Nestled between the Hilton Hawaiian Village and Hale Koa hotels, Waikīkī Beach was buzzing Sunday as a crowd began to grow to the sound of rhythmic music echoing off buildings. What started as a warm morning quickly cooled off as clouds covered the sun, the breeze picked up and it began to drizzle.
“Let’s not talk about the weather. But how are you really doing? I think we need to ask and answer that question more often,” said Pastor Mark Mohr, founder of Gospel reggae band Christafari, in the beginning of his sermon.
That day, the six-member band, including his wife Avion and their daughter Ziza, led worship — complete with a full drum set, bass guitars and other instruments they brought along with them — on the sand. Mohr gave a message about his “life verse” in Psalm 40, which is also a new single, for both visiting and regular attendees at Waikīkī Beach Chaplaincy, a more than 55-year-old evangelistic ministry that meets there weekly.
Last week, Christafari had held free concerts at Calvary Chapel Pearl Harbor and King’s West Oʻahu in Kapolei, making its way to Hawai’i Island and Kaua’i next.
When asked how those two shows went, Mohr, who resides in Lomita, California with his ʻohana, told Aloha State Daily on Sunday, “I am home. I love seeing people skankin' in the name of the Lord.”
He estimates that Christafari has played in Hawai’i on 20 different occasions, adding that he enjoys the diversity in audiences. “There’s a ‘woohoo’ audience and there’s a ‘cheehoo’ audience, so it’s refreshing.”
Since the inception of Christafari in 1989, the band has released more than 35 albums, visiting every U.S. state to more than 85 countries on mission “to reach the lost at any cost and make disciples of every nation.” The band operates under Sowers International, a nonprofit global missions organization, supported by donations.
Folks on the beach Sunday shared different stories of why they were there and why they stayed until the end of the two-hour gathering, which concluded with baptisms in the Pacific Ocean and a potluck with the band and WBC volunteers. One beachgoer from the Mainland that day shared that she and her daughter had planned to stream church service online from the shore but stayed to partake in what was happening live. Another person told Mohr he had made “the decision to follow Christ” 10 years ago at a Christafari concert and they reunited.
“We've seen a million decisions for Christ, so we’re doubling down. Double or everything is what we’re saying, giving everything we have,” he said.
A Hawai’i-based reggae artist, Justice James, also came out to connect with Mohr.
Mohr shares his go-to meal when in Hawai’i, what it’s like being on the road with family the muse behind the name and more.
What is the meaning behind the band's name? At first it was a play on words, somebody said, “You’re not a Rastafarian; you’re a Christafarian.” I’m like, “Oh, that’s catchy.” Then I realized, “Wait a minute, it’s not like Christ Buddha, Christ Muhammad. And when I was at Bible college, somebody came up to me and said, “I’m from Ethiopia, your name means “Christ our creator.” I said, “Oh I like that.” And it’s also where we get the name Christopher from. Though its not found in the Bible, in the Greek it means “Christ-bearer,” somebody who represents or bears the name Christ. We’re very clear and unapologetic about who we are.
What stands out about this tour? Where to next? Everything is special about this tour [in Hawai’i]. We're bringing a new album, the Sounds of Salvation, here. For me, that’s a special thing.
On a previous tour, we did all 50 states in 11 months and ended with baptisms on O’ahu. It was life changing. So, to do that again here today is awesome. We’ve never done Niʻihau, but we want to. People from that island come out to see us in Kauaʻi. There’s not a lot of families there and it’s not easy to get there but we’re praying for that. It would be done in a way where it would be homecoming for a lot of people, who are from there to can go back home. We’d love to do Maui, Molokai and Lānaʻi again, too.
We’re hoping to go to Ethiopia. Kenya will be next; we’ll be ministering to the largest slum in Africa. We’re currently working on Latin America. We’ve done the majority of Central, South and North America, and then we want to do every state in Brazil.
When you come to Hawai’i, what do you enjoy eating most? Kalbi from South Shore Grill.
What are your current goals? I’ve been doing this for 36 years, and I have a heart for the next generation. I don’t think there should be one band doing this. There should be many in many places and may ways. Different sounds but with one message. Ironically, Psalm 40, what I preached on today: When He put a new song in my mouth, a hymn of praise, the hope is that many will see, fear and trust in Him.
What is it like to go around the world with your family, and what else are you looking forward to this year? It’s a blessing. It’s awesome but it’s not easy. It takes a lot of patience on [my wifeʻs] end because we uproot, we move all the time, but I wouldn't want it any other way. … We see so many artists who travel apart from their wife and their marriage falls apart, so itʻs just a real blessing to have them, and then train a child in the way they should go.
Just trying to stay in the center of God’s will, trying to chase His perfect will. We like to use the term wind-driven, which means that if He’s calling us to take time off, to go over here or there, to be able to pivot. Being wind-driven, ultimately, is we want go where He goes.
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Kelsey Kukaua Medeiros can be reached at kelsey@alohastatedaily.com.
