Jesus Culture’s Chris Quilala – Revelations To Genesis

I know that when we worship, God shows up. I mentioned this [with the release of] our last album… When Paul and Silas were in chains and in prison and they began to worship and God showed up and opened the prison doors—but not just theirs—every prisoner in the place was set free. He shows up like a mighty man of war and He fights our battles for us.

For “Encounter You,” I just love it when we worship, and God, in turn, shows up and reveals Himself to us. In His kindness, and in His goodness, He just loves to show Himself.

For me, I can look back through my life and remember these moments where I may have been discouraged or whatever, and when I begin to worship or begin to thank Him, He, in turn, reveals His love, and the whole atmosphere changes. When my wife and I lost our son in late December 2014, even as we’re holding him in our arms, we began to worship. We worshipped in the hospital room and again at his memorial. I think choosing to sacrifice in moments when and where it’s the hardest—that one in particular kept my heart soft towards God and allowed Him to come and encounter us and reveal Himself to us as The Comforter, as our faithful father.

I don’t want to get too off topic, but I know it to be true when we surrender ourselves to Him, He loves to meet with us. Even back in the Garden, He loved communing with Adam and Eve. That’s why we were created, for communion, and for me that song is that pursuit. That this amazing God who created the universe, who knows us better than we know ourselves, wants to meet with us. Of course, He’s always with us, but He still desires to be invited. Invited into our daily lives, and I think it’s just taking time to turn our hearts and affections toward Him, and He shows up in an instant when we do that.

CCM: Actually, let’s stay on that topic… Jesus Culture opened the doors to its new church right around the same time you guys lost your son, correct?
CQ: Right. It was all around the same time—we started the church September 2014 and then lost our son on December 3.

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