Passion ’ s Burn Bright has just been released . It ’ s a massive collection of 15 songs , 10 of which are recorded live at the 2022 Passion Conference . Released by Capitol Christian Music and SixStepsRecords , the record features Crowder , Kristian Stanfill , Brett Younker , Sean Curran , Chidima , Kari Jobe , Cody Carnes , Tasha Cobbs Leonard , Brooke Ligertwood , Anna Golden , Maverick City Music , and Melodie Malone . We caught up with Melodie recently to hear her comments on the event , the recording , the songs , and the Passion community .
[ WM ] Thank you so much for this time to visit today ! The last time we spoke was for the April 2020 issue of [ WM ]. Those times were uncharted waters for all of us , as we were just entering the first phase of the pandemic . Any thoughts on this and our collective journeys during this time ?
[ Melodie Malone ] Well , I don ' t think any of us would say this is where we would be two years later . I remember our church was saying , " Okay , well we ' ll be back in a couple of months ." Nobody had any idea that journey we would take over the next two years . I ’ m just really , grateful for what we were just able to experience at Passion 2022 . The fact that we got to gather again with 55,000 college students is a miracle . I just stood in that arena , and was just like , " Thank you Jesus that we ' re here again , and that we are able to gather together ." There was a time where I didn ' t know if it was ever going to happen again .
[ WM ] And so here we are two years later . Your new project , Burn Bright , reminds me of a quote attributed to Martin Luther 500 years ago ! He reportedly relayed his sentiments about being set on fire to proclaim the Gospel of Jesus . How did your project title come about ?
[ Melodie ] Yeah , well I think Passion has always existed to help young people understand that they have a purpose on earth , and that their purpose is to basically burn bright for the glory of God . Our purpose is to know
God , and to worship Him and respond . And when we think about a conference , yes , it is a gathering of college students and 18-to-25- year-olds , but it ' s also about this gathering , of them going back to their homes . This year it is at 1,400 different college campuses , and really being a light for Jesus shining bright for the glory of God there .
And so , that ' s where the title comes from for the song “ Shining Like Stars ”, which is scripture . It ' s in Matthew 5 and says , " You are a city on a hill ," and Jesus says , " I am the light
Shine Like Stars of the world ." And so , that was really where that title came from , and after we have seen God , after we have experienced Him , we want to go back , and we want to help other people experience what we have seen and what we have heard . And we want to shine bright for the glory of God .
[ WM ] The song , “ Shine Like Stars ”, is a great rallying cry for the church . What can you tell us about it ?
[ Melodie ] I think it ' s from a passage in Isaiah 6 . It was written by Brett Younker , Ricky Jackson , Patrick Mayberry , and Jess Cates . Isaiah 6 tells us that Isaiah is in the throne room of God . And , he sees God and he says , " Woe is me . I am a man of unclean lips ," but then a few verses later the Lord says , " Who will go for me ?" And , Isaiah says , " Here I am . Pick me ".
So , it ' s about our only response . When we see