Tony Cummings charts the five-decade history of Christian music pioneer DAVE POPE

In the latter part of the '80s and through the '90s Dave seemed to have taken up residence at the Butlin's holiday camp. He explained, "I think I've done 26 Spring Harvests in all. In one year, because of Spring Harvest and other conferences that use Butlins, I spent a sixth of my time on a Butlins holiday site. I watched the evolution. Don't forget that in the '70s Filey was held at the Butlins holiday camp so they were really the hi-de-hi days. Whereas at the end of 26 years of Spring Harvest we were into something a little different."

Dave Pope 1994

In 1993 Word Records released a compilation 'The Best Of David Pope'. As it turned out it was his last release before Pope/Daniels' unexpected return with 'Still Waters'. Said the veteran, "I'm still very much involved in the music thing but I like to respond to invitations when there's a band already in place, when they know my stuff and they are fairly well rehearsed and where you don't have to go through all the trials and tribulations of broken down vans on the motorway. Yes, ok. I've got lazy. But I really enjoy that kind of opportunity and over the past year I've done a concert over in Belfast, Praise Gathering in October. But I'm very much involved in mission. I'm on a number of mission boards. I'm involved in a work in South Africa amongst Aids victims in an orphanage in Johannesburg. I'm involved with a home for disabled children in Thailand that I helped to set up in 1992.

"I suppose one of my major involvements is with an Academy. Six years ago I was invited to take an initiative forward to change a failing school. I was challenged by the government, the then Prime Minister, to take the opportunity of looking for people who would support me in taking this school and putting in a new style of governance and also a Christian ethos and of turning it around. That's been my joy over the past six years. I found a sponsor and very gently we began to think through the design, we began to plan. The government built a brand new school - it was a 33 million pound investment - and even as of two nights ago I was at the Bright Stars Awards with children who probably six years ago wouldn't have achieved anything. The results have gone up, the Christian ethos is there. I love the opportunity of mentoring and counselling, I take assemblies. But more than that, I'm around when children are eating, when staff have got questions and I'm loving it. What's more it is just 12 miles from my home - in Great Bar in Birmingham. It's called Q3 Academy. It's been very exciting. It's a secondary school and I've loved that opportunity because although I do love the performance thing I actually like the one to one encounters too. And it's funny. . . we mentioned the accident a little while ago. It was that that reminded me we should never try to work round our sensitive side because it's often our sensitivity to hurt, to pain, to emotion that draws us alongside people who are possibly on a similar kind of journey. The performance thing is great because you can say praise the lord, there's power in praise. There may be 2,000 people out there [in the audience] but there's not that contact, whereas you've got a mum who's just lost a baby and you're sitting talking to her and then you can say things without the crowds. Very important."

Dave continued, 'I'm very much at peace with myself and I think that's very important to say that. I love doing what I'm doing. I'm a person who's always looking for a new challenge and as I look back - I mean, just this opportunity tonight when you've reminded me of stuff that quite frankly my grey matter had discarded or put to one side, is actually a reminder of God's faithfulness. What I'm deeply aware of is that we are all very weak people really and without God's strength taking us on - I could have come off the rails very easily many, many times. And I'm thankful. I'm 65 years of age and God has looked after me. He hasn't given me everything that I want but I've got what I need and he's given me great opportunities to communicate why I do what I do. So I do look back with a sense of thankfulness, probably not achievement but a sense of yes, I've enjoyed what's come my way but tomorrow is a new day. I'm going to do another year with the Academy. If the opportunity comes to do a bit more music as is coming with Praise Gathering and Ian Watson up there in Glasgow I'll take that. If it means having a bit of input into mission stations in India and Thailand and South Africa, I love to be there and encourage people who are just setting out in being of service. So it's that whole tapestry of opportunity that I love but at the same time I also want time by myself, to catch up on a lot of reading, maybe to write a little bit. And just to take the foot off the accelerator and enjoy life as well."