Jeromy Diebler

Jeromy Dieblor is Artist in Residence at Fellowship Bible Church and the founder of the band FFH.

Jeromy Dieblor is Artist in Residence at Fellowship Bible Church and the founder of the band FFH. Originally formed by Jeromy and Brian Smith in 1991, FFH produced and released six albums, while maintaining a productive touring schedule. But when its radio single cracked the Top 20 at Christian Adult Contemporary radio, eventually moving on to become the highest charting single by an independent artist in CCM history, major labels started taking notice. Essential Records signed the band, and multiple No.1 radio hits, Dove Award nominations, and approximately 2 million career album sales followed.

A decade of road dog work ethic ensued, with Jeromy and Jennifer sharing a tour bus alongside the band and crew for 200+ dates per year, often sleeping in separate bunks. That kind of lifestyle, Jeromy confesses, is not conducive to intimate conversations. “In 2006 my wife and I had been married for 11 years. Ten of those years we had been in FFH, touring and traveling together,” Jeromy explains. “Over the course of those years we had our first child, Hutch. By the time we got to 2006, we were ready for something else. Burn out was part of it. We were never burned out with playing concerts; it was everything that surrounded it. It was the travel. It was leaving Hutch when we went on the road. It was a strain on our marriage.” When their 10th anniversary rolled around Jennifer and Jeromy had a heart to heart conversation. Things were not all right. Things needed to change.

After much prayer, counsel and conversation the unanimous decision was made to take an indefinite break. “The day after FFH played its last concert together, Jennifer and I were packing for Cape Town South Africa,” Jeromy says. “That literally was the first day of the rest of our lives.” For the next six months the Deiblers ministered in a small South African church, relishing their opportunity to detox from the hectic world they had inhabited for the last decade. No high speed Internet; no land line telephone; no television; no heating or air conditioning – just sweet anonymity.

When we left South Africa to return to the States we were absolutely positive that we were never going back to FFH. We were ready for the next season in our life to begin, and we knew we were going to hit the ground running. But God was silent.” The Deiblers received both good news and bad news over the next several months: Jennifer was with child; and Jeromy was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis.

Jeromy continued to write songs and the couple continued to lead worship as opportunities presented themselves. Then in December of 2008, while on their way back from leading worship for a small congregation in Georgia, Jeromy and Jennifer looked at each other and they just knew.

“It was time,” Jeromy states. “It was like the Lord had turned the lights off, and then He turned them back on.” FFH was reborn, but this time as an extension of Jeromy and Jennifer Deibler. The days of 200+ concerts a year were over. Worrying about chart position and album sales were a thing of the past.

With a fresh perspective and a new sense of calling, Jeromy set about the serious task of creating Wide Open Spaces, the first new FFH album in three years. Although the songs on Wide Open Spaces were conceived in struggle and born after a long sojourn in the wilderness of God, Jeromy insists this is not a melancholy album. Yes, there are songs of lament, but there are also songs of joy and promise.

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