Wesley Putnam
Wesley Putnam is a United Methodist minister. A full-time evangelist. A musician, dramatist and storyteller. A man whose ministry crosses denominational and state lines. Most of all, he's a believer who wants to glorify God and build up the Kingdom.
Wesley is involved in the church. He has served as president and executive director of the National Association of United Methodist Evangelists. He has also been active as a representative on the Council of Evangelism of the South Central Jurisdiction.
Wesley has been honored by his peers in receiving the Philip Award, and the Denman award for his work in evangelism.
Wesley is a family man. He and his wife, Felicia, live in Bedford, Texas. Their three adult sons are actively involved in the Church, too. When not on the road, you can usually find Wes doting over his grandchildren.
Wesley Putnam Ministries is hard to define. It's a unique blend of music, drama and children's outreach combined with a good measure of lively, relevant preaching. It's a fresh approach to renewal that Wes calls "Dayspring," a word that means sunrise. The dawn of a new day brings hope, freshness and renewed vigor to the world. The Dayspring events of Wes can bring newness to your church. His ministry includes revivals, concerts, youth camps and retreats aimed at deepening individual commitment, strengthening the family and equipping local congregations for service in the world.
Preaching Wes brings the Word alive with his anointed preaching. His messages overflow with warmth and humor, but they're not candy-coated. His relevant approach connects with the struggles that all people share. Preaching is the communication of the heart of God to those He loves. The message God has burned into the heart of Wesley Putnam is his passion. He proclaims the Good News with simplicity and clarity. You will never walk away from one of the Dayspring services without examining your relationship with God and with those around you. You hear a message of hope. You go home believing that God is able to restore broken relationships and give the wonderful gift of new beginnings. In town after town there are testimonies of God's power to change us.
The heart of the message is the Great commandment. Jesus said, "You shall love the Lord your God with ALL your heart, soul, mind and strength. And the second command is like the first, you shall love your neighbor as yourself." Jesus came, not to start a new religion, write new rules, or teach new ritual, but to offer a new relationship. When that relationship is whole, the rest of our lives begins to make sense.
God longs to bring healing to our land. It is not going to be through a new program or new laws. Our problems are not going to be solved by throwing money at them. God is going to change America by changing Americans, one heart at a time. After hearing Wesley preach, you begin to believe that God will really do it. "If my people who are called by my name will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven, will forgive their sin, and will heal their land." II Chron. 7:14
Music Wesley has presented his music ministry to local churches, camps and national United Methodist gatherings. Songs from his three albums have topped contemporary Christian charts in several major cities. People who have experienced his entertaining style also know that he sounds forth a clear call to Christian commitment.
They say that music soothes the savage beast. It can also heal relationships, mend broken hearts and melt icy souls. When Wesley sings, he glorifies the God who can do all that - and more.
Wesley has a knack of reaching all age groups with his music. That´s because it springs from the Word, which meets the deep yearning of all human hearts. Whether you need to forgive or be forgiven, renew a flagging commitment or draw spiritual strength, God can use the music of Wesley Putnam to impact your heart.
Get a taste of Wesley's music! We have full versions of the songs from his albums available for your listening pleasure. If you like what you hear, all albums are available for purchase in the online store.
Drama Storytellers have charmed audiences long before the time of Christ. Even He used stories to help people understand the heart of God. Carrying on this tradition, Wes began developing his narrative talent in 1979. Since then, he has thrilled thousands by his special re-enactments of timeless Bible tales.
Elijah - devout prophet of old, calling fire from heaven. A miracle worker whose wonders challenged the Hebrew people to return to Yahweh. The rugged man of God who tuned into the small, still voice amid raging storms, massive earthquakes and balls of flame.
But what if Elijah were to show up today? What would he look like? What would he do?
Welcome to the mind of Wesley Putnam, who portrays the rugged old prophet as a Bronx cop, complete with policeman's uniform and New York accent. "I think of Elijah as one of NIPD's finest," Wes says. "That's North Israel's Prophets Department."
Wesley's entrance into religious drama was through the back door. In 1979, he began weaving stories for elementary-school children at a Texas church camp. To his delight, he discovered that his narrative style captivated the youngsters (and anyone who has worked with children know that their attention resists capture!) After Wesley entered full-time evangelism, a colleague invited him to conduct a Dayspring event at his church. But there was a condition-Wes had to perform a drama.
"I thought I would be run out of the church for sacrilege," Wes recalls. He was the most surprised person in the room when people of all ages reacted with excitement and enthusiasm to what they heard.
Starting that week, God began using his dramas to reach kids - and youngsters in grown-up bodies with a message of His love that they could really relate to. And God is still reaching people today with his performances. Wesley's dramas reach into walled hearts to show people what the Father is really like.
Children's Ministry There's nothing like a bunch of children to bring life to a church! And during your Dayspring, Wes can attract a lot of them with his unique BibleQuest ministry. The youngsters will love his blend of music, stories, and fun.
Kids love to have fun. And they´ll get plenty of it in BibleQuest, Wesley´s Dayspring ministry for children. A non-competitive program, BibleQuest encourages servanthood, faithfulness, evangelism and Scripture memorization. With enticements like colorful stickers and Olympic-style medals, even first-graders will memorize plenty of Bible verses and learn to apply the truth of God´s Word. It is not unusual to see the number of children in the program double in the span of three or four days.
Over the years, thousands of children have come to know Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior through BibleQuest. Wes believes that God has even more in store for this inspired program!
Artist Q&A:
1.) How did you first hear about Open Labs?
I found Open Labs while doing an oline search for production keyboards.
2.) What Production Station do you have?
I have the Neko EX5
3.) How has the gear changed your method of work?
This keyboard is a totally new way to perform and produce music. I am a little overwhelmed by the learning curve, but the folks at Open Labs have been very patient and helpful in getting me up to speed. I love the ability to create on the fly and have total access to all the tools in my tool box. Awesome.
4.) What is your production station's primary function, live or studio?
I use the NEKO EX5 on the road. I have been traveling full time for nearly three decades and this is the best, most versatile instrument I've ever worked with.
5.) What is your favorite software on the board?
I Love Ableton Live. What a powerful piece of software!
6.) How do you use it?
Live runs every part of my perfomance. I play the VST's, use onboard effects for my guitars, and trigger tracks that I can play along with. All from Ableton Live.
7.) Which kind of equipment have you owned in the past and how do they compare to your Open Labs equipment?
I was an artist endorsee for Korg for years. I still love Korg, but I've never seen anything like this Open Labs gear. Very powerful and yet can be tailored to each artist's specific needs.
8.) Has the gear changed the way you write songs?
I haven't had the chance to use it for that purpose, but anticipate that it will open up a lot of new creative vistas.
9.) How different is the composition process compared to the standard computer or laptop system?
Will let you know.
10.) Do you think the quality of your production now would be possible with another keyboard?
No.
11.) Have you had any experience with our Tech Support and how does it rate with you?
The Tech support is fantastic. They know their stuff and can communicate clearly what needs to be done. I love that they can actually take over my computer remotely and help solve whatever problem I might encounter.
12.) What is next for you and your Production Station?
We're going to Disney World! Not really. But seriously, I can see a lot of great days ahead with Open Labs. This is going to be a tool that can especially help churches to move forward in the area of creative worship. I am enjoying helping them see what can be done with this new technology.
Equipment used:
Purchased NeKo EX5
Artist Link: