Hope Dealer

The Heart Behind our Music

When the Lord rescued me from drug addiction back in 1989, I went from being a dope dealer to a hope dealer. And ever since then, I've had one mission; the Great Commission, to see as many people as possible rescued by Christ.

As the lyrics in our new album attest:

We’re marching for the gospel
Touch hearts with this gospel
Top charts with this gospel
But we don't charge for the gospel
We're making disciples
And giving out them Bibles
We don’t do it for survival
We're in it for revival
Give me the reggae music
Give me the drums in the bass…

✧ "Fire!"

There's just something about reggae music that brings people joy, I can't explain it. I love to see the audience dancing to the rhythms, it's an incredible vehicle to share the Good News of Christ.

Fire! Fire! Blaze it up higher
Fire! Fire! For the Messiah

✧ "Fire!"

Ever since I took my first mission trip to Jamaica back in 1990, missions has been infused in Christafari's DNA. A lot has changed in the band over the years; from being a garage band to being signed to Sony Music, and now being independent, but we never stopped preaching the Gospel at every single concert.

To bring them to the kingdom with salvation

✧ "Fire!"

And then the Lord called us deeper, and we switched from being musical ministers to becoming musicianaries - full-time musical missionaries, with an emphasis on ministering for free in poor countries and developing nations.

Now being a missionary isn't easy; it takes a specific calling and lots of obedience!

You see this life it is full up of difficulties
But a true friend is born into adversity
People come and people go
They're switching up in an instant
But let God remain your constant

✧ "Upside Down"

To me, the darker that the times get the brighter that our lights need to be shining for Him. And there have been no darker times in this generation than what we’re seeing right now, from political correctness to people trying to ban the Bible or legalize marijuana, the prominence of sexual promiscuity in the media, and even the LGBT agenda, it’s not an easy time to raise a child for Christ.

Political correctness
I know it's hard to say this
It’s a sin city worse than Vegas

✧ "Upside Down"

In so many ways it seems like everything that the world promotes, what they say is "Okay," the scriptures say the opposite.

They say that light is the dark and that dark is the light
Right is the wrong and that wrong is now right
But open up your eyes, it's time you realize
That the ones they say are blind are the ones with the sight

✧ "Upside Down"

Is it just me, or is the whole world upside down? And once we've come to that realization we've got to do something about it. And we can’t make a positive change by hiding our lights.

Shine your light!
A city on a hilltop cannot hide
Step out of the wrong into the right
This world is upside down, backwards, inside out

✧ "Upside Down"

I believe the solution is in following Christ's example. And one of my favorite passages in the Gospels, is when Jesus stands up in the synagogue and reads from the scroll of Isaiah.

The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, and He has anointed me
Yes, the Spirit of the Lord is upon me, and He has appointed me
To bring good news to the poor, and bind up the broken hearts
Bring freedom for the slaves, and set the captives free!
We are the freedom fighters

✧ "Freedom Fighters"

We take this passage literally so whenever we see a need, we try and make a difference; by feeding, or clothing, or ministering in prisons and ghettos. We preach the Good News to the poor, that's how we shine our lights; not by attacking wrongdoers but by doing the right, not by criticizing or judging but by reaching out and rescuing.

This one ya boom, boom!
That is the sound of the drum
Boom, boom!
Your day of freedom has come
This ya boom, boom!
That is the sound of the horns
This is the day of your salvation!

✧ "Freedom Fighters"

For the Son of Man didn't come into the world to judge it but to save it. He was on a one-man rescue mission, and we see this no more plainly than in the parable of The Lost Sheep where the Good Shepherd leaves the ninety-nine just to find the one.

He left the ninety-nine
He left the ninety-nine
For the one
For the one

✧ "99 for 1"

I love how He risks it all - life and limb, showing us that every single soul counts. And He ultimately gave His life so that we could have eternal life. If that's not a daring love, an audacious love, a reckless love, then I don't know what is.

Oh, the overwhelming, never-ending, reckless love of God

✧ "Reckless Love"

We've been called to share this love with others, to tell people that God's not mad at them, He's madly in love with them!

And I couldn't earn it, I don't deserve it, still, You give Yourself away
Oh, the overwhelming, never-ending, reckless love of God

✧ "Reckless Love"

We've been called to preach the Word until all have heard. And to be honest, it's not easy going to 20 countries a year, it sounds glamorous, but traversing the globe each month with a dozen missionaries... it's hard, and it's a serious challenge to raise the funds for these missions.

When I was Your foe, still Your love fought for me
You have been so, so good to me

✧ "Reckless Love"

We have no label, no publisher, or ministry that's funding all of this, but we're not alone. We have Christ who is fighting for us, who's called us to go, and we have friends like you who believe in what we're doing, and people that partner with us on a monthly basis to help make this mission a year-round reality as we set out to fulfill the greatest Commission, and take the Gospel to every nation.

Leaves the ninety-nine
And I couldn't earn it…

✧ "Reckless Love"

In a time when the world says that the Good News is bad news and fake news is true news, it's more important than ever that we proclaim the best news of all everywhere we go. But how can we go unless we're sent? Will you help us as we continue on in this mission? Will you join our monthly support team today? And help us reach the lost at any cost, and make disciples of all nations.

There's no shadow You won't light up
Mountain You won't climb up
Coming after me
There's no wall You won't kick down
Lie You won't tear down
Coming after me
There's no shadow You won't light up
Mountain You won't climb up
Coming after me
There's no wall You won't kick down
Lie You won't tear down
Coming after me

✧ "Reckless Love"