The Man Behind The Band

BY TOM PARSONS JR.
SPECIAL TO HERALD COURIER

JOHNSON CITY, Tenn. – After the Nov. 13 Third Day show at Freedom Hall, a handful of fans were waiting patiently on the floor to meet the Grammy- and Dove-Award-winning band, have autographs signed and pictures taken. Off to the side stood one man who is an integral part of the band even though he doesn’t play an instrument or sing.

“From the beginning of Third Day, we realized that we needed to have someone to speak into our lives as individuals and as a band,” wrote Third Day lead singer Mac Powell in “Lessons From The Road” (Authentic Books), which Nigel James co-authored with the band.

“Through the years we have had many people, pastors and friends travel with us. But of all those people, Nigel James is the most important. He has allowed us and reminded us to be men of God first, and as a result our music and our ministry have reflected that,” Powell wrote.

James, who is from Cardiff, Wales, met Third Day in the summer of 1998 when they were on a U.S. tour with the Australian contemporary Christian band Newsboys. A few years later, Third Day called and asked him to come to America and tour with them as their road pastor. For the past eight years, he has been with them on every tour.

In a conversation with James before the show, the question arises: Why does a Christian rock band needs a road pastor?

“I want the fans to look through the guys and see the Jesus they serve,” James explained.

He said that part of his ministry to the band deals with the times they spend together during the tour in Bible study and prayer.

“A couple of weeks before the start of each tour, I’ll be asking the Lord to give me wisdom as to the focus of our devotional time,” James said. “Sometimes I might be reading a book of the Bible, or another Christian book, or even listening to a sermon, and the Lord will prompt me that this could be a good theme to share with the band.

“Occasionally, I’ll have all the devotions prepared before I leave for the tour; other times I’ll just have a sense from the Holy Spirit, and He’ll prompt me more fully actually on the road.”

But more important is the time he spends with each of the band members and their families during the intentional down time built into their travel schedule.

“When I’m off the road in the USA, I normally stay in the homes of the guys, which gives me great one-to-one time with whoever I’m staying with,” James said. “I’ll also make a habit on the road of not only meeting with the band collectively to pray and study, but also to give each guy some personal time as their pastor.”

As a result of the relationships James has built with Third Day, the band is seizing opportunities to mentor younger musicians. Revive, one of the bands that opened the Freedom Hall concert, fits into this category. Third Day met the younger band while playing in Australia last year and asked them to join this tour.

“We’ve always had so many people behind the scenes supporting us: record company, management, other artists who have given us encouragement,” Powell said. “By being a band that has received so much help and support through the years, it’s been a natural progression for us to do the same to others. Our hope with Revive is to pass on the things that we have learned and received from others, to help them become a better band and stronger in their faith.”

Both James and Third Day are modeling biblical discipleship. By their own willingness to humble themselves to one another in order to grow their relationship to Jesus, they are modeling the type of relationships that Christians need to have with each other.

Hebrews 10:24 -25 says “And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds. Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another – and all the more as you see the day approaching.”

Or as Third Day sings in their song “Come Together,” “If we would all just come together and let the Lord lead our way. There is nothing that we can’t do. There is nothing we can’t face.”