1. TBN
  2. Programs
  3. remember music
  4. Episodes
  5. The Michael W. Smith Story | Remember the Music
Remember the Music

The Michael W. Smith Story | Remember the Music

November 17, 2025 | S1 E7 | 25:0

The Michael W. Smith Story | Remember the Music
Michael W Smith Story chronicles Michael’s early days, to his exploding on the music scene becoming a CCM icon.
#WordofGod #Musician #Music #Artist/Artistic #Singer/Songwriter #Blessing #Worship #Praise #PersonalStory #JaciVelasquez #MichaelW.Smith #AmyGrant #SandiPatty #DonMoen #TravisCottrell

Closed captions

Show Timecode
Remember the Music | The Michael W. Smith Story | Remember the Music | November 17, 2025
  • [music]
  • 00:00:00.881 --> 00:00:01.549
  • Michael w. smith: i came
  • 00:00:01.549 --> 00:00:02.783
  • To write songs. that didn't happen, well, it happened to a
  • 00:00:02.783 --> 00:00:05.453
  • Certain extent, but i was planting shrubs and working at
  • 00:00:05.453 --> 00:00:08.422
  • Coca-cola, [chuckles] >>making pizzas. >>yep, and eating a lot
  • 00:00:08.422 --> 00:00:11.759
  • Of bologna sandwiches.
  • 00:00:11.759 --> 00:00:12.960
  • [music]
  • 00:00:12.960 --> 00:00:33.347
  • Jaci velasquez: hello! my name
  • 00:00:34.048 --> 00:00:35.316
  • Is jaci velasquez and i'd like to welcome you to remember the
  • 00:00:35.316 --> 00:00:36.817
  • Music featuring michael w. smith. michael wasn't eating
  • 00:00:36.817 --> 00:00:40.187
  • Bologna sandwiches for long. his desire to write songs eventually
  • 00:00:40.187 --> 00:00:43.691
  • Led him to selling more than 15 million albums, having 32 #1
  • 00:00:43.691 --> 00:00:48.162
  • Hits, 3 grammys, 45 dove awards, and touring the world sharing
  • 00:00:48.162 --> 00:00:53.033
  • The gospel. however, his rise to becoming a beloved christian
  • 00:00:53.033 --> 00:00:56.303
  • Music icon didn't happen overnight. michael arrived in
  • 00:00:56.303 --> 00:01:00.007
  • Nashville in 1978. by 1980 he landed his first songwriting
  • 00:01:00.007 --> 00:01:04.178
  • Deal. he soon after met amy grant, her producer brown
  • 00:01:04.178 --> 00:01:08.115
  • Banister, and managers, michael blanton and dan harrell at
  • 00:01:08.115 --> 00:01:11.152
  • Belmont church. pastor don finto encouraged them to stay grounded
  • 00:01:11.152 --> 00:01:15.089
  • In their faith and also pursue the entertainment industry as
  • 00:01:15.089 --> 00:01:18.025
  • Messengers of the gospel. michael penned much of the “age
  • 00:01:18.025 --> 00:01:21.996
  • To age” album with amy and also wrote sandi patty's mega hit
  • 00:01:21.996 --> 00:01:26.634
  • “how majestic is your name”. he knew he wanted to become a
  • 00:01:26.634 --> 00:01:30.304
  • Recording artist, but waited on god and kept writing. writing
  • 00:01:30.304 --> 00:01:33.874
  • The song “friends” led michael to recording his first solo
  • 00:01:33.874 --> 00:01:37.645
  • Album “the michael w. smith project”. the success of this
  • 00:01:37.645 --> 00:01:41.148
  • Album began long before it was released. in 1981 michael met
  • 00:01:41.148 --> 00:01:45.653
  • His wife debbie, who wrote many songs with him, including
  • 00:01:45.653 --> 00:01:49.323
  • “friends” and “great is the lord”. when he first saw debbie,
  • 00:01:49.323 --> 00:01:53.394
  • It was truly love at first sight. they married after three
  • 00:01:53.394 --> 00:01:57.831
  • Weeks of dating and a four-month engagement. and nearly 36 years
  • 00:01:57.831 --> 00:02:01.669
  • Later, with three daughters, two sons and 11 grandchildren, their
  • 00:02:01.669 --> 00:02:06.140
  • Love story is one that inspires us all, that love, marriage, and
  • 00:02:06.140 --> 00:02:11.445
  • Family can last for decades when god is at the center of it.
  • 00:02:11.445 --> 00:02:16.217
  • Michael w. smith: i saw her on the third floor of the benson
  • 00:02:16.217 --> 00:02:17.818
  • Record company. i passed that building three times a week
  • 00:02:17.818 --> 00:02:20.487
  • Going to the titans camp to work out. and it's so funny i have
  • 00:02:20.487 --> 00:02:23.257
  • Dejavu every time, going, that's where i met my wife. yeah, so
  • 00:02:23.257 --> 00:02:26.827
  • It's crazy. i saw her and i just fell in love at first sight.
  • 00:02:26.827 --> 00:02:31.098
  • >>and you called your mom? >>called my mom. >>this was
  • 00:02:31.098 --> 00:02:33.234
  • Before conversation? >>yeah. never even, she walked by me
  • 00:02:33.234 --> 00:02:36.570
  • Twice, and then i just thought, oh my gosh, it's my soulmate.
  • 00:02:36.570 --> 00:02:40.641
  • >>and you told your mom. >>told my mom i just saw the girl i'm
  • 00:02:40.641 --> 00:02:42.142
  • Gonna marry. my mom said what's her name? i said i don't know.
  • 00:02:42.142 --> 00:02:45.546
  • [chuckles] >>i don't know. [[chuckles] >>well, my mom
  • 00:02:45.546 --> 00:02:48.882
  • Thought, i could tell she was a bit concerned. [chuckles] >>and
  • 00:02:48.882 --> 00:02:55.522
  • Congratulations! grandbaby #11? >>#11. >>whew! >>and the winner
  • 00:02:55.522 --> 00:03:00.561
  • Is! [laughter] >>so far. so far. >>we're all behind you, buddy.
  • 00:03:00.561 --> 00:03:05.966
  • [chuckles] >>but i got my first songwriting contract in
  • 00:03:05.966 --> 00:03:08.702
  • September 80 and started writing. and somehow amy and i
  • 00:03:08.702 --> 00:03:12.306
  • Ended up writing together and i found myself, i guess, a year
  • 00:03:12.306 --> 00:03:16.043
  • Later at meadow green writing for what was going to be the age
  • 00:03:16.043 --> 00:03:19.380
  • To age record. so i was a little hyper. >>a little bit. >>right.
  • 00:03:19.380 --> 00:03:25.252
  • >>a little energetic >>shocking. >>shocking, yes. >>love that
  • 00:03:25.252 --> 00:03:29.390
  • Image. >>but, just, you know, i was a handfull, for sure. but i
  • 00:03:29.390 --> 00:03:34.561
  • Just, i'm still that way, really, to a certain extent, you
  • 00:03:34.561 --> 00:03:37.231
  • Know. just love life and love music and love collaboration
  • 00:03:37.231 --> 00:03:42.603
  • And, you know, and to be able to do that with these people, i
  • 00:03:42.603 --> 00:03:47.007
  • Just felt like this, it can't get any better than this. so
  • 00:03:47.007 --> 00:03:50.844
  • That was sort of the launching pad for me. i mean, it was a
  • 00:03:50.844 --> 00:03:53.881
  • Hope that i would make a record one day, but i felt in my gut
  • 00:03:53.881 --> 00:03:58.352
  • That the way to maybe getting that first record contract would
  • 00:03:58.352 --> 00:04:02.122
  • Be through songwriting. sandi patty: and i was talking to
  • 00:04:02.122 --> 00:04:03.891
  • Michael w. smith and i said i'll never forget in my little living
  • 00:04:03.891 --> 00:04:07.261
  • Room in anderson, indiana, you played the cassette and it was
  • 00:04:07.261 --> 00:04:11.865
  • Michael playing “how majestic is your name”. and that was kind of
  • 00:04:11.865 --> 00:04:16.003
  • A brand-new style at the time. and greg said, you know, it's
  • 00:04:16.003 --> 00:04:19.073
  • Kind of new but i think this kid is gonna go somewhere.
  • 00:04:19.073 --> 00:04:22.443
  • [laughter] >>we'd written a song for a good friend of ours named
  • 00:04:22.443 --> 00:04:25.346
  • Bill jackson, debbie and i, and she'd written this lyric and
  • 00:04:25.346 --> 00:04:28.248
  • Wanted to do something special for him and handed me this lyric
  • 00:04:28.248 --> 00:04:31.218
  • 30 minutes later and was “friends”. and so i wrote the
  • 00:04:31.218 --> 00:04:34.922
  • Melody, like, in 3-4 minutes and we sang it for bill that night
  • 00:04:34.922 --> 00:04:37.524
  • And everybody cried. and i remember waking up the next day
  • 00:04:37.524 --> 00:04:39.560
  • Going i think i kind of like this song, you know. [laughter]
  • 00:04:39.560 --> 00:04:47.134
  • And i remember i took it in because mike and dan both knew
  • 00:04:47.134 --> 00:04:50.337
  • That i wanted to do a record, you know. and i played mike
  • 00:04:50.337 --> 00:04:52.906
  • “friends”. i kept thinking this will be great for amy. this will
  • 00:04:52.906 --> 00:04:56.343
  • Be great for amy. and i remember vividly getting on the elevator
  • 00:04:56.343 --> 00:05:00.547
  • With you and riding down the elevator and blanton took my arm
  • 00:05:00.547 --> 00:05:03.517
  • And said amy doesn't, no offense, amy doesn't need to cut
  • 00:05:03.517 --> 00:05:07.254
  • This song. you need to cut this song. >>there you go. >>and so i
  • 00:05:07.254 --> 00:05:11.959
  • Did the project and then from '82-‘84 i opened up for amy, and
  • 00:05:11.959 --> 00:05:16.730
  • We, if i'm not mistaken, we sang it at the end of the night
  • 00:05:16.730 --> 00:05:19.700
  • Together. you would think you'd get tired of singing it but i
  • 00:05:19.700 --> 00:05:22.469
  • Just watch what it does to people. >>i love it. >>and you,
  • 00:05:22.469 --> 00:05:25.706
  • I mean, you see everything from joy, to tears, and knowing that
  • 00:05:25.706 --> 00:05:31.845
  • That song, there was a moment in time that that song did
  • 00:05:31.845 --> 00:05:36.383
  • Something for that person. and so how could you not sing it,
  • 00:05:36.383 --> 00:05:41.088
  • You know? so i'll never know, i'll know one day when i get on
  • 00:05:41.088 --> 00:05:44.658
  • The other side. >>it's not like having to sing “tie a yellow
  • 00:05:44.658 --> 00:05:47.294
  • Ribbon” or something, you know. >>right. [laughter] >>around the
  • 00:05:47.294 --> 00:05:49.963
  • Old oak tree. >>and then “friends” is a song i didn't
  • 00:05:49.963 --> 00:05:52.399
  • Think i'd be singing for the rest of my entire life. you
  • 00:05:52.399 --> 00:05:55.903
  • Know? i think about the song and there's nothing to me
  • 00:05:55.903 --> 00:05:59.039
  • Extraordinary about it, you know. you think about songs that
  • 00:05:59.039 --> 00:06:01.241
  • Are written and go, wow, that is a great song poetically and
  • 00:06:01.241 --> 00:06:04.478
  • Lyrically, musically; how they crafted the song. i don't know
  • 00:06:04.478 --> 00:06:07.448
  • If i necessarily feel that strong about “friends”, but
  • 00:06:07.448 --> 00:06:09.883
  • Sometimes the simplicity of something can just do something
  • 00:06:09.883 --> 00:06:13.153
  • Very, very strange and supernatural. and it just
  • 00:06:13.153 --> 00:06:17.391
  • Connects with people's hearts, and i still love singing it.
  • 00:06:17.391 --> 00:06:21.695
  • [music]
  • 00:06:21.695 --> 00:06:22.596
  • ♪ packing up the dreams god planted ♪
  • 00:06:22.596 --> 00:06:28.168
  • ♪ in the fertile soil of you ♪
  • 00:06:28.168 --> 00:06:34.541
  • ♪ i can't believe the hopes he's granted ♪
  • 00:06:34.541 --> 00:06:40.647
  • ♪ means a chapter in your life is through ♪
  • 00:06:40.647 --> 00:06:46.520
  • ♪ but we'll keep you close as always ♪
  • 00:06:46.520 --> 00:06:53.260
  • ♪ it won't even seem you've gone ♪
  • 00:06:53.260 --> 00:06:59.266
  • ♪ cuz our hearts in big and small ways ♪
  • 00:06:59.266 --> 00:07:06.373
  • ♪ will keep the love that keeps us strong ♪
  • 00:07:06.373 --> 00:07:11.245
  • [music]
  • 00:07:11.245 --> 00:07:15.949
  • ♪ and friends are friends forever ♪
  • 00:07:15.949 --> 00:07:19.186
  • ♪ if the lord's the lord of them ♪
  • 00:07:19.186 --> 00:07:22.122
  • ♪ and a friend will not say never ♪
  • 00:07:22.122 --> 00:07:25.559
  • ♪ ‘cause the welcome will not end ♪
  • 00:07:25.559 --> 00:07:28.862
  • ♪ though it's hard to let you go ♪
  • 00:07:28.862 --> 00:07:32.266
  • ♪ in the father's hands we know ♪
  • 00:07:32.266 --> 00:07:35.769
  • ♪ that a lifetimes not too long to live as friends ♪
  • 00:07:35.769 --> 00:07:44.811
  • ♪ and friends are friends forever ♪
  • 00:07:44.811 --> 00:07:47.781
  • ♪ if the lord's the lord of them ♪
  • 00:07:47.781 --> 00:07:51.251
  • ♪ and a friend will not say never ♪
  • 00:07:51.251 --> 00:07:54.454
  • ♪ ‘cause the welcome will not end ♪
  • 00:07:54.454 --> 00:07:58.492
  • ♪ though it's hard to let you go ♪
  • 00:07:58.492 --> 00:08:01.495
  • ♪ in the father's hands we know ♪
  • 00:08:01.495 --> 00:08:05.299
  • ♪ that a lifetimes not too long ♪
  • 00:08:05.299 --> 00:08:09.603
  • ♪ to live as friends ♪
  • 00:08:09.603 --> 00:08:13.707
  • ♪ no a lifetimes not too long ♪
  • 00:08:13.707 --> 00:08:19.446
  • ♪ to live as friends
  • 00:08:19.446 --> 00:08:22.749
  • [music] [applause]
  • 00:08:22.749 --> 00:08:34.761
  • [music]
  • 00:08:34.995 --> 00:08:44.304
  • Jaci velasquez: welcome back. as michael w. smith's success kept
  • 00:08:39.399 --> 00:08:46.873
  • Rising, he had a little help keeping his feet firmly planted
  • 00:08:46.873 --> 00:08:50.077
  • On the ground. his pastor, don finto, often went out on the
  • 00:08:50.077 --> 00:08:53.714
  • Road with him. michael recalls one such occasion on halloween
  • 00:08:53.714 --> 00:08:57.918
  • Night in seattle during the big picture tour in 1986. michael
  • 00:08:57.918 --> 00:09:02.289
  • Had walked off the stage after a sold-out concert. they hadn't
  • 00:09:02.289 --> 00:09:05.692
  • Done the encore yet and the crowd was going crazy. these
  • 00:09:05.692 --> 00:09:09.162
  • Kids, these girls, had gotten up in the balcony and they were
  • 00:09:09.162 --> 00:09:12.432
  • Doing the backstreet boy kind of thing, screaming we love you,
  • 00:09:12.432 --> 00:09:15.736
  • Michael! michael looked up at them, did a what's up
  • 00:09:15.736 --> 00:09:19.573
  • Presidential wave, and just soaked it all in, their
  • 00:09:19.573 --> 00:09:22.609
  • Adoration. he soon felt a tap on his shoulder and it's pastor
  • 00:09:22.609 --> 00:09:26.913
  • Don. don got right in his face and said, it's not you, it's not
  • 00:09:26.913 --> 00:09:30.951
  • You. give it up! give it up! michael knew he was right and
  • 00:09:30.951 --> 00:09:35.088
  • Through the years and pastor don's mentorship, learned to
  • 00:09:35.088 --> 00:09:38.558
  • Guard his heart from believing in his celebrity and all the
  • 00:09:38.558 --> 00:09:42.629
  • Pitfalls within, and keep his eyes on jesus instead. michael
  • 00:09:42.629 --> 00:09:46.299
  • W. smith: you start to see things that are really
  • 00:09:46.299 --> 00:09:47.634
  • Important, like for me, my family is, i just had my 11th
  • 00:09:47.634 --> 00:09:50.904
  • Grandchild. so it's crazy around our house. and so that sort of
  • 00:09:50.904 --> 00:09:56.510
  • Stuff is my life, you know. at the same time i'm more
  • 00:09:56.510 --> 00:10:02.749
  • Passionate probably than i ever have been about my musical
  • 00:10:02.749 --> 00:10:05.352
  • Career. but it's a different headspace. i don't know how to
  • 00:10:05.352 --> 00:10:09.456
  • Explain it. it's, i think it's the healthiest that i've been in
  • 00:10:09.456 --> 00:10:15.362
  • Separating all that, stardom and celebrity and all that sort of
  • 00:10:15.362 --> 00:10:18.832
  • Thing. i care less about it today than i ever have. “great
  • 00:10:18.832 --> 00:10:22.903
  • Is the lord” was my first single. i wrote it for my church
  • 00:10:22.903 --> 00:10:26.840
  • At belmont. didn't think it'd ever be on my record, and that
  • 00:10:26.840 --> 00:10:30.711
  • Was on the michael w. smith project. i'm just doing what i'm
  • 00:10:30.711 --> 00:10:33.447
  • Called to do, you know. it's quite a story. i mean, i think
  • 00:10:33.447 --> 00:10:36.883
  • It's a bigger story in my head and heart today then it probably
  • 00:10:36.883 --> 00:10:41.321
  • Ever has been. i think when you look at where this thing began
  • 00:10:41.321 --> 00:10:44.991
  • And look where it is now, you really do pinch yourself going,
  • 00:10:44.991 --> 00:10:49.262
  • Wow, i was somehow a part of that. that's a miracle. amy
  • 00:10:49.262 --> 00:10:53.834
  • Grant: well, we got to a show one time, i can't remember what
  • 00:10:53.834 --> 00:10:55.435
  • Town it was in, but we had a few buses and a few trucks. >>yeah,
  • 00:10:55.435 --> 00:11:01.141
  • We had a little incident. our driver went, crazy story, our
  • 00:11:01.141 --> 00:11:05.178
  • Driver, one of our tractor-trailer guys got in
  • 00:11:05.178 --> 00:11:08.348
  • Trouble with the law. >>our truck driver had gotten arrested
  • 00:11:08.348 --> 00:11:11.985
  • For outstanding tickets. and so one of our trucks didn't show up
  • 00:11:11.985 --> 00:11:15.989
  • And it happened to have my wardrobe trunk in it, which was
  • 00:11:15.989 --> 00:11:19.192
  • Nothing to write home about. it was nothing fancy. but, i mean,
  • 00:11:19.192 --> 00:11:21.862
  • I had, like, sweats. and so i went to smitty's room and said,
  • 00:11:21.862 --> 00:11:27.868
  • Do you have anything i can wear? >>thumbing through my clothes
  • 00:11:27.868 --> 00:11:31.671
  • And we found something for her to wear. yeah, that's a great
  • 00:11:31.671 --> 00:11:34.274
  • Story. >>and he said, yeah, i've got an oversized, big shoulders,
  • 00:11:34.274 --> 00:11:38.678
  • And i put on, i guess, at least part of his clothes and it was
  • 00:11:38.678 --> 00:11:43.383
  • The only time in the ‘80s that i ever got anything about my
  • 00:11:43.383 --> 00:11:47.087
  • Clothes in a review, in the paper. [chuckles] >>in a good
  • 00:11:47.087 --> 00:11:50.157
  • Way? >>yeah, it was positive, and it was because i was wearing
  • 00:11:50.157 --> 00:11:52.726
  • Michael's clothes. [chuckles] >>i mean, we really believed, i
  • 00:11:52.726 --> 00:11:56.129
  • Think we naively believed that we could affect pop culture if
  • 00:11:56.129 --> 00:11:59.833
  • We wrote the right songs, created the right tour, created
  • 00:11:59.833 --> 00:12:04.905
  • The right situation. i mean, and, of course, every tour we go
  • 00:12:04.905 --> 00:12:08.675
  • Out and say, well, that one was one for the books. you know,
  • 00:12:08.675 --> 00:12:13.380
  • Let's learn from that and go back and do it again. >>because
  • 00:12:13.380 --> 00:12:15.882
  • I think the reason we're doing it is way so much bigger than
  • 00:12:15.882 --> 00:12:18.351
  • Who we are. i think part of that is getting wiser, part of that's
  • 00:12:18.351 --> 00:12:22.155
  • Getting older. i think when you're young you're tempted to
  • 00:12:22.155 --> 00:12:27.093
  • Figure out, oh my gosh, is my record going to be a gold record
  • 00:12:27.093 --> 00:12:30.397
  • Or a platinum record. you're a bit immature a little bit,
  • 00:12:30.397 --> 00:12:34.734
  • Because you want to be accepted, you know, and you want to leave
  • 00:12:34.734 --> 00:12:38.171
  • Your mark. and i think as you get older and you get wiser and
  • 00:12:38.171 --> 00:12:41.975
  • Hopefully pressing into the lord, and maturing in the lord,
  • 00:12:41.975 --> 00:12:45.478
  • All that stuff starts to dissipate. you're always
  • 00:12:45.478 --> 00:12:47.614
  • Tempted. you have to sort of fight it all the time, commerce,
  • 00:12:47.614 --> 00:12:49.983
  • Ministry. i mean that's always going to be a battle. but i
  • 00:12:49.983 --> 00:12:54.087
  • Think you start to go, i think you start to go figure out
  • 00:12:54.087 --> 00:12:56.990
  • Really what's the main thing. what's this thing really all?
  • 00:12:56.990 --> 00:13:01.061
  • And at the end of the day it's not about me. it's not about a
  • 00:13:01.061 --> 00:13:04.931
  • Platinum record. it's not about having a pop hit. it's just
  • 00:13:04.931 --> 00:13:08.301
  • Being faithful for what you've been given, and making a
  • 00:13:08.301 --> 00:13:10.770
  • Contribution.
  • 00:13:10.770 --> 00:13:11.771
  • [applause] [music]
  • 00:13:11.771 --> 00:13:16.710
  • ♪ great is the lord
  • 00:13:16.710 --> 00:13:18.245
  • ♪ he is holy and just ♪
  • 00:13:18.245 --> 00:13:20.280
  • ♪ by his power we trust in his love ♪
  • 00:13:20.280 --> 00:13:25.018
  • ♪ great is the lord
  • 00:13:25.018 --> 00:13:26.887
  • ♪ he is faithful and true ♪
  • 00:13:26.887 --> 00:13:29.122
  • ♪ by his mercy he proves he is love ♪
  • 00:13:29.122 --> 00:13:33.693
  • ♪ great is the lord ♪
  • 00:13:33.693 --> 00:13:35.595
  • ♪ and worthy of glory ♪
  • 00:13:35.595 --> 00:13:37.864
  • ♪ great is the lord
  • 00:13:37.864 --> 00:13:39.900
  • ♪ and worthy of praise ♪
  • 00:13:39.900 --> 00:13:42.402
  • ♪ great is the lord
  • 00:13:42.402 --> 00:13:44.271
  • ♪ now lift up your voice ♪
  • 00:13:44.271 --> 00:13:46.439
  • ♪ now lift up your voice ♪
  • 00:13:46.439 --> 00:13:48.842
  • ♪ great is the lord
  • 00:13:48.842 --> 00:14:04.557
  • [music]
  • 00:13:57.517 --> 00:14:10.630
  • ♪ great is the lord ♪
  • 00:14:10.630 --> 00:14:12.532
  • ♪ he is holy and just ♪
  • 00:14:12.532 --> 00:14:14.567
  • ♪ by his power we trust in his love ♪
  • 00:14:14.567 --> 00:14:19.306
  • ♪ great is the lord
  • 00:14:19.306 --> 00:14:21.274
  • ♪ he is faithful and true ♪
  • 00:14:21.274 --> 00:14:23.376
  • ♪ by his mercy he proves he is love ♪
  • 00:14:23.376 --> 00:14:28.014
  • ♪ great is the lord ♪
  • 00:14:28.014 --> 00:14:29.883
  • ♪ and worthy of glory ♪
  • 00:14:29.883 --> 00:14:32.118
  • ♪ great is the lord
  • 00:14:32.118 --> 00:14:34.220
  • ♪ and worthy of praise ♪
  • 00:14:34.220 --> 00:14:36.656
  • ♪ great is the lord
  • 00:14:36.656 --> 00:14:38.558
  • ♪ now lift up your voice ♪
  • 00:14:38.558 --> 00:14:40.894
  • ♪ now lift up your voice ♪
  • 00:14:40.894 --> 00:14:43.029
  • ♪ great are you lord ♪
  • 00:14:43.029 --> 00:15:00.280
  • ♪ great are you lord ♪
  • 00:14:51.571 --> 00:15:03.883
  • ♪ great are you lord ♪
  • 00:15:03.883 --> 00:15:08.154
  • ♪ great are you lord ♪
  • 00:15:08.154 --> 00:15:15.128
  • [applause] [music]
  • 00:15:15.128 --> 00:15:19.899
  • [music]
  • 00:15:19.899 --> 00:15:25.005
  • Jaci velasquez: michael w. smith
  • 00:15:25.005 --> 00:15:26.272
  • Had no clue where god would lead him next. he was enjoying his
  • 00:15:26.272 --> 00:15:28.575
  • Career as a pop artist in contemporary christian music
  • 00:15:28.575 --> 00:15:30.744
  • When god switched gears on him once again. in 2001 michael did
  • 00:15:30.744 --> 00:15:36.249
  • A worship service for the gospel music association where he
  • 00:15:36.249 --> 00:15:39.219
  • Invited a bunch of his artist friends to be in the choir. and
  • 00:15:39.219 --> 00:15:42.589
  • In his own words he said, it felt like the roof was going to
  • 00:15:42.589 --> 00:15:46.693
  • Come off. it felt like he was coming back tonight. his
  • 00:15:46.693 --> 00:15:50.263
  • Presence was so thick. michael never intended to make a worship
  • 00:15:50.263 --> 00:15:55.301
  • Album but god had other ideas. god revealed to him that this
  • 00:15:55.301 --> 00:16:00.306
  • Was, indeed, his calling. so in an act of obedience, he followed
  • 00:16:00.306 --> 00:16:04.744
  • The call. and aren't we thankful he did? because the rest, my
  • 00:16:04.744 --> 00:16:09.416
  • Friends, is history. michael w. smith: you know, i've been a
  • 00:16:09.416 --> 00:16:12.652
  • Worship leader since 1982. i mean, i was writing, i wrote
  • 00:16:12.652 --> 00:16:18.024
  • “great is the lord” for belmont church. you know, so to, i mean,
  • 00:16:18.024 --> 00:16:21.628
  • Leading worship was sort of a natural thing for me. but and
  • 00:16:21.628 --> 00:16:25.832
  • I'm always hesitant saying this because you just have to kind of
  • 00:16:25.832 --> 00:16:28.835
  • Be there, but god kept waking me up in the middle of the night
  • 00:16:28.835 --> 00:16:31.337
  • Going ‘for such a time as this'. and i really wrestled with god
  • 00:16:31.337 --> 00:16:34.441
  • Going i'm not doing that, because there was just a little
  • 00:16:34.441 --> 00:16:37.343
  • Bit of rise of worship, and i thought, i was afraid what
  • 00:16:37.343 --> 00:16:40.146
  • People would think. i'm the pop guy. and i'm not gonna jump on
  • 00:16:40.146 --> 00:16:43.249
  • That bandwagon. and i just kept getting woken up at night. and
  • 00:16:43.249 --> 00:16:46.753
  • Then about the third or fourth time, it was like an almost come
  • 00:16:46.753 --> 00:16:49.856
  • To jesus, like, i literally raised up in bed and went, oh my
  • 00:16:49.856 --> 00:16:54.861
  • Gosh, i'm supposed to do this record. and so i invited some
  • 00:16:54.861 --> 00:16:58.798
  • Artists and we went to lakeland, florida. and we had a set list;
  • 00:16:58.798 --> 00:17:02.769
  • We didn't stick to it, >>which confirms that you're a worship
  • 00:17:02.769 --> 00:17:06.039
  • Leader. [chuckles] >>exactly! exactly! living on the edge. and
  • 00:17:06.039 --> 00:17:10.977
  • We cut this record and at the end of the night, i mean, it was
  • 00:17:10.977 --> 00:17:13.713
  • Just so full of life. i remember all these artists, we all went
  • 00:17:13.713 --> 00:17:17.984
  • Backstage afterwards and we all just wept. we just wept. and i
  • 00:17:17.984 --> 00:17:22.222
  • Knew that something pretty amazing had happened that night.
  • 00:17:22.222 --> 00:17:27.093
  • I was just hoping that moment would translate to a cd. and we
  • 00:17:27.093 --> 00:17:31.231
  • Started listening to the, we started listening to what
  • 00:17:31.231 --> 00:17:33.700
  • Happened and thought, oh my gosh, i think we have something
  • 00:17:33.700 --> 00:17:35.835
  • Here. >>and listen, looking at his life as a fan of him, i knew
  • 00:17:35.835 --> 00:17:41.274
  • He was a worship leader all along. everyone knew he was a
  • 00:17:41.274 --> 00:17:44.043
  • Worship leader. and so for a worship leader like me that was
  • 00:17:44.043 --> 00:17:47.680
  • Beginning to try to figure out how to do it, there's nothing
  • 00:17:47.680 --> 00:17:49.983
  • Greater that could have happened than somebody like michael w.
  • 00:17:49.983 --> 00:17:52.185
  • Smith, somebody like don moen do these projects and just kind of
  • 00:17:52.185 --> 00:17:56.256
  • Lead this kind of movement to encourage us and kind of show us
  • 00:17:56.256 --> 00:17:59.559
  • How to do it. it was profound. it was profound. >>another thing
  • 00:17:59.559 --> 00:18:03.596
  • I'm doing tonight is “breathe”. and “breathe” was from the
  • 00:18:03.596 --> 00:18:06.132
  • Worship album, which sort of exploded all around the world,
  • 00:18:06.132 --> 00:18:09.502
  • Which i thought would be the last thing that would ever
  • 00:18:09.502 --> 00:18:11.738
  • Happen. but a very, very special record in my catalogue that sort
  • 00:18:11.738 --> 00:18:17.544
  • Of needs to be towards the top; just there's so many stories
  • 00:18:17.544 --> 00:18:20.647
  • Around it and why i even did the worship record. and it came out
  • 00:18:20.647 --> 00:18:22.982
  • On 9/11 and all the god stories about that record. and, you
  • 00:18:22.982 --> 00:18:27.086
  • Know, all the way to, your back in little village in zimbabwe
  • 00:18:27.086 --> 00:18:30.156
  • And they're all singing “above all” and “breathe”. it's just
  • 00:18:30.156 --> 00:18:33.760
  • Mind-boggling to me. brown bannister: smitty was like way
  • 00:18:33.760 --> 00:18:36.896
  • Before all the worship movement thing. right? and so it just
  • 00:18:36.896 --> 00:18:42.535
  • Wasn't even a culture. he was writing songs and, you know,
  • 00:18:42.535 --> 00:18:46.673
  • Just so many of them. but sandi patty “how majestic”, you know?
  • 00:18:46.673 --> 00:18:51.444
  • >>i say if you're passionate about it, and that's what you
  • 00:18:51.444 --> 00:18:53.746
  • Feel like god wants you to do, then you gotta go knock that
  • 00:18:53.746 --> 00:18:55.415
  • Door down. so i think there's that that aspect of it. i was
  • 00:18:55.415 --> 00:18:58.484
  • Very aggressive and i was convinced this was what i was
  • 00:18:58.484 --> 00:19:01.221
  • Supposed to do. and then one day i prayed this prayer, i'll never
  • 00:19:01.221 --> 00:19:04.190
  • Forget, when i took a song into a publishing company, and i
  • 00:19:04.190 --> 00:19:07.460
  • Thought, this is the early ‘80s, and i thought it was the
  • 00:19:07.460 --> 00:19:09.796
  • Greatest song ever, you know, and was told that it was not and
  • 00:19:09.796 --> 00:19:15.001
  • Sort of got deflated. and i had sort of an epiphany, and i
  • 00:19:15.001 --> 00:19:19.339
  • Remember standing on the corner of 19th and hays in nashville,
  • 00:19:19.339 --> 00:19:22.575
  • Tennessee outside of paragon publishing company, and i prayed
  • 00:19:22.575 --> 00:19:25.612
  • This prayer, i said, god, if this is not what you want me to
  • 00:19:25.612 --> 00:19:28.448
  • Do, then i'm willing for you to change my desire to do something
  • 00:19:28.448 --> 00:19:32.385
  • Else. and that was, that was hard for me to pray. because i
  • 00:19:32.385 --> 00:19:38.558
  • Was so convinced. but i really did lay myself out there and
  • 00:19:38.558 --> 00:19:41.928
  • Prayed that prayer. and so that's what i tell kids, if you
  • 00:19:41.928 --> 00:19:47.033
  • Feel like it's what you're supposed to do, whatever it is,
  • 00:19:47.033 --> 00:19:48.768
  • You go for it, but you need to be open; if this is not what
  • 00:19:48.768 --> 00:19:53.039
  • You're supposed to do, you need to be willing for god to change
  • 00:19:53.039 --> 00:19:55.808
  • Your desires. >>honestly, that's what you were saying, it was
  • 00:19:55.808 --> 00:19:59.212
  • Really the relationship, the community, the dna of don finto
  • 00:19:59.212 --> 00:20:02.515
  • Pouring in to all of us. and the excitement of just getting to be
  • 00:20:02.515 --> 00:20:08.755
  • Involved in kingdom stuff. it was amazing! >>and as you get
  • 00:20:08.755 --> 00:20:11.858
  • Older, you watch friends suffer. you watch friends succeed. you
  • 00:20:11.858 --> 00:20:18.264
  • Watch kids that you know have cancer and die. and you can see
  • 00:20:18.264 --> 00:20:22.869
  • Some kids who have cancer get healed. and you're just trying
  • 00:20:22.869 --> 00:20:26.606
  • To figure all that out, and at the end of the day, i'll never
  • 00:20:26.606 --> 00:20:29.876
  • Figure it out. but i believe god's in the middle of all of
  • 00:20:29.876 --> 00:20:31.944
  • It, and that's hard for some people to understand. but i
  • 00:20:31.944 --> 00:20:36.949
  • Believe that today more than i ever have; that even in the
  • 00:20:36.949 --> 00:20:40.453
  • Valley he's faithful, and he's working it for the good. >>thank
  • 00:20:40.453 --> 00:20:45.158
  • You so much for joining us. god is so faithful. no matter what
  • 00:20:45.158 --> 00:20:49.829
  • You are going through, he is working it out for your good. he
  • 00:20:49.829 --> 00:20:52.598
  • Is our daily bread. we hope you've been inspired and
  • 00:20:52.598 --> 00:20:55.601
  • Encouraged in your faith by hearing about the heart of a
  • 00:20:55.601 --> 00:20:58.504
  • Worshiper-michael w. smith's incredible journey. join us next
  • 00:20:58.504 --> 00:21:01.874
  • Time for more amazing stories about your favorite legendary
  • 00:21:01.874 --> 00:21:05.211
  • Ccm artists. god bless you and we'll see you real soon.
  • 00:21:05.211 --> 00:21:09.615
  • [music]
  • 00:21:09.615 --> 00:21:10.783
  • ♪ this is the air i breathe ♪
  • 00:21:10.783 --> 00:21:17.056
  • ♪ this is the air i breathe ♪
  • 00:21:17.056 --> 00:21:22.095
  • ♪ your holy presence living in me ♪
  • 00:21:22.095 --> 00:21:36.008
  • ♪ this is my daily bread ♪
  • 00:21:36.642 --> 00:21:43.116
  • ♪ this is my daily bread ♪
  • 00:21:43.116 --> 00:21:48.454
  • ♪ your very word spoken to me ♪
  • 00:21:48.454 --> 00:21:59.832
  • ♪ and i, i'm desperate for you ♪
  • 00:22:00.566 --> 00:22:09.008
  • [music]
  • 00:22:09.008 --> 00:22:14.013
  • ♪ and i, i'm lost without you ♪
  • 00:22:14.013 --> 00:22:25.124
  • [music]
  • 00:22:25.358 --> 00:22:27.360
  • ♪ and i, i'm desperate for you, ♪
  • 00:22:27.360 --> 00:22:37.403
  • ♪ yeah, yeah
  • 00:22:37.403 --> 00:22:40.773
  • ♪ and i, i'm lost without you ♪
  • 00:22:40.773 --> 00:22:50.183
  • [music]
  • 00:22:50.183 --> 00:22:54.153
  • ♪ i'm lost without you ♪
  • 00:22:54.153 --> 00:22:56.622
  • [music]
  • 00:22:56.622 --> 00:23:01.227
  • ♪ i'm lost without you ♪
  • 00:23:01.227 --> 00:23:03.863
  • [music]
  • 00:23:03.863 --> 00:23:09.435
  • ♪ i'm desperate for you ♪
  • 00:23:09.435 --> 00:23:14.974
  • ♪ god we're desperate for you ♪
  • 00:23:14.974 --> 00:23:22.381
  • [music] [applause]
  • 00:23:22.381 --> 00:23:22.381