We’re 7 Mile Road, a gospel singing group from Tulsa, OK. Kody DeWees sings the tenor part, Jim Barritt is our lead and Jack Spratt sings baritone for the group. We sang together as part of a southern gospel quartet for a number of years and in January ’08 we felt the need to establish our own ministry horizons and 7 Mile Road was born. In our former group we sang and ministered in a wide variety of churches and organizations mostly across Oklahoma and in our new configuration we wish to reach out to local churches, congregations, camp meetings and organizations not only in our home state, but regionally, in Arkansas, Texas, Missouri and Kansas and beyond.
Stylistically, we are southern gospel at the core, but nowadays many influences are changing the traditional southern gospel format and some the songs in our repertoire have fully orchestrated arrangements; others we’ve chosen to use in ministry have a country music flair. In the past few years contemporary Christian music (CCM) has influenced the sounds of gospel music and some of our music reflects that trend as well. We try to find a balance and blend that will appeal to those who prefer the old toe tappin’ style of classic gospel, but we also love the heartfelt message of the more contemporary writers. But at the core….at the heart of all we do…..is the message of Jesus Christ, His unshakable love for us, an understanding that we are all in need of a Savior and His desire to reach out to us wherever we are in our own personal journey. Which brings us to that unusual name…….
WHAT ABOUT THAT UNUSUAL NAME, 7 MILE ROAD
We are all on a journey, life’s journey; and sometimes life can be trying to say the least. Sometimes it seems…. it REALLY SEEMS….. like we are all alone!
There’s a story in Luke chapter 23 that we love and gives us great hope. Luke tells us about two fellows whose world had just been turned upside down. They had been followers of Jesus. They were undoubtedly ecstatic about the prospect of the NEW KINGDOM that Jesus had told them all about. I’m sure they could sense a new day dawning; a day without the vicious Romans ruling over them. A new kingdom was at hand, and this one would have a compassionate, wise and even divine king….Jesus! But then there was that midnight betrayal and a mockery of a trial, and the next day He was crucified. He was dead along with their dreams….and buried, sealed in a tomb. Their world was turned upside down. Their hopes were dashed and they were dejected. Even though some women claimed that he wasn’t in the tomb the next morning, they didn’t have the emotional strength to pursue all the possible reasons His body had disappeared. Dejected, they walked back to their hometown; to Emmaus. It was a short walk. It was just a 7 MILE ROAD from Jerusalem to Emmaus. And as they walked along, a stranger appeared to them and walked along with them. The stranger began to teach them, he encouraged them, he offered them hope……but they didn’t recognize him. Then Luke tells us that finally, when they broke bread together “their eyes were opened” and they recognized the stranger. It was Jesus. He was there with them! He was alive! He’d been with them all along their journey!
Friends…..we all walk our own personal "7 Mile Road” where we experience the all too familiar frustration, fear, isolation, loneliness and even downright pain of living. Sadly, like those two men on the Emmaus Road, we sometimes can’t see Him. We wonder if He’s there at all…..but He is. Often through our pain we can’t feel Him, but we believe…. that HE IS THERE no matter what road we walk.
That is the message of 7 Mile Road….we share it in our songs and in our testimony…….and now in our website.
7 Mile Road