ny music scene has always relied on that charismatic front man to shoulder the weight pressed upon the band by adoring and sometimes obsessed fans. Without that very important mouth piece to convey any given band’s mantra, the message could easily be lost or discarded. They are there to guide, to rally the crowd, start the pit or insight a riot. Their words are golden and their commands mandatory. In the Christian hardcore scene, that roles comes with slightly different added pressures.They are put under the microscope and carefully examined by all of us. Their movements, their doctrine, their past, their theology, their off stage actions-all these things are up for grabs when it comes to how we view the men and woman preaching to us night after night from a dirty stage. We dive deeper into their lives than

we do for some of our family members or close friends. We know them. We want to know them because they have spoken to us in maybe a more profound way thanany other sage. They have allowed us to experience their minds through the most tribal of worship rituals. Remember to thank them for that. Thank them for letting us into their humanity. In a world that holds “rock stars” up so high each and every day, a few front men are beginning to stand out among the myriad. Sleeping Giant’s Tommy Green has frequented our website since its beginnings. His almost constant ear to ear grin and eagerness to talk Jesus is a seriously contagious trait. In this interview we want to encapsulate Green beyond the stage, as a family man, a pastor, a child and a new author. Religio-cide was written as a primer of sorts, a guide for new believers and an encouragement to all. Originally intended for kids saved while attending shows, the book is now more universal, more applicable and overall, one of our favorite reads in a long long time. Green is currently in the middle of recording Sleeping Giant’s latest record due out by summer. Below is a candid interview with Tommy Green: Liar, Cheat, Fake and Murderer.

When I first heard your testimony I was shocked yet inspired by the honesty and reality of God’s grace in your story. For those who have never made it to a show or heard your testimony, will you share it?

Tommy Green: Well at 18 years old, I made a decision to start a relationship with another man’s partner (they were like married to everyone around them so it was like his wife to me) and subsequently the man ended up taking his own life. This was one of the most traumatic experiences of my life and it led me into a real search for a reason to stay alive. I had made one of the worst choices you can make and it resulted in the death of another person, in my opinion. I couldn’t take it back and I didn’t see any point in trying to fight through it. I was a liar a cheat a fake and a murderer. It was my selfishness and immaturity combined with a search for meaning and love and romance that led me into this horrible mess and I had no real help. I tried to reason it out but I was truly empty and hurting and dying inside. I didn’t want to believe in the story or message of Jesus. It was a control method of manipulation and narrow minded and judgmental and ridiculous to me.  And yet, There came a point when I literally was at the end of my rope and in essence God communicated that He still loved and wanted me to live in relationship with Him. He offered to walk through life with me and to change my mind about what I thought of Him in the past. He was decent to me. I didn’t deserve it and I certainly did nothing to earn it. I discovered something in His unconditional love for me. I invited Him to help me and now, years later, I am in Love with God and He is the Lord and Leader and Love of my life.  Really I was like David with Bathseeba, you know? Like that is how I felt as I look at it. I dunno man, Jesus forgave me and His forgiveness and love has made all the transformation. Crazy. I love Him.

What does Sleeping Giant mean as a band? I’ve often heard you say that it is not about the music?

TG: Sleeping Giant is a theme that came from a band called Deadguy on a record that they put out  Fixation on a Co-worker. The song “Crazy Eddie” talks about a “sleeping giant that is not going to stop until he’s seen it all.”  And I thought of it when we were thinking of band names. Turns out that the Inland Empire Region which is where the band is from, was actually called the “sleeping giant” because of the industry and population in its proximity to LA so that was crazy and then God started dropping bombs on us about a deeper prophetic meaning for the bride and body of Christ, so it started really simple and built over time and meaning for all of us (Laughs). Really though what God has created in this journey is more of a platform to help inspire and encourage a whole generation of new and old believers into intimacy and discipleship with Jesus Christ. So it isn’t just music, it really is about equipping the saints. New styles but same basic end, give God glory.

“We are attempting to allow God to use and direct us to do anything and everything that Christ did as a Son of God. We want God to heal every area of peoples’ lives…”We know that healing is a big part of the Sleeping Giant ministry. What do you say to the Christian skeptics that feel like Sleeping Giant is creating hype through music and an atmosphere and that it is a show or not genuine?

TG: We are trying to do the ministry that Jesus Christ did in His lifetime. We want to become more like Him in theory and in practice. We are attempting to allow God to use and direct us to do anything and everything that Christ did as a Son of God. We want God to heal every area of peoples’ lives, we want the Lost to come into relationship and victory in Christ Jesus, and we want to release a sound that touches the heart of the Father every time we play.  We don’t put any additional emphasis on healing in practice than say evangelism or intercession or praise or teaching. So I’m not sure how to answer all of that (Laughs).

There’s been rumor that you guys are recording again?

TG: Rumor confirmation: Yes we are recording our third full length record right now!! It should be out in the first quarter of 2011!!!!!!!

We know that family is very important to you. What are your feelings on family and community in ministry?

TG: Well I am not willing to put ministry in front of my family as a lifestyle. My children are the most important “generational ministry” to me. I have been divorced and it was one of the worst experiences of my life so personally, after God, I choose my bride first and then we choose our children and then community of ministry. Community is so important and it has to be organic so who we are as a family at home needs to transfer over to our community where we minister or I feel like I am acting out of a role that isn’t true. My wife and I make dinner with the kids of the community and we sit and talk as a group about the things of God, and share our lives and hang out together and build relationship built on intimacy and friendship and accountability, as well as devotion and worship of Jesus Christ, you know. I hope that gives you something.

We had heard you were in the midst of writing the new record for Sleeping Giant. How in the world did you find time to pen a book as well?

TG: I wrote the book about two years ago when I initially went back into full time missional style ministry in Salt Lake City UT, and with editing and waiting for publishing stuff to come around and the finality of it, it is coming out right now (laughs). It initially happened a while ago. But I’m grateful it’s all happening now!

The book is meant to be a primer correct? What do you hope to teach through Religio-cide? And who is your target audience?

“I want people to believe that Jesus is every bit as personal and real as their best friend in the earth, and I want them to experience friendship with God for real”TG: Yeah again it’s a beginning for people that are really trying to understand that it is really about Relationship with Jesus Christ. It’s not everything you need to know by any means because it is meant to help spark people into deep relationship with Christ and you need a lifetime to build a friendship together. It takes time and pursuit and conflict and understanding. It’s complicated! (Laughs).  I want to set a standard for real connection in the word of God and the Holy Spirit. I want people to believe that Jesus is every bit as personal and real as their best friend in the earth, and I want them to experience friendship with God for real.  I originally wanted to write it for all the kids who get saved at our shows and don’t go to church or maybe will fall off because they don’t have a Christian community or the tools to continue to grow. But now it’s really for whoever finds it.

The title itself has to be getting some controversial nods. Can you explain a bit about why you chose this name?

TG: I was a hardcore kid who was into animal rights and the struggle of civil disobedience and without taking part I really wanted to support direct action to destroy systems that stand against peoples’ freedom and liberty. So as a Christian I thought of the way I felt when I first was introduced into the culture that held all this passion and fury and justice. This was the kingdom for me, you know? So I wanted to let people know that they are following THE Revolutionary when they die with Christ so I wanted to capture the zine-esque primer status of pamphlets that were tabled at the shows I first went to, and bring it to the kids and new disciples at SG shows. “Religio-cide” is a made up word to me. Urban dictionary has a definition and I used that but really I meant like destroying the destructive and hellish side of the religious culture, and monkey wrench this whole system if it stands in the way of real, personal, spiritual relationship with Jesus Christ.  I hate the constructs and boxes that are NOT Biblical or healthy that holds people back from experiencing faith, and they aren’t worth defending or supporting. Long term they are another crutch and another facade that will burn. Anything that is true religion to Christ Jesus will stand but it is not by and large the thing that we normally define religion as. For real. Destroy anything that holds you back from honest pursuit of God. Passionate and direct for real. Not anti people- never anti people, just anti the crutches that we have set up in front of people, that cut out freedom in relationship. Pro Jesus, and Pro Relationship. Eliminating hell’s authority by any means necessary in the secret spiritual lives of people seeking Jesus.

“As far as lukewarm believers, I believe that in relationship its possible to go through times when its easier than others, so I have a hard time labeling it too hard. But when people just aren’t walking in relationship with Christ but say that they are Christians and they don’t pursue understanding, than they are probably not taking it as serious as they should really”You have a disclaimer in the beginning of the book explaining that the book is not perfect and neither is its author. Do you find it a problem that a lot of perhaps new believers or lukewarm believers find it easier to latch onto someone’s words like your own rather than actually diving into the Bible?

TG: No I don’t find that a problem when it comes to new believers, just because for some people they like to hear other people’s perspectives and see through their eyes, then they can begin to see it their own way. I was helped dramatically by reading a book of poetry about the lives of Jesus, Lazarus, Mary and Martha and their stories in the Bible. When I realized that the Word of God was living to this person, I was able to take off my preconceptions and just allow God to speak to and through His word to me. As far as lukewarm believers, I believe that in relationship its possible to go through times when its easier than others, so I have a hard time labeling it too hard. But when people just aren’t walking in relationship with Christ but say that they are Christians and they don’t pursue understanding, than they are probably not taking it as serious as they should really. If he is important you make time and you fight through the seasons of boredom and confusion and you stay connected.

What is your advice to believers or non believers out there who simply say that the Bible is too difficult to read and understand?

TG: I believe the Bible is a miracle and I absolutely have come to depend on it as the foundation of all of my experience and understanding of Jesus so that can totally be a bummer if you feel like the Book gets in the way of the Living Word Himself (laughs). First I would make sure they have a Bible they actually can read . Then I would have them pray for the Spirit of Wisdom and Revelation in the Knowledge of God.  Then I would make sure that they know that there is help and I would show them where to look. I would invite them to team up with someone or a group of someone’s that talk about and read the Bible together so that they can get questions answered and hear what God is saying to and through other disciples.  Then I would watch and see if they pursue it.  If people care about something they find valuable, they will make time for it and they will create value for it in their lives.  I would encourage people to make sure they are being honest with themselves when it comes to a devotional life in Christ, and I would give God and people time to walk it out.

What has the feedback been on those who have read Religio-cide so far? Do you see more books coming in the future?

TG: I absolutely have more books planned and I am looking forward to a few different writing projects right now. My wife Krissi and I are in the process of teaming up with another couple to put together a book called Pre-Marital Counseling for the Body of Christ. I will keep writing for sure. Just about everyone that has actually read the book has said it’s very simple and honest and is affecting them in relationship with Jesus in new and great ways. So I am encouraged. I also, just as the book was written and released, got a few different emails from people that were involved in some of the testimonies that I share in the book. Like they didn’t know I had written about the experiences and they emailed me to tell me that since then, and directly because of those times when I taught and trained on tour, they have begun walking in deeper levels of experience in intimacy and revelation in Jesus so I was way excited because one of the people in particular was like scared of what I was saying at first and now years later it is absolutely become a part of his devotional life! Praise Jesus. I believe in what I’m saying but there is really cool fruit coming from people now so that has just added to my conviction about the subject and its effectiveness practically in peoples lives.

What are you looking forward to in ministry and in life in the next year?

TG: Well me and Krissi just started filming a Weekly TV show in Salt Lake and we are going to be reaching out to over 20000 homes a week with the message and story of Jesus in our lives so that is super exciting! I think it will be a great learning experience for me and Krissi in partnership in ministry. The show starts in February of 2011 and will be broadcasted in like 4 states in the Mountain West so that’ll be amazing to be a part of, and we will be streaming it on our website at revolutionreality.org.  That’s some ministry.  In life I am excited to move past a ton of the hardships and struggles that my family has gone through over the last 18 months. Financially, this has been really hard and our family has faced foreclosure and bankruptcy and we are believing that God will continue to uphold us and keep us strong. So with this new project and the new record and some overseas trips for mission work planned I feel like we are turning a corner. I am excited to hang out and see my son grow this first year, and I always love watching my daughter ham it up and be a riot. I like checking out my wife a whole lot always (laughs). We are planning to go to the UK as well as close to the Middle east later in 2011 to partner with some groups there so I’m excited for that, and I will be going  out with the band and touring a bit in the early part of the year and then in the summer. I don’t know, man, big plans big plans. God willing I will keep rollin’ right.  I’m excited for the new record so that will be fresh. I’m excited to be alive and a part of the Kingdom of Jesus in this time man. Love.