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Does your music ever connect with unbelievers?

Paris I used to think there wasn't much that was evangelistic about what I do. But I've received letters from people over the years saying they came to the Lord by listening to my albums. I was surprised by that at first, because none of the songs said, "You need to come to Jesus." My songs may not invite people to join "the club," but they do allow people to sit down and listen to our "club meeting" and hear what goes on. Maybe a smaller group gets it at that level, but for some people, I think they need to sit and listen to a meeting rather than being invited to join. It's ministry to the body, but I've found that in a quiet way, people do end up being drawn in.

This is your second worship album in a row. How has your own life been impacted by corporate worship music?

Paris God has used corporate worship music to bring healing to me, spiritually and emotionally. I've come to church with my priorities completely out of line and then instantly got back in line in the presence of God. I was 18 or 19 when I was first asked to lead worship on Sunday evening. I had to be nudged, because I'd rather sit on the back row. But I did it, and there did seem to be an anointing. Shortly after that, I began recording.

From the beginning, I felt worship was to be an important part of that, even if there was just one worship song on any given album. I still have times of corporate worship in my concerts, since I want my concerts to be an environment of worship where people can open their hearts and hear the Lord.

It's also your first album with Integrity. How do you feel about a new label home after all this time?

Paris When you've been around as long as I have, things just evolve, morph, and change, not just with artists but also with labels as they are bought and sold. Still, being with Integrity is almost a homecoming because we have similar roots. I started out feeling I was called to make worship an important part of what I do. Integrity started out a little after I did, and they felt called to facilitate worship for the body. It's like buying a new garment that fits and feels as though you've had it forever.

You're celebrating your 25th anniversary in Christian music. How has recording an album changed between 1980 and 2005?

Paris The technology is so small now that anyone can make an album in their basement if they have the talent and the basic equipment. Before, you'd need a board the size of a long, full-sized bed. Now it's not much larger than your personal computer. I can record some things at home now, which makes life simpler since I have a four-year-old son. Instead of staying in a city for an extra week waiting to hear a song after it's mixed, they just send me an MP3 file.

What most notable changes have you seen in Christian music in these past 25 years?

Paris Maybe the most notable change is that because of some rough patches that were hit and some artists taking hard falls, everyone began to see two things were mission critical—being accountable and plugged into a local body, and having that daily walk and relationship with the Lord that reflects what you sing in your songs. That's what I've sensed in the lives of people in the business. They really began to see that they were role models and that what they do outside of the music is more important than the music.

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