Michael Tait of Newsboys Confesses to Drug Use, ‘Sexual Activity’ in New Statement
Michael Tait of the Newsboys has released a statement on Instagram confessing to “reckless and destructive behavior” including “drug and alcohol abuse and sexual activity.”
Last week, Tait was accused of abusing drugs and alcohol and befriending multiple young, impressionable men on tour where he would ply them with alcohol and then put his hands on them, massage them, touch their genitals, and kiss them, going back at least to 2004.
My Confession Michael Tait
June 10, 2025
Recent reports of my reckless and destructive behavior, including drug and alcohol abuse and sexual activity are sadly, largely true. For some two decades I used and abused cocaine, consumed far too much alcohol, and, at times,. I am ashamed of my life choices and actions, and make no excuses for them. I will simply call it what God calls it-sin. I don’t blame anyone or anything but myself. While I might dispute certain details in the accusations against me, I do not dispute the substance of them.
When I abruptly left Newsboys in January I did so to get help. I was not healthy, physically or spiritually, and was tired of leading a double life. I spent six weeks at a treatment center in Utah, receiving help that may have saved my life from ultimate destruction. I have been clean and sober since, though I still have lots of hard work ahead of me.
I’m ashamed to admit that for years I have lied and deceived my family, friends, fans, and even misled my bandmates about aspects of my life. I was, for the most part, living two distinctly different lives. I was not the same person on stage Sunday night that I was at home on Monday.
I was violating everything I was raised to believe by my God-fearing Dad and Mom, about walking with Jesus and was grieving the very God I loved and sang about for most of my life. By His grace, I can say that for the past six months, I have lived a singular life-one of utter brokenness and total dependence on a loving and merciful God.
I have hurt so many people in so many ways, and I will live with that shameful reality the rest of my life. I can only dream and pray for human forgiveness, because I certainly don’t deserve it. I have even accepted the thought that God may be the only One who ultimately and completely forgives me. Still, I want to say I’m sorry to everyone I have hurt. I am truly sorry. It is my hope and prayer that all those I have hurt will receive healing, mercy, and hope from the Merciful Healer and Hope-Giver.
Even before this recent news became public, I had started on a path to health, healing, and wholeness, thanks to a small circle of clinical health professionals, loving family, caring friends, and wise counselors -all of whom saw my brokenness and surrounded me with love, grace, and prayer.
Sin is a terrible thing, taking us where we don’t want to go; keeping us longer than we want to stay; and costing us more than we want to pay. I accept the consequences of my sin and am committed to continuing the hard work of repentance and healing-work I will do quietly and privately, away from the stage and the spotlight.
To the extent my sinful behavior has caused anyone to lose respect or faith or trust in me, I understand, deserve, and accept that. But it crushes me to think that someone would lose or choose not to pursue faith and trust in Jesus because I have been a horrible representative of Him-for He alone is ultimately the only hope for any of us.
King David’s prayer of repentance in Psalm 51 has been my prayer this year: “Have mercy upon me, O God, according to Your lovingkindness… Blot out my transgressions. Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity and cleanse me from my sin. For I acknowledge my transgressions, and my sin is always before me… Create in me a new heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me.”
This is a developing story.
About Author
What denomination is he? Is this another Steve Lawson situation where some rogue guy doesn’t belong to any church?
My guess is some form of Charismatic, this behaviour is not the same as Steve Lawson, it’s another level. I hate to say it but it comes across as human guilt, the kind that leads to death. How on earth do you molest dudes and use coke and booze for years with the Holy Spirit living inside you? I’m a former heavy druggie myself and I’ve had my relapses with pot but it tears my heart out and causes me so much trouble in my soul, I can feel the Spirit is just not the same when I’ve used and that’s a joint by myself in secret. Since I’ve been born again I can’t imagine using Coke again, over and over and I can’t imagine cheating on my wife over and over until caught, and the other level of it being homosexual.
People keep wanting to pretend all races are the same. Not understanding why blacks need more accountability with lower IQ’s making it harder to resist temptation.
“Thou shalt not judge by the color of thy skin” is not a Biblical commandment. Many have tacked on the Civil Rights movement to the Bible and attack anyone who warns antiracism isn’t Biblical.
Missionaries to Africa are some of the most racist people on the planet and they still risk their lives to bring the gospel to those people, because racism isn’t blind hatred it’s recognizing differences and acting accordingly.
I know of lots of black people with IQ’s higher than yours. Try another excuse for your racism and hatred in your heart…maybe repent while your checking yourself to see if you are really in the faith.
Wᴏʀᴋɪɴɢ ꜰʀᴏᴍ ʜᴏᴍᴇ ᴡɪᴛʜ Gᴏᴏɢʟᴇ ʜᴀꜱ ʙᴇᴇɴ ᴀɴ ɪɴᴄʀᴇᴅɪʙʟᴇ ᴏᴘᴘᴏʀᴛᴜɴɪᴛʏ! I ᴇᴀʀɴ 3ᴋ Bᴜᴄᴋꜱ ᴡᴇᴇᴋʟʏ ᴡɪᴛʜ ᴊᴜꜱᴛ 3-5 ʜᴏᴜʀꜱ ᴏꜰ ᴡᴏʀᴋ ᴘᴇʀ ᴅᴀʏ. Tʜᴇ ꜰʟᴇxɪʙɪʟɪᴛʏ ᴀɴᴅ ᴄᴏɴꜱɪꜱᴛᴇɴᴛ ɪɴᴄᴏᴍᴇ ʜᴀᴠᴇ ᴛʀᴜʟʏ ʙᴇᴇɴ ʟɪꜰᴇ-ᴄʜᴀɴɢɪɴɢ. Iꜰ ʏᴏᴜ’ʀᴇ ʟᴏᴏᴋɪɴɢ ꜰᴏʀ ᴀ ʀᴇᴀʟ ᴡᴀʏ ᴛᴏ ᴇᴀʀɴ ᴏɴʟɪɴᴇ, ᴛʜɪꜱ ᴄᴏᴜʟᴅ ʙᴇ ʏᴏᴜʀ ᴄʜᴀɴᴄᴇ! Gᴇᴛ ʏᴏᴜʀ ꜰɪʀꜱᴛ ᴘᴀʏᴍᴇɴᴛ ʙʏ ᴛʜᴇ ᴇɴᴅ ᴏꜰ ᴛʜᴇ ᴡᴇᴇᴋ.
JOIN US .→̶>̶→̶→ https://post4boost51.blogspot.com/
Explore remote jobs across the United States, all in one place. Companies are hiring for freelance, part-time, and full-time remote jobs in the U.S.—many with options for flexible schedules and hybrid work. From entry-level positions to executive roles, start your search here and find the best opportunities
for you…… https://beat4life15.blogspot.com/
Explore remote jobs across the United States, all in one place. zaz Companies are hiring for freelance, part-time, and full-time remote jobs in the U.S.—many with options for flexible schedules and hybrid work. From entry-level positions to executive roles, start your search here and find the best opportunities
for you…… https://beat4life15.blogspot.com/
Finally, a CCM artist talking about sin and taking responsibility.
He actually used the word “sin.” Wow.
Run to Christ, Michael. Only He can save and transform us from within by His Spirit.
People can speak Christianese very well. Doesn’t mean it’s genuine. I don’t know about this at all, 2 decades or more of using hard drugs and then “repenting” when possible legal troubles are coming for being a gay rapist seems mighty suspect. It would seem more genuine if he actually got saved and then admitted it, this seems like damage control couched in Christian language. The charismatic/pentecostal church is full of wannabe rockstars who can speak the lingo to get what they want. You guys love the Newsboys or what?
People can speak Christianese and do damage control. They are called “Amy Grant and Lauren Dagle.” Look at their words. This seems much different. Time will tell. When someone says, “I’ve sinned. I’ve wrecked myself and others. I need Jesus.” that is a good thing. May it be true. He needs to flee to Jesus and ask Him to change his heart. The Law will not save or change him, only Spirit!
If anyone be in Christ, they are a new creation. Not a new creation, then not in Christ. It’s not about judging or throwing rocks – it’s about the truth of God’s Word.
But there’s always grace for authentic repentance.