A final destination for Truth looms on the horizon, but the
essence of the contemporary Christian musical groups lies in its long journey.
A final destination for Truth looms on the horizon, but the
essence of the contemporary Christian musical groups lies in its long journey.
In May, Truth founder Roger Breland announced the ensemble
would conclude its 30th year with a Farewell Tour, culminating in a final concert
on June 16, 2002, in Nashville Tenn. “For the past year, my family and
I have been praying about our future,” Breland says. “We believe this
final chapter will complete the vision God launched 30 years ago.”
During the past three decades, the 21-member cast of musicians
and technicians has performed almost 10,000 concerts, recorded 50 albums, traveled
to more than two dozen countries and been heard in live concerts by more than
10 million people.
However, Truth began its gigantic music ministry under modest
circumstances.
In August 1967, Breland became minister of music at Spring
Hill Baptist Church in Mobile, Ala. Inspired by the Ralph Carmichael musical
“Good News,” the former high school teacher introduced a contemporary
sound into his youth choir.
“I started off slowly, bringing in a little guitar and
some percussion on Sunday nights,” Breland recalls of the effort. “The
kids loved it, and the parents encouraged their participation.”
The cutting edge Christian music attracted high school students
by the score. Spring Hills youth choir swelled from seven to 140 members
in two years.
Eager to learn more about the burgeoning contemporary Christian
music scene, Breland visited his home congregation, First Baptist Church of
Chickasaw, Ala., for a concert by the Spurrlows. The eight-member groups
combination of harmony and presentation convinced Breland of his calling to
lead a similar ensemble.
Fueled by this vision, he laid the groundwork for a touring
troupe of young performers to spread the gospel. Seeking a name with a distinctive
identity without sounding preachy or worldly, Brelands wife, Linda, suggested
Truth.
After some discussion, the couple conceived the following acronym
to convey the groups message – Trust, Receive Unchangeable True Happiness
in Jesus.
Several Texans played vital roles in the ensembles early
days. For instance, Dallas native Fern Strait Knabel left Hardin-Simmons University
after her first semester to tour with Truth in the spring of 1972.
“Roger Breland told Dicky Dunn, minister of youth at Richardson
Heights Baptist Church, he desperately needed a new alto, because his current
one had developed throat problems,” Knabel relates.
“Dicky recommended me. I auditioned for the spot, and
Roger gave it to me. Several days later, he called me back, however, and said
he had decided to go with a more experienced singer. I was crushed, but that
girl later came down with bleeding tonsils, and at age 19, I wound up in Truth.”
At that time, the group traveled in three station wagons and
hauled its equipment in a truck. On many occasions, Truth performed three concerts
a day while the members received $15 a week for their services.
Despite the hard work and grueling schedule, the experience
was a defining experience, says Knabel, now minister of evangelism at her home
congregation, now called The Heights Baptist Church.
“We were always very visible,” she says of the musical
group. “We stayed in homes and had lots of opportunities to speak and share
our message. It was a great experience on how to work with people. We honed
our skills quickly, and I saw God presented in a mighty and clear way, and I
knew that I wanted to spend the rest of my life doing ministry.”
Mark Hardy was an original member of Truth, joining as a drummer
despite his somewhat unorthodox past.
Reared in a Christian environment, the Texas native had served
in the United States Army and drifted into the counterculture of the 1960s before
rediscovering the religious roots of his younger years.
“The absolute best part of my tour in Truth was the opportunity
to conduct high school assemblies all over the Southeast,” says Hardy,
now choral director at Stone Middle School and minister of music at Maxey Baptist
Church in Paris, Texas.
“In most instances, we didnt alter our program by
giving a secular program to lure kids to the church at night.” he explains.
“I loved this particular aspect of Truths ministry, because I always
got to share my personal testimony.”
The ensembles combination of upbeat sound and deep spiritual
commitment, mixed with the nations hunger for revival and healing, struck
a resounding chord whenever the group performed.
As a result, thousands of the younger generation flocked to
the church and acknowledged Christ in their lives.
Through the years, Truth has performed in hundreds upon hundreds
of Baptist churches. Many median-aged adults in Baptist churches today got their
first taste of contemporary Christian music from a Truth concert at their churches.
Despite Truths success, pockets of resistance occasionally
arose. Hardy recalls one incident in the deep South, involving a church and
two young African-American girls who came to hear the group.
“We had sung at a school and announced that we would be
at a revival service on Sunday morning,” Hardy recounts. “Two young
black girls had dressed up and come to church. About 15 minutes before the worship
service, the pastor informed Roger Breland that either he would have to tell
the black girls to leave the church ot that some of the leaders would do it.
“I cried my eyes out as they left,” Hardy admits.
“I still think we should have packed it up and left. I will never, ever
forget that particular dose of racism and hypocrisy.”
Kim Noblitt joined Truth in 1978 and stayed with the group
eight and one-half years, the longest tenure of any vocalist. Breland had learned
of the Colordao native through his singing with another ensemble.
“Roger likes to say he discovered me driving a bread truck
and switched me to riding the Truth bus,” says Noblitt, now minister of
music at First Baptist Church of Euless, Texas. “At that time, we did about
320 concerts each year and rode the bus a lot. We always liked touring in Texas,
because we could perform for over a month without having to travel very far.”
By the late 1970s, Truth had established a strong following
and fan base, but Noblitt believed the group had drifted from its original sound
and roots.
About six months after he joined the musical troupe, Noblitt
says he was quizzed by Breland about the groups direction.
“I told Roger the experience was not what I thought it
should be,” he relates. “I thought the group had moved away from what
made it great, and the more secular sound was not being accepted by the church.
Roger credits this conversation with getting Truth turned around and refocused.”
Noblitts church in Euless is scheduled to host Truth
twice before the group performs its final concert. The ensemble is set to present
a Christmas concert on Nov. 25 and to return on June 9, 2002.
“Roger had a huge impact on me, and his mentoring facilitated
any success that Ive enjoyed,” Noblitt acknowledges.
“But Im not the only one. There are countless music
ministers and missionaries who received valuable experience from Truth. Im
forever indebted to God for using Roger to lead and show the way.”
(This article was written by John Hillman for the Texas Baptist Standard newspaper.
For more information on Truth, persons may visit the Web site at www.truthmusic.org,
from which the accompanying photographs were obtained.)