Satellites & Sirens are back with Frequency, my top alternative rock album of last year from both the Christian and mainstream music markets--and one of my Top 10 Christian albums of 2011. Satellites & Sirens are one of the most promising new bands that has recently emerged and they were nominated for Rock Recorded Song of the Year for their song "Anchor" and Rock Album of the Year. 

 

"Life, in general, is noise," says Geoff Hunker, lead singer and founder of the Dove Award-nominated band. "And we busy ourselves so much that a lot of times we miss out on hearing what God's direction is."  

 

The band consists of lead singer Geoff Hunker, Jonathan Dimmel, David Troyer and Dave Willey. They are a band both defined by and concerned with what it means to make music in a world filled with the deafening voices of the Information Age. Their sound is a modern take on the popular synth-pop of the '80s, blending synthesizers with rock guitars overtop of interesting grooves. The meaning behind the band's name is symbolic of their ministry: SATELLITES--heavenly bodies that circle the world, observing and advising it; and SIRENS--emanators of loud warnings and calls to action! Satellites & Sirens' goal is to hear God's message and loudly proclaim it to today's generation. 

 

My church recently hosted the band for a weekend of music and ministry, and I had the chance to speak with Geoff Hunker and Jonathan Dimmel about their single "Feel Alive."

 

 

Jonathan: It's cool how you opened our discussion talking about what has just happened at your church these past couple of days of ministry, where at least a dozen people were saved at your church block party yesterday. We loved how your church opened up their arms to the community. What I was thinking about the most in writing this song was how we so often get stuck in mundane life, putting half our ourselves out there to people--not loving people with our whole hearts, not loving the way Christ loved people when He was here. We can watch months and years of our lives slip by keeping people at arm's length and not fully giving ourselves to people. In my mind, this song is saying that it isn't natural on our own to love people and we are asking God to help me to love like You love people. The lyrics, "I want to love with a heartbeat" could say I want to love with Your heartbeat. We want God to show us how to love people. Whenever we put ourselves out there in faith, maybe even in an uncomfortable situation where we might normally feel insecure, God is there to meet us and He gives us the words to say. There is no awkward moment worth not reaching out and trying to bless someone.

 

Colossians 1:12: "Giving thanks to the Father who has qualified us to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in the light."

1 John 4:18: "There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves torment. But he who fears has not been made perfect in love."

 

Geoff: I think we often find ourselves stuck in the kind of fear that Jonathan mentioned. Maybe it's awkwardness or not feeling comfortable. Instead of doing something and putting ourselves out there, we're too afraid and not getting the best out of every situation.

One of my favorite things that happened this weekend at your church was meeting Andrew, who came to the concert in the park and your church block party. I don't know what ails him or the specific nature of his physical problems, but to see a kid who is dealing with physical challenges express such a joy was truly inspiring. Although I don't have issues walking or talking, to see how Andrew responds was moving. He told me he gets picked on and made fun of, and he doesn't let those things get to him. He's so joyful.

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When I was talking with him yesterday in the crowd at the block party, he asked if he could talk into the microphone, and he said, "Don't be afraid." That spoke to me in such a way. It goes with the message of this song. We long to do something and make a difference. It's a natural thing for humans to want to fix things and make them better. As Christians, our goal is to change people's minds, to show them the way that they are living and the things they are doing won't help them find true contentment. The song is about that overwhelming feeling we have inside of us to want to share the message and hope of Jesus while dealing with the fear of rejection and fear of not having the right words to say when we witness to people. Some of us fear who God wants us to be and fear God's calling in our lives.

 

 

Asbury's Bible commentary: "The final verses of this passage lead into a hymn of praise to Christ. The movement in Paul's prayer is exemplary: Beginning with thanksgiving, he proceeds to intercession, then follows with joyful praise. This is a positive model of prayer. We should further note that Paul is not praying for himself so much as he is praying for others. He expresses appreciation for what God is doing in the lives of the Colossians. He intercedes for them, asking that they might achieve full maturity in their Christian experience. His thanksgiving to the Father and praise to the Son follow naturally. This is the kind of praying that modern Christians should emulate and practice." 

 

We can't know everything and we are not in control, but trusting God gives us assurance that we don't have to be afraid. God will be there to pick us up when we fall. The challenge for me when I listen to this song is to pick an area of my life that I've been trying to control and instead cry out to Jesus for help and put all of my hope and trust in God. At some point, we all make mistakes and need to ask God for forgiveness. God wants to give us His grace and mercy, we need to fall down at His feet and pray. Believing the words of this song is a great way to work on the disciplines of self-examination and prayer. You can know Jesus personally. Reach out to Him and know with certainty: "perfect love casts out fear." This album is all about finding our true identity in Christ. He is the answer.

 

This song gives me a lot of joy, and my heartbeat is to please the Lord. I love songs that allow me to have fun and praise God at the same time, and this song certainly does that. I really enjoy how my love of fun, uplifting music and biblical truth is perfectly married in this song. Singing along with this song at the top of my lungs allows me to abandon myself and cry out to Him: "I wanna love with a heartbeat , Feel the love, I wanna live instead of just being fine, I try to make it, And change your mind tonight." Amen!

 

(Here's the music video.)