Episode 214: Josh Baldwin

Tell Us A Good Story

This week we talk with our new friend, Josh Baldwin, a songwriter and worship leader who joined the Bethel Music Collective in 2014. Josh’s newest album, Made For More (2024), is his second live worship album, following his 2022 release, Where The Glory Is. In this episode with Kevin + Steph, stories include:

– His first experience at Bethel Church in Redding, California when he was so overwhelmed that he could barely talk.
– The heartfelt experience of a fan asking him to sing his song ‘Evidence’ over the phone to them.
– How he has to confirm the lyrics in his songs are actually in the Bible and not something he just made up.
– The hilarious story of trying to play a concert during a tractor pull.

In 2018, Josh’s gold-certified single “Stand in Your Love” reached No. 2 on the Billboard Christian charts and garnered his first K-Love nominations as “Breakout Single of the Year” and “Worship Song of the Year.” Josh is currently on the Every Hour Tour with David Leonard. However, starting in June 2024, Josh will be on tour with Bethel Music across Europe and Northern Ireland.

We can’t wait for you to hear this awesome episode with our new friend, Josh Baldwin.

Guest Details
Instagram: @JoshBaldwin
Website: joshbaldwin.com

Kevin + Steph’s book titled ‘You Met Her WHERE?!’ can be ordered here: kevinandsteph.com/book

Access the Show Transcript Here

[0:00] Hello, friends. Welcome to another episode of Tell Us a Good Story. Today, we have the privilege of talking to a gold-certified singer-songwriter and worship leader who joined Bethel Music back in 2014, Mr. Josh Baldwin. You guys, Josh was so much fun to talk to. He gave us some great stories, such as his first experience at Bethel Church in Redding, California, when he was so overwhelmed that he could barely speak, and how that church actually has an hours-long wait to attend there each service. Gosh, that sounds like going to Disneyland or an amusement park. That sounds freaking amazing. I’ve never heard of a church having an hours long wait just to go to church. Right. However, my favorite story is when Josh talks about the most random place he’s ever played at, which was hilarious to me because it’s actually here in Ohio. And I could visualize exactly what he was talking about. We can’t wait to hear this really fun conversation with singer, songwriter, and worship leader, Josh Baldwin. I’m Kevin. And I’m Stephanie. And during our marriage we have dealt with an electrocution, a brain tumor, brain surgery, then doctors telling us that children were not in our future, followed by miscarriage, and then Kevin’s cancer diagnosis. However today we live a life completely healed and restored with three healthy children who doctors said were not possible and we’re here to tell stories that

[1:14] inspire, give hope, and brighten your day. Welcome to Tell Us A Good Story.

[1:22] Okay, friends, before we get to this episode, just a friendly reminder to please hit the subscribe button on YouTube and Apple Podcasts or give us a review. Five stars, please. In our world, this is super, super important because it will help with the algorithm to make it easier for people to find us. And thank you for sharing our posts across your social media. That really helps with engagement and with us getting guests. Yes. So, hey, if you want us to keep working our way up to talking to Chip and Joanna, please share us with your friends. But regardless, thank you for listening to tell us a good story. All right, Steph. Are you ready for this? Oh, sorry. Yes. And that’s what you can’t say the guest name yet. I’m so excited.

[2:05] All right. Just starting off great. Okay. All right, friends. Our next guest is a singer, songwriter, and worship leader who joined Bethel Music in 2014. His newest album, Made for More, is a second live worship album following the 2022 release of Where the Glory Is. From Thompson’s Station, Tennessee. Ladies and gentlemen, please welcome to Tell Us Good Story, Mr. Josh Baldwin.

[2:26] He’s here. He’s here. He’s here. Josh, thank you for saying yes to us. Yes. And first off, in honor of you, sir, I wore my flannel today for you. Yes. Because I told Steph, I’m like, Steph, out of 214 episodes, this dude might be the most masculine looking dude that we’ve interviewed to date. I’m like, Steph, when you meet Josh, or when we meet Josh, it looks like he probably grew this beard when he was in eighth grade. And he looks like he should just be carrying around an axe with him at all times. I’m like, wait, is he a lumberjack? Is that what I need to like cuddle in my vision of who we’re talking to? I mentally prepared Steph to meet you. So I said, I told you that earlier. Yes, you did. I did. That’s amazing. thing. Okay. So when was the last time your family saw you clean shaven? My, oh, my kids, they’re 12 and 11. And I don’t know that they’ve ever, I shaved my beard when my daughter was like one, but I didn’t even shave it like off. It was just like five o’clock shadow shave. And that was the first time my wife had seen my face. Oh, really? Yeah. And she was like, immediately grow it back.

[3:41] Which is kind of cool that, and it’s always a little bit of a stab when you’re like, okay, Okay, I have to put hair on my face for my wife to think I’m attractive. My kids have never seen me without a beard, and they’re 12 and 11. Okay, so it has been a while. Yeah, it’s been a moment. It’s been a while. What made you grow it? To get the chicks, apparently, Steph. Apparently. Apparently to get the ladies. Yeah, to find my wife. No. You know what? I was living in – I’m from North Carolina. I was living in the mountains of North Carolina in my 20s, and we got snowed in for like a week. And me and my roommate just like decided not to shave that week. And that was 2004.

[4:22] And I just, I haven’t shaved it since. That’s good. Okay. So you’ve gone on tour, Josh, with a lot of big names, including yourself, right? So Steph, he’s gone on tour with, for King & Country, Zach Williams, Phil Wickham, Cody Carnes, all of these high profile people. Yeah, yeah. So, Josh, do you have any good stories from being on tour, whether it’s something gone wrong? Do you have any good stories from one of these tours? Yeah, I mean, I have multiple good stories. How long is this podcast? As long as you want, Josh. We can make it two parts if you want, sir. Like if it’s really, yeah, it’s really great stories to be a three parter. Yeah.

[5:02] I, I mean, I, I think one of my first, maybe because it was my first, the first of all those tours that you said, and I was just probably the most nervous was, this was 2019. I went on tour with for King and Country. Okay. And their show is unbelievable. And it’s even bigger and more unbelievable now than it was back then. Every night, Joel would try to like get me on stage with them and like jump around at the end of the night on Drummer Boy. And, you know. Yes. Because they just jump from like riser. i mean they’re it’s like when they get off that stage they are like sweating and tired from it’s like a workout and i was just like man jewel i just don’t think that’s not me i don’t think i could do it and so i waited the whole tour i just never went out there for it and then the very last night of the tour me and the band kind of just like secretly planned to do this so i went back stage and one of the band guys gave me their jacket that’s like this big sparkly gold jacket and I grabbed like these jingle bells thing because they were doing drummer boy at the end of their set and I jumped out there and was like standing on the risers of the drums.

[6:09] Just not like me at all and I don’t think there’s video proof of it which is probably great but um that was fun because I got to shock that you know Joel and Luke were out front singing and they turn around and there I am on the drum just shaking my jingle bells and uh but that was a fun night I had The other guys, me and Zach are like, bro, he’s even more manly than me. Zach Williams? I mean, yeah, Zach Williams. Does he ever not wear that hat? He doesn’t sleep in it. He doesn’t, okay. So he does take it off before he goes to sleep on the bunk and the bus. But we had fun times. Zach, I love basketball. I love sports. And so I played basketball a lot with Zach on tour. But I don’t know if I have any crazy stories about him or Phil. But I think, oh, I do that. Well, yeah, no, I don’t have any stories that maybe I could tell.

[7:02] That’s OK. No, that’s OK. How about any God moments during your concerts? I mean, yeah, there’s those. Then that’s amazing. And that’s why I love doing what I do and need to lead worship and writing songs. I feel like I have a song called Evidence that I’ve been singing for four years now, four or five years. and every night that’s like a song that.

[7:26] I just always feel the Lord so close. And because it’s such a song that for me, it was even seeing his goodness in my life and my family, but not even that, but just in, I think more than any other song, it’s the one that I feel people grab onto the most because it’s one of those songs where we’re definitely like just, it’s getting our eyes on the Lord and thanking him for all he’s done. But then to just look back and see what he’s done. That makes sense. I have people come up and just talk about how that song’s just helped them through times where they’ve needed where they’ve been in seasons of maybe they do see the goodness of the lord in their life and that’s been it’s been good to hear that song but then most most of the time it’s a season where they don’t see necessarily like the evidence of his goodness and the song is like a reminder to to actually look back and remember all the lord has done for us and um i remember one time and specifically i sang i facetimed a lady who reached out and she was actually ringing the bell, she had just been, you know, her cancer treatment. And her husband surprised her. He reached out to me, and I FaceTimed her as she was ringing the bell and got to sing I Sang Evidence with her.

[8:33] And that was like, I mean, I was just a mess. Being able to sing, like, I See the Evidence of the Goodness of the Lord with this lady who literally is ringing the bell and obviously seeing the evidence of the goodness of the Lord is special.

[8:50] Yeah, that’s one of those messages where you can’t say, oh, sorry, I’m busy. No, you can’t say that. Like, oh, hey, I’ve got dinner plans tonight. I am so sorry. I’ve got to watch the kids. Oh, yeah. If she can delay that maybe two hours, then I could jump on a call with you. Yeah. No, those are the drop everything you’re doing. Right. Let’s be a part of this. Yeah. Yeah. Easy. That’s the easiest.

[9:13] All right, Steph. I’ve got a question for you. What’s your favorite book of all time? Obviously, You Met Her Where? Oh, I thought you were going to say the Bible. Oh, oops. What’s your second favorite book of all time? You Met Her Where? A distant second. Totally distant. It’s a pretty good book. Sorry, God. It’s still a pretty good book. But we’re so excited. Where can people get our book? Okay, I know this. Amazon.com. Yes. Barnes & Noble. Yes. And our website, kevinandsteph.com. And what happens if they buy it off our website? What do they get? An autograph from us. Yes. Who wouldn’t want that? So listeners, if you’ve already read the book, thank you so much. We’ve had such good feedback. One thing that helps us, if you can give us a review on amazon.com, we would greatly appreciate it. Thank you so much. And thank you for listening.

[10:11] So you’re talking about evidence. What’s the evidence with God in your life? Like, when did you discover God? I always joke about this, but it’s a joke, but it’s also the truth. I was born on a Sunday and in church on the next Sunday. My dad’s a pastor, and so I grew up, you know, in the church and knowing the Lord. But my parents were—my dad’s a pastor. My parents, they were divorced when I was, like, 17. And so going through all that and, you know, and all the stuff that spawns, like the church mess stuff and all that. I… I just look back and through all those moments, I felt the Lord so present in my life. And I mean, I still have a great relationship with my parents. I still have a great relationship with the Lord and with church. Like I just even looking back at that and like I still love church. And that a lot of that to me is just the evidence of the Lord’s faith when it’s in my life. Because there’s so many times, especially nowadays, I think we get hurt. We get hurt by people because I mean, it’s full of people and we’re not perfect. And I think when you do wake up every morning to have that simple devotion of just seeing what the Lord’s done, it helps you just bring it all back down to the real thing, Jesus. I’ll tell you what, brother. You just hit home with me. Yeah, I knew you were going to say that. Big time. So I’m a fellow PK, pastor’s kid. My parents divorced after 27 years when I was 21.

[11:39] And one of the hardest things, now granted, they don’t like me talking about this. So, hey, mom and dad, go ahead and mute or go and skip ahead maybe two minutes of this conversation right now if you’re listening. But one of the hardest things I’ve ever gone through was my parents divorced and you’re dealing with church. You’re dealing with your parents. And I lost my family. I totally lost my family through that. And so you might be one of the few people who I’ve heard say that, right? That’s had a similar experience to me where I just turned an adult and then my whole world was gone. Been my dad lost the church after they got divorced and stuff and so like life completely changed right it was completely different from that moment so i completely know what you’re saying when you just you were sharing that story i’m like oh my gosh that that hits home, oh man i uh yeah i was 17 18 i’m a senior in high school and i i went to college next year really just to get away to get out of town yes and get away for a couple years and uh and they They even have a good relationship now, my parents, and they don’t mind me talking about it. I hope. You know what? I’ve never asked them. I wonder if they do mind me. We’ll see. We’ll see. I’ll ask them after this. Hey, guys. Right. Listen to this podcast. Yes. And by the way. I was listening to that song on the way here. Evidence. Were you? On the way here, yes. Yep, absolutely.

[13:00] Oh, yeah. Well, I remember when we talked to Mac Brock, okay? Which we’re going to get to soon, Steph. Oh, shoot. Can I talk about it? Go ahead. Okay, okay, okay. And he loves you. Loves you, loves you. We’ve asked him, like, when you’re doing praise and worship and you’re singing the same song, do you ever, like… Over and over. Yes, over and over. Are you like, okay, are we going to wrap this up?

[13:18] How long have you sang the same song over and over? Like is this the only song we practice today folks like oh okay yes you know what i mean like you mean like sing this not like the same song for years but sing the same song for a long time in one set yes oh yes well i lead worship at bethel so i think everyone knows how long we lead.

[13:41] There’s been times where i’ve been like okay well we gotta wrap this up like like okay i think i’ve I’ve milked everything I can out of this. And sometimes when I’m leading by myself, you know, I can, when I feel that moment, I can shut her down real quick. But yeah, when you’re co-leading with other people and then you’re ready to bring it down and then they’re like, they have something and you kind of just, all right, well, let’s go for it. And, you know, cause you want to honor the point. If they see something, yeah. So there’s definitely been times where I’ve walked off the stage and gone and sat down with my wife And she was like, I think you really should have like shut down.

[14:23] Like you like she will be brutally honest with me, which is great. I love You won’t do it well, she won’t do it during the service and honestly, I just don’t even look at her in case like maybe She is I’m just like I don’t want to But she will tell me later if a moment went too long she’s like or she’ll be like I If I shut it down too quick, she’ll say, you know, I feel like you should have stayed on that bridge. I feel like there was something there. And you got off too early. And so I was like, right. That’s a normal wife. I was going to say, I love her. Hey, that sounds like a normal wife, Josh. Right. She is. She’s amazing. She’s the fire that the Lord sent to light under me. She’s the pilot light that is constantly lit under my life to help me. There you go. go how did you just sorry go ahead i was gonna say how did you guys meet we um we met in charlotte north carolina she’s from she’s from pennsylvania i’m from charlotte area and um we were at a church she came to the ministry school she’s eight years younger than me okay so um i was like 29 and she was 20 about to turn she was 21 and she the girl that cut my hair she just was having a baby and And so she went on maternity leave, and my wife was a hairstylist. And so friends of ours connected us, and I went and got my hair cut. And just, I haven’t paid for a haircut since. Nice!

[15:53] Or you could say I pay more for my haircuts than anyone. That’s a good point. I’ve been paying ever since, Josh. You’ve been paying ever since.

[16:02] So, yeah, that’s a short story of how we met.

[16:07] Josh, for all of our guests, I like to give a list of fun facts to let listeners

[16:11] know what you’ve done, what you’ve accomplished. And Steph is not aware of any of these. So I have a list here, and I want you to keep me honest if I’m off on any of these, and these should spurn some fun stories. Okay? Okay. All right. You ready for this, Steph? Yes. Fun fact number one about Josh. Josh attended Lee University in Cleveland, Tennessee.

[16:31] Unfortunately, I said he attended Lee University because while there, he’s already laughing, he was put on academic probation and later dropped out. But Josh, here’s what’s hilarious to me. Later on, Steph, the university invited him back to the school to celebrate him and his achievements, even though he dropped out and was on probation. So he led worship there at the school and they celebrated him. So, Josh, what was that experience like? Because for me, I would be thinking like when they reach out, is this an April Fool’s prank? Like what’s going on? So what was that like when they reach out to you and you’re like, listen, I didn’t even – I dropped out. Like I was on probation and now you’re celebrating me? How did that work? Well, I was a part – they were asking Bethel Music to come as like a whole, a collective. And I was one of the ones they asked. They were like, we want specifically Josh to come. Um, and I, when they reached out, when Father Musa reached out to me, like told me this was happening, I was like, do they know that? Like, I, I thought they obviously have no idea that whoever is in charge of doing this now has no idea that I went there because they probably would not want me to come back. That’s not like a great example to all these students of what you should be in college. Look at what you could accomplish. Listen, I was a good kid. I was, I love the Lord. I just didn’t go to church or didn’t, I didn’t go to church. I just didn’t go to school. I didn’t go to class. Okay. You’re one of those Christians. I got it. I love the Lord. I just don’t go to church.

[18:01] I love the Lord. I just didn’t go to class. I went to church. I played guitar in my dorm room and learned worship songs, played a lot of intramural sports, but I did have a 1.7 GPA. So I didn’t go to class. But yeah, when I finally found out that it was me, they really wanted me and they knew that I went there. I was floored and I got there and I remember I was about to get up and it was like their weekend where um students high school students from all the country come oh right and you know prospective students yeah yeah and so they um i got up there and the dean of admissions was was introducing me and he was like hey um i’m gonna introduce you as lee university alumni is that okay i was like that’s fine with me i mean you’re i was like you do know you do know my story right he’s like yeah it’s fine so i they did it and so the funny thing is um oh gosh that That was probably five years ago, six years ago. And I went there. I’m old. I went there back in 97, 98, 99, those years. So it was a while from that, probably 20 years later. And I was just recently in Cleveland, Tennessee, where Lee University is, last year on a tour. And we were playing at a church in Cleveland. And so I had the day, and I was just by myself. And I was like, I’m just going to Uber to Lee University and walk through the campus. It was a fall day. It was beautiful. And so I’m walking through the campus and I’m texting my old college buddies who both of them graduated and are pastors now with university degrees.

[19:30] And I’m texting them and I go into the main, what they call the con center. It’s where they have the chapels and everything. I walk in there and I’m walking through the lobby and I look up and they have pictures all on the lobby walls. And I look up and there’s a picture of me leading worship. No way. Like two years later or before. It’s up in their lobby. And I just took a picture and sent it to my buddies. And I was like, you guys got degrees, but I got a picture in the lobby of the con center.

[20:00] Well done that was a really great story of how the Lord redeems things another God moment stuff that you were looking for that’s fantastic I’m shocked he actually lied do you mind if I lie and just say you graduated from here he didn’t, he’s an alumni does that alumni mean you graduated I thought that just meant you attended I thought you meant you attended I’m like I did attend he’s not lying are you sure Pretty sure. Pretty sure. We didn’t check that afterwards. Well, that’s another fun fact. That’s a good fun fact. Yes. All right. Next fun fact.

[20:36] Josh is apparently very close friends with one of our recent guests. Mac Brock. Mac Brock. Yes. Who actually recommended that we talk to you, Josh. Right? So after the conversation, he’s like, hey, you need to talk to my buddy, Josh. So Josh actually co-hosted the Good at Sports podcast with Mac. So are you still doing this? And how did that come about? because this has nothing to do with music, worship, nothing. Yeah. Well, Mac and I have been really close friends for years. I’m from Charlotte, that’s where he lives. So we’ve known each other for a long time. And then he was actually just here a couple of weeks ago, staying in this room right here. He came for the week to write music and he just stayed here at the house. But we have for years, we both lead worship, we both write songs.

[21:25] But for years, our relationship really was all like surrounded by all the group texts that were in involving sports and fantasy football leagues, all this. So that was like really more of our relationship. We only started writing together over the last few years.

[21:41] Like we were, we were like really close friends when, who loves sports together. And so for years we would joke around and talk about like, we should do a podcast and just talk about sports. But then we’re like, who’s going to listen to two worship leaders talk about sport? Like we have a very you know specific audience it has to be people that love worship know who we are and also like sports right it’s a very niche group there so um but we finally two years ago we just went for it and we did it and we did it for a year year and a half okay and we so we sad to say rip good at sports it has has gone to be with the lord oh so sorry so sorry for your loss Josh I know honestly I am sorry for my it was it was such a great like outlet of just first of all just hanging out and talking with my buddy and then to just be talking about sport like we’re we would talk at the beginning about life and just hey where did you go this weekend where you know but um but then most of it would just be we talk about the NFL or because we both we both are Panthers fans and um which is you know we would really cry with each other about that prayer sessions.

[22:52] Yeah. But yeah, we just, it got to be where it was just too much for us and didn’t have enough time to make it work. If more people were listening, maybe we could have had a whole team like you have. And it’s, this would have been really special to just keep it going. But we still, we still hang out and talk though.

[23:09] We just don’t do it, you know, over podcast form. Yeah. Totally understand. Okay. So let me tell you a quick story. This just happened. I’m going to, I’m going to talk about my wife real quick. Right. So we had a wedding for my nephew about what, what two weeks ago, we’re at the reception hall, and the DJ is playing a song and I’m like, Steph, do you know who this is? And she listens and you’re like, that’s Mac Brock. I go Yep, that’s Mac. And you’re like, I love that guy. And then Josh, the next song comes on. And it’s you. And I’m like, Hey, I go, Hey, Steph, do you know who this is? And you’re like, No, I don’t know who that is. I’m like, Josh Baldwin. She’s like,

[23:44] Who’s that? And I go, what? I go, no. We’re talking to him next Friday. And you’re like, oh, that’s right. Yes, Josh Baldwin.

[23:53] And then Steph’s like, okay, who do they play next, right? And so I think the third song, I think it was like Taylor Swift. And so the pattern ended right there. Done. Oh, no. She’s next. She’s next. That’s the progression. That’s how it goes. No, okay. In my defense, I obviously know you. I sing your songs. I sing Mac Brock’s songs. However, we had just interviewed him. We had had his albums going constantly. So in my defense, obviously I know you, but he puts me on the spot. And then I’m like, I don’t know. Because I’m not very good with music titles. Like, what’s this music title? I have no clue. But give me a song. I’m going to sing every word of your song. I’m going to have my hands raised. I’m belting it out. But I just never know who’s singing it. But it was a very funny moment for us, where it’s like, hey, whoever they’re playing, we actually know them. We’re actually talking to them. So it was pretty cool.

[24:51] All right, Steph, I’m going to test you again here. What is your favorite book of all time? Obviously, it’s the Bible, Kevin. Yes. Nailed it. Very good. This time, you didn’t say the book we wrote called You Met Her Where. But it’s still a really good book. That is true. And it would make a great gift for friends or relatives on their birthday or for Christmas. Friends, you can order your copy of our book titled, You Met Her Where? At kevinandsteph.com. And we will make sure to personally sign a copy for you or whoever you want. And as always, thank you for listening to Tell Us a Good Story.

[25:22] Next fun fact. In 2014, Josh went on to sign a record deal with Bethel Music during a week-long visit with his wife to Redding, California. So they moved there from Charlotte, like you said. I guess the first question, was it culture shock for you and your family going from East Coast, North Carolina, to very different atmosphere out in California.

[25:45] What was that like for your family moving across the country? Yeah, it was a culture shock. It was, I mean, it was about as smooth a transition as you would want with something like something so massive like that. And the great thing is we had, you know, we were very connected already out there. So we didn’t, we moved to a lot of friends. We moved to a great community, but as far as just like moving from North Carolina to California, and this is Northern California, which honestly it’s like redneck California. Oh, it is. Oh yeah. It’s redneck, but it’s, it’s so different than the south i just it’s a redding’s beautiful and it’s it’s surrounded by beautiful mountains and and they have like real mountains out there yes we have hills in the in the interior so but it was a pretty massive culture shock right what was it like your first praise and worship session in bethel yeah yeah oh well i mean i remember the first time I went um I think it was 2012 and I’d heard so much about it and I was I was friends with uh Brian and Jen Johnson there but I was already I’d known them for a while but I’d never actually been.

[26:53] And I remember the first time I went I didn’t leave I was just there at church um and it was for like a week night like they were doing a conference and I just remember I walked in and worship started and I just I had never felt like the presence of the Lord like that in my life Like just, it felt, um, I don’t know how to say like weighty in a way, but just like, I want it. I didn’t even, I couldn’t even sing. I was just almost just like, just my hands lift and just like, almost just wanted to cry. I just felt like, I felt like the Lord was like right here, like just right at right as close as I wanted. And, um.

[27:30] And I just remember thinking like, this is possible. This is like, this is normal here. That’s what it felt like to me is like, this is so special to me and extraordinary to me. And I’ve never experienced this. And I look around and it was like, not like in a way that they were like, they were used to it or bored with it. But it was like, I felt like people were like, this is normal as in like, this is what we expect. Like we expect the Lord to just come every time we sing and praise and worship,

[27:58] which is what he said he would do. He said inhabit our praises and so i just remember being blown away at people that like i felt like they were literally just like we’re gonna take the lord for what he said in the word and we’re gonna expect him to show up and be here every time we say and that was that’s what i felt when i first was just there and then the first time i led worship um which is actually a few days later uh that was you don’t really lead worship there you just kind of start the song and then everyone Everyone just jumped, you know, it’s, it’s, you just kind of like start the song and get out of the way and just join in because, um, it really is like a place where people it’s been worship has been cultivated there for years and there’s an expectancy on the Lord to show up every time. Is it true when you went to Bethel, there was like a waiting line just to get into church. Did that blow your mind?

[28:50] It did. It did. And especially in Little Red, like Redding is just, you know, 90,000 people in the middle of nowhere, Northern California, and people are flying there from all over the world. And we were there for six years in Redding and our normal like Sunday morning service, like we’d have to get to church like an hour before service start to just kind of get in line to be able to get, because the church only seats like a thousand people, like 970 people, I think. Wow. It’s not even as big as what, there’s a lot of services, but the one main service doesn’t even seat that many. So yeah, and to know that people were that excited to let you there and come, and every service is like that. Every service throughout the day, and they used to have Friday night services. They were all that way, just lines. It’s really special. It’s a special place. All right, Steph, next fun fact.

[29:40] So Josh is currently on the Every Hour Tour with David Leonard. Starting in june he will be on tour with bethel music going across europe and northern ireland however hands down the highlight of his year is going to be when he comes here to ohio in august we’re in columbus ohio by the way oh yeah yeah yeah yeah so he comes to ohio in august to perform at the annual music festival here called rock the lake with crowder do you know where rock the lake is no indian lake no is it yes indian lake which is what 40 minutes from where you grew up yes.

[30:19] So he will be there on his third yes indian lake yeah oh that’s amazing yes so what is one of the more random places that you’ve performed because i love random it is kind of random right but it’s very popular. But the thing is, when we talk to musicians, when we talk to performers, it’s like, hey, I performed at this carnival, this random community festival fair. Hey, I just stood up on a truck, right? And just started singing, right? So what’s one of the more random places that you’ve performed, Josh, over the past 20 some years?

[30:53] I immediately, when you said that, I immediately know right where that is. Okay, good. It was literally, it will have been a year from when I’m there in Indian Lake at Rock the Lake.

[31:04] Last year in August, I mean, I think I remember the date. It was like August 3rd. I played at Galapagos County State, or the Galapagos County Fair, and it’s on the border of Ohio and West Virginia. All right, it’s pronounced Galapagos. Gallup. I knew, I knew that like, cause when I was there, I was pronouncing it wrong and they all correct. Yeah. Cause a friend of mine moved there. And that’s the only reason I know the correct terminology because he had to correct me multiple times. Gallup police. Gallup police. That’s right. Cause someone said, uh, just think of police at the end. Okay. And then I told him, I was like, that’s, you know, I think that’s wrong.

[31:48] Like my parents are from Kannapolis, North Carolina. I was like, that’s not how you say the police. So that was hilarious because the stage was barely a stage. I think this old Southern Gospel group came up and sang before me with tracks. Oh, yes. I believe it. Oh, and it was just. That’s Southern Ohio. It was not a young crowd. I will play in lead worship for all ages, but definitely no one. There was no one there, probably under 40. Oh, they had a tractor pool. and me and the guys the tractor pull was going on like an hour before we played okay and so we just went over there we’re like let’s go watch the tractor pull and we watched it and then we’re like okay we have to play in like 10 minutes so we’re thinking like the tractor pull is gonna probably wrap up and then because it was like right next to the stage oh no didn’t stop we just had to play during the trap like it was the loudest thing i remember i would i would finish And I didn’t realize that, you know, because I have my in-ears in and it’s more loud, a song would end and I’m going to talk to people and all I hear is, what?

[32:58] So at one point, I literally just waited. I was like, hold on a minute. And we just waited until that tractor pulled and was done. Right. All right, this next song.

[33:10] Oh, man. They had the pigs out there. They had the barns all full of pigs. There’s a pig showing contest or something. And it was unbelievable. Steph, that’s like your home. I was going to say, I feel right at home now. That’s Steph’s world. That’s country. Yes, it is. It smelled amazing there, too. I bet are you ever like how did we get here how did this just happen that was one of those moments I felt like I think I apologized to the band like all day like I’m so sorry thank you so much for being part of it was a great night here’s a corn dog, thank you so sorry I go from dancing on stage with for king and country to plan a county fair with the tractor pool behind me. If you like what you hear, please tell someone about us. As soon as this episode is over, go tell your spouse, your closest friend, a parent, a coworker, or share one of our posts on social media. However, if you don’t like what you’re hearing, please do not. Don’t tell anyone. Don’t tell anyone. Don’t tell anybody. Just disregard this message. Don’t worry about it. Forget about us. Yep. Go on with your merry day. And to get more information about us or our entire catalog of episodes, Be sure to check us out at kevinandsteph.com. Thank you for listening to Tell Us a Good Story.

[34:34] Okay, last fun fact here. So his new album, Made for More, is now out everywhere you listen to music, okay? So Josh, when you release a new album, a new song, are you constantly like hitting refresh, refresh, refresh, refresh on your phone?

[34:50] Like how many downloads do I have? How many is sold? Like, honey, don’t book that cruise just yet. like how does that work opening day opening weekend yeah i mean i i’d be lying if i said i didn’t like check it and i don’t check it it doesn’t do me well to check it a lot because it’ll it’ll mess with me i almost like don’t want to know how well it’s doing or how not well it’s doing i think if i know that it’s doing good then i’ll check it more because i just need to get encouraged yeah and just know that okay keep doing what you’re doing but uh i keep looking over here because I have the vinyl right here. Oh, show it. Oh!

[35:29] Very cool. And it looks like you’re wearing the same. Are you wearing the same outfit too right now? Well, I’m kind of always wearing the same outfit. I love that. The fun fact about that shirt, I wasn’t going to wear that shirt that night. I was going to wear a denim shirt. But I wore that shirt there just to practice in. And it’s actually inside out. And I think it’s a band shirt that I just turned inside out. And my drummer buddy, he said, dude, you look really great in that shirt. You should just wear that tonight. And my manager was like, why are you wearing an inside out shirt for your recording? This is a live video. And I was like, it’s cool. All the guys think it’s cool. And so I did it. And I just love that it ended up being the cover. Yes. So it’s like just a beat-up band shirt that I turned inside out. That’s a great picture, though. Yeah, great picture. Anyway, every once in a while, every couple of weeks, I’ll get an update from the team and just, hey, here’s what Maverick Moore is doing. It’s doing great. I’m like, all right, awesome. That’s good. Thanks, guys. Because that’s different than me with fantasy football, right? When I did fantasy football, I’m checking nonstop. Yes, I do that. But that doesn’t affect my income.

[36:41] That’s true. Good point. Okay, so tell us more about the album of this new album you have, Josh. I mean, it’s a live album that we did just down the road. We attend a church here called Hope You See. But since we moved to Tennessee, I’m still part of Bethel, but we live in Tennessee. We go to a little church down here. I had seven or eight new songs that I was going to try to do in another way. And then I just realized, you know, I want to do a live worship album again. It had been a while. And so that was the heart was just like, let’s just go into our little church. And on a Tuesday night, we had like about 150, 200 people there. And we just led these songs. And it was such a sweet night. The band was all like friends of mine that had been playing with me for years. My drummer, Joe, he was 14 years old when he started playing drums for me back in Charlotte. He plays drums for Maxim, too. Joe, he’s 31 now. So that’s how long that’s been. He was 14 when we started. But then all the guys in the band were just like guys that we’ve been playing together for 10 to 15 years. And it was really sweet. It was such a comfortable night. And I love that that night was such a night of family and friends for me. And I love that it’s on this album now forever to go out into the world with attached to songs that I really believe in that I wrote for the church, just for worship leaders and for Sunday morning church.

[38:06] Okay, I have a question. Do you ever go to a church as like a guest, and they’re singing your song and you’re like, Oh my gosh, God, look what we’ve done together. Like, does that ever hit you? it does yes and that has happened it’s amazing because yes in that moment i feel like so like whoa this is crazy and then i also i’ll go back to when i wrote that song and right where i was going through in that moment good or bad you know just all the music so nostalgic and just so like you know you’re immediately you remember a lot of times when you’ve heard a certain song i do that and then just like when i’ve written a song even more it’s like oh man man, I remember what I was going through. And a lot of times, maybe I wasn’t, I was struggling with things or whatever, or just, or feeling discouraged. And then now I like, you know, fast forward five, six years later, I’m hearing this song at just a church that I’m not, I’m not leading. I’m just there and there. And I hear this song. I’m like, oh, you’re so faithful, Lord. This is unbelievable. And yeah, that’s really special. Well, and what a reminder too, right? That how important the lyrics are that you’re writing, because this isn’t just you. There are literally millions of people every Sunday morning who’s singing along.

[39:22] Or in their car on the way to work or me driving here today and I’m listening to evidence, right? So it’s even a reminder like how important your lyrics are because it’s not just you. There are literally millions of people who are speaking these words into the world. But no pressure. Yeah, no pressure, right? I mean, that is so true. I don’t know if in any other genre of music, for lack of a better word, Or do you have, you know, there’s a freedom in not writing worship songs sometimes because you can just write whatever you want and like people can sing it or not sing it. But when you have like the task, the job, the calling or whatever to like write songs for the church, then you have to like be like, okay, people are going to be singing this over their lives and singing this to the Lord. Like I need to make sure this is like, first of all, that’s like theologically correct and all that. That’s really important. And then, yeah, I want to make sure if this is what they’re singing over their lives, that it’s like what the Lord wants, wants them to sing. And so when you said theologically correct, is there any time that you’re just like, Oh, is that right? Wait, did I just make that up?

[40:26] I think this is in a first Corinthians, right? Yeah. Right. No, there has been times. And I think, uh, I’ve been blessed to be around pastors and leaders that I can just like, I’ll shoot it too. I’m like, Hey, is that right? Can I say that? Cause there’s a lot of times I’ll just, I mean, sometimes while I’m writing, I mean, I mean, I’ll definitely like check my, you know, like, but in the moment too, you’re like, I just want to, I’m just like flowing. Let me just, I just want to sing that this feels like it sings well. And I’ll, I’ll ask like one of the leaders, like, okay, this sings well and feels great, but check this. If this isn’t like, if this isn’t theologically correct, like, let me know. I’ll change things around. I’ll move it around. Right. Yeah. Cause Steph, Steph would not be good at writing songs because she just makes up scriptures to me and like, Hey, I’m pretty sure like this isn’t about like, where’s it at? Uh, I am pretty sure that wasn’t Proverbs, right? Like, uh, I’m like Steph. Husbands shall empty the dishwasher. Where did you find that? It’s in the Bible. Oh yeah. Proverbs 23. Pretty sure it’s there. Friends are friends forever.

[41:28] That’s in the Bible. That’s a scripture.

[41:32] Well, friends, for more information about Josh, you can go to social media pages. Instagram, it’s at Josh Baldwin. His YouTube channel is Josh Baldwin Official. The website is joshbaldwin.com. And you can get his new album and stream his music wherever you get music at. So josh thank you so much for doing this you’re fantastic the only issue i have is you called yourself old during this conversation i didn’t like that either i am actually older than you sir so yeah i was wondering if that was gonna come yeah i was like oh i feel like in my industry i’m used to being like one of the older guys so i apologize that’s okay that’s okay hard josh hey we forgive you we forgive you brother but thank you for doing this man we appreciate it oh thank you so much thank you for having me this was such a such a joy you guys are fun mac was right you’re you’re the best you’re so fun yeah.

[42:30] Did you talk to mac oh yeah i have to listen i would we don’t just mac’s one of my best friends that’s not just what we say like we literally talk all the time he was like dude you’re gonna love this and so i actually listened to your i listened to your episode with mac oh you did And so it was great. I loved it. Oh, good. Well, thank you. You just made it. He listened to us. He actually listened to us. This is amazing. That’s awesome. Thank you. Thanks, Josh.

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