Feature: From the Witch’s Den to Born Again – An Interview with Jarrod Butler of Suffer Not The Witch
Extreme metal has long been associated with darkness, rebellion, and the occult. Jarrod Butler knows that world better than most. After decades in the death and black metal scene, involvement with witchcraft, Satanism, and Freemasonry, and years of performing music that didn’t honor Christ, Butler now uses his experience to reach the very people he once stood beside.
Through Suffer Not The Witch, he takes the Gospel into black metal clubs and festivals, proclaiming the hope of Jesus Christ where many would never think to look.
We sat down with Jarrod to discuss his testimony, the meaning behind Suffer Not The Witch, ministering in the black metal scene, and why no one is beyond the saving grace of Jesus Christ.
Growing Up Around Masonry
Jimmy Lamar Sorrells: Were you raised in a Christian home?
Jarrod Butler: Yes and no. I was introduced to church. I was introduced to Jesus at a very early age, but I was never encouraged to go to church.
I was raised by a family where both sides of my family were 32nd Degree Masons. That came into play later in my life. Basically all the males in my family, myself included. That’s one of the things I got delivered from.
I was introduced to Christ early on, but I didn’t end up getting saved until I was seventeen. My mom introduced me to the Gospel, but she never forced anything. She planted seeds, and God took that increase.
A Lifetime in Music
Jay Goodwin: How many instruments do you play? Are you basically the entire band?
Jarrod Butler: Yes. I programmed the drums, but everything else is me. Guitar, vocals, keyboards, mandolin, recording. The only MIDI is the drums.
I did have my friend Zodian Combstock play bass. We were together in The Funeral Procession years ago. At the time he wasn’t saved, but after a lot of conversations he eventually gave his life to Christ.
When Suffer Not The Witch became a reality, I asked if he wanted to be part of his first project dedicated to Christ. He said it would be an honor.
From Black Metal to Ministry
Jimmy Lamar Sorrells: Tell us about “Witch’s Den.”
Jarrod Butler: “Witch’s Den” is my personal testimony in song form.
The strongest line in that song that really summarizes what it’s about is:
“I went from the witch’s den to born again.”
Having a background early on in black metal, I got heavily into witchcraft, all kinds of different forms. I got into Satanism from the black metal scene. I have an obsessive personality, so I got really heavily into it.
I was seventeen when I was saved.
The strange part of my testimony is that even after I was saved, I kept playing extreme metal. I toured Europe with death metal bands and sang about gore and fornication. I joined black metal bands and didn’t care what the lyrics said because I was being intentionally ignorant.
I thought, “I’m saved. It doesn’t matter what I sing about because I don’t believe it.”
That wasn’t true.
I found out the hard way.
Eventually it caused me to walk completely away from the metal scene for at least a decade.
When I came back, I gave everything musically to Christ. That’s what brought me back into metal.
Originally it was through America Inc., but Suffer Not The Witch became one hundred percent dedicated to Christ, using my testimony as a ministry weapon.
Why “Suffer Not The Witch”?
Jay Goodwin: Tell us about the name.
Jarrod Butler: It comes from Exodus 22:18.
The obvious meaning grabs your attention. Being black metal, you’re not subtle.
But there’s another meaning.
“Crucify and Deny” is about denying your flesh. Crucifying your old man.
My old man is a witch.
So anytime that old man tries to rear his head, I’m to suffer not that witch to live.
I’m to crucify him.
Kill him.
Be gone.
That’s what it means for me, and that’s the conversation I can have with members of the occult when they come to talk to me.
Taking the Gospel Into the Darkness
Jimmy Lamar Sorrells: You’re intentionally playing secular black metal shows?
Jarrod Butler: Absolutely.
I intentionally play at the darkest black metal shows I can because I want to minister to the community I was saved from.
I know how to talk to them.
I know about it.
I equate it to escaping a collapsed mine and taking the light. Because I know the way out, I can go back in with the light and show everybody else the way out too.
My first show was opening for the final show of a satanic black metal band called Lucifer Invictus.
They had an altar. They had candles. Everything you would expect.
I got up and openly preached the Gospel.
I told them that no matter how far they thought they had gone, they couldn’t sell their soul because it had already been bought and paid for by the blood of Christ.
One Life Changed
Jimmy Lamar Sorrells: Have you seen lives changed already?
Jarrod Butler: Yes.
The bass player from that satanic band wanted to talk afterward.
We started texting back and forth.
He had all the hard questions you would expect.
Then he disappeared.
Later I found out he started coming to every Suffer Not The Witch show.
Today he and his mother have both given their lives to Christ.
Praise God.
That’s not the only story like that.
I’ve had witches try to curse me.
Nothing happened.
You don’t have to be frightened of that stuff when you have Christ.
Freemasonry
Jimmy Lamar Sorrells: Earlier you mentioned being delivered from Masonry. How did that become part of your testimony?
Jarrod Butler: Pretty much all the males in my family were 32nd Degree Scottish Rite Masons.
After I had children, I wanted to become a better father. I started taking my family to church and wanted to become a better man.
My grandfather was involved, so I joined a Masonic Lodge for those same reasons.
I became a Master Mason pretty quickly.
But because of my background in witchcraft, everything looked uncomfortably familiar.
The rituals.
The symbolism.
I had seen this before.
They’ll say they worship the Great Architect of the Universe.
But there is no Christ in that.
People point to the Bible in the middle of the lodge.
My response is, it doesn’t have to be a Bible.
It can be a Quran or another religious text as long as you believe in one god.
That’s the qualifier.
Not Jesus Christ.
Another thing they say is, “We take good men and make them great.”
That should have been a red flag.
There is none righteous.
We’re nothing without Christ.
His Warning About Witchcraft
Jimmy Lamar Sorrells: What would you say to someone involved in witchcraft, Satanism, or Masonry?
Jarrod Butler: The reason people fall for witchcraft is because it works.
People don’t like hearing that, but it’s true.
The question is, at what cost?
What is happening to your soul?
What is happening inside of you?
All the things you’re looking for…
You know you haven’t found them.
You’re still empty.
The only answer you’re going to find is Christ.
If you’re willing to dig into witchcraft…
If you’re willing to memorize everything you do as a Mason…
You have it in you to dig gloriously into the Word of God.
Everything you’re searching for is there.
The world makes complete sense when you have Scripture in front of you.
A Ministry First
Jimmy Lamar Sorrells: You play as a one-man band. Are there plans to add members?
Jarrod Butler: Eventually.
But because this is ministry first, anyone joining Suffer Not The Witch has to be able to preach the Gospel, witness off stage, disciple people, and minister.
Being able to play the music is almost the last thing on the checklist.
The Peace of Christ
Jay Goodwin: What’s your favorite thing about being a Christian?
Jarrod Butler: The peace.
You don’t stop having trials.
You don’t stop having struggles.
But there is an uncanny peace that comes with knowing Christ is with you.
You can’t really explain it.
You have to experience it.
How Can Fans Support Suffer Not The Witch?
Jimmy Lamar Sorrells: What can the Christian metal community do to support the ministry?
Jarrod Butler: Buy merch. Buy music on Bandcamp. Come to shows.
But more than anything…
Tell people about it.
Share it.
You’re not just creating fans of the music.
You’re helping this ministry spread the Gospel.
I’ve seen people I never would have expected respond to the message because someone simply shared the music with them.
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