I had previously tweeted the following after an exchange with Michael Sweet, lead singer of the band Stryper:
Bro. Jim Ward @PillarOfIron @michaelhsweet My apologies. You are correct. Also, thank you for helping me get through my teen years. Stryper was a vital part of my life
I guess I need to explain the above and let's be honest, the 140 character limit that twitter gives doesn't make it easy. Blogger, thankfully does.
I grew up in an abusive home. Love and acceptance were, for the most part, foreign concepts to me, except for one set of grandparents. I wanted it at home, but from home it would not come.
One year, for my birthday, I received the record Rock and Roll Over by KISS. Prior to this my listening experience was mostly The Osmonds and The Bay City Rollers. KISS changed all that. The volume of the music, the outlandish costumes, and yes the lyrics to the song. Finally, people I who understood me. People I could in some strange way, relate to. I became hooked on hard rock, and the journey was just beginning.I was 12 years old.
I dived head first into the rebellion of the music. By 15 I was sexually active and it was not uncommon for me to be in multiple relationships at one time as I tried to fill the void in my life. Drinking became a part of my life as well. The music helps some, but a void was still there. More music, more sex. If I had to lie to get sex, I did. I had no regrets. Hurting someone didn't matter to me. It was all about me and my needs.
This all continued, even after February 21, 1985 when I first heard a clear presentation of The Gospel of Jesus Christ. Shortly after this a friend turned me on to a few Contemporary Christian Music (CCM) artists, such as Petra and Steve Taylor. The bands were ok, but when I discovered Stryper, the music hooked me, but the fact that they looked so much like females bothered me. I didn't give bands like KISS, AC/DC, Ozzy Osbourne, or Areosmith. I tried, but found it impossible. I was hooked and addicted to the hard rock beat.
How then, did Stryper help me through my teen years? I am glad you asked.
As I mentioned above, I was on a downward spiral of sex, booze, and the devils music. Listening to Stryper, helped me a little bit. I cut way back on sex, something Michael Sweet admits he was engaged in during this time, as in his autobiography, he confesses to his girlfriend getting pregnant around the time of their third or fourth album. I also cut back on drinking, but didn't stop.
I also kept listening to the bands that glorified sex, drugs and rock n roll.
In fact, I found I couldn't break from them. Not until I started attending an Independent, Fundamental Baptist Church, having left the pentecostal/charismatic church I had been a member of. Being in a church where the great hymns of the faith were sung, and the music was such that it wasn't appealing to my depraved carnal nature, but instead my spirit man was being fed, through the singing, the preaching of the word and the sweet fellowship.
The more I listened to good preaching and good music, the less desire I had for for the hard rock music that pleased my flesh. Everything changed, for the better.
To this day, if I choose to listen to a band like Stryper, I find myself also going back and listening to bands like KISS. The music of both goes hand in hand.
So thus, while Stryper did supply a little of help during my teen years, it was just a little bit while helping to keep from committing my life to my Saviour, Jesus Christ.
Hopefully, this clears up the confusion that was caused.
I am not an expert on the music issue, nor do I claim to be. I just know what experiences have been.
Thank you for reading.
