Matt Papa
Spend any time talking with minister/artist Matt Papa, and one thing become… Read Full Bio ↴Spend any time talking with minister/artist Matt Papa, and one thing becomes immediately apparent: He’s clearly a man on a mission.
Eschewing the typical small talk that usually happens before a conversation really gets started, Papa wastes no time digging into the heart of the matter. As an artist who isn’t interested in simply making music for music’s sake, Papa writes songs that center around God’s word and doesn’t consider his job done until the lyrics have taken permanent residence in a listener’s gray matter.
“If you can write a song that’s full of God’s word, and that song gets in someone’s head, that’s a powerful thing,” Papa says. “I often don’t remember a sermon I heard yesterday, let alone a year ago. But with songs, there’s a hook, and people remember it. So that’s why I want to write about Scripture. I don’t want to waste time.”
Staying right on point, the call to live intentionally is a theme that resonates deeply through the songs of Papa’s new Centricity Music release, Your Kingdom Come.
“The main thing that’s been on my heart is missions and how I can inspire students to be the hands and feet of Christ and go to the places where people haven’t even heard the name of Jesus,” Papa shares. “I heard someone say once that it’s easy to lift your hands before God in worship, but if you aren’t reaching those hands out to the world, those hands lifted to God are worthless. Now don’t get me wrong, I’m not against lifting our hands in worship. But we also must love this world with those same hands.”
That idea of being flexible and available to do whatever God calls us to do—even if it’s (gasp!) inconvenient—is what inspired the album’s central thesis and first single, “Open Hands” that Papa co-wrote with fellow independent singer/songwriter James Tealy.
“You have to live before God with open hands. We may have our plans and ideas, but at any moment, Christians, unlike the world, have to be ready to drop anything and totally do something else if God is calling us to,” Papa says. “It’s a very strange life, yet it’s exactly how Jesus wants our hands to be—open and available. We need to embrace the idea of anything He wants to change, anything He wants to take, it’s Yours now.”
In addition to issuing a challenge for himself and fellow Christians to continually leave a lasting impression of God’s goodness and faithfulness wherever we are, Your Kingdom Come is also filled with several buoyant, unabashed declarations of praise on “Hallelujah, Our God Reigns,” “Trinity” and “Here Am I, Send Me.”
“With ‘Here Am I, Send Me,’ it was Isaiah who uttered those famous words after seeing The Lord, high and exalted,” Papa says. “The Church has forgotten to pray those words for too long. It is wonderful and necessary to demonstrate acts of kindness, service and love, but those by themselves aren’t enough. The world must hear the Gospel. They must hear the name of Jesus. And we, the Church, must surrender all we have and go tell them!”
But Papa’s message isn’t the only thing that’s bold about his work. Like his previous albums, Papa continues to draw from a progressive palette of musical genres. Incorporating classical timbres, earthy Middle Eastern textures and moments that are straight up rock ’n’ roll in the vein of Foo Fighters and Delirious, the tracks are rich, complex and beautifully showcase Papa’s diversity as a musician, worship leader, singer and composer.
When asked who his biggest influence was making Your Kingdom Come, however, Papa doesn’t namedrop a bunch of his favorite bands. Instead, he credits his bride, Lauren.
“My recent marriage was a huge part of this album,” Papa shares. “My wife has always had a big heart for missions, and for me, this album has reflected my personal journey of surrender. It’s not about me traveling around, going from place to place and making a name for myself. I want God to use me for His kingdom, not me using God for my kingdom.”
As Papa looks to his future in ministry, he acknowledges that his focus has shifted. In addition to playing his music, he’s also starting seminary in the fall.
“I’m going to be taking it slow, but I’m so excited because it’s something I’ve always wanted to do,” Papa shares. “We [my wife and I] want to challenge and inspire students and be sending people to the nations. And whether it’s through what I’m learning in class or through these new songs, we want to fuel The Great Commission.”
Eschewing the typical small talk that usually happens before a conversation really gets started, Papa wastes no time digging into the heart of the matter. As an artist who isn’t interested in simply making music for music’s sake, Papa writes songs that center around God’s word and doesn’t consider his job done until the lyrics have taken permanent residence in a listener’s gray matter.
“If you can write a song that’s full of God’s word, and that song gets in someone’s head, that’s a powerful thing,” Papa says. “I often don’t remember a sermon I heard yesterday, let alone a year ago. But with songs, there’s a hook, and people remember it. So that’s why I want to write about Scripture. I don’t want to waste time.”
Staying right on point, the call to live intentionally is a theme that resonates deeply through the songs of Papa’s new Centricity Music release, Your Kingdom Come.
“The main thing that’s been on my heart is missions and how I can inspire students to be the hands and feet of Christ and go to the places where people haven’t even heard the name of Jesus,” Papa shares. “I heard someone say once that it’s easy to lift your hands before God in worship, but if you aren’t reaching those hands out to the world, those hands lifted to God are worthless. Now don’t get me wrong, I’m not against lifting our hands in worship. But we also must love this world with those same hands.”
That idea of being flexible and available to do whatever God calls us to do—even if it’s (gasp!) inconvenient—is what inspired the album’s central thesis and first single, “Open Hands” that Papa co-wrote with fellow independent singer/songwriter James Tealy.
“You have to live before God with open hands. We may have our plans and ideas, but at any moment, Christians, unlike the world, have to be ready to drop anything and totally do something else if God is calling us to,” Papa says. “It’s a very strange life, yet it’s exactly how Jesus wants our hands to be—open and available. We need to embrace the idea of anything He wants to change, anything He wants to take, it’s Yours now.”
In addition to issuing a challenge for himself and fellow Christians to continually leave a lasting impression of God’s goodness and faithfulness wherever we are, Your Kingdom Come is also filled with several buoyant, unabashed declarations of praise on “Hallelujah, Our God Reigns,” “Trinity” and “Here Am I, Send Me.”
“With ‘Here Am I, Send Me,’ it was Isaiah who uttered those famous words after seeing The Lord, high and exalted,” Papa says. “The Church has forgotten to pray those words for too long. It is wonderful and necessary to demonstrate acts of kindness, service and love, but those by themselves aren’t enough. The world must hear the Gospel. They must hear the name of Jesus. And we, the Church, must surrender all we have and go tell them!”
But Papa’s message isn’t the only thing that’s bold about his work. Like his previous albums, Papa continues to draw from a progressive palette of musical genres. Incorporating classical timbres, earthy Middle Eastern textures and moments that are straight up rock ’n’ roll in the vein of Foo Fighters and Delirious, the tracks are rich, complex and beautifully showcase Papa’s diversity as a musician, worship leader, singer and composer.
When asked who his biggest influence was making Your Kingdom Come, however, Papa doesn’t namedrop a bunch of his favorite bands. Instead, he credits his bride, Lauren.
“My recent marriage was a huge part of this album,” Papa shares. “My wife has always had a big heart for missions, and for me, this album has reflected my personal journey of surrender. It’s not about me traveling around, going from place to place and making a name for myself. I want God to use me for His kingdom, not me using God for my kingdom.”
As Papa looks to his future in ministry, he acknowledges that his focus has shifted. In addition to playing his music, he’s also starting seminary in the fall.
“I’m going to be taking it slow, but I’m so excited because it’s something I’ve always wanted to do,” Papa shares. “We [my wife and I] want to challenge and inspire students and be sending people to the nations. And whether it’s through what I’m learning in class or through these new songs, we want to fuel The Great Commission.”
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Matt Papa Lyrics
1 Peter Song Father forgive me for my disobedience For living for the lus…
117 Praise the Lord, praise the Lord All ye nations, all ye…
A Pilgrim's Progress Keep Runnin' (a pilgrims progress) Mike Papa Lord I'm tired…
Alive Matt 28:6, Matt 28:18, Luke 10:19-20, Acts 1:8, 1 Cor…
All for Your Glory You raised Your voice to the darkness In bursting color the…
Amen This narrow way I′ve tread so far I've learned some things,…
At the Brothel Door You walk on the streets again Just hoping that a little…
Be Still be still and know that I am God be still and know my…
Come Behold The Wondrous Mystery Come behold the wondrous mystery, in the dawning of the…
Come Follow Me You gotta give up Your possessions If You want to follow…
Dancing Generation Your mercy taught us how to dance To celebrate with all…
God Of Grace To the faithless you are faithful And to the broken you…
Hallelujah, Our God Reigns Hallelujah, for the Lord our God The Almighty reigns Hallelu…
Here Am I Send Me Gen 12: 1, Isaiah 6: 1-8, Rom 12: 1 Lord here…
His Mercy Is More What love could remember, no wrongs we have done Omniscient,…
Hope Has Come Centuries passing in silence A people wondering when How m…
Hymn In C John 1:1-14, 2 Cor 5:17, 2 Cor 8:9, Gal 6:14,…
Hymn In E Minor The angels sang in Bethlehem in Bethlehem in Bethlehem The a…
In Christ Alone In Christ alone my hope is found, He is my light,…
It Is Finished Once and for all Once and for all You offered up your…
Jesus Is Lord Almighty King eternal One He made Himself nothing A sufferin…
John 3:30 I the branch and You the vine Without You I'm wasting…
Lead Me On What is Your will my God, my Savior? Your will is…
Little Drummer Boy Come, they told me, pa rum pa pum pum A newborn…
More What love could remember, no wrongs we have done Omniscient,…
No One Else Psalms 63:1-4, 148, 150, Jer 29:13, Mark 12:30, Rom 12:1,…
O Fount of Love O, fount of love divine that flows from my Savior's…
Open Hands To give unselfishly, to love the least of these Jesus i'm…
Our Sovereign God Tremble and shake, for our God is in the Heavens. Who…
Show Me Your Glory My eyes have seen The beauty of this world The best of…
The Crucible Of God Father God where are you now? A garden turns to a…
The Lord Is a Warrior Death is close Closing in Now surrounded by foes we were bor…
The Ocean Look to the sky the star painted heavens Who could deny…
This Changes Everything I grew up in a little town Used to sing in…
To The Least Of These Amos 5:21-14, Matt 16:24, Matt 22:37-40, Matt 25:31-46, J…
Trinity Duet 6:4, Isaiah 9:6, Matt 6:10, Luke 3:22, 1 Cor…
We Will Shine Ex 34:29, Psalm 67, Isaiah 60:1-3, Ezek 37:1-10, Matt 5:14-1…
What Are We Waiting For He says Go, take the news to every nation We say…
Where Is The Difference Ex 20:1-6, Ezek 16:1-35, Matt 5:13-16, Matt 16:24, Matt 28:1…
Woe To You 1 Cron 4:10, Isaiah 64:6, Micah 6:8, Matt 6:21, Matt…
You Are Good You are the one who holds the universe And I'm standing…
You Can Do Anything Gen 1, Ex 12, 13, 14, Job 42:2, Isaiah 40:7,…
Your Kingdom Come 2 Cron 7:14, Isaiah 26:8, Matt 6:9-13 Our Father H…
Paige Cowell
on The Lord Is a Warrior (feat. Shai Linne)
Revalation 19
Heaven's open behold a white horse amazing the view
The one sitting on the horse called faithful and true
He judges and makes war, the reign of messiah
His eyes flames of fire, strange his attire
His robe dipped in blood but his name is not Joseph
His aim is explosive God's fame is denotive
Flashback long before this moment would end
He loved his opponents when he made atonement for sin
Resurrected at the Father's right hand he sat down
Well he's back now and found on his head a mack crown
Smack down
The sights and sounds amazing
A sharp sword's in his mouth to strike down the nations
Today is the day thats he's welcoming the foreigners
Well bet and believe that he hung up on the cross for ya
Otherwise you'll read him as a holy right distorter
Somebody call the (?)
The Lord is a warrior