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A prominent voice in Canada’s Christian music industry is calling for deeper accountability among believers, particularly those entrusted with a public platform.
Jaylene Johnson, an award-winning worship artist, chair of the Juno Awards' Music Advisory Committee for the Contemporary Christian/Gospel Album of the Year, and co-producer of the Covenant Awards, has spent years mentoring emerging Canadian artists.
Although she declined to comment specifically on the recent scandal involving singer Michael Tait, Johnson says the situation underscores the urgent need for accountability and support for artists within the Christian music industry.
“My initial feeling is heartbreak,” Johnson says. “When a scandal hits the community, how we respond as believers is as important as what happened. God is about people, community, and relationships. That’s the creation story all the way through to the redemption story, and ultimately spending eternity with Him. How we conduct ourselves amongst ourselves is, I believe, very important to Him.”
Johnson encourages those within the industry to reflect personally rather than focusing on gossip or controversy.
“As I've been wrestling with my own response to things, the first thing is, looking inward at my own secrets or turning a blind eye,” Johnson says. “How often am I praying for someone over talking about a situation? It can turn into gossip very quickly. Maybe it's the world of social media, but we all have an opinion and feel very free to share it.”
She emphasizes the importance of each individual’s responsibility in maintaining integrity and appropriate conduct.
“Are we having conversations that are pleasing to God? For those of us that love Jesus and follow Jesus, if we are all looking to do that, that's a first step.”
Accountability in positions of influence
Johnson says artists, preachers, and others in Christian leadership positions must examine their motives and the way they handle their influence.
“When you're a Christian artist and you have this ability to move people with your emotions, and I suppose one could say the same about preachers—like people who are influential because you draw crowds — people feel something when you speak or sing; that is an extremely powerful thing. It's about posture. That we ourselves have before the Lord and before one another.”
She believes humility is critical whenever a person steps onto a public platform.
“Every single time we get behind a microphone, we're getting up behind a microphone as flawed people. As soon as we get into this mindset to say, 'I'm good to go,' then that's the dangerous spot, isn't it?”
Advice for young artists
Johnson encourages young artists to build genuine support systems that provide spiritual guidance and accountability.
“I would say, first of all, make sure you have people in your immediate life that are prayer support for you, and who can, in the context of a loving relationship, can say, 'Hey, I'm curious about this.' People who will challenge us, and from whom we will receive those kinds of challenges.”
Reflecting on her own career as a worship artist, Johnson says she wishes she had received stronger support when she first entered the music industry.
“While it's a wonderful thing, it can be a dangerous thing too, because of the influence you end up having. Also, the influence it can have on you. We tend to put a mysticism around being a Christian artist. It might do us better to separate the fact that we're running businesses and the fact that we are believers. To not conflate the two in a way that's damaging.”
Johnson also notes that scandals in the industry affect not only the individuals involved but also their families, bandmates, and entire teams whose livelihoods depend on their work.
“It goes both ways. We should conduct our business with integrity. However, I remember playing at a Christian music festival, where after the festival, they were going up to artists and saying, 'Sorry, we can't pay you,' after they played. Because we're believers, I guess we're okay with that. It's blurred lines, and I can't even say what all those blurred lines are.”
Ultimately, Johnson believes character and integrity must be foundational.
“It's about the posturing of our heart and that we conduct ourselves soberly. That each of us conduct ourselves soberly and humbly before God and before one another. That's the foundation, and it's essential to build anything that has integrity.”