Ernie Haase & Signature Sound has welcomed a new member to its lineup. The group’s new keyboard player, Braden Neal, brings both youthful energy and a strong passion for Southern gospel music.
Braden is 23 years old. He was born in Knoxville, Tennessee, but has spent most of his life in Bonners Ferry, Idaho. His love for gospel music began at the age of seven when he first heard the music of Anthony Burger.
“I was introduced to southern gospel music at the age of 7 when I first heard the music of Anthony Burger,” Braden said. “I grew in my love for gospel music and folks like Stan Whitmire, Gerald Wolfe and Kim Collingsworth have influenced my playing.”
Fans are encouraged to greet him as he joins the group on tour. “Be sure to say hi to Braden when you see him on the road!”
Ernie Haase & Signature Sound continues to share their message through songs such as “He Did It All For Me.”
The flood waters had receded, and humanity received a second chance. Noah emerged from the ark to restart civilization, much like Adam had begun it in the garden. God blessed Noah and instructed him to multiply and fill the earth. The animal kingdom was placed under his care. Despite the devastation of the flood, people still bore God’s image. Everything pointed toward a fresh beginning.
Yet the same problems that plagued the first man would plague this new patriarch. Noah was described as righteous, faithful, and blameless among his peers. With such credentials, expectations ran high that he would succeed where Adam had failed. But the human heart remained unchanged. Noah would stumble just as Adam did, proving that even after judgment and renewal, sin persists.
After leaving the ark, Noah turned to agriculture and planted a vineyard. Years of cultivation passed before he could harvest grapes and produce wine. Then he drank too much, became drunk, and collapsed naked inside his tent. Wine itself is not evil, Scripture celebrates it as one of God’s good gifts. But like all good things, sin twists it into something harmful. Drunkenness is explicitly forbidden, and excessive drinking leads people into foolishness. Even a righteous man can become a drunkard by lingering too long over alcohol. For some people, the wisest choice is complete abstinence.
However, Noah’s drunkenness was not the central issue. His son Ham discovered his father in this shameful state. Rather than showing respect, Ham stared at his father’s nakedness and seemed to take satisfaction in it. He then eagerly announced what he had seen to his brothers outside the tent. This violation cut deeper than it appears. At that time, Noah held every position of authority that God had established. Ham’s actions broke the command to honour one’s father and mother.
Disrespecting legitimate authority in any sphere dishonours Christ who delegates all proper authority. The command to honour parents extends beyond childhood to respecting those superior in age, experience, and position. Ham should have protected his father’s dignity and covered his weakness with love. Instead, he took pride in exposing Noah’s failure and quickly spread the news.
Ham’s two brothers, Shem and Japheth, responded differently. They took a garment, placed it on their shoulders, and walked backward into the tent to cover their father without looking at him. They went to considerable trouble to preserve Noah’s honour. Their respect was not based on Noah’s behaviour but on his position. Even when authorities fail, their office deserves respect. This gracious response demonstrated God working in their lives.
When Noah awoke and learned what Ham had done, he pronounced both curse and blessing. He cursed Canaan, Ham’s son, declaring that Canaan would serve his brothers. This curse applied specifically to Canaan and his descendants, who would display the same sinful patterns as their father. It has nothing to do with racial inferiority or justifying slavery. The curse was fulfilled when Israel conquered the land of Canaan centuries later.
Noah blessed Shem, speaking of God’s special relationship with him. Shem’s descendants would be favoured by God and rule over Canaan. Noah also blessed Japheth, saying he would be enlarged and dwell in Shem’s tents, indicating that Japheth’s descendants would share in Shem’s blessings.
These pronouncements connected to God’s earlier promise that a descendant of the woman would crush the serpent’s head. Shem’s line led to Abraham and the Jewish people. Through the tribe of Judah, God preserved his people until Jesus Christ came into the world. Christ, a descendant of Shem, perfectly obeyed God’s law and secured the righteousness that God requires. He gave his life to pay for sin. Though the enemy wounded him at the cross, Jesus destroyed the serpent’s power and proved it through his resurrection.
The blessing on Japheth found fulfillment when the gospel spread beyond Israel to all nations. Unless someone has Jewish ancestry, they descend from Japheth and enter God’s family through faith in Christ.
Sin distorts everything good that God provides, but grace always overcomes sin. No matter how serious someone’s offences against God may be, there is more grace available in Jesus Christ than sin in any person. God receives people only by grace. This was true for Noah, for ancient prophets, and for every believer today.
Rodney Griffin of Greater Vision underwent surgery on Monday. Griffin opened up about what led to the procedure and what he expects in the weeks ahead.
The trouble began roughly a year ago. “I started having pain down my left leg when I was on the stage,” Griffin explained. “Very uncomfortable, but I just tried to grin and bear it.”
He did not ignore the problem. He sought help from a chiropractor and a pain specialist before doctors ordered an MRI. The scan revealed the root cause. “I’ve just got no disc there between two of the vertebrae,” he said, “so it kind of makes sense where the pain’s coming from.”
That finding led Griffin to the operating table. He underwent a lumbar fusion procedure on Monday. The timing of the surgery means Griffin will miss an upcoming cruise event with his bandmates. “I won’t be on the cruise this week with the guys,” he said. “I will miss that badly.” Veteran singer Jim Brady is stepping in to fill his spot. “The great Jim Brady is filling in for me,” Griffin noted. “He will do an incredible job.”
Despite the surgery, Griffin is hopeful that his absence from the stage will be brief. A scheduled break following the cruise works in his favour. “We had a planned break after the cruise, so I’ll have almost three weeks to recover before I get back on the bus,” he said, adding, “Won’t be missing any concerts, Lord willing.”
When Mary travelled to visit Elizabeth in the hill country of Judah, she received a remarkable greeting. Elizabeth, filled with the Holy Spirit, declared Mary blessed three times. This led Mary to speak words that have been preserved for all time, words about God’s character and his faithfulness to his promises.
Mary and Elizabeth, IRS Images, 2025
Mary’s response came from a place of deep humility. She recognized the great honour bestowed upon her, yet she never imagined anyone would worship or pray to her. Instead, her words directed all praise toward God. She rejoiced in God as her saviour, acknowledging her own need for forgiveness. The child she carried would be the one to save her eternal soul, a reality that demonstrates the mystery of God’s plan.
The holiness of God stands at the centre of Mary’s praise. God remains separate, infinitely high and exalted. His mercy extends from generation to generation to all who fear him. This promise reaches beyond any single family line to encompass everyone God calls, including those who were once far from him. The early church understood this continuation of God’s covenant promises, recognizing that salvation comes to all whom the Lord calls.
The promise given to Abraham finds its fulfilment in Mary’s son. God remained faithful to his covenant through Isaac, Jacob, Judah, David, and finally to this young woman from Nazareth. The one she carried would reign forever as King of Kings. These ancient promises connect believers across all time periods into one kingdom under Christ.
Mary understood she was living in a crucial moment of redemptive history. The world would never be the same after the birth of her son. We share in the same kingdom as Abraham, Moses, David, and all the saints throughout history, joined together as one church under Jesus Christ.
Tyler Vestal has a new role in gospel music. He has joined Lee Park Worship as Band Director, bringing more than a decade of professional experience to the position.
Vestal spent 11 years as a keyboardist with Ernie Haase & Signature Sound, one of the most well-known groups in Southern Gospel music, before recently departing the ensemble.
Lee Park Worship is part of Lee Park Church in Monroe, North Carolina, a congregation led by Pastor Chris Justice. The group is currently in the studio working on new music.
Fans can get a feel for what the group has to offer through their contribution to We Shall Behold Him: A Tribute to Dottie Rambo, on which they perform the song “If That Isn’t Love.”
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