Debbie Zipp
I love saying that I’m from California and that I lived in Los Angeles. I remember my grandmother telling me about going to church on Azusa Street. It wasn’t until years later that I realized that it was THE Azusa Street that sparked revival. My uncle would tell me he won a toy sail boat at an event at Echo Park Lake with Aimee Semple McPherson and Angelus Temple. Over 50 years later, we broadcasted our nationally syndicated radio show “Backstage Past” from that radio station, ‘KFSG at Angelus Temple’
I remember loving Vacation Bible School where I asked Jesus in my heart and memorizing Bible verses for the prizes. Mom got a job in Reno, NV and the Vietnam War moved us to Belton, MO where I was ‘reborn again.’
In the 1970s my friends and I went to “House of Agape” a ‘Christian coffee house’ in Kansas City, MO where we met in the basement of the Presbyterian Church downtown. Just a bunch of teenagers who were hungry for more of Jesus. The fun part was there were these beautiful, older women thrilled that us young people were at their prayer meeting and we were just as thrilled to see them. There was nothing like it. Such a wonderful time. We had Bible clubs in high school and Christian assemblies and The Gideon’s were able to hand out Bibles
In 1974, I moved to Pensacola FL, to attend Liberty Bible College and it was there I met and married Ed Zipp. After graduation we moved to Bradenton, Florida.
We directed ‘the fig tree coffee house” where in 1979, we were able to book Amy Grant for $200 and had evenings with Terry Talbot, Randy Matthews, CCM Showcases, Mike Johnson and local tours.
The Jesus Movement made us all family and gave us music and a chance to share Gods Love. The ‘fig tree’ gave us a place to go when the church was closed. Just don’t have a home birth with a husband who invites everyone over.
We produced the radio show “Backstage Past” so people could ‘remember their first love.’
The First Love book was a way I was able keep Ed’s legacy alive after he joined Larry and Andrae in 2013. Backstage Past was on the air for 5 years and contains a wealth of history about the beginning of Gospel Rock.
I look forward to reading your stories about what Jesus did for you in the Jesus Movement… send me a message on our contact page!
Backstage Past 