“We’ve been set free from sin and given the gift of eternal life, and we
sleep in on Sunday morning. We find it hard to even get in an attitude of
worship when we¹re in church. We serve the real God. We need to act like
it.”
That matter-of-fact statement comes from Kevin Young, the bassist,
vocalist and main songwriter for the contemporary Christian music band
Disciple, and the three-piece unit, which melds hardcore, metal and
rap/hip-hop influences, will bring its matter-of-fact Christian music to
Bluefield College for a concert, Tuesday, October 21.
The Disciple show at Bluefield College is open to the public and will
begin at 8 p.m. in BC’s Harman Chapel. For ticket information, please
contact the BC Office of Student Activities at 276-326-4256.
As a rising force in the genre of contemporary hard rock, Disciple,
composed of Young and guitarist Brad Noah and drummer Tim Barrett, has
achieved great strides by fusing an explicit Christian message with
aggressive, well-orchestrated music. Driven by a mission to make an impact
in the world, the trio has already demanded the attention of thousands who
are embracing the band’s cutting-edge declaration. Although the path has
been challenging, Disciple has persevered with a prolific output of
professional music and live performances. If the past is any indication, the
future for this Knoxville, Tennessee trio is bright.
Disciple’s recording career began in 1995 with the independent release
of “What Was I Thinking.” The album grabbed the attention of Warner Records
who in 1997 released the five-song Disciple EP “My Daddy Can Whip Your
Daddy.” The Disciple fan base grew rapidly due to radio play from this
album, and in 1999 the group signed with Rugged Records and released the
edgy “This Might Sting a Little.”
“‘This Might Sting a Little’ is all about serving Jesus, and there’s
pain and sacrifice involved,” Young said about the 1999 release. “But,
that¹s what following Jesus is all about. God expects you to lay down your
will.”
Late in the year 2000 Disciple unleashed its fourth project, “By God,”
which went on to win the Inspirational Life Award in 2001. Out of these four
albums, Disciple has produced six number one hits in Christian music and
four Dove Award nominations. In February of 2003, after forming its own
record company, Disciple released another independent project, “Back Again,”
which immediately climbed the charts in it’s first week on radio.
“I love making albums,” Young said about the five projects completed by
the group, “and I hope they get to bless a lot of people.”
With a rigorous touring schedule, Disciple plays approximately 150 dates
a year in the United States, as well as in six other countries. The group’s
commitment to God, His kingdom and their fans is undying and can only be
matched by their determination to write some of best music in the arena of
hard Christian rock.
“We’re just trying to help people,” Young said. “That’s what’s at the
heart of our songs. I look at people who practice other religions, and it
amazes me how sold out they are to a false ideology. Yet we’ve been set free
from sin and given the gift of eternal life and we sleep in on Sunday
morning. We find it hard to even get in an attitude of worship when we¹re in
church. We serve the real God. We need to act like it. We need to become
real about our faith. God is worthy.”
