Who is Tony Shepherd?
My government name is Tony Shepherd, a lot of people still know me as Tony “Stone”. I feel like I’ve covered a lot of mileage in my meager 31 years on this planet! Christ graciously saved me when I was young and living in Florida, and since then, I’ve learned a lot and grown in ways that I would have never picked if I were to write the script of my life. I am married to my beautiful wife, Jolene and we are moving in on 7 years of marriage (I don’t deserve her!) this coming October. We have 2 boys and 1 girl with my girl being the youngest of the family. I’m currently residing in the Hampton Roads region of Virginia where I grew up in my teen years, and where the Lord rekindled my heart some 13 years ago. I’m an associate pastor for Hampton Roads Fellowship that meets in Newport News, VA.
You used to be heavily involved in Christian hip hop. Now you’re a pastor. Why’d you leave the hip hop scene for the pastorate?
Yea man, I spent a good decade working on a lot of music from Braille to Lecrae. I love all the people that I had a chance to work with. The Lord used it to refine me and prepare me for this season of life. It seems fashionable these days to either be a rapper that seeks to artistically dominate or to be a rapper who goes and pastors a church. So the first thing that I want to say is that those aren’t the only two options for a minority guy. Loving the Lord with all your heart and not doing art, sports, or church planting aren’t your only options. This is the arena that I’m called to and the Lord had been cultivating that in my life since my late teens. It wasn’t a decision that fit a cool and trendy pattern, but rather it unfolded over time and Pastoral ministry was my desire long before cool church planting networks, torn jeans, and flannel button-ups.
Music for me had always been a medium through which I discovered robust theological truth (I had been listening to Christian rap since the mid 90’s), and it was a voice of a generation of people who wanted churches that preached that kind of truth week in and week out. The Lord provided for me a great opportunity to learn and grow at Immanuel Church for three years (shout out to Pastor Ray Ortlund!) and soak up some of the necessary exposure that I would need for the stage of life that I’m in now. This is really super abbreviated, but my main point for people reading this is to know that my desire to care for the flock of God as entrusted to the care of elders was a burden that found it’s earliest roots when I was a child, and only gained deeper conviction and clarity as I matured in life and in the faith of our Lord.
Why do you think hip hop has been such a powerful influence in the so-called “Reformed Revival” of our day?
Like I alluded to earlier: in many ways, it has become a voice for a generation. Particularly there are some artists that wanted to use hip-hop as a native tongue to say on records what they desired to see in their churches, and especially (but not limited to) minority churches. I think a few artists have exemplified thoughtful theological robustness and it was those artists that were sort of the hidden gem of Christian rap from a mainstream reformed vantage point. But it wasn’t until commercial successes happened for some artists that the “movement” became non-ignorable. It was the charting and awards that got the average reformed person’s attention. They then stumbled upon a whole world that they never knew existed in their back yard.
What is one of the major obstacles for minority leaders in the broad stream of evangelicalism?
Great question, man. There’s so much that can be said here, but I think one major obstacle is the assumption that minority leaders have the same socio-economical family and social networks that they could tap into with just the right fund-raising practices. Mainstream evangelicalism doesn’t realize how fundamentally economically stout it is (ticket purchases on things like “Heaven is For Real” remind us of this). A minority leader will probably see a different demographic sitting in front of him and will likely have a harder time fund raising in his network.
This might sound strange, but can you tell me how you think we’re doing a GOOD job at handling race relations in the Church?
I can’t speak for the broader scope other than to say that there are significant strides being made forward. The depth will only be discernible in terms of years. I can, however, speak for HRF as a local church. The Lord has given us a very diverse group. We currently have 74 people in membership (membership matters!) and we have black, white, hispanic, asian, and mixes of those. The Lord has really done it, because we didn’t “campaign” on race relations before our launch. People are seeing ethnically diverse people seeking to do each other spiritual good and it’s setting a new precedent on how we can love one another when the Gospel is cherished and insisted upon. We have a lot of blind spots, but overall, race relations at HRF have been a real non-event. Sinners saved by grace are just trying to find out how to walk in covenant commitment towards each other for the sake of Christ. I’m thankful for that.
Isn’t Church planting just a numbers game? Be honest…
That’s what the books tell you. That’s what the conferences infer. That’s what the gurus point to. While I do think numbers matter (I want to know how many are the flock amongst us that I’m charged to shepherd and give oversight), they aren’t a good indicator of how things are going. That’s usually the issue with how numbers are used. Numbers could indicate that a church is healthy. Numbers could indicate that a church is really unhealthy. So it’s not a reliable gauge. We have to fight hard to change the language in church planting circles and disassociate numbers from “how’s it going?” and moving it over to, “What are you doing to gain the numbers and with the numbers?” Numbers (in membership) for me, at the end of the day, means more souls that I, as an elder, will give an account for. And I want to elder to the glory of God without the covetous eye of big numbers.
What would you say to a young church planter who came up to you and asked how he might grow his church?
I would tell him that he could put a lion in a cage on the stage if he wants to grow his church. He could fire off pyrotechnics from the stage to get service started if he wants to grow his church. But if he wants to steward and under shepherd Christ’s church, he’d better give himself to personal holiness, a tenacity to guard the Gospel, and faithfulness to what the Lord requires of an elder. Faithfulness > Fruitfulness.
Do you have any heroes?
I have many that I would call heroes, but they are still living. As far as the ones who have gone on to be with the Lord that I’ve had the chance to watch their exit, I will highlight one – Todd. He was the worship leader at Immanuel Church in Nashville for a few years before he fell victim to cancer. He was genuine and pure of heart. He was peaceable, and he constantly pointed us to the greatness of our Lord. It would be a gift if my life ended with that kind of legacy and impact!
What would you tell Tony ten years ago?
Your wife will be amazing.
3 Favorite Movies
I’m bad with this kind of stuff. I think the only movie that I would pay to see again would be the Avengers. But I’m saying that because I don’t do a lot of movies.
3 Favorite TV Shows
The Unit, 24, and maybe some cooking show or crime solving show.
3 Favorite Books (Theological)
Delighting in the Trinity – Michael Reeves
The Glory of Christ – John Owen
Pleasures of God – John Piper
3 Favorite Books (Non-theological)
Chronicles of Narnia – CS Lewis
Any book that my kids want me to read
Jonathan Edwards Biography
Finally, I heard you’re teaming up with Shai Linne to make a mixtape called “Blammin’ Bible Gatz in the Nayme of Yeezus”. When can we expect that mug to drop on datpiff?
LOL, well Json decided that the world wasn’t ready for this mixtape yet.