INTERVIEW WITH PASTOR/CARTOONIST JOE MCKEEVER

 

JR: Welcome to my blog, Joe. I'd like to start with the most important question - how did you come to know Christ?

JM: I was 11 years old and it was a revival meeting. Same church (and same building) where my parents had met in 1930 when she was 14 and he was 18 and was smitten once he heard her singing with her sister. I went forward during the invitation time and (rural, Free Will Baptist church) people stepped out into the aisle to go forward and pray with me. No talking to the preacher, we talked to God. lol I was crying and saying repeatedly, "O God, O God." That's all. But when I got up, I knew I was saved.

JR: I was going to ask how you got called to the ministry, but let me be more specific - How did God call you to the pastorate, and how did He call you to the ministry of cartoonist?

JM: I was 21 and a senior in college. Had joined an outstanding Southern Baptist church in Birmingham AL near the campus of my college (Birmingham-Southern, a Methodist school). Got active, loved the people, met my wife to be, was baptized (saved at 11, but never baptized because no one asked), and I flourished. Tuesday night of a two-week long revival, I'm in the choir and we're singing "Jesus Paid It All," and suddenly it seemed a curtain was drawn open and God spoke to my heart. "I want you in the ministry." That's all. Not "called to preach," as such, but called as a minister. That's significant because I have done all kinds of ministry, and it was not limited to preaching.

Never actually felt "called" to a ministry of cartooning. I'd done this all my life since childhood and as I matured into my 20s and beyond, kept getting more and more opportunities to use the cartooning as a catalyst in ministry. 

JR: Who have been your Mentors/Encouragers/Influencers/Heroes both in the ministry and in cartooning?

JM: In ministry, several pastors and a couple of seminary professors were my mentors, and I am infinitely in their debt.

In cartooning, I enjoyed meeting several professional cartoonists and being encouraged by them when I was thirtyish. In my mid-30s, I had written a note to the newspaper syndicate handling the "Gasoline Alley" comic strip to say how much I loved the artwork by Dick Moores. To my surprise, I got a note from him thanking me. And one Saturday, I returned home from an early morning meeting to have my wife inform me that Dick Moores had called me and wanted me to call him. wow. It turned out he lived in North Carolina and was going to "marry off" a couple in the comic strip and needed to know a) which side do they stand
on? and b) does the minister still have them say "Til death do us part"? Couple of years later, my wife and I went to see him at his studio below Asheville NC. He was in his 70s and such a kind soul. When he was young, he had drawn comic books for Walt Disney, then spent years with Chester Gould drawing Dick Tracy, and had taken over the Gasoline Alley strip after its originator had died. Dick was most definitely the greatest influence on my cartooning. He died in '86 just before I moved to North Carolina. Shucks! Such poor timing!! 

JR: What doors has God used your cartooning to open in your ministry, both in reaching the lost and edifying/encouraging/exhorting the Church?

JM: That's so hard to answer, Jeff, particularly the first about "reaching the lost." I honestly don't know that He has used the cartooning for that. But the second part, exhorting the church, I received an email just today from a lady in Minneapolis thanking me for the cartoons and for speaking to the church so well. I'm 82 years old and love that. Just yesterday, my wife and I drove 6 hours (round trip) to do a senior event for a church in Alabama. I sketched everyone there, spoke about the Psalms (encouraging them to "fall in love with the Psalms all over again"), and ate their lunch, then returned home. Such a blessing. I'll do several of these each month. But I would need someone else to tell you how God uses my stuff. I tell pastors (in fact, told Pastor Chris Kynard just yesterday at the luncheon) that "you do not know how God is using your stuff." A pastor will go home and tell his wife the sermon bombed. Then the phone will ring and someone will thank him and say "How did you know? That was exactly what
I needed to hear." So, we do this work the same way we do everything else: by faith.

JR: The pastor at my church (Jeremy Couture, Northside Baptist, Indianapolis) gave us three areas to pray for him: Personal walk, Priorities, and Protection. In what ways does God use your cartooning and pastoring to strengthen your walk? How do you manage the priorities of pastoring and cartooning? And what ways does God protect your ministry?

JM: Being retired I no longer have to find a balance between pastoring/ministry and cartooning. but it is such a blessing being 82 years old (and having come through a number of health challenges) to still be getting the invitations to speak and minister. Right now--post-covid!--I'm getting on average two invitations per week. - When I was pastoring, say, around age 40, I had to convince some people that cartooning is ministry and not just goofing off. My wife of 52 years, now in Heaven, was one who did not have a great appreciation for cartoons. She was supportive, however, of the time I flew to Singapore for 2 weeks and drew an evangelistic comic book for the missionaries (it was her idea). My wife Bertha (we celebrated 6 years of marriage on Jan 11) is a strong encourager of my cartooning. - I pray about the cartooning and the ideas and the effect. But I have no idea how to answer your question about "how God uses these things to strengthen my walk." I just do them, the same way someone else plays the piano and another the guitar. It's what I do. People stand around and watch me draw, and they ooh and ahh and seem impressed, but since I've literally done this since childhood, I take it in stride and thank them. 

JR: Thank you for your time. How can we keep up with your ministries? Do you have any books and/or websites you'd like to tell us about?
JM: Several ways.

1. My blog is www.joemckeever.com, where I write for church leaders (pastoral and otherwise). This website is 20 years old now and contains thousands of articles from these two decades. Scroll down the page for a list of categories. Scroll further down for the "archives," where they are listed month by month since 2003. If you're interested in reading my journal about Hurricane Katrina and the rebuilding of New Orleans, start by scrolling down to September 2005, then to September 1 and pull up a chair. The next two years is devoted to that subject.
2. My cartoons are posted daily by Baptist Press. Go to www.bpnews.net and at the top of the page click on 'comics.' In times past, they posted the work of six cartoonists, but they cut back to one. Even though if says "comics," plural, I'm the only cartoonist whose stuff is posted there. There are thousands of cartoons.
3. Google "Joe McKeever cartoons."
4. I have a page in each issue of Deacon Magazine, a quarterly published by Lifeway. My page is devoted to "my favorite deacon."

My personal website is www.joemckeever.com There are no cartoons here, but articles I have written for pastors and other church leaders. Started the website in 2003, so it's in its 20th years. There are literally thousands of articles there. Scroll down the page for a list
of categories.

I've published probably a dozen books of cartoons over the years. Amazon or alibris.com would have a lot of them. Some non-cartoon books I've written that are available from me (203 Garden Cove, Ridgeland MS 3917. Everything is $15 each) are--

• "HELP! I'M A DEACON."
• "GRIEF RECOVERY 101" written with my wife Bertha about the deaths of our spouses and what we learned about dealing with grief.
• "SIXTY AND BETTER;  MAKING THE MOST OF OUR GOLDEN YEARS" also written with Bertha.
• "PRAY ANYWAY."
• "HEALTHY CHURCH."

 

INTERVIEW WITH MUSICIAN BETH HALL

 

 JR: Welcome to my blog. How did you come to Christ, and what sparked your interest in music? 

BH:  I was always involved in church activities from a young age and as I got older strayed away but came back to God when I realized He had a mission for me to spread the Gospel through the God given talents He blessed me with. 

JR: You are both a soloist and the singer of the band Fuel 4 Soul. What are the differences between the sounds of the two ministries? 

BH: I am not the lead singer but the female singer that equally involves another male vocalist as well plus one more male band mate. I have had the opportunity to work more on my solo project during the last part of 2022 so that is what has been my main focus most recently as I am soon to release another solo single in the next few weeks.
 I guess you could say that the difference would be that my solo career focuses on my voice and creativity within what God has inspired for me to perform as a solo artist. The band has a three part involvement in creativity and sound. 

JR: Could you tell us about the songs "Send Down the Fire," "Keep the Faith," and the Christmas song "Holy Light?"

BH: My Single "Send Down The Fire" was inspired from a conversation my husband and I had about how it must have been amazing to witness when God sent Fire down to Elijah when God proclaimed Himself as the one true God. The song tells how God does that in many ways and still today His name still remains.

My Christmas single "Holy Light" was a God given blessing as my Husband Michael and I wrote that and feel that God wrote it Himself. We were in amazement as it tells the story of the nativity so very well and we thank God he gave us the blessing to write such a song.

The song, "Keep the Faith" was written by all of F4S band members as it  is a F4S single. The song has been well received as it inspires others to keep the faith. 

JR: Have you had many opportunities to perform? If so, were there any performances that stood out? If not, how do you develop a following?

BH: I released my solo single "Send Down The Fire" in October and it has been well received in both radio and fan based, after releasing "Send Down The Fire" I have definitely grew closer to my fan base and had several big opportunities come my way  to spread God's word and bring others to God by telling others about Him as well as sharing my music. 

JR: This is a time of CO-VID, political division, human trafficking, various forms of prejudice, and persecution of believers in many parts of the world. How is God using your music to encourage the struggling Christians and challenge those who have become complacent (defined in Zephaniah 1:12 as not believing God will do anything bad and anything good)?

BH: I always let God take the lead as I share His word. I let the Holy Spirit guide me on how to share what I need to so that others will get the opportunity to believe in Christ Jesus. 

JR: Thank you for your time. Do you have any EPs/LPs or concerts coming out? Is there a web-page we can keep up with your ministry?

BH: I am to release a 2nd "Beth Hall '' single in the next few weeks and will update everyone in the upcoming weeks on when to expect it to become available. My music is available on most music platforms such as Apple Music, iTunes, Spotify etc. as well as my social media's are Facebook, TikTok, Instagram, & Twitter Thank you so much.

INTERVIEW WITH NICOLE DRENNAN, AKA BRAVE WRSHP

Nicole Drennan (Brave WRSHP), with Becca Sugg of Reclaim The Day (right).

Have I told you I had the honor of going to Get To The Point Festival this June? Repeatedly? Maybe because I've had the privilege of interviewing individuals from four of the six participating bands/soloists. Well, I'm happy to add a fifth: Brave WRSHP. And for my 300th blog, no less!

JR: Welcome to my blog. I’d like to hear about how you came to Christ. 

ND: Thank you so much for having me! Well, I came to Christ back in 2009. I spent some years of my early childhood in the church, but never really knew Jesus until I was 14 years old. At the time, I had been involved with drugs and alcohol while being influenced by some of my older high school friends at the time. 

I remember sharing a class with Rebecca Sugg from Reclaim The Day. She had invited me to her youth group and there was one week I had gone, and the youth pastor had shared his testimony. He had also been involved with drugs and alcohol when he was my age and he began to share how Jesus had saved him and changed his life. That night I went up to him and told him all that I was doing and how I wanted Jesus to save me. He encouraged me to share my story with the other kids in the youth group and the following week, another kid came to me and opened up about how she had also been doing the same thing and knew Jesus was calling her to repentance. I remember being so astounded that even then, Jesus was using my testimony to help others in my life.  

JR: Could you tell us about how you got into music? When did you start focusing on worship music, and what’s the origin of your artist name Brave WRSHP? 

ND: I grew up loving to sing and write music. As a little girl, I would never sing in front of anyone, haha. I would sit in my bedroom with headphones on and just sing for hours. I kept multiple notebooks of lyrics I would write and hope someday get the chance to share the songs. Music has always provided a safe place for me to escape. 

Around the time I started going to youth group, my parents had bought me a guitar so that I could start learning to play and be able to put chords and melodies together for the songs I would write. One night at youth group, my pastor heard me singing and approached me about joining the Sunday worship team. I was so nervous, but said yes I would join. My now best friend Miranda Brown from “Inarticulate Bones,” was also on the worship team and had invited me for a sleepover so that we could practice all the songs. She taught me how to harmonize and eventually we would sing duets on Sunday mornings. 

When I was 18 I heard the call from God to serve in music evangelism. I had no idea what that would look like but I had never been more confident in my life. I had told my parents I was going to take a year off before college because God was calling me to do this and they agreed. 

The next 5+ years were a rollercoaster of following God’s plans. I joined a post hardcore/ progessive metal worship band called Within Thy Walls and wrote and recorded a 3 song EP. Shortly after that my bandmates had merged with A World Apart’s bandmates to form a duel vocalist, hard rock/worship band. A year or so later Becca Sugg (i and I stepped away from the band and started a worship project called The Upright. We began serving as worship leaders for a church in Indianapolis called The Upper Room. A couple years later, we were asked to join a band called Waiting For Ravens. I played auxiliary guitar for about 3 years. In 2019 I stepped away from the band because God was calling me back to focus on solely worship. 

The name Brave WRSHP was rooted from that moment in my life. I had a lot of difficult decisions to make that left me with deep wounds that God is still healing. He spoke to me and called me to be brave which has become this sort of mantra for the project. I wanted to create a project of worship that was rooted from that place of being in deep pain, suffering etc. I have learned over the years that worshiping God can be easy when things are going well. It is when you choose to worship him in the midst of suffering, addiction, pain, abuse etc., that it is difficult and honestly more intimate. I once heard someone say that these moments in our lives are the only times we get to choose to worship him in spite of suffering etc., because when we get to heaven we won’t endure such things. 

JR: Congratulations on being nominated for “Worship Vocalist on the Rise'' and for Worship Project of the Year with the WVIU Radio Music Awards. Would you like to tell us about that project?

ND: Thank you so much! It is quite the unexpected honor, and I am so grateful for the nomination and all that WVIU Radio does to help independent Christian artists. With Brave WRSHP, I have been given a vision for writing throne room worship songs for the king. There are a lot of amazing worship artists and groups out there, but I feel like the songs that God has given me are a bit different from the normal worship songs on the radio and such. A mentor of mine, encouraged me when I had started this project, to spend time away from the stage and focus on just worshiping him in my secret place. I spent a couple of years taking time off to focus on this and my relationship with him. I learned that my worship and the songs he had given me to write, were more intimate than anything I could have ever imagined. I look forward to getting the chance to share them soon!

JR: I had the honor of hearing you at the Get to the Point Festival along with other bands I’ve interviewed on this blog (Reclaim the Day, Divine Martyr, Tempus Unum, and Hush Harbor). Are there any venues that you sang at which that stood out?  

ND: Yes! I have had the privilege to play at a few different venues over the past couple of years, but The Point Church and Community Center, where Get To the Point Festival was hosted, is my favorite. The Point Church and Community Center was my home church for many years, the place where it all started for me. It was an honor to get to lead worship again there and be able to see and reconnect with so many friends and family that had come!

JR: What are the greatest challenges you face in your ministry? Who has God used- those you know personally (friends and family) and those you don’t (radio/TV ministers, other musicians, authors/novelists)-to encourage you?

ND: The greatest challenges I face are rooted in past mistakes. There was a period in my life where I had fallen into sin while in ministry and I had to take a step back to repent and refocus. Unfortunately, there were people who had tried to tell me I should never be in ministry again and that I was no longer qualified. These comments hurt me deeply and led me to believe that God could no longer use me because I was too broken, too damaged, too dirty to be able to serve him and his kingdom. 

There were some amazing friends in my life who have prayed with me and encouraged me for years to get back up and keep going. They remind me that God can use any circumstance for his good and that he makes beauty from ashes. I have learned that God does not call the qualified, but qualifies the called. Chris Bossum, Becca Sugg, Miranda Brown, my parents and my significant other are just a few of the many people who have fought by my side and encouraged me relentlessly. Tullian Tchividjian, the grandson of Billy Graham, is one of the pastors I have been influenced by. He shares a similar story to mine and has encouraged me greatly in his sermons.  

JR: Thank you for your time. What is coming up on the horizon? How can we keep up with your ministry? 

ND: Thank you again so much for having me! I am currently in the studio working on releasing an EP for next year. I am also joining “For His Purpose” which is another amazing up and coming worship project founded by Trent Russell from The Persuaded. I am so excited to be able to release these songs that God has laid on my heart! 

With Miranda Brown (right). Photo courtesy of Jeanette Yoder.

The best way to keep up with Brave WRSHP is by following the page on Facebook and Instagram @bravewrshpofficial, to keep up to date on any upcoming shows and single releases!

INTERVIEW WITH SOUTHERN GOSPEL SINGER/SONGWRITER/PRODUCER JIM WORTHING

I'll admit that I've more into rock and pop, but when I moved to Nashville in '88 and worked at Opryland in a restaurant right next to where the Cumberland Boys performed, I became a Southern Gospel fan. I remember the tenor Depp Britt introducing the band including the lead singer, and I was sure his name was Jim Worthy.

Fast forward 25 years or so. My wife Becky was part of the prayer team for the State Convention of (Southern) Baptists in Indiana, and we were setting up for the State Convention. The cheerful gentleman who was doing the music stopped by and prayed with us. The next day, I looked at the program and the singer, and realized that I heard his name wrong! It was a pleasure to get to hear Jim Worthing after all those years, and it's a privilege and honor to interview him.  

JR: Welcome to my blog, Jim. How did you come to Christ, and what got you interested in music? Also, if I remember correctly, you're originally from Pennsylvania; how did you end up getting into Southern Gospel music?

JW: Hi Jeff, thank you for taking the time to interview me.  I asked Jesus to come into my life when I was a young boy: I was upstairs in my Grandparents guest bedroom playing church by myself, following a church service at my Grandparents church, and realized that I needed to ask Jesus into my heart and life and to repent of my sins. A couple of years later, at age 12, I made my profession of faith through believer's baptism at my home church in Altoona, PA. 

Music has always moved me on the inside for as long as I can remember. I started playing the alto saxophone at age 10 and played it all the way through High School, but I loved to sing, too, so I joined the adult choir at church in my early teens. My brother in law, who was also in the choir, noticed I had some singing ability and asked me to join a community German men's chorus called the Altoona Mannerchor. The director of the Mannerchor thought I had a unique gift and led me to a regional private vocal teacher named Martha Roberts to help hone my craft. She helped open some doors for me in the area as well as prepare me for what was to come.  

Near the end of my senior year of high school a college vocal group named Re-Creation performed at my high school. At the end of their performance, the director of Re-Creation said they were looking for some new members for the upcoming school year. I loved what they did and was excited about the possibility of auditioning for them, and in just a few short weeks I auditioned for Re-Creation and was selected to be their high tenor in a mixed group of 4 guys and 4 girls.  

Re-Creation was based out of Penn State University my first year in the group and then moved to a smaller school called Susquehanna University in Selinsgrove, PA the following year and I moved with them. I spent a total of 7 years with the Re-Creation organization; they provided an awesome place for me to grow as a performer but more importantly as a servant of God.  I received a full scholarship while we were associated with the Universities - for all of us members being a full time student and performing over 300 performances a year became almost impossible to navigate. After my fourth year the group decided to go full time into performing and touring.  

Re-Creation was/is a singing group made up of Christians that perform family style secular shows as well as Christian music programs. Its main focus over the past 37 years has been to provide entertainment for Veterans in VAMC's (Veterans Affairs Medical Centers) and state Veterans homes across the country. Of course, we sang in many other venues and churches to help raise funds to be able to perform in VAMC's, prisons, nursing homes, children's hospitals, state homes, etc. It truly was a great way to learn my craft and serve. 

Now back to your question on how I ended up in Southern Gospel Music. Hugh Brooks the Director of Re-Creation was from the south and sang in a quartet during his college years and had us four guys in the group sing a number of Gospel Quartet standards as a part of our program. I fell in love with the quartet sound and started listening to gospel albums by the Oak Ridge Boys, the Imperials and many others.  Knowing I wanted to further my music career and my love for quartet singing, the man who did the vocal arranging for Re-Creation, Jan Esterline, heard about the Cumberland Boys search for a lead singer. Jan had moved to Nashville and was a ghost arranger for the famed music arranger David Clydesdale. He knew of the Cumberland Boys and told me he thought my voice would work well with them. I auditioned and was blessed enough to be hired by them. So, I put everything I owned in my little Ford Ranger pickup truck and moved to Nashville! As you can see, God worked through many people, especially my parents, to encourage me, to help me, and to seek out opportunities for me to grow musically. I am BLESSED!  

JR: What was it like performing regularly at the park? What were your memories of working with the group?

JW: The Cumberland Boys was an opportunity and blessing of a lifetime. As soon as I joined the group (not because of me) we signed with Daywind Records, and had a built-in audience of around 2 million people each year at Opryland. We toured throughout the country during the off season, appeared on the Grand Ole Opry every few months, and regularly performed on TNN (The Nashville Network),  major local TV shows and CMT (Country Music Television). Additionally,  we were nominated for many awards and had hits on Gospel radio. Also, we did a bunch of studio work including singing backup on Ricky Van Shelton's Gospel album "Don't Overlook Salvation" which went Gold. There were so many wonderful opportunities we enjoyed, but honestly the best part was seeing how God used us, in spite of ourselves and failures, to encourage and bless people with our music! Opryland was an awesome place to share the Gospel through music to thousands (possibly millions) that may have never heard it before. It was grueling at times - doing 5 shows a day outside in the heat of the summer - but we loved it, and I think it showed.  
 

JR: Becky and I had the honor of seeing you at the State Convention of Baptists in Indiana years ago. My hunch is that it is a blessing to be able to take part in conferences and revivals and the like. Can you confirm this hunch? What were your favorite events that you had the privilege of ministering at? 

JW: Yes, I love singing at Church Conventions and Conferences. It's a great opportunity to try to encourage and challenge those who are normally the ones trying to encourage and challenge others at their home church or area.  I also love Revivals, when you get to share for 5 days or more and be a part of an area coming together to pray for revival you can really dig in a little deeper than you normally can during a one time concert visit.  There are so many great events and conferences that I remember including the one you attended in Indiana, but I have to say the one that stuck out to me was during a Lifeway conference for church librarians. I started singing and they all were sitting in desks with their pens and notepads ready to take notes. Well, I finally got them to loosen up a little and have some fun, but hopefully still encouraged and challenged them as well. I had to work a little harder but it was real blessing in the end. 

JR: Your Facebook page mentions you're a songwriter and producer as well as a singer. Who has had the honor of you producing them? How do you select the songs for a project (either your own or for others)? What differences do you have between thinking as a singer and as a producer? 

JW:  It's always an honor and a blessing when I get to produce for other artists and for my own projects as well. I've had the pleasure of working with some of the best musicians, sound engineers, and studio singers in the business,all working together in concert to make an artist's project the best it can be. Most of the artists I've produced are independent artists, but all have had a real desire to share the Gospel through song.  

When I choose songs for my projects or when I help other artists choose I always ask myself and/or them - "Does this song minister to you?" I believe a song has to minister to you first if you're going to be successful in conveying the message of that song to others.  Another thing I try to establish in each project is to select songs that collectively display the different aspects of the Christian life - such as Prayer, Worship, Service, Witness, the Gospel message of Salvation, Faith, Encouragement, Challenging ourselves and others to be a better Christian, Giving and God's abundant Love. 

The difference between thinking as a singer and as a producer is kind of like the difference between being a player on the field and a coach on the sideline.  The player (singer) has the freedom to create and perform to the best of their abilities within the framework or playbook of the coach (producer). When you have to do both at the same time like when I produce my own projects. I step away from the producer role when I'm singing my part in the studio and allow others to critique and guide, but when I finish singing I go back into the control room and resume my producer role.  I've learned early on to have a successful project as a producer that you have to put together a good team, a good game plan and explain your expectations and then get out of the way and allow them to create, much like a coach.  

JR: Let's say you have an opportunity to write and record a song that you are convinced the American Church needs to hear. What would you be writing about?

JW: I believe the American Church needs to get back to the basics of our faith - Preach the truth from the Bible, concentrate on Service and witnessing and most of all preach the Gospel of the saving grace of Jesus Christ.  In fact, I'm currently writing a song called "Only One," which hopefully I'll be able to convey that there is only one God, one Truth, one Grace, one Savior, one Spirit, one Way, etc.  I've heard too many in our current world talking about speaking their truth; well there is only ONE TRUTH. That's what I'd like to share.

JR: Thank you for your time. Any projects coming up? How can we keep up with what's new with you?

JW: I'm not working on a project currently but I've been writing quite a bit and hope to do a new one soon!  Folks can keep up with me on my Jim Worthing Music Facebook Page or my website at ReverbNation.com/JimWorthing where they can listen to a lot of my music for free.  

Thank You, Jeff for interviewing me and for your interest in my music and my ministry. May God continue to bless you and your ministry!  

INTERVIEW WITH GOTHDAD OF SILENT WITNESS RADIO

Jeff (aka Gothdad) of Silent Witness Radio. For those curious about Gothdad's T-shirt, Les Carlsen is the lead singer of Christian metal band Bloodgood.)

The other day, I noticed a playlist for Silent Witness Radio posted in one of the FB groups I'm in (Female Christian Rock and Metal). I was excited to see a couple of my favorite bands on that list (which I'll refer to in the interview). So I thought about interviewing the program, and am honored to interview Jeff (aka Gothdad). 

JR: Welcome to my blog. What are the origins of Silent Witness Radio? When did you get started, and who all is a part of this ministry? Is it on a local station, or is it available on-line (or both)? 

GD: Silent Witness Radio started as an idea from a high-school kid (Chris Stamper) in 1987, since there was a total lack of Christian rock and metal airplay on Christian radio in the greater Cincinnati, Ohio area at the time (there's a long story behind that, but I won't bore you with that at the moment).  He found out that the local community radio station WAIF 88.3 FM had an open time slot, and he submitted a proposal for the show.  He won that time slot (Thursdays 2 – 5 AM), and the show was set to begin in December of 1987.  Chris knew he needed someone with actual radio experience to do the show justice, so he called a friend/contact he had who was living in Cincinnati, and his name was Jamie Carper.

A lot of folks came and went over the last 35 years (Chris left the show to Jamie in order to attend college and take a different direction than radio, and Jamie passed away in 2018, there were many other crew supporting Jamie over the decades, and I came in as co-host in 2008), but our present complement of crew consists of Jamie's two sons, Jeremy (J-DAWG) and Caleb (DJ Chicken Nugget), Caleb's wife (The Lovely and Gracious) Katie, and me.  Caleb and Katie are more occasional crew these days, leaving the normal weekly duties to Jeremy and me.

Jeremy, aka J-DAWG

Silent Witness Radio is still broadcasting on WAIF 88.3 FM in Cincinnati, and WAIF has online streaming as well as a traditional FM transmitter.

JR: How do you decide which artists and songs to play? 

GD: That's a question that is somewhat difficult to answer, given the proclivity of some Christian radio hosts in my circles to overplay their gatekeeper status with artist/label submissions, not to mention how the music industry and how artists have adapted to the changes in the music scene and in technology.  Perhaps the answers will illuminate the context:  We try to have a semi-broad interpretation of what is Christian art: 1) is the artist Christian, and 2) if we're not sure, is the art Christian nonetheless?  

Example: we've been known to play Trans-Siberian Orchestra, and we still include their shows on our concert calendar.  The late mastermind for the project, Paul O'Neill, was a person who battled his own demons, I am sure, but by the lyrics used in so much of TSO's Christmas work, it was obvious that he “got it”--he understood, and may well have believed, the Gospel.  

Conversely, there are times the art itself isn't Christian by pure lyricism (example, Christian artists/bands covering more mainstream/secular artists' work), but the artist doing the cover (or coming up with material that definitely has mainstream/commercial appeal) is Christian.  In either of these exceptional cases, we'll likely include it.  

In between those exceptional cases will be songs which are decidedly/overtly Christian by the lyrics (or at least an articulation of/from the worldview of the artist), and if the artist has been at least somewhat earnest in publicly professing faith, and if the genre/style of the song fits our format (which is usually the various forms of hard-edged music, hard rock, punk, Goth, Industrial, extreme metal and metalcore, plus old-school hair metal, EDM, and hip-hop), then we'll likely play it.  We tend not to care what the artist's political viewpoint is, as that's not a consideration for us—I tend to look at our show as an extension of the legacy of the Jesus Movement, which was the revival amongst the hippie counterculture of the late 1960s and into the 1970s.  It wasn't a political movement—it was a movement solely looking to present Jesus in a fashion relevant to the target audience of the day. 

JR: Do you ever plan any events with the featured artists? Any memorable stories from those events?

GD: We do have in-studio guests from time to time, though there's an already-acknowledged difficulty in bringing artists into the station to do a live radio show during a key night for performing (Saturday 8 – 10 PM).  We usually have to catch an artist during “off” time in order to make it happen.  Back in the day when the equipment was available, my predecessors often hit the local Christian music festivals, doing live remotes with other crew still at the station to manage things.  Having artist/band guests at the studios will often be “party time”, and I can remember some great craziness that ensued especially with 3 Days Under on-air live with us.  They were extremely funny, and yet very on-fire for God.

JR: On the other side, what response do you have from your listeners? How has God used your ministry in their lives? 

GD: When you use the show with the idea of “planting seeds”, you don't always know what impact you've had on your listeners, so we don't hear very often from those who find our signal, except in the usual interaction about “What did you just play?  That was amazing!”.  However, some new listeners (at least, new to us) would tell us how the music from the show had changed their lives, and how they went back to church and got involved.  

JR: The first time I saw a play list from you, it included two of my favorite bands: The Daniel Band, which I've listened to for 40 years, and Divine Martyr, who I've listened to for 40 days. (The latter is exaggeration, though I just discovered DM this year; no exaggeration with the former.) Things have changed a lot in this world. But what about Christian music in general and Christian rock specifically? Is there any changes musically besides what parallels the evolution of the genre in the mainstream market? How much has varied lyrically?

GD: I have personally been aware of or involved in this scene for over 40 years myself, and I remember how it was, from a lyrical standpoint, back in the day.  Almost all the known artists/bands back then had overt lyrics in the music in general, and as new genres (such as heavy metal) became popular, lots of songs would be written that followed largely the same lyrical formula.  In metal, for example, “turn or burn” was a very common theme.  It was the sort of thing that made the better artists and bands (from a lyricism standpoint, if not also the musical standpoint) stand out in a very striking fashion.  

While (due either to nostalgia or concerns about how “off the rails” some modern Christian artists have gone in terms of their theology or spirituality) I still have a deep-seated affinity for overt lyrics, I am very, very thankful (in general) for the evolution of songwriting as the Christian music scene continues to move forward.  I think it's great that so many songwriters are pushing into lots of non-overt territory, for the expansion of themes that can then be explored, not to mention adding some lyrical variety to the overall playlist each week. 

JR: Thank you for your time. How do we listen to you all? Any events you want to mention? Any web-site or other means to follow you all?

GD: Thanks for having us! If you have any readers who are in the greater Cincinnati, Ohio area, we broadcast every Saturday evening from 8 – 10 PM Eastern time on WAIF 88.3 FM.  If you're outside of the broadcast area, we keep the “Listen Live” player for WAIF handy from our website (direct link) at http://www.silentwitnessradio.com/swradio.htm for online listening. 

DJ Chicken Nugget & the Lovely & Gracious Katie

We have a web-site that we have kept mostly updated, though the look and feel is still circa 2000, as we never found the time to overhaul it as yet.  The big feature for the site is our Concert Calendar, which has been kept up-to-date.  We'll feature local/regional shows on the calendar as well as summer festivals within a semi-reasonable drive from our area. 

Of course, social media is the real point of connection for just about everybody these days, and (as you've already seen) we have an aptly titled Facebook page called Silent Witness Radio (https://www.facebook.com/SilentWitnessRadio), and that is often the quickest way to contact us.

 

 

 

 

 

INTERVIEW WITH SINGER/SONGWRITER CRYSTORIA

JR: Welcome to my blog. I'd like to start with how you came to Christ, and how you became interested in music. Also, is Crystoria your given name, or is there a story behind it?

CH: Thank you for having me. Music has always been a big part of my life. My dad was an independent Country artist throughout my early childhood. I remember experiencing recording studios and touring festivals and family nights that consisted of singing karaoke for fun and watching my family write songs for certain projects my dad was working on. It was a part of our normal life, and I loved it. When I was eleven I would get my first guitar and begin my journey in writing and singing for the years to come. 

My grandmother was a huge influence with my walk in Christ. I remember her talking about God during the summer days when she would come over to watch me. I remember her buying my first bible when I was 12 at a yard sale. I had always found myself in awe with creation. From the stars in the night sky, to the leaves blowing in the wind, I just was in amazement. I found myself often talking to the sky about life without really understanding who God was. As I got older I found myself attending a local church and found myself listening to the sermon and feeling like God was speaking directly to me through the sermon. I knew I needed to turn my life to God and so I did. That year I would cry out to God for His salvation, and get baptized. 

As for my artist name Crystoria it actually comes from a blend of my first and middle name. Crystal meaning pure, and Victoria meaning victory: together they make pure victor,  which is what we have in Jesus! 

JR: Would you like to tell us about your most recent project? Also, congratulations on winning last year's WVIU Music Awards New Female Vocalist 2021. How has that encouraged, influenced, and maybe even stretched your ministry this past year?

CH: Thank you. It was such a humbling experience to be awarded last year at WVIU Music Awards. Moments like such has brought confirmation in where I am at and encourages me to keep pressing forward as I know people are being blessed by the music, the lyrics, and most importantly the message. Even when life may feel stagnant or a bit rough at times the testimonies I receive from people being blessed keeps me going. I've always said if one person can blessed I am thankful and I am blessed; when multiple people are touched by a song it really is something special and truly a blessing from God that leaves me in awe.  

My most recent project released was my single ”Story in the Making”. I knew immediately when Troy Stravos and I wrote the song during a co-write in February of 2022 it was going to be going to production however I didn’t know when that would be. I personally like to let God lead me to what song I will release next. My life was going in a new direction this past summer in many ways I was not expecting; I found myself feeling pulled away from the contemporary christian genre and considering christian alternative and christian rock. With that said I have been in the process of working on entirely different style projects than what I have done in the past and I am currently in the process of rebranding. I found myself closing a chapter of what had been and opening the next. The song ”Story in the Making” made perfect sense to release for this moment of closure and new beginnings as the lyrics sing ”close one chapter open another”.  It really was a release that I will never forget and was truly bittersweet.

JR: Your webpage mentions a group of ladies called "Brave Worship." How did they influence your ministry?

CH: Brave Worship is where so much of my music journey truly began. I have ”written” songs since I was about 12 years old, however I never really considered myself a true ”songwriter” till the last few years. I always imagined songwriters being people who were hired out of college and worked for big record labels. Though there are people like that, there are so many people like you and me just going after their gifts in their everyday life and succeeding. 

Then I connected through a worship leaders group on Facebook with Amanda Blankenship. She was wanting to help more Women in Ohio become aware of Brave Worship (a women’s ministry for songwriters and worship leaders). Next thing I knew I was invited to a Private Facebook group filled with other women just like me with a passion of music, writing, and singing. 

To be real, though, the group quickly became intimidating as I saw ladies releasing music and running active ministries, and I felt unqualified as I simply was a mom of 4 running a small makeup business from my home and writing songs occasionally on a tiny notepad in my living room. I would end up sitting back and just watch the posts come through for the next couple years. The intimidation eventually turned into encouragement as I realized these ladies were so much like me. Moms, house keepers, entrepreneurs, and so forth… we all had something in common: the love for writing music for the Lord. After watching these ladies post for several years I started to slowly share songs I had written and eventually would be lead to a broader division of the ministry Writing Worship.

JR: As a frustrated artist (ceramist, songwriter, drawer, novelist, out of practice with some of those for decades), Krissy Nordhoff's Writing Worship Mentorship sounds like heaven. What was that program like? 

CH: Amazing! Truly Amazing. Writing Worship and Brave Worship are ran by Krissy Nordhoff and her husband Eric. Krissy is an amazing songwriter who has helped write for many artists including Natalie Grant and Tauren Wells. Had you told me ten years ago I would have the blessing of an opportunity to be able to take a mentorship by such amazing and Godly people I would of thought you were talking nonsense, I realized really quickly though Krissy was just like anyone else whose life had been taken down some amazing paths and humbly wants to share what she has learned to help others grow. Her mentorship helped me see the beauty in co-writing and finding confidence in how to do so. It helped me understand the importance of seeking God when it comes to writing for Him. It even brought me closer to God as she encouraged us to two way journal through out prayer times each week. I had barely co-wrote with any one prior to the mentorship. I now have several co-writes a month on a normal basis.

JR: As I'm typing this, you are in the middle of an on-line course you started called Songwriter Social. What motivated you to start it, and what skills that you had developed in your life prepared you for this? How does Songwriter Social resemble and differ from the above mentioned Mentorship? 

 

CH: Yes,  Songwriter Social is an 8 week course I developed to help writers and artists learn how to present themselves effectively and authentically on social media.  In 2015 I sensed God directing me to entrepreneurship around the same time He was encouraging me to write again. I thought it seemed like an odd combo of things to be working on at the time but eventually it really did come together. As I was placing myself in a season of preparation for my songwriting, I was learning how  to brand and market myself on social media for my businesses. I saw the potential for a kingdom mindset working on social media and saw beautiful things take place during my time as an entrepreneur. 

Eventually I would feel God’s tug to let all that go. I remember feeling frustrated with God wondering why He would have me work so hard over the years to just let it all go, BUT GOD, He has His ways, and after I let it all go I would be invited to take part in a private book study for Krissy’s book “Writing Worship“ and I just sensed God saying it was time to focus on music. As months went by I saw artists and songwriters in these groups on Facebook asking for help and advice when it came to their social media. One week in particular I found myself running across two posts from two different songwriters asking if they could still present themselves, or market themselves, on social media if they are not the artist. I immediately  knew the answer and realized there was a need for helping the songwriting community. 

Like Writing Worship, Songwriter Social is taken part in a small group setting virtually. You have a video to watch each week with challenges. However instead of learning about song personalities, worship, writing, and co-writing, Songwriter Social helps an inspired songwriter learn how to brand, network, create content, and time manage on social media all the while staying ”kingdom minded”. 

JR: Thank you very much for your time. What is coming up on the horizon? How can we keep up with your various ministries? 

CH: Thank you so much for having me! As I shared I am in the works of some new music, for those wanting to keep an eye out on the new style I have goals to release the beginning of 2023. You can keep up with my ministries at crystoriamusic.com or through my socials (Facebook, Instagram, Tik Tok) @crystoriamusic. May God bless your ministry. Blessings.

 

 

INTERVIEW WITH NATHANIEL OF TOMORROWZ END

Tomorrowz End, l-r Justin, Hayley, Nathaniel, Tyler, Andrew

 

JEFF: Welcome to the blog, and let me start with the typical starting point: How and when did the band start? Who's all in the group? And how did you come up with your name? 

NATHANIEL: The band officially started in 2016.  However, this was a beta test version, so to speak.  We were blessed to go and perform and witness in 22 states.  We fine-tuned our songs along the way and went into the studio in 2018 and recorded our 40 song debut album that is divided in 4 parts: “Tetralogy Part I Volumes 1-4” that we just released in April of 2022.  

After the recording of the tracks, this brought us to 2020 and then the pandemic hit.  During this time we could not go out and perform, so we used the time we had to make final touches on the album. We then decided to diversify and work on our 21 Episode Video Serial and get started on our Comic Book “The Age of Tomorrowz End” along with getting other projects in production or pre-production.  

As for who is in the group, when we perform we go simply by the letters X, I, T, S, and ?(Q).  This is not to be strange or anything like that, it is simply because when we perform we want it to be 100 percent not about the people performing (as the people can always change but the characters and meanings within the project always stay the same).  Everything in Tomorrowz End has a meaning and is a parable for the Christian walk and message.  For full details you can check out our website.  On our website, you will find every character that appears under the umbrella of Tomorrowz End and what they mean.  However, if you are looking for names, as of this writing I portray the T character; my wife Hayley portrays the I character; my brother Andrew the ? character; my longest running friend Justin the X character; and my best friend Tyler the S character.  

As for where the Tomorrowz End name comes from, this dates back to 2004.  I was 17 years old and a senior in high school and was diagnosed with a very rare bone cancer called Osteosarcoma.  I was not saved and had not accepted Christ in my life up to this point, however, the very day I was diagnosed, while sitting on my parents’ couch with my Grandmother by my side, I accepted Christ into my heart, and I have been blessed to be 17 years cancer free as of this writing, Praise God!  When I was going through my Chemotherapies, I really felt I needed to use any gift I had to further give testimony and witness for Christ, so as a result, the very 1st version of Tomorrowz End the Christian rock band was formed.  However, I was not ready spiritually or even matured enough in the faith to do what would take me years to finally get to do.  Which is a lesson to anyone reading this.  It is always about God’s timing, not our own.  

Fast forward to 2022, I was about to undergo a 5 level spinal fusion surgery, and most of our projects were either completed or near completed. So with prayer and patience, we finally started releasing the 1st wave of our content starting with the 40 song album and Act 1 of our 21 Episode Video Serial.  We did this because my recovery was supposed to be extra long because of the 5 level fusion, however, a miracle transpired through this event and a 5 level fusion was turned into a 3 level fusion and all I or my doctor could do is give all Praise and Thanks to God! 

JEFF: Allow me to start with the music end. Am I correct that your most recent release is a four-way tie? Could you tell us about the project? Any singles out? 

NATHANIEL: That is correct. We released 40 songs on 4 albums recorded in various styles from Heavy Metal; to Hard Rock; to Southern Rock; to Electronica; to more Ballad Rock all the way to straight up Experimental Rock.  21 of these songs will be featured in our 21 Episode Video Serial that are in the vain of the old Republic Movie Serials from the 40’s and 50’s.  These videos give a visual representation of what each song is about, and put together they tell a much more grand and intriguing story with and overarching message found throughout and at the end.  

We also have songs being spun on the radio throughout the US, Canada, the United Kingdom, but all stations are playing various songs.  Each song is tailored to that specific station’s likes.  So yes, we have singles released but they spread throughout all 4 albums.  The songs getting most spins right now are: “Repent and be Baptized”, “Pouring Rain”, “Arkangel”, and “A Jesus Frankenstein.”

JEFF: I don't know if you're familiar with the singer/pastor Steve Camp. I had a friend who wore a Steve Camp T-shirt to a Bible study, and an older lady said, "Steve Camp. Where's that?" What does the word CAMP mean to you? How does that relate to your music?

 NATHANIEL: We actually describe ourselves as a C.A.M.P. a “Christian Art Music Project.”  We not only are a band and have released 40 songs, but are doing our best to get the message of Christ out in all forms of media through various forms of art, hence describing ourselves as a C.A.M.P.  

In Jesus’ (Yeshua’s) time, He spoke often in parables to convey certain messages and truths, and these parables were often of seed planting or of things people could relate to at the time.   In today’s culture and time most people don’t do the same activities or have the exact same lifestyle that they did in the 1st Century AD, so we are just trying to take the same message and the same truth Christ taught and walked out perfectly and put it into music, comic books, videos, card games, board games, stop motion, and every form of art or interactive entertainment we can put it into to get people to truly think about their relationship and walk with Jesus (Yeshua) Christ. 

JEFF: I know the ultimate hero of the believer is Christ, but God also has given us fellow believers to mentor, influence, encourage, and challenge us. What musicians, artists, authors, pastors/radio & TV ministers, etc. have served these roles in your life? 

NATHANIEL: This is a good question. I would like to say at the front that I am not trying to avoid or dodge the question, but instead see this as an opportunity to make a point.  After all our travels within the Christian Community, this is a point that needs to be made.  I have learned good things from people with bad theology and I have learned bad things from people with good theology.  My point of stating this is we as Christians need to be able to distinguish truth from lie, wrong from right, up from down.  So, I always try and remind people, just because you heard something true in a sermon from a preacher or teacher, continue to do as the Bible says and “test all things.”   

Anytime we are taught something or learn something from a specific teaching, we need to make sure what we have learned can be found within the pages of the Bible; God’s unerring word, which is 100% truth.  The reason I mention this is because through our travels we have seen too many instances of the blind leading the blind.  Just because someone quotes something that comes from the Bible that is true, does not necessarily indicate the next sentence coming from them is truth as well. So, test all things, test all teachings, and hold fast to what is truth.  Always remember, truth can stand up to as many questions as you throw at it where as a lie cannot.  So, read and get to know your Bible so you can do what Paul in the New Testament said to do.  “Search the scriptures daily to see what I am telling you is true.”  the Bible is the measuring stick for truth, so get to know what it says so you won’t be deceived. 

JEFF: I always ask the interviewee about their website, but I rarely ask them about somebody else's. I'm making an exception here. You mentioned Biblehub.com in your mission statement. How has this site impacted your life, ministry, and creativity? 

NATHANIEL: I would say Biblehub.com is a resource every Christian with access to the internet should take advantage of.  The reason I say this is because it has almost every translation and has the Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek translations that all Bibles are transcribed from.  So, if you are ever curious which version is the correct version to read out of, you can look at the native language that specific scripture was wrote in and it clears up a lot of confusion on mistranslated words or ideas that have confused many people over the years.  It is an awesome resource and with a little bit of work on our part, we can more clearly understand what the words used in scripture truly mean and even which words are really used in certain instances. 

JEFF: Thank you for your time. What is on the agenda? Any concerts coming up? Do you have a web-site that we can keep up with you?

NATHANIEL: I am currently healing from my neck fusion surgery, but after I heal we will be doing live shows again and plan on providing a unique and full experience to make up for all the lost time.  In the meantime, people can check out all 40 songs on any  music streaming platform as well as on our website www.tomorrowzend.com 

We also have 3 issues of “The Age of Tomorrowz End” comic book ready for order on our website along with a card game.  People can also check out Act 1 and Act 2 of our 21 Episode Video Serial on our YouTube channel with Act 3 and 4 being released by the end of the year.  Speaking of the end of the year, we will be releasing our board game by the end of 2022 and by the 1st quarter of 2023 we will be releasing our stop motion project.  

Anyone interested can check out all news by finding us on facebook.  We have both a Friend and a Likes page.  For people who just want to be friends they can feel free to friend us.  For others who just want to like the page but not chat they can Follow and like our Likes page.  However, anyone who is interested can also do both!  

Also, within the next few months all of our content will be free on our website at tomorrowzend.com, as we are not in this for the money but truly want to provide art that makes you think about your relationship with Christ.  If you have never accepted Christ and are reading this, we ask you to take a 2nd look at Christ and HIs message and don’t let the hypocrisy you may have seen in flawed imperfect people turn you away from a perfect Christ.  And if you are a believer and already believe in Christ, we ask you to re-examine your life and make sure your life is reflecting Christ in all you do.  Remember, sometimes the only Jesus (Yeshua) people every see is the Jesus (Yeshua) that is present in the life that we lead.  Thank you so much for this interview, and thank you to everyone that took the time to read it.  As always, I will leave you with a question:  “Are you ready for Tomorrowz End?”