Spotlight on... Chip Bramlage

During my first 20 years of life I had no clue who, what, where, and why God is. I was too busy surviving the streets and eating out of garbage cans along with all the sad things a street kid has to live with.  I can say I was a living television drama back then.  It is only by the grace of God I am alive and able to write what I am writing now.

God to me was a fairytale from the Brothers Grimm stories. God was some big dude with supernatural powers that either gave peace or God would blow the world up when things didn’t go his/her/its way. Greek mythology comes to mind when I think of it. I did not really think God existed.  Though I did pray nightly and constantly for a compassionate God that could save me from what was given to me at birth. Hell and death is what I remember during that time of my life.

In my early twenties a concept was brought to my attention.  That concept was called Christianity.  I went through many theologies and found it all scary, thought numbing, and controlling. There were so many rules that seem to only oppress the spirit that was claimed to be a gift from God. So, I went out and researched the one practice all the theologies seem to have in common, prayer and meditation.  I knew a God existed, but I didn’t understand what that meant beyond the fact I knew a God of some sort created the world around me that I wanted to be a part of.

Through many years of reading, studying, and listening I grabbed on to what seemed compassionate and realistic to me at the time. I wouldn’t allow myself to be part of a church or a religion, because I simply thought they all had it wrong. I kept praying and asking questions constantly.  Some engaged and others blew the conversation off. My fight with myself wasn’t that God didn’t exist. I knew that simply because I was alive, with a job, a roof over my head and dreams I could live for.  Remember I prayed for many years for the opportunity to live. My obstacle was Jesus being a savior, after all wasn’t he just a man that had great conviction for humanities wellness?

I believed in a man named Jesus, who lived and taught wonderful ideas and concepts. In fact I began learning to live Christ’s example the best I could. The one fact that kept me from being a Christian and accepting Christ as my savior was how he came to earth, the Immaculate Conception.  There was a local church who tried to deny my family of my daughter’s baptism because I wouldn’t or couldn’t believe in the Immaculate Conception. That was very embarrassing but, a growth period for me personally.

I came to Nexus to play music. I have been playing, studying music for many years in many levels of its profession.  I have a family that I wanted to be part of Gods existence and we were not there, individually maybe but, not as a family. I called Nexus and offered to help with their music program. They accepted and a new life began.

It took me a few months to comprehend their openness and value of being all affirming. I thought it was a scam and absolutely impossible that a Church could be so open. All those rules and traditions one had to claim in order to be part of something. Where did those rules and traditions go?  The conversations during the sermons were mind blowing. It felt like I was in a room with a bunch of friends discussing God instead of being told what God is and if you don’t follow, Hell is on the way. It was refreshing and confusing but, at the same time this place called Nexus has  given me reason and intrigue to keep soul searching.

My growth and my families growth spiritually, emotionally, physically (well, that’s my fault for slow growth or fast growth however you want to look at it), and mentally has been a journey of joy when I think of it in hindsight.  My daughter at the age of 7 reads the Bible now and is always inquiring about God and Jesus. My family and I now have discussions about God and Jesus. We are learning how to live as a family with God. I am glad Nexus and I got to play a song together. The melody has been fresh every since.  Peace is always the best alternative. We are finding it through Nexus.

Chip teaches guitar (and other instruments) and helps bands learn to play together.  You can find out more about what Chip does at his website  www.ampsrock.com.  Chip is married to Krista and has a 7 year old daughter, Brooke.