The Eric Metaxas Show - Brandon and Brittany Lake

Episode Date: June 7, 2024

Brandon and Brittany Lake are in studio to discuss their music careers and their new children's book "Little Lion Lungs" 

Folks, welcome to the Eric Mattaxas show, sponsored by Legacy Precious Metals. There's never been a better time to invest in precious metals. Visit legacy p.m.investments.com. That's legacy p.m. Investments.com. Do you check your bucks list lately? Are you ready to take care of item number seven? Listening to the Eric Metaxe show? Well, welcome.

Tune in and then move on to item number eight, skydiving with Chuck Schumer and AOC. Here now is Mr. Completed Myleseck. bucket list at age 12 Eric Matt, Texas. Hey, the folks, welcome the show. Chris Heim's welcome. Thank you. I'd like to welcome you as the producer.

I haven't seen you in a while, by the way. Is that true? No, it's not true. It's not true. It's not true. It's not true. It's not true. We were together at an event in Georgia.

I don't want our wives to know. No. You actually brought your wife. Actually, Suzanne was there, but I still don't want her to know. Well, you know what I'm saying? She's, she's sniffed. She sniffs things like that out. She's not.

Especially since she was with me the whole time. And I hate that. I can't hide anything. It's called referencing reality. No, we were at this private Christian event. That's all we can say. We had to sign an idea. It was so private. I can't say it on the air that it was private.

I just said it, but you know what? They'll edit that out. No, we were at this private event, and there were so many people there, and I got a lot of time talking to Jim Kavisel, who I believe played Jesus in the honeymooners with Jackie Gleason. Yeah, he had that catchphrase, right? I want to talk about Jim Caviesel in a minute. I spent a lot of time with General Doug, sorry, Doug, spent a lot of time with General Douglas MacArthur.

With the ghost of General MacArthur. No, I spent a lot of time with General Mike Flynn. I want to talk about that. But before we get to that, I want to announce that in this hour, we're talking to Brandon Lake and Brittany Lake. Music, megastars, Brandon, and Brittany. They'll be right here. Chris, where you're sitting, they will sit. Yeah. And so we're going to be talking about to them in a couple of minutes.

And by the way, I like music. It's not like they say. I really do like music. Yeah, you're a musical guy. So Brandon and Brittany Lake are going to be here in a couple seconds talking about they have a new children's book, all this stuff. In hour two, we're going to kick it up a notch, I think, because we're going to bring on Pastor Jack Hibbs. Wow. Jack Hibbs is a friend of mine, and I got to tell you, he's kind of a big deal. So we have him an hour two today. My wife asked me this morning who was going to be on the show, and I ran through the last.

list. And I say, I don't know if you know some of these people, Jack Hibbs. And she's like, oh, I know Jack Hibbs. That's how big he is. My wife knows who he is. Even Tiffany, who, you know, she'd never heard of Abraham Lincoln. Yeah. She's, she's a little younger than you are. She wouldn't recognize herself on the side of the milk carton. It's, oh, that's terrible. It's terrible. She doesn't recognize people. Tiffany is so amazing that we can joke about her openly on the air. Yes. All right. So, and your marriage is so strong, I pray. It's like super glue. I'm like the guy hanging from the helmet underneath the iron Well, we've known each other and each other's wives for, what, over 20 years now?

It's a long time. Over 20 years. Okay. So I think I mentioned a couple things I want to mention. Well, there's more news. I got to mention this. I did mention part of this the other day. I posted on Instagram, I saw something that I thought was clever and apropos.

It was a picture of Trump. And on the right side, there was a picture of Jesus and the crucifixion. And it said, I can vote for a convicted felon. because I worship, you know, a convicted criminal or something like that, right? So I was making the point that I worship Jesus. I worship him and he's God and he was a quote unquote convicted criminal. And so, yeah, I think. He was the victim of a kangaroo court trial.

So I think maybe I could vote for somebody who's a convicted fellow, right? Okay. So Phil Visher, who, you know, he created veggie tales, whatever. And we used to be friends, I guess, but he has gone very left. and very despises Trump and despises. So he posts my, I didn't retweet this, but I put it on my Instagram story, right? And he puts it up there like it's something horrible. Like, oh, look, Christian nationalist, fascist, Trump worshiper, Eric Mataxis is equating the crucifixion with Donald Trump or something like this.

And I looked at it and I thought, what's the problem? Like, just read it. I worship Jesus so I could vote for Trump, right? But anyway, he puts this out there. There's now an article, it's Premier Christianity, which is another left-wing woke lunatic pseudo-Christian website, saying that I compare Donald Trump's conviction to the crucifixion. Okay, now here's the problem.

That's not true. And when people are lying and twisting and whatever to do, demonize their opponents, whether it is I or Donald Trump, that's not a good look for you, folks. If you don't like something, make your point, but you don't have to lie and twist. I thought I have to mention that because the attacks between now and the election, they're probably going to get worse. But this one, somebody just flat out lies into it. It's happened to me before where I'll say something and they'll twist it.

And nobody seems to care that, hey, wait a minute, he didn't really say that. Well, yeah, and the good news is on your side, in your corner, you have 50, intelligence professionals who have signed an affidavit that what you said wasn't, in fact, what Phil Fisher thought it was. That's too much. That's too much. That's too meta. That's too meta.

Yeah. But I mean, it's the same thing where they say I cold cocked a Trump protester. I like people say this stuff and it's like it gets out there and you think, wait a minute, that's really not right. Why are you saying that? Are you aware of the details? And they don't care. They just think, no, you're bad.

So we're just going to pile on. So anyway, I had to say that. In the good news department, we were just contacted by RFK Jr., who I believe will be doing a Socrates and the city event. This is big news. Well, we're not sure, but I believe that it's June 26th here in New York City. Oh, wow. So folks, hold on to your hat because, now this would be one of those rare events.

No, this would be a rare Socrates events. Well, no, but I'm saying where I would actually ask tough questions. Normally Socrates and the City, I just don't do that. But with him, as much as I admire him, I admire him a lot. But he said a lot of things that I very strongly disagree with. But I respect him, and I would look forward to that conversation. So June 26, Socrates and City, we don't know yet, but I just throw it out there because it will be very limited. Okay, it'll sell out in five minutes.

So go to Socrates and City. Or stay tuned at SocratesandCity.com. And actually, if you're not signed up for Socrates and the city.com for the newsletters, folks sign up for that because otherwise you're not going to hear about this stuff. It's going to be good. It's going to be good. We are doing Socrates in Oxford, July, I guess the night of July 8th there is, it starts. And then it goes to July 12th.

But it's going to be jam-packed Oxford, Socrates in Oxford, England, very, very, excited about that. Every day I get more excited. It's kind of crazy. So, and I want to mention Socrates Plus, if you're not signed up for Socrates Plus, go to Socratesandcity.com. Sign up for Socrates Plus. Lots of great stuff there. Okay. We have to talk about... Can I mention one thing? Yeah, of course. Yeah. We have another music superstar next week scheduled. Get out. Danny Goki, who we met. Are you kidding? Yeah. He's going to, he's going to, he's, he's, going to come on to you. Danny Goki is coming on here? Yeah, he's going to, he's going to hop into the TVN studio down in Tennessee. I didn't know that. Yeah. What are you going to tell me that on the air?

I'm so ashamed that I didn't know that. Also, you owe me $5. Well, actually, Danny Goki was with us at this private event. Yeah. And I can't say the state, but it rhymes with Georgia. And we were there and Danny Goki performed. He didn't perform. He, he blew the top off. Yeah, whatever. He, I love him so much. You know, but you know what? There's certain people that They're super talented. It was insane. But also they are the real deal. He is such a sweet, sweet human being, just a dear soul.

I met him like 15 years ago right after he lost his first wife, who was a tragic thing, and I interviewed him. And he is, he's just a wonderful person. So yes, next week, okay, Danny Goki. Now, we're also going to get, we've got to get Caviesel on this program. That's true. And we've got to get General Flynn on the program. Now, we've had General Flynn on the program before, but General Flynn, I spent a lot of of time talking to him. And it's very encouraging when you talk to him because he's been through

hell. We will have him on this program to promote the film that was out. Folks, I've said it before. I'm not getting paid to say this. Or if I am, I'm unaware that I'm getting paid to say this. Because I saw the film. John Smirak said, you've got to see this film. And I watched it. And I think every American needs to see it. You need to see. You need to know what is. going on in this country. And even this morning I was talking to Suzanne about the ignorance of people on the left or who hate Trump or whatever. And I realize that one of the main explanations is there is ignorance. They don't know what's going on. They don't want to know. They're in an echo chamber. They're hearing the same stuff. Just like people hear stuff about me and then they

pass it on to their friends. And I think, well, here's the problem. That's not true. But you know it's true. So you're not interested in hearing that it's not true. Like you're so sure. So that's kind of where we are. And anyway, okay, before I go any further, go to Eric Mataxis.com. If you're not getting my newsletter, folks, you're missing all these interviews. Trust me, ericmetaxis.com. Remember as a kid, your parents and grandparents making you try all the vegetables on your plate or when they coax you to eat fruit instead of sweets? That's because they knew what was good for you. And it's true today than ever before. You need to eat your fruits and veggies.

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Beautiful. With Brandon and Brittany Lake, I don't know how they got here, but welcome. I'm honored to be here. You don't live here. How did you get here? You're from Charleston, South Carolina. Yeah, surprisingly, it was a quick flight. Not bad.

But yeah, we are out in the country, out in the woods with some cows and everything, Charleston, South Carolina. Yeah. Yeah. I was just telling you I did a Socrates and a city event there, and I've been there many, many times over the years. And there's no doubt. There is no doubt.

it is the most beautiful city in America. I agree. I mean, there's a lot of beautiful cities, but I cannot imagine that there's anything that could compete with it. And good food. Oh, yeah. And good food. If you're foody.

Well, the food of New York is even better. I can say that. I can say that. It's probably healthier. I don't think of Charleston pizza is something I'm interested in. But seriously, so you guys are in New York because you're promoting a children's book? We are. Where do you get the crazy idea to write a children's book?

Well, we have three crazy. children ourselves. Wild boys. Yeah. Now, just because my audience needs to hear this, what are your boys' names? Go ahead. We have a nine-year-old who's Blaze, seven-year-old Bo, and then a one-year-old name Banner. Banner.

And then Brittany, Brandon, we have a dog's name, Benny Banks. And then a cow, baby Billy. So I'm running around the house. Just come, bu-b-b-b-b-b-b-b-b-b-b-b. Wow. Yeah. How old are these kids? 9-7-1.

9-7. And did they have BB guns? Oh, they do have B. B B B B B Bucs. Cuts. Oh, no, we don't have B B B B Bucons. Gons. No, we have very sad. Now, you wouldn't know this about me, but I've written 30 children's books. I have a thing about children's books. Okay, just too hard because this is our first. Well, that's the whole thing. It's your first children's book. But first we've got to talk about your career as musician.

One of your biggest songs is gratitude. And you were just telling me that you didn't expect it to be one of the big songs. So when did it come out, like five, six years ago? Probably like four. Yeah, 2020 is when it came out, which feels like last year in some ways. And it feels like 10 years ago in some. But, yeah, I wrote this song with Benjamin William Hastings, who's also an amazing Christian artist and wrote it in Australia, which that was fun.

But I didn't really think. That's weird. I've never written a song in Australia. Yeah. Yeah, I've only been there once, but it proved to be fruitful. Okay. So wrote gratitude, put it on my record, but I re-recorded it probably five or six times before it landed on the record because I just, I was like, I don't know, it just sounds like every other Christian song out there, didn't love it until we kind of stripped all of the production away, got in front of a mic again with an acoustic guitar, and I sang it as authentically as I could, as passionately as I could. And then I was like, okay, I believe this, you know? I believe the lyrics, but I wanted to believe, like, this guy singing this song. Like, he really believes this. And then even when the record, record came out. It wasn't a highlighted track. It wasn't a single. But then God just began to breathe on it.

And the people started to speak and say, hey, this is like our favorite song. It landed on the Chosen, Christmas special. They asked me to be on it. I was like, I don't have a Christmas song ready. They're like, I know, we want you to do gratitude. I was like, huh, okay, did that. And then Bodie, he's an artist. He did his final song on the voice. He did gratitude as his final song. did all secular songs in his last song he did did gratitude. And so God just has been breathing on this song. And I've always wanted to have resources for teaching kids about worship. And so it felt like the best opportunity to combine gratitude with a children's book.

Well, I think it's a good idea. As I said, I'm very pro-children's book. So wait, so tell us about the book. I happen to see a copy right here. It's called Little Lion Lungs, a story about the gift of gratitude. So, I mean, was it your idea to do this? Or did somebody come to you and say, like, listen, you'd be crazy not to do a children's book? I think Brandon had been talking about it for a long time.

He's super creative. I would catch him drawing. Who, Brandon? Come on. Brandon, really? Just because he writes songs? Right. I would catch him drawing Levi.

This is Levi. Oh, yeah. The Lion? The story. The Lion. And I'd be like, Brandon, that is so good. And you would tell me this little storyline he had going. And finally, I think it was like in the fall.

I was like, it's time to do it. Yeah. And it really, we just got the team behind it and it just took off. Yeah, and it obviously took some months, but it actually started as like a children's clothing line with how much kids have been responding to gratitude. Wait, wait, what started as a children's clothing line? The book actually started. That sounds like a joke. It's like my book started as a clothing line.

But then it got confused and we went to some therapy and we understood that really it meant to be a book. Right. Yeah. Well, he was so cute and I was like, man, maybe this is what the story needs to be about. This little line. So there's a lyric in the song that says, you've got to love. lion inside of your lungs. Get up and praise the Lord. And really it's like David, right? In the psalm saying like, it was a creative way of saying like, bless the Lord, oh my soul, like you're

commanding yourself. Like, I've got a lion inside of my lungs. Like, get up and praise the Lord. And now's the time, I do have a gift to bring to God, you know, because some of us, so many of us, and this is what I want to teach kids is like, you know, you're never too young to bring a gift to God. And a lot of times, you know, it's Levi's story. He goes, like, what can I bring on this special day to this amazing king? You know, is it a coat woven in color that these animals are making. It's this crown of gold over here. Well, I can't do those things. And then he hears this song and he finds this wise lion in the brush singing this song. And basically this wise lion teaches on that. Really the most important gift that he could

bring is a gift of gratitude. A simple thank you is more than it seems and that he can sing out his own hallelujah. And this is cool. This book literally teaches what does hallelujah mean? Like how many of us have sang that, that word that sang that said that? You know, it's almost become cultural. Hallelujah, you know? And it's like, we want to teach kids like that that means praise the Lord, praise to the king. And so they have something to bring to the king inside of their hearts. And it can be as simple as a song, as a hallelujah. And so as all of this kind of came together, we had actually, I put together the storyline, we read it for the first time and just weeped. Yeah, it really hit us. It's for every age.

I mean, our nine-year-old reads it to our one-year-old, took it the class, read it to a kindergartner, and they read it twice because they loved it so much. And there's fun little characters throughout the book. But we just want to be a family that, a worshipping family that resources other families to worship together. Absolutely. Well, I love the idea that it started out as a clothing line and became a book. I like hurts my head.

I don't know how that's possible. You can go by Little Lion Lung's merch. It started out as a fragrance, a provocative, a provocative fragrance. And then it turned to a clothing line and then eventually. You're giving me more ideas. The little lion lungs fragrance. Yeah. I don't know if that smell great.

It's also like it's, you know, it started as a clothing line and then became a clothing lion. Yeah, absolutely. And then became a clothing. Well, you could still have it as a clothing line, couldn't you? We do have merch out right now, little lion lungs. If you go to little lionelong's.com or Brandonlake.com. We have those beginning iterations of the clothing. We have little onesies for little babies.

It says little lion lungs, got a little line on it. My favorite shirt is the little lion lungs, the face. But on the back, so your kids walking away, there's the little booty of the lion walking away. I didn't think we were going to hear the word booty today. And I was wrong again. Wrong, wrong, wrong, wrong. All right. So, but the book, did you illustrate this?

I did not. I did start out sketching stuff, but I wanted a real professional to come in and help us out. But you started sketching. I mean, that's just interesting because I've written, I'm not kidding. I've written 30 children's books, but I've never sketched anything. So it's kind of interesting that you had it. in your mind where you wanted this to go. Being a songwriter, I've needed other creative outlets to kind of refresh and stay inspired.

And so I draw a lot of my merch line of the ideas. And even if I take it a professional, I will kind of sketch up like, you know, my tour t-shirts and stuff and how are the dates going to be displayed and what kind of image. I'm very driven by just beautiful imagery. I love tattoo artwork. I love bold, you know, faith-filled images, I think. And a lion, what's better than, you know, a lion? And so, yeah.

So you're hands on. He's hands on. He never stopped. Do you find it annoying? Be honest. Brittany. It's just, you find it annoying. Like he's just, you're like, leave me alone.

This is my kitchen. Get out. Do you ever feel that way? Because, I mean, I think that's, no, I have this, I have the same problem. It's not a problem. It's like a blessing to care about how things look and whatever. Or, I mean, a lot of people don't have those instincts. And so they kind of turn it over to professionals.

Oh, he's not a stylist over. Over here. He's like, nope, next. He tells me what's where. I love it. I will say the most annoying thing is him with song ideas because it doesn't sound so pretty at first. It's like, ah! And over and over.

And over, I'm like, okay, did you get it yet? I'm like, wow. It doesn't have to sound pretty at first. You just got to find the energy of it, you know? So usually. It's like the same lyric over. And over and over. And over.

I'm like, oh my gosh. And it doesn't. I don't know how to turn it off. But it's actually interesting you say that because that kind of reminds me of why marriage is such a beautiful idea. Because you get to see the rawness in each other. You get to that. You would not show outside. So, you know, the good, the bad, and the ugly.

But it's in a safe place. And then you get to see it become something. Right. So, Brittany, thank you for putting up with Brandon. I know. I think it's worth it. I think it's worth it. Thanks, Ben.

I want to talk to you about your music. We're going to go to a break. But so before we get to the music and how. how you met and all that stuff. Where can people find Little Lion Lungs the book? Absolutely. Like many places. Yeah, little lionlungs.com or you can go to Brandonlake.co.

Brandonlake. com. Either place will take you to buy the book. And we got some really exciting stuff. And we're doing a pop-up in the city tomorrow. We are also doing a pop-up June 7th tomorrow. What? And you can find the address on my Instagram at Brandon Lake.

from 1 o'clock to 4 o'clock right after we do Fox and Friends in the morning. All right then. We'll be right back. We're talking to the lakes. NUTTAGARETTHA MINOWS- When a woman sure can be a friend of mine. Hey, this is Eric Mettaxas. For years, I've told you about Nutrametics, a professional supplement brand trusted by doctors since 1993. improve your sleep, promote joint comfort or detoxification support,

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Go to MyPillow.com. Use promo code Eric or call 800-9783057. That's promo code Eric. 800-9783057-3057 promo code Eric or go to Mypillow.com and use promo code Eric. Hey there, folks. In case you didn't know, Brandon Lake is a multi-Grammy and GMA Dove Award winning artist and songwriter as a worship leader for gatherings around the nation. He's found his purpose in calling people into a posture of freedom and confidence that we find in Christ, creating space to boldly declare truth and expect the miraculous.

I love that. And that's why it's one of the reasons I'm so happy to have you Brandon and Brittany with me in the studio because you live out your faith. You care about this stuff. It's beautiful. I got to ask you, how did you meet? I was a soccer player at College of Charleston. and I was a senior and there was this little young guitar player. And I walked in and I was like, him.

And it was pretty similar. Yeah, I saw her literally walk into. We had a college ministry. She literally walked, not metaphorically, like literally on our own legs. She walked in. She walked in. No way. I'll never forget what you were wearing or anything.

It really is like not a cliche. Love at first time. So you were both in college. Wow. I didn't go to college. But you were performing. He knew what he was doing. He was playing guitar.

He wasn't singing on stage at a college minister. He knew what he was doing. Brandon, can I give you a little tip? Yeah, off the air? Let me just tell you, since nobody's listening. I went to Yale University. College is mainly a waste of time and money. And I'm not kidding.

Wow. You know, you know, I'm not kidding. Yeah, I know you're not kidding. It's usually garbage. Most people who go there, they're wasting their parents' money. So, you know, it can be okay. But I, by no means think people should be like, go to college, I'm going to get.

No, I would skip it if I were you. Wow. So skip it. But that's how, but you met at the College of Charleston. We did. So, and what were you studying at the time? I studied religious studies. I was a religious studies major. Now, did you grow up in Charleston? I did not. I grew up in Atlanta. And I got a scholarship to play soccer at College of Charleston. And were you both, were you both raised in Christian homes? I was Methodist, so I mean. So that's meaningless. So can you answer the question?

I grew up going to the Methodist church. I did not get saved in. until my freshman year of college. Okay, see? That's what I'm asking. Yeah. How interesting, though. How cool. And a place that no one should have been saved, God found.

Yeah. It's literally a miracle story. Radically saved. I grew up in, my dad's a pastor. I'm a P.K. Grew up in a church plant in Myrtle Beach. And then we moved to Charleston. And I found worship.

And I found my calling music and worship in music when I was, I don't know, 12 or 13. Really? Been doing that ever since. Started writing songs at 15, 16. and still get to do that. And now we get to minister together. And, yeah. People always want, you know, it's like Christians want some kind of a, like,

definitive story of like, I fell away from God, I killed five people, and then in a jail cell. Yeah. But, no, but, like, you understand that the idea that you should have a story like that is a lie from the pit of hell. Yeah. Like, let's, because I don't have a lot of time. It's a lie from the pit of hell. If God gives you a story like that, I mean, I have a story sort of like that. But if you don't, the beauty.

beautiful first best for God is that you would be raised, you know, my parents who love Jesus and they pass it on to you and that you don't waver. And, you know, so that's kind of, it's nice to hear that. Yeah. Yeah, I always felt like, man, I don't have a testimony until I realize, I don't know, you could probably argue who has been shown more grace, the person who fell away that God brought back or the person that, you know, God has kept me. Yeah. Protected me. Yeah. And somehow I've had my moments.

Trust me. Oh, sure. I've definitely been on a path to try to be as faithful as I can and I've had a lot of help from friends and pastors. Well, I mean, look, my thing that I talk about a lot, I wrote my new book is called Religinalist Christianity, and I feel like more and more and more

I'm disgusted with religious cliches. Because everybody else has to have a testimony. Says who? Says Jesus, no. So, like, it's nice to have a testimony. I get that concept. But your whole life, what is not a testimony to God? I mean, if you're realistic, what does not testify to the goodness and glory of God?

and the idea that I have to like concoct some story because Christians will kind of like make up story. They'll make it sound worse than it was. Yeah. That's called lying. Yeah. That's not good. Yeah, right. I was literally dead in a pit.

Yeah. So you, no, but that's just interesting. So you were raised that way and you wanted to do worship early on. Yeah. And you've been doing it. Yeah. Found my faith at an early age. I watched God show up in my parents' lives, just miracles of provision.

They had very little, but yet planted a church and successfully. grew it. And he came through from my parents. I was like, why wouldn't I trust him myself? Yeah. And so now I love writing songs that connect people to this amazing God. And just because we have faith doesn't mean we don't have questions. You can have questions. But, you know, it's like I question how my car works. But it doesn't mean I'm going to be like, well, I'm not ready to get in there until I answer all the questions. It's like I'm late. I got to get in the car and go. So that's kind of like the faith, right? So you're always going to have questions, which is wise to have questions. So you met in college and how long before you decided we're getting married?

I think we were married. Engaged nine months later, married six months after that. Yeah. Brandon was 20 years old when we got married. I was 23. I was his guardian. I mean, this is the way to do it. People often ask me because you hear over and over, you better be careful. You better spend time, get to know each other. It's like, well, yeah, that's a nice idea. But another nice idea is get married. ASAP, love each other for the rest of your lives. Yeah. And go through the tough stuff inside the safety of the marriage. Yeah. Where you're not questioning every day like, should I, you know, is this a sign that I should, you know, get out of the, you know, because all through marriage, you're going to have questions or difficulties.

Praise the Lord. But it's within the safety of marriage. Yeah. And I have, my parents are divorced. Braynon quite literally is my family. Like through, he was, we were married. through the divorce and literally it's just like God knew I needed to be married when I needed to be married like you became we had our own family unit and God knew I needed a wife probably at a young age to keep me on the straight and narrow because I'm a wild I'm a wild dude and yeah Lord knows what you know if I got in success but that's real but that but that's exactly correct that is exactly correct um all right going another break we'll be right back I'm talking to the lakes that would be Brandon and Brittany the book is little little lion lung

We'll be right back. Welcome back. We're talking to Brandon and Brittany Lake, who are married, who have three kids named, wait a minute, Blaze. Nice. Actually, that's the only one I'm going to remember. They're all bees, but Blaze. Bow and Banner. Bo and Banner.

Yeah. Okay, Blaze, is that spelled B-L-A-I-S-E? Yes, it's good job. Yes. Exactly, yes. But it's a cool name. Blaze. Yeah.

Okay, Blaze, Banner and Bo. Yeah. Yes, sir. Wow. Okay, so you've written a children's book. Now, it's always challenging, having written a lot of children's books, so you feel like your kid feels pressure. Like, I have to like this book because my parents wrote it or my dad wrote it or something like that.

Your music, I want to talk about the music, because you're doing a tour this summer, right? Yes, sir. How do people find your tour? Yeah, summer worshipnightstore.com. Sorry. Summerworshipnightstor. com. Yeah, it's Phil Wickham, who has been, man, found his music when I was 15 and became like my ultimate hero.

Fast forward several years later, we start writing songs together and quite literally become like best friends. And now we literally share, we co-lead this tour. And so it's him and I run around on stage, praising God, going crazy and just seeing, it's been beautiful. We did it last year and it was so much fun. By the time the tour ended, we were like, let's run it back next year. Yeah. Thousands of people gave their life to Jesus on this tour. We give the gospel and the way we know how. And also I think it teaches people how to share the gospel because we are no professional communicator, pastors. And so we just share our faith. We share about what God's done, his goodness. And it's epic of thousands of people in the room together worshiping our God. That's amazing. So the tour, like you just ended one tour, right? So thought I ended it. It was so good.

We just added 12 more dates to the fall. So I've been on my headlining tour called Tear Off the Roof Tour. Just ended 20 dates in my TV. It's not tear off the roof sucker? It's just tear off the roof tour? Tear off the roof tour. Base off the song. Yeah.

And yeah, we ended in Charleston, South Carolina, 12,000 people at Credit One Stadium. And my hometown was incredible, but it was so good. We're like, we have to do more of these. So I have been, I have a summer tour, summer worship nights. Right. So you can come out. experienced that with Phil. Phil Wickham. Wickham, not Mr. Wickham

from the Jane Austen book. I just want to be very clear because we've got all kinds of audiences, age groups, listening to this group. We're not talking about Mr. Wickham. We're talking about, I just want to be very clear. Phil. Phil. Willickham. Yes. I'd say Dr. Phil of music, but you can't say that either. That's confusing.

Phil Wickham. And then, yes, in October, I'm going out for 12 more dates on the tear off the roof tour. Yeah. So lots going on. I have a new live record that's about to come out, 21st, the tear off the roof, live from the Holy City, Charleston, not Jerusalem. Now, we got to say this because people might not know. Charleston is known as the city of churches.

It is. That's why they call it the Holy City. If you look at the skyline, you're not allowed to build a building higher than the church steeples. Although they're pushing it. They are pushing it as Charleston has exploded. But yeah, you look out and I believe there's about 20 church steeples somewhere around that number is the skyline.

Wow. Yeah. I've spoken a number of the churches there. It is such a beautiful city, so many beautiful churches. So now when you go on tour, do you drag the family along or do you let them have a little piece sometimes? How does that work? Every tour we do one week on the road with them. Yeah.

Which is about all we can handle with the one-year-old, right? Yeah. It's actually, this last one was super special. So, yeah, we'll do one week with them, and then we got to do our life, you know? Yeah. She needs consistency. Yeah. So where is the tour?

going to be that's in August. Are you going to do any dates around New York City or where? That's a great question. I don't think we are. I thought you're doing something in Newark or something like that. I'm coming back to New York. Prudential Center, I believe. Well, that's basically New York. That's basically New York. That's your show. That's your show to come to tear off the roof in Newark. And I believe it's one of the dates in October. Yeah. But I mean, you're all over the country. So we're going all over the country from you know east coast, west coast and throughout in between. And when you, um, are on tour, do you, like, when do you, do you have, I'm always curious. People ask me this and I never have an answer about my creative process. But do you, do you

like seasons where you're writing music and then seasons where you're performing music or you kind of, you mix it up and do everything. Like, how does that work for you? Uh, Brittany, when do I stop writing songs? It does not stop ever. But part of the reason I want to. wanted him to take the fall off. I was like, you need to focus on writing your album instead of the stress. But then we were like, you got to run this tour back. So no. It's all the time. It's on the bus. It's having people in. We try to have people out to our farm to come right and experience nature. A few guys are coming out next week to write songs with me at the farm. And then we write songs while we're touring. And so. Well, this is kind of why I ask. I'm curious, because everybody has

different ways that they do what they do. People always ask me. Eric, you're so busy. When do you write? Yeah. And when do you write your books? And I honestly don't have an answer. Yeah, right. I don't know.

Yeah, because some of it's scheduled and then some of it's spontaneous. I guess. Some of it's inspired. Some of it's a discipline. Yeah. I would say, I think seasonally I tour, but I always write. And sometimes it's like open heaven and it just dropped in your lap. And then sometimes it's like, no, scheduled rights, scheduled time.

and I think both of those are important to have a rhythm. Yeah. What's the opposite of an open heaven? A brass heaven. Have you heard that term? I have not. Yeah, brass, like, you know, like a ceiling of brass. Wow.

There's no pumping. There's no breaking through. Well, no, look, the discipline part is huge. As a writer, I have to say, like, people think, like, is it writing fun? Like, you sit by a lake, you know? Yeah, right. With a cup of tea and, like, you write. It's like, no, no.

I'm in a room, and it's brutal sometimes. I don't want to be there, but it's like exercise. Like you just show up, you do it, and the Lord shows up, and, you know, you get what you get. But so what is your most recent album? My most recent album is called Coat of Many Colors. And is Joseph going to sue you? If he doesn't, I believe Dolly Parton. Oh, sorry.

She does have, but hey, you know, it's in the Bible. So really, that's where I'm, I'm stealing it. Yeah. Yeah. But, yeah, it's all, songs of like all genres really represented on this record. If you like Colplay, you're going to love coat them many colors. If you like rock and roll, you're going to love count them. Country song.

Country song. There's country on there. There's a little bit of everything. And so I think anyone will find one, if not many songs, to enjoy and to point them to Jesus. Okay. Well, listen, I praise the Lord for both of you and for your three kids. and just want to tell people little lion lungs, brand new book, children's book folks, to go along with the song, Gratitude, kind of an important concept in the faith.

So Brandon and Brittany Lake, thank you. Thank you. And God bless you. Thank you. Thank you. God bless you. Honored. I've seen lonely times when I could not find a friend, but I always thought that I'd see you.

In a moment, we will bring you Pastor Jack Hibbs. Hold on to your hat, folks. Jack Hips coming up here. I got to mention, Chris, I'm just reading this. There's something called The Relentless Patriot, a documentary film chronicling the 30-year journey of Scott Labedo as a voice for American patriotism and activism through his art. It says the film promises to showcase Labato's story. See, now that's not true. The film doesn't promise to showcase his story. It actually showcases his story. Highlighting his dedication to promoting American values, celebrating the flag, old glory, schedule for release, June 14th.

Guess what that is? Yeah, flag day. It's two things. It's flag day. Oh, yes. And it's the birthday of President Donald Trump. Wow. Anyway, the Relentless Patriot is a film coming out.

I wanted to mention that. And we're going to have Scott on the show. Yeah, we're going to have Scott Labato on this program. As somebody who likes funny things, some of his, some of his art is patriotic, but some of it's kind of, like, hilarious, too. You know, he's got some... Like our crumb level? Yeah, yeah. It's pretty great.

Like keep your blank together. Okay. I also want to mention Americans for prosperity. They're the guys who put the guys and gals, I should say, who put together the Bidenomics.com website. They are launching a national tour, I guess is the headline news. They're launching a national tour this summer to expose the weak Biden economy and to push conservative solutions to get our economy back on track.

It's called Prosperity is Possible. The tour will have buses in vans, criss-crossing the entry over the summer to educate and inform Americans worried about the economy, which is pretty much everyone except Bill Gates. And you can find out more at Prosperity Is Possible. To find out if they're coming to your area, go to Prosperity Is Possible. The other sites that they have that's all about border security is secure, border, secure America.com. Secure. Border. Secureamerica.com.

Secureamerica.com. Secureborder, secureamerica.com. And finally, our friends at the Herzog Foundation, folks, I say, people always ask me, Eric, what can I do? What can I do? And I say, just a, I mention a litany of things that you can do if you care about this country.

If you're going to a church that's not in the war against evil, if you're going to a church that's just playing church, for the love of God, for the sake of your eternal soul, get out of that church. You can go to mychurchfinder.org. I beg you to go to my churchfinder. org. Find out if your church is there and get your church to sign up at my churchfinder.

org. People ask me, what can I do? You can do that, my churchfinder.org. You can also homeschool your kids or put your kids in a Christ-centered K-12 school system or school. and if you want to do that, that's why I'm bringing up our friends at the Herzog Foundation, they have an almost infinite raft of resources. Lots of resources. Hurtsog Foundation.com.

Every time we talk to the Sorboes, they're saying you've got to do this, and Hurtsog Foundation.com tells you how to do it. Because people say, I don't know how to do it. Trust me, folks. If you have any inkling to do it, you can do it. Go to Herzog Foundation.com. It's very important.

There are a lot of resources out there. It's not just, you know, because we homeschool right now and our three kids. And it's sort of like co-schooling. You know, there are groups out there that you connect with. There's an arts program near us that our kids are doing next year. It's like 300 kids that are there, you know, twice a week doing art stuff. Like, it's not a solitary thing. No.

And by the way, anytime says, well, I want my kids to be socialized. Well, then why don't you send them to, like, maximum security prison? Well, they'll get very socialized. It's so stupid. It is such garbage. Your kids will be more socialized if they are homeschooled than if they go to some horrible woke public school. And don't forget to go to Eric Mataxis.com because you've got to sign up for the newsletter there. Please do that, folks.

There's so much information that we're sending out. We never have time on this program. We'll be right back with Jack Hibbs.