Gospel Recording Artist Cheston Green Aims to Uplift, Encourage and Make a Difference

We all know that the power of encouraging music helps the world. Whether it's R&B or gospel, being motivated by an artist is powerful. For generations, gospel music has been the go-to genre for people who are seeking answers, guidance and much more.

Praise & Worship leader, recording artist, and songwriter Cheston Green aims to do just that, encourage others! Recently, we celebrated Gospel Music Heritage Month in September, so why not keep it going and feature a gospel artist who not only makes a change with his music to all but in the lives of several men with his organization #OhMyBrother. He is confidently outspoken, a mentor to youth and an overall encouraging guy.

You are a praise and worship leader, recording artist and songwriter. How do you use all these roles to make an impact on the lives of others?

Sound is vibrations that travel through the air or another medium and can be heard when they reach a person’s ear. It is also something used to convey a specified impression when heard. Whether I am singing about Jesus or my life, I use my voice to create a sound that uplifts, highlights, and magnifies God and touches the people. That sound is something that I can’t get away from. Even when I sing songs like A Change Gon Come or Can We Talk, people always hear that church sound or the sound of gospel music. I believe that all those roles present Jesus to others in various ways.

Tell me about the sanctuary you’ve created for men #OhMyBrother. How do feel this impact organization helps men?

I created #OhMyBrother ( #OMB) because the statistics of men having healthy friendships are despairing. I read an article that stated that men are more likely to commit suicide and it is linked to a lack of intimate male friendships. I watched men in church call each other brother but had no connection outside of what they did in the church and that was alarming. Social media and lifestyle shifts in the last 30-plus years appear to be very different. So, I called a few of my “brothers” who are my co-founders, Domenique Malone, James Powell, Chris Smith, and Michael Guess and it began.

#OMB is a sanctuary for Christian men to create lifelong bonds where they find real relationships that challenge their growth and Christian walk. We started with a private Facebook group and now we have quarterly meetings called 'SpeakEasy' where we catch up on life happenings, discuss current events and have conversations about empowering scriptures.

We have been in existence since April 3, 2019, via Facebook, but the first meet-up happened in June of 2019. Any brother that wants to join can search for us on Facebook at #OhMyBrother and request to join. #OhMyBrother shows other men of color that we are in church and making an everyday impact as men. We don’t have to be a pastor or a singer. We can be a deacon or an usher and still create spaces for evolution. This isn’t just for men of color! It’s for Christian men of various denominations. We hope that any brother who loves Jesus or wants to know about him and this brotherhood would come along for the journey.

How has the effect of gospel music inspired you to keep pushing even through the chaos?

I have been singing since I was four. I wasn’t that great. My cousins and I had a group and they only allowed me to sing a small adlib. However, after years of singing in the choir and leading praise and worship, I knew it was built for this. I pursued it because it was gospel music that saved my life. I got saved at a choir anniversary. Later in life, I battled depression and suicide ideations and it was the power of gospel music that made me want to keep living. For myself, it was what kept me going. I am an extrovert and there were weeks when I didn’t see people. There weren’t enough zooms and FaceTime calls to keep me from feeling overwhelmed with loneliness. When I began to pray and became more intentional about my time with God, I began to find peace. Knowingly, if I could just spend that time singing, praying, and meditating, I would find the inner stillness that the holy spirit brings in music to be able to fight another day.

Tell me the mission behind Single, Saved and Social and the meaning of this movement.

Single, Saved, and Social was created to help dispel the myths of singleness in the Christian community. Jennifer Trotter and I came together and began hosting live conversations in-person and on Facebook Live to discuss the challenges of singleness. While simultaneously providing support for those Christian singles who are trying to figure out dating.

Make sure to follow Cheston on Instagram.