Rick Pino Explains Why Testimonies, Spontaneous Worship & Radical Worship Make "Rend the Heavens" Unique

Worship leader and songwriter Rick Pino recently released Rend The Heavens (Live). The album launched to No. 2 on the iTunes Christian & Gospel chart when it debuted Feb. 24.

Pino is the founder of the Heart of David Movement, a modern day "Tabernacle of David" based in Austin, TX. The HOD community is passionate about seeing Jesus glorified through day and night worship that leads to societal transformation in our city, region and in the nations of the earth. Every year, thousands come from all over the world to attend HOD internships, schools, conferences and summits.

For the past 13 years, Rick has been calling people to lives of radical love and devotion to Jesus through his worship albums as well as his extensive touring. His music is known for being intimate, prophetic, joyful, and militant. Rick and his wife Lindsey live in Austin, TX with their daughter Zoey and their son Koa.

For all the latest information on Rick Pino, Rend The Heavens (Live), touring, Heart Of David and more, go to http://rickpino.com/, http://www.heartofdavid.org/, Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. 

Q:  Thank you Rick for your time.  A few years ago, you made the move from Dallas to Austin.  Why Austin? 

It's a pleasure to be on this interview! Thank you! 

In early 2012 my wife Lindsey and I felt a season of transition approaching. Around that time we were hosting 50hr non-stop worship gatherings called "Fire on the Altar (FOA)" in many different state capitals throughout America. In March of 2012 we happened to host a FOA in Austin, the state capital of Texas. It was then that our hearts started feeling really connected to the city. As we mobilized for the FOA, we discovered that Austin is the Live Music Capital of the world.  We began to pray that God would change the name of this city to the 'Live Worship Capital' of the world! After the FOA and after many confirmations, we were convinced that we were to move to Austin and plant a base there. My wife and I became official, "Austinites" in June of 2013! 

Q:  In Austin, you started a movement called "Heart of David."  What's the "Heart of David"?  And what's your vision behind it?

When I was 15, I read a book called, "No Compromise" by Keith Green's wife Melody. Not only did the book inspire me as I learned about Keith's passion for Jesus but I was really interested in the fact that they had this community of ex-hippies who all did kingdom life together. That idea went really deep inside of me and it became the dream of my young heart to someday pioneer a similar community. 

In January of 2014 this dream became a reality when we hosted our very first Heart of David internship! Since then we have established a ministry school, an annual worship festival called, "PRESENCE," we host daily worship and prayer sets, we send worship and missions teams all over the world, we do weekly outreach to our city, and give leadership to a global network of like-minded singers, songwriters, musicians and worship leaders. 

The vision of the Heart of David Movement is simple. We want to see radical worship, community, discipleship and global missions arise all over the earth. One way we are doing this is by pressing to establish a day and night worship culture that we believe will lead to the transformation of cities, regions and nations! 

Q:  You have also released 8 live and studio albums in the process.  Tell us more about these albums and your style of worship?

There are artists who make records and I love that, but we really consider ourselves more of a ministry who produces resources for the body of Christ. That's how we view our albums. They are resources to help people connect with God and grow in deeper relationship with Him. They are all unique in style and all of them carry different spiritual seasons in their message. Even though almost every album has topped the Christian charts, we have produced and released all of them independently. People are always amazed when we tell them we aren't on any major labels. Many times they ask, "how do you guys do it?" We usually just laugh and reply, "Holy Spirit distribution." 

Q: There are a few spontaneous worship moments on your new project "Rend the Heavens."  Are these songs that God gives you at the moment without prior writing?

The spontaneous moments on the new record are an overflow of spiritual inspiration, lyrical improvisation and musical expression and are unrehearsed. There are many layers to that though. 

For one, all my band members are my best friends and have been playing and worshiping with me for anywhere between 10-13 years. That's a long time considering we're all in our early 30s. That's a big chunk of our lives that we have been ministering and playing music together. We always joke that we have a 5th band member named "History." We have gone through everything together; life, deaths, offenses, reconciliation, laughter, tears, broken marriages, healed marriages, and we are closer than ever because we have chosen to stay committed to each other through it all. You can't buy history together, you just have to live it out.

Also, Colossians 3:16 says that we teach and admonish one another in psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs. In the original Greek writing, a spiritual song is described as a "God breathed news report." We want to be so in tune with the Father's heart and so in tune with one another's hearts that we can release "God breathed news reports" expressed through lyric, melody and musical expression. 

That's what those spontaneous moments are all about. 

Q:  You have also included spoken testimonies in the album.  This is quite rare in most worship albums.  Why did you do that?

I think more people should include testimonies of the Lord's goodness in their worship records. Worship isn't just singing and music. Worship is also remembering all that God has done for us. 

I shared our raw testimony about my son Koa because what took us 6 years to get breakthrough in can now take the listener 6 minutes to get breakthrough. That testimony of God's goodness in my life now becomes transferable every time I share it.

I know we live in a day where worship and creating records and songs has become an actual industry for some but that's not what it's about for us. Our worship is about connecting man to God and God to man and one way we do that is by sharing and imparting through testimony what God has done for us. 

Q:  What were some of the highlights for you in making "Rend the Heavens"?

Actually knowing that masses of people would hear our testimony about our son and be inspired to not give up on the promises of God. 

Q:  How can our readers be involved in the "Heart of David" movement?

For those who would like to come and just check out who we are or maybe come for a weekend long spiritual retreat in God's presence, I would highly recommend coming out for our PRESENCE 2017 gathering this June!

If someone was looking for more of a long-term connection, and wanted to dedicate a season of their lives to growing in the word, growing in leadership, and growing in worship, our ministry school has semesters running every spring and fall! 

You can also check us out online at www.heartofdavid.org.

 

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