"I know that I can't fix things," muses Christian musician David Phelps. "I think we all know deep down that the world has always gone through times of great turmoil. I mean, the world was a mess, and that's why Jesus came in the first place.
"So what I hope I can do is help people who feel that mess so deeply, maybe I can offer them a glimpse of hope through the message of my faith, and maybe they'll feel a little bit lighter at the end of the concert. If I've done that, I've done my job."
FAQ
David Phelps:
A Classic Christmas
WHEN — 7 p.m. Dec. 10
WHERE — Bentonville First Baptist Church, 220 S. Main St.
COST — $15
INFO — 800-965-9324 or fbcbentonville.org
This is the 19th Christmas tour for Phelps, who grew up in Tomball, Texas, and is best known for his performances with the multiple Grammy and Dove Award-winning Gaither Vocal Band. Phelps says music, Christmas and Christianity were integral parts of his childhood.
"I was kind of born into a musical family," he says. "We sang all the time and made music all the time. Music was just part of what we did; it wasn't something extra. Faith was also like that in our house. Dad was a deacon at the church, Mom played the piano and sang in the choir, and Papaw was a Baptist preacher. So it was natural the two things intertwined."
Phelps says he was in ninth grade when "people started asking me to come sing, and that was kind of the beginning. It really hasn't changed. I remember telling my dad in the car after a performance in ninth grade 'This is what I want to do for the rest of my life.'"
And then there's Christmas.
"I have great memories of running downstairs and seeing what Santa got me," Phelps says, his voice warm and enthusiastic. "My parents always were great about the mystery of Christmas, and Santa always managed to leave footprints on the fireplace or you heard his sleigh bells flying away. My mom still to this day decorates the house ridiculously for Christmas!
"The thing is about Christmas music is it's just filled with hope. It's all about a new beginning, individually and for humanity itself. And if there was ever a time that we need to hear that message it's now."
-- Becca Martin-Brown
NAN What's Up on 12/03/2017