BOOK REVIEW - "FRITZ AND THE MIDNIGHT MEETUP" BY MEGAN HILL, ILLUSTRATED BY CHIARA FEDELE

 

Why are the children at the orphanage sneaking downstairs after bed-time? And should they worry about the resident bully?

"Fritz and the Midnight Meetup: A True Story About Kids Who Prayed" is a delightful children's book written by Megan Hill (who also wrote the children's book "Meg is Not Alone" as well as non-fiction books dealing with the same themes in her children's books) and illustrated by Chiara Fedele.

I know there was a revival taking place here in the United States right before the Civil War started. That revival was also taking place in Germany. This true story accounts for children who had a heart for prayer and wanted to have prayer meetings like the adults.

There also was a bully in real life, as there was in the story. And the results were also the same.

I highly recommend this book.

BOOK REVIEW - "A WIND IN THE HEBRIDES" (MONASTERY MURDERS BOOK 7) BY DONNA FLETCHER CROW

 What connection does a Spiritual Director conference have with a revival that occurred nearly three quarters of a century ago? Is a girl's missing boyfriend able to help solve a mystery of a disappearing corpse? And are there enigmas that might put Father Antony and Felicity in danger yet again, only this time with their five year old son?

"A Wind in the Hebrides" is the seventh in Donna Fletcher Crow's Monastery. This one has a different feel, because this novel moves back in forth between the conferences, church history stories, and worship services Father Antony and Felicity frequently enjoy and singer Aileana Mackay's search for her sister's love interest during a post WW2 revival in an isolated part of Scotland. As a reader of several of Crow's books, this seems like a cross between the Monastery Murders and her 10-part Celtic Cross series, each of which follow a story between a couple in 1993 and various church history stories of Scotland and Ireland.

This novel may start slow for some readers, but don't give up on it. Crow does a masterful job of weaving the two stories together, with their similarities and differences. She helps make them distinct by having the 1949 in italics.

I recommend this book, which I received for an unbiased review.

MY REPORT ON THE 2024 KINGDOM COME FESTIVAL! (AND RELATED THOUGHTS AS WELL)

Meredith Dunkel of Undefeated prepares to sing Star Spangled Banner to start Saturday's program, with host and performer Matt Moore on stage with her to the right.

When Kingdom Come Festival (afterward referred to as KCF) started in 2010, Becky and I had already been Indianapolis residents for almost 15 years. It was another 11 years before we heard about the festival. In '21, I learned about it too late, so I passed. In '22, I debated between that festival and Get To The Point festival, which was smaller and closer. Last year, I went and spent Saturday there, hearing 7 bands (all on the Redemption stage). This year, I mentioned to Becky that I could go again on Saturday and not have to take time off work. She told me: "You enjoy it. Take the day off and go both days!" So I did. (Note - technically, it starts Thursday nights, before being all day on two stages Friday and Saturday.)

And let me point out a fact - yes, I go there for the music, but I also look for an opportunity to volunteer. It didn't work out in '23's KCF, but I had the honor of being part of the welcome team at the Pit Fest last October and both Friday and Saturday this year.

Let me run down the groups I got to hear, and if there's something that really stands out (besides "Great concert!"), I'll point it out. Then, I'll mention other high points, as well as an answer to the question "Is KCF a 'get away from it all' blessing, or is it something that's affecting your life? Also, there is the main stage and the Subculture Stage - I'll put an asterisk if it's the latter. So here's my itinerary:

With Lifted Veils

FRIDAY 11:50 am - WITH LIFTED VEILS.* (Note - if you're volunteering, and during that time a group you want to hear is performing, they let you go, and this was the case here.)

Autumn Eve

FRIDAY  1:30 pm - AUTUMN EVE. (Another concert I wanted to hear during my volunteer time.) Two notes - it's the first time I've seen a guitarist or bass player (the latter in this case) use a bow. Also, I was amused at looking at the main schedule and seeing that four performers in a row on the main stage were Autumn Eve, Mourning Eve, Reclaim the Day, and Samuel Day. My friend Chris Bousum told me that was a pure accident.

Reclaim The Day, Zahna

FRIDAY 3:00 pm - RECLAIM THE DAY. I love this band - second time I heard them live. I was eating lunch and not where I could see their first song (wish I could have paid attention to it). Another artist, Zahna, who was a guest artist on RTD's song "Chokehold" got on stage and joined RTD's Becca Sugg on that song. I was as surprised as I was when I saw the sun set in the west.

Samuel Day

FRIDAY 3:45 pm - SAMUEL DAY. I'm at the age where I don't like driving in the dark, and I live an hour away from the venue, so last year I left where I missed getting to see two performers I really wanted to see. Samuel Day was one of the two. Fortunately for me at least, he performed earlier in '24 than in '23. (The other artist I missed, TheoTerran? Not so fortunate - they were the headliner - final act - on Friday at the SubCulture stage, definitely after dark!)

Hello Luna

FRIDAY 4:20 pm - HELLO LUNA.* There are few concerts that have me leave going "Wow!" Hello Luna's set was one of the few that hit the unforgettable level.

True Revival

SATURDAY 10:00 am - TRUE REVIVAL. They had a bump - their regular drummer broke his arm two days before the performance! They had a back-up drummer, but it meant I have to wait to hear their new songs!

BRVVE

SATURDAY 10:35 am - BRVVE.* Actually, the difference between BRVVE and With Lifted Veils was who the lead singer was and whether they had an electric guitar in the band, as well as if one member was playing drums or conga. But two things stood out in this set. First, on the second song, I heard what sounded like cooing, looked up, and saw a couple of birds fly to the ceiling and enjoy the concert from the rafters. Second, Dale Vaughn of SubCulture Outreach Community got up before they finished, preached, and led a short revival. 

Divine Martyr - yes, the lead vocalist also plays cello.

SATURDAY 11:30 am - DIVINE MARTYR. With two stages, how often do I have two bands I really want to see perform at the same time? Believe it or not, not often. This was an exception. However, let me confess that my favorite rock genre is symphonic metal, which is what Divine Martyr is. Also, I found out Glenn Hatmaker, a friend that I used to work with, was coming up particularly to hear DM. If he hadn't, I would have listened to a song by I Am The Pendragon before going to hear Divine Martyr. By the way, my favorite drummer to watch is Mark McKowen.

I Am The Pendragon

 SATURDAY 11:20ish am - I AM THE PENDRAGON.* Remember me mention that there was a mini-revival during BRVVE's set? Would you be surprised to know it messed the Sub Culture Stage's schedule? Though I'm not sure I'd call it messed up. Instead of starting and finishing  ten minutes before Divine Martyr started on the main stage, they were approximately ten minutes behind! Thus, I got to bring Glenn to hear their last two songs, for him to be impressed by the voice of lead singer Jerrod Cunningham, and to see Kevin "Moose" Busch get off the platform and wander through the crowd while playing his bass.

Undefeated

SATURDAY 1:00 pm - UNDEFEATED.   Remember me mentioning that Divine Martyr's Mark McKowen is my favorite drummer to watch? Well, he has competition in Christian Dunkel of Undefeated - his constant smile is contagious.

 

Me with Jermaine Lajuane Nixon

Tricord

I managed to catch a few songs by other artists as well, such as Nate Parrish and Brandon Michael (recommended by my photographer friend Chad Fenner (who worked on the SubCulture Stage. But the one song I heard by Tricord, "Into The Storm, "was one that touched me. 

Me with Jermaine Lajaune Nixon of Tricord

So what can compete with all the great music? Actually, it's not close. Both days, I felt I was among family. Always 1 Ministry's Chris Bousum, the brothers in True Revival, the guys of Divine Martyr, Jerrod Cunningham and Kevin "Moose" Busch of I Am The Pendragon, New Day Rising's Jammin Shue, and Nicole Drennan (aka BRVVE) all made me feel I belonged there. Add to that getting to meet Jermaine Lajaune Nixon of Tricord, and it was the closest thing to a reunion. (Since I don't have any kids, I thought of adopting a band or two, except musicians have a penchant for expensive toys.)

One neat thing - they were collecting get well cards for my buddy David Paconi of TheoTerran, who has been dealing with a ruptured appendix and chemo-therapy.

Me with Jammin Shue

However, something hit me late Saturday afternoon. A blog from last year mentioned me thinking of a music chaplaincy (Becky's suggestion, based on me wanting to encourage Christian musicians). I have already made a regular prayer list for musicians I pray for each week. 

Me, John Harin, Reece Maopolski of Brotality

So guess what I did? I went back to the merchandise tent and the booths in the SubCulture stage, and asked several musicians how I could pray for them. This allowed me to meet Reece Maopolski and John Haring of Brotality, rapper Damac, and Josiah Brand (aka Fyrebrand).

Me, Josiah Brand (Fyrebrand)

THE 7,000 WHO DIDN'T BOW - "LET'S STOP BEING SO CRITICAL" (PART 1 OF 6)

 

Statue of Elijah, "Cave of Elijah", Mt. Carmel; courtesy of Joe Freeman

Ash Wednesday started Lent. I have a suggestion on what to give up for Lent: Being critical when you don't have enough information to justify the criticism. So during the six Sundays of Lent (which technically are not part of the 40 days of Lent), As I dealt for the past 6 weeks with obscure people who grabbed my curiosity, the next 6 weeks will focus on Biblical people that have been unnecessarily criticized.

Today, I'll be dealing not with one, not with seven, but with 7000 individuals mentioned only a couple of times in Scripture. But first, background. Do you need me to recount the duel on Mt Carmel between Elijah and the Prophets of Baal? I'll assume you know that one, as well as the prophet's race into the wilderness when threatened by Jezebel and his conversation in the cave with the Still Small Voice. Elijah complained he was the only prophet of Yahweh left, and Yahweh countered He reserved 7000 men in Israel who had not bowed their knee to Baal.

Would you believe there are Christians who criticize these faithful believers?

Would you believe there are well-known, highly respected, godly gentlemen who criticize these faithful believers?

Surprisingly, the first question is answered yes. Scandously, so is the second. I'm not going to tell you who because it might take away deserved respect from these great Bible teachers. 

Why are the 7000 criticized? Because Elijah didn't know about them. Because they did not stand up and start a revival. Only thing - the text does not criticize them. Neither does the Lord. 

There are people who are called to start an awakening. But not all. All are called to be faithful. If they're not noticed for their faithfulness, there is no blame or shame for these faithful. Rather, they should be complimented for that faithfulness.

We need to remember that God uses everyday people, not just the big wigs.

MY FAVORITE GIFTS

A rare selfie of yours truly

 With Christmas of '23 being right around the corner, I'd like to talk about two of my favorite gifts that I received, both of which have a similar color scheme. 

Okay, I'll admit: Neither of these are Christmas gifts. However, I'll tell you why the two hold a special place in my life in two different contexts and uses.

You can't see my hand in the photo, but in that unseen hand is a cup that reads "Man of God" on one side and Isaiah 40:31 on the other side. (I'm sure you'll assume I'm holding that cup, because otherwise it's floating in space.) I received that when I was in a class dealing with church leader training led by Pastor Josh Jacobs at what was then Hunter Road Bible Church. 

I'm also wearing a True Revival T-shirt. Regular blog readers are probably aware that True Revival is a local band. They band is also in a Facebook group I've mentioned in this blog - "Holding Up In Prayer The Arms Of Christian Artists." Because of my focus on prayer for musicians, they gave me this shirt.

While the two look like they belong together color-wise, they both have different functions and reflect different areas of my life. Those two gifts might share a breakfast table with me before I go to work, but other than that, they rarely are in the same place at the same time.

The cup might travel (with assistance) back in forth between the kitchen and the dining room, but it never leads the house. Nobody except Becky see me use it. Having a "Man of God" cup is not a boast, but a reminder of who I am in Christ, and that "who I am" is internal. If I stood in a police line-up and someone was asked to identify the Christian in the group, it would be a guess because Christians don't look any different from non-Christians. We don't have a Rafael painted halo over our head. 

In other words, this cup is a reminder and a challenge for how I live my life. I don't want to live in a way that someone who saw me with the cup (including Becky) would shake their head and think "Who is he kidding?" I want my love for God and obedience to Him be my new nature, the bent of my thought. And this is personal.

The shirt? That does go out. I've worn it to work and to men's prayer meetings. I might go to the grocery store while wearing it. I want others to see the shirt. If I succeed in people getting interested in the band, great! But I also want to communicate to others that the Church needs true revival. 

Too often, the way Christians individually or churches as a whole act does have the world shaking their head and thinking "Who is he kidding? Christians are just as bad and selfish and argumentative as anybody else." We need God to revive our lives. And I want to be an encouragement to others to live that way.

SUNDAY PSALMS PART 36 OF 48: PSALM 119:153-160

Child Evangelism Fellowship Headquarters, Warrenton, MO

153   Consider my affliction and deliver me,
        For I do not forget Your law.
154   Plead my cause and redeem me;
        Revive me according to Your word.
155   Salvation is far from the wicked,
        For they do not seek Your statutes.
156   Great are Your tender mercies, O LORD;
        Revive me according to Your judgments.
157   Many are my persecutors and my enemies,
        Yet I do not turn from Your testimonies.
158   I see the treacherous, and am disgusted,
        Because they do not keep Your word.
159   Consider how I love Your precepts;
        Revive me, O LORD, according to Your lovingkindness.
160   The entirety of Your word is truth,
        And every one of Your righteous judgments endures forever.
                Psalm 119:153-160, New King James Version

As you'd expect me to say, I absolutely love this section. Allow me to give two reasons.

1. The emphasis on revival. Yes, you probably noticed several appeals in this Psalm to "Revive me according to Your Word or something similar. Verses 33-40 have two. This section has three. Verse 154 asks God to revive us according to His Word; verse 156 asks for revival according to God's judgments (or justice), and verse 159 asks for Him to revive us according to His lovingkindness. We all need to be revived in all three.
2. I also love the concluding verse. What do you think it means to say "The entirety of Your word is truth?" I think it means that the entirety of God's Word is truth. That means Genesis to Revelation. It goes on to add that His righteous judgments endures forever. Now, how long is forever?  Yet I hear people who think our culture knows more than God. :'( I have one friend who believes in the four Gospels, period. Should I take his word or God's Word that all Scripture is truth and endures forever?
   

 

 

WHAT IS REVIVAL? WHAT DOES IT LOOK LIKE? WHY IS IT NEEDED? AND ARE WE WILLING TO PAY THE COST?

Fort Wayne's Children Zoo, Fort Wayne, IN

 My introduction to the topic of Revival was when I saw a half dozen Chick Tracts. Most of them, of course, were evangelistic, but one of them was his tract "Why No Revival?" I was in 6th grade that time, and I didn't catch his points well until a few years later.

Little did I know as I thumbed through that pamphlet at home in Prescott, Arizona, there was revival taking place on the other side of the country. 

Fast forward half a century. Another revival is taking place at the same university it happened in the '70's. I learned about it as I was watching half a dozen Christian musicians from the Jesus Music era at the time of the first revival. These musicians (John Fischer, Randy Stonehill, Glenn Kaiser, Paul Clark, Barry McGuire, and Swedish singer Ingemar Olsson) are talking about needing a song to start revival among Millennials.

But what does Revival look like? What are we looking for? 

One problem with the church as a whole (and it may have been a problem since Pentecost) is  that we focus on experience. We want the positive feelings. Could it be that we feel entitled to God's blessing on us? Likewise, is this desire for revival absent from a need for the Church to genuinely repent (both individually and corporately)? 

One of my favorite musicians, who's also a pastor, has some questions on the current revival. Namely, is it based on Scripture? Is it encouraging assembling together with the Church?

Another question I have is how lasting is it? Is Revival a peak that we descend from eventually and return to status quo? I remember reading No Compromise, the biography of Keith Green, where it mentioned a revival that lasted only for hours before being quenched. Is that real revival?

I would love to hear what you all think revival looks like, and if you want to comment before reading on so I don't influence your answer, go ahead and comment! 

Thank you to all who have commented. Here's my thoughts on what real revival will look like.

1. It will come from prayer and solid Bible teaching. Not only are these two elements a starting point, but true Revival will create a desire for yet more prayer and Bible Study.
2. It will transform a life. Yes, there may be a let down, but I believe genuine revival would result in changes that last in a person's life.
3. It will be a community event. I heard one speaker say renewal involves the individual while revival involves the corporate church. The hunger for prayer and Bible Study and the staying power I mentioned above will be strengthened by the encouragement of one another, as Hebrews 3:12-13 and 10:24-25 encourages.
4. It will not only be active in the church's four walls, but it will also spread out. There will be a desire to evangelize. There may even be a desire to go to the Mission field. 

Are we willing to make changes for revival to take place in the church and for renewal to happen in our own hearts? There will be costs. We'll definitely have to give up our sins and probably some activities that are not sin but are keeping us from serving God whole heartedly. We may also face opposition from the world, from our family and friends, and maybe even the church.

 

 

WAKE UP BY MEGHAN WILLIAMS (DYED4YOUART)

 PART 17 OF A 17 PART SERIES ON FAVORITE ART AND ARTISTS

Wake Up by Meghan Williams of Dyed4YouArt

 

My hunch is that if you asked ten Christians what it means for the church to wake up, you might get ten different answers. I wouldn't be shocked if you got twenty.  

While I'd be glad to give my thoughts as to how the church needs to awaken, I'm going to focus on this fine work of art. Of course, there's the lion representing Jesus, the Lion of the Tribe of Judah (Genesis 49:9-10; Rev. 5:5), speaking to the world, symbolized by a city.

Is this a particular city? My first thought is San Francisco, with the Golden Gate and other bridges. But is my memory correct that New York City also has one? Or is it another city or for that matter a generic city? Either way, the cities I mentioned are not known for listening to the voice of Christ. To me, the city looks unaffected by Christ's roar.

You want to know my thoughts about the church needing to wake up? Ask! I'll be glad to tell you. But what I want to hear is your thoughts about the subject. And does this picture affect you as it does to me?

Also, this is the conclusion of my series on favorite art. You can say I wanted to go out with a bang, or more likely a roar. Starting this blog, let alone the series, is based on a view that God can use the arts for His glory, including drawing the lost to Him and to edify and encourage the Church. In some cases, He can even use art by unbelievers without their knowledge.

P.S. If you'd like to read my interview with Meghan Williams (which also has "Wake Up" on the top), click here.

 

FESTIVALS, FATHER'S DAY, PROVIDENCE, PRAYER, SPIRITUAL WARFARE, ENCOURAGEMENT, AND REVIVAL

Divine Martyr and ... Hey, who's the party crasher on the left?

 

With no children (nor nephews or nieces, and not surprisingly, no grandchildren) and both Becky's and my fathers gone, Father's Day isn't a big thing. But that leads me to a question: Am I, at 62.67 years old, too old to adopt a rock band, or maybe a Southern Gospel quartet? Or should I be content at being an Uncle.

And thus begins a blog where I hit several topics (in case you can't guess from the title).  And I took Father's Day out of order, but I'll keep going.

So:

FESTIVALS!!!  

I first heard of Kingdom Come Festival (KCF) last year, even though it has been going on for years about an hour's drive away. Didn't make it last year, and planned to this year. And the Saturday line-up had several bands I wanted to hear: True Revival, Forsaken Hero, Reclaim the Day, and Theody (all of which I've interviewed) as well as others. 

But then, I heard about Get To The Point Festival, which also had Reclaim the Day and five other acts, such as Divine Martyr who I'd miss out at KCF because they perform Friday. Plus, it was indoors instead of outdoors, half the distance that KCF is, and friendlier to Becky's and my schedule. (Festivals like this are more my style than Becky, and she's more into Southern Gospel.) 

So last Saturday (June 11, '22) I drove to the Point Church and Community Center and had the honor of hearing great music, by Inarticulate Bones and Brave WRSHP and the bands Tempus Unum, Hush Harbor, Divine Martyr, and Reclaim the Day. I got to hear great songs including Fear (Divine Martyr's latest), Relief (Tempus Unum, not yet available on streaming), Sentenced to Life (one of five excellent songs on Reclaim The Day's just released EP), and Testimony (Hush Harbor). 

But if you missed Get To The Point, then get to Kingdom Come! It starts tonight (June 16, '22) including interviewees Undefeated and Samuel Day, and as I said, is the following two days all day on two different stages!

PROVIDENCE

Technically, I could go to KCF, but I figured time wise I needed to choose between the two festivals. Well, two things happened after I decided to go to GTTP instead of KCF. First, I learned a friend of mine was having a retirement party when I would have been at KCF. Then this week, I was asked to help in the sound/camera booth at church during a funeral that again is at the same time of KCF. It seems God was pleased for me to enjoy a festival, and I chose the one I could attend.

PRAYER

So I won't be present at KCF but I will be there in spirit. Or to move from cliche to what I mean, I will be praying from here in Indianapolis while the concert is going on. I have my cell phone calendar ready to give a reminder so I can pray for my favorite artists as they're performing, as well as for KCF itself. Would you like to join me? I have the schedules for the two pages at the bottom of this blog so you can know who to pray for.

SPIRITUAL WARFARE

Are Christian musicians entertainers or ministers? I've always believed Christian artists, especially the cutting edge ones, are on the front line, invading the enemy's territory, and the enemy is ready to fight.

That belief was confirmed last week. Becca Sugg, lead vocalist for Reclaim the Day, fell and broke her nose and lacerrated her tongue. Was that a coincidence it was close enough to the concert she wondered if she could perform? I don't think so. Was it a spiritual attack? Good luck proving me it wasn't.

ENCOURAGEMENT

One of my heroes is Barnabas, the Son of Encouragement. I love encouraging Christians in ministry. Yes, that includes pastors and missionaries, but as I'm an artist (do you all know I've written songs, novels, and worked in ceramics and drawing?) I also like ... rather love to encourage Christian artists, be it authors, singers/bands, or visual artists.

I had the honor of meeting some of the musicians at the Festival, such as Reclaim the Day's Becca Suggs, Scott Shireman (Hush Harbor's drummer, and hopefully a soon to come interviewee) and Woody Hughes and Mark McKowen of Divine Martyr. Hopefully, I was able to be an encouragement by being there. 

REVIVAL

Actually, I could consider this to fall under "encouragement" except instead of me being the encourager, I'm being the encouragee. Several of the artists made it clear they would love to have non-Christians in the audience so they can hear the Gospel.

Since it was my first time at The Point, I may have been in the Sanctuary without realizing it. One hint were the altars on either side. Becca Sugg pointed them out and encouraged those who needed to get right with God or had prayer needs to make use of them.

Yep, this concern for the lost, and the love for others shown throughout the concert encouraged me. 

Are you going to Kingdom Come Festival? Have you gotten to hear any of the artists I mentioned or any that are listed on the schedule for KCF (including interviewees Gold Frankincense and Myrrh)? And a reminder to use the schedule as a prayer guide.

 

KCF 22 Main Stage Schedule

KCF 22 Redemption Stage Schedule

INTERVIEW WITH TRUE REVIVAL

 

True Revival: L-R Doug Keele (guitars), Terry Tyler (vocals, guitars), Dan McCreary (drums and percussion) and Jim Hallock (bass guitar).

I'm getting in a groove of having some awesome interviews with various bands, and this is a prime example of why these interviews get me excited! An example is this interview with True Revival. The responses are a team effort of the band, so I left the responses "TR" to represent the band.

JR: When did you all come to Christ, how did the band get started and how did you decide on the name?  

TR: True Revival is a band of Christian brothers, using the
talents He gave us, to give back to Him. It is not about us, but the glory belongs to Him alone. We are all "seasoned" musicians, each with our own history on how we came to accept the Lord as our personal Savior. We came from Christian homes, and our respective walks with the Lord have led us all to this place at the same time. True Revival was born as the manifestation of an idea that Terry and Jim had while playing on the worship team for our local Christian Church. Five years later, here we are: four Christian brothers, leading others in the worship of our Almighty King, Jesus Christ.  

 JR: Would you like to tell me about your latest project? 

TR: We are currently finalizing our first album (title to be determined) consisting of 12 songs. The vast majority (10) are originals, with the remainder a couple of covers that we made our own by putting the True Revival take on them. 

JR: Who would you say are your "heroes" or, if you prefer, mentors or influences, both musically and of the faith? 

TR: As I mentioned above, we are a diverse group, coming from various musical backgrounds. Musically speaking, we are influenced by everything from bands like Journey, the Eagles, Rush, Metallica, the Beatles, and even JS Bach (love the old stuff). As for a "hero," I would say it would be the Lord that we do our best to serve. By definition, a hero is someone to emulate and/or look up to. What a better hero to have than Jesus! One that gave His life freely for us is truly the most "hero-worthy" person there ever was.  

JR: I know you have some performances coming up at a church called "First Heavy Metal Church of Christ." What were some of the most unique venues you've been at? 

TR: This will be our fourth visit to the First Heavy Metal Church of Christ. That is certainly a "unique" venue. Others would include Festivals of the Arts, PitFest, biker rallies, etc. God can use us anywhere He leads.  

JR: Borrowing off your name, what do you think True Revival would look like in the Church today? Any thing from your ministry that is an encouragement that we're headed the right direction, in spite of the apparent changes in modern society?   

TR: Excellent question. "True Revival" is pretty self-explanatory. There is way too much division today - both in the church and in society in general. This is NOT what Christ had in mind. We are to be one. Ephesians 4:3-6 is pretty explicit: " Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace. There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called to one hope when you were called; one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all" (NIV). 

We strive to be an avenue in which the Holy Spirit flows. Not about us, only about Him. There have been a couple instances where people have told us of the personal impact of our musical messages. In fact, one individual was convinced against suicide after hearing the Lord through our music. Praise Jesus! While it would be great to reach thousands of souls through an hour of True Revival's music, one at a time is mission accomplished as well. 

As for society, it is now more important than ever that the Church holds fast to the teachings of the Lord. I would strongly argue that when society continues to stray further and further from biblical truths, the worse things become. Yes, the bible offers absolutes. The adversary is working overtime to blur the lines - instead of a clear sense of right and wrong, society (and the church) are seeming to condone a softening to God's Word. The Bible tells us God is the same always. He alone is our anchor. Satan causes the drift. True Revival means getting back to the Bible - differentiating right from wrong, loving the sinner while hating the sin. We are all human and all fall short of the Glory of God. That is why Christ had to perish for us. We all need to remember that fact and start living like it. 

JR: Thank you very much for your time! I know you'll be at Kingdom Come Festival here in Indiana in June; any others you'd like to tell us about? How can we keep in touch with your band, such as a website or anything?

TR: Thank you for reaching out to us! Yes, we are opening the Saturday portion of the Kingdom Come Festival. We are greatly looking forward to sharing the Lord at KCF! We are on Facebook - just search for "True Revival." We are also on the web - truerevivalband.net. May God continue to bless you and your ministry. Soli Deo Gloria!

INTERVIEW WITH WOODY HUGHES, BASSIST OF DIVINE MARTYR

https://www.divinemartyr.com
 

Divine Martyr; L-R Jason Hyde (Guitar), Olivia Guetle (Vocals, Cello), Mark McKowen (Drums, Keys), Woody Hughes (Bass)

"The music of Divine Martyr reflects life. A life of struggle, and yet one of hope. One of importance, bringing forth the message of our Messiah through trial and tribulation, and remembering those who have given all for their faith. For life is not without struggle, and yet through struggle we persevere. So we run but do not grow weary, playing to an audience of One..." - Jason Hyde, from the heading "Mission" on Divine Martyr's webpage.

I enjoy all my interviews. There are some, though that I'm absolutely excited when I research the interviewee and read their answers. I'm excited about this one. So be sure to check out their webpage below.

JR: Welcome to the blog. When and how did the band get started, and how did you decide on your name? Who's in the current line-up?

WH: I really felt there was a need to minister to those who didn’t feel comfortable going to church. Maybe because they didn’t feel “worthy” to walk into a church or maybe they didn’t even feel worthy of God’s love. So, I placed an ad on Craigslist in 2016, got a reply from Dan Klinger, a guitarist who was from the Indianapolis area, and he and I started to jam in both of our garages. About a month into it, our current drummer, Mark McKowen, answered the ad and we all started practicing together and putting together ideas for songs. Shortly after, Dan left the band, and then a few months later Jason Hyde auditioned for the role of guitarist, and we figured out quickly how awesome he was and asked him to join. I knew our original vocalist, Darlene Parson, from the Vineyard Church in Greenwood, so I asked her to join us and that’s how the band started.

The name, Divine Martyr, came from Dan. I instantly loved the name because I believe that we as Christians should be willing to be martyred for what we believe in because the Bible says that in the last days we must choose between God and man when we are persecuted. Dan was gracious enough to allow me to use the name after he left.

Our current line-up consists of Mark on drums, Jason on guitar, me on bass, and we have a new vocalist and cellist, Olivia Guetle. We’re really excited about Olivia. She’s got an awesome voice and she’s a great fit to the band. The fact that she can add cello to our songs adds yet another layer of ambience and ether to our songs that really continues to define the “symphonic” aspect of our music that we’ve always envisioned.

JR: Could you tell us about your latest project?

WH: We’re releasing three new songs here shortly. We will be releasing our new song, "Fear," on June 10th, the day before our Get to the Point show. We will then be releasing a first ever instrumental entitled "Mystique" on June 24th, and finally, a cover of a popular CCM song by Kari Jobe called "Forever." We have a date in mind for the release, but it may slip due to some scheduling in all of us getting it tracked with Marcus over at Reclaim the Day. He’s our tracking and mixing engineer by the way and we’re excited about Fear so we’re using him for the other songs as well. We’ve developed an excellent relationship with him and his wife Becca. They’re pretty cool.

JR: As I looked at your website, I was impressed with your Mission. Would you like to share it with us? How did you develop it?

WH: To add to my first answer, I think that in the last six years that we’ve been together we all have seen a real need in the Christian community for outreach to those who don’t feel comfortable in a church setting. To be honest, the church in America has grown stagnant. We’re not afraid to say it. Its message has been watered down. We don’t believe that the church is doing a good job in reaching out to people and meeting their needs. It’s time for a change. It’s long overdue. So, it’s time for us to get out there and go where the Lord leads us. We don’t care where we must go. If we can do it financially, we’ll go anywhere.

JR: What would you say were the most memorable moments of your ministry as a band, such as recording, concerts, after-concert pizza raids, etc.?

WH: We always talk amongst ourselves about the opportunity to open for Disciple, but where I think we were able to minister the most effectively was at the Water Bowl in Muncie Indiana on Easter weekend in 2019. We were the only Christian band among about five other bands with one of them being an outwardly Satanic band. Those are the places where we need to be. And what’s interesting is that that show was where we felt the most welcomed by the fans. We’ve found that the secular community is more supportive of our religious stance then the Christians who think ministering using heavy metal is “sinful”. And that’s another issue of ours – The church in America doesn’t want to support those of us who are using traditionally “alternative” means to celebrate God, i.e. heavy metal. The church doesn’t seem to want to be involved unless it’s standard CCM worship.

JR: If you could address the American Church, what would you say we need to be doing to return to our First Love? Related, when you all are discouraged, where do you tend to find encouragement and inspiration?

WH: The church must teach the Bible with no reservations but in complete love. Right now, churches are teaching love, but with reservations on what exactly to discuss on Sunday mornings as to not offend people. To be frank, if you go to a church and they’re preaching the Bible and it offends you, then you need to hear it. Church leaders need to ensure that its member’s needs and their family’s needs are met. More things like feeding the hungry and visiting the sick needs to happen consistently and on a regular cadence. Not just on Thanksgiving and around Christmas.

JR: Thank you for your time. I know you'll be at the Get To The Point Festival in Greenwood, IN, June 11th, and the following Friday (I believe) you'll be at Kingdom Come Festival in Kokomo. Anything else on the horizon? Do you have any webpages to find out what's going on with your ministry?

WH: Yes, we’d love for everyone to make it to the Get To The Point Festival in Greenwood. That one is special to me personally since that’s my town. Also we’d love to see everyone at KCF in Kokomo.  And check out our Divine Martyr website (https://www.divinemartyr.com) to get a listing of all our shows and any new updates on what we may be doing. We have the month of June covered (the festivals mentioned above, and Mercy Jam in Jeffersonville, IN, June 25th), one show on July 3 (Audiofeed Music Festival 2022, Urbana, IL), and one on September 3 (Mosey Down Mainstreet, Lafayette, IN). Please spread the word. We’d love to do more shows this year. Thank you so much for allowing us to share our mission with you!

INTERVIEW WITH CASEY PRICE OF FORSAKEN HERO

 

A week ago, I checked to see who was coming to the Kingdom Come Festival this year and scrolled down the list. (Last year, I had the pleasure of interviewing Angie Leyda of Always One Ministries, who puts the festival together each year; if you missed it, click here to read it.) One of the bands listed was Forsaken Hero. I listened to their songs, and was impressed.

I'm interviewing guitarist/lead vocalist Casey Price. The other members of the band include Casey's sister Emily (vocals) and brothers Marcus (lead guitar), David (drums) and Matthew (bass, piano) Collins.

 JR: When, how, and why did the band start, including the choosing of your name? Could you introduce who all is in the group?

CP: Forsaken Hero started in High School. Over 11 years ago! Crazy how time flies! The name was based on our love for Skillet. Both Forsaken and Hero are Skillet songs. But the scriptural meaning is Jesus is our Forsaken Hero. We forsake him and sin daily. But he still died for our sins anyway!

JR: How many CDs do you have out? Could you tell us about them?

CP: Forsaken Hero has released 4 albums. Only two of them are currently available as well as some singles that were released not on disc between those periods of time. The first two albums in 2013 and 2016. Where made before we rebranded and started making professional records in Nashville etc.

JR: I’m looking forward to hearing you this year at the Kingdom Come Festival this year. I also notice you have quite a long list of people you’ve opened for, including Stryper. Is there a concert that has been especially memorable?

CP: There's so many memories of so many different shows over the years. The two Stryper tours we did were wild. Kingdom come is always a blast because there are so many amazing bands we are friends with it's just such a great time of fellowship and worship. Probably our favorite show we've done was a youth conference in Indiana in 2020 right before the pandemic, over 1000 high schoolers on fire for God, worshiping and singing and jumping around and praising together was just such an amazing experience!

JR: I consider Christian musicians are often on the front-lines of Spiritual Warfare. What sources do you have for godly encouragement? Any mentors or authors or bands that lift you up?

CP: Mentors are definitely our church family and peers at Highlands Fellowship in the Virginia and Tennessee area. Most of our band members play at different campuses since our church has multiple locations so there's a lot of people to create friendship and Godly bonds with. Musically Skillet's Comatose and Awake albums were a huge blessing and influence in my life and music.

JR: The first song I heard of yours is “God of Revival”, and absolutely loved it. What inspired that song? I’m sure you agree the church – at least in the U.S. - needs an awakening – what do you think it will look like, and is there anything we need to do for it to occur?

CP: So God of Revival is actually a cover song. It's originally by Bethel worship. We just loved the song and the lyrics and message of the song but the real song is very soft until the end and it gets huge and I was like what if we made our own version and had it big right at the beginning?? That would be awesome! We don't release a lot of cover songs to streaming since there's a lot of red tape getting the rights to the song etc. But this song was very important to us to release to the world.

JR: Thank you for your time. What’s on the horizon, both in recording and in performing? How can we keep up with you?

CP: Forsaken Hero is currently writing our new record now. And we also came out with a hard rock side project called Sonflower Seed. Same message just heavier music. We currently have one single out "Fate Holds The Gun". And our next single will be releasing soon. And Forsaken Hero will be announcing new music soon as well!! 

If you'd like to keep up with the band, you can click here to get access to their webpage and social media sites