Danny Gokey: ‘We Should Never Get Away from Speaking the Truth’
By Billy Hallowell
Singer Danny Gokey wants to be seen as a "truth and love teller," encouraging fellow believers to be as "wise as serpents and gentle as doves."
It's a powerful and important quest in a divided and chaotic culture — one in which biblical truth is sometimes treated with disdain. Regardless, Gokey believes there's a responsibility to speak about what's right, true, and good.
"We should never get away from speaking the truth," Gokey recently told CBN News. "Truth sets people free."
Ultimately, he said some people will try to skirt what's biblical, real, and true — but humanity can't escape the facts and realities surrounding God's will:
"We can sit there and protest gravity," Gokey said. "We can make laws against gravity. You can cancel people over saying gravity is real, or that fire is hot. But, the thing is ... it is what it is, and we're not doing any favors playing around and mincing words to make people happy."
He added, "We need to have the truth that sets people free. So, I do want to speak truth, but I want to do [it] in love, and I just don't want to hit people on the head with it."
Gokey is carrying these ideals over to his latest music. His new album, "Sound of Heaven," seeks to point people toward hope and Christ, with eclectic songs helping listeners dive deeper into the eternal.
"I always pray before I go into an album, because God is the greatest songwriter of all time," Gokey said. "And, I'm like, 'Lord, give me some inspiration,' because I believe, when we get to Heaven, we're going to see that the sounds of Heaven are so diverse."
The singer said this variety of sound is captured on the new album, which was released on July 26.
Gokey said he never wants to compromise truth or his calling in whatever he does musically, and he believes this album is a fulfillment of his calling to authentically reach others.
"I want to be so authentic to what God has created me to be," he said.
It's an important goal in a music industry that often places money and notoriety over all else.
"If you start chasing money, that becomes the God," Gokey said, highlighting the dangers of letting money dictate every decision. "And what if God wants to reveal something new in you?"
The singer's own journey has been a fascinating one. Before appearing on the eighth season of the singing competition show "American Idol," Gokey said he had sort of given up on his dream.
"While I was ... ministering at church, I was a worship leader and driving a semi," he said. "At 27, I told the Lord, 'I think I missed my mark.' I always do music because I love it. But thank God ... that He wasn't done yet, and that it was just about to be the beginning."
Gokey also faced some serious struggles at the time. His first wife, Sophia, died due to complications with a heart disorder just four weeks before he tried out for "American Idol."
Despite his battles, the singer has always exuded persistence, joy, and thanksgiving.
"One thing I do know is that joy is strength, right?" he said. "And I've been on both sides of the spectrum, where, you know, pain was draining me, and ... disappointment was draining me."
Gokey continued, "I want to be on the joy side. ... I've learned that fame doesn't give joy; it puts more pressure on. Celebrity doesn't give joy; it puts pressure on you."
With that in mind, he said it's important to keep perspective and remain close to the Lord.
"If we remain consistent and we're being, like the Bible says ... formed into the likeness of Christ, there will always be joy, because the kingdom of God is righteousness, joy, and peace," Gokey continued. "These are the things that give us the strength to do."
The singer said he sometimes wonders what life might have been like had he never auditioned for "American Idol."
With an audience comes responsibility, and Gokey said there are also pressures that emerge with fame.
In the end, though, the opportunity to make music that connects people to the Lord is greatly rewarding. And Gokey said success in this arena — and staying firm in his convictions — is rooted in keeping a vertical perspective.
"Jesus didn't do things for the crowd," Gokey said. "I want God to do all that He wills to accomplish His will through me."
Billy Hallowell is a journalist, commentator and digital TV and podcast host who has covered thousands of the biggest faith and culture stories. He has worked in the media for more than two decades and is the author of several books.
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