Ron Winans Interview (2004) - Articles

Interview with Ron Winans

Ronald's experience was one of the greatest experiences in my life. You can feel the fight of life and death like never before and you are totally powerless. The only power you have is in Jesus. You stand on faith and you cry out to Him. You can't be weak. You have to believe and know that God will do what you asked Him to do.

—CeCe Winans

Everyone has much to be thankful to God for. That's what Thanksgiving is about. For some, the reasons for gratitude are known only to themselves. For others, the reasons are very much public.

Gospel luminary Ron Winans has obvious reasons to be thankful, and he does not hesitate to make his overwhelming thanks to God well known.

Here, Ron Winans explains his story in his own words. And don't miss the end of this article for a question and answer session that GOSPELflava.com had with him recently, discussing both the miracle in his own life, and also the upcoming Ron Winans Family & Friends V album.

In 1996, I remember being really sick with what I thought was the flu. I started doing the normal thing, like I always do: taking cold medicine, drinking hot lemon tea, trying to sleep it off, but it continued to be just as strong, if not stronger, day by day.

When it first hit, I was out of town, in California, but I told myself that when I get home I'll go to the doctor and find out what's wrong. He might have something he can give me to get the cold out. I went to the doctor, actually a clinic, because most men like myself don't generally go to the doctor for a cold. They did a basic check and they noticed that my blood pressure was really high. They thought there might be a lot of congestion in my chest and strongly advised me to go to a primary doctor.

Once I did, that doctor said the same thing the clinic had. For a long time I just felt that I had to be really careful with the cold weather, but still, I never got any relief. It slowly became worse. It got so bad that I couldn't hold anything on my stomach, my appetite left, and I began to be unable to sleep at night due to the fact that I couldn't lie down.

Whenever I tried to go to sleep, I remember having to sit up real quick to allow my chest to pull. What I didn't know was that my chest was filling up with fluid. Therefore I could only sleep for a very short time, and then I had to sit up to get any further sleep.

But even so, with all this happening, whenever I was called upon to perform or minister, I somehow found the strength to get the job done. I never wanted to tell anybody too much of what was going on. I just kept it within my smaller circle, and even they didn't know how serious it was. For the first time in my life, I knew what it was not to be able to sleep at night at all. Just the thought of how I would see the sun go down and rise the next morning, without sleeping, makes me want to shiver.

Ron Winans

As time went on, the worse it got. By this time I knew something was wrong in my chest. I could feel the slowing of my chest. I must confess that fear began to take place and I had hoped that whatever it was, that it would heal itself and that it would all be over. But deep down inside, I would keep telling myself that something is really wrong.

Naturally, I begin to pray more than I had did, and I asked God to heal me. Everywhere I would go, I would ask the men and women of God to pray over me, never really going into much detail, just asking them to pray.

I guess with the loss of appetite and the desire not to participate in anything that used to bring me so much joy, I think my family members began to catch on. I started to withdraw from participating in social rituals. For instance, when Christmas came (and it had to be the worst Christmas of my life), I didn't go to see any family or friends. I ended up staying home all day and night. Then I knew something was wrong.

Our church has a custom of going on a consecration and fast during the month of January. I remember being excited, because I said that I was going to get my answer to what was going on. No matter what the outcome would be, I would just have to deal with it. On the last day of the consecration, Jan 31st, I remember my brother looking at me and saying these words, "Boy, get your coat. I'm going to take you to my doctor so we can really find out what's going on."

His doctor was at the University of Michigan Hospital in Ann Arbor, and even though normally we argue or compete like brothers do all the time, I quickly gave in to his request. And I remember him saying these words, "Uh oh, you really are sick."

Once we got to the doctor's office, my brother told them that he knew he had an appointment, but told them to check me instead. And sure enough, after about 2 minutes of the doctor checking my vitals, he knew exactly what was wrong.

All I can remember was that it was a whole lot of running around, and people having small conferences in my room. I was at the apex of my sickness and really tired. Deep down in mind and spirit I said to myself, "well looks like they got it." I must admit, there was a lot of release, only for a short minute though, because a specialist soon walked in, and I remember him saying, "Ron, how do you feel?" All I could do was to raise my head and say, "I feel horrible". He said, "Well, I'm going to try to get you better." You have a torn aorta (the main artery to your heart), and a broken valve. This means you have to have open heart surgery immediately, and we're not going to let you go home. We're going to admit you right now.

I asked him if he had any pills and he said "no Mr. Winans, you don't understand", and then he said some words that I had never heard before in my life: "Either you have this surgery now, or in two days, and certainly no longer that two weeks, you will be dead."

My brother was there and he began to speak for me, asking all the questions he thought I would have asked, if I had the strength. But then he turned the corner on me, "Whatever doctor, whatever you got to do. If you got to do it, you got to do it."

Ron Winans

I said, "Hey, hey, hey, don't offer me up so fast!" Next thing you know I was being admitted. I began to talk to God all by myself. I pleaded with Him to allow the doctors to do what they had to do, but don't let me die. Then I went to sleep....

Fourteen days later I awoke from my coma. I remember the nurses hollering in my ear "Mr. Winans, Mr. Winans!" I felt as if I had been run over by a truck. I called my family members, and they proceeded to tell me what all had taken place.

Ron Winans had been declared clinically dead for a brief time, but through the grace of God and through intense and continual prayer by his various family members who had gathered around him, God saw fit to bring Ron Winans back, and restore his life. Restoration.

Read on to catch the question and answer session that we had with Ron Winans:

Gospelflava.com: So often we hear people testify of 'near-death' experiences, tramautic events that shake up the routine of life, with the result that they no longer take things for granted. It sometimes seems that it is only the dramatic turns of event that make us realize that we are in the hands of God, and recognize that He is absolutely sovereign.

Ron Winans: It doesn't have to be that way. To be quite honest, I thought I was grateful even before my incident. The Lord has been so good to me throughout my life, but still, sometimes you do just take things for granted. But then you realize that you're not as grateful as you should be.

Gospelflava.com: Regarding gratefulness, can you tell us how you define that? Is it simply a feeling you have, or is it more than that?

Ron Winans: Gratefulness is when you appreciate the gifts that God has blessed you with. After my experience, I said to God that wherever You lead me, I'm going to use that opportunity to the best of my ability. But maturity comes from experiential knowledge, as opposed to 'book learning', or being taught. Experience is the greatest teacher. My definition of gratitude is "being the ultimate of thankful". It's being thankful to the max, realizing the favor of God is better than life. Forever grateful.

Gospelflava.com: Your upcoming Family and Friends V album has several songs which seem to reference your gratitude to God for bringing you through your experience. Songs such as "My Season" and "I Shall Not Die" are the obvious ones, as well as the remake of your brother BeBe's "Safe From Harm". To what extent does your gratitude get expressed on a daily basis, and how?

Ron Winans: Essentially, I'm very, very grateful for each and every day that I am given, and grateful that God brings me through. Whereas before I would maybe allow myself to get stressed out over some issue or event, it's very different now. I understand life a bit better, and I understand that you really can't sweat the small stuff. I appreciate everything I have. Every day is a celebration.

Gospelflava.com: Can you give us a brief summary of the Ron Winans Family & Friends V project?

Ron Winans: We just hope that everyone enjoys the work we did in recording the project last May (2004). It was an excellent night, the Spirit of the Lord blessed us with His presence. In addition to members of my family (BeBe, Marvin, CeCe), I also invited several friends, including Rance Allen and also Gladys Knight, who happens to be a business acquaintance of mine [Ron Winans operates a waffles and chicken franchise with Gladys Knight]. We featured some songs, including some written by some young writers who are coming, up: Shaun Maloy and Erik Williams.

Ron Winans Family & Friends V, on Entheos Records, is already looking to be a highlight of the early 2005 releases. Word is that an accompany DVD will also become available. Also get ready for the record label from The Winans family. Ron Winans has announced that it is in the planning stages, and that it will be the home to Pastor Marvin L. Winans' upcoming solo project, as well as to upcoming albums from the original Winans and also from their various nephews.

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— interview by Stan North —