When
people hear the name Gary McSpadden they often are reminded of some of their favorite
gospel music. They may think of songs that they sing or hear in their churches on
Sundays such as “Hallelujah
Praise the Lamb” or “Jesus Lord To
Me.”. Or maybe they think of songs from
an album, tape or CD such as “Never
Changing Father” or “Ready For a Blessing” that they heard at home
or in the car when they really needed to be ministered to. They may remember the
time Gary spent with the Imperials, Oak Ridge Boys, and Gaither Trio or Gaither Vocal
Band singing songs like “Because He Lives”, “I am Loved” or the Grammy
nominated “No Other Name But Jesus.” They may recall that he is host of their
favorite music program, “Gary McSpadden’s Gospel Jubilee.” They
might even think of some moments they have spent listening to Gary while he was a
pastor in Fort Worth, Texas. Maybe they were inspired while hearing this motivational
spiritual speaker in any number of cities across America and around the world. They may recognize this voice as the voice of the
best selling “Drive Time Devotions,” which Gary created and narrated. Whatever
they think of when they hear the name Gary McSpadden, his hopes and prayers are that they
will be pointed towards Jesus Christ. That is
Gary’s ministry - leading the lost to Christ and encouraging believers in their
everyday challenges and spiritual growth. Ministry Focus – Music From
the Oak Ridge Boys, to the Imperials, The Bill Gaither Trio, and The Gaither Vocal Band,
Gary McSpadden continues to prove, through the years of ministry, that a broad expression
of musical gifts can have an important part in shaping an industry and influencing
thousands of people. Whether performing as a vocalist
in a heavy concert schedule, producing records, writing songs, counseling young Christian
artists, or getting involved in mission outreach, Gary McSpadden’s dedication to
spiritual excellence and integrity has gained for him the strongest momentum and the
highest regard. Gary has in fact been honored
as an inductee in the Gospel Music Association Hall of Fame in 1998, 1999 and 2000 for his
founding work with the Imperials, the Bill Gaither Trio and the Oak Ridge Boys
respectively. As a teenager, Gary’s dream
of being involved in Gospel music became reality. After joining The Statesmen as a fill-in
for Jake Hess, Gary soon became a member of the Oak Ridge Boys. From there, Gary, along
with Jake Hess, formed the Grammy award-winning Imperials. Realizing a need to align his
singing career with an equally challenging hands-on ministry, Gary expanded his spiritual
personality by jointly pastoring a church with his father. A church that began with a
handful of members quickly expanded to over a thousand in attendance. During Gary’s
tenure as pastor, Bill Gaither, one of the most respected men in Gospel music,
asked Gary to join the Gaither Trio. For the first three years, Gary continued to pastor
while traveling with the Bill Gaither Trio. For
an additional eight years, Gary traveled as lead singer for the Gaither Trio and
The Gaither Vocal Band. During that time Bill and Gloria Gaither, and Gary McSpadden
recorded some of the world’s best-loved and most famous gospel songs. When Gary chose to leave the trio
to pursue a solo career, he found great success as a performer as well as a
songwriter, recording thirteen solo albums. Many
of the songs Gary has written have come from personal experience. Some of his songs, such
as, “ Jesus Lord To Me”, “Hallelujah Praise The Lamb”, and “Jesus
Be Jesus In Me”, have also become familiar to us as choruses we sing in our churches.
Gary has gained notoriety for producing Dove Award winning recording projects for various
artists such as: The Bill Gaither Trio; Gaither Vocal Band; The Talleys; The Cathedrals;
Lulu Roman; Terry Gibbs and others, keeping Gary’s schedule at a breakneck pace. When
added to a weekly schedule of concert travel, radio and television shows, writing and
recording devotions, and family life... time becomes a most valuable commodity. Seeing the need to broaden his
efforts to spread the gospel, Gary and his wife Carol formed Gary McSpadden Ministries.
Supporting mission works in Romania, Mexico, Haiti, Ireland, Scotland, and Russia, the
McSpaddens have wonderfully integrated Gospel music and the ministry of the Word to touch
thousands of lives each year. Ministry Focus –
Teaching/Preaching During
his thirteen years as a pastor in Ft. Worth, Texas, Gary McSpadden was noted for his
preaching/teaching ministry, which was seen as a large factor in the church’s growth.
The subjects range from family to finances to spiritual growth. Now, along with his music,
Gary is preaching in Sunday services and teaching seminars across the country. The
meetings are sometimes a Sunday Seminar or a three/four night meeting (that could easily
be called a revival) where Gary speaks on a specific subject. Some
of Gary’s seminar subjects include: ·
“Learning To Live In The Presence
Of God” includes
topics such as “The Pretender In Us All,” “The Real Me, The Real God,”
“Hungering For God” and “In The Presence Of The King.” ·
“Financial Balance… God’s
Road To Freedom”
includes topics like “How Did We Get Into this Mess Anyhow?” “ Who’s
Money Is It?” and “Is There Any Such Thing As A Good Debt?” ·
“The Decision Making Process…
It’s a Matter of Choices” where Gary teaches that it is the
small decisions we make everyday that determine what we are becoming. ·
“6
Words that will Change your Life,” taken from the book he is writing, teaches the
impact of our thoughts, beliefs, choices, words, attitudes and actions. In addition to the seminars,
sermons and upcoming books, Gary has just finished the first three sets in an ongoing
series of “Drive Time Devotions”. Commissioned by Tyndale Publishers, there are
twenty devotions on each tape or compact disc that contain stories, scriptures, a prayer
and a challenge for the day. In this busy and hectic world in which we live, these
devotions are designed to give a brief respite from traffic jams, hurried schedules and
pressured lives. During the drive to the workplace, Gary will encourage and challenge the
listener to give God His rightful place in busy daily lives. Devotional books are also in
the works and will soon follow. Gary McSpadden has taken
seriously the call to use his abundance of talents for the Lord. The call on his life is
real! |
