Newsboys Scandal

 

The former Newsboys Member Michael Tait, has been found with allegations of watching rape, and preying on two minors who were boys (https://cbn.com/news/entertainment/shame-and-tragedy-john-cooper-issues-bold-proclamation-michael-tait). This is rocking the Christian community when many have been still recovering from the sexual scandals in the Southern Baptist Churches and the Roman Catholic scandals. 

I find myself personally effected because I preferred Newsboys when Michael Tait was lead singer, especially songs like “We Believe” which is a shortened Apostle’s Creed song, and their version of “Holy, Holy, Holy.” Now I will not be able to listen to Tait and those versions of the songs just as I will not buy or look at Thomas Kinkade’s paintings after he left his Wife Nanet and family to be with mistress. Sin can taint your witness, especially sin as vile as Tait is alleged to have done. 

So many Christians in the limelight fall like stars. There was Jimmy Swagger with all prostitutes he was seeing, there was Jim Jones and his sexual control and Koolaid mass murder, there was David Koresh

who believe murder would bring about Jesus’ return, and now Tait with this taint on Newsboys. This is not the first time Newsboys has had controversy, a former band member who was in the original band lost his faith and now speaks against Christianity. Which leads me to a post I wrote on Purity Culture, and how pretending to be super christians and saints actually makes a person poised to fall. Putting on an outward show of sanctity and trying to live up to always seeming perfect and holy will lead to a fall, we are not Christ, who is perfect, we are Christians, “the spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.” (Matthew 26:41). People need to meet in groups to grieve, to deal with addictions, and to seek help if sin is knocking at the door, and get accountability to help them fight back. I am not saying this would have stopped Michael Tait, or others from their choices, but it helps to have people holding you to account, and where you can be real, and say, “I am not Super Pastor, I am not Super Christian, I am not Super Saint!” And with those you trust divulge your struggles, and seek prayer, help, and methods or plans of action of how to mitigate temptation. Billy Graham had a rule he would not enter an elevation with a woman, get in cab with one, and etc unless it was his wife; this protected him from temptation and from appearance of impropriety that sleazy magazine reporters want to put on front page. Graham lived the KJV version of the verse, “do not even do the appearance of evil.” (1 Thessalonians 5:22). It worked, he is one of few that scandal did not touch. 

It is heartbreaking that scandal has come to Newsboys, and that a witness that was even in God’s Not Dead (2014) will now forever be marred in shadow of sexual abuse allegations.  It is a reminder that you can do great and bold things for God, and effect so many people for The Kingdom, and it all be stripped away, and burnt away by one action, one choice, or a multitude of sinful and wicked decisions. Anyone who was influenced by God’s Not Dead or the Newsboys when Tait was lead singer will no doubt be reeling, and Satan will use this to harm their faith. To them I must say, Tait has failed you, but Christ will never fail you, for Christ was tempted but never sinned, “He committed no sin, neither was deceit found in his mouth,” (1 Peter 2:22) and “For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin.” (Hebrews 4:15). Christ Jesus Our Lord is God and Son of God, and he can never disappoint, he resisted sin in Wilderness when Satan offered him the kingdoms of the world, “Then Jesus said to him, ‘Away with you, Satan! For it is written, ‘You shall worship the Lord your God, and Him only you shall serve.” (Matthew 4:10). 

There is a reason the apostles said, “et us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God,” (Hebrews 12:2) and “I count all things lost but knowing Christ.” (Philippians 3:8). Only He will not fall, and fall, for he is always the same, “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever.” (Hebrews 13:8), and holy and good. Michael Tait failed you, but Christ Jesus never will, He is there beside you, offering you his nail scarred hands. 

As for Tait and should he be crucified by the Christian community. I say he must pay for his choices, and be condemned by the law. The penalty according to Jesus for doing what he allegedly did to minors is more severe, 

“It would be better for them to be thrown into the sea with a millstone tied around their neck than to cause one of these little ones to stumble.” (Luke 17:2). There is mercy, grace, and forgiveness in Jesus, but the blot Michael Tait has placed on Christendom is going to be ammunition for the atheists and Satan to tear down people’s faith, and to make many disillusioned. 

If these allegations be false is a nonstarter, Michael Tait has admitted to them “Recent reports of my reckless and destructive behaviour, including drug and alcohol abuse and sexual activity are sadly, largely true…I am ashamed of my life choices and actions, and make no excuses for them. I will simply call it what God calls it: sin. I don’t blame anyone or anything but myself. While I might dispute certain details in the accusations against me, I do not dispute the substance of them,” (https://www.premierchristianity.com/opinion/michael-tait-has-confessed-his-sins-im-relieved-he-did-the-right-thing/19575.article). John Cooper of the Christian Rock Band Skillet is already calling Michael Tait out on this, and since they both serve in same Christian Music circles, it is  Cooper can confirm these allegations to be true. The point is that justice must prevail, and anyone who uses the mantel of being Christian leader in worship, music, teaching, and etc must walk uprightly and realize they are placing themselves in a winepress, and if they falter, the Wrath shall come upon them! For as the apostle says, “not all should be teachers, for teachers face the harsher judgement.” (James 3:1). In the same way, all Christians in the public eye, will face a harsher judgement because their witness is so visible, and they are responsible for those who stumble by their words and deeds. That is why most should not seek that station, but remain anonymous workers in God’s Field, for those seen by world have upon them more crosshairs from the devil, and he has all manner of five level chess board moves to trip a saint up. Because the devil knows is a prominent Christian falls, it will effect untold others, even shipwrecking some in the faith. 

I wish to say to those effected by this fall, to place all your hope in Christ, not any man save The Son of Man, Jesus, who never sinned. He will never disappoint or disillusion you. Do not let the evil one rob you of eternal life over the sin of person, rather instead, “count all things lost but knowing Christ, discarding all things, counting them as garbage.” (Philippians 3:8). Amen.