Shannon Bunch - XM Radio

“Surprise, surprise, surprise” was what one could hear character, Gomer Pyle say on The Andy Griffith Show. It would normally be a surprise event happening to the Mayberry gang that couldn’t help but bring a smile to your face.
Back in my growing up days, listening to the radio, (which by the way had to be an AM Station) was the way one would stay informed and up-to-date on all the local happenings. Today, the options for music, news and entertainment still include the radio, but you also have to add satellite radio to the mix. Here’s what brought a great big “surprise, surprise, surprise” smile to my face…
I was traveling down the road and I’d switched my XM Radio over from the Bluegrass Channel to Channel 34-Enlightened so I could take in some southern gospel music. To the great surprise of my listening ears, I hear the introduction for Shannon Bunch from Barbourville, Kentucky, and his new hit, “Lord, I Thank You for the Valley”!
Now, I’ve been a fan of Shannon Bunch and his music ministry since I first heard him sing and play the piano many years ago. He has used his musical talents to be a part of my pastoral ministry in various congregations for many years. In the fall of 2002, I had the pleasure to serve as the Master of Ceremonies for Shannon Bunch Ministries’ LIVE project, “Joy in the House”, which Shannon recorded in Corbin, Kentucky. While I knew that Shannon and his wife, Melissa were pursuing his calling in the music ministry and living in Nashville, Tennessee, I just wasn’t ready for the smile of excitement that hit my face when I heard him singing his song on XM Radio.
There are those moments in life when you notice someone’s accomplishments and you say to yourself, “They’ve come a long way!” or “What about that!” and those thoughts were certainly flooding my mind at the moment I first heard his song on the radio. My excitement for Shannon Bunch and his ministry in achieving this type of success brings a big smile to my face even as I am preparing this column for publication. His hit solo, “Lord, I Thank You for the Valley”, is a Top 40 Southern Gospel Music hit in America. That is something that should bring lots of smiles, overflowing joy, and accolades of encouragement for him to continue to press toward that mark of God’s calling in his life.
Shannon has personally touched my life through his music and the sharing of his personal testimony about God’s grace and strength. One of the greatest calling cards of the ministry Shannon provides is honesty about where he has been, and that has served as the inspiration for his current hit. He has previously recorded 7 albums that have included other hits like: “Take me There”, “Chains Fell Away”, “It All Starts with a Song”, “The Harvest is Ripe”, “One Day My Day Will Come” and my personal favorite which is “You can leave here with Jesus”.
You can find Shannon performing at the National Quartet Convention every year in Louisville, and if you listen to The Gospel Greats with Paul Heil, just keep your ears tuned because his music is featured on that radio show regularly.
Witnessing the professional success of people you know personally is rewarding, and I certainly felt that in hearing Shannon’s song played on XM Radio. As good as it felt listening to him sing on the radio, my greatest pleasure has been witnessing Shannon’s spiritual growth and seeing God use an able and willing vessel for His honor and glory.
Shannon would say there are others that do a better job, and there may be. I would say that we might all be able to come up with names of people that have great talents and skills, but what can we say they are doing with those gifts from the Lord? My testimony today is not about those that God could use, my testimony today is about the witness of one that I am seeing God use. Shannon Bunch, who grew up right here among us, and is now traveling the world pursing his passion for music in service to the Lord Jesus Christ.
Not sure what makes you smile or gives you a “surprise, surprise, surprise” moment as you travel down life’s highway, but for me, Shannon Bunch did it through XM Radio. That’s a long way from AM Radio.

Until then