Not the Apostle's Creed

Here is an interesting interview by Christianity Today with Scott Stapp formerly of the group Creed.

What had triggered those spiritual changes in your life?

Stapp: A lot of personal things. I was hurt and beaten down. Five years ago, I had a divorce that I didn’t really want. I was so busy with Creed that I don’t think I ever really dealt with that emotionally. She [his ex-wife] elected not to be involved in my son’s life, leaving me as a single father, and I was really worried about my little boy [Jagger, who turns 6 in October]. And there were other things that came along in the trappings of fame, things that hurt some of my relationships. So when I finally had time to reflect on everything, I was broken down to the point where I had no other way but to look up. I couldn’t handle it all. I was asking a lot of questions—of myself, of God—looking for answers.

My dad always said I was hard-headed, that it would take something like that to wake me up spiritually, and I guess it did. My heart had gotten so beat up that I didn’t have anything left to give. I was emotionally and spiritually dried up, so I was just searching for God. I reached out to my pastor and my father for some guidance. I was really soul searching and, I guess, on my path to coming home spiritually. And once that process began—and I’m still going through that process, and probably will for the rest of my life—that’s when things started changing in my life. I started making some proper decisions, getting things in order. It’s kind of like cleaning up your house. I was looking for direction for what God wanted me to do—and that’s when I got a call about The Passion.

So, are you now a "Christian artist," or an artist who happens to be a Christian?

Stapp: I’m an artist who’s a Christian, because I don’t write music to be evangelical. Now, if that happens, it happens. My dad’s a dentist, and he’s a Christian. Now, does he put in Christian fillings?

That is a pretty good answer. Too many people expect Christians to be a kind of specialist where their faith has to be bang you over the head in their artistry. The yeast is suppose to spread through the whole loaf and not just be cordoned off in one area. Now the idea of a fervent Catholic dentist kind of scares me. Instead of using gas they keep telling you to offer it up. Or they ask you to pray first before seeing the bill.