Basilio Carrillo, a Westside San
Antonio native, experienced a life changing moment at 15 when he saw
the British punk rock band, The
Clash on MTV. He identified with their anti-fashion and angry
counter-culture message. He quickly became immersed in the
underground punk rock world of clubs, booze and drugs. He started
playing drums with punk rock bands and soon found himself the front
man for the “The Deceased;” writing songs and singing lead.
At 29, his girlfriends mother convinced him to take his kids to to
church. He chose a particular church
because he knew the youth minister, who was cool. He showed up on a
Sunday morning looking like the lead singer of a punk rock band: blue
hair, piercings, tattoos, leather jacket and biker boots.
He did not receive a warm welcome. In
fact, during the greeting time, two men reached across him to shake
hands. No one shook his hand.
Yet, as worship began, Basilio felt the
Holy Spirit come over him like a wave. He felt convicted by the sins
of his past and, broken, he began to weep. On his knees he sought
God's forgiveness.
It was a while before he returned to
church but he'd heard about a church called Rise
Above Ministries led by Skip Brooks, who also had a punk rock
past. Skip wanted to reach kids in the punk rocker, heavy metal and
other counter-culture worlds; showing that people who look like them
can follow Jesus. Basilio felt right at home and, in 2005, became
associate pastor.
The church dissolved in 2013 and Skip
moved to Tennessee. Rise Above rose again when Skip returned in 2017
and asked Basilio to work alongside him. Basilio took over as pastor
following Skip's recent death from cancer. He has the same desire to
reach young people who reject and are rejected by the mainstream.
Rise Above Ministries meets in the
Baptist Temple Campus Chapel Sundays at 3 PM. They are the sixth
church meeting on a campus that is also shared by two schools and
several service organizations.
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