26th September, 2005

JOE MONTAGUE

She was an international role model for the modern woman long before there was a ZOEgirl, BarlowGirl or Superchic[k].

That is not to take anything away from the aforementioned groups but rather to give credit to this rock dynamo that first set the world on its ear as a teenager with stunning vocals and even more spectacular stage presence. Rebecca St James was taking a stance for sexual purity before marriage when others were still talking about more traditional themes during their concerts.

St James, who has just completed an Australian tour with US evangelist Greg Laurie, has worked tirelessly as a singer, songwriter, narrator, author, editor, spokesperson for Compassion Ministries and worn more additional hats than I have toes and fingers to count. She would be the first to tell you that God created the missive concerning sexual purity that she delivers to young women all around the world but she has carried the torch for the past twelve years of her life.

The suggestion that she might slow down sometime in the near future is met with laughter. St James dispels that notion, saying she doesn’t see that happening anytime soon. Her bookzine SHE TEEN was released on September 1st.

“It’s a very new concept,” she says of the bookzine. “Have you seen the Bible Revolve? It’s like a magazine but it’s a Bible. It’s similar to that as it looks like a magazine but it’s a book.

“I’m really excited that it is in that format. Magazines are something that teen girls know. They know that format. It’s approachable to them. It’s an easy read and is not in any way intimidating. I think sometimes, to a girl, a book seems like a book that they have to read for school and it is just another text book. SHE TEEN, being a bookzine, has the content that a book would have with the same depth. (It has) stories from my life, (the lives of) Biblical characters and teen girls sharing their stories. It also has a lot of pictures and is very approachable. I’m hoping Christian teen girls will pick it up and be really encouraged in their faith.”

St James makes the point that this is not merely a bookzine for those already following Christ but she hopes it will reach those who have yet to make a decision.

That doesn’t mean any compromises. St James remains firm on the view that not only do we serve a God that calls us to a life of purity but he is a God of forgiveness who grants second chances.

In SHE TEEN, St James says, “We are talking about being free from past hurts and not being caught in the web of the past and unforgiveness. We talk about our purpose as young women living for God. We talk about purity, dating and even things like cutting. Cutting is rampant in young girls’ lives today and that is just expressing the hopelessness that a lot of them are feeling. We want to bring hope and healing to these girls’ lives.”

Asked about where this passion has come from, St James comments: “I decided to remain a virgin, practice sexual purity and take a stance for God in that way and it began when I was probably about sixteen. I think what held me in there and why I continued to share about this issue is because I’ve seen so many young people hurt by not waiting. They share their stories with me in tears about how they wish they had waited. Now I have the joy of hearing people who are married (tell me) how my music or a song of mine or hearing me share my testimony about purity in my concerts really helped them to stay strong and wait.”

There’s echoes of her song “Wait For Me” from her album Transformed: “Darling, did you know that I I dream about you; Waiting for the look in your eyes; When we meet for the first time; And darling, did you know that I pray about you; Praying that you will hold on and keep your loving eyes only for me; ‘Cause I am waiting for you, praying for you darling; Wait for me too; Wait for me as I wait for you." St James lives what she believes and believes in what she lives.

St James continues: “Now they (the young women) are reaping the joys of that (waiting). Also I talk about forgiveness and second chances and if people haven’t waited they can start over from now on. I think there is a tendency to believe that once you have had sex you have blown it and you might as well keep doing that. It is a lie from Satan and he wants them to stay in that sin. I am very passionate about wanting to encourage young people to be strong because I have seen kids having babies outside of marriage or struggling with diseases because of not waiting. It’s just not worth it.”

She says some of the more common questions her fans ask her concern, “How do I stay strong for God when there is so much pressure?” and “How do I live a pure life when there is so much compromise in that area?”

Choosing her words thoughtfully as she speaks, St James says: “The walk with God question I would probably answer just invest time in a relationship with God. It’s like a friendship or relationship you have with anybody. You don’t have a relationship unless you spend time with that person, coming to know them and speaking with them.” She finds in her own life that spending quality time in prayer and reading the Bible lead to a clearer understanding of God’s character and therefore lead to a more earnest desire to be like Him.

St James says that in recent years she has gained a greater appreciation of the need for community.

“We need to be in a good strong church to be strong in our Christian lives. We need to be involved in a strong group and have good friends around who are encouraging us to live for God. Those are some areas but also to understand that God loves us for who we are and we can’t earn brownie points with God or make Him like us more by doing these things. We actually need to do them out of knowledge that He loves us and that we want to grow that love relationship with Him.”

Offering some insights borrowed from personal experience concerning the purity issues, St James explains that there are “lots of practical things that I can share about how to live in purity”.

“To tie in with my other answer, by spending time with God as you are being purified on the inside through the Bible and through prayer it makes it way easier to live a pure lifestyle. I think having friends around you who are taking that same stand is really important. Setting up boundaries in your relationships where you aren’t going to cross a certain line. I have a boundary where I put a shoe in the door or leave the door open if I am alone in a room with a guy so someone can walk in at any point. There is accountability there. I don’t go in my bedroom obviously with a guy. I think things like that really help.”

St James speaks with the same enthusiasm about Sister Freaks - a book for which she acted as editor which hits the shelves on 5th October

“I am so excited about the concept of this book and that’s why I am so behind it,” she says.

“We need to be reminded that there are so many sisters in Christ that we have around the world that are just walking through the fire, that are being hurt or killed for their faith. Yet sometimes we think that we have it hard over here and our lives are so cushy and easy compared to the rest of the world. I think it is very encouraging for us to read these stories. Some are of martyrs, some are of women still living under persecution or taking a real radical stance for their faith. Some are from hundreds of years ago while some are modern day. It just really encourages us that we can stand for God in our lives as well but also to not take the freedoms that we have for granted. I think this (Sister Freaks) is a wonderful tool for any Christian woman.”

But while it’s books that seem to take up so much of her time these days, it’s music that made this beloved rocker so popular when she burst upon the American scene so many years ago.

On 22nd November, her long awaited album If I Had One Chance to Tell You Something will be released, a CD which marks St James’ return to her rock roots. The title was born out of her concern for a friend from her college days - she learned recently that he had fallen away from his commitment to Christ and she said she had spent some time thinking about what she would say to him if she had just one chance.

St James believes the CD reflects the “new place and balance” that she’s now into.

“I am operating more on overflow now rather than running on empty as I have in the past when I had to write an album (at a time when) I just had nothing left,” she says.

“There is a real sense of celebration and freedom that comes through in the writing. Also I think that I have headed back to my rock roots on this project as well. I love rock music. It’s passionate and it matches my passionate lyrics. We are just finishing up the album now. We are mixing some of the songs and adding the finishing touches. I am just thrilled with how it is coming together both musically and lyrically. I’ve really seen God’s hand in providing the songs.”

As for her favorite tunes from the CD: “There is a song called “Alive” which is the first single and it really represents where I am at. It’s a song of celebration that says God makes us come alive but it is only when we let go of what we want in this life that He makes us come alive. It’s that whole thing of dying to self and becoming alive to God. I really enjoy that song. It’s a real rockin’ roll kind of song.”

St James, who also has a song on the upcoming Chronicles of Narnia CD and is planning a tour with BarlowGirl in 2006, says that staying close to God while being so busy is not always easy.

“I’ve hit near burn out a few times and I feel that I have learned the hard way the importance of rest and saying no,” she says.

“Where I think that pertains to my walk with God is if you are constantly running on empty emotionally and physically that is going to affect your spiritual life because you are way more susceptible to getting discouraged about things when you are distracted by your own imbalance or your own pain. You can’t focus on God to the same level.

“Having a daily time with God and reading the Bible or a devotional book encourages me is important to me. Now I take time every year to go on a sabbatical where it’s just quality time for God to just pour into me and renew me. I’ve found the more that I am keeping those levels topped up and filled up the better I can operate in my ministry and the more I can operate out of overflow instead of underflow or empty.”

~ www.rebeccastjames.com