Interview with Joel Buckner
JB: I sing for the Lord because I feel that it’s the assignment that God has on my life. It’s not just about the singing; it’s the ministry of seeing the lives of others being blessed and getting to know the Savior of my life. In the world, I could sing too. The music can feel good and put people in that “right place;” however, it’s my passion to share the Good News (the Gospel of Jesus Christ).
JB: I haven’t really been asked to cross over. I would love to be a Kingdom influencer in the arena of R&B and Hip Hop, because they need God just like we do. As representatives of God in the earth, it’s important that we don’t get so caught up in our world of Christianity. Instead, we should remember that we have been commissioned to go out and preach the Gospel.There is a world that is in need of God’s love and we are the ones to show and share it.
www.myspace.com/jlorenzmusic
IS: Why do you sing for the Lord and not the world?
JB: I sing for the Lord because I feel that it’s the assignment that God has on my life. It’s not just about the singing; it’s the ministry of seeing the lives of others being blessed and getting to know the Savior of my life. In the world, I could sing too. The music can feel good and put people in that “right place;” however, it’s my passion to share the Good News (the Gospel of Jesus Christ).
IS: Have you ever been asked to cross over into the secular music arena and if so, what was your response?
JB: I haven’t really been asked to cross over. I would love to be a Kingdom influencer in the arena of R&B and Hip Hop, because they need God just like we do. As representatives of God in the earth, it’s important that we don’t get so caught up in our world of Christianity. Instead, we should remember that we have been commissioned to go out and preach the Gospel.There is a world that is in need of God’s love and we are the ones to show and share it.
IS: What are some of the issues you would say are robbing our young males of their "kingdom identity"?
JB: Wow! This is a heavy loaded question. Lack of role models is the main issue. If they don’t have any example, how do we expect them to conduct themselves? I work with young men from urban areas. One time one of the young men said to me, “you know I would not be here if I had you in my life growing up.” I asked him what he meant by that and he said, “When I leave home in the morning, my example is the drug dealer that I see; going to school, it’s the gang member that’s looking for me; and when coming home, it’s the boyfriend that takes advantage of me and my mom.” This is the reality of a lot of young men. When they are not able to see successful men of God in their neighborhoods or involved in their lives, they turn to who will be there. Everyone wants to be accepted, approved and loved. They may not say it that way, but that’s what they are looking for. Seems like I have said it through this whole interview, but we must get out of ourselves and see that people are in desperate need for a Savior.
To get the rest of this interview read our MARCH 2011 issue!
