They were among the very first contemporary worship groups there ever were. And there’s a great deal of emphasis on worship these days. They weren’t just performers. They were bringing a state of worship that was what people’s hearts were longing for because we had already had our fill of all kinds of music for the ’60’s and the ’70’s.
I think they just caused people’s hearts to rise and they caused our eyes to look heavenward. You’d find yourself looking at them and then at the end of the night your heart would just about burst with joy and love for God, you know. I saw that happen to many people in the audience. And I remember that happening to me. I remember sitting in the auditorium when the group would do a few songs without the band. I would just be captivated by it. It was very special time.
For the people who never got to see them live and there’s a great many of them today, who are into Christian music who don’t know who 2nd Chapter of Acts were, I think they ought to go back and listen to The 2nd Chapter Of Acts. It’s like reading about the founding fathers. We should know some of this history.
It’s because they were a part of a rootsy thing. And you know they’re music was born out of their fellowship in God and their family. And that came out as early as ’71 when they started really making music. They already had an amazing sound back then.
The first person who ever told me about 2nd Chapter of Acts was Scott Ross. He was my pastor. Scott Ross founded “Love In” a community in upstate New York. He was secular disc jockey from New York City, close friends with Beatles, Rolling Stones and Bob Dylan. In fact his wife Nedra was one of the Ronnettes. Famed “Be My Baby,” “Baby I Love You” and those songs. He said, “There’s this group, two sisters and a brother that you won’t believe!” And then he started playing “Easter Song” on the radio and I taped it and played it for everyone.
We used to hold Bible studies in our home in Warren, Ohio. And I would say, “hey listen to this everybody” and we’d listen to it and listen to it again and again. It was wonderful. It’s amazing how you hear something and then you have a dream and say, “boy I’d love to meet these people”.
I was blessed to see 2nd Chapter of Acts 4 times in concert. Never experienced anything like it since then…