
The final group of the evening was the “Driven” quartet and they are not new to southern gospel music. This group of young men has been singing for over 20 years. In 2006 through much prayer, stepping out on faith, heeding to the call on their lives to present the gospel through music they created “Driven Ministries”. Lead singer Jason Funderburk, son of Danny Funderburk, along with Will Lane singing bass, Alex Woolard singing tenor, and Chad Smith singing Baritone made us laugh, cry, shout, and forget about the problems we face in day to day life. Through out their performance they sang some of the old favorites everyone enjoys. They truly were uplifting and an inspiration to all. The audience was in awe over Will Lanes tremendously deep bass voice. His voice was bigger than his young age of 23 should have allowed. These young men have an exceptional tight harmony that flows along with their closeness of brotherly love. Their group motto is Romans 8:28 ...All Things work together for good to them that love God ... and the question that they ask their audience is: “What Drives You"?
To conclude the evening both “Danny Funderburk & Mercies Way” along with “Driven” performed together on stage to celebrate “Crown Promotions” fifth year of bringing southern gospel music to Glennville. We laughed, we were inspired, and Br. Danny had all the Vietnam Veterans that were in attendance to stand and tell the year they served our country. After which we all gave thanks to all armed forces for the job they do in protecting our county and giving us the freedom of religion to serve a risen Savior. WHAT AN EVENING!
