Since late 1999, Building 429 has been making pop-rock, Christian music. 10 albums later, the band, derived from Ephesians 4:29, continues to minister through music. Lead singer and guitarist Jason Roy shares his story and the exciting evolution of Building 429 with Peer.

PEER: What excites you about being a Christian band in 2019?

JASON ROY: Every year, hope seems harder and harder to find. Our whole world revolves around the idea of hope. It’s not easy to be a Christian artist in 2019, but I’m thankful for the challenges and the struggles because I think they do keep us very authentic and focused on making sure that everything we do shows that we are purveyors of hope.

P: What is the biggest piece of advice you can share with Gen Z?

JR: I’m going to direct this to young men—do something hard. For instance, I think the best thing that a young man can possibly do when he’s 15, 16, 17 years old is to go out and haul hay for a day to just see what it looks like to take on a mundane and frustrating task, but have to figure out how to make it fun and have to figure out how to get the job done and to not complain. I think that’s a great gift: if you can learn to make work fun, whatever the task may be, you’ll find that your natural tendency is towards joy, even when you face difficult times doing the things that you love the most.

My first job was hauling hay. I think that was a gift. When we’re playing a festival and if a rainstorm sweeps in and we have to clear the stage and drag everything offstage while covered in mud after all the music we’ve played, the meet-and-greets, then I have an extra gear to kick into. I’m able to celebrate that we did it as a team at the end, knowing that what we’re doing is hard now, but we’re going to celebrate it when it’s over. I guess what I’m saying is just do hard things and do them as a team.

P: Briefly, can you explain how you came about your name and what led you to that verse?

JR: Our name comes from Ephesians 4:29, which says, “Let nothing unwholesome come out of your mouth, except that which is helpful for building others up, according to their needs, that it might benefit those who listen.” My wife was in a youth group that did a challenge called the 429 challenge, and if someone said something negative, they’d say “429” as a reminder. My wife, when we were starting the band, said, “If you’re going to be in a Christian band, maybe your band name should mean something.” So, we took building (as a verb), and added it to the challenge of 429, and Building 429 was born.

“…the things that you typically wouldn’t choose are the things that God uses to reveal Himself to you.”

P: How have you kept your faith since the band first formed?

JR: There have been times when I felt I was going to lose it, but God has just consistently been revealing Himself through my struggles, my failures and through the people that surround me. My wife and kids are a huge part of that. But also, I think I travel so much with the guys in my band that it makes me accountable to them. Even beyond that, the people I meet and shake hands at concerts – their stories remind me that what I’m doing matters. There have been difficult times, but every time that I’m down, I feel like the Lord brings a person into my life that shares hope with me in the same way I’m trying to share hope with the world, and it lifts me up again.

P: What practical advice and encouragement can you give our readers on how to grow in their faith?

JR: Surround yourself weekly with believers. Be in a small group, be in a book club, be in a youth group, be in something that causes you to go back to the basics. On top of that, don’t be afraid to interact with people who are not believers, those who have different viewpoints than you. And don’t be offended when their viewpoints are radically different. Listen, learn and don’t feel like you must have all the right answers. Take those questions back to your small group, Bible study group or wherever, and discuss those so that we’re not living in a bubble, so that we’re actually living out the gospel— about going out and making disciples. I would just encourage people to have a foundation of good, godly people who hold them accountable, and to not be afraid to go out into the real world and meet with people of different backgrounds.

P: What was the inspiration behind creating your own record label (3^rd Wave Music)?

JR: I’ve been afraid and it has not been easy, but the things that you wouldn’t choose often times are the things that God uses to reveal Himself to you. When you face a mountain, I hope the song encourages you to not be afraid, but to walk into the fear with great confidence that God is going to do something incredible through it.

Also, the power of our testimonies and the power of our lives is actually in the scars that we show, not the scars that we hide. We spend so much time trying to hide our scars and the reality is that if we’re willing to be known, to show where we’ve fallen short and how God has shown up and done something incredible, that is powerful testimony. This song declares, “I’m going to fear no more, no matter what the circumstances may be.”

P: What is your favorite Bible verse?

JR: My favorite Bible verse is Zephaniah 3:17.

“For the Lord your God is living among you. He is a mighty savior. He will take delight in you with gladness. With His love, He will calm all your fears. He will rejoice over you with joyful songs.”

For all the latest tour dates, music and more Building 429 news, visit www.building429.com, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube.

The official story of Building 429:

“Since the release of its debut album in 2004, Building 429 has garnered widespread popular and critical acclaim, receiving numerous accolades all while delivering lyrically-driven, anthemic hit songs with a consistent message of hope along with high-energy concerts in sold-out venues internationally.

The band received a 2013 GRAMMY® nomination for Best Contemporary Christian Music Album for We Won’t Be Shaken, which debuted at No.1 on Billboard’s Christian Albums chart and launched the title track to No. 1 at radio. Building 429 also received a 2014 and multiple 2012 “Song of the Year” Billboard Music Awards for “We Won’t Be Shaken” and “Where I Belong” respectively, two BMI “Song of the Year” Awards (“Where I Belong” in 2013 and “Glory Defined” in 2005), a 2014 “Group of the Year” KLOVE Fan Award nomination and a “Best New Artist” GMA Dove Award in 2005. RIAA-certified gold single, “Where I Belong,” further became one of the longest running Christian No. 1’s in Billboard’s history at 15-weeks and has well over 246-million accumulative audience impressions. The band is also endorsed by Fender Guitars, Gibson Guitars, PRS Guitars, Orange Amps, Ampeg Amps, DW Drums, Guitar Center and many others.”