But Andre Crouch did change one life
It's a long time ago, and details are somewhat sketchy, but I remember being taken to a convention in Park Orchards in Victoria to hear some gospel singers and some good preaching. I was somewhere between 12 and 14, and the singer - Andre Crouch. That would make the year somewhere in the early 60s. I don't remember much except that I loved the music, loved the preaching and was hungry to hear more. In the next few years Andrae became famous.
The next time I heard Andrae live in Australia was in either 1975 or 76. They did a concert in Melbourne at the Dallas Brooks Hall with a little known group of Salvos called Vision as the first act. Everybody booed when Vision first came out on stage, but by the time they had finished no one wanted them to go. Andrae's comment when he came out on stage: "It sounds like you really don't need me". But of course he was the reason every one had come.
(Vision released a very badly recorded album in 1976. The sound quality compared with their live performances was pathetic.)
I collected a number of Andrae's albums. Saturday Morning's there was often no one else was around at home so out came my Andrae Crouch albums. The combination of the words and music always touched my heart and led to many great times of worship. Today I still love the music and I still have those albums but time has moved on and playing them would require a record player to be set up. Fortunately most of Andrae's recordings are available on line, and of course I have most of them. But I don't really need to play the music any more to hear the songs, I can play them in my head any time.
The thing was, the words were about Jesus and my relationship with Him. Those songs always led to Him. They didn't leave out parts of the gospel. There's repentance, surrender, thankfulness, witness, the return of Jesus, healing, living a holy life. Is it any wonder many of his songs have become standards in the Christian church.
Andrae certainly has had an impact on the world, how much might be a matter of perspective, but I know that he has had an impact on my life, for which I am extremely grateful to God.
