That’s how Sonny Sandoval (POD) greets the audience before his segment on the Whosoevers audio CD. It’s a collection of 5 folks sharing their hearts and it represents what goes on at a typical (?) Whosoevers event. I’m listening to this CD a lot to try and absorb the message as I’m writing an article on this amazing group. On one level, it’s this rag-tag group of broken freaks. To those that know, however, these are precious amazing people of God that exude love and are obediently sharing their transformed lives out in the open so that others can be made free. They’re really cool. Ryan Ries is from a hardcore partying background (even as the son of one of Calvary Chapel’s biggest pastors – Raul Ries). Lacey of Flyleaf shares on this disc about wanting to kill herself before discovering that God loved her. One of Lacey’s friends that has gone on the road with Flyleaf (Melanie) shares on this disc, too. Brian “Head” Welch (ex-Korn) gets up and shares his massive emptiness while on top of the world (and drugged out of his mind). Those five share on the CD, but the events vary on who the speakers are. At the March 4 event in Austin, we heard Ryan, Brian, Sonny and Annie Lobert. She is now Oz Fox (of Stryper)’s wife. She shares her broken past of being in the sex industry as a prostitute. When she shares, there’s usually not a dry eye in the house, as she references the heart issues (and relationship with a father) behind some of those dangerous behaviors. All these people point to the radical and unconditional love of Jesus that compelled them to surrender to His love and experience the transformation that true love brings. It’s like a high (which, if you’ve experienced, can no doubt confirm).
We’ll be giving away two of these Whosoevers CDs in HM Magazine’s next issue. If you’d like to enter to win one of them, just send an email to contest@hmmag.com and put “The Whosoevers” in the subject heading. If you can’t wait and/or want to find out more about this rad group, go to their facebook page.
Speaking of facebook, there’s lots of lively discussions going on with several posts and comments about the “Top 100 Christian Rock Albums of All Time” list that I’m composing for our 25th Anniversary (July/August) issue. It’s fun to argue and talk about worthy albums for this thing. Another piece of facebook news (and this is sad): I got a message from Jimmy Kempner, who used to own Frontline/Intense Records. It was a message that said there was a video of me. I was tired at 2am the other night and I was not thinking clearing and … I … clicked it. What an idiot! Now I’ve got a virus on my notebook computer. It’s probably a malicious facebook-oriented virus. If I lose the facebook account (and 2,500+ friends, that will suck.
A comic book company called Brax Comics recently did an interview with me. Check it out at: http://braxcomics.com/interviews/interview-with-doug-van-pelt-of-hm-magazine
Comments