The new surge of popularity for Christian modern rock has found its focal point in Houston's CAEDMON'S CALL. Jan Willem Vink spoke at length to the folk pop rockers.

"This World"
Aric: "That's a great song because a lot of people will assume that the world that we're talking about is the secular world and when the Bible says, 'Be in the world and not part of it,' actually in that song it's about the Christian sub-culture that we have created where sometimes people who grow up in the Church will never have friends who are non-Christians. All their friends will be Christian and everything they attend will be church related, so there is a comfort zone that we get into where we can fail to realise that we ought to be salt and light. A lot of times we do this out of fear, we fear the unknown, we don't want to dialogue with the non-Christians, because it's scary and a lot of times we're unprepared for that. We can't defend our faith to people who are articulate doubters. I think very definitely we're called to do that, we're called to defend our faith. So what the song is saying is, the bubble that I'm in, the subculture that we've created, has made me fearful of the outside world."

You are signed with Warner Alliance. Isn't it very easy to get into a subculture?
Aric: "I think there has been some talk from some people at our label about getting a larger audience, like the general market, and secular airplay and we have experienced only the tip of the iceberg with the support of members of the body. We have done some dates in nightclubs and we've had a little bit of negative response to that, but we do the same things, no matter where we play. We think that it's super important that we are salt and light. If we have any type of ministry to non-Christians, we are not going to tone down what we say because we know they're going to be offended. If anything, we are going to be bolder because it's a different audience that are unchurched and unsaved. I think the only people who really listen to Christian music are Christians. We talk about this quite a bit, yet much of the Christian music is evangelistic in nature. Before I became a Christian I did know CCM existed. CCM does not reach the unsaved."

Although it claims to...
Aric: "Yes, exactly right! I guess that's it."

Do you seek performances in clubs or universities or does that come to you?
Aric: "We started out wanting to go to colleges and we started out playing in colleges just because our friends were in college. They would call us up and say, 'Boy, it would be great if you could all come here and play.' We would say, 'Find us a room and we will come and play.' We'd get in our cars and drive out there and then people would ask us back and - people in other colleges would invite us, but we do try to go to colleges because that's the people that we feel connected with and that's the ministry that we feel God has put on our hearts."

There are stories about you playing at colleges where you sold more products than there were people.
Randy: "That's true. We played Baylor and sold 1,200 units, while there were only 700 people. People will buy them for their friends, as presents and stuff. It's a good way to present yourself."

How have you responded to the sort of success you've now achieved?
Garett: "It's been kind of surprising. We never thought we'd have any songs that would be radio worthy and so it's taken us by surprise and God has worked his way with us anyway. All we can look at and say is it's God's will and God is using it in some way. It's all God. If it's important to God, he'll do that. We're instruments for him to be used, trying to follow him as closely as possible. He's been doing a lot of work..."

Do you feel comfortable with the success?
Aric: "I don't know. We're kind of the most unlikely band to have this happen to. We're not attention seekers, like in our shows, we don't like to put ourselves on a pedestal. I don't believe in the idolatry of the Christian artists. I think it's God to be worshipped and not the artists. We are the people who relay God's message to the people, but not to be idolised. It's kind of uncomfortable sometimes." Randy: "We really noticed it this week. None of us have been here before and we're all going, 'Look, there is such and such, and there is such and such.' We are on the bus out touring, we don't hear ourselves on the radio very often. You hear things and figures and then you go, 'Well, that's kind of neat.' But we don't fully understand it." Garett: "The important thing is that we continue to be our true selves and our true selves in Christ. A lot of people are watching us very closely and we need to be spiritual leaders in the sense that our life is our ministry and if we hold on to that, I think we're going to be okay." (Laughs)

You used the term 'spiritual leaders'. Do you see yourself like that?
Garett: "Well, I used that term quite loosely, I guess. I'm less well read. When people look at us, they ought to see Christ, and there are a lot of people looking at us and they are looking even more closely, looking for us to stumble and fall. I guess that's what I mean by spiritual leaders."
Aric: "We don't necessarily have all the answers, but God has. We are living in an age where people are looking for something spiritual, and the songs on the radio promote all kinds of worldviews, except, with very few exceptions, the Christian worldview. And so we kind of hope to be one of those voices to speak for Christianity. We in ourselves, in our human capacities, have not all the answers, but God is the answer."