After alarming diagnosis, Akin better than ever

David Akin Ministry

David Akin and members of the ministry bearing his name lead in worship at a recent event.

FAYETTEVILLE — David Akin is celebrating 20 years of full-time music ministry this year. During these two decades of ministry David and his family, who are a vital part of his ministry, have seen thousands of souls saved and countless other decisions for Christ.

The Akins recently ministered at Lakeside Baptist Church in Milledgeville Sunday morning through Wednesday evening. Lillian Tanner of Lakeside Church characterized the Akins’ ministry as vibrant, sincere, talented, and loving. “The Akins have been here four years in a row,” she remarked. “Our people love them. Their music reaches every age group and David’s messages are great. He uses a vernacular in his preaching that people can understand.”

David trusted in Christ as his Savior at age seven, loved the church, and developed a love for gospel music. When he became a young adult he traveled with local gospel groups on weekends. He was frequently called upon to provide instrumental music for some of the local television shows.

“It was at one of those television productions that I met The Rex Nelon Singers, a Southern gospel group out of Marietta. As a result of developing that relationship I became their lead guitarist,” Akin reported.

Shortly thereafter, David met Lagene Pike, the girl he describes as the “love of his life.” Two years later they were married at Bethel Baptist Church in Jonesboro. The newlyweds began to pray for God’s direction for their lives and joined Harp’s Crossing Baptist Church in Fayetteville where David began to lead worship every Wednesday night.

Going full time

“One Wednesday night in 1988 in the middle of our praise and worship time God spoke to my spirit and told me that it was time for me to start a full-time music ministry,” Akin recalls. “I didn’t know exactly how it would all come together, but I said, ‘Yes’ anyway.”

Though the path the Akins have taken has been in the will of God, it has not been easy and certainly been fraught with challenges. The financial challenges of a faith-based ministry are always significant.

David Akin Ministry

David Akin leads in worship at a recent event. Akin and his wife, Lagene, are members at Harp’s Crossing Baptist Church in Fayetteville but often are on the road traveling to other churches for performances.

David and his wife, Lagene, have three grown sons: Davey, 26; Nick, 23; and Eli, 21. The entire family is involved in the David Akin Ministry. Lagene operates the office and travels with the family as much as time permits. The two older sons are married and their wives travel with the family whenever possible, participating by singing and sharing their testimonies. Eli will be married on May 31 and so very soon the David Akin Ministry will be supporting four families.

Generating an income sufficient for each family is a formidable challenge, but David Akin is a man of great faith. “We try to always remember where our help really comes from. There have been times when we didn’t have enough bookings and other times when we had bookings but small love offerings. Somehow, God always seems to miraculously bring us through every challenge we’ve ever had to face. Now as our budget grows larger than ever before we continue trusting Him to take care of our needs,” he remarked.

The physical challenges of being on the road and singing and preaching eventually take their toll. Consequently, several years ago Akin began to lose his voice. A visit to the doctor’s office produced an alarming diagnosis – a cyst on a vocal chord that would have to be surgically removed. The physician even expressed concern that there was a chance Akin’s voice could be impaired and that he might not be able to sing again.

The doctor looked at Akin and stated, “You are going to need a miracle.”

With an unusual sense of peace he replied, “I serve a God of miracles.”

The post-surgery directives were complete silence for three months and then vocal therapy for three to four months. In essence, Akin could not be engaged in any kind of ministry for seven months.

“I was pretty shaken over the doctor’s report, because I knew we had bills to pay,” he commented, “but deep down in my heart God continued to give me peace and seemed to be saying, ‘Everything is going to be all right.’”

Prior to the surgery David used the Akin Ministry newsletter to request prayer for his voice and for God’s provision for the family’s financial needs. The surgery appeared to be successful, but the proof of the operation’s success would not be known until the season of rest and therapy had been completed.

“When I arrived back home after the surgery I sat in my chair in the living room and Lagene brought me the mail,” David explained. “It completely filled my lap. I began to open the letters and could not believe my eyes. For the next seven months I read letter after letter coming from all over the country assuring us of their prayers and explaining how their lives had been changed as a result of our ministry.

“In almost every letter there would be $25, $50, $100. I felt like George Bailey in ‘It’s a Wonderful Life.’ I still have two grocery bags full of all those letters so that when life seems impossible and I don’t know how we will make it through another valley, I will remember how God provided.”

Today David’s voice is better than ever; and he insists, “The goal of The Akin Ministry is to bring all generations together by providing a variety of music that reaches all ages. Trying to reach the whole family musically today is a challenge. We are constantly searching for music that will reach our younger generation, but will also be appealing to our older generation.

“The psalmists tells us in Psalm 100 to come before His presence with singing. We believe Spirit-filled music can lead a person to the brink of salvation so that the message can show them how to be saved. In other words, we want our music to lift His name so that He can draw all men and women to Himself according to John 12:32.”

Dennis Watson, pastor of the Akin family at Harp’s Crossing, commented, “David and his whole family have been faithful to the Lord and His church. They are all extremely talented and fulfill their ministry with devotion and enthusiasm. When they are not on the road serving the Lord they are serving Him here in our church. I wholeheartedly commend their ministry.”