Christian rock band Building 429 will play a free acoustic concert on Tuesday, June 11, 2013, beginning at 7 p.m. at Decatur Baptist Church, 2527 Danville Road S.W. in Decatur. (Courtesy of Building429.com)
HUNTSVILLE, Alabama – So, when Christian singer-songwriter Jason Roy, the front man for Building 429, says that the new album, "We Won't Be Shaken," is to encourage Christians to stand with confidence in what they believe no matter what other people say, does he mean they shouldn't drink Starbucks?
Roy spoke with The Huntsville Times Tuesday, June 4, 2013, while the band rolled between gigs in north Florida.
That's the same day the new album was released and a week before Tuesday, June 11, 2013, when they will perform at Decatur Baptist Church, 2527 Danville Road in Decatur.
Roy nearly sputtered as he responded to the news that a recent speaker at a church in Huntsville had told Christians to avoid Starbucks so that their money wouldn't be used to support marriage equality for people who are gay.
“What? The man saying that is off base,” Roy said. “I want to live my life as a reflection of Christ – and he was a friend of sinners. I’ve got enough junk in my own life I have to wrestle with – I want people to hear more about this Christ, about how God is faithful in the darkest moments.”
Being confident in a personal relationship with God means living in a way that reveals the grace and mercy of God, he said, not taking God’s place as the Judge.
“’We Won’t Be Shaken’ is not a song about judgment – Lord! Don’t let me be the judge!” Roy said, then added, “You know? The coolest thing about Jesus – he walked in and healed people before he said, ‘Transform your life.’ He showed them the evidence first and then said ‘You can be changed forever.’ We get that backwards.”
The award-winning Christian rock band Building 429 will be playing a free concert in Decatur, Ala. Sponsored by the church and by WAY-FM, the program will be held at Decatur Baptist Church, 2527 Danville Road S.W. in Decatur, on Tuesday, June 11, 2013, beginning at 7 p.m. The church seats at least 1,000, but RSVP is recommended by responding from the tab on the website www.Building 429.com.
Fresh off the success of “Where I Belong,” Billboard’s Christian Song of the Year for 2012 and a cut included on the new CD as a bonus track, the band is headlining a tour this year that’s already had several sell-outs.
The “acoustic appreciation show” at Decatur Baptist Church will give the band the opportunity to demonstrate that however flashy their laser-light stadium shows can be, each show is based on solid artistic foundations.
“This gives people the chance to see us in a completely different light,” Roy said. “That underneath all that extra junk, we’re actually musicians, too.”
"We Won't Be Shaken," including the title cut, already a No. 1 hit, and a bonus track of "Where I Belong," was released today, June 4, 2013. Jason Roy, top left, says the message of the album is to encourage Christians to be bold in their witness of God's love. (Courtesy of Building429.com)
Musicians -- and ministers, too.
Building 429 use their tours to invite people to support Food for the Hungry, a disaster response and child sponsorship ministry that grew out of the work of World Vision.
“When we stand in front of 50,000 people, hopefully, we lead them to a place of change and recognition – ultimately a call to the Gospel,” Roy said.
Now in his mid-30s, Roy said he’s learned to separate the superficiality of the adulation of fans from the reality of his life as a husband and father to two children. And as exhausting as it is for him – he says he's a natural introvert – the hour of autograph signing after each concert is when he remembers why they do what they do.
“I would hate spending that obligatory autograph hour if it wasn’t for meeting people and hearing their stories,” Roy said. “Life is a story – you know what I mean? I learn and grow wise because I learn so many stories. And that’s what keeps me going: To know that what we do matters.”
The band picked their name, when they formed in 2000, from Ephesians 4:29: “Don’t let even one rotten word seep out of your mouths. Instead, offer only fresh words that build others up when they need it most. That way your good words will communicate grace to those that hear them.” (The Voice).
Roy said that the members of Building 429 pray that their music calls people of all ages to confidence in God’s grace and to live in a way that draws people to Jesus.
“It’s like that song of Brad Paisley’s, ‘Those Crazy Christians,’” Roy said. “It talks about all the crazy things Christians do – and ends ‘If I ever need help, well you know who I would call.’ For Christians, if you have a true relationship, it gives you hope and you’re going to want to share that.”
A video, with the lyrics of "We Won't Be Shaken" is below --
Kay Campbell, religion reporter for The Huntsville Times and www.al.com , can be reached at KCampbell@al.com and 256-532-4320. Follow on Twitter @KayTimes.