Christ is 'The Lighthouse' For Don Gibson
Written by Karen Brewer
(Photo by Karen Brewer)
Don Gibson
And I thank God for the lighthouse,
I owe my life to Him,
For my Jesus is the lighthouse,
And from the rocks of sin
He has shown a light around me,
That I might clearly see,
If it wasn’t for the lighthouse,
Where would this ship be?
The lighthouse is a favorite theme for Don Gibson, who has served as Minister of Music at Rock Springs Baptist Church in Easley, South Carolina since 1998. Not only has he utilized the motif for his two albums, but lighthouses abound in his office.
Both of his albums are dedicated, first and foremost, to Christ, who, he told this writer, "is truly my Lighthouse."
The song "The Lighthouse", by Ronnie Hinson, is featured on Gibson’s first album of the same name. Other songs included are "Oh, What a Savior", written by Marvin P. Dalton; "It’s the King", written by Jeff Gibson; "When I Get Up To Heaven", written by James O. Harrel; "Sweet Beulah Land", written by Squire Parsons, Jr.; "We Shall Overcome", written by Jeff Ross; "It’s Still the Cross", written by Niles Borop, Mike Harland, Luke Garrett, and Buddy Mullins; "Only a Look", written by Anna Shepherd and Virginia Davis Marshall; "Midnight Cry", written by Chuck Day and Greg Day; and "The Unseen Hand", written by A.J. Sims. Background vocalists are Brent Cochran, George Cochran, Linda Colson, Joy Sims, Michelle Dowdy, Joann Greenway, and Ken Thomas.
His second album, Hold On, features the songs "Jesus Saves", written by Roger and Debbie Bennett, "Farther Along", written by J.R. Baxter., Jr. and W.B. Stevens, "I Just Call It Home", written by Paul Jackson, "There is a River", written by Max and David Sapp, "Hold On", written by Robbie Hiner, "Headin’ Home Medley", written by Marty Hamby, "When the Savior Reached Down His Hand for Me", written by G.E. Wright, "River of Mercy and Grace", written by Paul Jackson, "Come Home", written by Joe Diquattro, and "Champion of Love", written by Phil and Carolyn Cross. Background vocalists are Julie Caldwell, Brent Cochran, George Cochran, Michelle Dowdy, Joann Greenway, Mary Jones, Chris Orr, Joy Sims, and Ken Thomas.
The first album, Gibson told The Christian View, is his favorite, because it was his first. "I always wanted to do one and thought I’d never be able to," he said. Through the assistance of contributors who wished to remain anonymous, Gibson was able to produce both albums. "It was exciting to be able to do one," he said. "I would never have been able to do it on my own."
Gibson hopes to be able to use sales from the second album to produce a third, and has already chosen songs. "If I did another one, it would have a lighthouse motif, too," he said. "I’m partial to lighthouses."
For his second album, Hold On, Gibson used cover art by Danny Hahlbohm, a painting entitled I Am the Light, in which the arms of Jesus Christ stretch over a lighthouse and a stormy sea. "I saw the hands of Jesus, and knew I wanted to use that painting," he said. "The title was Hold On, and that’s what we need to hold onto.
"If the Lord allows me to be able to do another one, that would be great. It has been good to be able to carry with me when I go places to sing. People have told me that they appreciate the ministry of those songs. It’s not the singing. It’s the One we’re singing about that makes those songs powerful."
Gibson started singing as a high school freshman. "I had always sung a little at church, but ninth grade was when I joined the chorus and found my interest in music."
At the request of his Pastor at the time, he began leading music at the church in which he grew up, Mount Tabor Baptist Church in Central, South Carolina.
In college, first at Anderson College and then at Gardner-Webb, he got a little off track, he explained, returning to music after he had "tried everything else.
"I majored in five or six different things, trying to find out what I was supposed to be doing, but it always went back to leading music or being a part of a ministry. I had tried to find myself and know exactly what I was supposed to be doing. I probably ran from the Lord a little bit back then, trying to figure out what ‘Don’ wanted to do. I realized it’s not really what I need to do, but what He wanted me to do. My degree is in religious education with a partial degree in music. I use a lot of the concepts learned in religious education to grow choirs and lead people. The Lord has used that in my life to be a part of what He’s doing."
Gibson’s first ministry was at a church in North Carolina for nearly six years. Then, he spent a little over a year in music evangelism. "I was in Tennessee, singing," said Gibson, "and a Minister of Music asked me if I had thought about getting back into a full-time ministry at a church. I said I had." He noted that he and his wife, Myra, were expecting their second child at the time, and he had thought about settling down more. "I had 100 resumes printed up, and I sent him one. He sent it to his friend, who was a Pastor in Georgia, and the Lord led us to go that way. I had 99 of those resumes in my attic for years and finally threw them away."
After serving as Minister of Music in Georgia for about nine years, Gibson was contacted by a friend, who told him that Rock Springs was searching for a Minister of Music. "He said, ‘I’d like to tell them about you.’ I didn’t know a whole lot about the church, and I told him, ‘I’m not planning to go anywhere. Things are going well here. I hadn’t thought about leaving.’ He told someone here who told someone here who told someone else here — that type of thing. I did send my resume but had no idea what would come of it. One thing led to another. One weekend, I came by, just to say hello to the Pastor. He didn’t know I was coming. I just wanted to see the church. I had always liked to go to different churches to see how things were going with their ministries. I was able to talk to the Pastor, with a short meeting then. That led to contact, back and forth, some more. But when I first came to meet with the committee, I actually withdrew my name, thinking maybe that’s not what I needed to do. Probably three months later, Ed Gaines called me back. Three people had come up to him, saying, ‘Have you ever thought about calling back that Don Gibson?’ One of them was Jason Chastain, who is no longer with us. So Ed Gaines talked with the Pastor and called me. The timing wasn’t right the first time, but the timing was right the next time, and here we are. I’ve really enjoyed it here. It’s been fun and exciting."
Gibson and his wife have three children: Keri, Josh, and Kayla.
"It has been exciting," Gibson said of his ministry in music, begun in 1982. "It hasn’t seemed like that long. It has been a great ministry so far, and I look forward to many years to continue on."