By Michaela Gordoni
Allie Beth Stuckey is not having it with Avalon’s rereleased song, “Testify to Love.”
Michael Passons, Melissa Greene and country artist Ty Herndon re-released the 1997 song on May 18. Passons and Herndon identify as gay.
“For years, I sang these words while hiding who I truly was,” Passons said. “To record this now with Ty, Melissa and this incredible group of artists — standing fully in my truth — is a full-circle moment I once thought impossible.”
Stuckey said, “Now we are being told retroactively that ‘Testify to Love’ by the CCM band Avalon is actually an anthem of queer love. Yes, I am not joking that this is now an LGBTQ-affirming anthem.”
Avalon was a Christian band that was formed in 1995. Passons says he eventually left the band in 2003 because his decision to be gay was not accepted.
“[There’s this idea that Bible] passages that positively affirm the holiness of marriage between one man and one woman and the exclusive holiness of sexual activity within that marriage between one man and one woman, it’s just too much to bear and actually, we as these fallible people, we have a better answer. We have a better and bigger and wiser and more loving perspective on how humans should behave and what sin is and what it’s not,” Stuckey said.
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She stressed that believers do not know better than God, nor are they “nicer than” Him.
“And if something to us seems wrong or seems cruel or seems confusing when we go to the Word of God, the problem is not with God. It’s not with His Word. It’s with us,” she said.
Greene, also a former member, originally supported Passon’s removal but eventually turned around, became close friends with him and served as an associate pastor at a gay-affirming church. She also officiated Herndon’s wedding to his husband.
“Testify to Love” was written about Biblical love that Jesus speaks of. Now, Greene and Passons claim it was always LGBTQ affirming, which is obviously not true.
Some of the lyrics are: “For as long as I shall live, I will testify to love/ I’ll be a witness in the silences when words are not enough/ with every breath I take, will give thanks to God above/ for as long as I shall live, I will testify to love.”
Passons said, “I hope you feel something new when you hear me singing now. To those who can’t listen anymore, maybe because it reminds you of a time you believed in love, before life or people made it complicated, this is especially for you.”
The current Avalon members, Janna Long, Greg Long and Jody McBrayer, have not commented on the re-release.
Denny Burke, a professor of biblical studies at Boyce College, wrote it would “be unfair to [Avalon] for fans to allow this inspirational song to be ruined by apostates who care nothing about the Christian faith represented in the song. The song belongs to Avalon and to the ages, and it has nothing to do with affirming sexual perversion.”
“The bottom line is that two former members of Avalaon who have deconstructed their faith are now trying to co-opt ‘Testify To Love’ for their deconstruction narratives. Don’t let them do that. Feel free to listen to Avalon and the original version of ‘Testify To Love.’ There is nothing ‘affirming’ about this song, and there never will be,” he shared.
Greene wrote that she’s reclaimed the song as an anthem of for her own life.
“It is about the love we testified to before we knew what it cost, the lines we crossed to find out, the places we had to leave because we realized they no longer honored all, and the people who let us back in,” she said.
This is not the kind of love Jesus preaches. This is self-love.
I Kings 18:21 says, “Elijah went before the people and said, “How long will you waver between two opinions? If the Lord is God, follow him; but if Baal is God, follow him.”
To pick and choose what you believe about the Bible is not right, and these artists should know that. Either believe Him and follow His word, or don’t. But don’t become a false prophet.
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