Plays On Word Radio
An in-depth look at the Word of God, the Plays On Word community, and the Plays - with original music - we perform, that are based on the Word of God. New episodes drop Fridays at 7AM EST! To find out how Plays On Word Theater can perform 'LIVE on YOUR STAGE' and to support this missionary & podcast visit: https://playsonword.org/
Plays On Word Radio
Ep 95: A Pastor's Journey of Divine Transformation - A Legacy of Faith, Melody and the Power of Love (Part 1)
"Has God called you to something but you keep avoiding Him? Today Pastor Teddy and the Very Reverend Joe Santucci from Hope Community Church in Manasquan, NJ discuss God’s call, faith, resilience, and music's power."
Today, Pastor Fred Kenney, Jr., also known as Pastor Teddy, and The Very Reverend Joe Santucci join us to discuss faith, resilience, and the power of music. Pastor Teddy goes back to the origins of Plays on Word Theater, where Pastor Joe's steadfast support was instrumental. Joe opens up about his battle with health challenges, showing us the strength of faith amidst adversity. From the lively 1970s New Jersey club scene to his spiritual transformation, Joe's journey as a musician and spiritual guide is nothing short of inspirational.
In this episode, we revisit the evolution of recording technology, as Pastor Joe reminisces about his professional recording studio, which marked a turning point for our own musical endeavors. Despite stepping away from commercial music, Pastor Joe continues to create personal projects that honor divine gifts. His story encompasses experiences with Columbia Records and NBC Radio, alongside the shifting landscape of Christian music. Joe's dedication to serving his community through unwavering faith and music remains a testament to his perseverance and belief in using his talents for a higher purpose.
We also celebrate personal stories of divine intervention, illustrating the profound impact of faith and community. As Pastor Joe marks his 43rd wedding anniversary, we honor the role of supportive partners in ministry. This episode encourages listeners to stay grounded in God's teachings and to remember the essence of love and unity within the Christian community. As we explore the depth of God's love and the promise of eternal life, we invite you to engage with these spiritual insights and look forward to sharing more revelations in the coming weeks.
Joe Santucci, Senior Pastor
Hope Community Church
https://hopecom.net/
The Very Reverend Joe Santucci's music: Youtube link; Amazon Music; Spotify
Plays On Word website
Plays On Word YouTube
Plays On Word Facebook
Plays On Word Instagram
Email us: team@playsonword.org
Lord you know. Hey guys, you are now listening to Plays on Word Radio. It's the best.
Speaker 3:We were sitting in a hotel room and a Christian television program came on and we all laughed and we said look at this, they're talking about Jesus on TV. And I laughed as well. But there was something that spoke to me. I saw something in the faces of these people that I wanted. It was very real to me. This is what I wanted in my life. So when we got off the road I continued to watch that program and finally one day I dropped to my knees and made the commitment to Christ and invited him into my life. You're the only thing.
Speaker 2:You're the only thing, you're the only thing.
Speaker 1:Hello and welcome to Plays on Word Radio, where we discuss, analyze, work and play on the Word of God. Thank you for joining us on this excursion. Today let's join Pastor Teddy, also known as Fred David Kenny Jr, the founder of Plays on Word Theater, as he does a deep dive into the Word of God.
Speaker 2:Oh, that's Reverend, the good Reverend Joe Santucci, Otherwise known as Joe Saint Joe there we go, there we go, there we go, the infamous God bless you sir, it is good.
Speaker 2:Welcome to Plays on Word Radio and it's been a long time coming here, getting you on here. You are the pastor of Hope Community Church and a dear brother of ours me and Katie and a longtime supporter, proponent of Plays on Word. What we're doing, amen, what we have done like a long time. You were at the first Pl plays that we did. Yeah, you, you go back with us. It's hard to believe it's been over.
Speaker 2:it's been over 10 years now, which is kind of yeah, that's kind of crazy crazy man, that's crazy time is just, uh, zipping by as far as, and in fact, the very first, the very first play we did was in the basement there over there at Hope Community. Very first, genesis Joe we did was was there, and so you know you play a pivotal, foundational role I should say a foundational role in in this ministry, what we're doing now. So I just want to thank you, bro, thank you for all the guidance you've given me over the years, with many cups of coffee and just getting together. How are you?
Speaker 3:Good, it was a crazy summer. Ended up in the hospital for 10 days.
Speaker 2:Oh, this is news to me. I'm just finding this out now.
Speaker 3:No, this is weird. It was weird. It's a very long story. It all started with my back going out, ended up in the hospital with what they thought I had. They thought I had autoimmune encephalitis, which is a very rare disease. Ended up, when all is said and done, when I got out and visited again to the neurologist they don't believe it was that, but they have no idea what it was. So that was my summer, it was. It was such a I mean really truly.
Speaker 3:It was like july and august were like shot between my back and that whole ordeal so goodness, we're 10 days but god is good, we're feeling good and you know, going for my uh, my shot for my back um next week. Okay, god, I've been doing pt and yeah amen.
Speaker 2:Uh, before we get into the music history, uh, is that what we're gonna do? Yeah, well, yeah, just you know, I just want to talk to you and see, okay, because, cool, this is new to many of the listeners. Many of the listeners do not know you. And and just so you listeners, if you are listening right now, well, actually, if you are listening, say amen, okay, that wasn't loud. And if you're listening, say amen, okay, there we go. Now I got some amens.
Speaker 2:Yeah, joe has been a dear brother of mine and he's helped to keep me on a straight and narrow path, and so you can send any hate mail to him. That's right, amen, that's right. But not only is Joe a man of God, but he's a very good musician and he played a role as far as the on the first CD and I think on the second one, an album, we did the volume one and I think on the second album we did Volume 1 and Volume 2, I know Volume 1 came over for listening sessions and gave advice and stuff. So even when you're listening to the music, for the plays on Word, on the soundtrack, joe has had an influence even on that. So, yeah, this is my dear brother, one of my dearest brothers. So, joe, give us the rundown man, like tell us about Joe Santucci, maybe BC before Christ, and then how did you come to meet him?
Speaker 3:Oh, ok, sure. Well, I was doing music for a living and, you know, playing the clubs it was. It was a very different time back then we're talking about about the 1970s. Here in New Jersey in the tri-state area, the whole club bar scene was very active. A lot of bands, a lot of music in the clubs. So that's kind of what I got into.
Speaker 3:I was singing in a local church. I was not a Christian, but I was singing in a local church and somebody heard me and said you know what? We'd like to book you in our club and I said, okay, cool, I had just turned 18. Said, okay, cool, um, I was, I had just turned 18 and back in those days if you were under age and that was under age you had to get a, a card what they called an abc card from the state to do that. So I got all that, started performing in clubs and that became that, became my, my livelihood. Um, ended up then getting, uh, signing with a manager in New York City, started playing places in the city and nothing really came of that. So after all that bouncing around in the city, I was done with all of that and ended up in a band and I started to search because, though I was raising this church, um, I still did not have certainly a piece to pass his understanding. That was like that. That just wasn't there. And I came to a point in my life where I said, either there's got to be more to life than this or I understand why people, you know, drink, drug and and party. And you know, that's it. It's understandable.
Speaker 3:So we were playing in Maine, beautiful state of Maine, and we were sitting in a hotel room and a Christian television program came on and we all laughed and we said, look at this, they're talking about Jesus on TV. And I laughed as well. But there was something that spoke to me that morning the faces of these people that I wanted. It was very real to me that this was real and this is what I wanted in my life. So when we got off the road, I continued to watch that program for a few months. That was 700 Club, and finally, one day I dropped to my knees in front of the television set and, you know, I made a commitment to Christ and invited him into my life and to make me new. And so that was back in the last century. It was 1977, december of 1977. So coming up on an anniversary here, and that started my journey, and that started my journey.
Speaker 3:Then, um, I continued to play in clubs, um, and right after making a profession of faith to christ, I was, uh, living with a woman.
Speaker 3:So I moved out of living with that woman and I bought the house that I'm speaking to you from with the idea of building the studio which is where I'm sitting.
Speaker 3:And we did and I mean, it looks a lot different than back in the day but so we put the studio together, uh, with the hopes of working with christian artists, um, and that's a story in itself which I won't go into right now. But I um did that for, uh, gosh, I don't know, maybe maybe four or five, six years, and that's when things technologically started to change. There's, things started to move. I was, we were recording on analog tape, it was moving into the digital world and because of my own, my own life and my, my sense of I started to really get a sense of call from the Lord to pursue the pastorate. So I was not going to go down that line or that road at that point, because I just didn't have the energy at the time and so we sold all of that great analog equipment and I got away from music for a number of years. I mean, I'm still singing in churches and you know doing that.
Speaker 2:But as far as like the recording side of things and production side, Let me just cut you off real quick because just so you people, you people, I sound like Ross Perot, just so you people listening right now just know that Joe Santucci's studio was the first professional studio I ever recorded in, I ever went to. So, yeah, when I say this brother, I go back with this brother. He's had a profound influence on me. I'm not joking, the very. I remember that, like the session, like it was yesterday, the very first pro studio. I remember reading Mix Magazine and being so excited because, oh my goodness, there's a pro studio in Point Pleasant, new Jersey. I live, live in brio. Oh my goodness, amaya sound, oh, wow, yeah. So anyway, I just had to interject that, uh, while you continue, so please continue with your.
Speaker 3:It's okay, I'm laughing when you say that because, uh, actually we were the first, to my knowledge, we were the first 24 track studio, uh, at the shore. Today that's a whole different, you know, it's a whole different scene. But, um, we, yeah, which? Was and that, and, and you know that in five bucks will get me a uh, you know, a latte at St Arbux.
Speaker 2:So that was a big deal. Let me tell you something that was a big deal especially. You know I think we came in at 86, 87, somewhere around there, uh, and you know we had in in our, in my high school we had an eight track machine. So to go to a 24, that was like you've made it to the promised land, to go to a 24 track, two inch I remember buying the reel of Ampex 456 and opening it up.
Speaker 3:Oh, there you go.
Speaker 2:Oh the smell. Two-inch tape, the smell. I see a reel in the back. There Is that 456. You got on the machine.
Speaker 3:Yeah, it is Unfortunately that reel-to-reel doesn't work anymore but, it's back there and it is 456.
Speaker 2:There's nothing like that smell man. That meant creativity. Yes, it's true and for those of you that know, you know you're nodding your heads right now going, yeah, I remember. But those of you that don't know you, digital generation x and y and z guys, if I'm telling you it, it sparked creativity and so it was a big deal. The 20, the idea of going to a 24 track was man, you made it to the promised land. So, anyway, please continue sure.
Speaker 3:So um, anyway, so backed off from the studio and um, pursued school of to you know, finally, finally, I here's the the deal with regard to the pastor, I'd sensed a call early on, uh from the lord to uh to pursue the pastor, but I ran from it for a good 10 years and I would love to say that my first 10 years walking with the Lord was just a real smooth sailing experience. But it wasn't. It was full of very big bumps, but God is faithful and he kept his hand on me and I, just so, when I finally stopped running, I, you know, pursued school, got further and further away from anything. With regard to, you know, recording, that was not in the, in the mix of things at that time. And it's interesting how the Lord kind of like, call me back to that just to work on my own, my own things. You know, he doesn't give us gifts and then tell us to throw them away. He gives us gifts so that we can use them for his glory and so that's, you know, that's what I ended up doing. I mean this again the studio is not an open commercial studio. It it's really for, you know, my own projects at this point.
Speaker 3:But yeah, so that kind of that's kind of the music scene. I mean I had back in the day I had, uh, some music published by uh columbia records, by uh april blackwood, which was a dance record, nice, uh nbc radio. It's funny. I got this is weird I got a call from a guy in england. They wanted to do, they wanted to use a song that was an album that nbc radio new york did called the hometown album, that which I had a song on, um and um, this guy is putting together these compilations from these from the cities across the united states. So it's, that was a call.
Speaker 3:That was kind of surprising. That was like in the last few months, last three or four months, so yeah, that was basically it, um music. You know the idea I was hoping to be a christian, contemporary christian music artist. That never panned out. Um, you know, as far as any kind of you know getting signed to a label myself and doing that kind of thing, I produced a group that um christian group that uh came very close to getting signed. But but you and I've been down that road. I mean, the christian music scene is the christian music scene and we won't go into that right now.
Speaker 2:But um, it's all it is it?
Speaker 3:Yeah, we'll just leave that alone, so, anyway, yeah. So here we are today, all these many years later, and it's it's been an interesting journey, amen.
Speaker 2:You've been serving the people of the Lord, the citizens of his kingdom. You've been faithfully serving, serving the citizens of the kingdom for a long time. I emphasize faithfully. You know that's the key man and when I think about you I think about faithfulness. Man, you are at your post and you don't waver. And we've all suffered difficulties and gone through hardships one way or another. I have a brother that goes to our church that's suffering physically really bad. You know he's having a hard time and I was just sharing with him that he's not church that's suffering physically really bad. He's having a hard time and I was just sharing with him that he's not alone in his suffering.
Speaker 2:The Lord's with him but there are also other brothers and sisters. The Lord's asked us to do this first. Go around one time. We just have to go through this one time and then glory. So we don't have to. It's not like it's going to be continual suffering, so we will keep Thank you for the unknown situation going on. I had no idea about that. This past year, moving down to North Carolina and getting things get our equilibrium has been a little bit of a challenge, so I apologize for not staying in the contact that I like to do.
Speaker 3:No man, that's OK, Don't worry about that. I know you guys have been.
Speaker 2:It's been a real blessing for you guys to go start a new work it's been a real um blessing for you guys to go start a new work. And yeah, I know, I remember I had a herniation and two discs in my back on time and I'll never forget the time when you came by, man, and just just came by out of nowhere and the lord put you, me, on your heart. You came by and prayed for me. I was inside oh my goodness, I was hurting so bad and it was like and, and I couldn't believe that I said, wow, I didn't. I didn't call Joe or nothing, he just the Lord sent him over here and it blew my mind.
Speaker 2:It was like the Lord had a has a way of letting people know, uh, that yes, we do face difficulties, man, and a lot of the prosperity preachers will preach you come to Christ and your problems disappear. But we don't see that in scripture. But what we do see is we have help from on high in our problems and that the end result is the problems disappear eventually. But I was so I mean to this day I'm so grateful for you for that. But I was so I mean to this day I'm so grateful for you, know for you for that. How about a couple of questions here, man, I need you to to rack your brain on this one, maybe go into the memory banks, um what was the just to.
Speaker 2:If you can think of it, can you give us one of the most impactful ministry experiences that you've ever experienced, something that was very impactful?
Speaker 2:to you something that happened to me either to you or just that you've been involved in, like for me, when we went to the jail and a bunch of those guys gave their life to the lord after the genesis joe play that is on one of my mount rushmore's as far as just wow that was. That was an impactful, that made an impact on me. You know that was an impactful ministry experience that the Lord let me take part in and I you know so.
Speaker 3:can you think of any off the top of your head or Well, one that's comes to mind was when, uh, again with our band, straight street, we had done this, uh outreach for a church I believe it was in pennsylvania, I know it was a real long drive and uh, we drove out and it was for a group of um teenagers and we did our set. Uh, then I gave an altar call and we were like flabbergasted, we stood there, I mean I would. There was a group of, it was a few hundred kids and I would say out of that 200 kids, at least 50 percent of those kids came forward to receive Christ it was like praise the Lord it was like really one of those moments you're like you know whoa, you know, and this was a, this was.
Speaker 3:I didn't, we didn't know these folks. Um, you know, uh, I forget how they even knew, heard of us, but that it was certainly something that always, uh, stuck in my mind. The other thing that happened to me and I share this I was sharing my faith with a relative yesterday, as a matter of fact, and I said I'm going to tell you a story that I know that you've never heard, but something that happened to me, especially for folks who are feeling, you know, like you were talking about this brother in your church who's going through a really tough time, and my heart and my prayers go out to this guy. It's yeah, it's not easy, for sure. My mother committed suicide and the morning that she finally passed, I was sitting in the back room of our house, which is our office, and I was just sitting there kind of praying, and I always speak of this as being the lowest point in my life. And so I speak to people if you're thinking about suicide, put it away. Put it away. It's a lie, please put it away. Call someone, talk to someone. It's a lie. So please know that.
Speaker 3:That aside, so in the middle of my grief and sitting there praying and thinking, the phone rings. And on the other side of this call is a woman that I used to work with, whose husband was a chaplain. Godly woman loved Jesus. She now lived in the Carolinas we're not probably too far from you and so I used to work with her in retail and she had moved away because her husband was relocated in the service. And she said to me Joe, god has put you so heavy on my heart this morning, are you okay?
Speaker 3:And I was blown away by the call because, first of all, she'd never called me at home before, I hadn't seen her in months. But God's faithfulness to let all of us know that he sees us, he sees us and he knows. And it was just such a unbelievable event to be in the midst of this grief and this pain and to have the Lord say hey, man, I'm here, I see you, I see the grief, I see the pain, but I'm with you. And that's just such a wonderful picture of God's love for us, you know. So, yeah, so those two things, kind of that one has always stuck out.
Speaker 2:He has ways of showing us that he actually he cares. Oh amen, I mean it goes beyond an academic understanding that he cares.
Speaker 3:That's for sure, you know yeah, it's like whoa wait a minute.
Speaker 2:This is a direct message from him saying hang on, just hold on, you're not alone. And there are many people that feel alone and many unfortunately many spirit-filled believers are lied to by the enemy to think that God doesn't care about them, god maybe forgot about them, they're not that important to god or god's, or god's even punishing them because they're just going through a trial, a difficulty, and, uh, it's just such a blessing when he, when we're aware of him, reaching I think he reaches out all the time. I think many times we just walk past, past his messages and past his, his little things that he leaves for us, you know, to just the things outside of the scripture. You know, you can, you can, you can read Romans 5, 8 and see that he demonstrated his love through the cross of Christ. That's a demonstration of the love of God. That's how, when we were against him, he demonstrated how much he, his agape love for us, that he loved us in the cross.
Speaker 2:But he even goes farther than that and does things like what he did for you when you needed to hear something For me when I was hurting really bad, and he sends you over my house and I don't even think you knew I was hurting really bad and he sends you over my house and I don't even think you knew I was hurting that bad at the time. I my back was wrecked. Thank God I'm good now. I'm going to go to the gym later on and do some deadlifts.
Speaker 2:We're on the other side of it now. Hallelujah, yeah, I'm back to being Ted Tosterone right now.
Speaker 3:Oh, okay, cool, that's all. You're going to go outside and climb a pole.
Speaker 2:I'm not doing that, though. No thanks, those days are over.
Speaker 1:Lord have mercy, yeah.
Speaker 2:So before I get to my next question, tell us about June and not the month.
Speaker 3:June is my wonderful wife uh. We just celebrated our 43rd wedding anniversary this past week congratulations, bro, oh thank you, thank you, she is a blessing, uh. She runs the compassionate ministries at the church, um and um, yeah, it's, uh, we don't have any kids, it's just her and I, uh, but yeah, yeah, she's, she's great, it's, it's uh, you know again, um, marriage is a lot of work, but it's, it's a blessing and it's worth investing in.
Speaker 2:So amen, yeah she's, she's a superhero we we had to just give her, make sure we give her a shout out, because I don't think I don't know if joe santucci or joe saint would be here right now if it wasn't for her. You know I, she played a role in that it. You know she played a guiding role.
Speaker 2:I know I wouldn't be here if god did not bring me my, bring me the, the wife that he did yeah, you send katie my love yes, I, I shall do that because, uh, you know with, and Katie is, is is always quick to remind me of that, you know, by the way, oh yeah, especially when it comes down A lot of times it comes down to you. You want to do these graphics on your own. You go ahead because she's a she's a graphic snob.
Speaker 2:She looks down at me when it comes to graphics. Because you graphics? Because I'm a video guy, I can do video, but I'm not the Photoshop expert like she is. She can look at something, boom, and know exactly what font to use and what colors to use. I'm more trial and error. I'm like, well, let me try this, let me throw something at the wall and see what happens. Well, she, boom, boom, boom is efficient. She's a pro. I'm an amateur, but so we have. That's our marriage working relationship. But my question for you, another question I had for you, is uh, what message does? Does uh, pastor joe rev, the reverend joe santucci, know I get that from you too, because our dear brother Joe Gradsel, I'll never get it. We were talking about it. He said, when you see the Reverend Gradsel, and I was like, oh, I love how you said that. And then we had the Reverend Michael Morgan, the most Reverend Michael Morgan, most Reverend absolutely yes, yes lord, uh, so it's stuck maybe soon.
Speaker 2:Maybe soon to be bishop so, yeah, it all, uh, it all taught, it comes back to you, bro. You know, joe santucci, man, that's where I, that's where that really really stuck with me, man. But what message does, does pastor joe, the reverend santucci have for christians today?
Speaker 3:oh for christians, christians today okay well, you know what, how much time, do we?
Speaker 3:have. Yeah, it's, it's actually pretty simple, uh, and that is, man, wake up. We have to. We we've got the culture that we're living in, the woke culture. We just came back from when we were away for our anniversary and we came back from the state of Vermont and I love Vermont and nothing against the people of Vermont, but it's a woke, it's just. Everything is so liberal and so woke. It's just everything is so liberal and so woke.
Speaker 3:And unfortunately, the old expression is if the world is in the church, then the church, you know, is in the world. Well, I said that backwards, but anyway, the point is is that the world has crept into the church and we really need to get back to his word. We just do and we have to put aside some of the. There's such mixed teaching out in the. You know we have the internet, we have the, you know the TV, so you can hear good teaching, you can hear bad teaching, but above all of that, so we need to get back to the word. We need to. We need to obey what God has for us and you know, and if you fall, man, just get back to the word. We need to obey what God has for us and if you fall, man, just get back up and start walking. Don't let the enemy beat you up, because Jesus has always been the answer, he'll always be the answer and there is no one like him.
Speaker 3:As the apostle said Lord, who do we turn to? You've got the answers to everything and basically he does, so there's no other place to go. And the other thing I would stress is, along with Christ, as the body of Christ, is that we truly need to love one another. We do. I was having breakfast with a dear brother who has his doctorate in apologetics and we were chatting about I will not mention this person's name a man who is kind of a part of a heads up a large ministry that people would know if I said his name and I won't say it.
Speaker 3:But he went to a conference one time that was held by this guy and he said he drove. It was taking place in the Carolinas. He drove from Jersey to the. Carol was held by this guy and he said he drove. It was taking place in the carolinas. He drove from jersey to carolinas to hear this guy and he stayed 20 minutes because he just did not care for the lack of love that was being portrayed by this person, the. You know we have to be careful, uh, we, we really have to love one another and that doesn't mean compromise please don't misunderstand, no, not at all.
Speaker 3:But we have to love one another and that doesn't mean compromise, please don't misunderstand. Right? No, not at all. But we have to love one another. And, um, you know there's, you know how the, the old, the old folk, mass days of, they'll know we are christians by our love. You know that's, it's, it's true, yeah, you know they will. And and I, and again, I'm not talking about sex, please don't misunderstand me when I say love, I'm not talking about. You know what the world calls love, for god so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son that whoever should believe in him would not die but have eternal life. I mean god loved his sacrifice, his commitment to you and to me and to to all your listeners. I mean it's unbelievable. It's unbelievable what God has done for us. But we've got to go there. We've got to be a part of the kingdom of God and experience this wonderful love and this wonderful relationship that exists. All right, y'all.
Speaker 1:We're going to continue this next week this program was made possible by the Plays on Word family of supporters. To find out more, check out our website.
