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Catching Up With Christians
Welcome to Catching Up with Christians, where faith meets everyday life.
I’m Coach Dan, a former award-winning college baseball coach turned public speaker and life coach. Each episode, I sit down with close friends and influential Christians to explore their faith journeys, personal challenges, and professional paths.
Together, we’ll dive into how faith empowers us to overcome adversity, discover our purpose, and live boldly for Christ. You’ll hear inspiring stories and powerful testimonies that reveal not just the what and the how, but the deeper why behind their lives and careers.
Whether you’re looking for encouragement, practical insights, or a fresh perspective on walking with Jesus, this podcast is for you. So, let’s dive in and catch up with Christians.
Catching Up With Christians
Catching Up With Christians: EP: 11: With Lee Thomas, Kuts for Christ
What does it take to turn a childhood love for video games into a ministry of service and faith? Join us for a captivating conversation with Lee Thomas, the dynamic 28-year-old entrepreneur and co-founder of Kuts for Christ. Lee shares his journey from Galveston to Houston, highlighting how his Nintendo 64 provided a vital escape amidst family challenges. Learn how his passion for gaming and IT work at a Christian media company paved the way for his involvement with Proper Excel, a platform connecting with artists through Christian hip hop. Prepare to be inspired by Lee's testimony of faith, which developed without traditional church guidance, and discover how these experiences drive his mission to serve communities in need.
Explore how video games became a lifeline during the tumultuous year of 2020, offering more than just entertainment. Lee sheds light on the unique intersection of faith and gaming, where Christian communities flourished online, providing much-needed fellowship and support. He offers thoughtful advice on balancing gaming and spiritual growth, emphasizing self-control and discernment. Through Lee's insights, we recognize the potential of video games as a powerful tool for emotional, mental, and spiritual benefits, fostering connections and sharing experiences that transcend traditional boundaries.
Find out how Cuts for Christ expanded beyond church walls to meet people where they are, providing free haircuts, hygiene kits, and the gospel to underserved communities. Reflect on the delicate balance between serving and sustaining a livelihood, as Lee candidly discusses the challenges of maintaining financial stability in ministry work. Discover the transformative power of intentional service and hear Lee's heartfelt appeal for genuine connections. Celebrate the impact of his Christian hip hop collaborations and exciting future projects, including a potential national outreach tour, all while resonating with the message that every act of kindness can make a world of difference.
What's going on everybody? It's Coach McCarty back with another episode of Catching Up With Christians. You know we have a special guest today, lee Thomas. How are you doing, brother?
Speaker 2:I'm doing good. I'm doing good.
Speaker 1:That's awesome.
Speaker 2:What about yourself?
Speaker 1:Hey man, I'm great, Even better now that you're here For all the listeners. You know a little background on Catching Up With Christians. No-transcript what you do.
Speaker 2:Well, hello everybody. My name is Lee Thomas, I am 28 years old. I am a entrepreneur, to say the least. I've been in ministry, it and all these different things for a while now. But I guess I'll go first with saying that I'm the co-founder of a nonprofit called Cuts for Christ. And Cuts for Christ is a nonprofit ministry that provides free haircuts, hygiene kits, resources and anything for those in need. Whether you're homeless, whether you're growing up in a rough area of town, we want to be able to provide you a service that can change your situation and also pray for you and share the gospel with you as well. So I'm the co-founder of that. My sister is the founder of that, chloe Evans, and we just believe in being a hands-free to Jesus and loving people right where they're. At Outside of that, I work in the IT field for a Christian media company.
Speaker 2:I have the honor of just working with so many great believers and just using one of my other talents, which is IT. I love computers, I love building them, I love how they function, I love how they work. It is honestly a pleasure to work for a ministry where I get to see people's lives changed through music and other facets of media and lastly, I get a chance to work for Proper Excel. That is a Christian media company, another Christian media company that's more tapped into the Christian hip hop space and I'm the honor of, you know, capturing a lot of content and just really being the hands and feet of Jesus and just connecting with other artists through a relationship, through music. And there's so many other great guys on the team who just love Christian hip hop and see that Jesus can be used through Christian hip hop and just truly meet people where they're at through music. So that's a little bit about myself.
Speaker 1:That's awesome dude. You know I was telling him a little bit before we started. You know I was like man Lee. You're based out of Houston, right Texas.
Speaker 1:Texas H-Town yeah that's awesome man, you know, and I'm in here in Las Vegas and the thing is I was telling him earlier I was like man, you and I would be a dangerous team for Jesus, bro, if we were in the same area, because the amount we have in common is incredible. I mean, from what you, from your video game passion to your music passion same type of genre as well as your passion for sports. But I want to dive into. You have one of the coolest testimonies, as a gamer myself, that I've actually heard of. Would you mind telling the individuals, whatever you feel comfortable with sharing, a little bit about your testimony and how you came to Christ?
Speaker 2:Yeah. So just to give you guys a little backstory, I didn't grow up in the church at all. My mom did when she was younger and she tried her best to still implement that. And so our childhood me, my sister, my brother but we just believed in God and try to be good people. That's kind of the premise that we kind of had. We go to church occasionally but there was no relationship. Now, I didn't grow up in a great household. You know my mom and dad was there. It was just a lot of you know it wasn't a good home. Life balance, a lot of arguing, things like that Wasn't really a good environment for me. My dad and my mom. They definitely took care of the bills and made sure me and my sister and brother had, you know, clothes on our back, food on the table, video games and stuff like that.
Speaker 2:To my first console, which was an Nintendo 64, um, and it was amazing. It was honestly amazing. It blew my world. I got Super Mario 64 and I was. I was like, wow, amazing, and I have it on my uh, I have it on my switch right here, which is which is crazy my um, my switch light, I have it on here.
Speaker 2:So gotta go back and play that from time to time just to kind of, you know, have that, uh, you know, like the nostalgia, but, uh, I've always played video games. That was always my way to escape, um from the negativity in life that I was dealing with, um, and it was just a way for me to kind of get away from other things in my life and it was just a form of entertainment, really, really cool time to just play with my cousins and just friends and really just have a good, you know, have a blast. But I, I play games all the way from like five years old. Now I'm 28 years old, so that's 13 years, no, 23 years, 23 years, um. And I want to say, when I was 15 years old, um, around that time, you know, my mom and dad split. We moved to houston'm originally from Galveston, texas, that's where I was born moved to Houston in 2010, moved to Houston, went through some other, some other hard times in my life that really pushed me in a really dark place, you know, and the video games is always something that I I would always go to right just to get to escape from school, family issues and etc. Etc. It was just something I always, you know, picked up um, and this one particular day I had my xbox 360. My work for three just came out. Right, mw3 just came out. It was it was huge just came out.
Speaker 2:I remember going to the um. This story is hilarious. I remember going to, uh, to game stop in the mall, because I live really close to the mall. The apartments that we lived there was like right across the street from the, from the mall, um, and I go in to the game stop and I pick up the games. I want to buy this game. The guy's like you're not old enough to get this game, where's your driver license? And I was like I need this game, bro, don't do this to me. Like I need this game, like I need this game. So I was like you know what? I'm going to find a way to get this game. So I literally step out of GameStop and go into the food court. I find a random guy.
Speaker 1:I'm like go, yeah, yeah, yeah yeah, yeah.
Speaker 2:So you know, yeah, oh, yeah, oh, yeah, you know what to do.
Speaker 2:Yeah, you know so I, yeah, oh yeah, you know what to do, you know. So I asked my bro can you buy this game for me? He was like, yeah, man, I got you. So I give him the money, he buys it, gives me the game, the receipt. I'm like bet bro. So I literally go home, I'm playing the rest of that game man, for like two weeks straight. And then on that third week I remember playing, playing, and this guy invites me to an Xbox Live party.
Speaker 2:We had a few common friends, I believe. Maybe I can't really remember, to be honest at this point, but he's asking my name, where I'm from. I'm like it's kind of weird man. It's very sus, you know, it's very, very sus. Why are you asking my name, where I'm from and all this?
Speaker 2:So I'm like you know what he seems like a cool guy, I'm going to all this. So I'm like you know what he seems like a cool guy. I'm gonna give him some vague information about myself, not too much, you know, but just enough. Right, yeah, um, and I tell him all that stuff, right, and he asked me are you a Christian? I'm like, yeah, I'm a Christian. Um, and then he asked me what does it mean to be a Christian. And I was like go to church and be a good person. That was my response. And he nah, bro, it's so much deeper than that. And I was like well, what do you mean? And he was like following Jesus is an everyday thing and we must pick up our cross daily and follow him. And at that moment it was like a light bulb went off. It's like what? Because I've gone to church before you know, I've sat in Baptist churches before. What?
Speaker 2:Because I've gone to church before you know I've sat in Baptist churches before, especially here in the South Church service would be a long time, man, it'd be a very long time. You know you'd be in about three, four, five hours, man looking around, it's all hot, it's yeah. Yeah, two-piece suits on, you know, slacks, dress shoes, button up. I was just like I'm not really feeling this right now, but at that moment it was like God used someone I played Call of Duty with. We're up there playing the game together, getting MOABs and getting killed with the ACR, the MP Center for my M3 player, my other M3 players. You know what I'm talking about.
Speaker 2:You know, ACR the depressor that was a laser beam, yeah, um, but it was god using that moment to just capture me right where I was at and it was really him just meeting me where I was at and just truthfully, um, touching me, because at that time I was addicted to pornography, I was smoking weed every day. I was really in this really bad place and and the Lord met me right where I was at and it truthfully changed my life and it still is playing in my heart. And about two years later, through fellowship and just through prayer because that was my church community, that was my Christian community that I had was people I met online, right, and most of my friends I met online, you know, and we still are friends to this day, right. But after about two years of just having fellowship and praying with each other, eventually the Lord met me where I was at Almost, took my life because life was, even though I knew the gospel, life was still hard. I was still having dad issues, I was still having insecurity issues, I was still dealing with pornography, I was still dealing with all these struggles, right. But the Lord met me where I was at and he was like son, you don't have to take your life. I have a plan for your life. And the Lord met me right there when I was going to take my life and I knew at that moment I can't do this anymore. I have to give it all to you. And I kid you not, I remember praying. I was like God. I cannot do this by myself. I cannot do this by myself Because at the time, I was the only person in my household following God my sister and my mom.
Speaker 2:Every time I did something, they had a magnifying glass on it. And I'm like yo, I'm only 15 years old. I ain't got no pastor. All I got is friends on Xbox. And I got the Internet. You know, that's my fellowship. That's how I get the information I needed. I didn't have a car. My family didn't want to go to church at the time, so I was kind of like it was hard for me, right. So it was just very hard for them to always, you know, you know, criticize me and judge me like that. It was very tough. So I remember praying like God if you want me to truly follow you, unashamedly and just truthfully, with all my heart, can you save my mom and my sister? And he did just that. Literally a month later they both gave up the Christ, following Christ still to this day, and the Lord just moved through that whole situation. So, as you can, can see the 106, you know the crazy death, huge, huge role in the back, right there. Being broke made me rich. That's another quote, right there, man.
Speaker 1:I always do. Don't get bitter, get better bro.
Speaker 2:Hey, hey.
Speaker 1:I love that one. He said I would still work on switching them letters. That's what he said, man, I love that one he said I would still work on switching them letters. That's what he said. Woo, he got some bars man.
Speaker 2:Bars for days.
Speaker 1:Dude, that's such a powerful story I mean from the beginning to the end, talking about you know God meeting people where they're at. You know, and that's ultimately the whole purpose of this podcast to the listeners is we just hope that if you just take something from his testimony or whatever the spirit puts on either one of our hearts, it's just remember like he's gonna meet you where you're at you know, and I think that is such a powerful, powerful thing to understand.
Speaker 1:And just so the listeners have some understanding reference, if y'all did not play xbox 360 back in the day, most parties about 99.9 percent like when you tried to chat with someone on an Xbox Live party, they were talking reckless bro. If Christianity or Jesus or faith came up, it was going nuts bro. Like these conversations were rare.
Speaker 1:So like what I mean by that guys is that that was a god thing. There was nothing else you could say, because I guarantee you, if you went to any other lobby or any other game chat and you joined, they were probably going to talk some crazy stuff, because that's what happened in these lobbies back in the day, and so I think it's so powerful how god you know met you right there and that's such a beautiful testimony, man and and and you can tell me if I'm wrong here but even now, now the community in gaming, there's like a Christian gaming community out there now and I saw even, like on Discord, there's even church services going on like gaming, church services going on like on the weekend, like could you kind of talk a little bit about now from your perspective because I know you game a lot more, I'm sure, than I do nowadays, or we and or whatnot? Um, just how the christian community is in gaming has it evolved since then?
Speaker 2:so your understanding oh yeah, man, definitely evolved now it's. If I had that how it is now, when I was younger and it would have been big mad um, because the lord really is moving in that space. Video games have changed so much to now where it's a part of all of our lives, especially 2020. Everyone's home, everyone has to, you know, bought a console to spend time with their family, so now we're really a part of all of our lives. Now, whether you have an xbox, playstation or switch, pc, whatever you know, everybody started picking them gaming, even if it's on their phone. You know, like you know, we it's a part of it.
Speaker 2:Yeah, you know, um, and then when you're able to incorporate faith and fellowship, that part Amazing. And then I do have a couple of friends who are pastors, who stream and they have their services online and they pray for their community, no matter who you are, whether you're saved or not. They welcome everybody, of course, if you respect what they believe. But, yeah, man, it's, it's changed so much and it's truthfully beautiful how the lord is moving through technology and I've met so many great believers all over the country, all over the world man, and I have a few friends from the uk, from europe, um, just all over the the world man, and we're all the body of christ and it's truthfully amazing to hear their, their stories and, you know, their testimony, their families, like maybe two days ago I was catching on my boy jay.
Speaker 2:He, uh, he lives in europe. I don't even know how to pronounce his country, you know, but it's just like he's amazing, like and just being able to hear his story and just pick up right, pick up right where we left off. I haven't talked to him in like three, four years, um, but able to just catch up with him and just, he's married now and you know he has two children, he has two step-sons, you know, and it's just like man, that's how God moves and it's just able to just pray for him and just help him and encourage him and vice versa. It's truthfully amazing, honestly, gaming is. It has a huge, huge space for Christians. We just got to be willing to put in the work.
Speaker 1:Absolutely man. So what would your advice be to maybe a family or a parent you know, maybe their kids love gaming and they're not necessarily you know, they're still early in their walk. You know, maybe a teenage kid or high school or you know and whatnot. You have any advice for a kid who's trying to grow in their faith, but also a big gamer. What would you give them?
Speaker 2:I would say definitely get on Twitch and check out some of these Christian streamers. I would say Pastor Stoozy, god Squad Church the list goes on. Myself I go by TheParadox116 on Twitch. You can reach out to me. I would love to connect you with other believers as well. We play a wide range of video games, from World of Warcraft all the way to Call of Duty, madden 2K, mlb the Show the list goes on. There's a space for anybody to get into. There's a game, there's a Christian gaming community for every game type, every game genre. So whatever you're looking for I don't know the person, I can find somebody who does, you know. So it's like there's a community for you.
Speaker 2:And I know sometimes parents may look at video games like, oh, that's wasting their time. It that there has to be a balance with it. Right, you know, like, because games can become an idol, just like anything else can become an idol. That requires it requires, you know, maturity, responsibility and just honestly, being real with yourself. You know it takes a lot of self-control. You know you can't be on a game for eight hours and only give God one hour. You know, you know like. You got to definitely make sure you find that balance, you know, like that you're not gaming all day and you're able to spend time with God, spend time with your family, your friends, your lover. You know everything like that. You know you got to definitely find balance and that's the key. You know, definitely be wise and use discernment right. Some video games are definitely wild. Some games are very dark. Some of them are very demonic. But definitely watch what your children listen to and what they're playing. But not every game is bad. I will say that right now.
Speaker 1:You know, not every game is bad for that. I will say that right now. You know how do we get with that for sure. I love that and I want to go back a little bit. You said something really awesome.
Speaker 1:You're talking about how and I relate this and I'll share this because I don't think I've shared this with the podcast yet is you talked about how, when you're gaming as a younger teenager, how is an escaper for you? It was a way to kind of get out of some of the things that were happening around you and your home, and I can relate to this so much too. Like as someone who's really competitive, as someone who loves sports but wasn't able to physically play sports, playing video games was an outlet for me to compete. I mean, I would love playing 2K and MLB and Madden and all that growing up because I could take care of business on that. Like I couldn't play in real life, but on the game, it was a way for me to escape my physical situation and still be in an equal playing field and compete.
Speaker 1:And so the reason I bring this up is I love how you said that it can be an escape for someone who's going through a difficult time, but the imbalance is so important but to all the parents, or maybe if the people are listening that video games can be a really good outlet as well, and it's not just a time waste or a time you know uh, what's the word? You throw it in a time shoot, you know just all that stuff. It can be very beneficial for you emotionally, mentally and even now, spiritually, when you're connected with the right people, and I think it's having the right community that you surround yourself with, as well as, um, the balance, how often you do it. I think it's such an important aspect for sure.
Speaker 2:You hit it all in the head, man. You hit it all on the head. It definitely was an escape, um for me, because I did like playing sports. I did, but the area I grew up in it wasn't like I didn't grow up in the hood, but the hood next to me was the hood, you know. So I had a bunch of friends who were in the hood, you know, and I would play sports with them, you know, outside, barefoot playing football, man, like you know, I was slipping butts in my head or bust my, you know like that was fun. But when it was time to come inside, man, it was game time. It was game time when I finally got Xbox Live, I was able to put my friends online.
Speaker 1:Yeah, whole new world bro Whole new world?
Speaker 1:Absolutely, man. It changed my life. I used to have a really weak immune system I even do now. I would miss so much time at school and I was able to like play with my friends outside of school, you know, be another, hop on the game and and I've really grew so much, um, you know, emotionally, and being able to have that um, what's the word? Being able to be social without being social in person, because I missed so much school. So video games definitely have a place in this world. They're here to stay To anybody listening. Just make sure you're plugged in with the right people. Try to find those Christ-like individuals and plug in with them. Amen, bro.
Speaker 1:I wanted to back up. I feel like I didn't even touch up on this, my apologies. How we know each other, bro, it was a quick little time time, but it was one of those uh moments where I was like man, this dude's awesome want to connect. So, um, I kind of talk about my perspective on how we met and just kind of the way I felt towards you and your sister when we first met. Man was just um, there's a big uh rap festival called Holy Smoke. It's, yes, still holy right there, bro, and it was awesome. I went last year. I believe Was last year, the second year or third year that it was going.
Speaker 2:It was the second or third, I can't remember.
Speaker 1:I'm not too sure. It was my first time going.
Speaker 2:It was awesome.
Speaker 1:And I love Christian hip-hop and I know lee does too and it was just one of those things, man, we're like we were going hard for the music, I don't know, like we kind of bumped into each other. I was sitting somewhere and he came and introduced himself. I don't exactly remember this the moment, but what I do know is, quickly, when we started talking the passion for serving others, the passion for jesus, the passion for christian hip-hop I was like this is somebody him and his sister, these are people I want to be around. These are the people you're talking about fellowship. You're talking about people you want to surround yourself with. You know lee and his sister, chloe are, are the examples of those people.
Speaker 1:Right and um and right after that interaction, I was like, hey, man, we got to stay in touch. And then, when you started telling me about cuts for Christ and what you guys do, I was like, bro, this is wild, like that is such a cool concept and and speaking of that, I need to cut right now too, bro, but we'll we'll change that topic later. But even if it's just a quick interaction, you know what people are going to be in your life. You know what I'm saying. Like God will make that so clear. Like sometimes you meet someone just by them walking past you and you're like, oh, that dude seems cool or that lady seems cool, I want to get to know them, you know. Next thing you know that's a lifelong friend and then sometimes it's just a longer conversation. We got to talk a lot that time, a couple days there, but that was kind of my perspective. I don't know your perspective on the whole interaction, but y'all are awesome and I'm super glad I ran into you all yeah, man, that was a great time man.
Speaker 2:Um smoke man, holy smoke man it was. It was fire, it was honestly a very, very fire. Um event, man, it was probably, it's probably the best. It is the best Christian hip-hop concert in the universe. I've gone to a lot of Christian hip-hop concerts over the years and nothing holds a candle next to how great Smoke is. So shout-out to those guys at Indie Tribe no big deal. Mike L, john Heath, everybody over there on that team, man, they're killing it. Tory Deshawn, that whole team is killing it. Man, it's great man. The marketing is good, the quality of the music, the space, the fellowship, the food trucks, the merch, the cypher, everything is just top tier, amazing. And it's a great time, man, to really just hear from the Lord man and connect with other believers. And I remember running into Dan I think it was like I think it was intermission, I want to say and they had the merch labels and I saw you kind of in the back by. I think it was by Lecrae's merch table or it was somebody's merch table, I can't remember exactly.
Speaker 2:It was Lecrae and Holby's merch table. And man, I saw it. I was like man, this dude is, it was a crayon holies merch table. And man, I saw you know, like man, it was cool and I I don't know what, you, I can't remember what you had on, bro, but I have the picture on my phone and I saw you. I was like man, just having a conversation with you and just what's your name? Like where are you from? Like, where'd you come from? Like, are you from texas? Are you from tennessee? Like, and you were telling me, you're coming from ohio right at the time.
Speaker 2:Yeah, you were telling me from ohio and we had a conversation talking about chh and what we do, and, uh, we got into cuts for christ and what that stands for, and he told us about how you're a coach. And it was just honestly amazing, man, and just you kind of really poured into me my sister, and it is blessed as truthfully, that moment where we're just kind of able to hear your heart, you know, and how the lord's been using you, you know where God is taking you, where you're at right now, and it just honestly was a dope time to really catch up with you, man, and just see who you see who you are. And that's my thing, man, to close my phone, get fed. So me, I'm going to go talk to anybody. I'll talk to them. If the Lord tells me do it, I'm going to do it. But yeah, man, that was a Holy Spirit moment and I just thank God, man, for you being very approachable and just being easy to talk to.
Speaker 1:I appreciate that. Yeah, I do remember we got the opportunity to pray. That was a rougher, an awesome time in my life, but I was also going right before surgery.
Speaker 1:I had that surgery the month after, and so it was kind of my brother and I did it as a you know, kind of get the mind off of it, you know, and I had no clue. Like to be honest, I'll blame my ignorance on this I thought I was only like the super big, like Christian hip hop fans. I had never met many people that loved Christian hip hop like I did. And so going through this festival I was like was like, wait, I'm not the only one that like rocked people, you know, like, yeah, who has experienced to be around people that love it just like I do? Because I thought I was just like, uh, sticking out like a sore thumb, bro, because, like you know, this is no disrespect to anybody but like I've gone to a bunch of christian concerts, especially christian rap that isn't this festival and you just have a bunch of people that just know a few songs, right, or they'll know the artist by one song and they're just back and, you know, just chilling. But, bro, you're like moshpitting at this Christian festival, bro, like there are people going hard, know every word, and like I always felt like that was me at a regular concert. I'm like everybody's looking at me because I could rap every song by Holby or I could rap the song by Lecrae and I'd go to their concerts just them alone, and people would just look at me like this Like what are you doing? And seeing all these like-minded believers and like-minded individuals that love the same type of music was such an amazing feeling for me.
Speaker 1:But I say that to also say that also was a transition for me to then have to go into a pretty painful surgery there and being able to run into you all and we talked about that and you all prayed with me and everything was just super powerful that moment. But you know, you never really know what someone's going through. You don't know what they're about to go into. You know you ever you hear that saying it's like you're either in the the storm just got out of the storm, or getting ready to go into or into the storm. Right, it's like one of those things in life where I was about to go into one right, like I was just you know, and running into you all really just gave me that extra glimmer of like man, they're great people out here are going to support me through this you know, and every aspect like that.
Speaker 1:So I really appreciate that. That was a really meaningful moment for me and my walk. I want to transfer into transition here to Cuts for Christ. I think the concept is brilliant.
Speaker 2:I mean, that is the coolest thing, dude, and you know I have a small concept of what it is but I'd love to hear kind of the origin of it, how it originated, you know what, where you guys are at now, where your goals are in the future and how we can best support it. Yeah, so, like I said before, cuts to Crush is a nonprofit, it's a ministry. It's a ministry before it's a business, because I know sometimes, know sometimes people, you know they see ministry more as a business first. Amen, it's a ministry first and it's a business. Um, so, honestly, cuts for Christ, our goal in our business to meet people where they're at. You know whether you're you're homeless. You know whether you're in the hood, whether it's a back-to-school event. You know, whatever you are, we want to be able to provide you with a service that will change your life. You know we really want God to come down, you know, and we want to be an instrument for his glory. And we just don't do haircuts, you know we do. We do hygiene kits, we do free Bibles, we get food.
Speaker 2:We really try to partner and collaborate with other churches as well, because one thing about Cuts for Christ is one thing we believe is we're better together. You know, we're the body of Christ. You know, if we know somebody who has something similar or they want to come together, we'll come together and we'll partner together to, you know, to have something bigger. You know, truthfully, we're about building a relationship too. You know, don't think that you have to be a barber or, uh, you know, anything like that to be a part of cuts of christ and support. You know, if you want to pray, if you want to follow our social media team, we're always looking for ways to, you know, pour into somebody and use their giftings and talents for the glory of god. Right, um, and that's what we stand on, that's, truthfully, what we stand on and that's what we believe is we're better together as the church, as the body of Christ. You know, we all have gifts and talents and we should all be using them to glorify God because he's the one that gave them to us in the first place.
Speaker 2:Right, and I wasn't even cutting hair at first because, for Christ, I was just the guy with the clipboard, you know, sweeping up the hair off the ground, you know, and I saw my sister was struggling doing all these haircuts by herself back in 2016. We made eight years, march 14th, by the way. Praise God, yeah, praise God, man. He gets all the glory for that. But when we first started I wasn't cutting hair and I saw my sister was struggling and she was like, here, take these clippers. And I was like, oh, what do I do? And you know I messed up a few heads. Before I'm not going to lie, I messed up a few heads, you know.
Speaker 2:Yeah, yeah, yeah. If no one was pushing back here like yes, sir, I said yes, sir, right here. You know, but you know it's a trial and error, you know, and over time I got way better and I'm still getting better, because I always want to be teachable. I don't know everything. Yeah, man, it's truthfully amazing being the hands and feet of Jesus from behind the scenes, getting a board of directors, now our own office. The Lord has really been moving in a way that we didn't even know was possible. You know, because we thought we would just be cutting hair and praying for people. We had no idea it would grow to be what it is today. You know it's off of our obedience. You know God can only move off of your obedience. He can only move. If you're being disobedient, god can't move.
Speaker 1:So, yeah, Dude, I love that. You know I was doing a workshop a couple weeks ago and one of the points I was talking about was just kind of knowing you have a purpose right and walking in your purpose. And one of the things that I've mentioned were two things in that concept is you have to one be available to your purpose but ultimately you have to be obedient when he calls you to walk into that right. And and that's an apparent with the growth that God's provided through Cuts for Christ is you guys were available, you, you did, you walked it out, you're walking it out to this day and you're being obedient. And look at the obedience has allowed you to make such a big impact on so many lives, which is incredible, seeing the vessels that you guys are for christ, which is amazing, um. But what I want to touch up on that, I think, is a I certainly had this misconception, um, the early on in my faith was that ministry was combined to the four walls of the church, but ministry is day-to-day living.
Speaker 2:And.
Speaker 1:I think customer Christ is kind of a niche, right. It's haircut. That's the first time I've heard of the ministry giving haircuts. You hear like now that you guys are doing it. Now you do more than just that, but at the beginning, right, I assume that's kind of what the primarily thing was the haircuts. And you hear a lot about food banks and clothing banks and all these other resources. But I love the concept of ministry being not within the church and kind of how you walk out, you know your ministry with cuts for christ and how you continue to serve the people in that aspect yeah, great man, your transition was fire.
Speaker 2:By the way, um, I would like, before I even go into that, I cuts for christ. It's spelled with the k, it's k-u-t-s. For christ. It's not c, it's k? Um, keeping up the salvation. That's what the k-u-t-s stands for. It's all about salvations. You know, um, we could be doing all these great things, but if nobody's getting saved, if nobody turns in their old ways, what? What are we doing it for? If it's not about kingdom, what are we talking about? If it's not turning towards God, what are we talking about?
Speaker 2:Truthfully, to answer your question, man, we are the church. It has a name. It's in a building. There's air condition, there's water, there's food, there's seats and chairs, it's comfortable.
Speaker 2:But we're called to go out and make disciples. We're called to do that. We're called to pick up our cross daily. You know, we're called to do that, and doing it in such a unique way. I've learned and I love how the word never says the gospel has to be presented one certain way, one certain way. We have so many people with great silence and great giftings doing and sharing the gospel in such a very unique way, and it's changing people's lives.
Speaker 2:Yeah, there's people that I can meet that you can't meet. And there's people that you can make that you can't meet and there's people that you can meet that I can't meet or touch. You know, and I love that, I know Christopher Christ can't reach everybody. I know it's not going to be for everybody. I get that. But if I know somebody who can meet somebody, I will point them to that person or that individual or that organization or that church or whatever. You know I will do that.
Speaker 2:We are called to be the hands of Jesus and meet people where they're at. We must go to these places that need Jesus. It's so easy to hop, you know, on a plane and go to Africa or South America and do these things. I'm not knocking you If you do that. Please do that. People need it. But people need you to hear your own neighborhood, in the slums of your city. You know, if you live in a bigger city downtown houston, downtown dallas, downtown new york, downtown chicago, downtown la where the host is huge, yeah, and that's only a a part of it you have those who be in sex traffic. You know, that's a whole other thing. You have people who are pretty much in slavery, yeah, who need Jesus.
Speaker 1:Yeah, yeah.
Speaker 2:We must go to these places that aren't comfortable. We must go to the hood. We must go to these places, hmm, and if you're afraid, do it afraid. Hmm, I've learned that. Yeah, I've been afraid plenty of times.
Speaker 1:I'm sure. Do it afraid, never forsake you, man. You've been right there the whole time, right.
Speaker 2:Right, yeah, and my prayers have changed. I'm a God. I don't say God, take me out of this. I say God, walk with me as I go through it.
Speaker 1:Oh, come on somebody Because if not me, then who? That's what I was about to say, bro. Oh, what god revealed me is like if it's not going to be you being the vessel in this area, then who's going to be?
Speaker 2:who's it going to be?
Speaker 1:who's going to be bro. That's so all glory to god right there, and that was just on the on my heart too. I was going to say that when you're done. I was like my encouragement to the listeners and I will reiterate what he just said If it's not you, in wherever you are being called to do in that area, then who is it going to be? That is such a beautiful part about being the body and hands and feet of Christ. He's going to use you and your giftings and where you are placed right now to glorify him and lead people to him and do the work of the kingdom on this earth. And another aspect I just oh, man, that, just that blew me away, bro, because I was literally about to say that and that was awesome but low-key lost my train of thought because I had something else I wanted to transition into.
Speaker 1:But, that was so amazing, being able to, um, really just understand that aspect. But you talk about, you know, sometimes fear right getting in the way, uh, or not even in the way, just the enemy trying to discourage you. You know, and you talk about how your prayers change. You know what are some things maybe day to day you know, because you are going into different areas maybe that you weren't used to, or reaching people that you know, maybe going through a really hard time and whatever the case may be, and the enemy could use that as a fear factor in your life. What are some things maybe that you do to just re-up your faith. Man, make sure the cup's full.
Speaker 2:Oh man, that's a good question, great question. Well, I can say for me personally, I know this kind of goes. It's kind of counteractive. To be honest with you, it's so wild how it works sometimes. But when I'm going through these moments where I need to be poured into, somebody will call me, right, somebody will call me like, hey, I'm going through it, and it happens almost every time. It can be my mom, it can be my sister, it can be a friend, it can be whoever right, I'm already going through it at that moment.
Speaker 2:Like god, do I pick up the phone because I'm already going through it myself. Right, pick up the phone and they're telling me through it myself. Right, pick up the phone and they're telling me what's going on and they're like, bro, can you pray for me? And it's so wild. They call me, thinking that I'm going to encourage them, they're encouraging me, and the Lord taught me something in that moment Always be available, always be available, always be available, always be available. Because you don't know what's on the other side of your yes, your obedience, and a lot of times we feel like we're going through it. I can't really make it, I can't really go, I can't really pick up that phone call right now. That's the thing that's going to help change your moment right there. And then, and then and my sister told me something today from our pastor, um hope city, um pastor Dan, pastor, um pastor Daniel.
Speaker 2:Um he said don't allow one bad day to make you feel like a bad life. And a lot of times we allow these moments or these bad days to really dictate our purpose, our future. That part, and just hearing that just kind of really hit me like man. We have these seasons, in these moments, where we get so drained and we get so tired. You know, we get so just exhausted, right, right. The Lord has always told me just be available. Just be available and allow your heart to be open, and that truly helps me get poured into it and obviously, even doing Cuts for Christ, there's been plenty of times where I don't feel like going. I'm being honest, it's probably the hottest time of the year here in Texas.
Speaker 1:Woo.
Speaker 2:It's Montana here, bro, I get it. It's see, I got that dry heat, we got that human heat down here, man, we got mosquitoes and bugs. It's, oh yeah, it's nasty man, it's diabolical, it's nasty word remind me why I don't live there.
Speaker 1:Nah, it's cool, but uh, you know that. You know what I was just thinking. It just came back to me. The song starts right here by Cash and Crowns.
Speaker 2:I think it's.
Speaker 1:Cash and Crowns. It's about serving. He's basically like we talk about we want change in this world, but it starts right here and he's saying we want coffee in the lobby and we got worship on the big screens.
Speaker 1:I believe I'm bossing the lyrics, but essentially he just said we have people on the streets that need to hear the good news, but we just go to the church every day. Basically, he was kind of talking about just bigger churches and how it's gotten so great and advanced in the building. But what are we doing outside the building? It starts right here. That's what resonated with me in the building. But what are we doing outside the building? It starts right here like and and that's what resonated with me he actually did a uh um the song with kb's in it too. They did a remix with kb in there too, but I don't know if you know that song, but anyways it reminded me of that song, uh yeah, yeah, man, you gotta serve.
Speaker 2:You gotta serve in those moments where I'm tired, I'm hot, I'm sweaty, I'm smelling all the smells hot, I'm sweaty, I'm smelling all the smells. Man, I'm seeing, I'm smelling all type of smells. You know, it's like man. It humbles me every single time, it brings me down to earth every single time, and it's like I've gotten to the point now where I'm excited to serve. I'm excited to go come here, I'm excited to go to here, I'm excited to go pray, whether I'm in the heat or I'm in the AC. Yeah, I'm excited to go out and serve, because when you serve, it's not about you, it's not about me, it's not about Dan, it's not about us.
Speaker 2:Nope it's something else I learned to that helped change my whole perspective. This this really blew my top off right here. Well, they're not my life changed when I realized I'm not the main character.
Speaker 1:Oh yeah.
Speaker 2:I'm not the main character. I never was, I never will be. Come on, I'm just a tool in God's toolbox to be used However he wants me to be used. It's not about cuts for Christ. It's not about my job. Everything else I'm attached to it's not about any of that. It's not about Cuts for Christ. It's not about my job. Everything else I'm attached to it's not about any of that. It's about Jesus and being the hands and feet of Jesus To those in need.
Speaker 1:That's part, but I'm about to throw a wrinkle in here and it's totally just came off my heart and this is actually more so for me. I'll just be completely honest heart and this is actually more so for me. I'll just be completely honest how you. Everything you do, from you know work to serving it's quite faith-based. How does? But you also have jobs, right, that is really important. How does, I guess, getting paid for some of the ministries that you do because everything's a ministry when you're doing it for Christ? Right, you're an IT for the radio station. That's faith-based and you're doing the proper Excel content creation. One of the things that I've personally been struggling with is charging people for some of my services because I am faith-based. So how does that work for you and what are some of the ways? Maybe that God's kind of helped you with that and I know the customer of Christ is nonprofit. But the other two things I'm assuming that's how you pay your bills right, but it's still Christ-centered. So how do you balance that aspect?
Speaker 2:Well, let me just go in order my nine to five. I'm getting paid for what I do, like I'm on a salary. Let me just go in order my nine to five. I'm getting paid, you know, for what I do. You know, like I'm on salary. I'm getting paid monday through friday, technically um the christian media company I work okay, okay, that's nine to five, okay, okay, that's my nine to five.
Speaker 2:That's salary, that's ministry. I just do it stuff. I'm very technical. That's how I get paid. That's my salary, right? Okay, that's for christ. I'm part-time. My sister's full-time. She's on salary, right.
Speaker 2:Um, I don't get paid for customer service. I do it as a service because I want to help and I want to be the hands-free. Jesus, right, my sister does customer price full-time. I can't do full-time right now because I have my non-advant and I love these. I go on right. Yeah, you, proper Excel.
Speaker 2:I don't do it for the money, but sometimes I do get a, you know, an in-kind donation. You know for what I do. You know I'm not doing it for the money because I truly want to be able to capture content and build relationships. You know, within the CHH space, you know. So, to answer your question as well.
Speaker 2:Going back to you know, putting aside my main job, my nine to five cuts for price at we would do everything for free, everything, everything for free, every single thing for free. You know people, and it's crazy, when you're doing it for free, everybody's calling. When you're doing it for free, everybody calling. When you're doing it for free, everybody calling everybody. All the churches, all the nonprofits, all the organizations, all the school districts are calling and blowing you up. Blowing you up, but as soon as you say, hey, I have to charge you for this.
Speaker 2:Because, one, everything we pay for is out of pocket. Our clippers, our trimmers, our combs, the brushes, the cleaning materials, the, the mats, the aprons, the broom, the duster, everything costs money. So for us to come out and provide you a haircut, we look at two different models. Right, if we pull up and nobody's getting paid, cool, we'll pull up. But if somebody's getting paid, cool, we'll pull up. But if somebody's getting paid to come out there, for example, if we go to an event, right, and there's Christian artists out there who are getting paid for their services, we don't have the flexibility to pull up with gas money to get there and all these other things, and we can't do that for free. Because our motto is this If nobody's getting paid, we're going to help the community for free. But if people are getting paid, we expect to get paid as well, some type of compensation. And if it's not financially, it can be free Bibles that we can give back to the community, something to help us advance the kingdom of God, because the money that we get is going back into custom price anyways, to buy new clippers, to buy new brushes, to buy new combs, to buy new everything.
Speaker 2:Because clippers and trimmers don't last forever, especially here in Houston, especially if you're cutting hair and the hair gets all sweaty and they haven't shampooed their head a long time. That's grime and dirt all caught up in the clippers and you got to clean them, you got to disinfect. That's the whole process. The engine clippers and you got to clean them, you got to disinfect. That's the whole process. The engine gets all worn out, the Clippers are hot. It costs us money and I get it. I understand we want to provide and help out everybody. We do, but we have to pay for this out of our own pockets. I, I tithe and everything like that, like everybody else should, as as yes, I pour in the custom quest financially.
Speaker 2:I pour in the custom cross of my time. We have to be able to sustain ourselves because if we, if we did free for everybody else, we would not be where we are today. And it's hard as christians because we want to do everything for free. You want to help everybody out, but we've burned ourselves out doing that before and, as I'm sure you know or you've heard of or seen in ministry, people can get burnt out absolutely. I've been burnt out plenty of times. I'm only one person. That's why I'm so big on collaboration and coming together as a church. It's coming together as the body of christ, because we can't do it all alone, together. I I mean we can't do it alone, by ourselves. We have to come together.
Speaker 1:Yeah.
Speaker 2:That's how we really invest. The kingdom of God is if we come together. But it's so unfortunate because it's so divided. Sometimes, unfortunately, that's a whole nother topic. You know, um, but it's like you know. I know God has me in my own lane and I'm going to stick to it. You know, and do what God called me to do. I get it. I'm not for everybody, that's fine, but I know what God called me to do and I'm going to be obedient to it.
Speaker 1:So, man, you killing it. That was so. I'm going to be honest, but that was a totally a me question. That's something I'm open with, the vulnerability. That's what this podcast is about. That's something that I'm personally working through right now, like god's working through, like it's okay to charge for your services, like right, like my public speaking and my mentorship, you know, life coaching, you know this is what god's called me to do, and I've been able to journey with a lot of people, but even if they have the finances to do so, it's taken a lot of um, I don't know, just like courage, I guess. I guess to just be like, hey, these are my rates, you know, because it's like, but then again it's like, okay, god understands what I need, he knows I need to pay my bills, he knows I need to live and he knows my heart posture and knows why I'm doing it, and so I think that's ultimately all that matters, right, and I appreciate your transparency, for that question Kind of just threw you in the hot seat on that one.
Speaker 2:If you are a person who has a service and you're labeled, as you know, ministry, don't be afraid. You know, definitely pray about your rates, your invoices and things like that. For us we have tiers Right, depending on the service. How many haircuts are being done? I've learned to a lot of churches have a budget. They have a budget for things to be done. You know, if you work with a budget I mean if you work for a church they have a budget.
Speaker 2:Don't be afraid to stand to stand firm on what you know, what god calls you to do, and if you're, if you're, if that's your main thing you have to take care of yourself. You have bills to pay. You have a family to take care of. Do not be afraid to stand firm on that. Truthfully. Some people want to say, no, I can't do it. Okay, that's fine. Thank you so much. I pray the best you know. If you ever want to work with us, here's our rates, here's our invoice, whatever you know, and keep it moving. You know it sucks, but it doesn't. You know it is what it is, you know.
Speaker 1:Absolutely absolutely.
Speaker 1:And I love that aspect. You know, I appreciate that and hopefully that resonated with some of the listeners too. You know, and one of the amazing things about the ability to evangelize and be ministering to other people is it doesn't matter where you are, what your career path is. You know where you grew up.
Speaker 1:Whatever that looks like, god's going to use you where you're at, and I think that's such an important aspect to remember that, even if your job isn't technically designated ministry, you can still minister at your job. Right, and I think that's something I want the listeners to take away from this as well. It's like, whatever your job title may be, where you work or whatever you do in your everyday life, he will give you opportunities to minister to people all around you, day in, day out. If you seek him above all else and you're obedient, you get to pour into other people. So don't think, just because your job's not labeled ministry or you're not a non-profit or the case maybe you don't get the opportunity to pour into others, because god will use you where you're at.
Speaker 2:So yeah, that's so huge man. Can I say something else?
Speaker 1:really quick all right, we got all day.
Speaker 2:I'm ready oh, man, like you hit it on the head bro so many times. Don't feel like that to be at a church to serve or to do ministry. If you're a doctor, if you're a photographer, you still can do ministry doing those things. Yep, if you're a police officer, you there's so many times, like my best friend, he's a, he's a police officer. He does ministry all the time, all the time, all the time.
Speaker 2:Don't ever let your situation or where you at dictate how god can truly use your giftings, because he can. He can use it wherever you work. If you're at mcdonald's I know that's cliche people saying you can do it at mcdonald's family dollar, you know. Working for a college, you know, obviously I know what schools and being a teacher, you have to. You know watch what dollar you know. Working for a college, you know, obviously I know what schools and being a teacher, you have to. You know watch what you say. You know if you think God's not dead too. You know what I'm talking about. You know what I'm talking about, but it's like God can still use you in that and I once heard something and it's so powerful. So so good, so good. Oh, my God, just so good. Share the word of god. How does it go? Crap, how does it go? I believe it goes. Share the word of god, but most of the time do it in silence. I can be butchering a quote right now, but it's not the words you know, it's the words you do.
Speaker 1:Yeah that part. It's the words you do, yeah, that part.
Speaker 2:It's the words you do.
Speaker 1:People watch your feet, not your mouth. You know when are you going, like what are you doing. You know and I think that's one of the most important parts you know I don't like I don't always tell everybody I'm a Christian, like if they ask I'll be like, yeah, I'm a follower of jesus.
Speaker 1:But you should tell, by the way I act, by your way, but, but, but exactly the fruit that I'm bearing, the fruit that I'm producing, right, so that that is ultimately what should be shown. You know, um, by your actions of being a follower of christ. Um, you know, and getting down into this, these last you know, five, ten minutes here is just I'd love to just kind of hear. You know, you got a lot going on. You're doing so many great things. You're on fire for the lord man, you're impacting your community. You're impacting people all over with the stuff you're doing with the CHH community. But an impact in my life, um, like we mentioned a little bit, you're talking about filling your cup up.
Speaker 1:One of the things that I love about serving right is and I say this in almost every episode because it's true, but when you serve, I used to, to be honest, I used to get mad when people would be like, oh, serving, you know, serve because you'll get filled up, you'll get to know more people.
Speaker 1:I was like, yeah, okay, but what I truly realized, when you do serve, you get to see like I'm on the prayer team at my church so I get to pray over people every weekend.
Speaker 1:The coolest thing, man and even if I don't necessarily see God moving in my own life or feel it when I get to see be a vessel for him to pray over someone and see someone lay their burdens at his feet, and it's like that first time releasing something and they cast their burdens on the god and then I see this like emotion, like just leave them, like they're just like oh you know, and like they get that childlike faith you know again, and that's what revives me sometimes in my faith is like man, keep going, god is moving, he's just, you know, he's all loving, all knowing, all, all powerful God, and being able to pray with people and serve them is a way for me to also feel him move in my life as well. So what are some things? Maybe I know you're talking about being available, someone will call you, but what's something you do day to day that you try to implement to keep Jesus at the center of your life, man to keep Jesus at the center of your life.
Speaker 2:Man. Man, truthfully, when I wake up, you got a decision to make. We all have a decision to make. Are we gonna live in the lies or live in the truth? And the one thing that's helped me in my day-to-day life is showing love, even if I go you know my morning routine sometimes I go to get breakfast. Right, even the cashier is having a conversation with them. If I see their name tag, call them by their name, like thank you so much, jason, for helping me. You know how's your day going. And they're so taken aback by that Like what.
Speaker 1:Yeah, say that again.
Speaker 2:Yeah, how was your day, how's your day going? And it's just like showing small gestures like that to people go a long way and it's truthfully just being present, being intentional, you know making eye contact. You know truly being present in that moment, those light years, you know truthfully, um, to give you something else, to kind of throw into that as well, I went to something called Flitter Fest yesterday with one of my friends, camille Dope guy. I would love for you to connect with him too. Great, great guy.
Speaker 2:I went, you know, to network and connect with Cuts for Price, to really connect within the CHH space. And just for you guys don't know, proper Excel is a Christian hip hop network, you know, outlet. You know we cover a lot of the CHH artists, whether they're smaller or bigger ones. We just want to be able to connect and just really tap into the CHA space because it's growing and it's moving fast, you know, and God is definitely moving in it and through it. And I had a chance to really connect with so many different chh artists, you know, who are up and coming, who don't have a big following, you know, and I don't ever want to make it seem like I'm big, because I'm a proper excel. You know like look, no, I want to be approachable, I want to be able to meet people where they're at, because we're all the same. You know we just love jesus. You know we want to be like him, or that that should be the goal, right.
Speaker 1:Yeah, that part.
Speaker 2:That should be the goal, right, and I don't want to ever make it seem like I'm elite or I am this person who you know. Just because I've talked to certain artists, that doesn't make me better than you. You know, I'm just like you. You know I just have a passion to serve and really meet people where they're at. And that's the key man. Really be intentional with people. If you want to call, if you want to meet with somebody, be intentional about meeting with that person. Be a man, be a woman of integrity, be a man or woman of your word, truthfully, and practice it, because it's going to be hard and these three principles have stuck with me forever. It stands for God. I know I'm a Caldwell fan, I know I'm a Colby fan. I know Consistency, obedience and discipline those three things right there, man, you live by those three. Consistency, obedience discipline.
Speaker 1:Those three things man have shaped me as the man of God I am today. That's real. That's real, bro.
Speaker 2:Now I got to ask you, bro, I don't know if you're going to get flack for this, but who are the top three CHH in the game right now in your opinion? Man on the spot, like that man On the spot, like that man. I knew this was coming, I knew it, I knew it, I knew it In the game right now. Oh man, I got to go with Hovi man. Hovi, hovi, hovi.
Speaker 1:Hovi.
Speaker 2:Number one. Number two Miles Minnick.
Speaker 1:Oh man.
Speaker 2:I'm hoping to get Hovi on the pod in the future bro. Oh yeah, Definitely got to make that happen. It's going to happen.
Speaker 1:Oh yeah, it's going to happen.
Speaker 2:It's going to happen. They killing with Christlight man the merch.
Speaker 1:Oh, that is fire, bro. Go check out Christlight, if anybody likes the hat you got right here, bro, they're not. I don't think he's dropping the Grace hat again and that's making me salty, bro, I need that hat.
Speaker 2:He's going to drop it again, bro. He's going to drop it again. He's going to drop it again.
Speaker 1:They sold out so fast. They sold out so fast. So fast, bro, so fast.
Speaker 2:So he's mildly winning number two Okay, the third, the third. I've got to go with Caleb Gordon.
Speaker 1:Ooh, I got to go with. Caleb Gordon Ooh, first of all, I love that song.
Speaker 2:Caleb man, caleb Gordon. Caleb is killing it, man, he is, he's killing it man. What about you, man?
Speaker 1:You got to give me your top three All right, I got to go Hovi number one for sure, because he's been there a minute, man. I mean I've been with him since his freestyle. He did like way back Now I'm blanking on the word, but he was talking about when he used to scrub toilets.
Speaker 2:Man going through the motions. I'm tired of going through the motions. That broke. That was a great song before that I got to look at my phone.
Speaker 1:Now it's going to make me mad. It was one of the first things he dropped. I got to look at my phone. Now he's going to make me mad. It was one of the first things he dropped. What's the song called? This was his old, old Hold on. This is funny. When I first met him it's called. Let me find it here Got to find it. What was this one called it's?
Speaker 1:uh, let's see the underdog freestyle in 2020 oh yeah, oh yeah he said who's doing this rap name, my last name, my rap name? Yeah, bro, but that bro. When I met him, I met him at the elad festival the first time okay, I want to say in 2021, and he's like hey, man, I appreciate your support.
Speaker 1:I said, bro, I've been with you since the underdog freestyle. He looked at me. He's like ain't, no way, bro. I said and I started rapping it. And he's like bro, we got to get a picture, so it's cool, but always the always the man, um man, you know, I have this shirt, bro.
Speaker 2:I have the underdog t-shirt you do when we first got signed and reached. I have that t-shirt. It says underdog on it bro.
Speaker 1:Yes, bro, that's fire. That one was one of my favorites. I like Aja Gazelle.
Speaker 2:Oh, okay, I've been an.
Speaker 1:Aja fan for a while.
Speaker 2:He's tough, he's tough.
Speaker 1:And then I'd have to, probably. I don't know, bro, the he's tough, and then I'd have to, probably. I don't know bro, the song that I've been really I like DKG Kai bro, I've been on him.
Speaker 2:Yeah, he's tough, you said who DKG Kai you know, oh, yeah, yeah, yeah, dkg, yeah, yeah, yeah.
Speaker 1:He got that song Cut Different bro.
Speaker 2:Oh yeah.
Speaker 1:He's tough, I don't know. It resonates with me different just because of like my physical situation, like being, and I'm different, but like I could still be, you know, a, a vessel for god being used. Like he said, I'm a range over with a benz engine because I'm built different and I was like, oh, come on somebody bro, like that's a bar. Nah, I think those three probably are my favorite right now. There's so many bro I can name like 10 that I rock with Miles Lil' Heart.
Speaker 2:That's crazy. You say that, though, because you said top three in CHH, my all-time fave. If I had one artist to listen to forever, it's going to be my boy, ty Brazel. I am a huge Ty Brazel fan. Ty, if you ever see this man, I'm probably your biggest fan. I'm not going to lie.
Speaker 1:We already got a lot. I'm going to tell him that you said that, bro. He's going to be on the pod. We're trying to get it with his schedule, but he's already committed to it and everything, bro.
Speaker 2:Man Ty is my guy. I'm good friends with his manager 2, chris Chicago Ty, hey, he got a song called Airborne. If my life depended on it and I had to sing one song, word for word, the whole thing through. It's going to be Airborne. I know it from the top, bro. Acapella, no beat, acapella, no beat, acapella, no beat. That's my new song.
Speaker 1:He's got one song that changed my life. That was meant for me bro, that song changed my life.
Speaker 2:Life.
Speaker 1:Because people don't understand. Like if God puts something on your life bro people will look at you like you got three different heads and like for me, my health, bro. They're like, oh no, you dead in the water or no, you can't do that. You know you're not gonna be able to, bro. That song built meant for me, bro, I would turn it on and that's how I met him, bro. It was the coolest thing I met.
Speaker 1:That uh, holy smoke last year and I was like bro, hey, man, I just want to let you know that, like your song came my life. He's like word, word. I'm like, yeah, it meant for me. He's like no way, bro. I'm like, yeah, I started rapping it to him. He's like, bro, that's tough. You wanted to.
Speaker 2:That's crazy, bro. That's crazy. I rapped airborne to him, bro, like man bro.
Speaker 1:Ah, so good this, but I want the listeners to understand this. I grew up in an era and Lee's a little bit older than me, but not by much but when I was going to school, bro, people were listening to all the mainstream rap, bro, right, and I'm a very like pump-up type person. I'm very motivational, inspirational. I like the rah-rah-rah, I like that, but I want it to be about good things. I hear this music be talking about drugs, money, sex, women, whatever the case may be, all this stuff that's in mainstream music. I'm like, yeah, the beats are, but what are we really talking about on these songs, bro?
Speaker 1:And then, one of my favorite lines, bro, of a christian hip hop song is lecrae, the song unashamed, he said. Uh. He said we don't do no rhyme. Uh. He says uh, we don't rhyme about money, guns, sex or drugs.
Speaker 1:80 of these dudes are fictional thugs and I was like I was, like I tried to tell all my friends that growing up I was like, bro, if y'all understand, these people that you listen to ain't even about the life they talk about anyway, and it's dragging you down with them and it's like we got to do something that glorifies God, and so I went on a deep dive.
Speaker 1:I went on a deep dive because, I'll be honest, bro, mainstream CHH back in the day wasn't that far. It was kind of just a little, a little cheesy. So I was like, okay, I went on a deep dive and I found like underground.
Speaker 2:Who now?
Speaker 1:we're not underground, but I was with aha back in the day, bro and I was green peas and tuna fish man.
Speaker 2:Green peas and tuna fish yeah, yeah, like he.
Speaker 1:Uh, he's got dirty dan bro. That's all dirty, man bro dirty man like like that that people are like bro, that's hard and I've actually brought people to Christ through Christian rap bro, like the dude, my maintenance guy here at my apartment complex, bro, is like what are you listening to, bro? I was like, bro, let me put you on. Bro, I was listening to Rich Dan Famous Try to Get Active. I don't know if you know that song, but I was putting them on to just different Christian rap music bro.
Speaker 1:But, anyways y'all. That's so far.
Speaker 2:You say that bro, not to cut you off, bro, we're always playing CHH at our Outreach's Met for Cuts for Christ, and people be like yo, is this Christian? Like yeah, yeah, man. We had a chance to meet Marty and Fernie man with Social Club and we told them about Curse of Christ and they really just resonated with it Because I think Fernie, he's a barber actually, he used to be a barber actually so like they follow us and everything. It was like yo, like y'all get it, because, like when you're cutting it, like you're cutting their hair, like they trust you, you know. So CHH has changed so much, bro, like so, so so much. And my favorite quote from Lecrae I forgot what song it was, but he says if I'm wrong about God, I waste. No, if I'm wrong about God, I wasted my life.
Speaker 1:If you're wrong about God, you wasted your eternity, and I'm like Yo, that's a bar. I tell people all the time well, not even all the time, but when I think about this, when someone asks me, and I'm like, bro, being on fire for God is such an awesome thing, because and I believe it with my whole heart and soul but even if it wasn't, even if this didn't happen, even if it wasn't, bro, what we're doing is changing lives, being vessels for God, bro, the power of what God's done through his people.
Speaker 1:You can just see his evidence in every little creation and, being that there is on a day-to-day basis, if you truly seek him, for sure, for sure. Well, bro, I want to end this with this. Bro, two things, or three things. I asked you that one question, but I'd like to know what is? Three hobbies that I know, maybe that people don't know about you, or, if they do, just your three favorite hobbies.
Speaker 2:One thing someone doesn't know, or that people don't know about you, and then things you're working on, things to look forward to from the viewers, like it's a project or an event. Y'all do an upcoming or anything like that. So hobbies that I have are the collect things as you can see up here Funko Pops I got like 40 of. So hobbies that I have aren't the collect things. As you can see up here, I got Funko Pops. I got like 40 of them, John, this is probably my favorite ones right here. Which one? What is that Fallout? It's a Fallout one, oh, okay.
Speaker 2:Huge Fallout fan and this is OG like.
Speaker 1:OG, I got it. Funko Pops bro.
Speaker 2:We need like a Lecrae woman while you're playing man. That'd be tough If I'm not collecting that. I'm a big sneakerhead. I love J's, I love shoes, I love new balances. I like the Hype V stuff. I like the low-key stuff as well. What else? I'm a big gamer, of course, Huge gamer if you get it.
Speaker 1:What's your main three games Main three games.
Speaker 2:Ooh, X-Defiant. They say it's the cod killer. That's what they're saying. They call it the cod killer. I like it. It's tough. Fortnite I know I'm going to get some flack for it. I'm a Fortnite fan. I like Fortnite. And outside of that, Call of Duty, what about the?
Speaker 1:new NCAA. You going to be on that when it comes out?
Speaker 2:Hey man, you know I got to tap in. I got to, I'll run the fade.
Speaker 1:You give me the fade with the clippers, I'll give you the fade on the controller. Hey, I don't want no smoke man.
Speaker 2:I don't want no smoke man. I don't want no smoke man. I don't want no smoke man. I don't want no smoke, please Nah that's fire, bro.
Speaker 1:So gaming and collecting, and what's last one?
Speaker 2:Gaming, collecting, what else. I just love really finding out new CHH man. Going to events really going to events man is super cool. I don't care if it's on a small scale or big scale. I love going to Christian events, man because, truthfully, being told, the Christian community as a whole is not that big. It's not that big. You go into one of these places, you're going to see somebody that you know, you're going to see somebody that knows somebody that you know, and it's just a great time to connect with fellowships. I love just traveling and just trying out new spots like new events. Smoke, like how I met you, that's now a new monster's tradition. We're going every year. Now that's a part of the game.
Speaker 1:I'm trying to make it happen. I don't want to go so bad bro, it's hard.
Speaker 2:Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, for sure, that's awesome. You mentioned something else too. You said three hobbies and what else.
Speaker 1:Something else Like something maybe someone people don't know about you Like, what's something like a fun fact or something goofy or cool.
Speaker 2:I try to keep this on the DL, so like I am a singer, Okay, so I'm a singer, so I'm a singer.
Speaker 1:I heard it on the gram when you were singing. Was it the Urban Hymnal? Is that what it's called? Yeah, yeah, yeah.
Speaker 2:Urban, urban. Shout out to my people at Urban. Yeah, lohanala man. Shout out to y'all. Man for sure.
Speaker 1:I think your sister was recording you sing. One time I saw yeah, I was fired, bro, keep doing it.
Speaker 2:Yeah, yeah, I wanted to get into Christian R&B songs, so we're going to see. We're going to see. Are you going to use?
Speaker 1:your name or are you going to drop some dope name for us, like you know some? Are you going to use Lee Thomas as your artist name? Or you got something?
Speaker 2:cool Lee Thomas, he's going to be Lee Thomas?
Speaker 1:What about Lee T? Lee T up for Christ boy.
Speaker 2:You know, hey, there we go. You know, there we go.
Speaker 1:And then, man, so you're up and coming. You said about the artists. Are there other things maybe you want the listeners to look out for? There may be, you know, a project or something Cuts for Christ got going on or an event that ProperXO is doing. Is there anything, maybe to kind of follow along on or to kind of keep up with what you're doing?
Speaker 2:Man. So I'm going to say this Cuts for Price is in the works of doing something that's going to be national. We want it to be something huge, man, huge. We want to be able to tag along on a potential tour I don't know who, I can't know who, I can't say who and provide haircuts and do an outreach in each city that that tour is in.
Speaker 1:That would be fire. Hey if it's Lord's will for me to go on tour on speaking engagements, we'll make it happen too.
Speaker 2:You going to be on the tour too. We'll make it happen too, we'll make it happen. You're going to be on the tour too, you're going to be there too.
Speaker 1:I'll be doing speaking engagements. Man, spreading the good news man. That would be so cool. You talked about this earlier. But what I love, man, is the collaboration aspect. One of my buddies was saying this earlier and I completely botched it, I'm not even going to try to say it, but essentially just the importance of joining together. Don't use people as competition, especially in the ministry space. Use it as a way to just reach more people. For sure, and I think that's such an impactful aspect, because I think our flesh wants to take it as competition, or a flesh wants to take it as you know, people are maybe stepping in our lane, or whatever the case may be, instead of realizing, like, what are we doing this for? Why are we doing it and what is our ultimate goal? That is, to lead people to Jesus and get more people you know to him. And how do you do that? Collaborating with other people.
Speaker 1:I think that's awesome that you guys are doing that.
Speaker 2:This is collaboration, me and you, that's collaboration.
Speaker 1:This is awesome. You never know, maybe get your sister up on the pod, bro, I'll be fired.
Speaker 2:She got her own stuff. She got going on too. She got some cool stuff happening on the back end outside of Cuts for Christ. We can going on too.
Speaker 1:She got some cool stuff happening on the on the back end, outside of custom price. So, yeah, we can make it happen. No, I'll reach it. I'll reach out to her. We'll make that happen, bro. But hey, look, I really appreciate you taking the time with us. I know this episode was kind of all over shout out to my adhd but and god, but, uh, you know it's. Uh, it's been awesome. Man, it's been a minute since we, since we've catched up and and caught up here, and man, I'd love for you to pray us out, bro, if you wouldn't mind. Just a prayer, yeah.
Speaker 2:For sure. Let's go to God, father, god, thank you so much, lord, for my brother here, dan God and all of his listeners. Thank you so much, god, for the podcast. God, just catching with Christians, lord, catching up with Christians, it's a great way, lord, to just meet people where they're at Father God, hear their story, hear their testimony.
Speaker 2:I've always been a believer, god, in the idea of it's about getting to know people and hearing their story. Father, we don't know what people have gone through, lord, we don't know what they've dealt with, what they've seen, what they've heard. We don't know, god. But, lord, I pray that somebody is touched today, father, that their lives is radically changed, that you just open their eyes, god. Give them a new perspective, god, on how your glory can be used in someone's life through a video game, through a podcast, through a conversation. Encourage somebody, god, today, lord, that just because they've seen all these podcasts pop up and all these different things pop up, doesn't mean they shouldn't do it. Give them the encouragement, god, to do it. Lord, because if it's just for one person, god, that's a win. That is a win, lord.
Speaker 2:So, god, I pray for my brother, god, that you bless him. I'm so honored to be on here, god, to be a part of an episode and just share my testimony, god, and share my heart. Lord, I pray that you bless everybody who's listening to God. If they catch a sound bite of this or they kill us the whole thing, they have it going on the background as they're doing their life driving to work, cooking, cleaning whatever God. Touch the Lord and help them in their situation. Father God, whether it's good, bad or ugly, pray that you bless and you keep them and grow them. Father, I pray this in your son's holy, precious name. We pray Amen.
Speaker 1:Amen. Thank y'all for listening. Y'all stay blessed.
