David Ellefson, bassist for the band Megadeth, is entering seminary according to Reverb, Denver Post:
Concordia Seminary in suburban St. Louis gets an eclectic mix of students in a program allowing them to train for the ministry online — electricians, farmers, entrepreneurs — and even a founder of one of the best-known thrash metal bands.
David Ellefson plays bass for Megadeth. He also is an online student in the Specific Ministry Program at Concordia Seminary operated by the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod.
The St. Louis Post-Dispatch reported that Ellefson’s studies illustrate why distance learning programs at seminaries have a growing popularity nationwide, allowing students to attend divinity schools without uprooting their lives.
Even in a non-traditional learning setting, Ellefson is a non-traditional student given his band has recorded albums with titles such as “Killing Is My Business … And Business Is Good!”
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Classes begin each Monday, though homework is posted a few days earlier. On Tuesday nights, Ellefson and eight other students sit in online for a two-hour live session with a professor teaching from a Concordia classroom. Once a week he meets with Bjorgaard to discuss the week’s work. And late in the week, he uploads homework for the professor to grade.
He has learned to keep his faith and his onstage persona separate. As for songwriting, he now tries to ‘stay away from darker themes.”
“Some people want to morph things together into one, but I have a hand in both worlds,” he said. “I love praise and worship music, and I love heavy metal.”
Dave Mustaine the lead singer and guitarist has been a vocal Christian for about 20 years according a fan.
Terry Thayer – lead guitarist for KISS is an Episcopalian.