One of today’s most gifted singers in worship is up trying to figure out what this thing called than anything that I had ever experienced
Melodie Malone. As a team member alongside “worship” was, because most of my childhood before. I had gone to Passion in 2006, so I was
Louie and Shelley Giglio, her platform with involved a man standing on stage waving his familiar with everyone as far as what God was
Passion has a unique back story of service and arms. So, I was trying to figure it out, I was doing, and I recognized all of these names and
servanthood. It was my pleasure to recently trying to figure out a woman’s place in that and that kind of thing, but there was something
interview her and hear firsthand, her valuable what that could look like for me. I loved music, special happening that I just knew I needed to
account of God’s hand on the steps within her but did I want to lead worship, or was that even be a part of.
calling, and the dynamics of Passion’s new a possibility? So that’s the era I grew up in. Roar recording, just released. Christy Nockles was probably the only woman So, I became a door holder in 2009, and that’s
I knew of that was a worship leader at the time. when we (the church) were moving around
[WM] Melodie, it’s an absolute delight to meet to different places, and I was on the host
you. Thank you so much for this visit today. team. I was the one that said, “Hey here’s the
It’s been often said that the South is the
“Bible Belt”, and that Nashville is the “buckle”.
Originally from Olive Branch, Mississippi, just
over the border from Memphis, your family
moved to just south of Nashville when you
were young. Did you experience a “church life”
growing up in Franklin, TN, and at what age did
you start participating in leading worship? What
were the dynamics and songs behind it all?
[Melodie Malone] I definitely grew up in the
South! I have incredible parents and incredible
“It’s important bathroom over here”, trying to help people out;
to pass on what you’re here!” And I did that for many years, and
God has done
generation to
generation. We
see that all over
“Here’s where you can go sit; we’re so glad
then joined our student team and led eleventh
and twelfth grade girls for a few years. So, I was
just around, and I loved what God was doing
and just wanted to be near to whatever it was
with no expectations of ever leading worship
there. It just was just, “this is my home, this is
the church, and this is what God was building”.
Honestly, eventually someone asked me to
scripture.”
audition for choir and so I did, and that was a
grandparents who love Jesus, so I grew up in
few years later. So, I joined the choir, and from
a church world around it all for as long as I can
there somebody said, “I think you could lead
remember. For me the turning point came when [WM] And you then moved down to the in kids and students”, and so I started leading
we moved to Nashville and I got involved at a Atlanta area about 10 years ago and became there and it just really organically became God
church that was called The Peoples Church. It’s part of the worship leadership alongside Louie opening all of these doors. Getting into a Bible
now Church of the City. I had some incredible and Shelley Giglio in Passion City Church and study with Christy Nockles and having her really
youth pastors there in Darren Whitehead, the Passion Movement. And you’re now a teach me so much, not even about worship but
John Tyson, and Derek Morgan, who really member of the touring group, Passion, along just about the heart of who God is.
challenged me. They called me up to more with Kristian Stanfill and Brett Younker. Did this during a time in my life where I was a middle come together sort of “organically” or were So I was around and I built friendships and
schooler and I really needed that, and that’s there other factors in its formation? relationships and then God just started opening
when I would say that I really started wanting
doors and saying, “This is where I have you, this
to know Jesus for myself, not just because it [Melodie] I would say it was very organic. I is where I planted you” and I could have never
was what my parents faith was and what you moved down to Atlanta in 2009 to start working guessed that this is where we would be today,
just did because you were in the South. I was for WinShape Camps, which is part of the non- with the mantle being passed to Kristian and
part of the band, and it was in high school that profit arm of Chick-fil-A. I was in Atlanta looking Brett and myself and us being able to really re-
I started playing for our actual worship team. for a church home, and I was visiting around, dig the wells that the legends that we stand on
and saw that Passion City Church was just the shoulders of, have built for us in the world of
I had this massive three ring binder folder starting up. They had a meeting every other worship, and alongside of our pastor Louie and
of songs and started noticing Martin Smith, month at the time, and I just knew from the first Shelley. It’s really a gift and an honor, and it’s
Chris Tomlin, Christy Nockels, Matt Redman, moment that I walked in that something special something where pretty much every day I think,
and Charlie Hall, and we started singing those was going on there, and that the Lord was “I can’t believe I get to do this”. There is no way
songs, like “Better is One Day”, and that whole moving in the hearts of the people. In worship this would have ever worked if I were to plan it
era of song. That is what I grew up in. I grew specifically I could tell that this was different out. This is never what I would have imagined,
April 2020
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