“I’ve had the privilege of working with Mr. Callahan and the SOG choir....They are certainly one of the best groups I've ever worked with....I'm excited that they are being afforded mainstream opportunities to share their powerful ministry...I'm positive their future is bright , and know they will bring joy and motivation to many”..... KURT CARR
Taking the WORD which never changes and fitting it into a world that’s ever changing
Selected of God, a group of resilient singers has taken their “one shot” to make a major impact on the world. From the gritty streets of Detroit, Michigan to the worldwide stage, Selected of God’s path is one of resilience, hope, and a desire to share a perfected love for an imperfect world.
            In 2002, Pastor Larry Callahan answered the call to bring together a few people who wanted to give hope to a place that has lost the very essence of the rich history and lasting legacy of the Motor City. With unemployment on the rise, and countless residents leaving Detroit for greater opportunities, many were looking for an outlet, a way to keep hope alive in their beloved city. Collaborating with his good friend Stephen D. Anderson, the pair overcame the mounting pressures of religion and social expectations and took every day people to fulfill a mission.
            Larry and Steve did what many Americans do: work a job to keep the bills paid while moonlighting as a “dream chaser”. While working at a local church the duo took their choir to ministries all across Detroit, sharing the love of Christ and music. As notoriety increased, however, so did the problems. While dealing with dissention, ridicule, and the challenges of breaking through the “traditional” way of doing church, the twosome depended on their faith to get them through their toughest times. “We both lost our jobs on the same day. We didn’t know how we were going to feed our families,” explains Larry. “We reached rock bottom; no money in our pockets, we even ran out of gas driving to work the day we completed taping the video for ‘Lose Yourself’.”
            The mounting pressure of family and pursuing passion would have proved too much for most. However, for Larry and Steve, it was their faith that kept them moving Selected of God on the path of success. “The same day we were laid off from work was the same day we received payment for our first commercial with Chrysler. It was as if God answered a prayer that we hadn’t even had the time to pray for.”
            Selected of God has since graced some of the biggest audiences and stages in America from the 2011 Super Bowl and the Detroit Tigers v Yankees playoff game to a Monday Night Football performance with soul legend Jimmy Scott. They’ve won an Emmy for their role in the “Born of Fire: Imported from Detroit” commercial, worked with some of the best musicians and Gospel performers in the world, and have embarked on a musical journey that can only be orchestrated by God. Recently named the Ambassadors of Detroit by Chrysler Motors, they’ve blazed a trail for others to follow. They took ordinary people: teachers, accountants, nurses, military personnel, hairdressers, even the unemployed, and created a hodgepodge of people who truly represent the fabric work of our great country; ordinary people doing extraordinary things
            Their successes don’t overshadow their humble beginnings, however. “We’ve been ‘branded’ a lot of things: the ‘How Sweet the Sound’ choir, the ‘Super Bowl’ choir. Although we are honored by these affiliations, we don’t want to be put in a box. We just want the freedom to sing songs about God that will change lives,” explains Music Director Stephen Anderson. The group challenges the standard views of Gospel music, saying that their “church swag” brings a youthful, vibrant feel to Christianity. “We take the Word [of God] which never changes and fit it into a world that’s ever changing. For those who don’t understand it, that’s called evolution.”