MEGADETH Bassist: 'I Don't See Me Standing Up There In A White Robe Doing Sacraments'

MEGADETH bassist David Ellefson last fall became one of 100 students in the distance education program at the Concordia Seminary in Clayton, Missouri. Classes include "Lutheran Distinctions," "Preaching I & II," "Introduction to Worship" and "Scripture and Faith."

Speaking to Darryl Sterdan of the QMI Agency, Ellefon stated about his decision to try to become an ordained Lutheran pastor, "I don't see me standing up there in a white robe doing sacraments and preaching and all that. I'm doing this distance-education stuff to learn some new things. To open my eyes and ears to some different walks in this life is inspiring to me. At 25, I took a different turn in my life and got off all the dope and booze and cleaned my life up. That was almost 22 years ago. I've been married almost 18 years. I've got teenage kids. My life is pretty wholesome. Which is the funny thing about it. People tend to think heavy metal guys just constantly earn it and burn it. And my experience with the hardest-edge metal guys is that we're gentle giants when we get off the stage. We leave it all on the stage, which is how it should be."

When asked if studying to become a pastor is kind of at odds with playing "the devil's music," Ellefson replied, "Well, the thing of it is, we don't play the devil's music. On (1986's) 'Peace Sells ... But Who's Buying?' there were some songs about seances and things like that. But they weren't written because we did them. Certainly I didn't do them. You can write a song about anything ...and those songs weren't about Satan. They were about questioning things. People that thought it was just about Satan just didn't want to do any homework and went, 'If it's different, then it must be wrong and therefore it's the devil's work.' That's about as closed-minded as you could be."

On the topic of whether he feels an obligation to intervene when he sees other musicians and young people on the wrong path, Ellefson said, "My attitude is that you suit up, you show up and you behave accordingly. And you let, for lack of a better term, God's spirit pass through you. People will see that. If they want to inquire, they know where to go. If someone ain't asking, you don't need to be telling. But if they start asking, that's an opportunity to share what your life was like. The testimony-based approach comes from a place where it's genuine. And I think most ears will hear that a lot better than if you're just standing at the airport beating them over the head with a Bible as they come through the door."

Read the entire interview from QMI Agency.

Ellefson recently started MEGALife Ministry, a Christian-based ministry focused on serving all people in their development of faith. Based in Scottsdale, Arizona, the ministry is designed to help engage the needs of both churched and un-churched individuals and families worldwide.

Through the endowment of MEGALife's music ministries, personal testimonies and captivating multi-media, it offers a dynamic center for developing a faith in Jesus Christ, especially to those who are new to Christianity or seeking a new church home.