The band’s manager, Colin McGregor, took an interest in their efforts and helped in arranging contacts for them. After sixteen years of marriage, Colin and his wife had one child, six-year-old Andrew. While riding his bicycle one day, the boy fell and hit his head on the pavement, resulting in his death hours later. In the painful days that followed, local Christians visited Andrew’s parents. Comforted by their kindness and prayers, the McGregor’s gave their lives to Christ.

The band members were told of this decision and noticed an unusual peace in their manager’s life. Kevin wondered what power could bring such strength in the midst of such devastating loss. He asked to meet with the pastor who had helped Colin and through subsequent conversations made his own decision for Christ.

“I was driving home, and I knew that it was time for me to step out and do something,” he said. “I just prayed in my car. And that was the day that I can say I was actually born again; it was the start of my life in Christ.”

In the following months Kevin laid his personal ambitions aside. He had been absorbed in his musical pursuits, but now wanted to find the Lord’s vision for his life. He began to concentrate on Bible study. As he gained understanding, God’s plan for music ministry stirred in the songwriter and he began to pen lyrics again, now with Christian messages.

Knowing little about the music industry, Kevin sent a simple song entitled “Jesus is the King” to a Christian music publisher. He was initially disappointed when told they produced only classical Christian music. They had, however, taken the liberty of sending the song to another publisher called Musical Gospel Outreach (MGO). Unknown to Kevin, MGO was arranging the music for an upcoming Billy Graham event entitled Spre-e 73, which would be held at London’s Earls Court, a popular concert venue.

When he received a letter from MGO stating they liked his song and wanted to consider it as a finalist in their choice for the upcoming crusade’s theme song, Kevin was thrilled at the unexpected opportunity. He was even more surprised when they called again and asked if he would perform the song himself at the event. Knowing little about the arena into which he was stepping, he agreed.

“I was completely out of my depth,” he said. The Welsh valley boy prepared to make his musical debut before 22,000 people.

Spre-e 73 left an indelible impression on Kevin. The remembrance of his initial entry into the public arena is of being overwhelmed by the vastness of the experience. He recalled the youthful crowds, the atmosphere of beautiful fellowship, the street witnessing. Opportunities to meet musicians such as Cliff Richard and Graham Kendrick and to see and hear Billy Graham in a personal setting made the memories rich.

“It was a wonderful time, really,” he recalled, “and I look back on it with great affection and gratitude that I was there. There were people considerably more talented than I was who could have been doing what I was doing, but the Lord opened a door for me. I’m grateful, because it started me in ministry.

“My overriding memory,” he continued, “apart from the hugeness of it all and the great, great, atmosphere and the fellowship, still has to be listening to Billy Graham.”

This launch into full-time music ministry led to a career that continued for the next seven years. “Jesus is the King” was produced as a single by Polydor Records, and his first album, Let’s Join Together, was created by producer John Pantry with Key Records. And so began God’s clear direction for writing and recording, publishing and performing Christian music.

Kevin is featured on the cover of Buzz magazine in the UK in 1973

There was a lot of hype over this fresh young name in the music world. Buzz Magazine, which covered contemporary Christian music news, exhorted their readers to buy the single in an effort to put Kevin Gould on Britain’s music pop charts (which proved unsuccessful).

He enjoyed the excitement at the time, but looking back is grateful he wasn’t pushed into the limelight of secular music. His career would have taken on a different shape if he had consented to being molded by the leading musical publisher of the day. Following the Billy Graham event Kevin was asked by Polydor Records to produce a secular album, but rejected the offer. Standing at a musical crossroads, he turned his face toward Christian ministry with a definite assurance of God’s leading for his life.

He entered a period of traveling and singing, which he enjoyed tremendously. He arranged a concert package of songs and stories, and his gift of communication emerged.

“I could communicate, or I learned to, and that was always my strength,” he said, when asked about the development of his ministry.

Though he loved the work of a traveling musician, Kevin felt his giftedness to sing and play guitar were secondary to his ability to communicate. Still, music was his avenue of expression during the early years and he produced two more albums: True Stories by Word Records and Clear Vision on the Grapevine label.

In 1977, the Gould family relocated to Los Angeles at the invitation of Barry McGuire (“Eve of Destruction,” 1965) with whom they had become friends. They headquartered in California for a year and toured the United States while Kevin sang and ministered. This was a particularly memorable year for him as he recalls driving the byroads of America with his wife and four-year-old daughter, Helen, enjoying their time together and meeting new friends across the country.

One outcome of the family’s travels was a connection with Cleddie Keith, a pastor in Waco, Texas. At his invitation, the Goulds relocated to Waco and became involved with his church there. Kevin continued on the road, giving concerts to groups large and small. With the addition of a new son to his family he began to travel on his own. Although the two years in Texas proved to be challenging, it was part of the growth and preparation for future service.

Memorable friendships came about during the music years through opportunities to work with musicians such as Malcolm and Alwyn, members of the 1970s Jesus band The Advocates and Larry Norman. Concerts were shared with Nancy Honeytree and Chuck Girard while in the States. Many of these friendships have been maintained over the years, particularly with Barry Bynum, formerly of the Northern Ireland-based band Liberation Suite and with Barry McGuire.

Another chapter of life began to unfold in 1980 as Kevin sensed his time in America was coming to a close. Though not knowing which direction his work would take him, he was certain it was time for a return to Great Britain. He moved his family to Yorkshire, England, and it was there that the way opened into a new form of ministry.

The Goulds settled in Rotherham. In nearby Sheffield they attended a church under the leadership of Paul Mercy, the pastor who had led Kevin to Christ years before. Though continuing to do concerts, at the request of his pastor Kevin reduced his traveling in order to serve as associate pastor. His abilities in teaching and preaching developed, and this marked the next turning point as God opened a new avenue to him for communication of the Gospel.

When the Sheffield church started a work in neighboring Stocksbridge, Kevin was asked to pastor the fledgling congregation. He accepted. The new church grew rapidly, which confirmed this direction for his life. His love for studying God’s Word intensified and became his primary focus. He still continued to do occasional concerts and also self-produced an album entitled Fine Linen during his early pastoral years.

Full-time church leadership was the focus of the next nine years after which another ministry change came into view. During the years of traveling and singing, Kevin had developed a relationship with Clover Pass Community Church in Ketchikan, Alaska. He performed his first concert there in 1978. After entering the pastorate he maintained ties with the church, even exchanging pulpits with their pastor, Arne Halvarson, during the summer of 1984. By 1989 the Ketchikan church was without a pastor and Kevin spent several weeks with the congregation, filling in temporarily. During that time he was asked to consider taking the pastorate at Clover Pass.

Though heavily involved at his church in Stocksbridge at the time, he remained open to considering the request. One year later he was again approached, and receiving what he felt to be very specific confirmation from the Lord, accepted the position of senior pastor there.

A sixties church social

His family relocated to Ketchikan in 1991, where they live today. Kevin has ministered as senior pastor at Clover Pass for 16 years and has watched many young people grow into their own ministry under his leadership. When asked about highlights of his years in Alaska, he spoke of the development of various works over the years: a young family who became missionaries in Mexico and have recently completed their first church building; evangelism and service to the cruise ship crew members who come through the city of Ketchikan each summer; five new churches that have been planted on nearby Prince of Wales Island.

“When you’re going through it, it doesn’t feel like sometimes an awful lot’s been accomplished,” said Kevin. “But you look back and see all that’s happened as a result of God’s putting me here… and you realize the Lord was at work all along.”

Music will always be a part of this minister’s life to some degree. Having several capable singers and musicians in the church, including his son, David, he developed a band which performs occasionally and with which he has toured minimally. In 1997 he drew on his Celtic roots and collaborated with friend Barry Bynum to produce The Wind and the Flame. In the fall of 2006 he recorded the first tracks of yet another album, A Wineskin in the Smoke, which is scheduled for release later this year.

Kevin singing during a concert at Calvary Chapel Costa Mesa in 1978

What does the future look like for Kevin Gould? He believes he has found his niche in preaching and teaching, in the communication of God’s Word. In addition to speaking, he would like to try his hand at writing in days to come with what he hopes are some fairly original ideas for written expression of the Gospel. He intends to put some thoughts on paper during a sabbatical this spring.

Looking back on developments in his life’s work, God’s purposefulness in arranging details is clear. Considering the circumstances surrounding the Billy Graham event in 1973, Kevin noted the deliberate way in which God had led him.

“It was like one of those strange happenstances, you know, like when Ruth was gleaning in the fields. She just ‘happened’ to be in the field of Boaz, and my song just ‘happened’ to arrive at MGO and it ‘happened’ to be the kind of song they were looking for. So there were a lot of happenings going on.”

Taking ordinary steps as he sought to follow the leading of God, Kevin found himself in the midst of God’s will for his life. Undoubtedly, the future will reveal evidence of the Lord’s continued direction and purpose, as has the past.

Sermons by Kevin Gould can be heard at SermonAudio.com:
http://www.sermonaudio.com/source_detail.asp?sourceid=finelinen

To purchase recent albums by Kevin Gould, contact:
cpcc@kpunet.net

Rebecca English is a teacher of third and fourth grade students at Clover Pass Christian School in Ketchikan, Alaska, where she has worked for nearly ten years. She has spent more than twenty-three years in Alaska where she enjoys beautiful scenery and a tranquil lifestyle. Her interests include reading, particularly in the areas of Christian biography and church history, scenic photography, and singing in her church.