Andreas Larsen

For those who don ' t know you can you tell us a bit about yourself.

My full name is Andreas Larsen, and I'm born in Denmark, 1982. I'm blessed with a couple of cool parents, a big brother and a little sister. I love Jesus Christ and try to live my life as a living sacrifice to honor God and serve people like Christ did.

In 2007 I finished my four years education as Deacon and Social Worker. Besides the heavy metal crowd, I love hanging out with the homeless and alcoholics.

I'm working full time with heavy metal ministry together with Pastor Bob Beeman and Sanctuary International. Was a part of the first Christian metalband in Denmark (Barricades, 2002-2008). Now I play in Solace the Day. I'm the main organizer for the annual Green Light District Festival in Denmark, which started in 2007; 3-days festival with metal fellowship for the glory of Christ. Also behind the Intense Extreme internet radio and Intense Extreme iPod Radio podcasts on iTunes. In 2008 the festival Core-group and I established the organization Sanctuary Denmark. Besides the festival and radio, Sanctuary Denmark is helping putting up heavy metal cell groups through out the Danish country as a loving Christian metal fellowship for metalheads and people who might have a hard time with the established church. Here we actually also work together with established churches. In 2009 we'll also be doing a weekend Band Retreat and a six days Intense Sanctuary disciple course in Denmark.

What was it that got you involved in the Christian hard music scene.

I grew up in a loving Christian home where my parents dragged me along to Christian rock concerts. Since I was ten I started exploring different music genres on my own. To me the hard music had a great and positive energy that I really liked. I played in a few rock bands, and little by little I got an urge to make extreme metal with a positive message of the hope I've got within. In 2002 a friend and I started a Christian doom metal studio project called Day Of Disaster. In 2003 the newly started band Barricades was looking for a guitar player and asked me. Since then major things has happened! In March 2004 I met Pastor Bob Beeman for the first time at BobFest, Sweden. We spoke for a couple of hours during the weekend. At BobFest 2005 we met again; and since then we've been traveling together, doing metal ministry projects and more.

Why do you feel it's important that there is Christian representation in the hard music scene.

We, as Christians, are called to share the gospel and the love of Jesus Christ to the people among us (which I believe can be done in many different ways). Jesus is for everyone! Doesn't matter by what sub culture or mainstream culture people identify themselves. The Bible says that Jesus is the Way, the Truth and the Life for everyone created in the image of God. In the heavy metal culture in Denmark many people dislike church and Christianity. I acknowledge a calling to hangout and share the light of Christ in this often dark metal subculture.

We ' ve covered the Green Light District Festival in a previous interview with the whole team but what is your role in it.

I'm the main organizer with the main responsibility. If things go bad my head (and wallet!) will pay ;0)

What else are you involved in at the moment.

Together with the Green Light District Festival core group I've established the organization Sanctuary Denmark, which is in close partnership with Sanctuary International. “Sct.DK”-treasurer Jonas, is our work-horse and the brain behind the organizations paperwork! “Sct.DK” is behind the annual GLDFestival, Intense Extreme Radio, heavy metal cell groups in the bigger cities all over Denmark, an internet merchandise store and now an annual metal musicians retreat and an annual six days disciple week with Pastor Bob. We use our band Solace the Day for a lot of the ministry. But most of my time is used on networking with other hard music ministries, bands and individual people.

Concentrating on your bands for the moment you formed Barricades a few years back what was the reason behind forming it.

Barricades was the very first Christian metal band out on the clubs. I didn't form the band, but joined in about a year after my good friend Morten started finding members. The vision “Barricades” became a communication tool between Christians and none-Christians; metalheads and none-metalheads; Christian metalheads and none-Christ metalheads. Many times we experienced that we were standing on a barricade between the church and the secular Danish community, being a communication tool for both parties.

What was the response by people to Barricades.

During the five years I was in Barricades we played about 30 shows in Denmark + one in Norway at Nordic Fest. Every single time we had at least one talk, which was worth the whole performance. For a good period of time we had major press coverage both in national + local papers and at national TV over and over again. For a couple of years we were working very hard / fighting to get publicity for the band, and nothing happened..! We did band meetings and continually prayed over this. At last we gave in, stopped fighting for promotion, laid it all down for God to take over, continued practicing and were open for whatever doors we might walk through. One day a journalist contacted us and wrote a great article about the controversial subject of “Christians playing brutal music with a loving message”. And then we got plenty of offers from papers and TV-programs. One of the national TV-programs was a 28minute documentary about Barricades, our faith, lives and music. This has been shown many times on Danish national TV, on Norwegian TV and Swedish TV + is being used at gymnasiums (high schools) for educational use at religion classes through out the country of Denmark. We've been very protected/blessed with all of the publicity that we've got, where the journalists have actually told the story like it was. Often the media puts Christians in a bad light, but I guess that (with the hand of God) our story was exciting enough, that the media didn't have to manipulate our message. We've seen and experienced awesome things through this band. Both episodes of people trying to destroy our concert and times where the Holy Spirit was so intense, that we had to fall on our knees and cry while playing and then realizing that half of the crow had their eyes closed and arms raised!

More recently you currently play in Solace the Day who else is involved in that.

Yeah, this band is really exciting!

When we started in 2008 the other guys were between 16 and 19 years old. They've all got a great heart and I'm proud of playing with ´em! We've already had a couple of member changes because of different time priorities, but I believe that we've now got the right line up :-)

•  Levi Rauff: Guitars + background vocals

•  Jonas Brunsnæs: Drums

•  Asbjørn: Bass

•  I: Vocals + additional guitars

We're all involved with Sanctuary Denmark.

You put out your first EP last year is there plans for an album any time soon.

Thanks for asking :-)

As we speak, I'm sitting in Nashville, Tennessee. On Saturday I'll meet the rest of the band + Simone (from Sanctuary Denmark) in Illinois where we'll play Cornerstone Festival. After playing a bunch of shows in the USA, we'll start writing a lot more. We're working on writing 20 new songs by which we'll record the 12 best some time next year. Later this year we'll be on an American metal compilation.

Has there been much call or temptation to reform Barricades apart from the appearance at GLDF 08.

Heheh, yes, it's a blessing to feel that Barricades has made and impact in people's lives and helped with focus and inspiration. Only by the grace of God! I love my friends from Barricades, but we feel good about putting our energy in other projects and see/follow the newer Christian metal bands in Denmark doing great stuff.

Over the past years you ' ve had the pleasure of working with Pastor Bob Beeman what were you doing with him.

The first couple of years I traveled with him at festivals whenever he would be in Europe, helping out with whatever. He helped me start the Intense Extreme Radio, and without him there wouldn't have been a Green Light District Festival 2007. Right after the first GLDFestival I moved to Nashville for 6-7 months to work with him full time, figure out my calling and establishing the GLDFest, Intense Extreme Radio, global networking and many smaller projects along the way.

As well as that your also a Deacon in your church and a trained drugs/drink counsellor what has that involved for you.

Yes, I've both got a heart for the heavy metal crowd and homeless/addicts. Being a Deacon has helped me seeing and treating people as Christ did. I don't feel that I'm even getting close to live a life like Christ. But the grand thing is, that He loves us even if we haven't done one single good deed! And also even if we've disappointed our selves and people around us. Jesus believes in us in such a great matter, that He calls us His children, gives us His DNA and promotes us to be His ambassadors sharing the good news about who He is and who we are in Him!

When I'm in Nashville I help feeding the homeless under the bridge downtown. In Denmark I've worked at day- and night-“cafés”, where homeless/addicts/lonely people can drop by, get free coffee, read the newspaper, play games, get a shower and have somebody to talk with. I've also worked at a hostel where people come in from the street and stays for a short period of time until we find a better place for them. For four Summers I've been one of the leaders at Summer-camps for kids from troubled homes.

Tell us about the Intense Extreme Radio project.

Launched in December 2007 as a 24/7 internet radio station. This station only plays brutal and extreme metal by Christian artists. The station also carries short devotions by Pastor Bob, song interviews by the artists who've writing the lyrics + crazy and dark-humorous station ID's. “Intense Extreme iPod Radio” is a great collection of songs, interviews, devotions and ID's from the internet radio, but this iPod format has also got running pictures, visual band info and active links for band websites. So fare we've got 7 different 45 minute Intense Extreme iPod Radio, which you can download for free at iTunes.

You ' ve put the radio on hold for the time being what was the reason behind that and is this the end of Intense Extreme or is it merely on hold.

Yes, for a few months we've had a season break with the Intense Extreme production, but we're just about to start a whole new season with new ideas, new shows and podcasts! Time will tell if we can start up the 24/7 internet station again. Simone has done a great job on networking and promoting and she will now take over a lot of the Intense Extreme production.

You ' ve been to Meltdown in the UK a few times now how did that come about and have you had any times there that are memorable to you.

So far, I've been at Meltdown three times. Every Meltdown experience has had a good impact on me. I especially remember the first time, where I was amazed about the awesome location, which to me was the perfect surroundings for an uplifting retreat with focus on being a family. It has been great to be able to come back the following years and reconnect with my brothers and sisters in Christ. I was very honored to be invited to both doing a seminar at Meltdown 2008 and play with Solace the Day. Thank you! You guys are a blessing.

For you what makes Meltdown so different from other hard music events.

I'm involved with Christian hard music events in many different countries, and the one common thing that excites me the most, is the focus on fellowship and coming together as a brotherhood, where we're in need of each other and want to encourage one another! Meltdown has got this great aspect as well. But to me the thing that makes Meltdown unique is that it's more peaceful. There's more time and opportunities to read my Bible, study and pray. It's a retreat! :0)

You've visited several places around the world in your work with Pastor Bob and other duties where would you like to go and why.

A couple of new places where we're working on doing festivals are in Asia and the Middle East. That's gonna be very exciting. I lived in Nepal when I was 10-13 years old, and that place has got a beloved spot in my heart. I've never been to the Middle East, but it's (among other places) a troubled place where people are searching for justice, hope and faith. Another place is Brazil, which somehow draws my heart without knowing why. Looking forward to find out! :0) ... And I have to go to Mexico at some point as well.

Running a ministry is a demanding job and I know the great team you have working with you but how can other people help you. 

Prayers are ALWAYS highly appreciated!! Like many other good and passionate ministries our financial situation is pretty bad. The whole team (of poor students) and I are paying the whole ministry out of our own pockets, and I'm extremely amazed about how God has taken our five bread and two fish and turned it into a great amount of “food”! The main reason why we had to put the Intense Extreme Radio on hold is because we don't have the 30 US dollars a month to keep it rollin'. So small amounts of money would be a huge blessing. And prayers might be even more powerful! :0)

So what does 2009 and the future hold for you personally and for your ministry.

Personally I'll have to start working full time as a social worker from September. The last two years I've been living many different places at friends and family, where the rent is at a minimum or free, so that I on and off can take part time pay-check-work. At the end of the Summer I will be a lot more involved in my church in Århus with leadership and worship, so I'll have to rent a more permanent room in Århus. Århus city has been the center of our Sanctuary Denmark meetings.

Sanctuary Denmark has got some exciting work for the rest of the year as well!

Right now : The Sct.DK staff is in the USA to do ministry through Solace the Day + work with several projects together with Pastor Bob + grow in leadership as a group.

August : Band Retreat for Christian metal musicians in Denmark, where Pastor Bob is coming over. Besides that we're putting on a couple of shows for Back Pocket Prophet.

In August/September the 4 th , 5 th and 6 th Sct.DK heavy metal cell group will start in three new cities in Denmark.

October : Six days Intense Sanctuary bible school, where Pastor Bob will be back again. Besides that we'll be putting on a show for the Brazilian grindcore ministry band Antidemon. We're working on promoting Sanctuary Denmark, so that this organization may be a help for people to connect and be encouraged.

The next GLDFestival is scheduled to be in the Summer 2010, so this project is also on our minds.

If you had the whole worlds attention for 2 minutes what message would you like to give.

God is love! Love is real!

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