Dear friends:

You surely remember the great Christian singer and piano player Andrae' Crouch, who recorded such classic songs as Take Me Back, It Won't Be long, and Soon and Very Soon.  Called "the God-father of Gospel Music," Andrae is one of my all-time favorite artists.

Recently I mentioned the two other talented Christian singers and their group Mary Mary, and their great song Shackles (see
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wRayKxgePQI

The Mary Mary Web blog has the following exciting bit of information about Andrae' Crouch,  his wife Sandra, and Michael Jackson.  Here it is (they spell Andrae' as Andre, but "Andrae'" is on Andrae's Web site):

"Last night we received some good news from Terri McFaddin-Solomon who is a good friend with Sandra Crouch. Three weeks ago Sandra and Andre' spent some time with their close friend, Michael Jackson. Michael asked Andre` to play, 'It Won't Be Long And We'll Be Leaving Here.' Michael then prayed with Sandra and Andre and accepted Christ into his heart. Now he's singing in the heavenly choir! Our hearts rejoice!"

See http://ilovemarymary.blogspot.com/2009/06/good-news-rip-michael-jackson.html . Michael Jackson might be moon walking around heaven right now!

Note the timely song that Michael asked Andre to sing and play.  How prophetic that was!

Andre and Sandra were faithful ambassadors for Christ and God had them there just at that moment of time, for that special eternal purpose.

Like everything else, there is a little controversy about this report on the Web, but a review of Andrae' Crouch's Web site cautiously implies the report is true.  Another blogger reports:

Further research led me to examine Andrae’ Crouch’s Facebook page, with posts reportedly written by Dave, the fan page administrator, who says he got the following information about Michael Jackson praying with them about Jesus ­ this was allegedly related thru someone named Verdine Parker, who is listed here as a contributor on Andrae’ Crouch’s “Mighty Wind” CD, and needs prayer according to that Facebook page that says this about Michael Jackson and the sinner’s prayer and Christianity:

According to Andrae’ [Crouch], who was relaying to Verdine [Parker] to tell [Dave, Andrae' Crouch's Facebook fan page administrator] over the phone just now, Andrae’ and Sandra [Crouch] did in fact visit with Michael Jackson 2 times, once at the recording studio , and once at his home in the last 2 months, as recently as 3 weeks ago, asking for prayer concerning the anointing of the Holy Spirit, and how he could make his music more “spiritual”, so Andrae’ and Sandra explained to him about the “anointing” and about Jesus. He wanted to know what makes your hands go up, and makes you “come out of yourself”, and what gives a “spirituality” to the music? He then requested to hear his favorite song that he loves, and wanted then to sing to him, so they sang that song to him, and joined hands and sang together, and he said, “it was beautiful”…

..He first heard it in NY, and loved it, and wanted it on tape. He had the engineer tape the song sang to him by Andrae’ and Sandra. He definitely had an “encounter” with them, Andrae’ says, “he did NOT reject Jesus or the prayer when they prayed, and gladly joined in prayer.” He usually doesn’t touch anybody, but he touched them, and held their hands in a circle as they sang and prayed…

…There was NO actual “sinners prayer” however, but they did talk and pray about Jesus and the anointing of the Holy Spirit. They also told him, “Michael, we consider you as our son”, and he said, “Yes, yes, yes”, and he gave him his latest music on a CD, and he told him, “Andrae’ I trust you with this”, and gave him CD’s of 2 songs, unpublished, …beautiful music. He still had his Christmas decorations up at home.

So was Michael Jackson saved or not?  Of course, only God knows.  However, I like the evidence above and the apparent Providential circumstances and encounter.  I choose to believe he was.

I hereby repent of judging Michael Jackson.  We just do not know what God has done or is doing behind the scenes.  In fact, most of God's work is behind the scenes and not in the public limelight.  You will not hear the above report on CNN, or MSNBC, etc.

With all praise to our great God!

Jim