the art and soul of gospel music

By Sandy Feit

“My father’s name is Cross; my mom’s name is Hill. I tell you, I might shoulda been a gospel writer!” So quips Phil Cross, who, in fact, wrote his first song in 1983 and has since won a prestigious Dove award and seven other Song- or Songwriter-of-the-Year honors.

Some artists look back on their early work as juvenile, but when asked about his first gospel song “Welcome to Heaven,” the 51-year-old songwriter says, “I still love it. It still feels fresh to me.” And no wonder, considering that the creative process for Christian music goes far beyond the scope of mere human effort and ingenuity. Phil describes an “amazing connection between the Holy Spirit and the writer” and realizes “music must be a big deal to God [since] its purpose is for us to have an intimate way to praise and proclaim Him.”

Early on, that realization led Phil to become a “student of song and the people that write song.” Citing H. G. Spafford’s “It Is Well With My Soul” and Fanny Crosby’s “My Savior First of All,” he points out that the story behind the song often adds powerfully to the lyrics’ message. That’s why, a decade ago, he created a new segment for the annual National Quartet Convention in Louisville. The purpose of the Songwriters Showcase was to “allow—in an unprecedented way—writers to be involved in a presentation of their gospel music, and to share how they came to write the songs.”

Last year, when that popular portion of the NQC was formalized and renamed “Song of a Lifetime,” 6,000 packed Liberty Hall to hear the music along with accounts of its inspiration and impact. Besides the 21 artists and 14 songwriters—including legends Mosie Lister, Kyla Rowland, and Ronnie Hinson—a woman named Jennifer Barton stepped to the mike to share her story: About 20 years ago, what began as a routine obstetrical visit turned nightmarish when the doctor said, “It isn’t going to happen, and we need to talk about terminating the pregnancy.” Devastated, she left his office and started the car to go home. The gospel station on the radio was playing a song called “Miracle in Me” by Phil and Carolyn Cross. Jennifer was especially impacted by the second verse:

I’ve never seen the thousands fed

Or the blind made to see.

I’ve never watched Him raise the dead,

But I know when He lifted me.

There’s a wonder right before my eyes,

Close enough to see.

Yes, in my heart is where this wonder lies.

There’s a miracle in me.

She turned the engine off, walked back into the office, and told the doctor, “God said no!” The Lord used “Miracle in Me” to give Jennifer the courage to trust Him for her son Bryant, who today is training to be a Navy SEAL.

And that, Phil says, is why writers keep creating songs. “It’s not to get royalties—that’s nice, but if it didn’t exist, we would keep going to the piano and going to the guitar and writing songs. Because God uses the message in music to change lives.” God was also at work in making Song of a Lifetime happen. Attempting a venture of this magnitude was a huge step of faith for Phil, who reports sensing that the project had to be ministry-focused and carried out through the church. “So I specifically asked in prayer,” he says, “for Dr. Stanley to find out about this.”

Later, while catching up with a hometown friend over lunch, Phil said, ‘Let me tell you about something I’m working on.’ And he explained Song of a Lifetime—but never mentioned a word about Dr. Stanley. Still seated at the table, his friend, who was clearly impacted by the dream, phoned a man named Rodney Brooks to discuss the project. Says Phil, “And so I never called anyone at First Baptist Atlanta. I didn’t even know Rodney was at First Baptist! I just asked God for Dr. Stanley to be involved, and the next thing I knew, the steps were starting.”

Rodney, FBA’s worship pastor, lent not only his enthusiastic support but also the church choir and orchestra. The musicians traveled to Kentucky for the original program and performed again in February of this year, when First Baptist hosted a subsequent Song of a Lifetime with a new lineup.

Phil sees music as a great way to encourage and evangelize. And Dr. Stanley agrees: “When I first heard Phil cast his vision for “Song of A Lifetime” over a year ago, I knew then that this would be an opportunity like none other to share the gospel using the most effective tool possible in gospel music—the songwriters themselves!”

Discover the inspirational stories behind familiar Christian songs. In two live performances, vocalists like The Hoppers, Greater Vision, and The Booth Brothers joined the First Baptist Atlanta choir and orchestra to celebrate Gospel Music's message.

2008 National Quartet Convention | $19 (U.S.)

First Baptist Atlanta | $19 (U.S.)

2-DVD set | $32 (U.S.)