By Rick Bentley

The Fresno Bee

(MCT)

Brian “Head” Welch was living the rock ‘n’ roll dream—or nightmare, depending on your perspective—as the guitarists and co-founder of the metal band Korn. It was a world of countless addictions that had him on a deadly path.

Then he found God.

This isn’t the kind of faith that’s limited to pointing to Heaven after picking up an award. A portion of the new documentary “Holy Ghost” shows how Welch and Korn bandmate Reginald “Fieldy” Arvizu meet and pray with members of their audience during each tour stop.

“It’s not something that I feel like is my duty. There’s just something taking me there. I can’t control it,” Welch says. “There is something very rewarding everytime it happens. When you see a few people in tears, then you know something is happening that is good.

“I’m out of my comfort zone. But something is really happening. It’s wild when you think about it.”

Director Darren Wilson’s “Holy Ghost” looks to reclaim some of the reputation that’s been tarnished regarding the Holy Spirit over the years. The fan experience with Korn is only one part of that effort. The crew travels from Salt Lake City to Monte Carlo sharing the spirit of the Holy Ghost. The film was made differently than most documentaries: there was no script or shooting schedule. The director and his crew were led by the Spirit of God to the people and places featured.

One of those stops is at a Korn concert. The Bakersfield, Calif.,-born band has become so popular, it’s not been easy for the members to have the freedom to meet with fans. For the first time, in front of the cameras, Welch and Arvizu go to the front of the theater as the fans are arriving. Rather than being mobbed for photos and autographs, they end up praying with large groups.

“I was uncomfortable with that,” Welch says. “It was kind of weird and nerve wracking going out to meet the fans that way. But since then we have been coming up with ways to get to pray with the fans whether it is an after party or sending someone out before a show.”

What the documentary shows is that the band is talking about the Holy Ghost to a demographic that traditionally has stopped going to church. Welch understands because he and his brother hated to go to church when they were young and their mother finally gave up trying when Welch got sick at vacation Bible school.

The music fans get to hear how Welch was on a destructive path until he was born again. The change in his life is something he’s been sharing for years.

“I have one person who became a friend and still is to this day,” Welch says. “He came to a show a few years back and mocked me because of my faith. He was dropping acid and was wasted. He saw my story and the new me and decided there must be something in the Bible. He bought a Bible and then found himself in church.”

Welch doesn’t see the contact he was with fans as a calling. All he’s trying to do is “enjoy God and my relationship with Him. Everything else just falls into place.”

WATCH IT

Anyone who wants to see how Korn is bringing their message of faith to the rock music fans can see “Holy Ghost” this weekend for free. Wanderlust Productions is staging a one-time, world premiere experience Saturday and Sunday where the film can be viewed on any digital device, free of charge. The company believes that the 48-hour event will attract viewers from all over the world, drive subsequent VOD and DVD purchases and result in making enough money to make their next faith-based film for the fall of 2015.

©2014 The Fresno Bee (Fresno, Calif.)

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