BVOV Magazine 2013 - present

Brian’s mother had urged him to attend Jacksonville State University and major in music. Happy to do anything that would make him a better drummer, he’d agreed. Since most of his paid work occurred in the evenings and on weekends, there was no conflict with his classes. Brian looked out the bus window at the morning awash in light. Alone with his thoughts, he allowed himself to take a long look at his life. He’d already achieved his goals. He had a stellar reputation as a professional drummer. He worked with famous musicians. He made a lot of money. Yet, something inside him felt empty. As the bus bulleted across a bridge, Brian asked himself the question he’d been avoiding: Was there more to life than this? True Identity “I grew up in Talladega, Ala., home of the world’s fastest speedway, the Talladega 500,” Brian says. “The only race of my life was to become a professional drummer. My mother was a teacher and my father a high school principal and football coach. They always supported my sister, Dana, and me, and they supported my dream of becoming a professional drummer. “From the age of 13, I only had one focus—playing the drums. It consumed me. By the time I was in high school, I played on local television, in clubs and arenas. “While I studied at Jacksonville State University, I continued to play in local bands. In 1983 when I played at the Orange Bowl, we were also the house band for a local late night television show. “I played at some venues where there were buffets of every kind of drug available for the taking. I knew without a doubt that drugs and alcohol would compromise my ability to play. I could see the effect it had on many musicians. I said, ‘I won’t do that. I won’t alter my mind. I’m a musician, not someone trying to escape from life.’ “Still, I understood why so many musicians did it. The money was good, but it didn’t have the power to give you peace. Touring was hard. You played night after night. You lived on a bus with 12 other guys. You showered in the arena before driving all night to the next venue. The only joy was playing for an hour or two. Then it was back to the bus, traveling again. “Did I want to live on a bus with 12 guys? Or did I want a family someday? These were the questions I pondered. I’d watched a lot of musicians go through multiple marriages that didn’t work. Even though the money was great, fame had a price. I was searching for something. I just didn’t know what it was.” The Missing Peace Brian woke up to a stunning fall morning, Sunday, Oct. 16, 1983, after playing the night before. After breakfast, he turned on the television and saw a band playing. This band was more than good, he thought. They were excellent. Impressed by their technique, he didn’t change the channel. Soon after, a man started talking about God. Brian had never heard anyone describe their relationship with God the way he did. That man was Kenneth Copeland. Brian had long been fascinated by the men in the Bible. Every year, he watched Charlton Heston play Moses in the movie "The Ten Commandments." Heston portrayed Moses as a man’s man. Authoritative. Decisive. Transformed by God. This man, Kenneth Copeland, was like that. Authoritative. Decisive. And from what he shared, transformed. He chose a relationship with God and made it the highest priority in his life. By the end of the broadcast, Brian had prayed Romans 10: 9-10 and received Jesus into his heart. “Brother Copeland told everyone who prayed that prayer to get into a church,” Brian remembers. “That evening, I met with my Baptist pastor before the service. I told him that I’d made Jesus the Lord of my life, and he prayed with me. I stood before the congregation and told them that I’d received Jesus. “After church, I made the 45-minute drive back to the university. While I was away, they’d put new furniture in my dorm room. When I opened the top drawer, I found a booklet inside. It was called "Welcome to the Family"—by Kenneth Copeland! I read it that night, paying close attention to the section on the Holy Spirit. “The next day, I went to my morning classes and then ate lunch. That afternoon, I held the booklet up and prayed to receive the Holy Spirit. I started praying in the Holy Spirit just like it said. When I walked to the practice rooms, my friends said it looked like a light shone on me. The glory of God was already transforming my life. 18 : BVOV

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