As recent evidence of the worldly direction of Southern Gospel, we consider Ernie Haase & Signature Sound, one of the most popular contemporary Southern Gospel quartets. Their new CD, Decades of Love, covers 29 secular “love” songs, but secular “love” isn’t biblical love. The world’s love songs do not celebrate holy matrimony; rather they celebrate and encourage fornication and adultery. Secular rock bands covered by Ernie Haase include the Beatles, the Bee Gees, Frank Sinatra, and Johnny Mathis. Songs include “Everybody Loves My Baby,” “Taking a Chance on Love,” “Can’t Take My Eyes Off You,” “I Can’t Help Myself,” “Can’t Help Falling in Love,” “Even the Nights Are Better,” “Can You Feel the Love Tonight,” and “All of Me.” By the titles, it is obvious that the “love” this Southern Gospel quartet is celebrating is pop culture eros love. It is something you “fall into” and “can’t control.” It is lust, not love. Our friend Jeff Royal observes, “Keep in mind that Ernie Haase & Signature Sound are promoting this CD for churches. If you want to see where Southern Gospel is heading, look no farther than Ernie Haase & Signature Sound. They love to mix the holy in with the profane and that combination as we know is disastrous.” “Her priests have violated my law, and have profaned mine holy things: they have put no difference between the holy and profane, neither have they shewed difference between the unclean and the clean, and have hid their eyes from my sabbaths, and I am profaned among them” (Ezekiel 22:26). For more on this subject see the free eVideo A Plea to Southern Gospel Fans
(Friday Church News Notes, July 29, 2022, www.wayoflife.org, fbns@wayoflife.org, 866-295-4143)