Why Korn’s Brian ‘Head’ Welch Prioritizes A One-On-One Relationship With Christ?
Brian “Head” Welch, the iconic guitarist of nü-metal pioneers Korn, recently shared powerful insights into his faith journey and offered guidance, particularly for young men, emphasizing the importance of a direct, personal connection with Jesus Christ. Speaking on the “Stand Up Dude” podcast hosted by Tim Bisagno, Welch, who famously overcame severe addiction through his Christian faith, discussed his transformation and the cornerstone of his spiritual life.
Drawing from his own experiences of navigating fame, addiction, and finding purpose, Welch was asked what single piece of advice he would give young men seeking to live up to their potential. His answer centered squarely on cultivating an individual relationship with Christ.
“I think just developing and actually spending time to develop a relationship with Christ one on one,” Welch stated directly (as transcribed by Blabbermouth). “That has been the pivotal piece of my journey. Going to church and praying before you go to bed during the week, going to church on Sunday, it’s not enough, in my opinion, for what Jesus died for. He wants to lead and guide you, and he wants you to talk to him. It is a mystery, and we’re getting guided, but we sometimes miss it. And that chasing and that trying to hear his voice or his messages, his signs, trying to see his signs and wonders of what we’re supposed to do, where we’re supposed to go, is the most important thing.”
He further elaborated on the role of communal worship, suggesting it should fuel, rather than replace, personal devotion. “Church is supposed to be the gas station to fill us up for the rest of the week,” Welch explained. “We’re supposed to read books, listen to books, listen to messages, podcasts. There’s so much information out there to help you grow. And so develop that personal daily walk with Christ.”
Welch also highlighted the transformative power of embracing God’s love, acknowledging it can be challenging, especially for men.
“What’s God’s message in the Bible? It’s love. Love. Over and over — love, love, love,” he pointed out. “And as guys, it’s hard for us, ’cause we think, when we find a woman, we love them, we date them, we hopefully marry them and we open our heart to ’em. It’s harder for sometimes guys, for the concept to open our heart to God. But we’ve gotta remember, Jesus, he walked the earth as a man, but he’s more than that. He’s the son of God where male and female came from God. He’s other than. So we just need to open our heart to learn how to receive his love as a God and give that love back to him.”
Reflecting on his own path to faith, Welch shared how desperation led him to open himself up to God. “When I came to the place where I was ready to open up my heart to God, I didn’t necessarily know as opening my heart, but I was begging for help because I was in such a dark place where I wanted my life to be over,” he revealed. “I wanted to sleep and never wake up. And so I got to that place where I was, like, ‘Please, help me.’ And that opened my heart a little bit.”
He described how understanding God’s nature as love itself became key to his healing, filling the void left by substance abuse. “And then once I started going to church, learning what the Bible was saying, that’s when I found out that God is love. It says God actually is love. Not that just God loves us, that he is love. So his very nature is love… meeting God and learning that God is love, it started to fill that place, the empty place in me that the drugs and the alcohol were trying to fill. And so it was like — sometimes I describe it as the best high I ever felt. It was God’s love entering, when I opened my heart. And so it’s done spiritually.”
Welch’s journey included leaving Korn in 2005 after embracing Christianity, a period marked by a public baptism in the Jordan River, before officially rejoining the band in 2013. For nearly two decades, he has remained outspoken about his faith and its impact on his life, including restoring his relationship with his daughter. His recent comments continue his advocacy for experiencing God’s presence directly.
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