Christian Music Review was launched September 25, 2004 with one goal in mind. Lead visitors to
positive & uplifting Christian music that will not only minister to them, but to glorify God in the
process. Even today, the goal and aim is still the same.
To find out where the idea of Christian Music Review came from you would have to go back to a cool
summer night in August of 2004, when former radio DJ and talk-show host Jay Heilman was trying to
figure out what it was that the LORD wanted him to do with his life.
"I remember walking outside of my house one night just thinking. Thinking about what the LORD
wanted me to do next. I had just finished up working with 96.7 FM 'The Switch', and was confused as
to what God had in store for me from there." Heilman recalls. "I had always been into music, so I
thought that once I gave my life to Christ and was born-again, that was the reason for me being part of
a radio station ministry." After an emotional disagreement with the owner of the radio ministry, Heilman
felt that it was time to move on to something new. "I had a lot of questions in that period of time.
positive & uplifting Christian music that will not only minister to them, but to glorify God in the
process. Even today, the goal and aim is still the same.
To find out where the idea of Christian Music Review came from you would have to go back to a cool
summer night in August of 2004, when former radio DJ and talk-show host Jay Heilman was trying to
figure out what it was that the LORD wanted him to do with his life.
"I remember walking outside of my house one night just thinking. Thinking about what the LORD
wanted me to do next. I had just finished up working with 96.7 FM 'The Switch', and was confused as
to what God had in store for me from there." Heilman recalls. "I had always been into music, so I
thought that once I gave my life to Christ and was born-again, that was the reason for me being part of
a radio station ministry." After an emotional disagreement with the owner of the radio ministry, Heilman
felt that it was time to move on to something new. "I had a lot of questions in that period of time.
| Christian Music Review Founder & Webmaster Jay Heilman |
Questions like, God, how could you allow me to be a part of something as exciting as a radio station, and then take it away from
me? I just didn't understand it. I loved working there. I loved the perks, the attention, the articles in the local papers. But one
thing was missing. Ministry." Heilman remembers ministry not being the main focus of the station. "I was living this dream. I had
graduated high school in 1999 with hopes of going to college and majoring in mass communications. But there was one problem.
My girlfriend was pregnant, I had no way of supporting the baby, yet alone myself, so I was forced to work full-time, putting
college on the back-burner." It was a tough experience in which Heilman goes onto explain. "Here I was, 18 years-old, a new
baby and my future ultimately derailed. At that point in time, I wasn't saved, so my thoughts were not focused on God and what
He had in store for me."
Life changed and so did Jay's willingness to accept what the LORD had wanted for him. "I remember after getting saved, thinking
to myself. Now what? I want to share with people the love and saving grace of Christ, but how?" Heilman got his first
opportunity in February 2004 when a Christian radio station landed in his backyard. "I had just moved to Zephyrhills after having
lived in Tampa the previous 5 years. I needed a break, away from the hustle and bustle of the big city. A friend of mine had told
me that there was a new Christian radio station, and it had broadcast out of town. I started to grow excited. I called the station up
and spoke with the owner, offering my services and help. By the end of February, I was a member of 'Team Switch'. Within a
few months a friend of mine and I had started a weekly talk and music show called 'That Show! with Greg and Jay' and for a
while, we were the talk of the town."
It was about six months in where Heilman's world would soon come crashing down again. "I had worked for the station for about
six months when everything started to go wrong. I was fighting with my girlfriend Shannon, who later became my wife (lucky
for me!), and I started to really feel the Holy Spirit tugging on me asking, 'Are you doing this for the right reasons?'. The truth was
I wasn't. I was too busy with myself then to focus on what God wanted. Then came a choice given to me by Shannon. It's
either me or the radio station. Wow! I couldn't believe she had said that! Finally I was happy, I enjoyed my job and did not want
to give it up. Not without a fight!"
The end of the radio ministry. The start of something new. "I left the station in August of 2004, bruised ego and all. I didn't
know it then, but I do now that the LORD had bigger and better plans for me. In late August, early September I was throwing an
idea around with a friend of mine for an idea I had for a music review site. Reviewing albums and posting them on-line. I first
thought of the tag-line, 'Reviews that help build His Kingdom'. I wanted the site to mean something, to help and minister to people,
with the help of music." says Heilman. "My site was going to be different. The focus wasn't going to be so much on the music,
but the message. After all, music is influencing to people, but the words can be even more. Put the right words with the right
music and get it into the hands of a non-believer and bam! It could possibly lead them to getting saved and giving their life to
Christ. Yes, that's what I wanted to do." On September 25, 2004, the thought became a reality.
"I had trials and tribulations when I started the site. My biggest being convincing publicists to send me pre-releases and
promotional material. I really thank people like Velvet Kelm and her team at the Media Collective and Brian Mayes at Nashville
Publicity Group for really putting faith into what I was doing and being supportive. Even to this day, they are our biggest
supporters." Heilman gladly explains. "I have a good team now, a group of writers that are honest, full of potential and who have
the same aspirations and goals as myself.
Heilman ends with saying, "We have been truly blessed in all we get to do. We have got to interview Christian celebrities, athletes
and evangelists in addition to the artists we deal with on a regular basis. This is the most fun I have had doing something in my
life! This is something that the LORD has put us in charge of doing and it's definitely always a blast to be a part of what He's doing
in peoples lives. That's my hope and goal with CMR, for it to glorify and honor Christ in all we do."
Reaching the world for Christ with the help of music, that's what it's all about. Has it been all cookies and cream? Not by any
means. Has it been fun and worthwhile? You bet. If even one person comes to know Christ as their Lord and Savior by visiting,
then we can feel assured that we have accomplished something and helped to build the Kingdom of God. All praise, glory and
honor go to our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, for without Him, there would be no need for Christian Music Review or Christian
music for that matter! To that regard, we are grateful that we have Someone to work for and to win folks to.
The prayer of Christian Music Review is that we are always found in the center of God's will and that everything we say and do
will be pleasing to the LORD. May the LORD continue to bless each and everyone reading this right now!
me? I just didn't understand it. I loved working there. I loved the perks, the attention, the articles in the local papers. But one
thing was missing. Ministry." Heilman remembers ministry not being the main focus of the station. "I was living this dream. I had
graduated high school in 1999 with hopes of going to college and majoring in mass communications. But there was one problem.
My girlfriend was pregnant, I had no way of supporting the baby, yet alone myself, so I was forced to work full-time, putting
college on the back-burner." It was a tough experience in which Heilman goes onto explain. "Here I was, 18 years-old, a new
baby and my future ultimately derailed. At that point in time, I wasn't saved, so my thoughts were not focused on God and what
He had in store for me."
Life changed and so did Jay's willingness to accept what the LORD had wanted for him. "I remember after getting saved, thinking
to myself. Now what? I want to share with people the love and saving grace of Christ, but how?" Heilman got his first
opportunity in February 2004 when a Christian radio station landed in his backyard. "I had just moved to Zephyrhills after having
lived in Tampa the previous 5 years. I needed a break, away from the hustle and bustle of the big city. A friend of mine had told
me that there was a new Christian radio station, and it had broadcast out of town. I started to grow excited. I called the station up
and spoke with the owner, offering my services and help. By the end of February, I was a member of 'Team Switch'. Within a
few months a friend of mine and I had started a weekly talk and music show called 'That Show! with Greg and Jay' and for a
while, we were the talk of the town."
It was about six months in where Heilman's world would soon come crashing down again. "I had worked for the station for about
six months when everything started to go wrong. I was fighting with my girlfriend Shannon, who later became my wife (lucky
for me!), and I started to really feel the Holy Spirit tugging on me asking, 'Are you doing this for the right reasons?'. The truth was
I wasn't. I was too busy with myself then to focus on what God wanted. Then came a choice given to me by Shannon. It's
either me or the radio station. Wow! I couldn't believe she had said that! Finally I was happy, I enjoyed my job and did not want
to give it up. Not without a fight!"
The end of the radio ministry. The start of something new. "I left the station in August of 2004, bruised ego and all. I didn't
know it then, but I do now that the LORD had bigger and better plans for me. In late August, early September I was throwing an
idea around with a friend of mine for an idea I had for a music review site. Reviewing albums and posting them on-line. I first
thought of the tag-line, 'Reviews that help build His Kingdom'. I wanted the site to mean something, to help and minister to people,
with the help of music." says Heilman. "My site was going to be different. The focus wasn't going to be so much on the music,
but the message. After all, music is influencing to people, but the words can be even more. Put the right words with the right
music and get it into the hands of a non-believer and bam! It could possibly lead them to getting saved and giving their life to
Christ. Yes, that's what I wanted to do." On September 25, 2004, the thought became a reality.
"I had trials and tribulations when I started the site. My biggest being convincing publicists to send me pre-releases and
promotional material. I really thank people like Velvet Kelm and her team at the Media Collective and Brian Mayes at Nashville
Publicity Group for really putting faith into what I was doing and being supportive. Even to this day, they are our biggest
supporters." Heilman gladly explains. "I have a good team now, a group of writers that are honest, full of potential and who have
the same aspirations and goals as myself.
Heilman ends with saying, "We have been truly blessed in all we get to do. We have got to interview Christian celebrities, athletes
and evangelists in addition to the artists we deal with on a regular basis. This is the most fun I have had doing something in my
life! This is something that the LORD has put us in charge of doing and it's definitely always a blast to be a part of what He's doing
in peoples lives. That's my hope and goal with CMR, for it to glorify and honor Christ in all we do."
Reaching the world for Christ with the help of music, that's what it's all about. Has it been all cookies and cream? Not by any
means. Has it been fun and worthwhile? You bet. If even one person comes to know Christ as their Lord and Savior by visiting,
then we can feel assured that we have accomplished something and helped to build the Kingdom of God. All praise, glory and
honor go to our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, for without Him, there would be no need for Christian Music Review or Christian
music for that matter! To that regard, we are grateful that we have Someone to work for and to win folks to.
The prayer of Christian Music Review is that we are always found in the center of God's will and that everything we say and do
will be pleasing to the LORD. May the LORD continue to bless each and everyone reading this right now!
| Meet the 'CMR Review Crew' Click here to read about the writers of this on-line ministry. |
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