May 22, 2023 • 21 mins
Good News with Twanda Black welcomes Bishop Michael Strickland... Singer/Songwriter and Pastor of Victory Tabernacle Church International
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Episode Transcript
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(00:03):
Thank you for joining me today onGood News with Twine to Black, where
we are discovering some of the mostinspiring trials to triumph stories and empowerment moments.
Call up a friend and let themknow it's time for some good news.
(00:30):
Hello, family, and welcome toGood News with Twine to Black.
I am your host. We talkwith folks from all walks of life about
their good news because ultimately, ifyour brothers and sisters are doing well,
you're doing well. All right,Sit back, relax, and enjoy.
My next guest joining us today isBishop Michael Strickland. He is pastor of
(00:51):
Victory Tabernacle Church International here in Atlanta. How are you doing this morning?
I'm doing there well. How areyou today? Wonderful? Wonderful. Thank
you for taking out time. Yourpastors are so busy these days. You
know. I think when y'all learnedabout church building and growth and all of
(01:11):
that, and oh my god,it just to me pastors were always busy.
But I think today's pastor is extremelybusy, don't you think I do.
It's a it's a different time forus. My father was a pastor,
and so I look at what hehad to really work through. It's
a lot different, yeah, thanwhat we're working through that. It is
(01:34):
different, yes, ma'am. AndI would venture to say that if we
don't shift our perspective on it,it's gonna be even more I guess I
can use this word more work,you know, if we don't shift our
perspective one, it's a lot though, and then post pandemic, oh yeah,
shifted another because now we're contentding withhaving to do this. I'm very
(02:00):
relational and with you. One ofthe one of the toughest things for me
going through the pandemic was not beingable to at least greet the people that
I signed I went. I wentthrough a very low place in that because
I'm very people I'm into people.Yeah, And so post pandemic, it
has it has shifted even more.Yeah. Yeah, yeah. Now you've
(02:20):
got to deal with the televisions andabsolutely absolutely. And the other thing is
that everybody wanted to be global.Now global, now you're global for real,
but you didn't want to be global, right, it's real now,
you know my pastor, My pastorwas the same way, and so we
had to find a way to asmuch as possible be as personable and in
(02:43):
relationship with folks when you couldn't touchthem. You know, how do you
how do you do that? Howdo you figure that out? Some pastors
didn't do anything, but a lota lot of pastors really kept in touch
with their people, which was agood thing because people needed that. We
needed you, guys, we needit, you know, we needed our
pastors. We needed our branch duringthat time, and and and for our
(03:07):
membership because we shifted and we hadto shift the method. Yeah, I
was. I was working diligently.We always have this thing, and I
man, sure we reach out throughthis call multiplier piece, but I was
making sure. Then, Hey,at least twice the month, let's zoom
together outside from Bible study just tohave a session and say, hey,
(03:29):
how's everybody doing right? Right?How are you working through the process?
Because it really did a work onpeople in general. And I think it's
still doing a work. We've justidentified it as such. It has affected
us so to do it differently.And so what I have one of my
daughters is working with me, walkingalongside me, so that when the Lord
(03:53):
says to me it's time for meto restructure my life, she'll be the
one that will work will step inand take the work on. And in
that process we had to shift ourthinking. And the road we were taking
wasn't included inclusive of COVID. That'sright, that's right. And we have
members, we have members in otherstates, And so how do we eat
(04:15):
church them. We're doing the samething. We're doing the same thing we're
doing. We include them. Wetalked to them, we chat with them,
We do everything we need to do. And I'm sure within ministry and
the confines of what you pastors haveto do, you find a way to
also connect with them, you know, outside of outside of church. So
(04:36):
it's an amazing time I think forpastors, and it's more busy than ever.
But you're right. If you don'twatch out, this thing is gonna
the work is gonna be overwhelming.It's gonna be too much. And and
so I love my pastor, PastorClinton McFarland. He talks, He takes
vacations. You know, he works, he works a lot. Now I
(05:00):
have he's amazing. He works alot, but he takes vacations. I
find pastors that never take vacations.I'm like, so when you drop in
the bullpen, because I've seen itwith my own eyes. I've seen people
drop dead in the bullpit and theyjust kind of okay, carry him out
and keeps moving. Yes, yougotta understand that you got to take care
(05:21):
of yourself so you can take careof us, and you can take care
of your family and your children,all of that. Take care of yourself,
my God, And for me,two things. I saw my dad
do this work, and my dadwas all in it. And I don't
know what it was about him takinga break or taking vacations. It just
(05:42):
I don't know if he just wasn'tbuilt that one wouldn't do it right.
It's that generation. They would nottake vacations. So it said something in
their psyche. It said something aboutweakness. I think yeah. And the
second thing is I want you toknow that I am right down this street
from your church. Are you reallyyes, ma'am? So if you come
(06:03):
out of you, if you comeout of your church, come down sports
the one fifty five in, takethat right at the food depot, go
to the bear next rent might there'sa school right there and the new publics
take a lift right there. Ourchurches right there. What oh, that's
amazing, And we are neighbors.Oh, yes we are, Yes,
(06:26):
we are. That is wonderful now. And you know, talking about um,
you're a native of Atlanta preachers careof course, and and also within
seeing your father in this profession,you've seen Atlanta. I always talk about
how I've seen Atlanta change and growto talk about that for a moment,
(06:51):
because that's very interesting for those ofus who have been here forever earth that
we're born here. Yes, man, it has. It has taken a
major shift. If I can remember, back in nineteen eighty six, maybe
eighty five eighty six was when Ibegan to recognize the shift that had taken
place in Atlanta. Where we usedto be. I feel like we used
(07:14):
to we were very friendly, andvery family oriented and very neighborly and very
loving and caring. Something happened,I believe back in eighty five eighty six,
and I vividly remember going to highschool at the time. It was
George High School. I remember goingto the high school at that time and
(07:34):
one of the parties that I attended, I was a very I was very
into the party. Then. Letme just leave it at that. I
I'm the social guy. I lovebeing around people and after that party,
I heard that one of the gentlementhat was at the party after I left
was thrown over the backroom. Andfrom that moment I began to see changes
(08:01):
in the city of Atlanta. Myparents were very involved when we were growing
up. They were into our education, they were into our lives, they
were into everything concerning us. Andsomething shifted. And oftentimes I thank my
mom for being the kind of momshe was, and when my dad was
alive, I would I would thankhim not as much because I got all
(08:22):
the weapons, right, I meanI was, I was just that kid.
But in hindsight, I'm thankful forthe love that was shown, the
discipline that was displayed, the workwork ethics that I saw, the caring
for families, and so it shifted. And being an educator, I saw
it happening in the school. Isaw children coming in differently. It was
(08:46):
tough for me because I grew upunder the discipline of you never disrespect or
don't right. I don't care whetherthey're your mom or your grandmother. There
ain't your household, right, whyyou all aways respected? And when that
level of respect became compromised, Yeah, and when children realized I don't have
(09:07):
to do what you say. You'renot my blah blah. I saw things
shift in the city, and soall of my years of teaching was in
the seat of Atlanta. I wasstate in Atlanta, and so I'm a
product of the Lanta public school system. So I went back to teach because
I loved what was taught to me. Yeah, I love what was portant
to me. And when I beganto teach, I saw this. So
(09:30):
I wanted to give back to thatcommunity what was given me. And about
ten to twelve years in, Isaw things shifting even more. The disrespect
was at this all time high.Well you know when the parents come up,
they want to beat you. Yes, yeah, you got a problem,
and they got a problem. Nowyou see where the kids getting exactly.
(09:50):
So, if you don't respect yourmom at home and you do all
that, and it was tough forme later to one d I'll be the
first to admit it was tough forme because my mama taught me you hit
me as a kid, I'm gonnahit you back. And so I told
all my kids, I told allmy administrators, please let's be clear,
do not hit mister Strickland because heis not of the mindset to know that
(10:15):
you are a kid. I mean, you know, if you're bold and
adults. Yeah, of course thatwould put us in all other kind of
situations. But I noticed that shiftwhen the level of respect, especially for
professions and professionals that we are.Yes, we lost it. Yes.
The church used to be the voicein the community who place. Yeah,
(10:37):
And when folks started disrespecting the localassembling, the local assemblers and the leaders
of the assembling, that's when theproblems begin. And we start infiltrating other
systems into our systems, trying tomake it work here, you know.
And so I saw it back inthe eighties, and and um, I've
(11:01):
been praying and being a pastor now, asking the Lord to lead me where
he needs me that I might bemost effective, to be the s and
the light to bring his colors andhis season to the earth. It has
to be something that takes pence absolutely, absolutely absolutely, and it has to
start with us. The church hasto go back to being the church.
(11:24):
Yes, ma'am. You know,we just we That's that's a whole nother
day of talking. If we startedout about that, Um, I want
to tell you though, we graduatedfrom the same high school. Yes,
I I went to Georgia as well, but you're you're some years younger than
(11:45):
me. Really, Yes, we'lltalk about that offline. Yes, who
was your principal? Then it wasmister Wallace Bill and he was my principal.
Okay. The sister principal was doctorBrown. She was my brother.
She was my sister too. Listenand when I doctor Brown didn't play and
she was. And that that's whereand that's why I feel that things shifted
(12:09):
because she was Now. The educatorsthen were almost our extended parents. They
were, they were, and thatthey would make they would make us because
my parents knew my my our administrators. Yes, and all Doctor Brown had
to say once you don't want meto call Linda and doctor Hopeing you don't
(12:33):
want that. I'm like, you'reright, you're right right. And then
that was miss Freedom Booker who wasthere. Yes, mister Everhart, Yes,
he was one of my teachers.Absolutely. Look here here was the
thing about doctor Brown. She wasa member of my church. So I
had to double with me. Ididn't play with her. We did not
(12:54):
play, yes with Katherine Brown.Yes, we did not play with her,
And she made it she made it. No, I'm the boss,
and you're going to respect what Isay. And oh we respected her,
yes, man, Yeah, werespected doctor Bill too. I mean were
respected all of our teachers during thattime. You know, I salute you
for going back into the school systemto give what you got although things were
(13:18):
just transitioning out of you know,the respect and the honor for the teachers,
you know, it's been an amazingshift. So we need to talk
about your music. You got anew song out if my people. You
were blessed to be with Sherry JonesMoffat and so talk about it. I
didn't I didn't even know you werea singing pastor. It's nothing like a
(13:41):
good singing pastor. Thank you man. So I started at George High in
the tenth grade with Miss Linda Crumblingas the teacher. Let me back up,
because elementary school was Miss Terry MiddleSchool, it was Miss Washing at
Crawford Loan, and then when Igot to high school, tenth grade was
(14:03):
when I really took the music.I was been singing all of my life.
The tenth grade when I got inthe curt but I took the music
seriously. And I decided because beinga football player, which is not gonna
be. It was just not.It wasn't in my deck of cars.
It just it just wasn't. Butof course, every every guy had to
go that route because everybody, everyguy, every guy had to do sports
right right, almost like, hey, that's it, that's what you do.
(14:26):
Realized that was not really me.So so his an interesting fact.
I was supposed to take over whenLuca van Dras died. Okay, that
was in my head, right,that was, And so the music career
for me began. Then I dida lot of singing at George High School.
I would do the car nation umMiss George at the time was Erica,
(14:48):
I think all of those, andso singing has always been a part.
Then I took piano under Miss Crumblingand I just extended went to the
governments on this program through the highschool that I was straight into college and
I did my music degree, andwhat my plan was was to go there,
get the degree and become a travelingperformer. You're again, in my
(15:09):
mind, I'm supposed to jump onthe scene when Luther vand when when Luther's
name and Ken began to be likea fade. Michael Strickland's name was supposed
to come on the scene, right, that was your plan. Polish fast
forward and my professor about to DavidJohnson says to me. He says,
Michael, listen, you're a greatsinger, but I've seen this before.
(15:31):
Why don't you get you an educationdegree just in case the singing and the
performance doesn't work and you can teach. You don't have all it together,
and you can just go that robber. Well, in hindsight, what I
did was I took the teaching positionbecause I graduated in July ninety one.
In August, I had a jobin that land of public school system back
(15:52):
with the same teachers that taught me, so they knew Michael. So I
got in the system and for thirtyyears twenty seven plus thirty years twenty seven
to thirty one years, I didthe teaching. The money was good,
everything was great there. And sowhen I when I when I went when
I went there, I just kindof stayed. But in my mind I
knew that I'm supposed to be asinger. I believe, and now I
(16:18):
know the Lord has called me todo global ministry. And so with that,
I left the district in May oflast year, my wife and I
got into agreement. We prayed,the Lord gave me, as my grandmother
call it them, may go.Yeah, And so I left the district.
And I had done that before twice, but I went back because I
(16:41):
was my faith wasn't as solid,and I understaid this, I threw away
my confidence in the promise of God, and so I had to get back
on track. And so my wifeand I got into agreement last May,
and so I came on board fourtime with this and I I'm so I'm
thinking about that Monday morning, howthankful I am to God that I am
(17:06):
in purpose now walking out the plan. It has something to do with me
being the next luthor back then.But it's a different sound now. And
so I've been singing all my lifeand I love it with all of my
heart. Yeah, And I'm aworshiper at heart, and any given Sunday
(17:27):
at Victory Tabernacle Church International, I'llstrike out and sing. I like a
variety of music, and the onethat I want to make certain young people
never forget are the hymns of theChurch, Lord Jesus. That's what they
don't I don't And to my daughter, my middle daughter is my worship lead,
(17:48):
and I keep trying to instill inher. Hey baby, she said
to me, it's a bunch ofwords. Yeah, but go back there.
You're telling a story right right right, and then and then there's a
shout the refrain that that that thatneeds to be a part of our Yes.
So I've been singing, I've beenbeen worshiping, and I'm grateful to
(18:12):
be where I am now. Allof those years i'm teaching, all of
those years of doing that I believehas prepared me and allowed me the opportunity
to be in the position that I'min there. That's amazing, amazing,
Bishop, amazing. If my people, now, are you working on a
full project? I know you've gotthe single out, so are you're working
(18:32):
on your project? Yes? Man, Um, I actually am working back
in the studio getting I'm sorry,getting ready to go back in the studio
with having conversations about that that Imight complete the full project against man,
I've got three other songs that I'mworking on. And it was interesting the
other day the question was asking me, so what other feature can we expect
next? You're gonna hear my voicea lot good as it should be,
(18:57):
Yes man, yes man, asit should be. Tell people where they
can get your music home. We'regonna pop in and listen to a little
bit of that music. But tellfolks where they can find you. I
know that you're traveling right now alittle bit on tour, So where can
they find your music? So allof my music is on all digital platforms.
You can go to Spotify, youcan go to Apple Music. All
(19:18):
the digital platforms will have the musicthere. And they can also go to
my website which is M eight I'msorry, www dot mmstripthon dot com and
as the song is there, we'llmake sure that they get a hard copy
D because, believe it or not, there are a lot of people who
still want to have the CD.Absolutely. Look when when I got when
(19:40):
I got my new card a coupleof years ago, I was like,
where am I SNA player? It'slike, oh, that's all we're gonna
do C. I was like,wait a minute, I got like a
million zds? Are you kidding me? And I like to travel listen to
the words. I got the Pavleexperience in my listen, so they have
a hard copy Dan. My socialmedia platform, our Facebook is Michael A.
(20:02):
Strickland. So it's Instagram Michael A. Strickland fifteen. And so they
can get they can find me thereon my website. They can get a
copy of the song. And alldigital platforms is there and if they would
dispike me to mail them one,they can make that request thing. We
can make that happen, all right, And now tell everybody where your church
is. So it's the Victory TabernacleChurch International, located at one eleven kelly
(20:26):
Town Road, mcdonnah, Georgia,three zero two five two. Well we
know that victory is in our phrase. I love it, I love it.
Thank you. Bishop Michael Strickland joinsus today. Thank you so much,
Bishop, and we look forward toyour great music. Thank you so
much for having me today. Ohmy god, such a joy to be
(20:47):
a guest on the show. Youcan email me at twin to black at
lovepg network dot org or good Newsat lopeg network dot org. Watch the
show via pg ntv on all yourdigital streaming apps. Visit us at pgntv
dot org. We'll see you nexttime for some good news. God bless you
Thank you for joining me today onGood News with Twine to Black, where
we are discovering some of the mostinspiring trials to triumph stories and empowerment moments.
Call up a friend and let themknow it's time for some good news.
(00:30):
Hello, family, and welcome toGood News with Twine to Black.
I am your host. We talkwith folks from all walks of life about
their good news because ultimately, ifyour brothers and sisters are doing well,
you're doing well. All right,Sit back, relax, and enjoy.
My next guest joining us today isBishop Michael Strickland. He is pastor of
(00:51):
Victory Tabernacle Church International here in Atlanta. How are you doing this morning?
I'm doing there well. How areyou today? Wonderful? Wonderful. Thank
you for taking out time. Yourpastors are so busy these days. You
know. I think when y'all learnedabout church building and growth and all of
(01:11):
that, and oh my god,it just to me pastors were always busy.
But I think today's pastor is extremelybusy, don't you think I do.
It's a it's a different time forus. My father was a pastor,
and so I look at what hehad to really work through. It's
a lot different, yeah, thanwhat we're working through that. It is
(01:34):
different, yes, ma'am. AndI would venture to say that if we
don't shift our perspective on it,it's gonna be even more I guess I
can use this word more work,you know, if we don't shift our
perspective one, it's a lot though, and then post pandemic, oh yeah,
shifted another because now we're contentding withhaving to do this. I'm very
(02:00):
relational and with you. One ofthe one of the toughest things for me
going through the pandemic was not beingable to at least greet the people that
I signed I went. I wentthrough a very low place in that because
I'm very people I'm into people.Yeah, And so post pandemic, it
has it has shifted even more.Yeah. Yeah, yeah. Now you've
(02:20):
got to deal with the televisions andabsolutely absolutely. And the other thing is
that everybody wanted to be global.Now global, now you're global for real,
but you didn't want to be global, right, it's real now,
you know my pastor, My pastorwas the same way, and so we
had to find a way to asmuch as possible be as personable and in
(02:43):
relationship with folks when you couldn't touchthem. You know, how do you
how do you do that? Howdo you figure that out? Some pastors
didn't do anything, but a lota lot of pastors really kept in touch
with their people, which was agood thing because people needed that. We
needed you, guys, we needit, you know, we needed our
pastors. We needed our branch duringthat time, and and and for our
(03:07):
membership because we shifted and we hadto shift the method. Yeah, I
was. I was working diligently.We always have this thing, and I
man, sure we reach out throughthis call multiplier piece, but I was
making sure. Then, Hey,at least twice the month, let's zoom
together outside from Bible study just tohave a session and say, hey,
(03:29):
how's everybody doing right? Right?How are you working through the process?
Because it really did a work onpeople in general. And I think it's
still doing a work. We've justidentified it as such. It has affected
us so to do it differently.And so what I have one of my
daughters is working with me, walkingalongside me, so that when the Lord
(03:53):
says to me it's time for meto restructure my life, she'll be the
one that will work will step inand take the work on. And in
that process we had to shift ourthinking. And the road we were taking
wasn't included inclusive of COVID. That'sright, that's right. And we have
members, we have members in otherstates, And so how do we eat
(04:15):
church them. We're doing the samething. We're doing the same thing we're
doing. We include them. Wetalked to them, we chat with them,
We do everything we need to do. And I'm sure within ministry and
the confines of what you pastors haveto do, you find a way to
also connect with them, you know, outside of outside of church. So
(04:36):
it's an amazing time I think forpastors, and it's more busy than ever.
But you're right. If you don'twatch out, this thing is gonna
the work is gonna be overwhelming.It's gonna be too much. And and
so I love my pastor, PastorClinton McFarland. He talks, He takes
vacations. You know, he works, he works a lot. Now I
(05:00):
have he's amazing. He works alot, but he takes vacations. I
find pastors that never take vacations.I'm like, so when you drop in
the bullpen, because I've seen itwith my own eyes. I've seen people
drop dead in the bullpit and theyjust kind of okay, carry him out
and keeps moving. Yes, yougotta understand that you got to take care
(05:21):
of yourself so you can take careof us, and you can take care
of your family and your children,all of that. Take care of yourself,
my God, And for me,two things. I saw my dad
do this work, and my dadwas all in it. And I don't
know what it was about him takinga break or taking vacations. It just
(05:42):
I don't know if he just wasn'tbuilt that one wouldn't do it right.
It's that generation. They would nottake vacations. So it said something in
their psyche. It said something aboutweakness. I think yeah. And the
second thing is I want you toknow that I am right down this street
from your church. Are you reallyyes, ma'am? So if you come
(06:03):
out of you, if you comeout of your church, come down sports
the one fifty five in, takethat right at the food depot, go
to the bear next rent might there'sa school right there and the new publics
take a lift right there. Ourchurches right there. What oh, that's
amazing, And we are neighbors.Oh, yes we are, Yes,
(06:26):
we are. That is wonderful now. And you know, talking about um,
you're a native of Atlanta preachers careof course, and and also within
seeing your father in this profession,you've seen Atlanta. I always talk about
how I've seen Atlanta change and growto talk about that for a moment,
(06:51):
because that's very interesting for those ofus who have been here forever earth that
we're born here. Yes, man, it has. It has taken a
major shift. If I can remember, back in nineteen eighty six, maybe
eighty five eighty six was when Ibegan to recognize the shift that had taken
place in Atlanta. Where we usedto be. I feel like we used
(07:14):
to we were very friendly, andvery family oriented and very neighborly and very
loving and caring. Something happened,I believe back in eighty five eighty six,
and I vividly remember going to highschool at the time. It was
George High School. I remember goingto the high school at that time and
(07:34):
one of the parties that I attended, I was a very I was very
into the party. Then. Letme just leave it at that. I
I'm the social guy. I lovebeing around people and after that party,
I heard that one of the gentlementhat was at the party after I left
was thrown over the backroom. Andfrom that moment I began to see changes
(08:01):
in the city of Atlanta. Myparents were very involved when we were growing
up. They were into our education, they were into our lives, they
were into everything concerning us. Andsomething shifted. And oftentimes I thank my
mom for being the kind of momshe was, and when my dad was
alive, I would I would thankhim not as much because I got all
(08:22):
the weapons, right, I meanI was, I was just that kid.
But in hindsight, I'm thankful forthe love that was shown, the
discipline that was displayed, the workwork ethics that I saw, the caring
for families, and so it shifted. And being an educator, I saw
it happening in the school. Isaw children coming in differently. It was
(08:46):
tough for me because I grew upunder the discipline of you never disrespect or
don't right. I don't care whetherthey're your mom or your grandmother. There
ain't your household, right, whyyou all aways respected? And when that
level of respect became compromised, Yeah, and when children realized I don't have
(09:07):
to do what you say. You'renot my blah blah. I saw things
shift in the city, and soall of my years of teaching was in
the seat of Atlanta. I wasstate in Atlanta, and so I'm a
product of the Lanta public school system. So I went back to teach because
I loved what was taught to me. Yeah, I love what was portant
to me. And when I beganto teach, I saw this. So
(09:30):
I wanted to give back to thatcommunity what was given me. And about
ten to twelve years in, Isaw things shifting even more. The disrespect
was at this all time high.Well you know when the parents come up,
they want to beat you. Yes, yeah, you got a problem,
and they got a problem. Nowyou see where the kids getting exactly.
(09:50):
So, if you don't respect yourmom at home and you do all
that, and it was tough forme later to one d I'll be the
first to admit it was tough forme because my mama taught me you hit
me as a kid, I'm gonnahit you back. And so I told
all my kids, I told allmy administrators, please let's be clear,
do not hit mister Strickland because heis not of the mindset to know that
(10:15):
you are a kid. I mean, you know, if you're bold and
adults. Yeah, of course thatwould put us in all other kind of
situations. But I noticed that shiftwhen the level of respect, especially for
professions and professionals that we are.Yes, we lost it. Yes.
The church used to be the voicein the community who place. Yeah,
(10:37):
And when folks started disrespecting the localassembling, the local assemblers and the leaders
of the assembling, that's when theproblems begin. And we start infiltrating other
systems into our systems, trying tomake it work here, you know.
And so I saw it back inthe eighties, and and um, I've
(11:01):
been praying and being a pastor now, asking the Lord to lead me where
he needs me that I might bemost effective, to be the s and
the light to bring his colors andhis season to the earth. It has
to be something that takes pence absolutely, absolutely absolutely, and it has to
start with us. The church hasto go back to being the church.
(11:24):
Yes, ma'am. You know,we just we That's that's a whole nother
day of talking. If we startedout about that, Um, I want
to tell you though, we graduatedfrom the same high school. Yes,
I I went to Georgia as well, but you're you're some years younger than
(11:45):
me. Really, Yes, we'lltalk about that offline. Yes, who
was your principal? Then it wasmister Wallace Bill and he was my principal.
Okay. The sister principal was doctorBrown. She was my brother.
She was my sister too. Listenand when I doctor Brown didn't play and
she was. And that that's whereand that's why I feel that things shifted
(12:09):
because she was Now. The educatorsthen were almost our extended parents. They
were, they were, and thatthey would make they would make us because
my parents knew my my our administrators. Yes, and all Doctor Brown had
to say once you don't want meto call Linda and doctor Hopeing you don't
(12:33):
want that. I'm like, you'reright, you're right right. And then
that was miss Freedom Booker who wasthere. Yes, mister Everhart, Yes,
he was one of my teachers.Absolutely. Look here here was the
thing about doctor Brown. She wasa member of my church. So I
had to double with me. Ididn't play with her. We did not
(12:54):
play, yes with Katherine Brown.Yes, we did not play with her,
And she made it she made it. No, I'm the boss,
and you're going to respect what Isay. And oh we respected her,
yes, man, Yeah, werespected doctor Bill too. I mean were
respected all of our teachers during thattime. You know, I salute you
for going back into the school systemto give what you got although things were
(13:18):
just transitioning out of you know,the respect and the honor for the teachers,
you know, it's been an amazingshift. So we need to talk
about your music. You got anew song out if my people. You
were blessed to be with Sherry JonesMoffat and so talk about it. I
didn't I didn't even know you werea singing pastor. It's nothing like a
(13:41):
good singing pastor. Thank you man. So I started at George High in
the tenth grade with Miss Linda Crumblingas the teacher. Let me back up,
because elementary school was Miss Terry MiddleSchool, it was Miss Washing at
Crawford Loan, and then when Igot to high school, tenth grade was
(14:03):
when I really took the music.I was been singing all of my life.
The tenth grade when I got inthe curt but I took the music
seriously. And I decided because beinga football player, which is not gonna
be. It was just not.It wasn't in my deck of cars.
It just it just wasn't. Butof course, every every guy had to
go that route because everybody, everyguy, every guy had to do sports
right right, almost like, hey, that's it, that's what you do.
(14:26):
Realized that was not really me.So so his an interesting fact.
I was supposed to take over whenLuca van Dras died. Okay, that
was in my head, right,that was, And so the music career
for me began. Then I dida lot of singing at George High School.
I would do the car nation umMiss George at the time was Erica,
(14:48):
I think all of those, andso singing has always been a part.
Then I took piano under Miss Crumblingand I just extended went to the
governments on this program through the highschool that I was straight into college and
I did my music degree, andwhat my plan was was to go there,
get the degree and become a travelingperformer. You're again, in my
(15:09):
mind, I'm supposed to jump onthe scene when Luther vand when when Luther's
name and Ken began to be likea fade. Michael Strickland's name was supposed
to come on the scene, right, that was your plan. Polish fast
forward and my professor about to DavidJohnson says to me. He says,
Michael, listen, you're a greatsinger, but I've seen this before.
(15:31):
Why don't you get you an educationdegree just in case the singing and the
performance doesn't work and you can teach. You don't have all it together,
and you can just go that robber. Well, in hindsight, what I
did was I took the teaching positionbecause I graduated in July ninety one.
In August, I had a jobin that land of public school system back
(15:52):
with the same teachers that taught me, so they knew Michael. So I
got in the system and for thirtyyears twenty seven plus thirty years twenty seven
to thirty one years, I didthe teaching. The money was good,
everything was great there. And sowhen I when I when I went when
I went there, I just kindof stayed. But in my mind I
knew that I'm supposed to be asinger. I believe, and now I
(16:18):
know the Lord has called me todo global ministry. And so with that,
I left the district in May oflast year, my wife and I
got into agreement. We prayed,the Lord gave me, as my grandmother
call it them, may go.Yeah, And so I left the district.
And I had done that before twice, but I went back because I
(16:41):
was my faith wasn't as solid,and I understaid this, I threw away
my confidence in the promise of God, and so I had to get back
on track. And so my wifeand I got into agreement last May,
and so I came on board fourtime with this and I I'm so I'm
thinking about that Monday morning, howthankful I am to God that I am
(17:06):
in purpose now walking out the plan. It has something to do with me
being the next luthor back then.But it's a different sound now. And
so I've been singing all my lifeand I love it with all of my
heart. Yeah, And I'm aworshiper at heart, and any given Sunday
(17:27):
at Victory Tabernacle Church International, I'llstrike out and sing. I like a
variety of music, and the onethat I want to make certain young people
never forget are the hymns of theChurch, Lord Jesus. That's what they
don't I don't And to my daughter, my middle daughter is my worship lead,
(17:48):
and I keep trying to instill inher. Hey baby, she said
to me, it's a bunch ofwords. Yeah, but go back there.
You're telling a story right right right, and then and then there's a
shout the refrain that that that thatneeds to be a part of our Yes.
So I've been singing, I've beenbeen worshiping, and I'm grateful to
(18:12):
be where I am now. Allof those years i'm teaching, all of
those years of doing that I believehas prepared me and allowed me the opportunity
to be in the position that I'min there. That's amazing, amazing,
Bishop, amazing. If my people, now, are you working on a
full project? I know you've gotthe single out, so are you're working
(18:32):
on your project? Yes? Man, Um, I actually am working back
in the studio getting I'm sorry,getting ready to go back in the studio
with having conversations about that that Imight complete the full project against man,
I've got three other songs that I'mworking on. And it was interesting the
other day the question was asking me, so what other feature can we expect
next? You're gonna hear my voicea lot good as it should be,
(18:57):
Yes man, yes man, asit should be. Tell people where they
can get your music home. We'regonna pop in and listen to a little
bit of that music. But tellfolks where they can find you. I
know that you're traveling right now alittle bit on tour, So where can
they find your music? So allof my music is on all digital platforms.
You can go to Spotify, youcan go to Apple Music. All
(19:18):
the digital platforms will have the musicthere. And they can also go to
my website which is M eight I'msorry, www dot mmstripthon dot com and
as the song is there, we'llmake sure that they get a hard copy
D because, believe it or not, there are a lot of people who
still want to have the CD.Absolutely. Look when when I got when
(19:40):
I got my new card a coupleof years ago, I was like,
where am I SNA player? It'slike, oh, that's all we're gonna
do C. I was like,wait a minute, I got like a
million zds? Are you kidding me? And I like to travel listen to
the words. I got the Pavleexperience in my listen, so they have
a hard copy Dan. My socialmedia platform, our Facebook is Michael A.
(20:02):
Strickland. So it's Instagram Michael A. Strickland fifteen. And so they
can get they can find me thereon my website. They can get a
copy of the song. And alldigital platforms is there and if they would
dispike me to mail them one,they can make that request thing. We
can make that happen, all right, And now tell everybody where your church
is. So it's the Victory TabernacleChurch International, located at one eleven kelly
(20:26):
Town Road, mcdonnah, Georgia,three zero two five two. Well we
know that victory is in our phrase. I love it, I love it.
Thank you. Bishop Michael Strickland joinsus today. Thank you so much,
Bishop, and we look forward toyour great music. Thank you so
much for having me today. Ohmy god, such a joy to be
(20:47):
a guest on the show. Youcan email me at twin to black at
lovepg network dot org or good Newsat lopeg network dot org. Watch the
show via pg ntv on all yourdigital streaming apps. Visit us at pgntv
dot org. We'll see you nexttime for some good news. God bless you
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