This past Tuesday, sitting on my bathroom floor after the first all-nighter of the semester, I had the privilege of doing a phone interview with Passion's Brett Younker, to discuss their new album, Follow You Anywhere. We also talked about the creation and reasoning behind Passion, and Brett's personal experience with faith.
Q: How does it feel to have a new album out?
SO exciting.
Brett talked about how amazing it was to record an album around the Passion conference, which takes place once a year in Atlanta Georgia, the birthplace of Passion. This conference takes place during the new year and is a place for students to gather and worship the Lord together. There are other branches of the conference that take place around the states, but the main conference is in Atlanta. During Passion this year, the band was able to record live versions of their songs to create the new album.
Emily Travis
Q: What is your favorite song on the album?
Oh my goodness, do I have to just pick one??
After a few minutes of thinking over the album list, Brett finally decided on his 3 top songs on the album. The songs he picked were:
Follow You Anywhere
More to Come
Lift up Jesus
Q: How did you come into Passion?
The more I got around Passion and the music, the more I understood what it was about. It was about putting Jesus at the center of your life. It wasn't all about 'Oh God loves me and he died for me and he rose again to give me life' , this is all true but there was more to the story. He did it so ultimately I could bring glory to God with what I would do in my life.
Brett talked a lot about attending the Passion conference as a college student, and how it personally affected him and changed his mind to understand all the things God had in store for him. He said then later, God moved in the heart of some people to create a church in Atlanta, and it started in a basement. At this time, all of his idols, such as Chris Tomlin, were up and leading worship and Brett thought he would never be leading worship like them. He just wanted to be around them because he loved the group of people so much, he and his wife just decided to serve alongside them. Then, in 2010, Brett was asked to join Passion.
(on joining Passion) Yes. Oh wait, let me pray first... yes!
He started in the music and writing side, then in 2014, they decided to make a band that represented the aspects of the conference for the new generation stepping up. They wanted to be the Passion Band who came out of the Passion City church. This band, is the band Passion, that Brett is still a part of today.
Emily Travis
Q: What is your favorite verse?
Once again, do I have to pick one?
Brett picked two verses since it truly is hard to just pick one verse.
Isaiah 26:8, the verse that Passion is defined by.
"Yes, Lord, walking in the way of your laws, we wait for you; your name and renown are the desire of our hearts."
He also talked about loving the beatitudes.
Q: What's your favorite part about leading worship in Passion?
My favorite thing in the whole world is to be just standing in the space where people get it. And where people have this awakening and awareness that God is right there. And when they do theres awe and wonder in their hearts, and there's excitement and joy...I love being in that space with people when they realize they're standing in a holy moment with Jesus.
Brett talked about how, in leading worship, there are moments where the audience gets it. They are able to understand the fullness and wonder of God. In discussing the best part of leading worship, this is what he really stressed as the best and most important part. Brett also touched on the awe of being able to lead others to Jesus within worship, and how that is another one of the greatest aspects of worship for him.
Emily Travis
Q: Is there anything in specific you want to share with those reading this?
In our culture, it is so easy to keep your eyes on yourselves, and to be so self focused and so self absorbed. This can mask itself in good intentions. I just think it's really easy to have your eyes on yourself. I encourage you to lift your eyes and put them on Jesus.
Brett hit on an interesting point, but a very real one. We, as a society, are incredibly self-consumed, and this makes it difficult for us to see the wonders God has in store for us. Whether, as Brett said, this is masked in good intent, or is just plain arrogance in who we are, we should really turn to look at Jesus to know where our blessings come from. Everything comes from Him. Sometimes we like to think that the things we do are a part and portion of the greatness of ourselves, but in reality, it's all the wonder of God.
The more you could become aware of who God is, the more steady your steps could be in life. All the insecurities we deal with as we compare ourselves to people around us, all that would begin to lessen and go away. We would also realize we're being held by a God who is bigger than we are, that we would live for a bigger purpose in the world.
Once again, Brett, thank you so much for taking the time to talk to me! It was a pleasure getting to speak with you and get insight on the new album!
Always,
HMS
