Kim: Isn't it amazing how God puts the people together that are going to help grow your life?
Joel: Yes, yes, yes. And that's so important. I tell you, I thank the Lord everyday for my church.
Kim: I frequently see people and organizations that attack Christian music that is not from a hymnal. You get out there and watch this music touch people. So what is your response to the people that attack music that glorifies God but with a different beat?
Joel: I think that music is a language. I call it emotions put to sound, but it's a language. For me, if I walked into a Gaither Homecoming shoot, even though I have so much respect for Bill Gaither, I probably wouldn't get into the music because that's just not my language. I speak a more pop/rock language. That's what I respond to. But I love Bill Gaither because his songs are so God centered. Because He Lives ... you know, all of those great songs that I grew up singing. So while a lot of people call contemporary music "from the devil", they don't realize that a lot of the hymns were taken were taken from secular tunes. Martin Luther took music that was worldly and put it with Christian lyrics. There's nothing new about doing that. What makes a drum any more worldly than a piano or an organ? Why is it that piano and organ are acceptable but drums and bass aren't? It doesn't make sense. I think what happens is that we miss the heart of worship. The heart of worship has nothing to do with music. I see such an amazing response everywhere I go. Not just teenagers, but people of all ages. I did a radio show a couple of weeks ago and they were talking about the "worship wars". Basically they were talking about contemporary music versus traditional. I said that number one, there is no such thing as a worship war. The only war that we have is the Kingdom of Heaven versus the kingdom of hell. You know? It's a style war ... not a worship war. I think that we need to get past the style and look to the content. I'm really into more of an edgier sound, but to me it's about the lyrics. The music has to be God-honoring. Songs are made to touch people's lives and to bring glory to God. For me, I wouldn't be sitting in this chair, having this interview with you if it weren't for bands like Whiteheart and Petra ... the music of the 80's and early 90's ... dcTalk, Steven Curtis Chapman. All of these wonderful Christian artists. I remember going to a Mylon LeFevre and the Imperials concert and my mom had just died and my grandpa had just died. I remember talking to one of the singers in the Imperials. There were like 10,000 people there, but they came out into the audience and talked to everyone after the show. Paul Smith, the lead singer then, talked to me about what was going on in my life. He prayed over me. I ran as fast as I could go get to that CD table. I played that cassette over and over and over again. God used those songs and that conversation to touch my life. I would have never had that experience if I hadn't gotten into the songs through the radio. I think that it's sad when people attack stuff based on preference. If there is a Christian artist out there promoting Hinduism or Buddhism, that's worth fighting over, but preference and style are not things worth fighting over. Music has touched me in ways that I can't express. It's touched my soul. I love to read and to hear great preaching, but there's something about music that sticks with you more than anything. I'm privileged to be able to do this for a living. It doesn't matter if it's a small audience or 10,000 people. Everytime I get to stand there behind my piano, with my band, and lift up a song to the Lord, I just can't believe it. It's a dream come true. It's a lot of hard work and sacrifice sometimes, but I wouldn't change it.
Kim: Joel, it has been wonderful talking to you. I've been blessed by this conversation.
Joel: Well thank you. God bless you.
