Right off the top it is important for me to view the things I am about to talk about in the following lens.
23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, -Romans 3:23
I do things that grieve God just as much as Michael Tait, John James, or anyone else. I don’t live that way, but aside from blaspheming the Holy Spirit, there is no ranking system for sin. None of this… “My sin wasn’t as bad as yours, so that makes me better than you! Haha!” I need Jesus as much as they do.
For by the grace given me I say to every one of you: Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the faith God has distributed to each of you. -Romans 12:3
It’s possible to extend this verse to not think of anyone else more highly than you ought either. Unless it’s Jesus.
Also, I would hope that these situations would be restored.
15 When they had finished eating, Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon son of John, do you love me more than these?” “Yes, Lord,” he said, “you know that I love you.” Jesus said, “Feed my lambs.” 16 Again Jesus said, “Simon son of John, do you love me?” He answered, “Yes, Lord, you know that I love you.” Jesus said, “Take care of my sheep.” 17 The third time he said to him, “Simon son of John, do you love me?” Peter was hurt because Jesus asked him the third time, “Do you love me?” He said, “Lord, you know all things; you know that I love you.” Jesus said, “Feed my sheep. 18 Very truly I tell you, when you were younger you dressed yourself and went where you wanted; but when you are old you will stretch out your hands, and someone else will dress you and lead you where you do not want to go.
-John 21:15-18
Obviously, in the same way Jesus restored Peter, it won’t happen overnight, and things shouldn’t be taken lightly, because they weren’t then either. What follows are definitely examples of being “lead where you don’t want to go.”
Here we go. As someone who appreciated The Newsboys’ music over the years, even though I ever went to a show, I don’t even want to write this one. The title itself seems like a Gen Z thing, when I’m a Millennial. I just thought it was a cool way to be cryptic in this case. Nobody reads my stuff anyway, so it doesn’t matter. This is not a smear piece, and I wouldn’t even be writing this at all if I wasn’t so dumb earlier this morning to think… “I wonder what Michael Tait is up to these days? Let’s Google that.” Turns out, even in my ignorance, that was the wrong choice. All I was trying to do This whole thing is really a reminder to me. I am a musician, with a “real job” and also a Christian too. (My stuff is instrumental so “anyone can listen to it”) but that’s not the purpose of this thing I’m writing here and now. Let’s rewind to January 17, 2025. I read this article in CCM “Contemporary Christian Music.
In a heartfelt announcement shared on social media yesterday, longtime Newsboys frontman Michael Tait revealed that he is stepping down as the band’s lead vocalist after an impactful 15-year tenure. His decision marks the end of a transformative era for both Tait and the Newsboys…
This is the important part. Read the rest here if you want to.
My dumb brain thinks to itself “The guy is 59 years old. His wife probably wants to see more of him around the house after he’s been touring forever with DC Talk, his own solo stuff, and then The Newsboys. He probably needs a break.”
I didn’t think any more of it until today when I wondered how he was doing. Suddenly, I start seeing stuff I don’t want to see in videos and articles. First let’s start with Michael’s own confession on his Instagram account. I’m not subscribed because it’s weird to know that much about people I’m not friends with. It’s weird to know this now, and yet here it is.
Initial thoughts:
- He’s a human, so I’m not surprised he screwed up. I screw up too. (Just not like that…remember, there’s no ranking system for sins…some just seem worse than others).
- I don’t think I ever put him on a pedestal.
- Why would he be messing with guys or girls when he has a wife who would have wanted him to touch her. He had a God honouring way to do that, and he didn’t take it.
- It is good that Michael is getting help.
- It is unfortunate that he didn’t realize that everyone is watching him as a Christian. Not (initially) lying in wait for him to screw up, but looking to see if he, as a human, who supposedly loves the Lord, can be trusted.
- Jesus can restore him just like Peter.
- There is still hope if he was truly repenting.
- God is probably not done with Michael yet.
- The rest of the band isn’t going to expose anything, because then they lose their jobs too, and they didn’t even do anything that we know of.
This other guy has an interesting take on this confession.
“Do not judge, or you too will be judged. 2 For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you. 3 “Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother’s eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye? 4 How can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when all the time there is a plank in your own eye? 5 You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye.
-Matthew 7:1-5
The thing about this verse is you have to take it in a bigger picture. It’s not saying you should just let people get away with anything. Michael probably had friends who don’t struggle with those planks. Why didn’t they come alongside earlier to win him back? Could have saved a lot of trouble. When you’re touring with bands, it’s hard to keep secrets. Could have saved a lot of people.
15 “If your brother or sister[a] sins,[b] go and point out their fault, just between the two of you. If they listen to you, you have won them over. 16 But if they will not listen, take one or two others along, so that ‘every matter may be established by the testimony of two or three witnesses.’[c] 17 If they still refuse to listen, tell it to the church; and if they refuse to listen even to the church, treat them as you would a pagan or a tax collector. -Matthew 18:15-20
They didn’t want anything to do with pagans or tax collectors.
Could have won Michael back earlier. No winder Kevin Max was deconstructing. It’s a miracle Toby is OK.
Then I got into the articles and videos…and it got worse. Turns out he’s been doing these things for a really long time.
Initial thoughts:
- If they’re representing Christ properly, none of them should be doing any of the things they were doing.
- If they’re representing Christ properly, Michael should have done something when he did nothing.
- Drugs and alcohol clearly ruin everything, but you’re still responsible for your decisions even then.
- Sin has consequences.
Here is an exerpt from the Guardian Article.
“The allegations about Tait’s behavior revealed today starkly contrast with the public image that he cultivated for nearly four decades. The 59-year-old native of Washington DC has sold 18m albums, containing songs that often encouraged young Christians to stay sober, abstinent and straight. But sources who spoke to the Guardian claimed Tait’s alleged drug use and alleged abusive behavior were the “biggest open secret in Christian music”.
People knew about this for a long time. Band members, CCM. Turns out this is not even the first time the Newsboys had to deal with this sort of situation. Jordan James, their original front man had issues too.
Hopefully both of these guys can eventually be restored. Sin is impossible to get out of by yourself. We all need Jesus.
“Everyone knew,” except me, who wasn’t paying attention. Nobody wanted to do anything about it, especially CCM or Michael’s own band because there was too much money and livelihoods wrapped up in the whole thing. They were ok with keeping the gravy train rolling rather than doing the right thing. The question remains, why is CCM so worried about money over doing the right thing? Is it just a business like anything else? That would explain why they were so quick to cover for Michael in the beginning, rather than reach out to him and help with whatever he really needed at the time.
How many more other situations like this are out there? I’d rather not know. I didn’t even want to know about this one. God wants better for all these folks. None of that involves massive amounts of money.
It’s no wonder people are so confused about Christianity, when we’re supposed to act a certain, expected, healthy way, but all they see is the opposite. As if God is ok with it. (He’s not). If this was all I knew about Christianity, I might not bother with it either.
These situations make it harder for the rest of us who are actually trying to follow Jesus. Hopefully complete restoration, real restoration, is around the corner.