Singer Phil Wickham’s music has helped millions worldwide connect with God through worship services and Christian airplay. Wickham, whose latest album, “I Believe,” dominated Billboard’s Top Christian Albums list after its release, told CBN’s Faithwire that he aspires to be “faithful to the calling” God has on his life.
That calling, he said, is to “write some songs for the church to sing, some new prayers.” He said, “I write songs that light my heart up, just ancient truths. New ways to sing ancient truths about who God is and who we are in Him.” The award-winning singer said God continues to give him “little seeds of songs” that spark his music process. He knows his music is valued in churches as a tool to connect with the Almighty, and it’s a responsibility he takes pretty seriously.
Wickham said, “I’m just really doing the same thing I was doing when I was 15, which is just trying to write songs that people can sing together in a church environment. And also songs that would expose people to the Jesus that I know.” He said it’s an honor to know his music is played inside churches during worship services and shared his journey to embrace God’s plan for his life entirely. However, Wickham wasn’t always on the worship music path.
He initially wanted to be in a band and even attempted to write pop songs at one point, but ultimately, it always came back to Christian music. Wickham recounted, adding people expressed their gratitude for his songs and music, “I was getting these emails from people like, ‘Hey, we translated your song into Portuguese’ or singing in the Brazilian church, or in Mandarin, and in these Chinese house churches. Twelve people in the front room of a house singing these songs, and my heart just lights up. It’s what God has put in me to want to do, and not because I’m like some extra holy guy or doing the best spiritual thing.”
The singer said he’s simply following God’s calling on his life. Wickham made it clear he doesn’t need people to associate his name or likeness with the music and said he merely wants to make a gospel impact on the lives of those who encounter it. He said, “The older I get, it makes my heart explode with thankfulness and such a heightened awareness of God’s grace in my life. Because I’m such a sinner, and I just can’t believe He gives me the opportunity to say ‘yes’ to Him to write songs for the church.”
Wickham said he’s hoping “I Believe,” his 10th album, inspires listeners with its focus on the Gospel message. He said, “I believe there’s one salvation, one doorway that leads to life. I believe there’s one confession. I believe in the name of Jesus Christ. I believe in a crucifixion. I believe in the resurrection.”
Wickham continued, “My goal was to passionately, joyfully, thankfully, proclaim those things and to call everybody in to sing them with me.” Ultimately, he wants to see people have a “greater sense of faith” and gratitude for who God is and to more diligently and closely follow Jesus.