I think there is now this stronger group of people who are coming up and saying, "No, man. We want to create church." I have a friend who pastors a church in Iowa and it's called Re-church which I think is brilliant. Their whole idea is we're going to rethink the concept of how we do church. The goal is to connect with the younger generation and help them realize that we can establish not necessarily new traditions because we don't want this to perpetuate to the next generation but we can establish a way of doing church and a way of connecting people to God that is not so steeped in tradition that isolates another generation coming up.
In the past, you have quoted Ephesians 1:18 as a personal and professional motivator for your music. [KJV: "The eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints,"] Since your songs are generally classified as praise and worship, what kind of challenges are you facing in bringing that kind of music to the mainstream audiences?
Well, I've never deliberately said I want to go mainstream. Even in our conversations with people that make those kinds of decisions, they've said you really have something here that has the ability to reach outside the four walls of Sunday morning; let's make sure that we pursue that. I'm just saying, "Hey listen, I'm writing what's coming out of my heart and I'm finding a lot of disillusioned people who aren't going to church anymore and sometimes, we got to take church to them." I've met a lot of Christian people who were at such a crisis in faith due to the hypocrisy that they've experienced in church, due to the abusive power in leadership that they've experienced. Somebody's got to re-right those things and reclaim hope for people who have been disillusioned. It is disillusionment to people, not to God.
I'm saying, "Don't blame God for the human condition." Let's get back to God and realize that He is good regardless of the mistakes that human beings have made. So musically just in the message of hope that we're trying to write in these songs, we're trying to reach outside of traditions to just getting down to where the heart of where people have been. Every one of us, regardless of our affiliation, regardless of our theological understanding, regardless of our political biases, we could all use hope and encouragement and compassion. Everybody needs it. My goal is to embody that in the lyrics and the music that I'm writing to help people walk away with hope and light and encouragement.
Article comments
1 - David
In reading this article I am deeply touched by the words of both the journalist and My Favorite Gospel Artist Israel Houghton. I'm always wondering what's the next agenda, idea, goal, passion. I have the place where GOD wants Me to go in Life, that much HE has shown Me, yet I'm not there and so I'm constantly saying to Myself what can I shed to lighten My load so that I can get there...not necessarily faster because the race is not given to swift, but what can I do to lighten My load to make the journey easier? More conducive to the terms in which GOD has set for Me to reach the Destination, that mark that We all so desperately press toward. Am I even desperately pursuing the things of GOD like I would like to confidently say I am desperately pursuing? The question still remains, how...
2 - Dianne Knowles
Just to let you know....your article is very good, however it was difficult to read because it is covered with half-naked women. I am supposing that you are unaware of this and am bringing it to your attention.
Thanks to Israel Houghton for all the great worship music.
3 - Jordan Richardson
Dianne, I assume you mean the advertisements? None of the writers can do anything about the ads here.
4 - Brian aka Guppusmaximus
Diane, you should try surfing the web with Firefox instead of Internet Explorer. With Firefox, you can either use NoScript or AdBlock Plus. Trust me, you'll never see an ad again!
5 - Kawanzaa King
Wonderful interview! I was clinging to every word :-). Thank you Mr. Perry and Israel for sharing your hearts. The Power Of One is just, (sigh), right on time! Like you Mr. Perry, the track "Moving Forward" is one of my favorites and the song just gets right to heart of my own matters, just like- "Rejoice", "Rise Within Us", "Another Breakthrough", "You Are Good" and so many more. Again, thank you both Mr. Perry and Israel for sharing your gifts.
Abundant Blessings~