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Interview
Rebecca St. James
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Interview
Rebecca St. James
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| Above: Jonathan sits down with Rebecca St. James. |
Youth for Christ Ministries in Sacramento partnered with local churches on an event bringing out Rebecca St. James and Switchfoot. Jonathan got a chance to hang out with Rebecca and the band members before and after the concert. Jonathan gives us a peek into Rebecca’s personal life, her ministry and her interests.
Jonathan: Rebecca- great concert! Thanks for taking the time to talk to us.
Rebecca: (In a thick Australian accent) Thank you for bringing us out.
Jonathan: First of all, how old are you?
Rebecca: I’m 23. I just had my birthday July 26th.
Jonathan: Cool. And how long have you been doing this.
Rebecca: Ah . . . since I was about . . . probably 16 or so.
Jonathan: And since this is a written interview I’m bummed that my readers can’t hear your accent . . .
Rebecca: (laughing) Yeah.
Jonathan: . . . now obviously, by the accent, you’re from where?
Rebecca: Sidney Australia
Jonathan: Sidney Australia. And did you grow up there.
Rebecca: Yes, I lived there for about 12 years and then lived in Brisbane for about a year and a half or so before moving to America when I was about 14.
Jonathan: Okay- and where do you live now?
Rebecca: Nashville Tennessee.
Jonathan: Okay- great. Now tonight the most exciting news is that you gave an invitation, 74 people came forward, 12 people made first-time decisions for Christ, others rededicated their lives . . . is that something you do a lot with your concerts?
Rebecca: Yes, pretty much whenever we do a full concert we have an alter call and see people respond and it’s always just incredible- it’s always just an amazing “God thing” to see people respond because it’s not something that I think I can orchestrate. I mean- I can’t force a changed life. Only God can do that. So when we hear back stories through e mail or letters of people who have committed their hearts to God and now are in missions work or -you know- that kind of thing- it’s just unbelievable- it’s just a beautiful thing.
Jonathan: That’s great. What is the most fulfilling thing in your ministry? What makes you say, “It don’t get better than this!”
Rebecca: Hmmm. I think when I’m leading people in worship- that’s a big part of it. Like we end our concerts with “Oh Come Let Us Adore Him.” And every night when I hear the audience singing that song it’s just like, “Wow ! . . .
Jonathan: Cool!
Rebecca: . . . Cool! You know I just feel very fulfilled in that. And then when I’m helping people, like serving or doing something for somebody else and just knowing the joy that it’s going to bring them. I feel like one of my spiritual gifts is helping and serving and I just enjoy that a lot.
Jonathan: It was cool watching you interact with your band and the different people you travel with and . . . you travel with your Dad. (looking both ways) He’s not in the room . . . so how does that work?
Rebecca: (laughing) Very well most the time. I mean I wouldn’t want anyone else to be my manager. Just because there’s that understanding there and he cares for me more than any manager could- you know- because he loves me as his daughter . . .
Jonathan: Looking out for his baby . . .
Rebecca: Yes- in all kinds of different ways. And I appreciate that so much. I mean every now and then you know we kind of see things differently or what- but I think we’ve learned to be up front about those things and so if he’s hurt me in any way or if we disagree on something we’ll talk about it.
Jonathan: Cool
Rebecca: So that’s great too. We have a real good honest relationship.
Jonathan: That’s great.
Rebecca: That’s really important.
Jonathan: Now my readers are mostly youth workers. Many of us have seen you a multiple of times. When you think about all the concerts you’ve done . . . what do you think is the most pathetic, worst concert you’ve done? Either bad circumstances on stage . . . or more people on stage than in the audience . . . whatever
Rebecca: (laughing) yeah . . . well actually probably the worst that I can remember was this year in Branson, Missouri. It was in this old theme park sort of thing and the crowd was packed- there was . . . like stacks of people there, but they had sat through a speaker for like an hour or that kind of thing. So we come on and we’re doing our thing and it was like in the middle of the day so we didn’t have any of our lights or anything . . . and people started like walking out! I don’t think the sound was very good and also they’d been sitting there for a long time I think through other stuff as well. And so a lot of people left and then- it was April Fools- the band decides that they’re going to play a trick on me. So they modulate in the song and so, not only am I affected by the crowd who is leaving, but also they modulate so I’m feeling like I’m going insane! So then they modulate back down . . . and so- I’m just like freaking out . . .
Jonathan: So you’re singing either too flat or too sharp
Rebecca: They modulated up so I had to adjust- well at first I kept singing in my key and I was thinking, “This is not sounding right, this is not sounding right!” So then I adjusted to their key right in time for them to drop back down and I thought I was going to die!
Jonathan: So you sounded like the Thompson Twins in concert . . . never mind . . . I’m dating myself.
I asked a few youth pastors, “What would you ask Rebecca St. James?” The single ones said they would ask, “Will you go out with me?” So tell me, is there someone special? Do you have a love life?
Rebecca: (laughing) No, my love life is reasonably non-existent actually. Which . . . because road life doesn’t like . . . help relationships really. Although I’ve been home a reasonable amount this year but I just really haven’t met anybody that I just feel . . . you know . . . “This could be the one!” You know . . . not lately.
Jonathan: So do you ever think about that?
Rebecca: Yeh I do . . . but I just . . . I feel like in God’s timing it’s going to be right and he’s going to. . . you know . . . show up in my life.
Jonathan: Where are you going to meet him.
Rebecca: (laughing) I have NO idea! I have a real heart for missions so I’ve always felt maybe on the mission field I’d meet him or like on a short term mission trip or something like that . . .
Jonathan: That’d be cool. Some guy who say’s “Who are you? What’s your name?”
Rebecca: Yeh . . . exactly! I’d love that.
Jonathan: That’d be cool. Hey let me ask you a couple personal questions. When you grew up, who’s CDs or tapes did you listen to.
Rebecca: Petra, Carmen. . . I use to do the Champion with Carmen and put my hands up in the air. I would make my brothers the Devils and Satan and I’d be Jesus (laugh)
Jonathan: A servant attitude.
Rebecca: Also listened to White Heart, Stryper. Yeh- I actually caught one of their Bibles.
Jonathan: Really?
Rebecca: They use to throw New Testaments out in the audience.
Jonathan: Yeah, I remember that.
Are you reading any books right now?
Rebecca: I’m reading a book called The Deeper Christian Life, by Andrew Murray. It’s REALLY good.
Jonathan: Favorite movie?
Rebecca: While You Were Sleeping.
Jonathan: While You Were Sleeping?
Rebecca: It’s so good.
Jonathan: It’s my wife’s favorite movie.
Rebecca: Beautiful . . . so sweet. That would be kind of nice- meeting your husband that way- saving his brother’s life . . .
Jonathan: and getting to know him better while visiting the family . . .
Rebecca: so romantic . . .
Jonathan: Just don’t lie as much as Lucy/Sandra Bullock- avoid a little bit of trouble!
Rebecca: Yes- of course
Jonathan: Dogs or cats? If you had a choice . . .
Rebecca: Dogs!
Jonathan: What do you think of cats?
Rebecca: They’re just kind of . . . prissy.
Jonathan: They are- aren’t they?
Rebecca: You know. They just are kind of . . .(funny expression)
Jonathan: Let me finish by asking- since this goes out to a bunch of youth workers- how can we pray for you?
Rebecca: Pray for us to, as a team, be spiritually sensitive- you know- led by God absolutely to speak what he’s saying now- I think that’s the big one.
Jonathan: Cool. Well, obviously it happened tonight with 74 people coming forward. I went back to the room and they were short counselors- I got to lead 2 people to Christ. It was fun.
Rebecca: Wow. Very Cool.
Jonathan: Good stuff. Hey, thanks for your time. I appreciate it.
Rebecca: No problem, thank you.
http://www.rsjames.com/
Jonathan McKee
Jonathan McKee is the author of over twenty books including the brand new The Guy's Guide to FOUR BATTLES Every Young Man Must Face; The Teen’s Guide to Social Media & Mobile Devices; If I Had a Parenting Do Over; and the Amazon Best Seller - The Guy's Guide to God, Girls and the Phone in Your Pocket. He speaks to parents and leaders worldwide, all while providing free resources for youth workers on TheSource4YM.com. Jonathan, his wife Lori, and their three kids live in California.