This May, Ricky Carden will celebrate 34 years with The Down East Boys. His long journey in gospel music began when he was just 19 years old. The group became the second stop in what would grow into a lifelong career.
Carden recalls how it all started, crediting one man in particular for changing his path.
“Our ANR guy for Sunlight Records, Greg Bentley, and he’s the reason I’m in this mess,” said Carden.
He met Bentley through a well-known gospel group called the Hoppers. They gave Carden his first real taste of life on the road.
“I started at 19, of course I met Greg through a group called the Hoppers that everybody knows and they allow me to go on the road with him some just to see what it was all about,” he said. “I loved the music and wanted to be a part of it but didn’t really know a lot about it or how. I just sang it in church.”
Carden shared how Claude Hopper, a member of the group, quickly put him to work.
“Of course if you know Claude, Claude will put you to work,” he said. “He put me on the road and we’re unloading equipment, we’re doing all this stuff, and he just called me up one night.”
That call led to more time singing on stage with the Hoppers over the course of a year. Around that time, Greg Bentley joined The Down East Boys.
“A year later, and I had graduated high school, and he called and said, ‘We need a lead singer. I think you can do it,'” Carden recalled. “I didn’t know if I could or not, but I certainly wanted the chance.”
Just a few weeks later, he was on the bus with the group. That moment became the start of something lasting.
“And I’ve been here ever since. So 34 years in May,” he said.
Through hard work and a love for gospel music, Ricky Carden turned a single opportunity into a lifelong commitment. His story is one of faith, music, and perseverance—rooted in a moment that changed everything.
In 1 Corinthians 12:8-9, the Apostle Paul talks about spiritual gifts. When describing how these gifts are given, the passage says, “to one is given the word of wisdom through the Spirit, to another the word of knowledge according to the same Spirit, to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healings by the one Spirit.”
This might lead some to ask if this means all Christians have only one spiritual gift.
In one way, it is fair to say yes, all Christians have a spiritual gift. Peter also wrote that “as each has received a gift,” and then he mentions speaking and serving gifts. It is believed that every believer has a gift. However, the specific gift that each individual believer has is likely a combination of different categories of giftedness.
In 1 Corinthians 12 and also in Romans 12, there are lists of various categories of gifts. For each believer, it seems the Lord blends elements from these categories to create their unique gift. It’s like painting: there are many colors, and the Spirit uses them to create your own special color. Each believer has a gift that combines different types of gifts, and through this gift, they can serve the Lord in the church.
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Dr. McGee begins his exposition of Mark chapter 2 by highlighting its connection to chapter 1, emphasizing the connective word “and” that binds the narrative. He notes Jesus’ return to Capernaum after some days, reiterating that Capernaum became the central location for the Lord’s three-year earthly ministry. The reason for Jesus’ prior withdrawal was the disobedience of the healed leper, who spread news of his healing against Jesus’ wishes, leading to overwhelming crowds that hindered Jesus’ spiritual work. Dr. McGee expresses his concern about the modern overemphasis on miracles like healing and tongues, arguing that the primary focus should be on preaching the gospel of salvation through Christ’s death on the cross. Upon his return, it was noised that Jesus was in “the house,” which Dr. McGee identifies as likely Simon Peter’s house mentioned at the end of chapter 1.
The narrative then shifts to the arrival of a paralytic carried by four men, who, unable to enter the crowded house, uncovered the roof and lowered him before Jesus. Seeing their faith, Jesus declared to the sick man, “Son, thy sins be forgiven thee”. Dr. McGee clarifies that while salvation comes through individual faith, it was the faith of these stretcher bearers that brought the paralytic to a place where he could encounter Jesus and hear these words. This act of forgiveness provoked criticism from certain scribes who reasoned in their hearts that only God could forgive sins. Jesus, perceiving their thoughts, challenged their reasoning and then, to demonstrate his authority to forgive sins, commanded the paralytic to arise, take up his bed, and walk, which he immediately did, astonishing the onlookers.
Following this, Dr. McGee recounts Jesus’ calling of Levi (Matthew), a publican, to be a disciple. He notes the subsequent dinner hosted by Levi, attended by many publicans and sinners, which drew criticism from the scribes and Pharisees. Jesus responded to their criticism by stating that healthy people do not need a physician, but the sick do, clarifying that he came to call sinners to repentance, not those who considered themselves righteous. The topic of fasting also arises, as John’s disciples and the Pharisees were fasting while Jesus’ disciples were not. Jesus used the analogy of the bridegroom’s presence and the metaphors of old and new garments and wine skins to illustrate that his ministry represented something new, a break from the old system, rather than a mere continuation or improvement of it.
Dr. McGee then addresses two Sabbath controversies: the disciples plucking grain in the fields and Jesus healing a man with a withered hand in the synagogue. The Pharisees accused the disciples of breaking the Sabbath by harvesting grain, but Dr. McGee explains that their actions were within the bounds of the law, which permitted plucking grain by hand. Jesus defended his disciples by referencing David’s actions and declaring that “the Sabbath was made for man, and not man for the Sabbath” and that the Son of Man is Lord also of the Sabbath. In the synagogue, Jesus healed a man with a withered hand, knowing that the religious leaders were watching to accuse him. He challenged them on whether it was lawful to do good or evil on the Sabbath, and despite their silence, he healed the man, leading to the religious rulers plotting his destruction. Subsequently, Jesus withdrew with his disciples, and the crowds followed him from various regions. He then chose the twelve apostles, emphasizing his sovereign choice in this matter.
In the latter part of the sermon, Dr. McGee discusses the unpardonable sin, which occurred when the scribes accused Jesus of casting out demons by the power of Beelzebub, attributing the work of the Holy Spirit to Satan. He clarifies that this specific act of rejecting the direct testimony of both the Son and the Holy Spirit cannot be committed today in the same way. Jesus’ interaction with his physical family is also mentioned, where he emphasized that those who do the will of God are his true mother, brother, and sister. Finally, Dr. McGee introduces chapter 4 and the parables, noting that even Mark’s presentation of parables emphasizes action. He touches on the parable of the sower, the candle, the unique parable of the growing seed, and the mustard seed, explaining their significance in understanding the kingdom of God and the reception of the word. The sermon concludes with the miracle of Jesus stilling the storm, highlighting his power over nature and the disciples’ awe and fear in response.
This is video is on the same subject and worth listening to. This video is a link outside of TexasGospel.ca. and is not produced by us.
Imagine being among the large crowds that followed Jesus every day, listening to his teachings and watching him heal people. Perhaps you were even thinking about becoming his disciple. Then, one day, Jesus says to you and the others, “If anyone comes to me and does not hate his own father and mother and wife and children and brothers and sisters, yes, and even his own life, he cannot be my disciple”. These are strong words, and it makes you wonder what Jesus meant when he told people they needed to hate their families.
The word “hate” here should be understood in terms of contrast. A similar statement in Matthew 10:37 gives us the key to understanding this difficult idea. The “hatred” Jesus is talking about is actually a lesser love. Jesus was calling his followers to have such a complete devotion and commitment to him that their attachment to everything else, including their families and even their own lives, would seem like hatred in comparison. In other words, Jesus was saying that your family might try to stop you from following him because it could lead to alienation from them. Your possessions might also prevent you, as following Jesus could mean losing them, along with your status and even your life through persecution.
Jesus was emphasizing how important it is to receive the salvation he offers, making it clear that it should be more important than anything else you have or any relationship you possess. He still calls for this same total commitment at any cost.
Welcome to the Texas Gospel Canada Top 30 Songs of April 2025! This list is meticulously compiled based on the actual number of plays each song received in the previous month (March.) The Texas Gospel Top 30 is proudly submitted to top Southern Gospel publications including The Singing News and SGNScoops.
1 Bigger On The Inside – Legacy Five – StowTown/Provident-Sony 2 My Name’s Already There Inspirations Horizon/Crossroads 3 I Remember Lost – Poet Voices – StowTown/Provident-Sony 4 God Won’t – Nelons (featuring Autumn Nelon Streetman) – Daywind/New Day 5 The Hour I First Believed – PromisedLand Quartet – StowTown/Provident-Sony 6 That’s What Faith Looks Like – Karen Peck & New River – Daywind/New Day 7 God Has Heard Your Cry – Taylors – StowTown/Provident-Sony 8 If Not For Christ – Whisnants – Independent 9 I’d Rather Hear Preachin’ – Greater Vision – Daywind/New Day 10 Can He, Could He, Would He – Mark Trammell Quartet – Crimson Road 11 I Just Stopped By On My Way Home – Kingsmen – Horizon/Crossroads 12 Life Giving Us Life – Peach Goldman – StowTown/Provident-Sony 13 We Still Believe – Hyssongs – ARS/New Day 14 God Has A Way Of Workin’ It Out – Chronicle – ARS/New Day 15 Everyday Saints – Steve Ladd – Big Picture Records/New Day 16 None But Jesus – Erwins – StowTown/Provident-Sony 17 Sunshine On A Cloudy Day – Jeff & Sheri Easter – Gaither Music/Capitol Christian 18 Golgotha’s Call – Bibletones – Independent 19 More Than You Know – Tim Livingston – Diamond Mill Music 20 There’s A River – High Road – New Day Records/New Day 21 Come On Let’s Go To That Land – Tribute Quartet – Daywind/New Day 22 What Are You Waiting For – Tim Menzies (with The Isaacs) – ARS/New Day 23 Jesus Walked In – Joseph Habedank – Daywind/New Day 24 Rock Bottom – 11th Hour – Sonlite/Crossroads 25 Grateful For The Gospel – Brian Free & Assurance – Daywind/New Day 26 Nothing the blood can’t cover – The Chitans – Crossroads 27 The Good, Bad And The Ugly – Justified Quartet – Big Picture Records/New Day 28 Big Ole Stone (Victory) – Triumphant Quartet – StowTown/Provident-Sony 29 By Grace- Lore Family – Horizon/Crossroads 30 Things We Cannot Change – LeFevre Quartet – New Day Records/New Day
