FROM HARD ROCK

TO

SOLID ROCK

five star hotel in BergenDr. Lenny Stadler's Personal Testimony

It was like I was falling and there was no bottom. The surgeon had given me theprognosis...a 50/50 chance. Just like flipping a coin - heads you live, tails you die!

We played a concert at Chapel Hill, North Carolina that night. The mammoth wall ofamplifiers screamed heavy metal rock and roll behind me. My ears pounded from the blast ofmusic and my eyes burned from the thick cloud of smoke. I played my bass, knowing that Iwas dying.

The guys in the band offered me a joint. "Smoke this," they said,"you'll feel better." They didn't care. They did not have the problem; I did.

But God was close by that night. And I was strangely aware of His presence. He wantedto speak to me: "Choose this day whom you will serve."

I was raised in a Christian home. But I had lost interest in church and in God. I knewif Christ was the Lord of my life I couldn't "do my thing." So, I chose mygod--rock music.

I chose my goal -- to become successful in a musical career that would bring me fameand fortune.

zimmer VoruMy parents tried to convince me to pursue a college education. But I had no interest instudies. One morning during my sophomore year at Elon College I heaved my books down thehall in disgust. I was finished. I dropped out of college to gain my goal.

I bounced from one rock band to another. Each band was a bit more successful than theprevious one. I investigated every potentially successful avenue. A 'roadie' told me of aband from New Jersey named Blackfoot. The group had disbanded, but there was a possibilityof their regrouping. I was willing to try to help bring the Band back together.

Through some negotiations the members were reunited and the band relocated in NorthCarolina. I was the new bass player. Big time rock and roll...I was sure I had arrived.

As the bass player forBlackfoot I had an image to project. I grew my hair very long and mymustache dropped down over my chin.

I dressed like a rock musician was expected to dress. I acted like a rock musician wasexpected to act.

We toured the eastern seaboard, playing in nightclubs and coliseums. Soon we begannegotiations with a major record company for a recording contract. We were beginning totaste fame, and "super-stardom" appeared to be within our grasp.

Traveling was tiresome and hazardous, sometimes even life-threatening. But playingmusic was my only happiness. I lived to hear the crowds cheer. I lived to please the fansand took pride in their devotion to us.

Night after night our performance was almost exactly the same. It became routine. Somenights were monotonous and often I didn't feel like performing up to expectations-on oroff the stage. When finally the lights were turned out, the crowds had gone home, and theconcert hall doors were closed, I was left with emptiness and loneliness.

Drugs temporarily filled the barren gap between performances. Rock and roll came tomean "gigs" and "joints," feeling low and getting high.

All the while my parents faithfully continued to greet me when I returned from aconcert tour. They kept on loving me and praying for me. My family was always there, likea good thorn in my side.

Nearly every week I went to my grandparents' home for a meal. My long hair dangledclose to the table. I sat in silence as my grandparents filled my ears with Bible stories.They relentlessly shared Christ with me. God was on my heels.

I will never forget the look on my grandfather's face when he told me, "I don'tknow what it's going to take, Lenny, but some how God is going to wake you up. Someday Godis going to answer our prayers for you." His words lingered in back of my mind, butmy obsession with rock music continued.

Behind the scene, big bashes and pot parties were all part of rock and roll life. Onenight after a concert some friends invited the band to a party in our honor. Dozens ofpeople were crowded into the house. Someone brought out cafeteria trays filled with everydrug imaginable, and booze was available to everyone.

There I was, indulging in it all when suddenly a violent pain struck me in the chest.It was so severe that it took my breath and I fell to the floor gasping. I couldn'tbreathe. It was as if someone had stabbed me with a dagger.

My friends hovered over me. They were high themselves, though, and didn't know what washappening. "Man, he must have had too much," somebody muttered. Soon the painsleft, just as quickly as they had come. But after that initial attack the pains beganre-occurring nearly every day.

Mentally and physically fatigued, I reluctantly consented to see a doctor. Anexamination revealed a tumor on my bronchial tube near the heart. The surgeon saidfrankly, "If there is any

malignancy you only have a 50/50 chance to live."

I was scheduled for major surgery at Duke Medical Center. For two weeks I waited inanguish. I isolated myself. I contemplated...everything. My false god could not help menow. My world had collapsed.

"Lenny" Mom said, "we want you to come over to your grandparents fordinner. The whole family is getting together in your honor before you go to thehospital." I agreed, and arrived early at the house. As I pulled up in the drivewaymy grandfather's words echoed through my mind. "One day, Lenny, God is going to wakeyou up." I was aware then that my life was a spiritual battlefield. Suddenly I didn'twant to confront my grandparents.

I was certain something strange was going on when no one greeted me at the door.Hesitantly, I moved through the house and turned the corner to the living room. There weremy grandparents sitting with their faces in their hands, praying for me. I sat down nextto my grandmother. She continued in prayer. My hard heart melted. I began to cry.

I hadn't cried in years. I had forgotten the taste of tears. I had forgotten manythings - including who I was. Maybe I had never known. But whoever I was, my life wasabout to end. I couldn't afford to pretend any longer.

"Papa," I said to my grandfather, "will God hear my prayer? Is it toolate for me?" Through his tears I saw his blue eyes widen with joy. "Yes, son,God is always ready."

So I prayed, "Jesus, if You are who You claim to be, I need You in my life."A spiritual healing and reconciliation occurred in my life that night, the eve of my 21stbirthday. For the first time I knew real peace because I knew Jesus. This was the greatestmiracle of my life.

In a few days I left for Duke medical Center. Though my anxieties about the surgeryremained, I was peaceful and resigned to the will of God.

After an extensive examination the doctor came into my room and told me, "Mr.Stadler, we don't understand what has happened. There is no tumor, it hasdisappeared!" But I did understand. For whatever reason, I had been healed! God hadperformed another miracle in my life, and He had used my sickness to awaken me.

Even after this wonderful experience I was torn. I sincerely wanted Christ to be thedominant force in my life, but at the same time I wanted to continue with Blackfoot. Iloved playing the music and performing, or so I thought. I began to like it less and less.

I felt like a fish out of water. I went through the motions. But I was deeply concernedabout the young people in the audience. I felt like the pied piper leading them all intothe river. "This is not really me! It's all a show!" I wanted to scream."And this is not the way to live!" Playing rock music had been my onlyhappiness. Now it was my greatest anguish.

For four weeks I wrestled with indecision. I carried my Bible on the road and read itat every spare moment. While the other band members continued to smoke and drink, I stayedalone and absorbed whole chapters of God's Word. It became increasingly clear to me that Ihad to make a clean break from my old lifestyle.

I left the group and joined a contemporary Christian music group, The Sammy HallSingers. Through this ministry I shared my story with thousands of young people across theUnited States. While singing and sharing at Tyler Street United Methodist Church inDallas, Texas, I met the Senior Minister's daughter, Shana Morell, who would later becomemy wife.

After nearly two years of traveling with the Sammy Hall Singers, I left the group andreturned to my hometown in North Carolina. I re-entered Elon College and received theBachelor of Arts degree in "Religion." After much inner struggle and prayer, Iknew the Lord was leading me into the ordained ministry of the United Methodist Church.The "tap on the shoulder" for the ministry became increasingly evident. So, Iwent to Duke Divinity School and earned the Master of Divinity degree in preparation forthe ordained ministry.

Today I serve as an ordained Elder in the Western North Carolina Annual Conference ofthe United Methodist Church. In May, 1987 I graduated with the Doctor of Ministry degreein "Spiritual Formation" from Asbury Theological Seminary.

A few years ago, I heard that Blackfoot was going to be in Greensboro, North Carolina.With a burden on my heart for them, I went to share my message of Christ with the membersof the band. It was an awkward moment, to see how they were still playing and doing theirthing. At the concert that night, I watched as my friends came on stage and how the fanswere in a frenzied state. After I heard the first song, I ran out of the coliseum withboth tears and joy and sorrow. I was so thankful that God had worked in my life, but myheart was saddened and burdened for my old friends. Couldn't they see what they were doingto themselves? What they were doing to the crowd? Oh, that they might know Jesus and howHe can make such a difference in life! That was and is my prayer.

I am still asked to share my story in churches and with youth groups. The rock-n-rollculture is, in many ways, nothing more than a facade. There are many who are searching forsomething more. Basically, the message of rock music is hedonistic. It appeals to theflesh--"If it feels good, then go ahead and do it." I challenge youth with themessage of Christ and His claim upon their lives. I encourage parents to be aware of whatis happening in the lives of their children and teenagers, and to stand firm on what musicis brought into the home.

Let us choose this day whom we will serve. Let us stand on the Solid Rock - JesusChrist!

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