Southern gospel singer David Phelps will perform at Trinity Baptist Church on March 23 as part of his Journey of Faith tour. The singer has won multiple awards and performed with Gaither Vocal Band for over 15 years before focusing on his solo career.
Randy Cross, worship arts and assimilation minister at Trinity Baptist, said he hopes Harding students will see the value in attending the concert.
“This concert is going to be surprising to Harding students in the fact that, while he is a southern gospel artist, his songs resonate with students of all ages,” Cross said. “They would absolutely love to see a a large group of college students at the show. That is their heart’s desire as a tour right now.”
Phelps has been performing gospel music for over two decades. Sharyl Holst, administrative assistant for graduate studies, said, while she wouldn’t consider herself an avid fan of Phelps, she does feel the positive power in his music.
“I first heard of him when his song ‘End of the Beginning’ was released and my daughter was small,” Holst said. “The song would end and we would hit repeat and listen through again. This was a particularly hard time in my life and music played a huge role throughout my day in helping me focus on Jesus and not myself and my problems.”
Sophomore Nicholas Scott is a congregation member of Trinity Baptist Church and is involved with the church’s music ministry. He said Cross asked him to reach out to his social club Chi Sigma Alpha to recruit volunteers to help the band pack up equipment at the end of the night. According to Scott, several members of the club plan on helping the band with the load-out.
“I’m looking forward to it,” Scott said. “Although I don’t get to work with my club brothers very much, I enjoy doing so. Getting to serve my church congregation and serve with my club brothers is an exciting opportunity.”
There are several ticket options for the concert, but Cross suggested coming directly to the church office to purchase a general admission ticket for $20, which is a $5 discount from online sales. The concert begins at 7 p.m., with doors opening at 6 p.m.
“I would encourage anyone to find good music that is uplifting to their heart and helps them worship our Creator God,” Holst said. “Feed your soul with what can be uplifting, what can help you get your eyes off of yourself and life’s problems and toward Jesus, the one who truly cares about you and your problems.”
