Consider It Joy

MATTHEWS grew up in South Africa, and experienced the effects of Apartheid. His childhood was filled with places he wasn't allowed to go because of his skin color, and he had difficult family dynamics as well.  And yet, through it all, he found purpose in the darkness.  He now helps other people find their purpose in hard times, and creates  authentic, soulful music that reminds people that light can always be found even in the dar...

You have questions, we have answers.  The Ask Me Anything is back!  This was a fun batch of questions, all submitted by listeners.  We answer questions on everything from gnomes and trolls to animals hosting radio shows and even Aaron's mom wanting to know what Matt REALLY thinks of Aaron.  This is a short, fun episode that will put a smile on your face!

Consider It Joy is a production of 88.3 Life FM from Bakersfield, CA.  You can...

Faith can be hard sometimes just by itself, but can feel near impossible when dealing with hurt and trauma.  Jason Gray has been making hopeful and encouraging music for over 20 years, but has faced some real hurt and trauma. This is a raw and honest conversation is also relatable, and it carries a lot of hope through it.  Jason Gray is a great musician, but also just a great human being.

Be sure to check out Jason's music (includi...

Sometimes, the line between being divisive and being truthful is hard to find.  Sometimes division is used as an excuse to not be truthful, but on the other side, truth can be misused to needlessly divide.  Confused yet?  We talk to our long time friend and musician Nate Parrish, who has spent some time on this, especially having gone through some real church hurt.  Nate is a rock musician, a worship leader, an artist, and an excel...

The Christian music industry was completely shaken be the recent accusations towards Newsboys lead singer Michael Tait, which he confessed to.

This has left a lot of people angry, confused, even resentful.  We wanted to have a level headed discussion about when an artist (or pastor or leader) falls, so we invited two important voices on this; Chris Hauser, who is a well established music promoter in the industry, and Jon Engen, who...

It seems to be a constant for us all.  There is stress at work, stress at home, stress when you turn on the news.  We know it's bad for us, but how can we avoid that feeling?  What can we do to minimize stress in every day life?  We brought back our friend and psychologist Jon Engen to talk about practical ideas to manage and avoid that every day stress that seems to be around every corner.  This is an episode we ALL can relate to!

Every industry has its fads, phases, and even disruptions.  We talked with the owner of CCM magazine, Logan Sekulow, about some of the trends and times that really stuck out in CCM history.  For those who have been around Christian music a long time, this will be a trip down memory lane, and for those who are newer, it's a fun look at what made the industry what it is today!  And this episode is FULL of fun CCM facts you likely did...

As humans, we are wired for stories.  We resonate emotionally and even spiritually through stories. Why do we resonate so deeply with them, and how can we ourselves be better story tellers in every day life?  Matt talks with movie producer Josh Walsh (I Can Only Imagine 1&2, Jesus Revolution, The Best Christmas Pageant Ever) about why stories matter, and why every one of us is a story teller.

Consider It Joy is a production of ...

On one hand, we know the Bible says to not only love our neighbor (and the poor, and the outcast, and marginalized) but also to love our enemy.  On the other hand, at SOME point, you can only give so much.  Where and how do we find the balance between loving those around us, and creating healthy boundaries?  We welcome back our friend, pastor, and psychologist Jon Engen to help walk through this in an episode that should take some ...

We have decades of experience interviewing others and getting their stories: artists, pastors, local leaders, actors... but what if we pointed the mics at each other?

This episode, we attempt to ask each other questions we haven't been asked before, and use those years of experience to ask each other some tough and unexpected questions.  

Consider It Joy is a production of 88.3 Life FM in Bakersfield, CA.  Find all the ways to list...

You have probably seen it happen, a Christian artist announces they've walked away from the faith, or something happened in their life that is considered 'unacceptable' for a faith-based artist.  Maybe it's even just someone in the spotlight who is wrestling with doubts and questions.

The church can be quick to judge, but what if we looked closer at those situations.  On this episode we sat with Dan Bremnes, an artist who, in the m...

Car salesmen have a bad rap.  The stereotype is sleazy, manipulative, and untruthful.  What does ministry look like on a car dealership lot?  We sat down with one of the best car salesmen in the country, Anthony Cisneros, to 1. confront the stereotype (is it true?) 2. Find out what ministry looks like as a car salesman  3. Uncover the strategies salesmen use when you show up to buy a car.

This is such a fun episode of not only seei...

When we decided we wanted to discuss what ministry looks like in the military, we didn't expect to be able to talk to the guy who was in charge of the U.S. Air Force and Space Force.  It was an absolute honor to have General John 'Dragon' Teichert join us for our series on ministry in unexpected places.  Not only is Dragon incredibly cool with some great stories to tell, he also is a prime example of servant leadership, and what mi...

We typically think of pastors or missionaries when we hear the word 'ministry,' but that isn't the definition. Ministry can be found anywhere, with anyone.  This is our first in a series of episodes about what ministry looks like in unexpected places!  

Jasmine Knox has spent years in entertainment news, like Iheart radio and Entertainment Tonight.  We walk through what it was like to maintain a ministry focus while she is walking ...

After an angry and divided election year, what if we chose not to hang on to anger or offense.  Is it even possible?  What does the Bible say about it?  What about "righteous anger?"

This is a powerful and freeing conversation with one of our very favorite people and friends, Brant Hansen.  Brant is not only a well known radio host, but an author, husband, father, and pretty big nerd.

We believe this episode will be transformative ...

An annual tradition returns in the LAST episode for 2024!  Matt & Aaron look back at the best music, movies, and moments of the year.  It's not just a list of favorites, but it's jam packed with stories and behind the scenes glimpses of two radio guys!  

We would LOVE to hear what YOUR top music, movies, and moments of 2024 were!  Chime in on the Afternoon Joy Ride IG or FB!

Thank you for all your support this year!  We don't m...

This month marks the 29th anniversary of the album that changed everything, Jesus Freak.  Four years ago  (for the 25th anniversary) we sat down with the two key players behind producing and promoting the industry-changing album by DC Talk, Eddie DeGarmo and Mark Adkison.  

PLEASE NOTE: This discussion was originally from our Youtube video, and unfortunately, our sound quality was not good at the time.  However, these never-before-...

It's BACK! The Afternoon Joy Ride Ask Me Anything!  We took the latest round of questions from listeners of our radio show and podcast, and give you the honest, embarrassing, and sometimes hilarious answers!  Take a break from all the heaviness and stress of life, and have some fun in getting to know us better.  

Consider It Joy is a production of 88.3 Life FM in Bakersfield, CA.  You can listen to our radio show M-F from 2-7pm, an...

Christian music has always had criticisms.  Everything from rock itself being evil, to boycotting music if an artist got divorced.  Todays criticisms are a bit more grounded, focused on things like theological inaccuracy, shallowness, and commercialization.  How much of that is true?  We've spent the last 20 years talking with artists, record labels, producers, and promoters in the industry, and bring some insights to what is or is...