Jay Lowder
10 min read ⭑
“My life’s work has been centered around this one controlling passion of sharing Christ. Sometimes, it’s through articles or books I’ve written; sometimes it’s in front of NFL football teams, prisons, students or addiction centers.”
Jay Lowder remembers what it felt like to lose hope. To want to die. But in that dark moment, God reached out and saved him — and now he lives each day to share the gospel of hope and rescue with others who are hurting and alone. As a full-time evangelist, he founded Jay Lowder Harvest Ministries and has participated in more than 600 citywide outreaches and conferences. He also developed Crossroads, a nationally acclaimed school assembly that’s reached 3 million students across the U.S. In his book Midnight in Aisle Seven, Jay shares real-life stories of redemption (including his own), and in his devotional, Navigate, he offers 365 reflections on finding peace and purpose through Jesus.
Below, he gets honest about how hunting and fishing connect him with God and family, the spiritual disciplines that help him hear God’s voice and the resources that laid a foundation for his evangelism career. He also reflects on how the intensity that fuels his evangelism can create obstacles in relationships.
Note: The following interview mentions suicide and suicidal thoughts. If you or someone you know is in a crisis, please call, text or message the Christians In Crisis Hotline at + 1-844-472-9687. You are not alone.
QUESTION #1: ACQUAINT
Food is always about more than food; it’s also about home and people and love. So, how does a go-to meal at your favorite hometown restaurant reveal the true you behind your web bio?
Gathering around the table has always been about family. Growing up, we would sit down together as a family every single night to talk about the day, but regrettably, I have found that, with the busyness of life and three kids, we often don’t get to eat together. When we do, it’s more than just a meal.
The great outdoors, hunting and fishing are not only a part of our culture here in Texas but also one of the ways that we build relationships and connect with others. For me, our most special meals are those where we are eating things we harvested in the field or on the water. These dinners or a culmination of adventure, time spent together, successes and memories that are replayed over and over during our feast. They take on a meaning that an ordinary meal doesn’t have because it’s tied to preparation, dedication and success. These meals not only expose my hobbies but also my passion to spend time with my kids. They’re also a way for me to unplug from my normal responsibilities. It’s part of my heritage, the way I was brought up and my family’s love for the outdoors.
Our favorite meal, hands down, would have to be wild turkey. We have a special recipe where we cut up turkey breast into strips, inject it with a Cajun seasoning and wrap it in bacon. We always joke that if we were ever put on death row, it would be our request for our last meal.
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QUESTION #2: REVEAL
What “nonspiritual” activity have you found to be quite spiritual, after all? What quirky proclivity, out-of-the-way interest or unexpected pursuit refreshes your soul?
The activity I find to be nonspiritual yet sacred is tied to our favorite meal. I have spent my entire life on the road speaking to large groups of people. So when I’m at home, my way of reconnecting with God and escaping the pressures and responsibilities I daily carry is through hunting and fishing. While I love people, and I enjoy being around them when I get home, I also want to escape the crowds. I want solitude and peace and quiet.
Many people are so busy they have no idea what it’s like to be disconnected from noise and phones and traffic. When I am out in the woods, it becomes just me, my thoughts and my God. This time facilitates reflection, allowing me to think through what is essential and nonessential. Maybe it is walking the woods of Montana with my son, hunting elk and listening to the bugle of an excited bull. Or it could be early spring, sitting at the base of a tree on a cool April morning, hearing wild turkeys gobbling toward the hens they will be chasing once they fly to the ground. It becomes a reminder of how creative God is. When my son is able to harvest one of these incredible birds, and I see the joy on his face, I know I’m living in memories I will forever treasure.
QUESTION #3: CONFESS
Every superhero has a weakness; every human, too. We’re just good at faking it. But who are we kidding? We’re all broken and in this thing together. So what’s your kryptonite, and how do you confront its power?
Like everyone else, my greatest weakness is also tied to my greatest strength. I’m too aggressive! There’s no way of counting how many times my kids have told me I’m too “extra.” It’s their vernacular of saying I’m either too excited or come on too strong.
As a person who has spent their entire life since 21 preaching the gospel, this trait serves me well on stage, but it can cause big problems at times in my marriage and as a father of three kids. I’m just wired to be aggressive always — I only have a fifth gear. This means I sometimes don’t respond to my wife with the sensitivity that she needs, or I talk too much when I should be listening to my kids.
People who don’t know me often feel intimidated and think I’m extremely serious. They don’t realize that I’m actually very sensitive and have an unexpected tenderness that only those closest to me are aware of. Trying to find the right balance has been a journey my entire life, and it’s one I’m sure I’ll struggle with till the day I die.
QUESTION #4: FIRE UP
Tell us about your toil. How are you investing your professional time right now? What’s your current obsession? And why should it be ours?
I grew up in church. In the South, it’s a way of life for most people. But even though I was often in the building, I never had a relationship with Christ. Everything changed after a suicide attempt when I was 21. The night I met Jesus, I knew that I wanted to spend my life helping other wounded, broken people like me. I became consumed with wanting people to have the opportunity to experience the peace and purpose I felt from having Christ in my life. Nothing seemed to matter anymore except giving people hope, and my conviction was that the only way to find true significance was to experience God.
My father was a businessman, and that’s what I always thought I would be. I wanted to make a lot of money and have a lot of possessions, but after meeting Jesus, I didn’t care about those things anymore. I wanted my life to have an impact long after I was gone, and I became convinced that there was no better way than by telling people about Jesus. I assumed every other believer had the same concern for nonbelievers as I did, but I found out I was very wrong.
Evangelism is my life. People say you’re not what you do but who you are, but it’s hard for me to separate the two. So much of my worth and self-identity is connected to my purpose in life. I’m always around hurting people. It’s the lens through which I see everything. It’s why I founded Jay Lowder Harvest Ministries. My life’s work has been centered around this one controlling passion of sharing Christ. Sometimes, it’s through articles or books I’ve written; sometimes it’s in front of NFL football teams, prisons, students or addiction centers.
I’m constantly trying to think of ways to get the message of Christ out there. I have produced television series and put on outdoor expos, family fun days and even concert series. All of these endeavors have had a singular goal in mind — giving people the opportunity to know Jesus Christ in a personal way. I know what it’s like to fight addiction and struggle with mental health issues in my earlier years. I know what it’s like to sit on the sofa with a gun in my hand, ready to end my life. I never want to forget what it’s like to be in that place or forget that there are others who are experiencing the same battles and need help.
QUESTION #5: BOOST
Whether we’re cashiers or CEOs, contractors or customer service reps, we all need God’s love flowing into us and back out into the world. How does the Holy Spirit invigorate your work? And how do you know it’s God when it happens?
I think Americans have been sold a very flawed bill of goods. This idea of getting a good education and spending year after year accumulating things so that one day they can retire and go fishing seems ludicrous. God has such a bigger purpose for us, and he wants us all to have a mission that brings us worth and value, as well as expands his kingdom.
I believe God has given each one of us certain talents and desires that he longs to use for our benefit and the benefit of others. I’m convinced every career path should be a ministry in and of itself. For some people, their contribution is through finances; for others, it can be acts of service or communication. What matters is having the mindset of using our gifts and talents for the glory of God. When that becomes the focus, it’s amazing the doors that will open.
QUESTION #6: inspire
Scripture and tradition beckon us into the rich and varied habits that open our hearts to the presence of God. So let us in. Which spiritual practice is working best for you in this season?
For me, nothing brings me into the presence of God like spending time reading the Bible. It seems almost trite to say this, but it’s what works best for me. Prayer plays an important role in my life. But when we only practice the art of prayer, it becomes a one-way conversation in which we speak to God but don’t allow him to speak to us through his Word.
Of course, God can speak through many different avenues, such as people, music and experiences, but nothing builds a better connection between God and me than his Word.
Another discipline that has helped me is memorizing Scripture. I began this practice right after I put my faith in Christ, and it has become a tool to help me avoid a lot of pitfalls. It also provides wisdom and direction for my life.
QUESTION #7: FOCUS
Looking backward, considering the full sweep of your unique faith journey and all you encountered along the way, what top resources stand out to you? What changed reality and changed your heart?
When I first accepted Jesus, I knew I needed and wanted to grow. My first goal was to get a mentor, someone who could be a spiritual father to me and disciple me. I was very fortunate that the pastor of my church took me under his wing and was not only accessible but a huge asset.
I also knew I was called into the arena of evangelism, so it made sense to read the biographies of the great ones who preceded me. My father had told me as a young man that if I was going to be successful in business, the best thing I could do would be to learn from others who had done well and avoid the same pitfalls they fell into. I became a voracious reader of every evangelist I could find. I was so impressed with Billy Graham that I named my youngest son after him. To get hands-on experience, I started traveling with several evangelists — even fulfilling a lifelong dream of meeting Billy Graham and sitting on stage with him in Veterans Stadium in Philadelphia.
These two resources became the catalyst that shaped my ministry and who I am today.
Certain things can be godsends, helping us survive, even thrive, in our fast-paced world. Does technology ever help you this way? Has an app ever boosted your spiritual growth? If so, how?
Technology has become very helpful in developing the topics and talks I give. However, I’m still a bit old-school and love to read and collect books. I use them as much as, if not more than, technology for my personal and ministry development.
That said, technology plays a huge role in our ministry and getting the word out. Especially social media. We have amassed a very strong following, which has helped us reach people who were otherwise unreachable.
QUESTION #8: dream
God’s continually stirring new things in each of us. So give us the scoop! What’s beginning to stir in you but not yet fully awakened? What can we expect from you in the future?
Our biggest vision right now is the concert series. We have worked on it off and on for years, and it’s still in the growing and developing stage. We are always looking to reach the largest number of people, and we understand that music and sporting events have always drawn the biggest crowds. So we’re tapping into avenues where we can use this medium to accomplish two main objectives: 1) We long to give people the hope found in the gospel, and 2) because of my own story, we want to assist those who struggle with suicidal tendencies or have lost loved ones through suicide.
Each one of us has been given a gift to serve God and minister to others. Maybe your personality, giftings and passions are perfectly aligned with a calling as an evangelist, like Jay — or maybe not.
Paul tells us, “For as in one body we have many members, and the members do not all have the same function, so we, though many, are one body in Christ, and individually members one of another. Having gifts that differ according to the grace given to us, let us use them” (Rom. 12:4-6, ESV).
You don’t have to have the same calling or gifting as someone else. God gave you the talents and desires you have for a reason. What matters is that you use them for his glory.
Jay Lowder is committed to reaching those who struggle in everyday life. He’s the founder of Jay Lowder Harvest Ministries, an organization dedicated to reaching diverse groups of people with the message of Jesus Christ. He has participated in over 600 citywide outreaches and conferences and developed the nationally acclaimed school assembly Crossroads, which has been presented to 3 million students nationwide. The author of Navigate and Midnight in Aisle Seven, he is the creator and producer of The Darkest Hour, a television series that has aired nationwide on the Discovery Channel, TBN and Freeform.
