Christian band builds a strong foundation

NASHVILLE, Tenn.—As their group name reflects Ephesians 4:29, the Dove Award-winning band Building 429 desires to use music as a tool to reach students with the gospel.

"Teenagers have so many things weighing them down," lead singer Jason Roy said. "Many of them feel so disconnected, unwanted and unloved. Often, they feel like they don't have a clear path to go down. We want to let them know that God loves them and hasn't forgotten about them."

In addition to Roy, the band consists of guitarist Jesse Garcia, bass player Aaron Branch and drummer Michael Anderson. During concerts, Roy shares his life experiences and struggles in hopes of connecting students to the gospel.

Like many children, Roy had to deal with issues surrounding his parents' divorce, including heartbreak, pain and bitterness that carried over into his teenage years. Those emotions intensified after Roy discovered his father, a weight lifting champion, had become addicted to performance enhancing drugs and other illegal substances.

Desiring relief from his turbulent home life, Roy began attending a local church with friends and became active in the youth group.

"When I was 15, I accepted Christ, because I wanted to know peace and love in the middle of the turmoil in my life," Roy said. "A major struggle was coming to terms with who my father was and who he wasn't. Despite the mess that we were dealing with, I still loved him no matter what. I prayed for him constantly, because I realized that the worst thing would be if my dad left this planet without knowing that I loved him and that God loved him."

Roy began using music as a way to express what he was feeling, and he wrote songs about his personal struggles.

"I started writing songs about all the things that I was too scared to say to my dad, and all the things I wished I could say to my mom, about all the brokenness we experienced. I didn't know where else to turn. Writing songs provided an outlet to express my emotions. All I could do was place my trust in the Lord and rely on him for the strength to get through each day."

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After high school, Roy's interest in music continued, and he began performing with friends at local coffeehouses and churches. As the group's popularity began building, it wasn't long before they received invitations to perform at larger gatherings, including conferences and music festivals.

About the same time that Building 429 started touring across the country, Roy learned that his own relationship with Christ had made a profound impact on his father who sought relief from his addictions and surrendered his life to God. 

"Seeing how my dad's life has changed is a tremendous testimony of God's power and redemption," Roy said.

With their music and message rooted in Scripture, Building 429 desires to provide a source of hope and healing for families dealing with difficult situations. The group will perform at the Freedom Experience outreach event August 30 at NorthWood Church in Keller.

The songs on their latest album, Listen to the Sound, are designed to encourage listeners while pointing them to the love, grace and forgiveness of Christ.

"Through our music and concerts, I hope that people get a better picture of letting God do the extraordinary with the ordinary," Roy said. "We are just ordinary guys that God is working through, and he is allowing us to share about his glory. We hope that the messages at our concerts will encourage people to make a difference in the lives of others by showing Christ's love and forgiveness.

"I feel like my calling is more than being a musician; it's being a leader.  I love challenging, inspiring and spurring people on to have a greater knowledge of God and invest in him through faith. It's always exciting when the Holy Spirit works through people who have no interest in the being at a concert. Maybe a friend just brought them, but by the end of the night, they are believers in an everlasting God and his power."