Megadeth Bassist Wants to Be a Lutheran Pastor

Dave Ellefson studying for ministry online

Published by

Dave Ellefson (Photograph: Martin Kielty)

Megadeth‘s best-selling album is Countdown to Destruction, but in the meantime at least one of the band’s members is making the most of life on earth. According to the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, bassist Dave Ellefson is an online student in the Specific Ministry Program at Concordia Seminary.

“Most people want to be a rock star,” said Jon Bjorgaard, pastor of the Lutheran church in Scottsdale, AZ, where Ellefson and his family are congregants. “David’s a rock star who wants to become a pastor.”

Ellefson grew up attending Lutheran services in his native Minnesota, but when he moved to L.A. and joined Megadeth, he was lured into the rock & roll lifestyle. At 25, he entered a 12-step recovery program and reconnected with his faith.

When Bjorgaard asked the rocker to start a contemporary worship service, he began performing for the church. “For a Christmas service, I remixed some classics, not quite in a Megadeth fashion, but in a pretty heavy rock fashion,” he said.

Next week Megadeth kicks off a tour with Motorhead in New Jersey. During downtime on the road, Ellefson will hit his homework. “Some peolel want to morph things together into one,” he said, “but I have a hand in both worlds. I love praise and worship music, and I love heavy metal.”

Recent Posts

Josh Brar: The Voice Behind the Chart-Topping Hit ‘Tere Bina Na Guzara E’

'Music has a way of connecting us all, and Tere Bina Na Guzara E is…

November 26, 2024

Drake Claims Universal Music ‘Artificially Inflated’ Kendrick Lamar’s ‘Not Like Us’

UMG denied the rapper's claims, stating that "no amount of contrived and absurd legal arguments…

November 26, 2024

Kendrick Lamar Caps His Huge Year With a Victory Lap on ‘GNX’

He embraces his dual identities of spiritualist and block thumper

November 26, 2024

Lana Del Rey Details New Album. It’s Not Called ‘Lasso’

The singer will release 'The Right Person Will Stay' on May 21

November 26, 2024

Rosé Invokes Late Nights, Vintage Nintendo on ‘Rosie’ Track list

The Blackpink singer's debut solo album arrives Dec. 6

November 26, 2024

Universal Music Group Calls Fred Durst’s Fraud Claims a ‘Fallacy’

The response comes a month after the Limp Bizkit frontman accused the world's largest music…

November 26, 2024