🙏 From Secular Thrash to Christian Rock: Finding My Place on the Stage Crew
My journey into the world of rock music began unexpectedly at the Community College of Aurora. A memorable figure in the student common area—sides shaved, long hair on top, always wearing headphones—piqued my curiosity. When I asked him what he listened to, he dropped the names Exodus and Stormtroopers of Death. Though a quick listen confirmed it wasn’t my music, the concept of thrash metal lodged itself in my memory.
A pivotal shift happened that same summer, thanks to a cool, long-haired peer named K.C. Bierer. Through him, I discovered Petra. K.C. was generous with his collection, loaning me cassette and VHS tapes. I dove headfirst into their music, obsessively listening to Beat the System and the powerful live album Captured in Time and Space. Petra showed me that high-caliber rock performance and meaningful ministry could be one and the same. My personal library was small then, so I relied on the generosity of others to fuel this new passion.
While attending Colorado Christian University, my interest accelerated. I learned that my home church, Harvest, was hosting a concert by the Christian rock band Mylon LeFevre and Broken Heart. I went with friends from the college, arriving early enough to join the stage crew.
I spent the whole day helping with the setup, even having lunch with the band. It was exciting, but also revealing. I found myself secretly idolizing these musicians. My internal justification was that I was “doing ministry,” or “helping evangelize,” but the honest truth was more selfish: I was there for the entertainment. I was there for me.
That night, the show began with an opening act: a dynamic, relatively unknown Australian group called the Newsboys. Their energy was unlike anything I had witnessed before. That entire concert—from the thrilling opener to the headliner—was a defining moment. I left with merchandise from both bands, not just with souvenirs, but with the full immersion into a culture that had captivated my heart.
If you are enjoying these snippets from my musical journey, I would love a comment. Thanks for reading!