A Christian singer released a new album that aims to address the current social issues by reflecting on the power and peace of Jesus Christ.
Danny Gokey, a finalist during the eighth season of "American Idol," dropped his latest album, "Jesus People," on Aug. 20.
Speaking to The Christian Post, Gokey said that he depends on God in writing the lyrics of his tracks, saying that the LORD is "the greatest lyricist of all time." Through the songs, the artist stated that he only wants to speak what God is speaking.
"By faith, I get ready to receive. I don't hear audible voices. I just, by faith, receive that God's going to speak and write through me, and I start paying attention," he continued.
His album is a mix of Latin, Gospel and rap, featuring some collaborations with other artists, such as Christine D'Clario on "Cristo Es Necesario," Koryn Hawthorne on "We All Need Jesus" and Angie Rose on "Do For Love."
Gokey revealed that his favorite song on the album is its title track, saying that the world needs "Jesus people," who practice what they preach, to effectively share the Gospel to non-believers.
"We need Jesus people to let it be known. We need Jesus people to start walking in the freedom that's been paid for and walking in the knowledge of the truth because there's a broken world. And really, we should start doing more with our hands and feet than our mouth," he said.
He noted that most people have already heard about Jesus, but observed that non-believers get confused when they see Christians who act just like them, failing to display the changed lives that believers ought to have.
"People who not just talk about it, but live it sacrificially, they're the ones that grab people's attention. So we need Jesus people to do that," he emphasized.
The singer revealed that the worship song, "All are Welcome," was inspired by Revelation 22, when God spoke to him through that passage on the morning of Dec. 29, 2019.
He also realized that he needed to write a song about the end times, when he started seeing the signs during the onset of pandemic.
"'We all need Jesus' was written during the pandemic when the uproar in the streets started happening," he disclosed.
The singer stated that it is necessary to have a relationship with Jesus, especially with the chaos that the world is currently experiencing, pointing out the peace that Christ brings in the lives of those who trust in Him.
"I think that having Christ means having peace. What's interesting about having peace, and a sound mind and sound heart is that it could be chaos all around you, but if you have peace on the inside of you - Christ on the inside - the hope of glory, glory on the inside of you, that is stronger," he declared.
Further, he said that people who do not have Christ in their hearts tend to crumble amidst the confusion that they feel inside, which, he noted, no one can withstand.
"Being in Christ gives you access, so that's a key and you need that; otherwise, you will be overcome," Gokey stressed.
On his fascination with Latin culture, the artist explained that he first fell in love with it when he met his first wife, Sophia Martinez, who passed away in 2008 due to congenital heart disease.
Now married to Leyicet Peralta, he said that his wife taught her about what real love is, wherein she loves him without "trying to get anything" and doing it regardless of anything he could give.
The singer declared that the example of love his wife has for him is the same love he hopes that "Jesus people" would also share to others.
The artist is scheduled to hit the road with his "Stand in Faith" tour this fall, alongside another former "American Idol" contestant, Colton Dixon.
To promote his new album, Gokey will be visiting Saint Paul, Minnesota on Aug. 25, as well as Wisconsin the next day for a hometown show.
