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Meet the Artist: Jeremy Camp Print Email
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Monday, 14 January 2013 03:26 PM America/New_York

JeremyCampProduced by Jeremy Camp and Andy Dodd, Reckless by GRAMMY-nominated Camp (5-09993-01402-2-6, $13.99) releases Feb. 12 from BEC Recordings (EMI CMG Distribution).

Where did the album title and same-titled song come from?

Reckless started as a word that kept being embedded in my mind, so I started to look up its meaning. I found that it means doing something without regards for the consequences. It occurred to me that “reckless” is a lot like true faith. When I step out in faith, no matter the circumstance, I know that God will take care of me. One of the biblical examples of living reckless for Christ that came to mind was Paul. In 2 Corinthians, chapter 4, Paul returned to Lystra after being stoned for witnessing to people in the city because He knew the Lord called him to go back. In Acts 20:23-24, Paul writes: “I only know that in every city the Holy Spirit warns me that prison and hardships are facing me.  However, I consider my life worth nothing to me; my only aim is to finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me—the task of testifying to the good news of God’s grace.” Paul served the Lord with all his heart. He knew that he was going to face trials and persecution, but God had placed a call on his life and wanted him to surrender his heart to the Lord. My desire, and the message in this song, is to completely surrender everything to God. I want to be able to do what God calls me to do without worrying. That’s being sold out for Christ. I don’t want to miss out on the fullness of what God has for me, so when God calls me, I want to be willing to go!

RecklessCDJeremyCampWhat are some other standout songs?

“The Way You Love Me” is almost a direct response to the action of being reckless. When I think about what Christ has done and the depth of His love, despite how wretched I am, I want to tell the world about His love for me. In the same way, we are called to love like He loved. In 1 Cor. 13:3, Paul writes: “If I give all I possess to the poor and give over my body to hardship that I may boast, but do not have love, I gain nothing.” It says in Rom. 8:39: “Neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” That’s God’s love and that’s the love that I want to share with others. 

“Come Alive” is a song that I wrote while walking around in New York City. For some reason, I saw a lot of empty people that day, to the point that it felt like I was observing walking dead. We live in a culture where people are chasing things that are of this world, and I want to see them come alive in Christ!

What do you hope your listeners will take away from this recording?

My hope is that this album encourages people to step into the fullness of what God has called them to do and take action. The songs are meant to encourage all of us to go out, not just me. If we can all work together and be in the same place spiritually, that body of Christ working together can fuel a passion that is truly great. There is power in numbers!