Joe Cheesman “When The Mic is Off…”
When The Mic Is Off and the Heart Is Still On Display
The greatest single cause of atheism in the world today is Christians who acknowledge Jesus with their lips, then walk out the door and deny Him by their lifestyle. That is what an unbelieving world simply finds unbelievable.” –DC Talk, What If I Stumble?
As the biggest sinner in the room, this quote has always convicted me… especially as someone who tries to live out his faith on-air every day. What I say matters. But how I live? That matters even more.
And now, here we are…with one of the voices behind that very quote, Michael Tait of DC Talk and the Newsboys, confessing to years of sexual sin and substance abuse. These aren’t allegations; they’re admissions. A painful, public truth about what was happening offstage while the spotlight shined bright.
Although it’s heartbreaking and disturbing, this moment invites all of us not to judge, but to reflect on our own lives. Jesus once spoke words not meant to shame, but to wake us up. In Matthew 7:21–23, He said:
“Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name and in your name drive out demons and, in your name, perform many miracles?’ Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!’”
Let that sink in. This isn’t about unbelievers… it’s about those who used His name, claimed His mission, maybe even stood on His stage … but never surrendered their hearts.
These aren’t words of condemnation… they’re a call to closeness. Jesus isn’t trying to push us away; He’s inviting us to come nearer. To be known by Him—not just in what we say or do publicly, but in the quiet, honest parts of our lives.
Tait’s confession isn’t just a headline…it’s a heart-check. For all of us. Especially those of us with a microphone, a platform, or influence in ministry.
Because what if the scariest thing isn’t stumbling?
What if it’s pretending that we haven’t?
Jesus also asked this piercing question in Matthew 16:26:
“What good will it be for someone to gain the whole world, yet forfeit their soul? Or what can anyone give in exchange for their soul?”
It’s easy to chase the attention and applause that can come with the successes of our job… but if it pulls us away from walking closely with Jesus, God says even our best efforts of righteousness are like filthy rags (Isaiah 64:6). They may impress the world, but to Him, they’re meaningless and offensive.
This isn’t about canceling someone. It’s about awakening the Church. It’s about making sure we don’t just know the lyrics but know the Lord. It’s about choosing confession now, rather than collapse later.
I’m not here to point fingers. I’m here to join you on my knees.
Asking God to search me. To purify me. To help me live a life that aligns with the message I proclaim.
Because the mic turns off. The show ends. The lights fade.
But the truth? The truth remains.
And it’s not just what I say about Jesus.
It’s whether I actually follow Him.
Joe Cheesman is the Midday Host at The River (WCVO) in Columbus, Ohio.
With over a decade of radio experience, Joe has worked across a variety of formats in markets such as Sioux Falls, Fargo, Orlando, Kansas City, and Columbus. Since 2016, he has focused primarily on Christian radio.
Contact Joe at joecheesman@yahoo.com
Anyone in the business more than a decade knows the corruption. It’s not new. It didn’t sneak in. It walked through the front door when the Christian labels were sold off.
The witness went bad in the boardrooms. Money led. Executives replaced pastors. Marketing replaced ministry. The machine kept rolling.
This isn’t about one artist. It’s a system built to look holy and stay profitable.
The bad witness starts in Nashville. We looked the other way.
Stop calling it legalism when someone calls out sin. Stop hiding behind “plank in your own eye.” That verse warns against hypocrisy. It doesn’t silence truth.
Fake repentance and double lives need exposure. Obedience requires it.
Wolves lead worship. The silence protects them. There’s a lot more artists than just the Tate collaborations that need to be removed from rotations. Many in the top 20, we won’t go near on Q90fm. Still well funded since 1994. It “cost us” our reporting status back in the days of BDS in 2020. We haven’t missed a beat.
“Many in the top 20, we won’t go near on Q90fm” — I’d love to know who…and why. If “silence protects them” maybe it’s best to bring your evidence to these “many” based on the Matthew 18 principles? It’s easy to leave a comment on a blog post. Might be time to take another step if “wolves are leading worship”.
It might be helpful to know that there are currently only two Christian music label groups owned by mainstream major labels. The people who run those Christian music labels are good people who love Jesus and want to make a difference.
Josh, I’ve had discussions with promoters and radio trackers with and other radio stations since I took the PD role in 2015, and I get the “well we’re not that judgmental” or “we hear you but…” or something similar. Eventually a couple of the label heads decided to get us kicked off the BDS panel. Which was a relief, because I had grown extremely weary playing the Nashville game. I haven’t been silent, most stopped listening.