Can you be a Christian and deny the Deity of the Savior you profess to believe in? Yep. And further you can even be inducted into the Southern Gospel Music Hall of Fame as was Joel Hemphill in 2007:

Joel Hemphill is a noted singer-songwriter, evangelist, musician, and author. He and his wife, LeBreeska, formed the Singing Hemphills in the mid 1960s, traveling the quartet circuit to much acclaim… The Hemphill patriarch has penned over 350 songs, many of which became Gospel Music classics…

Over a twenty-year period, from 1970-1990, Hemphill had an average #8 song on the “Singing News” Chart… Along with his singing family, Hemphill is the recipient of eight (8) Dove Awards. Joel has received three (3) BMI Awards of Excellence.

Hemphill’s television appearances include, The Grand Ole Opry, Crook and Chase, The 700 Club, TBN and Gospel Country. They appeared regularly on the Gaither Homecoming videos and were invited guest at the White House for a Gospel singing when President Jimmy Carter was in office. (Online source)

In his 2007 book To God Be The Glory: Exalting the Bible View of God Hemphill clearly denies the Deity of Christ, a cardinal doctrine of the historic orthodox Christian faith. Just so there’s no mistake about his heresy and blasphemy concerning Jesus Christ in his response to criticism Hemphill says:

The focus of my book isn’t what Jesus is not, but rather who God the Father is. God is immortal – Jesus was not… Hebrews teaches, and I believe that Jesus did not come in the God family (there is only one God), or the angel family, but in the human family (Heb. 2:7, 9). He is perfect, sinless man, but man nevertheless!…

A God-man could not redeem us. It took a sinless man, the Lamb of God, with righteous blood untainted by the sin of Adam, to redeem mankind. He is the second Adam, not the first God-man… If the disciples who had just seen Jesus ascend to heaven in Acts chapter one, did not pray to him in Acts chapter four, then he is not God!… The incarnation as taught by modern Christianity is a fable.
(Online source, emphasis his)

For more Apprising Ministries is pleased to refer you to Dr. James White of Alpha and Omega Ministries and his short post Joel Hemphill Denies the Deity of Christ and the Trinity. And it is as Dr. White says: “So be warned. Wolves don’t have to snarl. Sometimes they sing.”

See also:

JOEL HEMPHILL DOES DENY THE DEITY OF CHRIST