Associate professor of marketing Nick Sherwin shows his musical side while opening for Lisa Marie Presley's Storm and Grace tour at The Coach House in San Juan Capistrano, CA on Nov. 2. | Courtesy of Nick Sherwin

Some people see the circumstances and events in their lives as coincidences without any purpose or relation to God’s plan. But for business management professor Nick Sherwin, the events in his life were anything but accidents.

Apart from his role as a professor at Biola, Sherwin leads another life as a member in a rock band. It began in his teens when he became a part of a secular rock band, Finesse. The band played on KROQ Top 10 and increased in popularity. However, just when the band’s record started getting big, Sherwin became a Christian. Feeling as though he could not honor God through his band’s music, he quit Finesse and began writing his own music.

AN UNEXPECTED JOURNEY

Sherwin has since has produced over 100 original Christian songs and released 10 albums. He said that his songs have dramatically altered since his days with Finesse and now include powerful scripture that honors God.

“It’s not like praise and worship songs that are just kind of repetitive. It’s serious art, you know,” Sherwin said.

Sherwin also created a new band, Suburban Skies, and performs with his son Nick Jr., who plays the drums for him. On Saturday Nov. 2, they played at the Coach House for a Lisa Marie Presley Concert. According to Sherwin, it was most likely the best show that the band has ever played.

“We were very well received by people who didn’t necessarily come to see us,” Sherwin said.

Sherwin enjoys performing in secular marketplaces like Coach House because he hopes people will hear the lyrics and respond in faith. Sherwin believes that this is the reason he came to Christ when he did. Being exposed to the secular club life gave him the ability to fit into secular environments while still having a firm foundation in Christ.

IN THE WORLD BUT NOT OF IT

“What’s unique about my ministry is that it’s outside of the church,” Sherwin said.

Sherwin said that a couple weeks ago God had prepared the hearts of people in the crowd. During the performance, Sherwin spoke on Job 26 between songs, and the crowd responded to his performance and words warmly.
 
“God was completely honored,” he said.

He said that some of the things he sings about could be offensive to the listeners, but God had his whole hand over them during the show. Sherwin also explained how he had felt a sense of peace throughout the month leading up to the show.

Tiffany Schmitz, a senior business management and marketing major and one of Sherwin’s students attended the Coach House concert in which Sherwin opened for Lisa Marie Presley.

“It was really neat how in between songs Sherwin would give God the glory. That’s something that really stood out to me because Lisa Marie Presley is not a Christian and most of her fans aren’t,” Schmitz said.

Jinny Song, a senior business and marketing major at Biola attended the concert with Tiffany.

“It was awesome seeing him in his other element and seeing him doing what he loves to do. I love that he incorporates God into his work,” Song said.

Song explained how that is what Christians are called to do and that she is very proud of him.

“I’m really lucky to tell people he’s my professor,” Song said..

Because Sherwin’s job as professor comes first, he only plays a couple shows per semester. He said that his next show will most likely be in February at Saint Rocke in Hermosa Beach.

He plans on continuing with his music for as long as he can.

“It’s not a ministry for everybody you know but I think it’s just the ministry God called me to,” Sherwin said.