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Gazza and Tate Buti in gospel show debate Afropop and traditional-fusion artist Tate Buti has defended his participation in an upcoming gospel show, as religious leaders and the public are debating the spiritual appropriateness of secular artists performing at gospel shows. This follows a promotional social media post about a show featuring artists such as GMP’s Gazza Shiimi, Tate Buti, songbird Tequila, and others who are not typically associated with gospel music. Also performing at the ‘Night of Worship’ show scheduled for 12 and 13 September at Nkurenkuru in the Kavango West region are gospel artists DNaff and Sovita Joshua. When the post circulated on social media last week, some users debated whether non-gospel musicians should perform on a church stage. The announcement, which promises a free-entry event featuring live performances and DJs, has led many social media users to question whether the gathering is meant for spiritual worship or pure entertainment. One commented: “Tate Buti? The one who sang ‘In Heaven There is No Beer?’, while another commented: “We hope Tate Buti will not remove his shirt while performing.” This is, however, not the first time Gazza has been criticised for performing at a gospel event. The kwaito star was invited to a gospel event hosted by New Jerusalem Ministries at Rundu in July. Some at the time argued his inclusion was a way to attract people to the event, while others questioned why a secular artist was performing at a church event. Several religious leaders say while churches are open to everyone, the stage requires strict spiritual boundaries. Victory Family Centre Southern Africa Regional Missions director bishop Danny Banda calls for “wisdom and discernment” when dealing with secular performers. He says the pulpit should be respected. “Welcoming someone into the church is different from giving them a platform to perform. Anyone given a platform during a church gathering should understand and respect the spiritual purpose of that platform,” Banda says. He says while Christians should never condemn or isolate secular artists, church leadership must safeguard what is communicated from the pulpit. “Our doors should be open to everyone, but our platforms must remain consistent with our convictions,” Banda says. Evangelical Lutheran Church in the Republic of Namibia reverend Maureen Dausas highlights scriptural guidelines on worship, holiness, and discernment, noting that the content and intent of the performance matter most. “The Bible does not forbid artists from performing in church. What matters is the content, spirit, and purpose of their music. If it glorifies God and edifies the church, it is welcome. “If it distracts, entertains for applause, or promotes ungodly values, it should be avoided,” Dausas explains. ‘WE ARE ALL GOD’S PEOPLE’ Following the criticism, some artists are saying the church is not in a position to judge anyone. Gazza dismisses the criticism, pointing to previous unfounded rumours about his career. “First they said I’m Illuminati, but now it seems it’s a problem to perform for God also,” Gazza said yesterday. Tate Buti yesterday echoed his sentiment, defending his right to share his “own faith through music”. “We are all God’s people. I have the most gospel songs in the country, why can I not perform?” the ‘Oteendela’ hitmaker asked.