Four music ministers with a desire to share God’s love with those who don’t know Christ have turned their love of barbershop singing into an outreach ministry.
“One Accord” members (from left) Butch King, Steve Skinner, Chris Hale and David Satterwhite seek to reach non-believers who might have an affinity for barbershop quartet singing.In the summer of 2008, Chris Hale (Poplar Springs Baptist Church, Spartanburg) got together with three fellow Southern Baptist church music leaders – Steve Skinner (Spartanburg First Baptist), Butch King (Boiling Springs First Baptist) and David Satterwhite (Roebuck Baptist) – with the idea of forming an a capella quartet.
“We began with the intention of learning some music and seeing where God would take us,” said Hale, who sings lead for the group and first began singing barbershop music at age 16. “In the fall of 2009, God gave us a vision to share the gospel through barbershop. That was quite an undertaking, since I was the only one who had ever sung barbershop music.”
The quartet adopted the name “One Accord,” taken from Romans 15:6: “That with one accord ye may with one mouth glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.” At their first Carolinas District of the Barbershop Harmony Society competition, they placed third.
“We try to use this group as an outreach to secular groups, so we discourage concerts for churches,” said Satterwhite, who sings tenor for the quartet. “Singing for Christian groups is not our goal; we want to go outside the church with the gospel. We sing both secular and sacred music, and because we are four ordained ministers, people are interested in why we do this. We have had many opportunities to share our faith in non-Christian settings.”
Satterwhite has served for 32 years in music ministry. “I really enjoy meeting with the guys each week,” he said. “Most of our time together, we spend discussing our ministries and helping each other through difficult situations. God has put us together, and we want to be used by him to spread the gospel to those who might not be in the church and to encourage each other along the way.”
King said singing the baritone part in the barbershop group “has stretched me musically – and I have enjoyed the challenge of learning a new genre.”
“I also recognize that the Lord has given us a unique avenue of ministry,” he said. “We are able to go outside the four walls of our local ministry and be the salt and light in different environments.”
Skinner, bass singer for the group, said one of his “lifelong favorite Scriptures” is Ephesians 4:32: “And be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God in Christ forgave you.”
“The longer I live and minister, the more I realize that people don’t really care how much you know until they know how much you care,” he said.
One Accord can be heard and seen on YouTube. They will also appear in a television spot Feb. 3 on WSPA, and they will be the featured quartet with the Palmetto Statesmen Chorus May 19 at James F. Byrnes High School.