Author Spotlight: Steve Geyer
By Steve Geyer

“To anyone who has ever despised or cursed the face in the mirror, exited a room full of people and immediately began assailing themselves for being worthless and stupid, or felt that they will always be the last one picked for kickball, I extend to you my deepest empathy and heartfelt compassion, because I know what it’s like.”
—from Shameless, by Steve Geyer

Steve Geyer grew up in Florida, the youngest of three siblings in a single parent home. On the outside, his family appeared normal, but in private the abuse was brutal. Humour became a way to bring peace and control to the situation.

In college, Steve tried his hand at open mic nights at local comedy clubs, and it stuck. He went on to work as a nightclub entertainer, opening for acts such as Sinbad, Billy Crystal, and Ray Romano. His partying left him unable to cope with life, and one night he drove to a church he’d visited years previous. The message rang true for him, and Steve accepted the Lord.

Looking back, Steve admits that his faith wasn’t as solid as it could have been. “I bought the fire insurance, but was double-minded,” he says. Steve moved to Nashville in 1986 and married his wife Kathy in 1988. “She was really the catalyst for opening my eyes to the relational aspect of what it meant to be a Christian.”

Steve connected with a group of men who mentored him and helped him grow and mature in his faith. In time, Steve was invited by the husband and wife musical duo Farrell and Farrell to go on tour with them, and this launched him into the world of Christian comedy. He got a record deal with Star Song Records, and went on to record a live video and three comedy albums.

Steve has toured with artists such as 4HIM, Point of Grace, DeGarmo & Key, DC Talk, and White Heart. He’s been the featured speaker at many Christian festivals, including Jesus Northwest, Atlanta Fest, and Texas Alive. In 1998, Steve took a break from stand-up comedy to work with youth as an associate pastor in Fayetteville, Georgia. In 2003, he once again returned to speaking and comedy full-time, but not at the exclusion of his ministry.

“My comedy works because I’m not just an entertainer,” he says, “but rather my stories about being in the third world, about what’s happening in people’s lives—these are current and relevant and ministry is always part of who I am. I talk about real life, about what’s going on in people’s lives and in the church right now.”

Steve is currently on the road in British Columbia, touring with Gary Thomas’s A Lifelong Love Tour, put on by Focus on the Family.

Learn more about Steve at stevegeyer.us

About this Contributor:

In Shameless, Steve Geyer seeks to shed light on shame—the shadowy force that has controlled people’s thoughts, actions, and lives for centuries. Comedian and pastor Steve Geyer will take you on a personal and poignant journey as he peels back his own mask and shares insights, life lessons, and a few well-timed laughs along the way.