Resurrection Band's Glen Kaiser
From the Club Exit / Solid Rock videos Files
The day had been hot, as almost any day at Cornerstone can be, but the evening has cooled the area down. We find Glen Kaiser, lead singer/guitarist for the Resurrection Band, standing outside the Compassion stage, talking and praying earnestly with a couple of young men. He does not seem the image of the consummate rock star, standing as he is in dusty T-shirt and shorts. He could be any of a number of the "aging hippies" who come to Cornerstone, perhaps looking for the Christian equivalent of Woodstock.
In the tent just a few yards from us, we can hear the sounds of the movie "Blade Runner" escaping into the night. Across the grounds come the strains of Plank-Eye on Main stage. Finally, he turns to us, and Rick begins.
Rick Fontaine (Solid Rock videos): 25 years for Rez. This year. There are acts, the hottest acts, don't have band members 25 years old. Maybe that was an inappropriate thing to say just now.
Glen Kaiser: No, no. It's been a miracle to us. For us it's special. I was feeling pretty good for those Michigan boys when the Redwings took the cup too, but you know, it's a whole 'nother story when you are talking about ministry and you're seeing people come to the Lord. Here at Cornerstone festival every year, and too from last night doing the set, and today running into people who tell us that they came to Jesus through one of our concerts, or an album or two really helped them through the dark times in their lives. Or people in full time ministry as a result of something that they heard from the band on one level or another. What can I say? That's just God's grace. I'm just so thankful that we get to serve Him.
Rick: At the concert last night, the MC opened it up asking, "who here has seen Rez Band before? Who here was saved at a Rez band concert?" And to hear all this applause from the audience
Glen: That's what it's all about, isn't it? Someday we are going to stand before God and it's not going to be about how many albums were sold, or how many concerts, or miles traveled or countries we've been to. The only thing that is going to ultimately be important will be did we lead people to Christ? Did we encourage Christians to a more biblical lifestyle? Did we bring truth into dark places? Did we disciple people?
I think that there has been so much fruit, that it has been encouraging to us.
Getting back to the longevity issue you brought up a minute ago, that really comes from the Jesus People USA, the church which we have been a part of from the beginning. Without the support and prayers of the pastors, and the fellowship, I don't think the band could have been in the first place. But also couldn't have continued on for so many years. Because of the money involved -- we all have wives and kids. And the church totally sponsors us as an outreach. Some tours we may bring home one or two thousand bucks. Many tours, we don't bring home anything, or we lose money. And that's the way it's been from the very beginning. It's just a question of being faithful and obedient. And just, God's grace. It's been our choice to allow Him to use us as He has.
Timothy Travis (Club Exit Web Radio & eZine): Speaking of Jesus People USA, how did that all get started? How did you begin?
Glen: Out of the Jesus Movement of the early 1970's, the fellowship came together actually as an outreach of the Jesus People of Milwaukee. We were a travelling team, called the USA travelling team. There were actually three different groups sent out. We felt a strong burden for this part of the USA. Another team was sent to another part of the USA and did some work in other countries. The third team went into Europe. The Milwaukee fellowship kind of caved in -- there weren't many people left there. We were the USA travelling team, hence Jesus People USA, and we traveled for a number of years. For three years we did a lot of travelling within the Midwest and South. And we basically went where we were invited. If a church or a brother or group of brothers called us, and wanted to see the band, or the Cornerstone magazine, which we were running out of the back of a bus. There were about 25 of us that left for that final voyage out of Milwaukee, and it was literally by request. We would get word, "hey, can you come play here. We heard about your band," or "we heard you speak" and we would go from town to town. We would set up in parking lots or schools, and we continued to travel and played everywhere. But it was always by request, because we felt that the Lord wanted us to work with the local church. And we continued, but it was always a matter of where do we settle? We needed a base, because we were literally living out of suitcases, and sleeping in sleeping bags, riding around in a big old school bus.
We ended up in Chicago. We had come up from Christmas in Florida; some people had requested that we play some concerts in this area, and we continued to. A church opened it doors for us. It was a huge building and they had nobody there -- no youth group and they had maybe 60 people there. And we started sharing the gospel on the streets, and people started coming to the Lord left and right. We had people banging on our doors, looking for food, help, whatever. Now we have about 350-400 adults, a couple hundred kids. We have a shelter -- we take care of around 65 women and kids. We own the building we live in, ten stories, and we all live together in community. The top three stories are occupied by 85-90 seniors, poor, low-income seniors.
Timothy: Is that the "Friendly Towers"?
Glen: Yes, the "Friendly Towers." We have an awning in front that says that. We have many programs. We have tutoring after school for kids, we have ministries for the young in Christ, as well as a regular church service on Sunday. We have the Cornerstone festival, Cornerstone magazine, Grrrr records, which consists of Resurrection Band, the Crossing, Crashdog, and Sheesh. We have everything from flaming, full on, hard-core punk to Celtic music to hard rock and rap. And I've done blues albums and worship albums. And it just goes on and on. There are so many outreaches.
The community is essentially supported by a roofing supply company. We are about 95% self-supporting in our outreaches and ministries. We do a lot of counseling for women considering abortions. We supply housing and shelter, and a whole lot of other stuff.
We are part of the Evangelical Covenant denomination. We joined that denomination about 8 years ago and the denomination totally respects us, and it's been amazing what a blessing it has been.
Timothy: I've heard that the community is located in one of the worst parts of Chicago --
Glen: Yeah, one of the worst. Maybe not the worst.
Timothy: One of the most racially diverse.
Glen: Yes. Extremely diverse. It's probably the last "melting pot" areas in the city. Native Americans, blacks -- there are probably more blacks than whites in that area -- Mexicans, you name it. And I love it.
Our community, from the very beginning, has felt that any sort of bigotry or racial prejudice was totally unscriptural, and we weren't going to have it. So we pray about it, and repent, just like any other sin. And over the years, we have seen God do some incredible things in the neighborhood.
I think, because people can see where our hearts are. If you have a fire, and need a place to stay. If you are hungry, or struggling -- it's just not a problem.
At this point, Wendi, Glen's wife of many years, interrupts to talk to Glen about their schedules for the night. As you watch and listen to them, you can see in them the trust and friendship which can only come from years of caring and sharing in a ministry. Wendi reminds me so much of a cousin of mine, with her slight southern accent, and the way she carries herself. She doesn't come off as being a "rock diva" but more as a friendly next door neighbor. After they work the night's details out, we resume our conversation.
Timothy: I wanted to ask about the festival.. How long has it been going on?
Glen: It started in '84, so that makes this the 14th year.
Timothy: How many were at the Gray's Lake site, before it moved here?
Glen (after conferring with another JPUSA member): The first one was in 1984, and we moved here in 1991.
The fairground then was a cool place for us, because then it was just a matter of rental. The buildings were there. We had to put up the main stage, and a couple of tents. But basically, there were seminars being done at different places around the fairgrounds.
The truth is, it was a little too close to a residential area, 10, 10:30 at night, they wanted us to stop making noise. Now we can make noise until we want to stop making noise. We have a lot of all night raves, and a lot of other things going on. It's just wonderful, because we are out in the middle of the countryside. And we now have like 575 acres. There are places on the property that no one who comes here for the festival has even seen, because it's not developed.
Last year we had between 20 and 21 thousand people. I haven't seen the numbers yet for this year, but it must be more. I have never seen this many people. We must be approaching 25,000 people. It's been amazing.
Timothy: Are there any plans for the grounds? Any development or whatever?
Glen: Oh, sure. Even from the beginning we've thought, "wouldn't it be wonderful to put together even a simple motel type structure?" Our own community, we come out here often, throughout most of the year. Vacations. Some people have saved up and bought small trailers that they keep out here. But we would love to put up some permanent buildings. Obviously we would love to get the Exhibition tent up away from the dust. And the roads – wouldn't it be wonderful to have asphalt roads! There are a lot of things that we want to do.
God has just been so gracious. We are just amazed at what he has been doing. You just feel like a spectator, sometimes, even though you are involved right in the middle of it, and all.
Rick: Do you ever get – I don't know. I've watched you, and it seems like you are on call 24 hours.
Glen: Yes. That's my job in life. My job in life is not to perform, it is to serve. I think that too many leaders are not available, are not approachable –
Rick: You're very approachable!
Glen: – Well, again, part of this is my nature. I know who I am, and what God has called me to do in my life. Don't you think that I would love to be sitting in some of these tents, listening to the seminars? I will have all of eternity to celebrate, and to party.
And bands. There are a stack of bands that I would love to see. I mean, I catch 3 minutes here, 5 minutes there; if someone comes up and wants to talk, I'm not gonna say no. There are just too many people who have needs, who just need some encouragement. I know this. And I'll have eternity to celebrate. And God just blesses me, sometimes.
I mean, I love Jesus. I love to be in His presence. To be close to Him. To talk about Him. To share Him. And maybe help to carry some people across the waters a little bit, maybe I can swim a little stronger than they can right now. And that's just it. You don't ever just turn it off.
I mean there's a time to cool out. God gives me times that He refreshes me.
That being said, we thank him and Glen walks out into the cool of the night. He doesn't go more than a ten or twelve yards before he is recognized. He stops to talk, perhaps to encourage, perhaps helping another brother swim just few a more feet.