Been there, Don that

'We thought it would be good to start at the beginning. So we will'. And with that, Don Francisco launches into one of their most well known songs, 'Adam'. 'Adam' is typical of Don Francisco's lyrical style - closely following Scripture, he gives a broad overview of creation, the fall of man and his present state.

Don Francisco isn't your average Christian singer-songwriter. Raised in an intellectual family (his father taught at the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary and his mother had a Masters in English), education was emphasised strongly. His father had an itinerant preaching ministry, and young Don would often accompany him. But, as Don remembers, 'a lot of it was angry - he was an angry man. He'd say stuff like, "If God doesn't judge America then he'll have a lot to say to Sodom and Gomorrah". When the people who talk about God are angry and critical, then guess what - your picture of God is of an angry and critical God.'

Turning away from faith

As a result, he rebelled against this upbringing as soon as he was old enough. When he was 15, Don and his friends slipped out of Sunday School and went gambling with money stolen from the collection, and Don won $22.50 on a game of blackjack - a considerable sum of money in those days. With his winnings, he purchased his first guitar. It was love at first strum - he practised until his fingers bled. He started writing and singing songs soon after.

He ran from God and 'never killed anybody, but I pretty much covered everything else. I got into eastern meditation and yoga, and was trying by meditation to get rid of my fear of death'. Despite his apathy towards Christianity, he was still fearful of the God of judgement and wrath that he heard so much about as a child. As his mantra (an eastern meditation process of repeating frequently one phrase in order to help you empty your mind) he chose the Lord's prayer. Looking back with hindsight, he believes that this 'kept me out of a lot of trouble. There's lots of Hindu magic that invites other spirits into your life. I was spared a lot of misery that way'. Twice a day he would do yoga exercises, meditating in what he now describes as 'the clear white light of stupidity'.

The love of Jesus

One morning during such meditations, age 28, God powerfully revealed himself to Don. In his own words: 'God chose to speak to me audibly, as clear as I'm talking to you now. He said: "Don, this is Jesus. I love you. Why do you keep running from me?" From my upbringing, I would have expected God to say, "You ratbag, you better straighten up or you're gonna burn".' That day, all his religious misconceptions were shattered. He realised that there was no sin too great for God to deal with. That day, aged 28, he was saved.

That was nearly 30 years ago. He had a lot to work on - 'you reap what you sow, and I had a sowed a lot of bad seeds before I was saved. I had a lot of stuff I had to deal with. I wrote a song called 'It's your own fault'. Not many people like that song. But all through that time, God was with me'. Music continued to be a major part of Don's life after he became a Christian. Quoting Psalm 37.4 ('Delight yourself in the LORD, and he will give you the desires of your heart'), he explains how it is a dream come true to be able to tell people of Jesus through the medium of music. God has fulfilled this desire for Don. In his own words, 'This is too cool'.

Having written numerous songs before his conversion, he scrapped all his lyrics and re-wrote many of his songs with Christian words. Within six months he had a recording contract - due to God supernaturally opening doors. He's now been writing for nearly 30 years, but his passion for music and the gospel is still clear to see. His best-known song, 'He's alive', is his personal favourite because it 'explains the gospel in five minutes'.

Story teller

Don Francisco's success must, in part, be attributed to his writing style. He's primarily a storyteller - in a typical concert, you may hear accounts told from the perspective of the woman at the well, the thief on the cross, Peter or those that Jesus healed. He often gets his inspiration for a song while driving, which can lead to an urgent call to his wife, 'Pull over, I need to get this down now!' His songs, however, aren't just his ideas on a certain subject. He researches a passage thoroughly using Bible commentaries, concordances and other relevant tools in order to ensure theological accuracy and to draw out the main lessons to be learned. He feels that it is necessary to teach through his songs - many people describe him as a preacher through music.

What is most apparent from meeting Don Francisco is his down-to-earth nature. His success is clear for all to see - at a recent concert in a UK prison, 41 prisoners and one warden were born again. But far from being rude and self-centred, he is humble and easily approachable. Rather than using his musical achievements as a platform for a preaching ministry, he believes that he is living out his calling as a singer. In his early days as a performer, he struggled with going on stage because he felt that he was in no position to encourage other believers due to his own sinful life. It is only in the last six or seven years that he has overcome this by recognising that it was Satan seeking to prevent him from singing. One of his songs sums this up aptly: 'It doesn't matter what you've been, it matters what you'll be. There is no condemnation 'cos the Son has set you free'.

He hopes to be back in the UK next year. But even if you don't take up that opportunity, remember that from a rebellious atheistic youth, God has changed him into an instrument for his glory.

Don Francisco was talking to Dave Cox and Steffan Hess.

Interview with legendary Christian song writer, Don Francisco

Turning away from faith

The love of Jesus

Story teller

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