According to several news sources, Korn guitarist Brian "Head" Welch has left the multi-platinum band, because of a newfound relationship with Jesus Christ.

According to an official statement from the band Welch "has chosen Jesus Christ as his savior, and will be dedicating his musical pursuits to that end. Korn respects Brian's wishes, and hopes he finds the happiness he's searching for."

Welch, unhappy with the direction of the band, reportedly submitted a written "letter of resignation" to the band's management, citing various moral objections, including the band's most recent music video for "Word Up," in which his face is superimposed onto a dog patrolling a strip club, according to MTV news.

According to an article on MTV.com, Welch told a radio station in Bakersfield, California during an interview on Sunday, "I can go up there and play those songs and those solos but ... I distanced myself from Korn for probably a year and a half, two years. I just wanted to fade away, it was crazy. I was so gone. But I found my way out and I want to help anyone that wants to see the light at the end of the tunnel. I had to go through the lows to appreciate the highs and it's not perfect but it's damn near."

Welch reportedly plans to further explain his decision to his home church congregation in California this Sunday and hopes to release an album later this year. Korn has expressed its intentions to continue as a band without him.