VGMA Snub: We’re not called to receive awards – Bernice Offei tells gospel artistes

Gospel singer, Bernice Offei, has reiterated the popular biblical teaching that the rewards of those who serve God through Jesus Christ, including gospel musicians, are in heaven. 

She echoes this message in response to growing agitation within the gospel music industry as a result of what has been termed as a sideline of the industry. 

Since the beginning of 2019, some gospel crusaders have demanded that the organizers of the Vodafone Ghana Music Awards (VGMAs) honour a veteran gospel musician with the ‘Life Time Achievement’ award this year. 

They complain that no gospel musician has received that honour since the commencement of the awards scheme 20 years ago. 

Bernice Offei who was a guest on ‘This Is Gospel’ with Franky 5 on Hitz FM, advised gospel musicians to focus more on winning souls for Christ than expecting awards. 

“I think that we are not called so much to come and receive awards but to do what God has called us to do. And when you do it, at the right time God will give the reward. If you are looking for the reward, I tell you, it may never come,” she said. 

The ‘Life’ hitmaker stressed that servants of God who minister through music should be concerned about spending eternity with God because one can win the earthly awards and miss heaven. 

“I appreciate the fact that as human as we are, sometimes those things seem you have been cheated on something, it can be painful….That is not what is going to take you to heaven anyway. You can get the awards here and go to hell,” she cautioned. 

Bernice Offei grabbed the ‘Song Writer of the Year’ and ‘Best Female Vocal Performance’ awards with ‘Life’ at the 2009 Ghana Music Awards. 

She recently released two singles titled ‘Heaven Bound’ and ‘Your Will’. 

Source: Myjoyonline