will say… “It could really use a bridge!” (laughs). bands, and then toward the end of my teens not a great example of what Jesus looked like.
That’s when I pray, “God what do You want said and early 20’s I started doing some pop and I think it really starts with the church being real,
here?” It’s really partnering with Him with what country stuff. It was weird. I guess, in a way, I you know? It’s just that thing that God is good,
He wants the church to sing. was transitioning to try and find myself. I had and He is real, and that He desires good things
really just always been doing music. My last for us. I think a lot of people don’t believe that
[WM] Iron Bell Music is a collective. You all name, McWhirter, actually means “Son of the God is for them. We have this depiction of
come from different churches and areas. How Harpist,” so it’s really like this entrenched thing God that he is distant and toe-tapping with His
did your music make its way out of that ministry, in my DNA. arms crossed and a look of disappointment at
out of that barn?
the things we do. For me, growing up, I had a
In 2 Kings 3 it says that when Jehoshaphat distorted view of God. At the end of the day, it
[Joel] Stephen travels quite a bit and gets to needed a word from the Lord to go into battle, comes down to having a healed view of God. A
lead at a bunch of different churches. I was kind they went and found Elisha and told him they lot of kids and people have a distorted view of
of embedded in a church where they weren’t needed a word from the Lord before they could God and Who He is. Specifically, the goodness
really looking for new, original content. So, I go into battle. Elisha said, “OK, but before I of God… is God really good? If He is real, is
didn’t really have that opportunity like Stephen prophesy, I need a harpist to come and play.” He actually good, and is His goodness for me?
did to kind of explore how these songs might And it says that when the harpist played, the Does He really have a plan for me?
land on different congregations. The way the hand of the Lord fell. The first time I read that, songs got to Nashville is because a few friends my wife had just framed our family crest and I think we just need to be more intentional
of the ministry heard the songs and were I saw it in our house and it had a harp at the about reminding people about Who God really
like, “Why are you all keeping these songs to top of it. For the first time in my life, I looked is and what He’s really like. Also, who God says
yourselves? You need to share this with the up my last name and had one of those “Aha!” we are…that we are treasured by Him. It comes
world.” They made it their endeavor to make moments. I’ve always played music, so when I back down to the adoration piece we were
sure that we did! gave my life to Christ, it just made since to let talking about. When you learn to fall in love with
Him use it and redeem it. the Lord by learning Who He is, You begin to
[WM] Stephen, thinking about your transition
heal those distorted views of Him. Everyone
when God got ahold of you after reading Lee [WM] You walked a difficult road, and our has to go through that journey of a healed view
Strobel’s book, what was your encouragement churches are full of folks walking a difficult road, of God that takes them into greater intimacy
to use music as your ministry? or being on the brink of doing so. How can the with Him. It eventually reveals a purpose, which
church spot kids heading down that road and eventually gets them to partner with God to
[Stephen] I had been in bands my entire re-direct them? walk out the purpose that He has for their life.
teenage life. I actually played bass in metal [Stephen] Wow! I think, for me, my dad was
December 2017
WorshipMusician.com
23