Spending his childhood in foster care in a neighborhood marked by high crime and substance use shaped the early years of Biola University alumnus Mehki Key (B.A. ’22). Because both of his parents struggled with addiction, a mentor played a pivotal role in Key’s life, influencing him and introducing him to the work of Christian scholars, such as the late Nabeel Qureshi and Dr. Moyer Hubbard, professor of Old Testament and Semitics in the Talbot School of Theology. Always involved in leading worship at his church, Key decided to further his craft by majoring in worship arts in Biola University’s Conservatory of Music.

“I led worship growing up. I love music. But I wasn't a great math student, I wasn't a great academic. So I studied, regardless of how much money I was going to make, I knew I would enjoy doing it, and I wanted to get better at it, so I studied commercial music at Biola under Jeff Askew [director of commercial music and worship arts],” said Key.

Key desired a life of service to both his church and country. Key enlisted in the U.S. Army in 2020, which took him across the nation for training and duty. Throughout his time in the Army, which ended in 2025, his passion for music never faded.

His love for music and leading worship led to Key’s essential role in creating the event series Sandlot Revival with fellow Biola alumnus RobertAnthony Cruz (B.A. ’21), a former Biola baseball player and current player for the Savannah Bananas, the popular novelty baseball team known for its energetic showmanship and fan engagement. Friends since their first semester at Biola in Fall 2018, the two have a long-established friendship after serving in church ministry together, supporting each other at recitals and baseball games and attending each other’s weddings.

That’s why when Key reached out to Cruz after finding himself stationed at Fort Stewart near Savannah, Georgia, and in need of a friend during a crisis, their reconnection was a testament to the serendipity and perhaps divine intervention of being in the right place at the right time.

“While I was stationed at Fort Stewart, I got sent to the field, and I got really hurt in the field and I was hospitalized. I thought my life was over. I felt like I had become a victim of my mind during that circumstance. I reached out to RobertAnthony because now we were in the same city, but at this point he’s hard to get ahold of because he’s a big deal, but as soon as I said, ‘Hey brother, I need you,’ he gave me a phone call and told me to come to Bible study [with some of Cruz’s teammates].”

When Key asked if he could lead worship for the Bible study, Cruz responded enthusiastically, saying they had been praying for a worship leader. While at the Bible study, Mehki sat in a front-row seat to witness how God had been working in the lives of some of the Banana Ball players.

“I got to really experience what they’ve experienced — the fact that God loves them and God sees them. If he is for you, who can be against you? They have experienced that firsthand in their life,” said Key.

These experiences got Key and Cruz thinking about how they could take that ministry beyond Bible studies with the Savannah Bananas players, leading to the creation of Sandlot Revival. What started as worship nights in Savannah has now blossomed into a national tour of worship and testimony nights held at churches and colleges, led by members of the Banana Ball organization and local ministries.

“I think music is a great thing to bring people together. Sandlot Revival wasn’t an organization; it was just these players wanting to share what God has done in their lives through testimony and prayer, and they asked me to lead worship,” said Mehki.

The focus of Sandlot Revival has never been growth, but always God’s work.

“What we want to do is take it one step at a time and create opportunities and spaces for some trusted local church leaders and for these players to share their testimonies and a night of worship,” said Key. “It’s all about God and what God has done through these players. It’s just an overflow of what’s happening on this team.”

Reflecting on his time in the military, Key recalled the words of Biola President Barry H. Corey as he considered how Biola equipped him to impact the world for Jesus Christ.

“Dr. Barry Corey always said, ‘Have a firm center with soft edges.’ When you’re away from your family for nine months and around different people that experience and believe different things that you believe, and you’re in a green suit with an American flag on your right arm, I’ve learned to keep the main thing the main thing and allow my actions to represent what I believe and talk to people about the Lord they’ve never heard before,” said Key. “My firm center is Jesus is the Lord of my life.”

Biola University is the first university to host a Sandlot Revival event. It will be held on Sunday, March 29, at 7 p.m. on Metzger Lawn. Join alumni Key and Cruz as they lead the community in worship and revival. The event is free and open to the public, with registration encouraged.

Written by Sarah Dougher, strategic communication manager. For more information, email sarah.m.dougher@biola.edu.