By: Kelvin Oliver
T4JYM: How long have you been a Christian?
RP: 16 years now. That’s a lot of playoff games.
T4JYM: Can you share a short testimony with our readers?
RP: Sure, I’m a military brat. I grew up mainly in Germany and after high school, we moved to El Paso, TX where I started college. I got my degree in Communications and moved to Los Angeles to be a comedian. I was in LA for almost 8 years and last year, I got married and moved to Colorado Springs, CO.
T4JYM: When and how did you accept Christ into your heart?
RP: I grew up going to church every Sunday. I love to sleep so getting up early on the weekend wasn’t my favorite thing to do. My earliest memory of church was my mom coming into my room at 7am on Sunday morning waking me up by saying, “YOU’D BETTER GET OUT OF BED RIGHT NOW BECAUSE WE’RE GOING TO CHURCH AND LEARN THAT GOD WANTS US TO BE HAPPY!!!” I’m thinking, if God wants me to happy, He would let me sleep.
So this went on throughout high school. When I was 16 a new kid in school moved in across the street and we started to hang out. He invited me to go to youth group one week and I ended up going on the winter retreat that next week.
The youth pastor spoke on having a relationship with God which was something I had never heard before. I talked to him later that night and prayed for Jesus to enter my heart. I literally went back to school the next week seeing things differently. I wasn’t lonely anymore or felt I was the weird guy in school. I knew God was on my side.
T4JYM: What is the main focus in your ministry? Teens? The lost? The hurting? Why did you decide up on this as a focus?
RP: Wow, that’s a great question. I initially got into comedy because of teens. Humor is so effective in breaking down the walls of someone so they’ll hear a message about God. In the beginning when I was a youth leader, I told a lot of jokes in my message because that would keep the attention of the kids and then I would give them some truth from the Bible. So for teens, comedy has the ear of their generation. They’ll listen to someone who will make them laugh.
I do a lot of youth events but I also do a lot of other stuff too. Any audience I’m in front of, I want to encourage them and know that God has a plan for their life.
T4JYM: What projects have you done and what are you working on right now?
RP: I’ve done a DVD project called “Road Rage and Riverdancing,” a CD called “This Little Piggy Want to Supercuts,” and just released my humorous devotional book “A Stand-Up Comic Sits Down With Jesus.”
Right now we’re working on a new DVD where we play jokes on unsuspecting pastors.
T4JYM: What is the biggest thing you have learned from performing and ministering through comedy?
RP: I’ve learned how blessed I am to be doing what I’m doing. I make my living going across the world and making people laugh. I wake up every morning and thank God I’m living my dream. I see so many people settle for the mediocre things in life. They have dreams but don’t have the courage to follow them. They’re afraid they’ll fail or people will laugh at them. God gave you those wants and desires and He wants you to have them.
T4JYM: Do you ever worry about getting caught up in the world of show biz? That success will change you?
RP: I’ll tell you how God keeps me in my place. I did this event in New Mexico last year with about 2000 kids. I don’t want to brag, but I rocked the house that night. It was a phenomenal show, people wanted my autograph and pictures with me. I was the man that night. I got home the next morning and told my wife everything that happened. I said, “Honey, you’re married to a rock star.” She says, “Well, Mr. Rock star, I need you to pick up the dog poop in the backyard.” Anytime I get ahead of myself, my wife sends me to the backyard.
T4JYM: What kind of relationship do you maintain with your audiences? Do you fellowship with them? Or do you remain distant as the performer?
RP: I love talking with people after an event. It’s an encouragement for both of us. I did a youth group in Texas and they specifically asked for me just to do comedy. No message, just comedy. So I did my thing and really didn’t think about it all too much.
Afterwards, this lady came up to me and said, “Today was the first time I’ve smiled in a month. My daughter was killed in a car accident and today I felt as if God was saying its O.K. to go on with my life. Thank your for making me laugh.”
T4JYM: Was it hard getting started as a Christian Comedian? Can you outline the process it takes to start performing?
RP: I think it’s different for everyone when they first start out in comedy. I left home and moved to LA because I knew that was the best place to learn about the craft. I went to every comedy club and open mike I could find to work on my set. Eventually, I started to perform at churches more and more.
And it wasn’t easy. There were times when I almost went back home because I thought I would never make it. But I will say this anyone, if you want something bad enough, never, ever give up.
T4JYM: Do you ever feel that you are not ready Spiritually to be ministering as you are doing now?
RP: I go through that every time I go up onstage. I know it’s the enemy trying to prey on my insecurities. He tries everything to make you think we’re not worthy enough. The thing is, I know I’m not worthy enough, that’s why we have Jesus.
T4JYM: How did your ministry form? What led you to become a Christian comedian?
RP: It was something I wanted to do since I was 16 years old. I heard a comedy tape in high school by Mike Warnke and laughed for an hour straight. Then, he gave his testimony afterwards and I was just awestruck that someone could use humor to share the Gospel. That’s when I knew this is what I wanted to do.
Then in college, I used to be a youth leader and the only way to keep the kid’s attention during the message to throw in jokes. Eventually, the pastor asked me if I would do a comedy show at the New Year’s party they were going to have. After that, I started doing comedy in different churches around my home town in El Paso. But I knew I needed to move to LA to really go for it. So after college, I packed up my Nissan truck and headed off.
T4JYM: Who are some of the people you have performed with and what did you think of them?
RP: Five Iron Frenzy, Chris Tomlin, Dave Crowder, Skillet, Seventh Day Slumber, Tony Campolo, Mark Lowry, Chonda Pierce, Tommy Walker and come other people I can’t remember right now. Once on a flight back from a show, I sat next to Crystal Lewis and we chatted for a bit. She’s really nice…and short.
T4JYM: Do you write your comedy before you perform or do you wing it on stage?
RP: I do both. I mostly write and prepare before I go onstage but sometimes if there’s something on mind, I might start to talk about it and see where it goes.
T4JYM: Do you have any advice to give to the youth of our world?
RP: Stay pure, stay sober and go to church.
Be the first to comment