Former SLCC Prof Coauthors ‘The Faith of Elvis’: An Interview with Kent Sanders (Part 2)

By Andrew Wood

This is part 2 of Christian Standard’s interview with Kent Sanders, coauthor of the new book The Faith of Elvis: A Story Only a Brother Can Tell. Sanders, a former St. Louis Christian College professor, assisted Elvis Presley’s younger stepbrother, Billy Stanley, in telling the inside story of the spiritual life of the “King of Rock and Roll.” 

CHRISTIAN STANDARD: Why was it important to Billy, and to you, to tell this story? 

KENT SANDERS: It was really important to Billy to tell the story of Elvis’s faith because it’s such a key part of who he was that hasn’t been as well-publicized as other parts of his life. In 1989, [Billy] released a book called Elvis, My Brother that was a bestseller. However, the publisher didn’t want to emphasize the faith-based elements of Elvis’s life in that book. So, in this latest book, he wanted to go all-in and focus on Elvis’s faith. Billy also has a big heart for sharing the gospel, and this project was the perfect opportunity to do that in the context of Elvis’s story. 

As for me, I wanted to be involved in this project because I’ve always loved Elvis’s music and I wanted the challenge of trying to tell this story in a captivating way. From a writing perspective, the best memoirs involve an interesting main character and a compelling story. You don’t get any more interesting than Elvis! 

Last week, you shared some examples of how Elvis expressed his relationship with God. Got anything else for us? 

I mentioned last time that gospel music, reading Scripture, and instilling faith in his stepbrothers were constants in [Elvis’s] life. Another lifelong expression of his faith was his generosity. The best way to describe him is “radically generous.” He gave away lots of cars and cash to friends and relatives. He was quick to help people in need. One of my favorite stories in the book is when Elvis stopped to talk to a homeless man on the street, then gave him a huge wad of cash to help him out. Elvis did this type of thing all the time. He was a living example of a “cheerful giver.”  

One of my biggest personal takeaways from this project is learning that Elvis remained humble. He didn’t take himself too seriously. He loved his fans and would go to great lengths to make them feel special or talk to them on the street. There is a great lesson here for all of us. Whatever type of work God calls you to, even if we’re in the public eye—and maybe especially so—it’s all about service to people, not about ourselves.  

What were some faith challenges or struggles Elvis had? 

I wouldn’t say that Elvis dealt with challenges to his faith in the sense that someone might doubt God for long periods of time or even wander away from their faith. He dealt with temptations of addiction and infidelity that are well documented. The death of his mother and his divorce were both dark, emotional valleys. But I never got the sense in the research that Elvis’s faith wavered. His belief in God seemed like it stayed strong through the ups and downs of his life. 

However, he dealt with a lot of challenges that made it harder for him to fulfill what he saw as his spiritual calling, which was singing and performing gospel music. Billy [frequently] emphasized to me that Elvis saw his movies and rock and roll music as simply a “job,” no better or worse than anyone else’s job. I was surprised to learn that Elvis considered himself first and foremost a gospel singer. He did not have full control over the way his career developed, however, and ended up involved in projects that were not his passion. He was betrayed by close confidants, locked into a movie career in the 1960s that he increasingly disliked, and trapped in a grueling performance schedule in Vegas in the 1970s that would ultimately contribute to his demise. 

We dive into all these challenges in detail in the book. 

If you could sit down with Elvis today as a pastor, what would you say to him? 

The first thing I would say is “thank you.” Elvis changed the world and brought joy to millions of people of all generations with his music. He helped bridge the gap between the African-American and White cultures at a crossroads in our country’s history. He showed that with determination, persistence, and yes, faith, a person can rise from poverty to create a life that blesses future generations. 

I’d also want to offer him some comfort. Elvis wrestled with his conscience, with the difference between the man he wanted to be and the man he was. As we all do. He was working in a high-pressure, materialistic industry that was not the most conducive environment for a healthy faith. I’d want to offer him encouragement that God understands and forgives, that his love is constant and not dependent upon our performance. 

Elvis invested a lot in mentoring his younger stepbrothers. What was the outcome of that effort? 

An important thing to know that I think fans of Elvis will really appreciate is that his brothers did not remember him as this sad, depressed, brooding person who is often depicted. Billy knew him as a joyful, happy, funny guy. That’s something that gave him extra credibility in the boys’ eyes. 

Billy’s two brothers both grew up to be pastors. One has died and the other is still in ministry today. Billy himself turned away from the Lord for about 20 years after Elvis died, but after a series of events and the influence of his wife and surviving brother, recommitted his life to Jesus. Billy describes a remarkable spiritual experience he had that made him feel reconnected with Elvis, as well, but I’ll let you read the book to find out more about that. 

Oh, you’re leaving us in suspense! But it sounds like we’re ending with really the biggest surprise people might not realize about Elvis—that he successfully mentored three young men into faith in Christ. 

Very much so. And I personally find that [to be] one of the most encouraging parts of his story. That we don’t have to be perfect for God to make a difference through us. And that often that difference is seen in the next generation. 

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The Faith of Elvis: A Story Only a Brother Can Tell by Billy Stanley with Kent Sanders (Nashville: Nelson Books, 2022) is available online (including at Amazon) and in bookstores. 

Andrew Wood, a former missionary to Ukraine and associate professor at Nebraska Christian College, is a freelance writer.