By this point, you’ve almost definitely heard Citizens and their new album—even if some Christian radio stations won’t play them because the lyrics are “too vertical” (i.e. they focus too much on Jesus).
But here at Mars Hill, we don’t think of them as rock stars, but as brothers, members of the church, and men who deeply love Jesus. These guys rock in more than one way, and we deeply appreciate their service to our church. In this Q&A, we wanted to get to know the men behind the popular videos and albums, and learn what it’s like to be a son of God, a leader in the church, and a musician in the day-to-day.
Get your copy of Citizens today on iTunes.
The group consists of Zach Bolen (lead vocals and guitar), Nate Garvey (keys), Adam Skatula (drums), Nathan Furtado (bass), and Bryce Covert (guitar). Below, they talk about Smashing Pumpkins, Tim Keller, and learning about worship from toddlers.
Mars Hill Church: What’s behind the name “Citizens”?
Zach Bolen: In Ephesians 2:19–21 you see this beautiful depiction of what happens when we are reconciled to God: we are brought from being strangers and aliens and through the grace of God, called “citizens” of the kingdom of God. That makes us a family of people whose identity is found in Jesus, with an understanding that the only one worthy of our adoration is him. . . . The name “Citizens” was a way for us to bring everyone together, with an identity that reminds us of who we are in Christ. In a sense, anyone worshiping with us is a part of Citizens.
MHC: How did Citizens get its sound?
Nate Garvey: While we all definitely had our own little twists and takes on things and came from different experiences, I think we all really just naturally came together. Zach’s always brought that big-guitar, crunchy telecaster sound. He was always talking about the old Ryan Adams and Smashing Pumpkins. (I was homeschooled my whole life, so I never knew what he was talking about.) Tom just had a crazy feel for scales and riffs, and I’ve always been into that ’80s and ’90s piano/synth-driven stuff. Adam and Nate were more of the hard rock guys—but we love them. Somehow even though we came from different backgrounds, by the time we were playing together, we just felt like it wasn’t that hard to meet in the middle and let the sound happen.
MHC: You guys tend to take old hymns and turn them into worship anthems like “Amazing Grace.” Why not just write new songs?
NG: I think it’s important to do both. I heard my friend [Sovereign Grace Music Director] Bob Kauflin say once that a good song has a timely message with a timeless melody. If you’re writing for your church, it’s really important that you know your context so you actually know what is timely for you and your people.
When we were starting Mars Hill U-District, it was really important for us, being a really young church full of college students and tons of energy, to remember those old songs and truths. . . . We wanted to be intentional about using melodies and arrangements that directed that young energy in a God-glorifying way. We wanted to stay away from making our worship about the experience and more about a response to God transforming our lives not just individually, but as a church.
MHC: How has being a part of Citizens shaped you as a Christian?
Adam Skatula: I listened to recent Tim Keller sermon where he talks about how people misunderstand free justification. He talks about how people both Christian and secular, spend a great deal of their lives trying to validate their performance record and justify their existence.
I’ve spent a great deal of time thinking that way, especially with music. Many people in music feel a weight to create something original that will stand the test of time, but really just something that people generally will say is “good.” People feel the need to justify themselves through their art or their ability.
Playing in a band that is constantly focused on worshiping Jesus hasn’t just moved my focus towards him—but instead it’s blown up the idea [of validating myself through performance] entirely. Understanding that Jesus Christ died not only to forgive, but also to give us the righteousness that he alone deserved has changed my heart and brain immensely through this band to understand I am truly free, free to worship him in his infinite love, with all that it includes. Jesus has used the guys in this band and the things that have happened over the past year and a half that we’ve been together to sanctify me and open my eyes even wider to his love and unending grace.
MHC: How has Jesus changed your music? How would it be different if you weren’t a Christian?
NG: I used to write horrible songs. I wrote about myself, my girlfriends, and what I was feeling in my heart (which was usually just a sinful response to a foolish lifestyle). Apart from his grace, everything I do is self-centered and self-gratifying. But when God saved me, he began redeeming everything in my life, including my music.
What’s amazing is that God began an incredible campaign of reconciling all things to himself when he sent his Son Jesus to conquer the power of sin and its effects in the world so when I write music, even if it’s about how crappy things might be, I always want to keep it in perspective within the lens of the gospel.
MHC: What role does prayer, Community Group involvement, or Bible-reading play in Citizens?
Nathan Furtado: Every part of that is very integral to the band, and they all connect to being part of the church. As a band, we do our best to pray in all we do and to live a life of repentance. Zach does a good job leading by consistently challenging us, pointing to Jesus and the Scriptures.
Reading the Bible is a needed daily discipline and most of the guys either lead a Community Group or are a part of one. Beyond that we are our own little Community Group, we challenge each other, encourage each other, pray for each other; they are an amazing group of guys and I am very blessed to be ministering together with them in this capacity. I think the unique part of being in a band that is part of the church is the end goal: to point to Jesus. It’s all about Jesus.
MHC: What are some challenges that you’ve gone through and how was being part of the band helpful
NF: Well, the year I joined Citizens I had newly relocated to the northwest for school. Things were very chaotic balancing church, school, collegiate soccer, and relationships. I think the biggest challenge was in early 2012, three people very close to me passed away, one of them my best friend of 25 years. I was very sad and became pretty depressed; yet having the community I have in the band it was very easy to go to them for support. Just having honest open talks about life were amazing and it was integral to getting through that season.
MHC: You are the newest member of the band. How did you become of a part of Citizens?
Bryce Covert: I had been going to Mars Hill for about nine months, and the Holy Spirit really moved in me to invest at church. Until then, I hadn’t served in any way, hadn’t participated in any way, and hadn’t given in any way. I started to ask myself, “How could I honor God with everything that he’s given me, including my skills?” At first, it wasn’t really clear to me what that looked like. . . . It turned out that Zach was looking for a guitarist, and it all fell into place really easily.
MHC: Zach, you’re the father of two adorable little girls. How has being a father shaped your song-writing?
ZB: My girls dance and sing constantly. There is usually not five minutes that go by where you don’t hear them singing something. I am so encouraged by the Kids Ministry at Mars Hill U-District. My girls sing songs like “Nothing but the Blood” and “Amazing Grace” all the time as a result of [Kids Min leaders’] faithfulness in proclaiming the gospel to those little hearts and minds. Even as little children they have a desire to sing songs to Jesus.
This has been hugely influential as I write music for the church, because I’m reminded that they are learning the gospel through a number of ways, but a lot of it comes down to them just singing gospel truth over and over. I want my girls to love Jesus and be proclaimers of his good news.
You can learn so much from kids in the way they can literally run around in a circle for two hours singing the same song, without any care of who’s watching. For them, the lyric hasn’t lost its effect and the melody continues to grab them. As adults, I think we can get desensitized so quickly that we forget how to appreciate the beauty of repetition. In reality, [kids] do a better job at times of imaging what heaven will be like, singing the same amazing truth like “AMAZING GRACE!!!” over and over, than we do.
