Michael Tait—Live! Birthday: May 18th, 1966 (Wow, he doesn’t look that old!) Marital Status: Single Activities: Snowboarding, riding his Harley-Davidson, rock climbing Favorite Quote: “Live your life wisely and take every thought captive. And at the end of the day, have as few regrets as possible.” Favorite Book: “Pilgrim’s Progress, by John Bunyan. That book rocks my world!” Michael: -Is sometimes mistaken for a woman (until they hear his deep voice!) -Only has to shave about once a month due to his Indian blood -Thinks cats are freaky -Likes big band music from the 50’s -Is better at snowboarding than basketball -Doesn’t like cold water -Always says, “At the end of the day” -Thinks DC is the most beautiful city in the world Most Embarrassing Moment: He asked a lady in front of a whole bunch of people at the signing table after a concert when her baby was due. She told him she wasn’t pregnant! Tait comments, “You could have heard a pin drop after that. She was soooo not pregnant! I was dying!” Most Frequently Asked Question: He laughs, “After the question, ‘What is my purpose in life,’ the next question is ‘When is DC Talk going to get back together?’” The answer to that? “Definitely we will do another record but…we don’t know when that is going to happen.” Future Plans: “I’m working on a new record. I want really interesting music that will be a colorful canvas.” Michael is planning for a release next spring on the pop side mainstream. “I’ve been dying for that opportunity for so long. So I’m going to go for it.”   Related Links E.R.A.C.E. This Generation with Michael Tait Youth Section on CBN.com Articles about your favorite musicians on CBNMusic.com www.taitband.com www.erace.com www.julieferwerda.com

INTERVIEW

With God’s Plan You Get Sprinkles on Top: An Interview with Michael Tait

By Julie Ferwerda

CBN.com – Who or what circumstances in your life inspired you to have a passionate faith?

Michael: First of all, being raised in the inner city of DC with African-American parents—a mom and a dad who were together—was a blessing. The miracle beyond that was that they were believers. That was a massive, massive inspiration and that’s one thing that makes me really sad when I think about a lot of young African-American’s today. The family unit is all but destroyed and then some. And you can argue all day long but that is one of the biggest problems we have today. Kids need those connections. The son needs the mom and the daughter needs the dad and vice versa. That was a big, big part of why I have become who I have become.

Did you appreciate your parents then as much as you do now?

Michael: When you’re a kid and your dad pulls up in a cab and your best friend’s dad pulls up in a BMW, you’re like, c’mon man. When my dad would pull up to school in a cab, I’d try to hide out till my friends went home. But my dad humbly “got it.” He knew what was up back then. He couldn’t care less about the traps of this world. He knew that it was way beyond that. He kept pouring into me spiritual wisdom and wealth—kept living it in front of me. I have at my fingertips the blessing of money and I have lots of whatever. But I know now, because of my dad’s input into my life, how to balance. All of that [stuff] is not important at the end of the day. It’s only a tool. In fact, it gets me all teared up inside even now, because I definitely felt for the last 7-8 years of dad’s life he got to see me flourish in this world under his leadership and teaching. My mom is my best friend. She is a doll. She is tender. She is so wise. I think mothers teach boys how to love their girlfriends, and someday their wives. So mom is super important.

What are some of the spiritual challenges or distractions you face in your profession with being on the road, busy travel schedules, and fame?

Michael: You’re constantly being thrown the temptation of letting down your guard because you feel like you’ve earned it. That’s what Satan would love, because I think sometimes in this marketplace, we think we’re invincible with absolute power. But absolute power corrupts absolutely. That’s tripped me up a few times in the past. There are times when you get a better handle on it than others but that’s always a struggle because you are in the limelight. Whether you like it or not, you are a role model and people listen to what you are saying. More importantly, youth are listening to what you are saying, so you must choose your words wisely and live your life even more wisely.

Are famous Christian singers on a constant spiritual high that keeps them more consistent in their faith than us “regular Joes”?

Michael: Ha! Ha! Ha! No question, I think the more prominent you are and the higher you go up the mountain, the more visible you are. You can hide in the valley. You get up on the mountain top, and you are a perfect shot for the enemy. When you’re in that position a lot more is given to you. So you are definitely a more sought out target because you are impacting…and Satan doesn’t want impact. He knows your food of choice…your sin of choice, and he will constantly bring it before you.

What do you do in those dry times to stay strong in your faith?

Michael: I struggle and I fight and I pray and I cry and I stick around good people. I have a road pastor, and I don’t have a lot of “yes people” in my life, because that’s a waste of time. When I drive in the car I just talk to God like I’m talking to you. There are days in my heart when He is tugging for me to do this or that. It’s like every day it’s a struggle and a fight to do the right thing. I remember one time somebody said, “True character is who you are when nobody’s around…when nobody’s watching.” That’s a scary thought to digest. I’ve lain in that bus bunk many nights thinking to myself, “Who are you?” Who you really are is what you do when nobody else will ever know. That is seriously sobering.

Is daily time with God an important part of this battle for you?

Michael: Let’s just say you start on Monday and go to Friday. You don’t eat one thing—you don’t even drink water. You at least need water, so by Friday you would probably be close to death. Your body would just be hanging on by a prayer for survival. Let’s compare the body without food and water for a week to the spiritual walk. There have been times in my l life when I’ve gone for a week or two or even longer, where I have either been minimally involved in prayer time with God or the Word because of my life—busyness and other things that seemed important at the time. Even though you don’t necessarily feel it like you do food, believe it or not it can destroy you immediately. There are times when the spirit is so starved that you almost feel it physically.

One of my favorite songs on Lose this Life is “Wait.” Tell us a habit-sin you have struggled with and how God has helped you with it.

Michael: One of the biggest ones is waiting on the Lord for sure. I always want to jump the gun and have my own plan. I always want to say, “Okay, here’s what we’re going to do, God. This is my desire, now bless it.” Then I wonder why it doesn’t work in the end. But I’ve discovered that God’s “lay-away plan” is better than my plan. Waiting on Him is also one of the greatest tests we’re going to go through in our lives. But it’s all to get us to a point of complete reliance and trust and abandonment to Christ. I have examples of when I haven’t waited and I’ve seen destruction. And then there’s the times when I’ve waited—painfully waited…impatiently waited—and God would come through with amazing things and sprinkles on top of that.

Also on the net:
www.taitband.com
www.julieferwerda.com.
CBN.com's Youth section
CBNmusic.com

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