by Beth Sasnowski

Question -- What Australian band has everyone grown to love?

Answer -- The Newsboys.

With their last album, "Going Public," a tremendous success, they are excited about their latest release, "Take Me To Your Leader." I had a chance to interview Peter Furler and get the details and other interesting facts about the group. So come along as we go "down-under!"

How did you guys think of the name Newsboys?

When we first started, we just thought it was a cool name, just like the newsboys always delivering the newspaper across the street. I think when we first started playing in pubs we were called The News. We changed it to the Newsboys when we started spreading the Gospel.

So, you just changed your "pub" songs when all of you became Christians?

It sort of evolved in writing our own music. We would write Christian lyrics because that was what our heads were full of. Even when we were Christians in a band, we didn't consider ourselves a "Christian band." We were just guys in a band who happened to be Christians.

What is the one thing you would want your music to tell teens?

Sometimes everything in life doesn't make sense, but eventually it will. When I was a teenager, I got sick of the Bible. I was in a stage where people would say God is love and I would be like; yeah, yeah I heard it all before. When I hit my 20's it started to all gel together and be a part of my life. When I got in a time of trouble I had the Word to fall back on. So to answer your question, I would have to say; get to know the Word of God. It's really powerful. Even if it doesn't make sense sometimes, God will show you and make you understand it. No matter how far you wander from God, He will always take you back and always love you.

Do you think your new album "Take Me To Your Leader" gives this message?

I think so. When you go back to earlier records, the songs were the messages that were on our hearts. These records are the same. The band talks a lot and we have a good relationship with each other. We're still sharing what's on our hearts.

What song do you like best on your new album?

I like the song "Lost the Plot." I think that song is probably the band's favorite too.

Do any of the songs on your new album have any special meaning to you?

"Let it Go" has a special meaning to me. There are people in my past that I have to learn to forgive. I have to leave my rights behind because that is what Christ did. He left his rights on the cross. He could of smitten us all but because he loved us, he left his rights on the cross.

Would you mind sharing your testimony with me?

Sure. I was brought up in a Christian home. I didn't really make a commitment to Christ until I was about 19 or 20, I don't remember exactly. It was kind of a slow thing for me. I really had to decide if I was a "Christian" because I was brought up in a Christian home, or because I really believed in God. What really helped me was to see the way my parents lived. They were Christians everywhere they went. They never put on a show. They really were, and still are, a great example to me; that and being with my friends. As the Bible says, iron sharpens iron. There were times when I was really drunk and thinking, this isn't what God wants. Thinking, "Will God forgive me, don't let me die like this." So it was a struggle for me. It wasn't a success story like one day I was this way and the next day I was transformed. The transformation for me has taken a long time and is still in progress. Always strive for the goal; the answers are in the Bible. I don't want to glorify being drunk. I regret those days. I wish I had served God all my life. A lot of teens think: I'll get a bit drunk so I can have a testimony. The person with the best testimony is the person who serves God all their life. I would say to any teenager, live for God. If you want to be original, follow Christ; He is the king of the alternates. The coolest person I could meet is Christ. The coolest person I could meet on earth would be Christ-like.

What one thing would you want people to know about you?

I want them to realize that we need to know about the Gospel as much as they do. We are not on a higher plateau. We pray for our fans and hope they pray for us. We go through the same struggles they go through.

What do you guys do before and after a show?

Before the show, we talk and have a time of prayer. We really relax in preparation for the show. I sit in the hall a lot and feel the excitement. It is really a cool feeling. After the show we usually have people to meet. We then get on the bus and have a rumble.

Have you had any weird experiences during a concert?

We get a lot of people running on stage. One time some guy tried to steal my drumsticks. We did two shows in Australia where the whole crowd came on stage. That was wild!

How are you feeling about traveling with Teen Mania this summer?

I am feeling great. I can't wait! My dad's a pastor for a church that was into missions. I definitely have a heart for that, the band does too. I am really excited about it. I think when teens go on these trips, they never come back the same. It will totally change your life. You feel like you have been revived.

If you want to be original, follow Christ; He is the king of the alternates.

Beth Sasnowski is a senior at Prospect High School in Illinois