Hawk Nelson

Well this is a blog post that I never thought I would have to write. News broke earlier this week that Jonathan Steingard of Hawk Nelson revealed in an Instagram post that he “no longer believes in God”. Naturally the mainstream media ran wild with this story in adoration for Jon. Nowadays it seems that they are for anything against God and His believers and followers. I don’t state that lightly or flippantly. I believe it to be true, as the media proves it to me with each new day.

As you may know I avoid controversial topics like the plague (pun intended) here on social media. I thought about completely avoiding this news item of the week, but I run a blog with a mission statement of “sharing God’s Good News through His music”. It’s my online ministry, so I thought about it, I prayed about it, and here’s what I’ve come up with.

Jon is currently going through a crisis that didn’t start earlier this week. It started awhile ago – several years ago. Only Jon and God know. Jon is not giving up on God. This is just a season for him. He’s leaving the door open for God. And God will wait for Jon to return to Him. Hopefully that happens before it’s too late. As long as Jon is still alive and breathing – it’s not too late. His bandmate brothers are praying for him, and I am praying for him. I know that many of you are praying for him too.

Jon is 36. He’s known God all of his life. I didn’t know who God was until I was 39. Salvation started for me 14 summers ago. Some thought it was a passing fad, and even I thought so as well for a season. I’m still on fire for Jesus Christ, and nowadays I don’t hide it from anyone. I want to be closer to God tomorrow than I am today.

As one who didn’t believe and follow God for the first 39 years of my life I can’t imagine what it’s like the other way around – believing and following God – and then not. I don’t know how that works. I don’t really want to know how that works.

Sadly the 20-year career of Hawk Nelson as a band is probably over – unless one of the other bandmates steps up to become the lead singer (like Jon did in 2012 when Jason Dunn left the band to go solo).

We may never hear Hawk Nelson on the radio again. K-LOVE abruptly stopped playing their music. Up until earlier this week they were playing them frequently day and night. I have 10 Hawk Nelson songs on my iTunes from 2004 to 2018, and 2 of them are currently in heavy rotation on my iPod Shuffles. There’s a few additional recent songs that I plan to purchase and download. I will not abandon their music. As one of my favorite bands since salvation started for me – they didn’t stop being one of my favorites just because the lead singer left God behind.

From Hawk Nelson’s recent single “He Still Does (Miracles)”:

♫ When you’re at the end of the road
And it’s not the one that you would’ve chosen
When you’re at the end of your road
And you’re holding on, but feel like you’re fallin’

With every option exhausted
You’ve tried everything you know
You saw a light – then you lost it
But there is still hope

Like the fire in the night
Like the ocean parted wide
Like the grave – empty inside
You will see – He still does miracles ♫