MICHAEL W. SMITH //
SURROUNDED BY MILESTONES
by Bruce Adolph
Michael W. Smith has been a pillar in several
recording that is releasing?
before, and somebody said I should read
different communities over the years and
Eugene Petersons “The Message” version as
sometimes all at the same time. He has been [Michael W. Smith] It was never really meant well, so I did, and it sort of rocked my world
a very successful Christian artist, a key figure in to be released on a CD, honestly. Gosh, it’s a again.
helping the worship music movement (especially long story, I’m trying to figure out how to make in terms of radio airplay), a spokesman for it short. It was inspired by “Surrounded”, when Then I just started to think what justice looked
Christians to the Nashville population at large, I did the “Surrounded” record, and all of that like, and I kept thinking, “Unity, unity, unity”, I
a friend to Presidents and a close confidant to was inspired by a passage from Amos 5 where kept thinking of every tribe and every nation, and
Billy Graham himself. And as you will see, he it says, and I’m paraphrasing, but God is a little every tongue. Interesting that Sunday morning
isn’t resting on his laurels either. upset and He says, “Look, I’m tired, I’m tired is still a segregated hour of the week. It still
of all your rituals, I’m tired of your conventions, blows my mind. So, the goal with Surrounded
We were honored to talk with Smitty… please and I’m tired of your music. Turn it off.” And was that we were going to get as much color
listen in. He said, “You know what I’m looking for? I’m as we can into the room as possible. And we
looking for justice to roll like a waterfall.” That’s did, and something magnificent, something
[WM] Awaken: The Surrounded Experience - the scripture, it’s powerful, and since I do music supernatural happened during that recording
Tell us about the event itself and now the live it caught my attention, you know? I’d read it at The Factory, and I’ll never forget it, it’s a top
6
March 2019
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