On The Michael Tait Newsboys Scandal

The next God’s Not Dead movie will need a new ending as Michael Tait’s departure and the subsequent publicity hit from the allegations against the former frontman threaten to undo a band that’s been a staple of Contemporary Christian Music (CCM) for decades. This has hardly been the first lineup change for Newsboys, who operate more akin to a franchise basketball team than a traditional band, but it could be their last.

Michael Tait’s surprise departure from the band played a large role in killing the band’s upcoming tour, but behind the scenes, the people involved seem to have known what was coming. Faith Line canceled the Canadian tour, acting on, in part, what they knew was coming.

This is not a decision we made lightly or without heartache. It comes after prayer, wise counsel, planning, financial sacrifice, and an unwavering desire to see lives transformed through worship and community. We invested not just resources, but our hearts-believing this tour could be a powerful move of God across our nation.

While the initial excitement around the tour was strong-both from the general public and across Canada-the growing “lack of interest” and mounting questions came as a direct result of Michael Tait’s unexpected departure, which we were not informed of in advance. Since that time, additional information regarding the nature of his exit has surfaced. This information has come from sources we consider credible and trustworthy, and while we will not speculate publicly, we can say with confidence that what has come to light has raised serious concerns for us as a faith-based organization.

The handling of the transition lacked clarity and transparency, leaving both our team and the public in a difficult position.

Furthermore, we were instructed not to address any questions regarding the lineup change-an approach we do not believe served the best interest of our guests or partners. The resulting confusion led to widespread speculation, and as more information came forward behind the scenes, our conviction to step away only grew stronger.

We have spent months in prayer, seeking discernment and godly counsel to determine the right course of action. And while this has been one of the most difficult decisions we’ve had to make, we believe it is one that reflects our deep commitment to walk in truth, humility, and obedience. We move forward not out of fear, but out of faith-anchored in the values we stand for as a ministry.

Despite these significant shifts, expectations around pricing, promotion, and production remained unchanged. We strongly advocated for adjustments that reflected the new reality-but with a new lead singer, no updated content (songs, videos, or public engagement tools), and virtually no support to reintroduce the band, we were left to carry a disproportionate burden. We were forced to quadruple our marketing efforts just to try to bridge the gap, but it quickly became clear: the public didn’t know this new lineup, and the artist they had expected to see was no longer present. While the new vocalist is undoubtedly talented, this was not the individual audiences had connected with over the years-and to assume the same draw and momentum without building that trust was unrealistic. Unfortunately, our efforts to address this respectfully and collaboratively were not met in the spirit we had hoped for.

So what was coming? Allegations of sexual assault have surfaced against Tait. Additionally, he was accused of being a homosexual by a gay activist back in February. Evidently, the allegations of sexual assault are homosexual in nature.

It was reported that Tait had engaged in non-consensual sexual activity with three different men in 2004, 2010, and 2014, respectively. All three men were in their twenties at the time of the actions and feared they would be blacklisted in the Christian music industry if they revealed the incidents. So while the words grooming and predator are being thrown around, the actual substance of the allegations is sexual assault and sodomy.

Newsboys put out a statement this week:

Last night our hearts were shattered when we read the news alleging drug abuse and inappropriate sexual actions by our former lead singer, Michael Tait. While Michael has not addressed these allegations, we are devastated even by the implications.

First and foremost, our hearts are with the victims who have bravely shared their stories. If you are a victim, we urge you to come forward. We absolutely do not condone any form of sexual assault.

The four of us are husbands and fathers. Between the four of us, we have fourteen children. Our wives and children have made many sacrifices while we have dedicated our lives to playing music together that glorifies God. We are horrified, heartbroken, and angry at this report and in many ways, we feel as if we and our families have been deceived for the last fifteen years.

When he left the band in January, Michael confessed to us and our management that he “had been living a double-life” but we never imagined that it could be this bad.

Jeff, Jody, Duncan, and Adam

The band claims that they did not know of Tait’s behavior, but it’s not as though Tait was married and had kids. Hard to believe that a frontman would find no interested ladies.

Protestia claims in their reporting that multiple bands refuse to tour with Newsboys because Tait’s buggery is an open secret. They tend to have insights into CCM that are worth deferring to, as CCM is not my particular interest. Nevertheless, I find it less than believable that the allegations that Michael Tait is a homosexual are a complete shock to the band members.