Directory of Contemporary Worship Musicians - Way of Life Literature

Magazine, July 1998, pp. 107-108) His praise albums sellmillions of copies.He says: “I became a Christian when I was 10, and I wasextremely fired up. I wore a big wooden cross around myneck and carried a Scofield Bible” (April Hefner, “Mike andthe Mechanics,” CCM Magazine, September 1995). As hegrew older he turned rebellious and went out into the world,playing in a secular rock band and using drugs. In 1979 hehad a crisis experience which caused him to changedirections and he joined a Christian band called HigherGround.Smith became a cool, long-haired Christian rock star and apop idol for young girls. e following is a description of aMichael W. Smith concert when he was younger:“Smith, with synthesizers blaring, drums blazing, and guitarsscreeching, sent a young crowd into a frenzy from beginning toend” (Richard Linihan, Tulsa Tribune, cited by Jeff Godwin,What’s Wrong with Christian Rock?, p. 61).In 2006, Smith founded New River Fellowship in Franklin,Tennessee, where he was the senior pastor until 2008. Heremains a member of the church.Before that he was a member of Belmont Church nearNashville, a Church of Christ congregation that had movedinto the charismatic movement. His pastor was Don Finto,who I heard speak in 1987 at the North American Congresson the Holy Spirit & World Evangelization in New Orleans.Of the roughly 40,000 in attendance, 50% were RomanCatholic. A Catholic mass was conducted each morning ofthe convention, and priest Tom Forrest from Rome broughtthe final message. In a message I heard Forrest preach in 1990in Indianapolis, he said that he was thankful for purgatory,because we can only go to Heaven through purgatory.Michael W. Smith supports this ecumenical confusion.In 1993, Smith performed for the Roman Catholic WorldYouth Day in Denver, attended by Pope John Paul II.317