Stryper's Michael Sweet Talks 40 Years of Christian Metal: 'God Still Wants Me to Be Here'

The frontman for the legendary rock band Stryper says Christians almost alienated him and his bandmates from the church some three decades ago and that the church still hasn't overcome its judgmental tendencies. Lead singer Michael Sweet and his brother Robert became Christians by watching TV preacher Jimmy Swaggart and then, years later, gained worldwide fame for their metal songs, their Bible-infused lyrics, their big hair and their yellow and black attire. They tossed Bibles to their fans. They attracted teens with edgy lyrics (To Hell with the Devil). They received a Grammy nomination. 

They also received pushback from Swaggart and other Christian leaders who said Christian rock was “of the devil.” That rejection led the band members to question their faith and their beliefs.

Today, Stryper is still rocking and it’s still preaching the gospel. (The band recently released its first-ever acoustic album, the 11-track To Hell with the Amps, which has stripped-down versions of its hits as well as a version of Amazing Grace. A tour is set for May 30th. This year, Stryper was featured in the new film Unsung Hero.) 

Stryper also urges Christians to incorporate more grace into their daily lives. Sweet says the church could learn several lessons from Styper’s history.

Related: Stryper's Michael Sweet Warns against Judgmentalism in the Church: 'Don’t Turn People away from God'

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