Marvin McQuitty Interview:
Living Up To EXPECTATIONS

DFJ: Marvin, can you tell me how you came to have a personal relationship with the Lord?

MM: I was born into a ministry that my mother and father were a part of, International Gospel Center in Ecorse, Michigan. My Mom was the church secretary and my Dad was a trustee and he was also the only drummer the church had. That's how I was raised, I was raised in the church, and I've always been there. I remember getting saved for myself when I was nine years old. I was in church service every day basically … but it really clicked for me when I was nine. It clicked that the Lord died for me. That He died for my sins and I can be forgiven … I can have eternal life. Any kid would want that [Marvin chuckles] ... any kid would want to live forever. Its like a fantasy, and all I've got to do is give my heart to Him? C'mon man. So yeah, I gave my heart to the Lord when I was nine years old.

DFJ: Praise Jesus! That's great!

MM: Not too long after that my Mom and Dad broke up. My Mom backslid but I didn't, I was new ... I had been to church all my life but it was new to me. Around when I was 12 both my parents backslid, my Dad moved away but my Mom stayed but didn't go to church. She felt like she couldn't … it was really rough times. But I found a way to make my way back, I began to spend the night with one of my uncles that was going to that same church (int'l Gospel Center), he would come and pick me up on a Friday night, stay Friday through Sunday. Saturday I'd go fishing with him and my cousin and then Sunday I'd go to church. My mother was so encouraged by that and she returned to the Lord a couple weeks after I started doing that. And there I've been ever since, I was 12 years old then and I'm 37 now. I don't attend that same church, my family does, my Mom and sister do, but I'm at Straight Gate Church (Bishop Merritt) in Detroit. But, that's how I came to know the Lord, I grew up in church and the Lord made a claim to me, a kid, that He died for me, too, not just to grown folks who murdered and killed people and did all kinds of crazy stuff, but also to the tender hearted, innocent folks who don't know anything, and I can understand that if somebody DIED for me the least that I can do is give Him my heart.

DFJ: So true. Thank you for sharing that with us. My next question is: Being a drummer in the Christian music industry do you feel like you have to "live up" to certain expectations and how do you deal with that?

MM: From my aspect it's not hard because it's a lifestyle. It's not a façade. I don't have to try and be somebody else, I don't have to act differently than I would normally act around ANYBODY … around my pastor, around my bishop, I don't have to put on "airs" around someone that may be a so called "fan". Because it's a lifestyle and I understood that growing up, that anybody that's inconsistent, a double-minded man is unstable in all his ways. You can't be one way in one place and another way in another place and your life just be fine. It's gonna come out somewhere and your inconsistency will show up. So, I don't have to worry about it, I'm the same everywhere. I don't have to worry about being "THE" example; I just have to be me. I have to be the guy that the Lord chose to save and put in that position. I just have to be that. And every time I get the opportunity to be a light; THAT is my calling. I have to be responsible for the opportunities He gives me to bear witness.

DFJ: What new projects are you currently involved with?

MM: I just finished the latest Fred Hammond record, which is due out early this summer called "Somethin' "Bout Love". It's a very different record than any other record that Fred has ever done. It uses a lot of different producers … it's a really wonderful project. I also did a record that had Alex Acuna on it and it will be coming out in February 2004. I'm involved with a lot of other projects, too much to tell you right now, but that record with Fred is gonna be a phenomenal record.

DFJ: Marvin, tell us how the drummers for JESUS can pray for you specifically?

MM: Specifically, the Lord is dealing with me regarding my purpose in ministry and I solicite the drummers for JESUS crew whose prayers in regards to continue to have clarity. The Lord is speaking to me and I just want to continue to be in a place to hear from Him, so I desire prayer for continued clarity because I know I'm in the will of God. I'm just trying to make sure that IS the place I stay.

DFJ: Finally, I wanted to ask you what advice that you have for drummers that want to play for Christian artists or be in the Christian music industry?

MM: The Lord puts up and the Lord takes down. The best things a Christian drummer could do to want to be in the service of the Lord and be out front is STUDY and show
himself approved. Serving their local body. Still, when I get the opportunity to play at church, I do and I don't think twice about it. I LOVE IT! That's all I did for 20 years, I played in church, I didn't play for any artist, I didn't play anywhere else. And the Lord created the opportunity for me, my gift made room for me. SO, the best thing I can tell them is to serve in the local body and have a REAL relationship with God and He will put you in that position.

DFJ: Marvin, thank you for your time, I know this interview will bless a lot of people; I know it has blessed me.