Messianic Jewish singer and songwriter Sharon Wilbur is set to appear as one of the finalists on the popular US television singing show, American Idol. While the shows have yet to air, rumor holds Sharon is one of the final 20 contestants.
I can’t speak of Sharon without first mentioning her father: Sharon is the daughter of Messianic music pioneer Joel Chernoff, co-founder of one of the first Messianic music groups, Lamb, whose music comprises many of the praise & worship songs in modern Messianic Judaism. Whether heartfelt worship and lamentations like The Sacrifice Lamb, Yeshua HaMoshiach, or Yeshua, Hope of Israel, or joyful praise songs like Enter His Gates or The Ransomed, Lamb’s music has graced Messianic synagogues and congregations for nearly 3 decades. More recently, Joel became involved in humanitarian aide projects in Israel, and has founded the Joseph Project, which has distributed over $70 million of food and clothing to needy immigrants in Israel.
But Sharon is prominent figure in her own right, a music force with her own unique sound that praises God, another means through which God is working in the world.
She recently released her debut 5 song EP, You’re My Heart, in which she adds a fresh, youthful, vibrant sound to the Messianic genre.
Vocally, Sharon can belt it out with the best of them. Give a listen for yourself and you’ll see what I mean in this hit off her EP, “They Will Bow”:
Fine blog readers, please pray for Sharon. It’s a tough position to be in the public spotlight on a secular TV show, a position that easily can compromise one’s faith. Already around the web, some who hate the Lord are circulating various lies about her in attempt to smear her, not for her voice, mind you, but for her worldview and love of the Lord, which they despise.
In the end, I know Sharon will bring to God every bit of the glory through her music and singing – bless the Lord for that. God give her courage to stand strong through it all and return a blessing upon her and her family.
Sharon’s pretty active around the web: blogging regularly, is on Twitter, has a YouTube channel, and you can find her on MySpace and Facebook. You can hear more of her music at SharonWilbur.com.
American Idol premiers January 13th in the US, at 8 Eastern Time.
Looks like she married Paul Wilbur's son.
ReplyDeleteTodd
Yep, that's right, she married Paul's son Joel about a year or two ago.
ReplyDeletePaul Wilbur is a big name in Messianic circles too (known from the band "Israel's Hope" in the late 1980s), although he's now better known among Evangelicals. I believe he does praise & worship at a church in Florida these days.
So Sharon has some very musical people close to her. :-)
Yes he does! He calls my church home. look up nlcf.org, it's in Jacksonville and he usually has a L'Chaim service here every first Friday night. But he also travels and sings too as far as I know.
ReplyDeleteCool, Don, thanks for the info.
ReplyDelete