Deitrick Haddon: Pastors 'Projecting Perfection' is a Problem for the Church
Gospel Singer Discusses New Album, Evangelism, and Reality Show 'Preachers of LA'
Gospel singer and pastor Deitrick Haddon chatted with The Christian Post about the release of his 12th studio album, R.E.D.: Restoring Everything Damaged, and its first single "Have Your Way."
Haddon also spoke on his message for the new album along with his new show "Preachers of LA," where his goal is to stop people from thinking that ministers are perfect people.
The Christian Post: Your newest single is "Have Your Way." Can you tell the readers about the meaning of the song?
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Deitrick Haddon: "Have Your Way" is a real song. [It's] birthed from a real place because I was in a place when I wrote the song that I needed direction from the Lord because I was lost. I'm a guy who is very sure of himself. I know the Lord. I've been preaching since I'm 11 years old, and singing and ministering music in my church since I'm 16. I've dedicated my entire life to winning souls.
Real life happened to me. I don't care how great you are, and how many scriptures you can quote, and how anointed you feel like you are, life will happen to us all ... I really needed help. A producer by the name of Tub Young sent me the song [and it] was very soulful. The drums at the beginning sounded like a heartbeat, and when I heard it the lyrics just began to flow.
"Can I be transparent for a minute / Some of those rumors that you heard I probably did it / I'm not a perfect man I admit it / But is covered by the blood I've been forgiven / When I think of things I've done, I shake my head if it wasn't for your mercy I'd be dead / God you sure know how to break a brother down / In my humility I'm saying now Lord just have your way"
I believe that believers go through real life situations where they don't even know where God is and they even question God on why he even allows them to go through those things. ... This song is going to be able to help people through those moments.
CP: How do you feel music is as an evangelism tool?
Haddon: I think music is one of God's greatest creations. ... It can reach people no matter where they go whether they are in the street doing drugs, whether they are in the strip club on the pole, whether they are at home or in the church. ... If you have the right melody, if you have the right lyric, it can speak to people right where they are. It's one of the greatest evangelism tools that can possibly be used.
I got a testimony of a young lady in Los Angeles who came up to me in tears. She said, 'I decided I was going to take my life because I went through something so devastating I didn't want to live. ... I was going to go to work, leave my letter there on the desk and just go home and slit my wrists ... I [didn't] feel like I can go any further.'
She was on her way to do it, and all of a sudden she said she turned to a secular mainstream radio station and she said my song came on. She knew it had to be God ... God began to speak to her and break that spirit of suicide off of her and she began to cry and had to pull over and repent. She said, 'I'm here to tell you that story.'
CP: What would you say to people who experience tragedy?
Haddon: Life happens to us all. Nobody is exempt from things whether it be a tornado or earthquake. ... Your faith has to exceed your understanding because some things won't make sense. [There] is nothing that takes place in our lives that has caught God by surprise. If God is allowing us to go through this, he already has made a way out.
What came to my mind is this story in the Bible where David was doing great. He built this city called Ziklag and he was moving forward as a young leader. He went off to do a work for the Lord ... took his men to fight. While he was gone everything he owned got taken away. The wives, the children, the cattle ... everything he had built was gone. But David didn't let the situation stop him. He got down on his knees and went before God and said 'God what shall I do?' When he surrendered to God ... God restored everything damaged in David's life.
I want to motivate those people out there to know that the God that allows you to go through it is the God that has the solution to get out of it.
CP: Sept. 3 is the release date. What comes next?
Haddon: We are going on an 8-city tour called the R.E.D. tour, and we are just going to touch all the people who support me. It'll give me the opportunity to look into the eyes of the all the people who have been supporting my music through the years. I'm excited about that.
CP: "Preachers of LA" is a new show you are working on. Can you tell the readers about it?
Haddon: I'm one of the producers of the show and I thought it was necessary for people to get an inside look on what it takes to be a man of the cloth. It's not easy. ... The problem we have in the church is we have been projecting perfection and allowing other people to put us on a pedestal when at the end of the day we are human just like them. I think people will go to church on Sunday and appreciate their pastor more because it's not easy to walk in such a high calling.
CP: Anything else to add?
Haddon: Follow me right now on Twitter @DeitrickHaddon, on Facebook, or on Instagram you can't miss me. Follow me so you can know me, and know my heart.
