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March 2004 Table of Contents
Just A Little Talk With...
Allen Asbury
Following in the steps of Steve Green and Larnelle Harris, Allen is following his heart straight into churches and music ministry events all across this country, and towing a pretty impressive following.
With his smash recording, "Somebody's Praying Me Through" becoming The Presidential Prayer Team's theme song in 2003, Allen's name became symbolic with the hearts of the American people, in the intercessory support of our troops.
Yet what makes Allen even more appealing than his powerful, dynamic vocals is that the passion of his heart to edify and offer hope to the church.
Allen says, "I'm a simple man that is trying to make a difference in this world, and realize that the only way I can do that is through Jesus Christ."
Enjoy the privilege we recently had of chatting with this remarkably humble servant!
TC: How did a forest fire fighter in the Guadalupe Mountains of New Mexico come to be a church-focused recording artist?
Allen: "Church and music have always been a part of my life-I suppose you can say I am one of those kids who cut his teeth on the church pew. Everyone in my family sings or plays an instrument, even my Grandma and Grandpa. Music was not my only interest. As a kid, I loved the outdoors. My Grandpa, who we called Poppy, would take me camping in the Guadalupe Mountains of New Mexico, which were some of the greatest times of my life.
When I graduated from high school, I had a major decision to make: I had to choose between football scholarships or music ministry. I knew God had a calling on my life, so I chose to go to Christ For The Nations Institute. I learned a lot about my walk with Christ and what it means to truly be a worshipper. After graduating from CFTN, I struggled for direction. I needed time to get alone with God and seek His will for my life. That's when I was hired for a summer of fighting forest fires in the Guadalupe Mountains, and during that time, God reassured me of His will for my life. Looking back on it now, I can see how every circumstance has been a stepping-stone, moving me toward music ministry."
TC: How does partnering with Doxology Records bear witness to that?
Allen: "Every label has its own mission statement and goals. 1 Corinthians 12:20 says, '"There are many parts, but one Body."' There are many different parts in Christian music that help support singers in their calling, but the end result is all the same: giving God honor where honor is due. I couldn't have asked for a better label to work with because Doxology Records is like family. My focus and Doxology's focus are the same: to edify people within the church through song. It's my calling, to offer a song to the church that will lift their souls to Him.
One gauge of whether I should work with Doxology or some other label was the way Dan Posthuma, President of Doxology Records, made sure my wife Heidi was included in all our meetings. That spoke volumes to me, and reassured us both! A label and an artist form a partnership. Like any other relationship, both parties have to be in agreement, of one mind, and on the same page. The label is a compliment to our work and we to them, so I think we make a strong team."
TC: You had the honor of performing for the first annual Presidential Prayer Team dinner. Tell us about that experience.
Allen: "The Presidential Prayer Team is a distinguished organization whose main purpose is to pray for the president, and they have adopted "Somebody's Praying Me Through" as their official theme song. PPT started as an internet organization and it has become something of a phenomenon. PPT is a young organization, but they've already enlisted millions of people to pray. They want to have people to commit to pray and ask God for strength, safety and guidance for our Commander in Chief. I was invited to sing at their formal banquet celebrating the PPT's first year anniversary, and several hundred people were there. Ricky Skaggs performed, and the speaker was Pastor Ted Haggard of New Life Church in Colorado Springs and president of the National Association of Evangelicals. They asked me to sing the National Anthem and of course, "Somebody's Praying Me Through." It was an awesome opportunity and I feel honored to be part of what PPT is doing for our country."
TC: Did you have any idea that SPMT would be as far-reaching as it continues to be?
Allen: "When I first heard this song, I knew it was powerful, so in a way I'm not surprised. The message relates to everyone, whether you are the one who is praying for someone or whether you are remembering when someone else prayed for you. It's fulfilling to share with people a song that gives so much hope and encouragement."
TC: What's most gratifying about the song?
Allen: "The most gratifying and surprising part of recording SPMT has been the way it has ministered to military families and soldiers. We didn't plan for the song to take this sort of ministry direction. When I chose this song to record, no one dreamed we would be going to war, or that The PPT and the National Day of Prayer would both embrace it as their theme songs. It really warms my heart to hear story after story from parents who have sent SPMT to their son or daughter serving overseas. It encourages them and gives them a way to say to their child, '"We're praying for you,"' which has a tremendous impact on a family. I've heard hundreds of stories about this song from families with loved ones in the military. It's humbling for me to see how the album is being used to encourage service men and women all over the world."
TC: What's the most compelling reason for being a church-focused artist?
Allen: "Ministry doesn't always happen outside the church. How many Sundays have we gone to church and been unaware of what the Jones family in the next pew might be struggling through? Sometimes we become so focused on the millions of lost people outside the walls of the church that we forget church people have needs, too. The Great Commission calls us to reach out to the lost, and that's extremely important, but I think my strongest gift is to edify people within the Body of Christ. I believe there is a battle for every soul, especially Christians, and I want to edify them. I want to encourage believers to keep the faith and lift them up."
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