(soft gospel music) - Hallelujah.

Is everybody ready to have a good time?

Come on and put your hands together for Jesus.

Come on, we can't hear you.

Come on, oh, magnify the Lord with me and let us insult his name together.

We're here to give God an amazing praise.

We're here to have an amazing time.

We're here to sing his praises.

We're here to talk about the gospel of Jesus Christ.

Come on, just a few more seconds.

Open up your mouth all over the building and shout unto the Lord with the voice of triumph.

Come on, one more time.

Just for a few seconds, hallelujah.

Hallelujah.

Come on, just a few more seconds.

Hallelujah.

Hallelujah.

Thank you, Jesus.

Oh, magnify the Lord with me and let us exalt his name together.

Come on, I'll say it again.

Oh, magnify the Lord with me, and let us exalt his name together.

Song says, "Let's have a good time."

Guys, are you ready to have a good time?

Come on, I can't hear you.

Are you ready to have a good time?

- [Congregants] Yeah.

(upbeat music) - Woo!

All right.

Come on.

♪ We gather here in Jesus' name ♪ ♪ Let's have a good time ♪ (let's have a good time) ♪ ♪ Forget your problem, ♪ it's time to dance ♪ ♪ Let's have a good time, y'all ♪ (let's have a good time) ♪ ♪ Hey, clap your hands (clap your hands) ♪ ♪ Stomp your feet (stomp your feet) ♪ ♪ Let's have a good time ♪ (let's have a good time) ♪ ♪ Wave your hands, say amen ♪ ♪ Let' have a good time, y'all ♪ ♪ Listen, church ♪ ♪ The choir is ready to sing the songs ♪ ♪ Let's have a good time ♪ (let's have a good time) ♪ ♪ Stand on your feet, sing along with me ♪ ♪ Let's have a good time ♪ (let's have a good time) ♪ ♪ Leap for joy, make some noise ♪ ♪ Let's have a good time ♪ (let's have a good time) ♪ ♪ Leap for joy voice, make ♪ some noise (make some noise) ♪ ♪ Let's have a good time ♪ (let's have a good time) ♪ ♪ Hey ♪ ♪ Heey ♪ ♪ Take off your hats, remove your shoes ♪ ♪ Let's have a good time ♪ (let's have a good time) ♪ ♪ This is the day the Lord hath made ♪ ♪ Let's have a good time, y'all ♪ (let's have a good time) ♪ ♪ You can run (you can run) ♪ ♪ Down the isle (down the aisle) ♪ ♪ Let's have a good time, y'all ♪ (let's have a good time) ♪ ♪ Time is now (time is now) ♪ ♪ To give Him praise ♪ (to give him praise) ♪ ♪ Let's have a good time ♪ (let's have a good time) ♪ ♪ Hey (heey) ♪ ♪ It is time (indistinct) ♪ ♪ Everybody wanna celebrate ♪ Jesus tonight, yeah ♪ ♪ Yeah, yeah ♪ ♪ Celebrate (celebrate) ♪ ♪ Jesus (Jesus) ♪ ♪ Celebrate (celebrate) ♪ ♪ Jesus (Jesus) ♪ ♪ Celebrate (celebrate) ♪ ♪ Good God Almighty (Jesus) ♪ ♪ Celebrate (celebrate) ♪ ♪ Jesus ♪ ♪ Celebrate (celebrate) ♪ ♪ Jesus (Jesus) ♪ ♪ Celebrate (celebrate) ♪ ♪ Jesus (Jesus) ♪ ♪ He's worthy (celebrate) ♪ ♪ He's worthy (Jesus) ♪ ♪ He's worthy (he's worthy) ♪ ♪ Yes, he is (yes, he is) ♪ ♪ Celebrate (celebrate) ♪ ♪ Celebrate (celebrate) ♪ ♪ Give him praise (celebrate) ♪ ♪ Celebrate (celebrate) ♪ ♪ Celebrate (celebrate) ♪ ♪ Celebrate (celebrate) ♪ ♪ He's worthy (celebrate) ♪ ♪ Yes, he is (celebrate) ♪ ♪ I said he's worthy (celebrate) ♪ ♪ Cheer ♪ ♪ He's worthy (celebrate) ♪ ♪ Cheer ♪ ♪ He won't be wrong (celebrate) ♪ ♪ He belong here (celebrate) ♪ ♪ Hey (celebrate) ♪ ♪ Cheer ♪ ♪ Celebrate (celebrate) ♪ ♪ Celebrate (celebrate) ♪ ♪ Celebrate (celebrate) ♪ ♪ Celebrate (celebrate) ♪ ♪ Celebrate (celebrate) ♪ ♪ Celebrate (celebrate) ♪ ♪ He's good (celebrate) ♪ ♪ So, so good (yes, he is) ♪ ♪ I said he's good ♪ ♪ So, so good (yes, he is) ♪ ♪ He woke me up (celebrate) ♪ ♪ This morning (celebrate) ♪ ♪ Guided me along my way ♪ ♪ God is good (celebrate) ♪ ♪ Let's celebrate (celebrate) ♪ ♪ Yeah ♪ (bright music) - Put our hands together and celebrate Jesus.

Come on, let's move (bright music) Put those hands together one more time and let's celebrate.

We honor the spirit of the Lord that's in here.

To certainly our senior pastor in his absence that extend greetings on behalf of the Bible Way Church of Atlas Road.

To ETV, thank you so much for having this wonderful event.

To our friends, to Pastor Jamal Bates, amen.

And to Professor Jeffrey Lampkin, we thank you so much for hosting this event.

To all of you, my sisters and brothers, we bring greetings from the Bible Way Church right here, 2440 Atlas Road, where our motto is to love God, to serve, and to share His word with everyone.

We thank you so much, and I say it to the folks at ETV, we thank you for having this event with us and thank you for deciding to come and worship here at Bible Way.

Whatever you need, just let us know.

Thank God for our choir, for our children that just did that wonderful selection with our choir, for all of you.

And certainly, once again, on behalf of Bible Way and on behalf of our pastor, we welcome you, and let's celebrate Jesus.

Thank you so much and God bless you.

(congregants applauding) - Good evening.

I know that we're here for a gospel and "Lyla in the Loop" celebration, but being born and raised in the church, I have to say, first, giving honor to God.

And I'm thankful to be here tonight in the house of the Lord just one more time.

Pastor Jackson, thank you for having us here just to be able to celebrate with you.

And in Pastor Jackson's absence, please give him our thanks.

And to any other clergy that's in the house tonight, we say thank you from South Carolina ETV and South Carolina Public Radio.

My name is Adrienne Fairwell, and I'm the president and CEO of South Carolina ETV and Public Radio.

Welcome to Lift Every Voice in the Loop.

Thank you for that.

This is a celebration of culture, community, and all things gospel music brought to you by South Carolina ETV, the ETV Endowment, and the Bible Way Church of Atlas Road.

(congregants applauding) We are thrilled to have you all here tonight into this worship and arts ministry.

Look at those babies.

Y'all did it.

Y'all did it.

Thank you all so much.

There are not many opportunities where we get to highlight two new national programs that celebrate culture, inclusiveness, and education.

But during this Black history month, SCETV will be premiering the new PBS documentary "Gospel" by Dr. Henry Louis Gates, Jr. Explores the rich heritage of Black spirituality in sermon and song, and the new PBS Kids program that we are so excited about, "Lyla in the Loop."

(congregants applauding) Yes.

Tonight, we actually have two events going on to celebrate these premieres, and I'm over the moon excited.

I want to call from the podium a special shout out and thank you to our education team at SCETV led by Dr. Salandra Bowman.

Where is Salandra?

There she is in the back, yes.

And to Kataya for having a connection to get us in Bible Way tonight.

We're so grateful, thank you for that.

Over in the next room, we'll have children's activities and opportunities for engagement with episodes of "Lyla in The Loop."

It's for our younger audience right here on this stage.

We'll have an incredible lineup of performances, insights into the significance of gospel music, and of course, sneak peeks at the new documentary, "Gospel," before it airs on SCETV and on public television stations across the U.S., beginning on Monday, February 12th at 9:00 PM.

Mark your calendars, Monday, February 12th at 9:00 PM.

Before we dive into the festivities, let's give a round of applause to our fantastic emcees for the evening.

Jamal Bates from WFMV, and Jeffrey Lampkin from the BIG DM.

Where's Jeffrey?

There he is.

Yes, thank you.

We are in for a treat.

Oh, my goodness.

I just heard you all at women's empowerment, and it was amazing.

It was amazing.

Speaking of the evening's highlights, I better stay on script or Dr. Cook will wheel me off.

Get ready to be uplifted by the powerful performances of the incredible gospel choirs here tonight, including Bible Way Church of Atlas Road, St. Martin de Porres Catholic School, yes, and Francis Marion University.

Plus, plus, we have the talented Kristen JoyAnn Jamison grazing the stage.

But first, allow me to introduce a special, special guest.

Please welcome PBS Assistant Director of Programming, Eboni Lemon.

Yes, Eboni came to us from PBS National because she wanted to see what does little South Carolina have up its sleeve.

So tonight, y'all, we are setting the template for what the rest of the country will do.

Eboni, thank you for joining us tonight.

We value your partnership and our partnership with PBS and we're grateful that you were able to make the trip back home to South Carolina.

Again, I want to thank everyone for attending tonight's event, and please welcome to the stage Eboni, Jamal Bates, and Jeffrey Lampkin.

(congregants applauding) - Thank you so much.

That was a quite a introduction.

Quite an introduction.

And when she says home, I am home home.

I am from Somerville.

My mother is from, she's here tonight actually.

She's from Blythewood.

And my parents went to USC.

They graduated and fell in love and had three beautiful children.

So I am home, and I'm home in the house of the Lord.

I'm so excited to be here.

I bring you greetings from PBS headquarters in Arlington, Virginia, and I'm just so excited to be here to kick off Gospel and Gospel Live.

And working with McGee Media and Henry Louis Gates' team, it was a very, very special moment for me, not only because I love gospel but because I have roots.

I grew up here and I just wanted to really work with the team and help project and make sure we got the message across our audience.

So both programs celebrate the art and the history and the synergy of gospel.

It recognizes the cadence of the sermon in the song, and it highlights the melodies of the preaching and the singing, and it underscores the emotion of the message and the music.

I hope you enjoy this event.

I hope you enjoy the programs.

Remember, Gospel Live airs Friday, February 9th.

That's this Friday.

And the documentary premieres Monday, February 12th, and Tuesday the 13th.

Thank you all.

- Okay, you all make some noise once again for the Assistant Director of Programming from PBS.

Everybody, Miss Eboni Lemon.

Show her some warm South Carolina love right now.

Amen.

And make some noise to my boy man, the Jeffrey Lampkin is in the building.

- Well, I'm just honored to share the stage tonight with the legend himself.

- It's gonna be an amazing night, brother.

- This feels good tonight.

It's gonna be absolutely wonderful.

- Before we get started, we gotta honor the man at the house or the angel of this building - Absolutely.

- Can we give Pastor Charles, oh, not Charles, my God.

Pastor Jackson ahead, amen?

- It's all right.

- Praise God.

- Don't worry about it.

They got it, it's all right.

It's all right.

- I'll never be at Bible Way to preach now.

My God.

- It's not gonna happen.

- Amen, and Pastor Mack, thank you once again, sir, to everyone here at the Bible Way Church of Atlas Road.

- Absolutely.

It's a beautiful night, guys.

And we are celebrating gospel music.

If you love gospel music, let me hear you make some noise.

- Yeah.

- Listen, it's the foundation of our culture and it's such a beautiful thing to celebrate during Black History Month.

And on tonight, you're going to hear so many performances, soul-stirring performances as we celebrate all the facets of gospel music.

We're talking about contemporary gospel, traditional gospel, choir music.

It's gonna be a high time in the Lord.

Are y'all ready to clap your hands and stomp your feet on tonight?

I see you're ready.

Let me do a temperature check real quick.

- Go to the right.

Go to the right.

- Are y'all ready over here real quick?

I know y'all ready 'cause Jamal on my side.

Y'all ready?

Y'all ready over here?

Y'all ready?

Oh, the baby's ready.

Y'all ready over here?

What about in the choir?

Y'all ready?

- Wait, Jeff, wait.

Wait.

- My side ready.

- Okay, your side ready.

Left side, y'all make some noise if y'all ready.

(congregants cheering) Okay, all right.

Check your side, bro.

Check your side real quick.

- Let me check one more time.

One more time, if you really love gospel music, make some noise.

Oh, them lady over here.

- Okay, okay.

- Them lady over here.

- If y'all really love the Lord, make some noise.

(congregants cheering) That's what I'm talking about, man.

We ready.

- If everybody love Jesus, everybody makes some noise.

(congregants cheering) - Listen, let's introduce our very first group for tonight.

Man, I'm excited to see these young people take the stage one more time.

All the way from the St. Martin de Porres Church, make some noise for these babies as they come to the stage and do their good singing.

Y'all, come on, make some noise for 'em as they come.

(congregants cheering) Yeah, y'all keep clapping for 'em, keep clapping for 'em, show 'em some love.

Let 'em hear it.

Looking good on a Wednesday night.

They about to sing their hearts out tonight, man.

I love it.

Yeah, y'all keep clapping as they come, man.

Keep clapping, show 'em some love.

Kids look good, man.

And really quick, while they're taking the stage, St. Martin de Porres Catholic School is a Christ-centered institution and an emphasis on high academics and social standards in a very caring environment.

School is grounded in a Catholic identity, and it provides students once again a diverse face, face that is, and the age of the group, the grades of the students are second grade to eighth grade, and they're all led by Mr. Hank Blau.

One more time for our children, man, of the St. Martin de Porres School.

(soft gentle music) ♪ Hallelujah ♪ ♪ Salvation and glory ♪ ♪ Honor and power unto the Lord our God ♪ ♪ For the Lord our God is mighty ♪ ♪ Yes, the Lord our God is omnipotent ♪ ♪ The Lord our God, he is wonderful ♪ ♪ Hallelujah, salvation and glory ♪ ♪ Honor and power unto the Lord our God ♪ ♪ For the Lord our God is mighty ♪ ♪ Yes, the Lord our God is omnipotent ♪ ♪ The Lord our God, he is wonderful ♪ ♪ All praises be to the King of Kings ♪ ♪ And the Lord our God ♪ ♪ He is wonderful ♪ ♪ Hal-le-lu-jah ♪ ♪ Hallelujah, Hallelujah, ♪ Hallelujah, Hallelujah ♪ ♪ Halle-lu-jah, He is wonderful ♪ ♪ Hallelujah, salvation and glory ♪ ♪ Honor and power, He is wonderful ♪ ♪ All praises be to the King of Kings ♪ ♪ And the Lord our God ♪ ♪ He is wonderful ♪ ♪ All praises be to the King of Kings ♪ ♪ And the Lord our God ♪ ♪ He is wonderful ♪ ♪ Hallelujah ♪ ♪ Hallelujah, Hallelujah, ♪ Hallelujah, Hallelujah ♪ ♪ Hallelujah, the Lord ♪ our God, He is wonderful ♪ (congregants cheers and applause) (children clapping) ♪ Oh, give thanks unto the Lord ♪ ♪ For he is good ♪ ♪ Yes, he is good ♪ ♪ Oh, give thanks unto the Lord ♪ ♪ For he is good ♪ ♪ Yes, he is good ♪ ♪ Oh, give thanks unto the Lord ♪ ♪ For he is good ♪ ♪ Yes, he is good ♪ ♪ Oh, give thanks unto the Lord ♪ ♪ For he is good ♪ ♪ Yes, he is good ♪ ♪ For He is worthy, worthy ♪ ♪ For He is good, yes He is good ♪ ♪ For He is worthy, worthy ♪ ♪ For He is good, yes He is good ♪ ♪ Oh give thanks unto the Lord ♪ ♪ For He is good, yes He is good ♪ ♪ Oh, give thanks unto the Lord ♪ ♪ For He is good, yes He is good ♪ ♪ For He is worthy, worthy ♪ ♪ For He is good, yes He is good ♪ ♪ For He is worthy, worthy ♪ ♪ For He is good, yes He is good ♪ ♪ Oh, give thanks unto the Lord ♪ ♪ For He is good, yes He is good ♪ ♪ Oh, give thanks unto the Lord ♪ ♪ For He is good, yes He is good ♪ ♪ For He is worthy, worthy ♪ ♪ For He is good, yes He is good ♪ ♪ He is worthy, worthy ♪ ♪ For He is good, yes He is good ♪ ♪ Oh, give thanks unto the Lord ♪ ♪ For He is good, yes He is good ♪ ♪ Oh, give thanks unto the Lord ♪ ♪ For He is good, yes He is good ♪ ♪ For He is worthy, worthy ♪ ♪ For He is good, yes He is good ♪ ♪ For He is worthy, worthy ♪ ♪ For He is good, yes He is good ♪ ♪ For He is worthy, worthy ♪ ♪ For He is good, yes He is good ♪ ♪ For He is worthy, worthy ♪ ♪ For He is good, yes He is good ♪ ♪ For He is good, yes He is good ♪ ♪ For He is good, yes He is good ♪ ♪ For He is good, yes He is good ♪ ♪ For He is good, yes He is good ♪ (congregants cheers and applause) - Make a noise more time for the St. Martin de Porres School.

Y'all show the kids some love, man, come on.

How many you know the Lord is good?

Come on, anybody know the Lord is good and his mercy and endures forever?

If you know that, make some noise.

Hallelujah, man.

One more time for the babies, one more time.

This is St. Martin de Porres School.

I love it.

I love it.

Listen, we're gonna introduce a young lady right now.

She's gonna come and introduce the first clip of the documentary tonight, Dr. Birgitta J. Johnson.

She teaches undergraduate and graduate courses in world music, African American music, and African music and African American music as well.

Her research and teaching areas of interest include African American and African music and worship in African American churches, musical change, and identity in Black popular music.

Also, she teaches music in African American mega churches and sacred music as well.

A multi-instrumentalist, a singer, she has performed professionally and recorded with artists and ensembles from a very array of variety of genres around the world.

Due to her areas of expertise, she was asked to contribute to this documentary that we're about to see a clip of and the documentary that we are celebrating tonight as well.

Let's welcome her to the stage right now, Dr. Birgitta J. Johnson as she comes to introduce our first clip on tonight.

Y'all welcome her and show her some South Carolina love.

One more time for Ms. Birgitta J. Johnson, you all.

- Thank you, thank you for checking.

Just in case my mom's watching, if my mom is watching in Atlanta, she will definitely be on your Twitter account.

I don't need that.

I'll put it back when I leave.

Good afternoon, good evening.

Where are we good evening?

Before I begin with my intro of the documentary, I would definitely would love to thank Dr. Salandra Bowman and the ETV team, yes, yes.

The PBS team.

She called, I answer per usual.

When she calls me to do fun things, I know it's gonna be great.

So this is a wonderful opportunity to introduce this to the community and do this type of engagement.

It's so important we're producing these types of documentaries.

When I was growing up, you could see and count on maybe once in the blue moon a documentary around Black culture on even public television.

And so now, we're in an era where people are more welcoming to knowing our stories.

And this is a wonderfully produced documentary.

I have not seen it all, but I know who's in it.

So they call all my best super friends, and so I can vouch for much of what you're going to see on next week.

Following the great success of "The Black Church: This Is Our Story, This Is Our Song" in 2021, PBS and Henry Louis Gates, Jr. wanted to produce a documentary series that would explore African American's religions to transcend the gifts to the national and world culture, gospel music and the Black preaching tradition.

Their goal was to document Black preaching and gospel music historically, politically, culturally, theologically, and of course, as an art form.

So I and along with a lot of my best scholar in Black church music friends were called.

We didn't know who was getting called.

People just kind of find out, "Did you get called?"

"Yeah, you got called?"

And they called almost everybody.

I can guarantee you, some of my best buddies ended up being in this documentary, and so we are very happy with how many minds they kind of pulled for this to make sure they got it right.

In this case, when they did call around, I think it was, for me, it was April, 2022, I started noticing how much music questions they were asking and they would come back and they would come back and email.

And so I met with the producers, and we were supposed to kinda talk for 30 minutes.

But usually, when the media calls me, it never goes just 30 minutes.

So we were Zooming for about an hour and a half, and they kept asking questions, and they were like, okay.

And they kept talking to each other.

And so when we actually met to record in June, they were saying, "We're we're gonna have you for the first, the second hour."

And then they said, "Well, the other producer wants to talk to you about some stuff in the first hour."

So I can tell they were trying to make connections and tell a fuller story of gospel.

They didn't wanna have a whole bunch of celebrities.

They wanted to get into the deep parts of the story.

And I can tell they were trying to wrap their arms around this great story that gospel music in America is and has become and also show how gospel music has helped to carry so much of what many of us as Black Christians, regardless of the denomination or region or age, how much gospel carries us as a people in the community.

But also, this other story that gospel exists outside the church walls.

Gospel is now a global genre that's going around the world several times.

And so they wanted to tell this bigger story even beyond just the beginning of gospel in the '20s and '30s with Thomas Dorsey.

They wanted to get into the 21st century.

A lot of people like to stop at the civil rights movement and they wanna go home, but they were really digging deep to figure out where gospel was today in our contemporary time.

And so it was very clear that the documentary started getting more and more about the music, which is about time.

And when we were filming and recording, they wanted to make a documentary about gospel music, 'cause the story had not really been fully told since maybe the 1980s with Thomas Dorsey's "Say Amen, Somebody."

Also was premiering on PBS.

Gotta love it.

And so I am thrilled to be a part of Henry Louis Gates' new series gospel as it dives in this complex history of gospel music and preaching as well.

So I'm not gonna be for you long.

I'm actually about to get off this stage right now so we can watch some clips.

We're gonna have a couple of sneak previews for what you're gonna see on Monday and Tuesday, 9:00 PM on PBS and kind of look at some things.

We're gonna actually do a couple of other songs of other performances.

It's also get some time to kind of talk to you guys, ask questions and have a community conversation around the power of gospel music.

So with that being said, I'm gonna get off the stage and let them run the first clip.

I think the first clip is gonna talk about Thomas Dorsey.

We have about six or seven clips throughout the evening.

Very short, very brief, and very impactful.

So please enjoy this wonderful event this night, and I'm going to get off the stage.

Thank you.

(congregants applauding) - [Henry] Throughout his life, Thomas Dorsey would create music that spoke to his despair, but also testified to the good news of the gospel carrying him through.

Dorsey had begun to spread this message of the transformative power of gospel through the first modern gospel choir at Ebenezer Baptist Church, which he co-created in Chicago in 1931.

Influenced by annual gatherings, like the National Baptist Convention, and building on the choir's popularity, Dorsey co-founded the National Convention of Gospel Choirs and Choruses in 1933.

In short order, the gospel choir would become one of the most powerful and most lasting elements in the evolving sound of the gospel tradition.

- The National Convention of Gospel Choirs and Choruses being formed in Chicago in 1933 sort of cemented Chicago as the gospel mecca.

♪ Wanna go there, where ♪ there's no sorrow ♪ ♪ I want to go there, ♪ where there's no pain ♪ - It really networked Black church choirs and connected his own songs with these choirs.

♪ I wanna go there ♪ - He was strongly invested in establishing the pedagogy of gospel.

He had very strong ideas about how it was taught the right way and the right way to do things.

♪ Where there's no pain ♪ - They're being taught the best singing techniques.

They're being taught how to organize and run a choir.

It became almost impossible to find a major church that didn't have a gospel choir.

- There was nowhere else in the world where you could learn from the people who really created it other than the Dorsey Convention.

- They're also selling an awful lot of Dorsey music.

And for a time, they were even called Dorseys.

♪ Oh, Jonah ♪ ♪ Oh, oh, Jonah ♪ - Until the 1940s, male quartets dominated gospel recordings.

But Apollo Records, a small, independent label in New York City decided to take a chance on gospel's star soloist.

- Mahalia Jackson's a direct beneficiary of Apollo, saying, "We're now gonna record blues and gospel and various other kinds of Black music."

♪ There is power, power ♪ ♪ Wonder-working power in the blood ♪ - [Henry] While Mahalia Jackson was an accomplished singer on the Chicago gospel scene, her first album flopped.

And it would take nearly a decade for her to cut another.

To make a living in between, literally, she had to sing for her supper.

- There's this kind of magical gap in her recording career.

She was really waiting around for the industry to catch up with her.

- [Henry] In 1947, she recorded a song about the promise of salvation and the necessity of getting closer to God.

♪ Move on up a little higher, Lord ♪ The title: "Move On Up A Little Higher."

♪ Move on up a little higher, Lord ♪ ♪ Meet with the Hebrew children ♪ - "Moving On Up" is special for a number of reasons.

For a long time, we thought it was just a straight, inspirational kind of song, but now we realize it had a coded message of empowerment.

♪ Move on up a little higher, Lord ♪ - [Mahalia] It was an old-time spiritual that I revived with the bounce, and so I started to sing it the way I hear the people singing in the congregation, in the church, around the home.

And, of course, when they heard that type of singing, it was the type that they liked.

- Her sound is completely different.

There's shouts interspersed, there's growls in there.

There's a sense of freedom that she has with it.

♪ All of God's sons and daughters ♪ - The way that song builds and the way she gives herself license to really kind of nearly shout towards the end is a direct contrast from what many of those mainline Black churches wanted out of gospel music.

It don't take all that.

But yet, Mahalia Jackson was giving all of that.

It's as if it is to say, this song is for me, if it's not for anybody else.

♪ 'Cause I'll be waiting ♪ ♪ Oh, at the beautiful golden gates ♪ - [Mahalia] The Bible said to go in the highways and the hedges and compel men to come to God.

This record is really a testimony of mine.

When I sing "Move Up A Little Higher," I was really down, and the Lord really lift me, and it is still my best song.

- [Henry] What was special about her voice?

What gave it its power?

What made it unique?

- She believed and trusted in God and was not ashamed and would let you know that.

She believed every word she was singing, and she wanted you to believe it.

She was very spiritual.

Very.

- [Henry] The success of "Move On Up A Little Higher" proved the gospel could be both spiritual and profitable.

- When Mahalia Jackson sold two million copies of "Move On Up A Little Higher," she wasn't just selling to Black people.

She introduces lots of audiences in the United States and around the world to Black gospel music, right?

And through her success like adds a popular legitimacy to Black gospel.

("Freedom Highway" by The Staple Singers plays) - [Henry] As sales of gospel records soared, Mahalia and other musicians increasingly hit the road.

♪ Each and every day ♪ ♪ March for freedom's highway ♪ - Record companies would send a cavalcade of gospel artists around the country and really built up this sort of incredible audience for gospel music.

(soft gentle music) ♪ Precious Lord ♪ ♪ Take my hand ♪ ♪ Lead me on ♪ ♪ Let me stand, I am tired ♪ ♪ I am weak ♪ ♪ I am lone ♪ ♪ Through the storm ♪ ♪ And through the night ♪ ♪ Lord, Lord, Lord, ♪ Lord, Lord, lead me on ♪ ♪ To the light ♪ ♪ Take my hand, precious Lord ♪ ♪ And lead me home ♪ ♪ When my way grows drear ♪ ♪ Precious Lord ♪ ♪ Oh, God, I need you to linger near ♪ ♪ For when my light is almost gone ♪ ♪ Oh, hear ♪ ♪ Hear my call ♪ ♪ Ooh ♪ ♪ Hear my cry ♪ ♪ Lord, Lord, Lord, Lord ♪ ♪ Hold my hand, hallelujah ♪ ♪ Lest I fall ♪ ♪ Take my hand, precious Lord ♪ ♪ And lead ♪ ♪ Me ♪ ♪ Me ♪ ♪ Me, me, me, me ♪ ♪ Lead me home ♪ (congregants applauding) - Ladies and gentlemen, performing, y'all come on right where you are.

Performing the classic written by the father of gospel music, Thomas A. Dorsey and ministered by Mahalia Jackson, let's give it up for BET Sunday Best finalist, Kristen JoyAnn Jamison.

It is the hymns of the church that have brought us a mighty long way.

And as you watch this documentary, you're going to be able to feel the passion, the soul, and the inspiration of gospel music, and you will understand truly why it is called "The Gospel."

We're gonna pause at this time, and we're going to look at some more clips, as you get the opportunity to see "Gospel" authored by Henry Louis Gates.

- C.L.

Franklin understood that what makes a preacher is the size of their congregation, and a building is only so big.

How do you create a bigger building without having a bigger building?

- [C.L.]

I call myself a mighty big man.

- [Congregants] Yes!

- [C.L.]

I was ranking with men of states.

- [Congregants] Yes!

- [Henry] The idea caught fire.

Starting in the 1950s, Franklin recorded more than 70 albums of sermons, with the help of Joe Von Battle, a local record store owner.

How did he hook up with C.L.

Franklin?

- Well, Reverend C.L.

Franklin's church was down the street from Joe's record shop, and my father had the idea of recording him because of the extraordinary preaching of C.L.

Franklin, that musicality of his speaking.

This was a new phenomenon.

And so my father wanted to capture that.

He would go to the church and record him live and record these live sermons, and then he would bring them back to the record shop, and then they would have them pressed and waxed, and they would literally put them on trains, put them on buses, and have them dispersed throughout the world.

- Oh.

- And that is what began to establish C.L.

Franklin as a national phenomenon in the African American community.

- We will be able to speed up that day when all of God's children, Black men and white men, Jews and Gentiles, Protestants and Catholics will be able to join hands and sing in the words of the old Negro spiritual: "Free at last, free at last.

Thank God Almighty, we are free at last."

(audience cheers and applause) - America discovered Black preaching on mass scale with Martin Luther King, 'cause all of a sudden, with "I Have a Dream," they could feel the color of your skin, the content of your character, this intellectual, powerful depth.

I mean, the imagery is all of it there, and the compassion that Black people have given white people based upon outrageous, inhumane treatment and still talk about we and us and being a part of America.

(siren blaring) - Less than a month after the march, on September 15th, four little girls were murdered at a Sunday school in Birmingham.

Four days later, a gathering of musicians would offer a powerful message of resilience.

The gifted choir master, James Cleveland, met with members of the Angelic Choir from Nutley, New Jersey.

They recorded an iconic anthem based on the Book of Mark 4:37-39.

It tells the story of a raging tempest that Jesus calms simply by commanding three words: "Peace be still."

♪ Master ♪ ♪ The tempest is raging ♪ ♪ The billows are tossing high ♪ - This song seemed to speak not only to people who loved God but to people in the world, because at that time, people needed peace.

And so that song just spoke to the mood of the nation and the culture.

♪ Or help is nigh ♪ ♪ Thank you Jesus ♪ ♪ Carest thou not ♪ ♪ That we perish ♪ - Reverend Cleveland's voice was somewhere between a growl and the sound of sandpaper, and yet, it was something that was free about his performance.

- It was that sincerity.

It was that authenticity that people felt.

It's just absolute genius.

♪ You can be a demon ♪ ♪ Or an evil man or whatever ♪ - [Henry] It's a song about peace, but it's dramatic arrangement underscores the violent truth of Black life in America, but it also was a sustaining reminder that no matter how stormy the seas, no one has to battle the wind and the waves alone.

♪ Of earth and skies ♪ ♪ They all shall sweetly ♪ - Why is it so important for music to be participatory?

Why is it so important for music to be communal?

Because it was helping people to understand, the sound was actually more powerful than what they were up against.

- It's as if James Cleveland's on stage singing with an army, not just a small band, right?

With an army.

It changes the sound of Black music.

♪ Master ♪ - [Henry] The commercial success of the live church recording of "Peace Be Still" established an innovative template for the next generation of gospel artists and producers.

- The goal is to capture what happens on Sunday morning in the Black church, the worship atmosphere.

People who are churched, you understand that that resonates directly with you.

People who are unchurched, this is a new experience.

This is what's going on inside those four walls.

The hollering, the hand clapping, the foot stomping, the call and response.

All of the elements of demonstrative behavior that goes into this Sunday morning atmosphere is refashioned on these live recordings.

That's why that recording is so important.

That shifted the whole terrain of gospel music production.

♪ Oh peace ♪ ♪ Be still ♪ (audience applauding) - In honor of the spirit of gospel music and gospel choirs, as we think about gospel music and we think about gospel choirs, they often would feature a lead vocalist, and this lead vocalist would tell a story.

Now, we are talking about the gospel.

So do you mind if I tell a story?

Well, the story tells me about a mother who was in her kitchen preparing some food.

And as she's preparing this food, she begins to get stirred up on the inside.

Because see, whether you are in a church or whether you are in your house, when the gospel is in you, you become stirred on the inside.

Mother was on the inside of her house, and she began to walk the floor thanking God for what he had done, how he had kept her children, how he had kept her family along the way.

As mother was walking the floor and she was thanking God, she began to hear a voice.

She looked to her left, but there was nothing over there.

Mother got a little more stirred because she's like, now I know something is on the inside, but I don't know what it is.

Mother take one more look, she looked to her right, but nothing was there.

Mother began to say, "Oh no, this is the Holy Ghost that's inside."

Mother began to praise God because she knew that when the battle was over, that she was gonna wear a crown.

Mother got stirred and she stood on that floor and she began to say these words: ♪ Well, O when the ♪ saints go marching in, ♪ ♪ O when the saints ♪ Come on, clap those hands.

♪ Hey, oh how ♪ Can we have a little church for gospel music?

♪ When the saints ♪ ♪ When the saints go marching in ♪ ♪ O when the saints go marching in ♪ ♪ O when the saints ♪ (saints go marching in) ♪ ♪ Oh how (Oh how I want) ♪ ♪ I got to be there (to ♪ be in that number) ♪ ♪ Where the saints (When ♪ the saints go marchin' in) ♪ Well, you know what?

One, two, everybody march.

Remember, we're getting excited about what was taking place.

She would begin to walk all over God's church.

She will begin to walk over that floor because she knew God was gonna do it.

And sometimes, gospel does that to you and get you started on the inside, 'cause mother knew she was going this: ♪ Hey, hey, oh when they ♪ crown (Oh, when they crown) ♪ ♪ Him Lord of Lords (Him Lord of Lords) ♪ ♪ Oh, when they crown ♪ ♪ Him Lord of Lords ♪ ♪ Oh, how (Oh, how I want) ♪ ♪ I got to be there (to ♪ be in that number) ♪ ♪ When they crown (When they crown) ♪ ♪ Yeah, yeah, yeah (Him Lord of Lords) ♪ ♪ Oh when they crown ♪ (oh, when they crown) ♪ ♪ Him Lord of lords (Him Lord of lords) ♪ ♪ No, no, no, no, no ♪ (Crown Him Lord of lords) ♪ ♪ Hey, oh how (Oh, how I want) ♪ ♪ Anybody wanna be there ♪ (to be in that number) ♪ ♪ When they crown ♪ Well, listen, we might as well, one, two, everybody march.

By the third time, mother would begin to feel something really stirred up inside of her.

She will begin to dance to the left.

She would begin to dance to the right, because she knew that God was gonna make a way for her family.

She knew God was gonna do it.

Here we go, up one note.

♪ Hey, hey ♪ ♪ Oh, when the saints ♪ (Oh, when the saints) ♪ ♪ Go marchin' in (Go marchin' in) ♪ ♪ Anybody wanna go all the way ♪ ♪ Hey, hey, ooh how (Oh, how I want) ♪ ♪ I got to be there (to ♪ be in that number) ♪ ♪ Oh how (Oh, how I want) ♪ ♪ I got to be there (to ♪ be in that number) ♪ ♪ I just want my name written ♪ ♪ Anybody wanna hear him sing ♪ ♪ Song and well done ♪ ♪ You've been faithful over few things ♪ ♪ Come on up, yeah ♪ ♪ I want to be there (in that number) ♪ ♪ I want to be there ♪ ♪ I wanna walk street some gold ♪ ♪ I wanna walk street some gold ♪ ♪ Honey, honey, never goodbye ♪ ♪ Honey, honey, never goodbye ♪ (vocalizing) ♪ Ooh, how (Oh, how I want) ♪ ♪ Hey (To be in that number) ♪ ♪ When the saints (When the saints) ♪ ♪ Hey (Go marching in) ♪ ♪ When they go marching in ♪ ♪ Now, clap your hands ♪ ♪ Like you're gonna march over there ♪ ♪ Clap your hands, like ♪ you're going over there ♪ ♪ Lift your hands like ♪ you wanna see Jesus ♪ ♪ Clap your hands ang give him praise ♪ ♪ Ooh (ooh) ♪ ♪ Hey ♪ Hallelujah.

High five your neighbor and say, "I wanna be there."

- I wanna be there.

- Oh, the gospel.

It gets you stirred.

Excuse me, director.

This just the way we do it in South Carolina.

We gets a little stirred on the inside.

One more time.

Say, "I wanna be there."

- I wanna be there.

- Hey!

One of these old mornings, and it won't be long.

You gonna look for me and I'll be gone.

We gotta move, we gotta move, we gotta move.

Woo!

It's the gospel.

It's the gospel.

It's the gospel of Jesus Christ.

There is no way that we can walk without him, that we can live without him, that we can move without him.

Song simply says, "There is no way that I can live without you."

Please celebrate in collaboration, with us on tonight, one more time, BET Sunday Best finalist, Kristen Jameson and the award-winning Francis Marion YGB Gospel Choir.

(light music) ♪ There is no way (way) ♪ ♪ I can live without You ♪ - Come on, is that your testimony?

Come on, let's sing.

♪ There is no way ♪ ♪ I can hold on ♪ ♪ Burdens are too much ♪ ♪ For me to bear ♪ ♪ There ♪ ♪ There is no way ♪ ♪ I can live without You ♪ ♪ I have tried ♪ ♪ To make it on my own ♪ ♪ On my own ♪ ♪ But these heavy burdens ♪ ♪ These old heavy burdens ♪ ♪ They got a little bit too strong ♪ ♪ Oh, ooh ♪ ♪ But right now, I can say ♪ ♪ That without Christ in my life ♪ ♪ There is no other way, there is no way ♪ ♪ There is no way (No, no, no, no, no) ♪ ♪ I can live (I can live) ♪ I need you to get up on your feet, and we gonna be one big old choir, because that's what the gospel is about.

Come on, clap your hands like your church is.

♪ I have (I have tried) ♪ ♪ Ooh (Over) ♪ ♪ I've tried over (And over) ♪ ♪ I've tried over and ♪ over and over and over ♪ ♪ But there is no other way ♪ (There is no other way) ♪ ♪ Somebody say it (Is no other way) ♪ ♪ There's no other ♪ (There's no other way) ♪ ♪ Oh, there's no other way ♪ ♪ There is no way ♪ Come on, come on.

♪ I can live (I can live) ♪ ♪ Come on, I can live (Without you) ♪ ♪ Without you ♪ Come on, I can feel you praising it.

Come on, sing.

♪ I have (I have tried) ♪ ♪ I've tried over (And over) ♪ ♪ I've tried over and over and over ♪ ♪ There's no other way ♪ (There's no other way) ♪ ♪ There is no other way ♪ (There's no other way) ♪ ♪ I don't care where you go ♪ ♪ Yeah ♪ ♪ Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah ♪ ♪ There is no other ♪ way (There is no way) ♪ ♪ That I can live (I can live) ♪ ♪ That I can live (Without you) ♪ I think I see a couple of testimonies out there that know that you can't make it without the Lord.

♪ I have tried (I have tried) ♪ ♪ I have tried (To make it) ♪ ♪ I'm gonna try (I couldn't take it) ♪ ♪ I had to face it (I had to face it) ♪ ♪ O Lord (But there is no other way) ♪ ♪ O Lord, O Lord, O Lord ♪ (There is no other way) ♪ ♪ Is no other way (Is no other way) ♪ ♪ There is no way (I can live) ♪ ♪ I can live without you (Without you) ♪ Come on, can you live without the Lord?

Come on, can you live without the Lord?

♪ I have tried ♪ ♪ Over and over ♪ ♪ Woo ♪ ♪ But there is no other way ♪ Let me check this side.

♪ There is no other way ♪ ♪ There is no other way ♪ ♪ For there is no way ♪ ♪ I can live ♪ ♪ Without you ♪ Come on, clap your hands if you know you can't live without Him.

Hallelujah.

- Can y'all make some noise for Ms. Kristen Jameson, y'all?

Come on.

Do we have any testimonies in here that know there is no other way we can live without the Lord?

Can anybody testify to the fact that you've tried every other way, and you found out there is no other way?

He is the way, the truth, and the life.

Can I have any witnesses in here?

Who knows that God is the way, the truth, and.

My God, one more time for the choir too, man.

Y'all show them some love.

Come on, all the way from the PD Florence, South Carolina, man.

Francis Marion, show 'em, one more time, more love, man.

Clap your hands, come on, y'all.

Man.

My God, that was so good.

My God.

That's what gospel music does to us, man.

It stirs you up.

It stirs you up just like that, man.

My God.

Listen, we have another clip prepared of the documentary "Gospel."

Let's check out that clip right now.

You did it.

(lively music) ♪ I wanna tell you a little story now ♪ ♪ About a man called Shoutin' John ♪ (crowd cheering) - Shoutin' John is an 86-year-old man who's about to be put out of a church by the church leaders.

♪ He came in dancin' ♪ - [Crowd] Yeah.

(lively music) - They tell him, "You can't do all that dancing in our church," right?

Because they are an upper class, more established, respectable church.

- [Keri] And Shoutin' John tells them all the things that God has done for him.

And they still say, "No, Shoutin' John, if you don't stop shouting, we are not going to allow you to come back to the church."

And Shoutin' John says: ♪ Listen, Brother Deacons ♪ ♪ If I can't shout in your church ♪ ♪ He said, "Hold my mule ♪ ♪ I'm gonna shout it right now ♪ ♪ Shout it all around" ♪ - Shirley Caesar declared that there is inherent dignity in this man who they couldn't silence.

♪ Hold my mule ♪ She made folks believe and know that not only that I got a feeling that everything's gonna be all right.

Guess what?

I know I'm all right.

- Vicki Mack, being the marketing genius that she is, she went into to her marketing mode.

(upbeat music) - I remember her saying, "I wanna promote them just like we promote the secular artists."

And so she would send them out to the same phone list, the same listing parties.

- And that's how it was getting to a new audience.

They won't come to church to see these people, but they'll go to a club.

They'll go to a park.

It was coming outside of the church and taking it to the world.

- [Announcer] You're listening to Power 107.5 FM WGCI.

Chicago's number one- - [Carpenter] And WGCI Tom Joyner started playing it.

- [Announcer] Number one and having fun.

- Not on Sunday, every day throughout the day, in between Boys II Men and Mary J. Blige.

It just went through the roof.

It crossed over.

It went to the top on the billboard R&B chart.

- I was gonna be happy if we did a decent 20,000, and big time was gonna be 50,000.

- [Henry] And how many did it sell?

- Last I heard was about a million, three million, four.

We said we wanted to reach millions with the good news of Jesus Christ.

And it did that.

- Right.

We're gonna talk a little bit more about Kirk Franklin, and particularly the contemporary gospel era and urban contemporary when the music goes even further.

As I mentioned before, it goes beyond the church walls.

But I didn't have much prepared.

I know one thing we can even say as far as the power of gospel music to transcend the experience of African Americans in global is now in the social media era, when people find gospel music and they find the songs and they turn them into something else.

I'm gonna play a little bit of sound.

We just heard a little bit about Shouting John and Shirley Caesar, but many of you, since we were coming off the holiday season, remember how that song, we grew up listening to in the '80s that sermonette, it's mostly the sermonette, not a lot of singing, became a TikTok sensation.

I'll just leave you with this very quickly.

- [Speaker] Oh, look at you.

Look.

- You don't remember it?

- [Speaker] Look.

♪ I got beans, greens, ♪ potatoes, tomatoes ♪ ♪ Lamb, rams, hogs, dogs, ♪ chickens, turkeys, rabbits ♪ ♪ You name it ♪ - She preaching, right?

She preaching.

And so that became a viral sensation.

Shirley Caesar's a reverend.

She's a pastor, she's a preacher, and she's also a gospel singer.

So this is a marriage, a perfect marriage of both preaching in the word, in an actual sermon and the word in song.

And so the younger generations get reintroduced by social media, by TikTok, by the streams, the reels, the Instagram posts, and actually taking the gospel even further.

People now going to look up that song.

And of course, when they did that remix, they had to pay Shirley.

So in this contemporary era, gospel music is now being compensated.

So before, you heard the Apollo record story in early in the documentary.

When they put out Mahalia Jackson's records, the actual record executive was taking credit for writing Thomas Dorsey's songs.

Of course, Thomas Dorsey went back and sued the lady.

But now, you have actually people trying to call and make sure they give credit and compensation.

So that is a contemporary era that we start to see gospel artists being actual compensated for their gifts as they go around the world.

Our next clip is going to be coming up right now, so we're gonna go right into that.

Thank you.

(audience applauding) - Just as W.E.B Du Bois noted long ago, the sermon and the song retain their power as vital sources of cultural affirmation and spiritual sustenance for all of us seeking comfort in a time of great uncertainty.

In the darkest days of the lockdown, communities across the country turned to a powerful gospel song based on the 121st Psalm.

Like Thomas A. Dorsey, Richard Smallwood composed it at a profoundly challenging moment in his life.

His song, "Total Praise," has joined the ranks of gospel's masterpieces, speaking its message of healing across the generations.

♪ Lord, I will lift ♪ ♪ My eyes ♪ - The gospel sound is a Black sacred sound.

Then it reemerges as a freedom song.

And so we can't divorce the political and social circumstances surrounding the sacred sound.

♪ Is coming from you ♪ - The sound still connects people.

The sound still gathers people.

The sound still is a magnet for people.

♪ In time of the storm ♪ ♪ You are the source ♪ - The beauty of gospel is its ability to summon the full weight of the sacred into the everyday urgency of Black lives, a message our people still need as we face an uncertain future.

Gospel is a prayer.

It is a chance.

It is a praise song.

It is our heart's pride to God, rendered collectively and sublimely in lyrics and songs.

(uplifting music) ♪ You are the source of my strength ♪ ♪ You are the strength of my life ♪ ♪ I lift my hands ♪ ♪ In total praise to You ♪ ♪ Amen ♪ ♪ Amen ♪ ♪ Amen ♪ ♪ Amen ♪ ♪ Amen ♪ ♪ Amen ♪ ♪ Amen ♪ ♪ Amen ♪ (congregants applauding) - Hallelujah.

Hallelujah.

Can somebody give praise right here?

(congregants applauding) Hallelujah.

Song says, "My life is in your hands."

I know that sometimes, things can seem extremely chaotic, but we just came to encourage you, just to let you know that you don't have to worry about it.

You don't have to check out over the situation.

Whatever it is that you're going through, your life is in the hands of the King of kings and the Lord of lords.

So you don't have to worry.

♪ You don't have to worry ♪ And don't.

♪ And don't you be afraid ♪ Joy.

♪ Joy comes in the morning ♪ Troubles, they.

♪ Troubles they don't last always ♪ For there.

♪ For there's a friend in Jesus ♪ ♪ Who will wipe your tears away ♪ And if your heart.

♪ And if your heart is broken ♪ Just lift.

♪ Just lift your hands and say ♪ ♪ Lord, I know that I can make it ♪ ♪ I know that I can stand ♪ ♪ No matter what may come my way ♪ ♪ My life is in your hands ♪ With Jesus.

♪ With Jesus I can take it ♪ With him.

♪ With him I know I can stand ♪ ♪ No matter what may come my way ♪ My life.

♪ My life is in your hands ♪ So when your tests and trials.

♪ So when your tests and trials ♪ May seem.

♪ May seem to get you down ♪ And all.

♪ And all your friends and loved ones ♪ Are nowhere to be found.

♪ Are nowhere to be found ♪ Remember there.

♪ Remember there's friend in Jesus ♪ Who will wipe your tears.

♪ Who will wipe your tears away ♪ And if your heart is broken.

♪ And if your heart is broken ♪ Just lift your hands and say.

♪ Just lift your hands and say ♪ Oh.

♪ Oh, I know that I can make it ♪ I know.

♪ I know that I can stand ♪ No matter.

♪ No matter what may come my way ♪ My life.

♪ My life is in your hands ♪ With Jesus I can make it.

♪ With Jesus I can take it ♪ With him I know I can stand.

♪ With him I know I can stand ♪ No matter what.

♪ No matter what may come my way ♪ ♪ My life is in your hands ♪ Come on, let's sing it again.

Oh, I know.

♪ I know that I can make it ♪ I know.

♪ I know that I can stand ♪ No matter what may come.

♪ No matter what may come my way ♪ My life.

♪ My life is in your hands ♪ With Jesus I can take it.

♪ With Jesus I can take it ♪ With him I know.

♪ With him I know I can stand ♪ No matter.

♪ No matter what may come my way ♪ My life.

♪ My life is in your hands ♪ Let's sing it again, sing: I know.

♪ I know that I can make it ♪ I know.

♪ I know that I can stand ♪ No matter.

♪ No matter what may come my way ♪ My life.

♪ My life is in your hands ♪ With Jesus I can take it.

♪ With Jesus I can take it ♪ With him.

♪ With him I know I can stand ♪ No matter.

♪ No matter what may come my way ♪ ♪ My life is in your hands ♪ Doesn't matter what you going through, my life- ♪ My life is in your hands ♪ Oh, my life.

♪ My life is in your hands ♪ Can we give God a hand of praise for him?

He allows us to put our lives in his hand.

The word says that "cast your cares upon me for I care for you."

And how many of you know that if God said a thing, then you can take it to the bank, amen?

If God told you that he was gonna heal your body, you can go ahead and go to sleep, amen?

If God told you that he was gonna bring you out of that situation, you can rest assured that God is gonna do what he said that he is going to do.

Ladies and gentlemen, we are gonna sing, "If God Said It, I Believe It."

So join in with us, okay?

- [Congregant] Yeah.

(cheering) (lively music) ♪ The Lord is everything to me ♪ ♪ He said He would my comfort be ♪ ♪ The Lord said He would be right there ♪ ♪ My God is everywhere ♪ ♪ God said it (God said it) ♪ ♪ I believe it (I believe it) ♪ ♪ God said it (God said it) ♪ ♪ I believe it (I believe it) ♪ ♪ Yeah, and I'm (Gonna ♪ take Him at his word) ♪ ♪ The Lord is everything to me ♪ ♪ He said He would my comfort be ♪ ♪ The Lord said He would be right there ♪ ♪ My God is everywhere ♪ ♪ God said it (God said it) ♪ ♪ I believe it (I believe it) ♪ ♪ God said it (God said it) ♪ ♪ I believe it (I believe it) ♪ ♪ Yeah, and I'm (Gonna ♪ take Him at his word) ♪ ♪ I am standing on the promises of Jesus ♪ ♪ And I know He'll never ♪ ♪ I know he'll never let me down ♪ ♪ Ooh ♪ ♪ God said He would be right there ♪ ♪ My God is everywhere ♪ ♪ God said it (God said it) ♪ ♪ I believe it (I believe it) ♪ ♪ God said it (God said it) ♪ ♪ I believe it (I believe it) ♪ ♪ Yeah, and I'm (Gonna ♪ take Him at his word) ♪ ♪ I am standing (Standing ♪ on the promises of Jesus) ♪ ♪ And I know he'll never ♪ ♪ I know he'll never let me down ♪ ♪ Ooh ♪ ♪ God said He would be right there ♪ ♪ My God is everywhere ♪ ♪ God said it (God said it) ♪ ♪ I believe it (I believe it) ♪ ♪ God said it (God said it) ♪ ♪ I believe it (I believe it) ♪ ♪ Yeah, and I'm (Gonna ♪ take Him at his word) ♪ ♪ Oh, God said it (God said it) ♪ ♪ I believe it (I believe it) ♪ ♪ God said it (God said it) ♪ ♪ I believe it (I believe it) ♪ ♪ God said it (God said it) ♪ ♪ I believe it (I believe it) ♪ ♪ God said it (God said it) ♪ ♪ I believe it (I believe it) ♪ ♪ Jesus, he said it (I believe it) ♪ ♪ Jesus, he said it (I believe it) ♪ ♪ Jesus (God said it) ♪ ♪ Jesus (I believe it) ♪ ♪ Mary (He said it) ♪ ♪ Baby (I believe it) ♪ ♪ Mom (He said it) ♪ ♪ In Gilead (I believe it) ♪ ♪ Jesus (God said it) ♪ ♪ Jesus (I believe it) ♪ ♪ Waymaker, waymaker ♪ ♪ Grandmother (God said it) ♪ ♪ Meemaw (I believe it) ♪ ♪ Oh, Jesus (God said it) ♪ ♪ Jesus (I believe it) ♪ ♪ Oh, Jesus (God said it) ♪ ♪ Jesus (I believe it) ♪ ♪ He'll do it (God said it) ♪ ♪ For you (I believe it) ♪ ♪ He did it (God said it) ♪ ♪ For me (I believe it) ♪ ♪ He'll pick you up (God said it) ♪ ♪ Turn you on (I believe it) ♪ ♪ Place your knee (God said it) ♪ ♪ On solid ground (I believe it) ♪ ♪ Jesus (God said it) ♪ ♪ Jesus (I believe it) ♪ ♪ Jesus (God said it) ♪ ♪ Jesus (I believe it) ♪ ♪ Balm (God said it) ♪ ♪ Balm (I believe it) ♪ ♪ Balm (God said it) ♪ ♪ In Gilead (I believe it) ♪ ♪ He'll do it (God said it) ♪ ♪ He'll do it (I believe it) ♪ ♪ He'll do it (God said it) ♪ ♪ He'll do it (I believe it) ♪ ♪ My savior (God said it) ♪ ♪ Deliverer (I believe it) ♪ ♪ My savior (God said it) ♪ ♪ Deliverer (I believe it) ♪ ♪ Promised (God said it) ♪ ♪ People (I believe it) ♪ ♪ Promised (God said it) ♪ ♪ People (I believe it) ♪ ♪ Protector (God said it) ♪ ♪ Provider (I believe it) ♪ ♪ Protector (God said it) ♪ ♪ Provider (I believe it) ♪ ♪ He'll do it (God said it) ♪ ♪ He'll do it (I believe it) ♪ ♪ He'll do it (God said it) ♪ ♪ He'll do it (I believe it) ♪ ♪ Stand (God said it) ♪ ♪ On his word (I believe it) ♪ ♪ Stand (God said it) ♪ ♪ On his word (I believe it) ♪ ♪ Keep the faith (God said it) ♪ ♪ Keep the faith (I believe it) ♪ ♪ Keep the faith (God said it) ♪ ♪ Keep the faith (I believe it) ♪ ♪ He'll do it (God said it) ♪ ♪ He'll do it (I believe it) ♪ ♪ He'll do it (God said it) ♪ ♪ He'll do it (I believe it) ♪ ♪ He'll do it (God said it) ♪ ♪ He'll do it (I believe it) ♪ ♪ He'll do it (God said it) ♪ ♪ He'll do it (I believe it) ♪ ♪ I'm a witness (God said it) ♪ ♪ I'm a witness (I believe it) ♪ ♪ I'm a witness (God said it) ♪ ♪ I'm a witness (I believe it) ♪ ♪ I'm the head (God said it) ♪ ♪ Not the tail (I believe it) ♪ ♪ I'm above (God said it) ♪ ♪ Not beneath (I believe it) ♪ ♪ I'm a lender (God said it) ♪ ♪ Not a borrower (I believe it) ♪ ♪ I'm a lender (God said it) ♪ ♪ Not a borrower (I believe it) ♪ ♪ I'm a lender (God said it) ♪ ♪ Lender (I believe it) ♪ ♪ Lender (God said it) ♪ ♪ Lender (I believe it) ♪ ♪ I'm willing (God said it) ♪ ♪ Therefore (I believe it) ♪ ♪ I'm the one (God said it) ♪ ♪ For the Lord (I believe it) ♪ ♪ Everybody (God said it) ♪ ♪ I'll do it (I believe it) ♪ ♪ Every planet (God said it) ♪ ♪ I'll do it (I believe it) ♪ ♪ I'll honor (God said it) ♪ ♪ My Father (I believe it) ♪ ♪ I'm his daughter (God said it) ♪ ♪ His daughter (I believe it) ♪ ♪ I'll do (God said it) ♪ ♪ What he said (I believe it) ♪ ♪ If he said it (God said it) ♪ ♪ He'll do it (I believe it) ♪ ♪ Oh, chill (God said it) ♪ ♪ Chill (I believe it) ♪ ♪ Jesus (God said it) ♪ ♪ Chill (I believe it) ♪ ♪ Jesus (God said it) ♪ ♪ Chill (I believe it) ♪ ♪ Now (God said it) ♪ ♪ Baby (I believe it) ♪ ♪ Born (God said it) ♪ ♪ Born (I believe it) ♪ ♪ Born (God said it) ♪ ♪ Born (I believe it) ♪ ♪ Born (God said it) ♪ ♪ To save (I believe it) ♪ ♪ A wreck (God said it) ♪ ♪ Like me (I believe it) ♪ ♪ He'll do it (God said it) ♪ ♪ He'll do it (I believe it) ♪ ♪ He'll do it (God said it) ♪ ♪ He'll do it (I believe it) ♪ ♪ Yeah ♪ ♪ Hallelujah ♪ ♪ If he said it, hell do it ♪ ♪ He'll bring you out, he'll deliver ♪ ♪ Halle ♪ (lively music) - One more time.

(lively music) Yeah.

Make some noise for the Bible Way choir, y'all.

Come on.

And can we make some noise for the Lord?

Anybody believe what the word of God says?

Anybody believe that you're the head and not the tail, you're above and not beneath?

You're no longer the borrower, you're the lender.

Anybody believe that in here?

Come on, your situation is changing right now.

Anybody believe the word of God?

Come on, man.

Hallelujah, God said it, and that's it.

You can take what the Lord said to the bank.

If God said, "I don't care what man says," if God said it, then I believe it.

I'm gonna take him at his word, amen?

Give God one more hand clap of praise, man.

And can we make some noise for every single choir, every single artist that grazed the stage?

Amen.

Man.

My God.

If God said it, I believe it, and I'm gonna take him at his word.

I ain't got no other choice but to take him at his word.

Come on, there is no other way for me to take him at his word, man.

My friends can't do it, mama can't do it.

So God is my only way.

He's my only way.

As a believer, God's our only way, man.

He's our only way.

Man, I feel something stirring up a little bit in here.

Come on, man, come on, come on, come on.

Come on, the Lord is here.

The Lord is here.

While you're here, he's working out your situation back at the house.

While you're here, he's working out whatever you have going on at the crib right now.

Doors are opening for you right now.

While you're lifting your hands and giving God praise, doors are opening right now.

When you lift your hands up, God is opening doors right now.

Opportunity is coming for somebody right now.

A way is being made right now for somebody.

Come on, man.

Hallelujah.

Take him at his word.

Take him at his word.

Take the Lord at his word.

That's all we gotta do, man, is take God at his word.

Come on, I'm trying to move on.

But take God at his word, man.

Hallelujah.

That was for somebody in here tonight.

Take God at his word.

You've been staying up worrying about it, take God at His word.

You've been calling everybody about it, take God at His word.

You trying to borrow it from somebody, take God at his word, man.

Come on.

Come on.

When God does it, it can't be undone.

Yeah, when the Lord does it, man, it can't be undone, amen?

Come on, come on, that's it right there.

When God does it, it can't be undone.

Come on, man.

Man, let me go, let me go.

Let me go, man.

That song right there, man.

That song right there.

Let's take about 30 seconds, y'all playing.

Let's take about 30 seconds real quick.

Stand your feet and give God a crazy praise for 30 seconds, man.

I'm telling you right now, whatever situation you're worried about, the Lord is at your crib right now, working it out.

Come on, tell your neighbor, whatever you've been worried about, the Lord is at the crib right now working it out.

Whatever it is, come on.

Believe that by faith right now, the Lord has already working it out.

He's working it out right now.

Come on, he's working it out.

Tell somebody, tell your neighbor, he's working it out right now.

Come on.

Hallelujah.

Hallelujah.

Yeah!

Yeah.

Hallelujah.

Hallelujah.

Man, y'all sit down, man.

Sit down, man.

Y'all gonna get us put outta here, man.

Come on.

But I want to encourage you tonight that whatever you're worried about, here's the thing, when you get back home, I don't wanna look like a liar when you get back to the crib tonight.

When you get back home, it may look the same, but it won't be the same.

My God, when you get back home, it may look the same, but it won't be the same.

When you get back to work tomorrow, it may look the same but it won't be the same.

When y'all get to school tomorrow, it may look the same but it won't be the same.

My God.

Alright, let's go, let's go, let's go, let's go, let's go, let's go.

Let's go, let's go.

Let's go, man.

We gotta go for real.

Like for real, y'all stop playing.

We gotta go for real.

We gotta go, we gotta go.

When you get back home, it may look the same but it won't be the same.

Come on.

That's confirmation for somebody right now that when you get back to your home tonight, to your crib tonight, it may look the same, but the atmosphere is gonna be different now, 'cause I believe that while you're here, God is there.

Come on, y'all.

While you're here, God is there, 'cause you know, he could be here and there and everywhere at the same time.

That's how big he is.

Jeffrey, man, it won't be the same, brother.

It may look the same but it won't be the same.

That's a word for somebody tonight.

Amen, let's move on, let's move on.

Amen.

Give God praise for it not being the same when you get back home, come on.

Hallelujah.

And can we thank God for SCETV for putting on this phenomenal event?

Can we give God some praise for that?

To every staff member, man, PBS, thank you all very much for allowing us to be a part of this documentary tonight.

We appreciate that so very much.

They're gonna come now and give some close remarks, Ms. Cheryl.

Ms. Cheryl's the director of TV and programming and broadcast traffic at SCETV and Public Radio.

And following her, we'll have Dr. Stephanie Cook.

She's gonna come.

She's the assistant general manager of SCETV.

Let's welcome 'em as they come to the stage, y'all.

- Alright, Pastor Jamal, you a pastor?

That word was for me.

What God has for me, it is for me.

Good evening, I'm Cheryl Nunley, Director of TV programming and broadcast traffic at SCETV.

And I am pleased to bring programs like the "Gospel" and "Lyla in the Loop" to your homes, through your devices using the PBS and SCETV app, on our website, scetv.org, and our member benefit, Passport.

So if you're a member, you can watch all four hours of the "Gospel" tonight when you get home.

But let's watch it together next week.

There is power in doing it together, being in agreement, amen?

As someone who acquires programming, I wanna say thank you to all our viewers, those who truly believe in the good work, of public television in SCETV.

It costs money to make good programs.

And because of viewers like you, we can share documentaries like the "Gospel" to our viewing audience.

Your donations make it possible for us to continue to bring great programs to TV.

And that content is made available on streaming platforms like YouTube TV, Local Now, DIRECTV, and Hulu.

The content from SCETV can be reached wherever you are, whenever you want it.

So when you're thinking about doing good work, the good work of philanthropy, don't forget to think about SCETV, amen?

- Amen?

- Amen.

- Amen.

South Carolina ETV is here to serve you through TV, radio, digital, and educational platforms.

Before I go, I want to remind you of the upcoming broadcast dates, two shows by Dr. Henry Louis Gates.

He told me I can call him Skip.

I did get his stamp of approval.

You need to get these dates on your calendar right now.

Number one, airing this Friday at 9:00 PM, we're airing "Gospel Live!"

"Gospel Live" is a concert celebrating, honoring the legacy of gospel music in America with gospel artists like Jekalyn Carr, Lena Byrd Miles, Erica Campbell, and others.

If you miss it at 9:00, don't worry, it'll repeat at 10:00.

So y'all hurry up and get on back in the house, okay?

And then number two, the premier of the two-night event, the "Gospel," airing Monday, February 12th and Tuesday February 13th at 9:00 PM.

You don't wanna miss this.

So get ready to sing, dance, and clap your hands.

So after you leave here tonight, please make sure you tell all your friends, your family, and so on and so on.

I know as I send you out tonight, I want you to share the gospel.

Thank you so much for your support.

And I'll turn this over to our assistant general manager, Dr. Stephanie Cook.

(congregants applauding) - Thank you, Cheryl.

Good evening to all of you.

It has truly been a joy-filled evening.

My heart is so happy, and I wanna thank you all again for joining us.

I wanna just leave you with a couple of remarks.

Habakkuk 2 two tells us to write the vision and make it plain, for the vision is yet for an appointed time, but at the end, it shall speak and not lie.

From the time we first heard about the "Gospel" documentary and "Lyla in the Loop" last summer, I think it was May when they announced that it was coming out, our team began thinking about how we wanted to use those two pieces to connect to the community.

They began to write the vision and make it plain for such an appointed time.

And I sat there on that row smiling, thinking about our team around this sanctuary and in other parts of the church.

And again, my heart was smiling.

But this is what God said to me as I was sitting there.

"It is not lost on me how this all came together."

Today is the seventh day of February, and if you're spiritual or you're church folk, you know the significance of the number seven.

We are in a Black church screening two programming pieces about Black culture.

One of them, the first animated series that PBS kids is offering about Black families.

And we are sitting here with the President, the first Black president of South Carolina ETV in 65 years.

And so tonight was a reminder for me.

Yes, let's give my sister her flowers.

Yes, Adrienne Fairwell, first Black president in 65 years.

And so tonight was a reminder to me that God is doing a thing.

It may look the same, but it won't be.

And I am just thankful, and I will leave you with this quote.

You heard it from Dr. Gates in one of the last clips.

And it says, "Gospel is a prayer.

It is a chant.

It is a praise song.

It is our heart's pride to God, rendered collectively and sublimely in lyrics and song."

And tonight, I also believe that "Gospel" by SCETV closer to our community, and we are very thankful.

Have a good night.

(congregants applauding) - If you've enjoyed yourselves on tonight, let me hear you make some noise in the house.

Come on, if you really enjoyed yourselves on tonight, let me hear you make some noise in the house on tonight.

In the church, we always make one big mass choir.

That's what gospel music does.

And throughout the month of February, you're gonna continue to have so many moments to celebrate gospel music.

I think we're gonna, Regina, are we doing stand?

Do I stand?

Okay.

Pastor Donnie McClurkin, Pastor Hezekiah Walker, Marvin Sapp will all be in town February 23rd.

These are some of the pioneers of gospel transcends.

And the Auntie Karen Foundation even understands and realizes that y'all were, thank you, Auntie Karen, for your love for gospel music.

And so in her 20-year celebration, she's going to even be honoring gospel music.

But one thing about the church is it's universal.

Gospel music is universal.

And on tonight, I wanna encourage each and every one of you that as we leave this place, to stand for what is right, stand for the gospel of Jesus Christ.

So we're gonna make one mass choir myself, along with Regina and Kristen.

Join me and my sisters.

We do everything together.

♪ Tell me, what do you do ♪ ♪ When you've done all you can and ♪ ♪ It seems like it's never enough ♪ ♪ And tell me, what do you say ♪ when your friends turn away ♪ ♪ You're all alone, all alone ♪ ♪ Tell me, what do you give ♪ ♪ When you've given your all, oh my ♪ ♪ And it seems like you ♪ can't make it through ♪ ♪ Well, you just stand ♪ ♪ When there's nothing left to lose ♪ ♪ You just stand ♪ ♪ Watch the Lord see you through ♪ ♪ Yes, after you've done all you can ♪ ♪ You just stand ♪ ♪ Oh, tell me, how do you handle ♪ ♪ The guilt of your past ♪ ♪ Tell me, how do you ♪ deal with the shame ♪ ♪ And tell me, how can you smile ♪ ♪ When your heart has been broken ♪ ♪ And filled with pain, filled with pain ♪ ♪ Tell me, what do you give ♪ ♪ When you given your all and ♪ ♪ It seem like you can't make it ♪ ♪ Can't make it through ♪ ♪ Child, you just stand (stand) ♪ ♪ Stand ♪ ♪ I need you to stand ♪ ♪ Oh, you just (You just) ♪ ♪ Don't you bow ♪ ♪ Don't you bend ♪ ♪ Don't give up ♪ ♪ Yeah, don't give in ♪ ♪ Through the storm and through the rain ♪ ♪ Through the heartache ♪ and through the pain ♪ ♪ You prayed and cried ♪ ♪ Prayed and cried, prayed and cried ♪ ♪ Prayed and cried ♪ ♪ You just hold on ♪ ♪ Don't you give up ♪ ♪ Hold on ♪ ♪ 'Cause you don't give in ♪ ♪ Oh, God's got a promise ♪ ♪ It's got your name on it ♪ ♪ You gotta hold on, hold on, hold on ♪ ♪ Hold on, hold on, hold on ♪ ♪ Hold on, hold on ♪ ♪ After you've done all you can ♪ ♪ After you've done all you can ♪ ♪ And it seems like you ♪ prayed and you cried ♪ ♪ And you prayed and you cried ♪ ♪ After you've done all you can ♪ ♪ When it seems like everybody's ♪ walked away from you ♪ ♪ After you've done all you can ♪ ♪ I know sometimes it feels like ♪ ♪ The healing will never ♪ come, it'll never come ♪ ♪ It'll never come, it'll never come ♪ ♪ But the Bible says ♪ to trust in the Lord ♪ ♪ With all your heart and lean not ♪ ♪ Into your own understanding ♪ ♪ But in all of your ways, ♪ if you acknowledge him ♪ ♪ He's gonna direct you ♪ ♪ He's gonna direct you, ♪ he's gonna direct you ♪ ♪ Don't worry, don't worry, don't worry ♪ ♪ Don't worry, don't worry, don't worry ♪ ♪ Don't worry, don't worry, don't worry ♪ ♪ 'Cause God's got you ♪ ♪ God's got you ♪ ♪ Don't have to worry ♪ about what tomorrow holds ♪ ♪ Because you know who holds tomorrow ♪ ♪ Stay ♪ ♪ Stay ♪ ♪ Stay ♪ ♪ For the weakened and the suffering ♪ ♪ For the suffering at this present time ♪ ♪ Is not worthy to be compared ♪ ♪ To the glory (indistinct) ♪ ♪ God's got something waiting on ♪ ♪ God's got something there ♪ ♪ After you've done all you can ♪ ♪ After you've done all you can ♪ ♪ When they talk (indistinct) ♪ ♪ After you've done all you can ♪ ♪ Late in the midnight, you're alone ♪ ♪ Yeah, yeah, yeah, ♪ yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah ♪ ♪ I gotta go to my sacred place ♪ ♪ Because it says that ♪ He that dwell in there ♪ ♪ In the sacred place of the Most High ♪ ♪ Shall abide under the ♪ shadow of the Almighty ♪ ♪ I gotta go ♪ ♪ Where the enemy can't get to me ♪ ♪ And you've gotta go ♪ ♪ Where only God knows your name ♪ ♪ After you've done all ♪ you (After you've done) ♪ Can we sing that, audience.

♪ After you've done all you can ♪ ♪ After you've done all you can ♪ ♪ After you've done all you can ♪ ♪ After you've done all you can ♪ ♪ Hmm, after you've done all you can ♪ ♪ After you've done all you can ♪ ♪ After you've done all you can ♪ ♪ You just, you stand ♪ ♪ You stand, you stand ♪ ♪ You stand, you stand, you stand ♪ Encourage your neighbor.

Encourage the person next to you.

♪ You stand, uh-huh ♪ ♪ You stand ♪ Keep going.

♪ You stand ♪ Keep fighting.

♪ You stand ♪ Keep praying.

♪ You stand.

♪ Mama.

♪ You stand ♪ ♪ You stand ♪ ♪ Oh, you stand ♪ Come on and clap your hand, give him praise.

Because God is the greatest power, you shall not be defeated.

Thank you, Bible Way Church of Atlas Road.

Thank you, South Carolina ETV, my brother Jamal Bates, every performer, every minstrel on tonight.

Thank you so much, Dr.

Bowman.

Thank you, Pastor Jackson, First Lady Jackson, and thank you to each and every one of you for showing up on tonight to celebrate the gospel.

Let's bow our heads right where we are.

Father God, we thank you for this moment.

God, we thank you for the gospel, God.

God, we thank you for the privilege, the honor to worship you in spirit and in the truth.

- Hallelujah.

- We don't take these moments for granted.

- Hallelujah.

- God, thank you.

Thank you, God.

Thank you for keeping us, God.

Thank you for keeping us, God, all these years.

Thank you for covering us.

Thank you for putting a song in our heart, God, that we could minister back to you.

Thank you for every door you've opened.

Thank you for every way that you made, God.

Even in the moments and times when we didn't even feel like standing, God, you gave us strength.

Thank you for being our strength, God.

Thank you for your saving power, your healing power.

Thank you for each and every individual that's in this room on tonight, God.

Thank you for their hearts that on a Wednesday night, they come out to give you the glory, the honor, and the praise.

God, we thank you for ETV.

We thank you for PBS.

We thank you for hearts that wanna reach the people and teach them about your word and your way.

God, we thank you, God.

Thank you for this platform.

Thank you for this hour.

Thank you for the young people who participated on tonight, God.

Thank you for each and every heart and mind.

And God, as we leave this place but never from your presence, God, we ask for traveling mercies up and down the dangerous highways.

Allow us to go back and find our homes better than where we left them, God.

Thank you for every door you've opened, every way you made, and we'll forever give you all the glory, all the honor and all the praise in the matchless name of Jesus, we pray and claim victory, amen.

Listen, hug somebody, tell 'em that you love 'em.

Remember, 'cause God is the greatest power, you shall not be defeated.

(soft gentle music) Real quick, somebody just makes some noise for Jesus.

- [Congregant] Hallelujah.