Meanwhile, MTV hasfeatured a different brand of Christian music—the nouveau metal and ska sounds of blockbuster bands P.O.D. and MxPx—and is perhaps a more realistic dream for area Christian bands like New Jersey's Element 101, whose upbeat punk-pop lands them opening spots at the Bowery Ballroom. The secular scene is just what Element 101 have in their sights. Their Christianity is inherent in ambiguously religious lyrics (think Creed), and in the lifestyle of the band members, but that's where it ends. "Sure, we're Christians," says hipster-pompadoured guitarist Danny Papa, "but we feel very strongly about just playing rock music and being the best we can be at it. We're trying to tour with mainly secular bands. We just feel better that way."
While this scene may be what self-described "Jesus-freak punks" are aiming for, Element 101 resist the punk-preacher tag. "Some of my songs are about God, sure, but in a nondirect way; like, it will seem like I'm talking about a person, but it's really God," says singer and lyricist Crissie Verhagen, a poised, raven-haired pixie. "I think it's ministry, but I think this form is more of a benefit to people than straight-up preaching. Our Christianity has a huge overtone to everything we do, and our fans know that, but you have to be looking for it." The band's Web site message board is a testament to Verhagen's claims: It hosts an ongoing discussion between secular fans who just dig the songs and churchgoers exasperated with assertions that the music is about anything other than faith. "I get a lot of e-mails from people who say they've read through the lyrics and then accepted our beliefs," says Verhagen, whose only outward mark of belief is a slim tattooed band that spells out the name of her savior in neat cursive encircling her ankle. But at tonight's show, His name is far from the minds of this alterna-punk crowd. Vintage dresses and surf-punk shirts dominate the bobbing mass, most of which came here to see the secular headlining act.
photo: Justin Lane
"This band right here is a product of Jesus Christ": Matt Koldinski and Legacy testify at River of Life Church.
Related Content
More About
According to Jay Bakker, that's all well in the eyes of the Lord. "Some people are trying to fill what Bono calls 'that God-shaped hole' with faith-based music, but many of us just want to rock out," he says. At Bakker's Revolution Ministry in Atlanta, his own monthly rock shows often draw as many unsaved bands—and fans—as Christian ones. As the scene develops in church spaces and mainstream clubs across the country, even followers of more traditional evangelism are converting to Christianity's latest incarnation. "Evangelicals' suspicion of the larger world in terms of these things is largely gone," says Randall Balmer. "They've eagerly come around to this rather shameless use of pop culture." Evangelism's notorious royal family is a case in point. "My dad, well, he's not like a big tattoo fan, but he realizes I'm reaching a group of people he couldn't reach before," says Bakker. "But my mom, she just loves my tattoos."
