With the release of Stay in 2002, the world was introduced to Jeremy Camp's gripping testimony of losing his wife Melissa to cancer—and the rebuilding of Camp's faith after her death. But Camp, who has since remarried, says leading worship is the ultimate pain elixir. Ever since his Bible college days, the 26-year-old would set up in any town with an acoustic guitar sharing his story through personal and praise-driven songs. Though Stay sold well and featured several hits ("Take My Life," "I Still Believe"), fans wanted Camp to release a worship album. After praying about the idea and brainstorming song choices, Camp recently released Carried Me: The Worship Project, and it's already climbing the charts. Here's more from our personal "Camp meeting" as his tour bus rolled from Las Vegas to Los Angeles on this spring's "Adoration Tour."

You started out as a worship leader, but your debut was such a personal album. What was that transition like?

Jeremy Camp: When you start as a worship leader, nothing you do is about you whatsoever. You're worshipping Jesus and leading people to do the same, so the focus can't have anything to do with you. When you enter the rock realm and start opening up lyrics about yourself, the tone changes a bit and you find people placing more attention on you. Suddenly there are lots of autographs and pictures and interaction that wouldn't be as constant if you were strictly a worship leader. I guess my decision to use my first record as more of a personal tone was to introduce people to my testimony. That didn't mean worship still wasn't a major part of the writing and performing process. I wanted people to get to know my story and how God used the passing of Melissa to strengthen so many believers and bring people to the faith.

Was the attention overwhelming at first?

Camp: The first thing I did when Stay was released was to sit down and say, "Lord, I don't know what's going on here. All I know is you're blessing a lot of people with these words." I just prayed in every situation to keep the focus, even when the distractions come into the day. But yes, it was a little overwhelming—the whole autograph thing, interviews, travels and meeting so many new people every day. Don't get me wrong: I love all those amazing opportunities to share God's love with people. I just really want to have the wisdom and strength to lay my heart on the table every single day and be faithful to God's commission on my life.

What inspired you to go the worship route for your latest record?

Camp: In going around the country so much and incorporating worship songs into concerts, people just started asking me to make a worship record. I could see onstage every night that this portion of the show was really affecting people, just by the body language and expressions on their faces. I also thought a worship record would bridge the gap from the way I started and reconnect me to those beginnings.

It's not just typical modern praise standards, and there are originals as well. Why did you steer away from the conventional route?

Camp: I wanted to use songs that aren't the everyday songs—the ones you hear every single Sunday that are on a lot of different compilations. I wanted to do some rarer songs, like "Trust In You" or "You're Worthy of My Praise," old songs that lead people to say, "I've never heard this song, but I'm really glad you introduced it to me." As far as originals go, I sought out corporate worship songs that can be brought to life, whether you're listening alone or live with other people.

What was your game plan in writing your own worship material?

Camp: Instead of looking at my own emotions, I dove directly into the Word and saw the many different ways God was named, described and praised. That really touched me because it inspired me to think of who God is to me and what I would say if I wanted to talk to him.

How do you keep this worship material meaningful to yourself, despite the routine of presenting it nearly every night in concert?

Camp: When you do anything so frequently, no matter what it is, it can become monotonous. But I think when you have given your day to the Lord and say, "Lord I need your strength and I need to be fresh and excited," he honors that. Then we put that focus on right before we go on stage and give everything to the Lord when we're up there. The songs may be the same in the set list, but it's fresh because there are new battles and new joys everyday that we can pour out as we lift him up.

As believers, we often feel inadequate in trying to minister to those around us. How do you deal with those feelings?

Camp: I don't deserve to be up there. I just know that God's called me to it, so that gives me rest. Even though I fail and make mistakes, I ask for forgiveness and press on. Yes, I'm not worthy and I am very inadequate, but I know this is my heart and my desire, so somehow he gives me the strength to stay committed to that calling.

How has praise brought you peace—through Melissa's death, but also in the daily challenges?

Camp: Worship is an extension of who I am, in every part of me. Even when something doesn't go in my favor or when I question God, I've thanked him for the consistent blessings in my life. I miss Melissa, but I'm also joyous that she is with our Father in heaven, so that realization is worthy of praise. Having that awesome testimony of her faith and her courage is also a means for constant praise.

What advice would you give someone who wants to integrate worship into their daily lifestyle?

Camp: Worship is not just about singing songs. We need to understand that our actions and how we act around other people are all meant to be for the glory of God. It's more than just a Sunday thing. We can walk around and be constantly glorifying him, representing him and praising him for his goodness. Blessing other people throughout the day is also part of worship. It can make that person say, "Thank you Lord so much for sending that person into my life." A huge part of worship is serving other people. That's what I'm called to do through my music and what we're all called to do—no matter what we do for a living.

Jeremy Camp has since remarried Adrienne Liesching of defunct South African rock band The Benjamin Gate. He is expected to release another album of all new material later in 2004. For more about him and his music, visit our artist page. You'll find previous interviews and reviews, including our take on his latest album, Carried Me: The Worship Project. To listen to sound clips and buy Jeremy Camp's music, visit Christianbook.com.

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