Feature: How Brian “Head” Welch’s Faith Inspired Me and Can Inspire a New Generation
In 2000, Lars Ulrich led a legal battle against Napster, testifying before the Senate for artists’ rights. I was a preteen, and ironically, it was on that platform that I fell in love with Metallica. I was drawn to the bombastically intricate aggression of heavy metal, and as a young Christian, I longed to find alternative musicians who also loved the Lord.
I had just graduated high school and was tired of Relient K on repeat when I heard Korn’s guitarist had a radical conversion to Christianity. Considering how their reputation in the early 2000s was far from pious, the news was surprising. At the peak of their fame, Brian “Head” Welch left the band to follow Christ. Seeing a rockstar be baptized in the Jordan River and proclaim the Gospel moved me. I realized I wasn’t alone as a Christian metalhead and felt inspired to do the same. As 2 Corinthians 5:14-15 reminds us, “Christ’s love compels us…so that those who live should no longer live for themselves but for him who died for them and was raised again.”
A few years later, I read Welch’s books, Save Me From Myself: How I Found God, Quit Korn, Kicked Drugs and Washed By Blood: Lessons from My Time with KoRn and My Journey to Christ. I was struck by his consistent message of God’s love and forgiveness. His first solo album, Save Me From Myself, dominated my playlist for weeks. I found encouragement in his life changes and the boldness with which he proclaimed Christ.
After college, I joined a mission organization to share the Gospel with teens in Scandinavia. Welch was on tour promoting his books Lived to Tell My Story and Stronger: Forty Days of Metal and Spirituality and came through my town. Hearing his testimony in person shook me. When I told him I wanted to minister to metalheads in Europe, he immediately prayed for me. His confidence and humility were unwavering, and I left encouraged and affirmed by a brother in Christ.
Years later, Welch released a movie called Loud Krazy Love, exploring the turbulent times after his conversion. I attended the premiere at the Nashville Film Festival. Just before the lights dimmed, Brian walked in and sat a few seats away. Watching the raw story on screen, I saw it mirrored on his face. He absorbed every moment with calm fervor.
I met Welch again, and he asked about my mission experience overseas. He inquired if I was still serving the Lord in the same way, and at that time, I wasn’t even walking with Jesus. He stared at me intently as I said no and offered excuses. His quiet disappointment was heartbreaking. I cried on the drive home, unable to bear the feeling of letting him down. Then the Spirit moved in me, revealing how much more I had disappointed the Father by walking away. That conversation planted one of the seeds that would eventually lead me to recommit my life to Jesus.
Welch’s influence has continued in recent times as he shares his faith publicly. Last year on the Stand Up Dude podcast, he explained that he is striving to be more authentic since Christ changed him. An earlier example of this honesty is when he appeared on Robb Flynn’s No Fckin’ Regrets podcast, where Flynn asked if religion had become a replacement for drugs. Welch responded, “The crazy thing is I had an experience with something from another dimension. And it wasn’t the religion…it was, like, I felt something come into my house… But yes, I think I went too far with it. I got obsessed with it, just like I was obsessed with the drugs. I had to come out of that and find normalcy.”
On the Stand Up Dude podcast he emphasized the importance of a true relationship with Christ, saying, “We just need to open our hearts to receive his love as a God and give that love back to him.” Last fall, on his own YouTube channel, he reiterated this message: “…God can be so good to you, and the only motive is to display the riches of his kindness towards you forever.”
Welch’s example is not just personal. It reflects a broader need. What makes his message relevant today is the way younger believers are seeking answers. Many in Generation Z are exploring religion, and a recent report finds that 60 percent of Gen Z Christians say their faith is the most important part of their identity, while 68 percent view God as a loving father figure. Despite this, they often struggle with doubt and are searching for a faith that feels authentic and meaningful. This generation is navigating questions about belief, which is why Welch’s consistent emphasis on relationship resonates so strongly today.
Welch’s witness about the Gospel shows why his message continues to inspire. His life demonstrates that faith is about a transforming relationship with Christ. As Paul puts it in Ephesians 3:18-19, we are invited to grasp how wide, long, high, and deep is the love of Christ, which surpasses all knowledge. Welch reminds us that this love is real.
Even as Welch remains active in performing and collaborating, most recently with alternative Christian artist Zahna on her song “Defiler,” he is also writing music for a new Korn album, which he has described as some of the “best and heaviest Korn stuff in years.” This shows that his influence in heavy music is ongoing and that faith and artistry can coexist powerfully. Welch’s life and witness show that bold faith can inspire a generation seeking an authentic and personal relationship with God.
References
Flynn, Robb, host. NFR #076 – Brian “Head” Welch (Korn). No F’n Regrets with Robb Flynn, GaS Digital Network, 4 Mar. 2021. YouTube Music, music.youtube.com/podcast/cjVWMmvNPk8.
“Gen Z Christian Statistics.” WiFi Talents, 2025, https://wifitalents.com/gen-z-christian-statistics/?utm_source=chatgpt.com.
Welch, Brian “Head.” Brian Head Welch of Korn Shares His Journey to Faith and Redemption. The Stand Up Dude Podcast, hosted by Tim Bisagno, 14 July 2025. Metacast, metacast.app/podcast/the-stand-up-dude-podcast/HoEGrBq6.
BrianHeadWelch. BrianHeadWelch. YouTube, www.youtube.com.
Welch, Brian “Head.” “Brian ‘Head’ Welch On New Korn: ‘It’s The Best And Heaviest Korn Stuff In Years.’” Metal Injection, 28 Mar. 2024, https://metalinjection.net/news/brian-head-welch-on-new-korn-its-the-best-and-heaviest-korn-stuff-in-years.
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