In wake of allegations, Christian musician Michael Tait admits to 'double life'

(RNS) — Days after an investigation revealed allegations of sexual assault against Christian musician Michael Tait, the former Newsboys frontman publicly admitted to abusing cocaine and alcohol and touching men “in an unwanted sensual way.”  

“I am ashamed of my life choices and actions, and make no excuses for them,” Tait wrote in an Instagram post Tuesday evening (June 10). “I will simply call it what God calls it-sin. … While I might dispute certain details in the accusations against me, I do not dispute the substance of them.”

Last week, The Roys Report reported that three men Tait met in the Christian music industry between 2004 and 2014 accused him of substance abuse and sexual assault. RNS was unable to reach the alleged victims, who were given anonymity in the Roys article.

Known for performing on Christian music hits such as DC Talk’s “Jesus Freak” (1996) and Newsboys’ “God’s Not Dead” (2011), Tait has been a mainstay of the contemporary Christian music world since the 1990s. He was a founding member of the Grammy Award-winning Christian rock trio DC Talk and later became the lead singer of Christian rock band Newsboys in 2009, before abruptly leaving in January.

Tait admitted in his Instagram post that he was largely “living two distinctly different lives” and said he left Newsboys because he was “tired of leading a double life.”

“I am truly sorry,” Tait wrote. “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.”

He said he is now sober after spending six weeks at a treatment center in Utah.

“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 spotlight,” he wrote.

Michael Tait of Newsboys performs during the Dove Awards, Oct. 7, 2014, in Nashville, Tenn. (AP Photo/Mark Humphrey)

After the allegations against Tait, current Newsboys members Jody Davis, Duncan Phillips, Jeff Frankenstein and Adam Agee said in a statement to RNS they were “devastated” by the implications.

“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 15 years,” they wrote in their June 5 statement. “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.”

America’s largest Christian radio network, K-LOVE, has since pulled DC Talk and Newsboys from its music rotation for the time being, according to a statement to The Roys Report.

“As the investigation proceeds, our prayers are with all those involved,” a spokesperson wrote. “In the meantime, our programming team is resting Newsboys and DC Talk music on our stream.”