Grammy nominated, Dove Award-winning artist Kari Jobe
stopped by our headquarters in New York City as she traveled to promote Majestic,her new album of worship music. We sat down with Kari to get her
take on everything from how worship affects daily life to her recent travels in
South America.
Q: Kari, I know that
your new album, Majestic is different
from your other albums. How is it different, and what inspired the change?
A: I wanted an album that would capture what I do at a night
of worship. When I go out to minister, I’m doing nights of worship, not
concerts, not shows. I wanted Majestic
to represent what I do on any given night of worship. Majestic takes me back to my roots[ as a worship pastor].
Q: What inspired you
as you wrote some of the songs on this album?
A: I write from Scripture. In the song, “I am Not Alone,” I talk
about people being broken and being in a place where they’re dealing with a lot.
In the midst of that, what does Scripture say?. We wrote all of that song out
of Isaiah 43 and Exodus 14:14, where it says God fights for us. We need only to
be still. We find so much refuge, so much healing and so much ministry straight
out of the Scripture.
Q: How do you come to
worship with day-to-day struggles, and what advice would you have for others
who have similar struggles?
A: One of the best things about being a leader is being
vulnerable with people and sharing what God’s doing in our lives. It always
encourages others—to just know we’re not alone in those situations. I’m really
vulnerable with people on stage to share my story and share what God’s saying.
Everyone connects with that.
Q: How do your
personal experiences, your walk of faith, inform how you lead worship?
A: Being in a place where you’re just being honest before
the Lord is why worship is so powerful for me personally, and why I love to
lead worship. I have found so much healing and refuge with worship music. You
turn that on, and it shifts the whole atmosphere in your bedroom or in your
car. You just feel encouraged by the Word of God through music.
Q: Is there a
particular song on this album that has meant a lot to you as you’ve written it
or shared it with others?
A: “Forever” has been my favorite in this season because
everyone is excited about it. I think a lot of churches are doing it right now.
It’s the loudest song of the night because everyone is singing. It’s pretty
epic to watch what God is doing with that song.
Q: What’s next for
you?
A: I just was in South America doing a Spanish Majestic tour, and I led worship in
Spanish. I have two albums in Spanish so far, and we’re going to do Majestic. But I want to do it as a live
night of worship in Spanish, so that’s going to take a lot more work..
Q: What has it meant
to see the global body of Christ come together in worship during your travels?
A: I don’t know if you’ve been to South America and heard
them worship, but it’s amazing. They’re so appreciative of you coming to their
country and to their city. Every time I sang “Forever,” I just wanted to weep
because they knew it.
Q: What is your greatest
wish for your audiences ?
A: Just that they would get a glimpse of his goodness every
time. We’ll never know the Lord fully until we’re in heaven. And in worship we
have the opportunity to get these glimpses of who he is and these revelations
of who he is.
