You heard right. In August 5th, Hillsong released their 17th album "Hillsong Live: This Is Our God" and included on the DVD is a documentary that includes a fairly lengthy segment of Michael Guglielmucci talking about his cancer and worship music.
Of course, we know now that he never had cancer and was faking it to cover an addiction to porn that he's been dealing with for 16 years.
I'm a little behind on the stack of review material, and honestly, I'm so sick of these corporate worship event CDs that I toss them all into a pile and forget about them. But I found the DVD last night and watched the documentary "In Every Season" this morning.
I tried to find a video clip of Guglielmucci's segment on YouTube, and I'm still searching, but in the meantime I wanted you to hear his "story," in his own words. I transcribed 7 minutes of him speaking, at which time the story kind of moves to another artist; there maybe more later on the 20 minute video but honestly, I was so ready to barf I couldn't do any more.
I rarely get angry and I try hard to be fair, but as I listened to the blasphemy that spewed from his mouth during this video clip I was literally nauseated and could feel my blood boiling. I also had a million questions, starting with "What happens to all of those people in the audience, tears streaming down their faces and their hands held high? Was God there? Could God be there in the midst of such a lie? Could God anoint a bold-faced liar and manipulator?"
I'm sorry - forgive me for ranting like that. But when you read his words, knowing it was all a big lie, you may understand why it makes me so ... disgusted.
And just so you know, I have contacted the label to see if anyone wants to comment on the story. My heart just breaks for all of those people who were taken in by this fraud. And seeing him tell the story on video, I can understand how at least friends and music colleagues might have fallen for it. He's so convincing I think he believes it himself. (And again, where does someone who doesn't need it get an oxygen machine ...)
So here it is - about 7 mins of Michael Guglielmucci's own words:
"It was a pretty crazy day. I went to the hospital expecting to have some tests and got the news that I had cancer. And quite an aggressive form of cancer."I just went home. I knew I had to go home, I just had to get alone with God, I suppose. I walked into my studio at home and for some reason pressed record, which was a good thing, just set up a microphone. I just sat at a piano and began to worship. I didn't sit down to write the verses and then the chorus, like I just sang that song from start to finish. Like, I was crying and I sort of finished and I realized that God had given me an incredible gift and I knew that song was going to be my strength.
"When you hear you're gonna die or you know this is terminal, you get your affairs in order. There's not a lot you can do. What can I do to make this better? There's not much. I remember the night before my second [load?] of treatment. I put on this gospel medley about the blood, and there's this bunch of American artists, these different artists, that were singing about the blood of Jesus and the power in the blood of Jesus and healing in the blood of Jesus.
"And I remember sitting in my room and just beginning to worship. It's amazing that worship can lift you from where you are and take you to somewhere, it takes you to a higher place, you know, when you begin to magnify God and begin to worship God and choose what you magnify, you know. Because you could quite easily make the situation bigger than it actually is. But it's powerful when you can just get the name of Jesus and just lift God up, higher, bigger, stronger, cuz that's what he is. But when you begin to see him for that and you begin to worship him, it's amazing what you can get through. I put worship in the house all the time, and it was that, that I believe, that got me through. You know, worship every day. We'd wake up and put it on, when I'm going to sleep we'd put it on. There's not much else I could do but worship and I'm still here.
"Album recording week was a bit tough. I had a rough week, got some pretty negative results back and the doctors weren't gonna let me do it, and saying I had to use this oxygen machine because I wasn't getting enough oxygen and all sorts of things. But it was a tough week but I made a decision this was what I was going to do. I know that this was something God wanted us to do. It was gonna bless people. I came with a great expectancy as well that God was gonna do something amazing not only in my life but in the lives of other people.
"[Like I was side?] of the stage, about to come on to read the Scripture. I was in agony, like I was in agony I was in so much pain. So I got up and the moment I hit the, like walked onto the stairs it was literally like someone walked up behind me and put a jacket on me. I literally felt like someone had just put something on me. And it was, what I believe, God's anointing and enabling to do what I had to do. And I walked up there with my oxygen machine and Bible and got to the mic and proclaimed the promises of God out of Isaiah.
"It was amazing. I cannot explain what I was feeling. I was buzzing, it was such an anointing in that place. I remember looking over at Joel and smiling and he smiled back at me and I know he was feeling what I was feeling.
"At times it was hard to see cuz I was watching people with tears streaming down their faces, singing, and I knew that God was doing something and I knew that God was being faithful to what he promised, you know. That he was actually moving in people's lives at that moment, that he was using all of us as musicians. And I was watching and I know it's not just limited to what happened in that room that night, but the same thing can happen when people play the album, when they hear these moments and the songs and they hear God lifted and God glorified through this worship. That his power's gonna fill their car and their house and something's gonna take place. And to know that and to be standing there and worshipping, knowing all of that it's so hard, it's a moment I'll never forget."
RELATED POSTS
A musing, a confession, and the last word (this week) on Christian music
Planetshakers Michael Guglielmucci admits porn addiction, faking cancer
The commerce of church - where do we draw the line?
My interview with Paul Baloche busts the myth of the millionaire musician
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i dont know what to say,but i know what it means to be so much addicted to something,i have been a christian and i am still one worshiping and praising God,but i was so much addicted to masturbation act,trying even to justify my self saying its not a sin but after doing it i feel in my heart i have sinned against God and i feel like i just wanna die coz i gotta nothing important in this world,but i have been praying so much to God,for his help and i can see his hand,the time i feel i wanna do that,i find something else and i thank God,what i am trying to say is not to defend Michael,what i am saying and could be helpful is that in order to be healed is to name the type of the sickness u have,u dont go to the Doctor and tell him u suffer from malaria while you have TB,tho God knows us more but he wants us to confess our sins and we will be healed even his word says that,Michael yes,was shy maybe to speak it out,but the truth is,he can never be healed from that if he wont be free to say it,coz its only the truth which can set him free,nothing more.our intentions is what matters alot to God.be blessed and God's people lets be holy in each and everything we are doing,coz at the last day we will be judged in each and every deed we did in this world
I am a student, and I've been apart of Planetshaker's worship services, where they told Mike's story and played "Healer." I have never felt the presence of God so strongly in all my spiritual life and I believe that the people in that worship service who were deeply moved by Mike's story and song when he performed them himself felt God because He was, in fact, in that service. God is fair to his children, and He would never rob them of such an incredible time with Him just because the vessel He's using has a psychological illness. Mike is sick, that's the bottom line. But God still used him. He's allowed to do that; He's God you know. Stop blaming Mike for being used by God, even though he failed. God will pick him up and help him through this. In the meantime, flip your perspective and allow yourself to see God for what He is: SOVEREIGN.
WELL, I AM AN AFRICAN FROM MOZAMBIQUE AND I HEARD ABOUT THIS SONG HEALER/HILLSONG. ITS REALLY AMAZING THE WAY HE MANIPULATED EVERYONE ABOUT THE CANCE BUT I AM NOT HERE TO POINT MY FINGER ON HIM (MICHAEL).
I WOULD REALLY HATE THIS GUY IF HE WAS SINGING LIES ABOUT MY BELOVED, ASKING MYSELF ABOUT THE WORDS IN THE SONG MADE FEEL BOSTED IN GOD BECAUSE IN REALITY THATS WHAT HE IS EVEN IF THOSE WORDS ARE FROM THIS LIER, WENEVER YOU WANNA CALL HIM
IF YOU WOULD GIVE ME A SECOND, GO AND READ THE MESSAGE OF THIS SONG AND EMAIL ME ANY WORD THAT HE IS LYING ABOUT JESUS, PEOPLE WE KNOW WHAT TO FIGHT WITH/FOR AND MICHAEL IS NOT ONE OF THE THINGS. HE JUST NEEDS JESUS AS ME AND YOU NEED, I AM SURE JESUS GIVES HIM ONE MORE CHANCE ( TO MICHAEL), WHAT ABOUT YOU, CAN YOU GIVE HIM A CHANCE, ITS NOT TIME TO JUGE ANYONE BUT, NOW IS THE TIME TO HELP ONE ANOTHER TO RISE UP AND KEEP RUNING THIS RACE, THATS WHAT JESUS DID FOR US AND WE OWE HIM THE SAME FOR HIS LOST CHILDREN...
vovote Emilio
I don't think God's presence and his anointing should come into question even in these circumstances.
Even after all the lies and the acting it does not change the truth written in the bible.God even said as well that there are false prophets who will perform miracles in His name and the same round of interrogation goes ' Was God there? Why did he let them lead the people astray? '
The bible says know a person through the fruits that they bear...and maybe this is a sign that we have put too much emphasis on 'hit and run' testimonies, people that come and go instead of staying to share their lives and not just their stories.
I believe God is stil my healer regardless of what Guglielmucci says and does.Btw, his song is really inspiring when i remember God's faithfulness instead of people's faith.
I was so shocked the first time I heard the news. I never thought it would end this way.
I also feel like saying, "What happens to all of those people in the audience, tears streaming down their faces and their hands held high? Was God there? Could God be there in the midst of such a lie? Could God anoint a bold-faced liar and manipulator?".
Cz I think that God and sin is such a different thing, if you really serve God from your heart, you'd like to please Him, therefore you'd stay away from things He doesn't like : sin.
That's why I keep thinking how could Michael's deeds touched tons of youth, had them crying and looking for God.
People even relate to Mike, cz in his illness he still serve and stand for God.
When he said he felt guilty, he already knows that he's wrong. He's trying to compensate, but I think God don't want compensation, it means nothing if we still commit sin.
He wants us to be free from all temptation, to win over it.
I've been in Mike's place before, only I'm not faking anything or suffering from severe addiction. But yes, I feel pulled in 2 directions, to serve God or to follow my flesh's will.
Although I am disappointed to hear this, I think this better happen now. Now than later, now than never.
I believe that God still give His children chances.
I hope we'd still believe in God.. whatever happened.
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