This week, Religion in Zimbabwe talked a lot about various gospel music performances around the country: Kwekwe, Harare, Bulawayo. Gospel is clearly faring well. Gospel artists in Zimbabwe seem to be in the positive mood as well.
Let’s talk about their responsibility before Zimbabweans in need, both spiritual and material. “Their claims that their singing is ministering the word of God its double standards,” some readers think referring to gospel artists.
Are the gospel performers using God-given talent to put food only on their tables? Is it enough for a Christian performer to sing for two hours, collect the payment and leave to enjoy the fruits of the artistic glory?
Godwin Muzari of The Standard some weeks back reflected on this topic citing a 1980s anecdote from Mt Darwin. There a Methodist reverend was growing concerned that his young son’s mind “absorbed council bar music at a rate that stiffly competed with his capacity to grasp hymns.”
As Muzari suggests of the situation today:
We hear Pastor Charamba is assisting Peter Moyo with vocal lessons. We read that Fungisai Zvakavapano-Mashavave is defending her performances in a pub. We have seen Fungisai collaborating with Oliver Mtukudzi and many gospel musicians sharing the stage with their secular counterparts. ..It is a fact that musicians in these genres have developed a commendable leniency for each other
This might not be a problem with me as long as our gospel stars do their best to relieve the pain (both physical as well as spiritual) that many of our comrades are experiencing today.
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