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P.O.D.'s tattoos and piercings might frighten some church folk, but their sonically superior modern rock is providing an opportunity to share Christ with those who've never considered darkening the door of their neighborhood church. Their platinum-selling Fundamental Elements of Southtown has reached audiences with whom some church-goers wouldn't dare associate. The band has appeared on The Howard Stern Show, MTV, Politically Incorrect and in all the music mags. They've toured with the likes of Korn and Ozzie Osbourne. Recently, the band's drummer, Wuv, spoke with Family Christian Stores about P.O.D.'s music, their faith and their mission.

FamilyChristian.com: How did you come to embrace the Christian faith?

Wuv: Basically just by seeing my parents, seeing their marriage restored and their lives restored by God. It wasn't something that I got all hyped up on in the church or at youth group or something like that. It was real life. I've seen my dad go from one direction to the next and it was something that impacted my life.

Knowing the history of my parents-my mom turned 15 when she had me. She was 14 when she got pregnant-and how tough it was for them…then seeing God do something like that for me was amazing to me. They're 42 and they've been married 28 years. I'll always be grateful and I'll always love Him for that.

FamilyChristian.com: What is P.O.D.'s mission?

Wuv: I think what God did last year was the best mission we could have possibly been on. To get in front of millions of people and just basically rock a show, and at the same time have them see what a Christian is and being able to relate and not feel like they can't be one. When they see P.O.D. they see us padded up, they see us rocking out, having fun, they're like, "Dude, if they can love God and have fun, then I can love God and have fun too." God's the King of fun. He's the one that made everybody's personalities. He's the one that created music, He's the one that created the way we act and the way we look. A lot of times the world sees the stereotypical Christian, all stiff like a cardboard cutout. P.O.D. just shows them the real deal. You can look any way [and] God will meet you where you're at. You don't need to look a certain way, you don't need to act a certain way. You can be who you are and God will meet you right where you're at.

We're just thankful for what God's done today. We never even expected or even strived for P.O.D. to be like this. It was just something we were having fun with in a garage. Now we finally get a chance to be home and look back and see all the things that God's done. It's amazing to us and we still just sit back and laugh. Whenever we're asked what the future holds, we're just like, "Dude, I don't know, man." Whatever it is, I'll be happy changing diapers in the nursery at church. If God were to have it done now, it's all good.

FamilyChristian.com: What is the meaning of the symbol, of your logo?

Wuv: That's the Trinity. It's like 3 circles in one: Father, Son, Holy Ghost.

FamilyChristian.com: What kind of opportunities has your album, The Fundamental Elements of Southtown, given you to share your faith?

Wuv: Everything that God did for us this last year and what He did with P.O.D. on this album gave us a voice and an opportunity to get in front of more people. Our music has always expressed our faith and how much we love God and what He's done for us. This last album just got us to a place where a lot of the kids were listening, secular kids mostly and that's what we've always wanted. We're just doing the same thing; it just got put to a different level.

FamilyChristian.com: How do you stay true to your faith when it stands in such contrast to those around you?

Wuv: It's just like everyday living. My Christian faith doesn't revolve around the Christian youth club or what my church is doing this weekend. That's not how I live my Christian walk. God changed my life for the better and that's where my faith is. He's changed my family. He's done amazing things and every day is a walk with God, not where I'm at. When P.O.D.'s on the road with these other bands it's still the same day. God's gonna do more impacting on them than they're gonna do on us because we've already seen all that. You see some craziness and stuff like that but it's never anything we haven't seen before. We know where that leads and we know what God's done with our lives. We want to let these people know. We want to give them love. We're not there to preach down at them or look down at them. They're just regular people that need to know God and P.O.D. is able to relate that to them in a cool way, not in a condescending way. I think that's why God opened the door for us because they're our homies; they're just like our friends. The only thing is they're just in a different band.

FamilyChristian.com: How do you respond to people who criticize you for playing with mainstream bands or appearing on MTV?

Wuv: For us, we didn't grow up in the Christian environment or anything like that. A lot of Christian kids who do like P.O.D. did grow up that way and a lot of times they don't understand why we're on the Ozfest or why we're playing with Korn and why we're on MTV. You know what, we're not trying to play for the Christian. It's been almost 10 years that P.O.D.'s been for the people that don't know God. To get to this point where God puts us in front of millions of people that don't know God, that's a dream come true and it's an act of prayer for P.O.D.

What God's doing with P.O.D. is what He's been doing for 10 years and if they don't get it, they don't get it. We're not for them anyway; we're for the people that don't know Him. We get a lot of criticism from the Christian side because of the way we look and because of the people we play with. You know what, if you don't get it then turn your heads because we're really not for you anyway. We're just doing what God's always put on our hearts to do. We love God and all we can do is tell people how much we love Him. And if there's something wrong with that because we don't look the way that they look, then they've got their eyes on us and not God.

FamilyChristian.com: How does your record label respond to your message?

Wuv: They don't put any limitations on us. I think the Christian people put more limitations on what we can do than the secular people who are like "Go ahead man. Talk about what you want to talk about." You know, Marilyn Manson's talking about what he's talking about. If they want to be negative, that's cool but we're gonna be positive and that's the way people look at us. They're like, "Man, P.O.D.'s more of a positive band." Then they start listening more and then they start seeing the spiritual side of P.O.D. After that, that's between them and God, whatever God wants to do. We move from city to city. Whatever seeds we leave, after that that's God's job. I'm just glad to be a part of what God's doing and able to spread love. That's our main thing.

FamilyChristian.com: How do you share your faith with your fans?

Wuv: A lot of times, we're hanging out before the show, we're hanging out after the show, we're hanging out in the middle of the show. We're hanging out the whole time. Our whole night consists of talking to kids. Those kids come every night and ask us questions about God. Sometimes they want to know answers and sometimes we don't have them. All we can do is just share with them what God's done in our life and how much joy He's brought us. That's basically how God uses P.O.D. A lot of times, God uses us to witness to the band [we're on tour with]-seeing our lives on the road is totally different than they way they live. It causes curiosity and makes them ask questions.

When people see a stark difference they can't help but ask why there's a difference.

That's just the way it is. They want to know why you're not partying it out like them and we're like, "Dude, we've already done that." I'm all about my wife and my kids. God has blessed us enough to get out and play in front of more kids and that's cool.

FamilyChristian.com: What's the #1 question kids ask you?

Wuv: It depends because we get a mixed crowd. A lot of people come up "You guys rock, man. I love your music. That's cool that you guys love God." With the Christian kids it's like, "How do you stay strong with God on the road?" and stuff like that. We're just like, "Dude, every day's a walk with God. God gives you the strength. Don't be scared to walk out your front door and meet the world because believe it or not, 90% of the world not Christian. We're not doing anything different than you going to your high school. Same thing; we're just playing music."

FamilyChristian.com: What has God taught the band through everything that's happened in the last year?

Wuv: I think more than anything He's been instilling in us how many people are watching us. We're Christians and we always tell people we are. We love God and we love Jesus and He's changed our lives. All we're doing is telling people how much God has loved us and what He's done for our lives. That's the plain, simple fact. We don't get into issues, we don't get into politics, we don't get into anything but what He's done for us.

God just showed us all these people are looking at you with all these different expectations - just be yourself. I've made you yourself and I've made you Wuv. I've changed your life for the better so just be yourself. Don't try to act a certain way around certain people. I think that's what God's been showing P.O.D. because a lot of people look at us and they make a lot of judgments, different kinds. It hurts when it's from people that love God. God's just showing us - keep your eyes on Me and I'll handle the rest. It's all good.

FamilyChristian.com: What is God teaching you personally?

Wuv: Personally, He's teaching me how to be a better dad and a better husband to my wife and my kids. The most important thing to me in my life is my wife and my kids. I was on the road 16 months straight. God's just giving me sweet time with my kids.

FamilyChristian.com: Is there anything you would like our readers to pray for with your ministry?

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Wuv: I would ask them just to pray for our ears because we've just been playing since we were in high school as loud as we can. Now there's some repercussions coming on (laughs). On a serious note, pray for our families. Right now God is using P.O.D. and right now a lot of our time is required by the public and other things, so just pray for our families because they've been behind us 100%, without a shadow of a doubt. Not so much for strength but for blessings on them because they've been supporting us for a long time and they deserve it.

FamilyChristian.com: Is there anything else you would like to share?

Wuv: I just want the Christian audience to know that we love God with all our hearts and all we try to do is let people know what He's done for us and our gratitude to Him. Don't think we're faking the flunk because a lot of people think we're riding the Christian wave to sell out on the Christian world. Even if we weren't on Atlantic Records and we weren't selling albums we'd still be doing the same thing. God just opened the door for us to be on a different platform and we're blessed.

Jen Abbas, a writer in Grand Rapids, Mich., originally conducted this interview for Family Christian Stores' All Access music catalog.

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