Seth Greenlee, Thomas Worley, and Gage Gilbert (appearing from left to right) sing at 7800 Northside Drive, North Charleston, South Carolina, U.S.A. on 28 September 2014. The words and music to, “How Long Has It Been,” were written by T. Mosie Lister and published in 1956 by Lillenas Publishing Company.

Thomas Mosie Lister (September 8, 1921 – February 12, 2015) studied music at the Vaughan School of Music in Tennessee in 1939. He became the first lead member in The Statesmen Quartet in 1948. In 1949, he focused on writing, and in 1953 he formed the Mosie Lister Publishing Company which later merged into Lillenas Publishing Company of Kansas City, Missouri. In 1976, Lister was inducted into the Gospel Music Hall of Fame. He was inducted into the Southern Gospel Music Association in 1997.

As of 2022:

Seth is a Police and Sheriff Chaplain at the Ripley, West Virginia Police Department and Jackson County Sheriff’s Office in addition to his work with the Ripley Baptist Temple.

Thomas is Minister of Music at Temple Baptist Church in Ashville, North Carolina.

Gage is a Christian missionary to the Inuit people of Greenland.

The lyrics to, “How Long Has It Been,” are as follows:

Verse 1

How long has it been
Since you talked with the Lord
And told Him your heart's hidden secrets
How long since you prayed
How long since you stayed
On your knees 'til the light shone through
How long has it been
Since your mind felt at ease
How long since your heart knew no burden
Can you call Him your Friend How long has it been
Since you knew that He cares for you

Verse 2

How long has it been
Since you knelt by your bed
And prayed to the Lord up in heaven
How long since you knew
That He'd answer you and would
Keep you the long night through
How long has it been
Since you woke with the dawn
And felt that the day's worth the living
Can you call Him your Friend how long has it been
Since you knew that He cares for you