From the no-joke file: There’s a church that uses heavy metal to preach Christ’s teachings. I was skeptical when reading about it on Vice.com, because that site runs a lot of bullshit. But I looked around and sure enough, The First Heavy Metal Church of Christ is for real.
Mood music:
As a devout but rebellious Catholic and heavy metal fan, this was a thrilling find.
The church uses some awesome slogans:
A Church Where Every Saint Has A Past And Every Hellion Has A Future!!!
A Holy Spirit Freak of Nature
That first line resonates with me for many of the reasons my Catholic faith does: I’m a guy who has done bad things in the past but believes Christ offers me unlimited chances to get it right. St. Peter is probably the ultimate example. He made some bad decisions in life, not the least of which was denying his discipleship three times when the going got tough. But he went on to be the rock of the church, the first pope.
The First Heavy Metal Church of Christ presents itself as a nondenominational alternative for those who love Christ but have had bad experiences going to more traditional churches. That it reaches out to the metal crowd isn’t surprising, because metal fans have been accused of devil worship from the beginning.
What does surprise me is how they built an entire church around a metal theme.
Sermons are often built around classic metal song titles like “To Hell With the Devil,” “Slave to the Grind” and “Peace Sells But Who’s Buying?”
From the website:
To put it in a nutshell, we are a non-denomination, Bible-based Church in a comfortable atmosphere with great music! Our congregation consists of people from all walks of life and age groups. We don’t care what you wear because we just want you there! Our Church has no racial, ethnic or gender barriers and we could care less about your past or present life. We only care about your FUTURE life in Christ!
Now, some of you are probably wondering if I’m ready to drop out of the Catholic Church to go embrace this. The answer is no.
Frankly, I love and need the rituals that encompass the Catholic way of life. I believe in the sacraments and believe I need them, especially those of reconciliation, baptism and matrimony. I am also acutely aware of the failures and evils that have become attached to the church in recent decades and I prefer to be part of the fix instead of abandoning it. And despite my love for heavy metal and the fact that I find a spiritual need fulfilled through the music, I like to keep that part of my life out of the same blender my faith spins around in.
But I’m glad this church exists. There are outcasts out there who yearn for Christ. Traditional denominations have alienated them over time. It’s better that they have a place to go. If it keeps just a few people true to Christ, it’s worth it.
Rock on.
