Jason Crabb enters new season, says he’s passionate about speaking God’s Word
Grammy Award-winning artist Jason Crabb recently released his latest EP, Just As I Am, and following a year of ministering on the road despite the COVID-19 pandemic, the singer said he's developed a passion for speaking God's Word.
The five-song EP marks Crabb’s official debut on Red Street Records, a label headed by Rascal Flatts founding member Jay DeMarcus. Crabb's music was also produced by DeMarcus.
Despite his decadeslong career in Christian music, Crabb has managed to keep his fire for God by spreading the message of the Gospel through his music.
Each song on Just As I Am showcases Crabb's intimate relationship with Jesus and his passion for sharing it with others.
"Esther is one of my very favorite books of the Bible. I believe we are living in that day right now. All of the believers, people that love Jesus people, it's this moment, I feel like people's belief system is kind of in that moment of where they're questioning — faith over fear,” Crabb told The Christian Post.
"They're questioning, their faith is being tried, it's being pushed, it's being pulled out. There's a lot of heartache that's happened in this last little bit. So now more than ever, especially Christian artists, we have to be in overdrive,” he continued. “We have to be telling everyone, 'Hey, look, God's got you, He's got this.'”
"There's two things that we have to be doing: we have to be evangelizing and preaching the Gospel, the Good News of Jesus Christ, who He really is. Not what religion says He is, but grace and mercy and love and forgiveness and compassion. Jesus, who He really is. I think we have to go preach that to the world. Jesus is our strong tower, our source of strength, our comfort in the time of hurt, our peace in the troubled days. That's who Jesus is,” the Kentucky Hall of Famer testified.
Crabb spent the latter part of 2020 and early 2021 touring churches. He jumped in his car with his instruments and comedian Mickey Bell to help ministries reopen despite not having a big budget.
"Honestly, it was one of the most refreshing things that I feel — for such a time as this,” Crabb said of his time on the road. “I felt like that was really a moment for me. I was asking, I was like, 'Lord, what are we going to do? Every date that we have on the books is gone. I just bought a brand new bus … I know this is not like somebody dealing with the physical sides of this, but this is a big deal for our ministry. This is a big undertaking for my family as well, my household.”
Since September of last year, Crabb did 190 shows, something he stressed no other musician in Nashville was able to do. He said in unprecedented times, people must discover how to approach their calling in life.
"That's one of the things that God has really called us to, it's to each other,” Crabb told CP. “If you see a void somewhere, or you see an issue or problem, I don't think God will bring it to your attention if He won't help you get it accomplished. It's not the God that we serve, especially if you do it in His name, and for His glory. He's not going to let you fall on your face trying to do something for somebody else or for Him.”
"You can never go wrong with helping somebody else. I promise you never, you cannot help somebody more than what God will bless you. I'm just telling you,” he added.
Crabb says his fire for God has not died out over the last 25 years in music because the world is in need of hope.
"More than ever, I'm excited about being a Christian artist, but more than ever, I'm excited about being a Christian and being a believer and being a part of the family of God, and I love to try to welcome people in,” he said.
Crabb continued: “That's what we do with this music. One of the songs, ‘Heart Wide Open,’ That's really what it says, 'Hey, I'm coming with a broken heart. I'm coming with a mess. I'm coming with my scars. I'm coming with everything. And that's what you want. I realized now that's really what you want. You want me in my raw state, you want me in those moments — that's when real healing starts.' So I am excited more than ever before about being a child of God.”
The artist, who started his career with his relatives as a part of the Crabb Family band, said one thing he's passionate about in this season is speaking for the Lord. Crabb did a four-month study on Amalek and the Amalekites, an ancient biblical nation that was the first to attack the Jewish people after they were released from Egypt.
"I love to speak. I don't like to speak when I don't feel like God hasn't given me something to say,” he noted. “God had me digging in the word here recently. I was driving a truck and got hooked up on Amalek.”
"People ask, 'If God is so gracious, why did he instruct Saul to completely wipe out a whole generation of people?' Well, I got to wondering that and I got to looking and just digging, and the next thing you know, I found out so much all the way to even World War I, World War II through digging of the nature of Amalek.”
"It was really rare for me. After I called my brother, I said, 'Hey, I've got a word for the Church. I've got to come share it,'” he recalled. “After I shared [the Word], my family was there, and they all came up to me go. 'Who are you? Where did this come from?'”
Throughout the interview, he also maintained that he believes the time is short and the end is closer than ever — but that revival will come. Crabb said he's also excited about recording an upcoming Christmas album.
Just As I Am is now available to stream.
Jeannie Ortega Law is a reporter for The Christian Post. Reach her at: jeannie.law@christianpost.com She's also the author of the book, What Is Happening to Me? How to Defeat Your Unseen Enemy Follow her on Twitter: @jlawcp Facebook: JeannieOMusic