Rock That Doesn't Roll: The Story of Christian Music

For 1990s evangelical teens, punk, hardcore, and ska were a gateway to a passionate, edgy way to express their Christianity outside the mainstream. But was the music and the message enough to keep the evangelical faith? In episode two, hosts Andrew Gill (producer, Sound Opinions) and Leah Payne (author, God Gave Rock and Roll to You) follow three Christian punk rock stories from Dr. Bradley Onishi of Axis Mundi Media, author D.L. Mayfield, and Tim Whitaker of The New Evangelicals as they share their stories of loving, leaving, or holding on to evangelical Christianity - and the music that fueled their teenaged devotion.

Do you have a story to share about the Christian ska, punk, or hardcore scene? Leave us a message at (629) 777-6336.

If you want more seasons of Rock That Doesn’t Roll, you can support us on Patreon. https://www.patreon.com/rtdr

You can connect with us on Instagram or by emailing [email protected]

Christian rock has a lot of naysayers, but for evangelical teens of the 1990s, it was EVERYTHING. For most kids raised in conservative Christian households, mainstream music was forbidden - if teens were going to rock, they needed to do it God’s way. And the place to find Christian rock gods? Youth group.

In the first episode of Rock that Doesn’t Roll, hosts Andrew Gill (producer, Sound Opinions) and Leah Payne (author, God Gave Rock and Roll to You) talk with comedian Steve Hernandez and author Tyler Huckabee finding music, meaning, and identity in 1990s youth group culture. Youth ministry consultant Mark Oestreicher explains the world of high-production youth groups, where rock shows reigned as the best way to draw a crowd of teens into evangelical churches. In this episode, the music of Delirious?, DCTalk, and Relient K bring kids in the doors of the youth group room. But it couldn’t always keep them. Steve and Tyler share their stories of loving - and in some cases leaving - the Christian rock scene that raised them. But even when you take the kid out of the youth group, it turns out that you may not be able to take the youth group music out of the kid.

Do you have a story to share about rocking out to your favorite Christian band in youth group? Leave us a message at (629) 204-4264.

If you want more seasons of Rock That Doesn’t Roll, you can support us on Patreon.

You can connect with us on Instagram or by emailing [email protected]

Join hosts Leah Payne and Andrew Gill as they explore the world of Christian rock in it’s peak era of the 80’s, 90’s and early 2000’s.