Alex Acuna Interview:
Turning Challenges into Opportunities

DFJ: What was the experience that brought you to the Lord?

AA: Since I was a little kid, about 9 years old, I established a relationship with God. And I used to go to a private place on a mountain near my hometown in Peru, South America. And I would talk to Him. I remember I would ask Him many things. You see, I mainly used to play soccer when I was a little kid but was also already playing drums. So I asked the team to come to my house to play drums. There were about 22 on the team, but no one knew how to play an instrument. So I realized I must have something different. I had thought that playing drums was like playing soccer - which every kid played. I knew then that God gave me something else. That's when my relationship with him was established, which was Romans 8:16. (The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God's children. NIV).

I came to the US for the first time when I was 18. I was alone; I had no parents with me. I was playing with a Latin band and making a lot of money for about 9 months. Then I moved to San Juan, Puerto Rico for about 9 years, and started falling into a very worldly life. But all the while I still talked with God. About 5 Years later, living in southern California, I was very successful in the music business, but very empty inside. One morning at about 3 a.m., after I finished listening to a well known CD I had played on called "Heavy Weather" (Weather Report), I bowed down and told the Lord, "Wow, you've given me everything I've ever asked for since I was little" and the Lord answered me saying, "Yes, and now I know that you NEED me." The Lord told me, "Now that you are coming back to me, we can have the kind of relationship we had when you were little." So I received the Lord in my home and later, I declared my faith at Church on the Way, in Van Nuys, CA (then under the leadership of Sr. Pastor Jack Hayford). Whoever acknowledges me before men, I will also acknowledge him before my Father in heaven. Matt. 10:32 NIV. I've been serving at that church for more than 24 years now. It's been a beautiful journey.

DFJ: That's wonderful Alex! Praise Jesus!!! The next question I wanted to ask you is: what is the biggest challenge you face as a Christian being in the music industry?

AA: Well, I'll tell you, I don't really have a 'biggest' challenge. The beauty of being a Christian is that if we continue reading the Word and we continue praying we will be prepared for whatever challenges come to us. These are the two things that God wants from us, reading the Word and praying. First, if we read God's Word everyday, no one will be able to tell us anything different from what is written from His hand. Secondly, if we pray to God then we have direct communication with Him and have a relationship with Him and He will give us what to say when any challenge comes and send us wisdom to understand His Word and to understand the ways He speaks. When we practice these things, the challenges decrease. One of the greatest men after Jesus was the apostle Paul. When Paul was with the Romans, he spoke like a Roman and when he was with the Greeks he spoke Greek and when he was with the Jews he spoke Jewish. God gave in His word a lot of discernment and wisdom and he prepared us to be in ANY PLACE. We are going to continue growing in knowledge of being more like Christ if we continue reading the Word and walking by it, walking by faith, walking by VICTORY! Going from Glory to Glory!! BUT, if we don't do these things, pray and stay in the Word, THEN the world becomes a challenge to a Christian because they are not fully equipped. When we are fully equipped by the word of GOD there is no challenge. That's why God wants some of us to be in the secular business so we can be a light, we can be salt, we can make a difference, we can be an inspiration to them - not only musically, but spiritually.

[Alex then gave me an example of a situation he was in where he was asked to be on a board for a musical awards group and in a meeting of this group some of the members were making fun of Christianity, Alex didn't say anything .. he just continued to pray to God to give him the opportunity to share the Lord, with POWER, so they could know what knowing the Lord was all about, so they could see the Lord IN Alex. Well, the meeting broke and they went to lunch. During the lunch a Christian friend of Alex's came in and they greeted each other with "Praise God!" And the friend asked Alex "Are you still doing Christian music?" And Alex explained that he was doing a lot of different projects and by then everyone at the table was looking at Alex. And Alex said "You know, Christianity is in the heart and I have my relationship, direct line with Jesus, with my Lord … but I'm not a religious person." And then the people asked Alex to explain further about what he was talking about and everyone at the table stopped eating and started listening to what he was saying. Alex explained to them that he doesn't judge people, God teaches us to love everyone, walk by faith, but that LOVE is the most important thing. Then, the attitude of everyone at the table started to change about Christianity. In this way the challenge was turned into an OPPORTUNITY, so there really was no challenge.]

AA: So, that's it! THE CHALLENGES TURN INTO OPPORTUNITIES!! Opportunities to let them know about JESUS.