Although I hope to come to you soon, I am writing you these instructions so that, if I am delayed, you will know how people ought to conduct themselves in God's household, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and foundation of the truth.
–1 Timothy 3:15

by Jenny Bennett

Even baseball enthusiasts may not recall, but during the 2007 World Series, ESPN used a song called For the Love of the Game during highlights on Baseball Tonight. Gospel Music Channel wants to introduce you to the guys behind that music, so be sure to watch Pillar on The Kitchen Sink this Saturday night!

Pillar's hard rock sound began in 1998 at Fort Hays State University in Kansas, where lead vocalist Rob Beckley and bassist Michael "Kalel" Wittig met. "But let's not talk about that," Rob says, "because who we are now is what's important." (They met drummer Lester Estelle and guitarist Noah Henson a few years later, and the four of them have been playing together for seven years.)

About to release their fifth full-length album, the group agrees their music hasn't changed much since the beginning. "It's pretty much always been hard rock, but I would say our performance and our songwriting have changed," Rob says. "Our songwriting was a bit more raw and simple in the beginning and now it has evolved into something more intricate and ambient," says Noah.

And when the fruit of their songwriting sessions is ready and Pillar hits the stage, the group definitely focuses on making the fans happy. "Our favorite songs to sing are the ones that the crowd gets the most excited about," says Lester. The guys named Bring Me Down, (which has been successful on mainstream radio), Fireproof, Frontline and Awake among their favorites.

Even in their ability to reach the mainstream world, the band is certainly intentional in their Christian perspective. "I don't think there should be any walls put up between the two [worlds]," says Noah.

For lovers of hard rock everywhere, I highly recommend you tear down the wall between yourself and Christian music (if you haven't already).It will definitely be worth it when you hear what Pillar has to offer.

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