It’s not every day that you get to connect with one of the most respected worship leaders in the world. Because of that, I’m quite honored to have had the chance to recently connect with Matt Redman about his recent move to the U.S. and his newest album. Here’s what Matt had to share:
TONY: Welcome to America! Have you started to acquire the “red neck” version of your British accent yet?
MATT: I think I’m holding on to my British accent quite well, but I’m definitely learning a few new phrases and word spellings!
TONY: What’s the latest update on the Passion City Church you are helping to plant with Louie Giglio and Chris Tomlin?
MATT: We’re taking it a step at a time and enjoying the journey. There’s some great churches already in Atlanta, but it’s a fast-growing city with 5 million people, so there’s a lot of work to do – and we’re excited to be a part of that. Louie has thrown out four little phrases for us to get our hearts and heads around as we begin this adventure – that Passion City Church is being planted ‘For God’, ‘For people’, ‘For the city’, ‘For the world’.
TONY: Tell us about your latest album, We Shall Not Be Shaken. What inspired it?
MATT: So much of the album is based around the faithfulness and steadfastness of God. We look around this world and notice that so many things are so shaky, temporary, and changeable. Take, for example all that’s been happening with the economy – there’s so much shifting and shaking. But when it comes to God, He is the opposite. He is unchanging, unshakeable and unfailing. He is the firm foundation and solid ground that we can stand upon – as the psalmist says in Psalm 62 – ‘He alone is my fortress – I shall never be shaken’. So that’s where the title and theme of the album came from.
TONY: Do you have a favorite track on the album?
MATT: I think it’s a song called “You Alone Can Rescue.” It’s a simple song of salvation that I’ve had the privilege of leading in eighteen different countries so far. The response has been so encouraging – and most of all it’s so inspiring to see young people all over the world singing their hearts out at the foot of the cross. In the north and the south, the east the and the west, the people of God are rising up with passionate songs of salvation.
TONY: Now that you’re in the U.S., will we get to see you tour with this new album? Who will be with you?
MATT: I’m out on a tour right now with Casting Crowns. It’s been an inspiring time so far – and I’m looking forward to going to nearly forty cities with those guys.
If you haven’t already checked it out, here’s my Amazon link to Matt’s new album.
God to worship with Matt on Friday night in South Carolina! An awesome time for sure! Welcome to America, Matt!