Show t i - Songwriter has holy ‘message worth hearing’ By KIT FRiEDEN Piess Associated IRVING Texas — A couple of things really bug Chris Christian the multitalented guru of the Christian music business One is any’ effort to define music as “Christian'" “There’s no such thing as Christian music Music is generic" he said explaining there are only Christian lyrics The other annoyance is questions about why he changed his name from Lon Christian Smith “That’s a sore spot" he said Christian said some people mistakenly believe he changed his name from Smith with the ulterior motive of tying himself to Christian music In fact he says he adopted his professional name at the start of a career that began in pop but which today puts him at the forefront of the Christian music scene At 34 the Abilene native runs one of the largest independent Christian publishing companies LCS Music Group and has been responsible for 20 gold and platinum records He also is president of Home Sweet Home Productions his company based in Dallas with satellite offices in Beverly Hills Calif and Nashville Tenn He has written songs for Sheena Easton BJ Thomas and Olivia Newton-Joh- n with one of his earliest songs recorded by Elvis Presley With an easy relaxed manner that matches most of his music Christian has been described as e a a Steve McQueen not quite accurate description But he has the kind of blond good looks that wear well for performing on stage TV He is known in the recording industry as the discoverer of Amy Grant the Christian rock sensation renowned as the topselling gospel artist who helped bring Christian music to a wider audience Christian has played no small part himself in broadening the audience with songs he writes and produces many with lyrics of double meaning that don’t always give the song away as religious in nature “Safe" recorded by Marilyn McCoo and Steve Archer which wasn’t written by Christian but was produced by Home Sweet Home Productions is an example: “I’m safe safe inside your love And there ain’t nothing I can’t face safe inside your hiding place" Christian the music ladder began 15 years ago when he was a student at Abilene Christian College pursuing a business degree while songwritHe went ing and to Nashville for the summer with SlOO in his pocket and high hopes for his career It was there that he met Archie Campbell one of the stars of " whose television’s friendship gave him entre to several music industry contacts He returned for three more summers performing at Opry- - land and making friends with members of Presley’s backup band a development that resulted in the recording of Christian’s first song by Presley himself — “Love Song of the Year" “That was one of the first good songs decent songs I’d written" Christian said He became a backup guitarist for such performers as Wayne Newton and Jerry Reed before being recruited in 1975 for a new group Cotton Lloyd & Christian evangelist raising risking $8 million to save church B ERWIN WASHl'iGTON Lot fe GLENDALE Calif — Television evangelist Dr Gene Scott who recently raised more than S2 million through a telethon downtown central lifor the brary now is asking viewers to help him raise $8 million to save his church Scott’s church called the Wescott Christian Center needs $8 million to avoid losing its newly purchased home — a building at 550 S Hope SL that formerly housed the Church of the Open Door Scott’s Wescott Christian Center agreed to pay $23 million for the property last year It made a $65 million down payment last July and moved in Since then however the center has learned that there may be a trust on the Fetorua7 thinks g issue in lyrics is as overblown as talk about how Christian music should sound “People get caught up on whether Christian music can be rock" he said in an interview at his offices here “We’re just a bunch of normal people that happen to have a message worth hearing “We as companies and artists we want to give as quality a muheard a tape she had cut when sical package as pop can give she was 16 “She was just a little We don’t want it to be corny" and sounded sweet and With religious roots in the girl wrote real sweet little songs" he Church of Christ Christian’s said musical roots are pop and the In Christian’s office in subursound pervades his music ban Irving is a sweetly sexy postStill he said “I think some records are anointed and some er of Grant clad in blue jeans aren’t" leaning over and holding a red shoe in her hand It He also believes Grant was is a harmless image but one that chosen by God “I really think she was anointed God just helps add to the new look and sound that have become Chrisplanned her to happen" he said Her “happening" is thanks in tian music Christian’s own climb up the part to Christian who in 1976 7 1387 property that could prohibit Wescott from using the land as it chooses As a result the center has failed to make a $71 million payment which now is past due This week a Los Angeles Superior Court judge gave the Church of the Open Door permission to foreclose on Wescott Joel Klevcns attorney for the Church of the Open Door said it wants to put the property up for sale by March I Wescott can stop the sale if it raises the $8 million by then but there is a possibility that the $8 million could be lost if it turns out the trust deed would keep the center from operating on the land explained Ed Masry Scott's attorney Nevertheless Scott explained the situation to his viewers and asked for money to save the church and its famed “Jesus Saves" neon sign “This calls for a maximum sacrifice" the evangelist told his viewers “You’ve got to decide to do it now and it’s got to be in (within) 27 days" Scott whose sermons are broadcast from Glendale over the University Television Network also is seeking another $1 million to help operate the church Masry said he believes Scott will reach his goal “He’s never failed yet" Masry efforts said of Scott’s While Scott raises the money Masry is appealing the court’s refusal to stay the foreclosure “We have no intention of losing that church" he said The center also is seeking to recoup its original $65 million down payment — if the trust turns out to be valid — - because it bought the land under the impression the trust was not in effect Masry said The possible trust came to light when a Church of the Open Door’s congregation member filed suit saying a trust was put on the property in 1919 by Lyman Stwart who gave the land to the church but limited its use “to the promulgation of the eternal trusts of God’s Holy Word" If the trust is valid Masry said the property can’t be sold But he said the center is willing to risk putting in the extra money while the courts sort out the problem “Fifteen million (dollars) or $7 million — it’s all God’s money anyway" he said OgOen r Church News 5 |