By Alex Murashko

Just one week after the song’s release, Harvest Worship and Chris Tomlin will sing “Have You Met My Jesus” live at the 35th annual Harvest Crusade at Angel Stadium, as Pastor Greg Laurie gives an invitation to thousands of people online and in-person to receive Christ as their Lord and Savior.

The song, which was released on Friday (7/12), was inspired by the “altar-call” moment, that as people from all walks of life head down to the field to make a profession of faith in Jesus, they would hear the comforting words, “He is waiting for you, Heaven’s waiting for you,” a Harvest Worship team member shared with Think Eternity News.

Have you met my Jesus Have you met the Friend Of all friends Have you met my Savior He is waiting for you Heaven’s waiting for you

— Lyrics by Ricky Jackson (Harvest Worship), Chris Tomlin, Bobby Strand, Ran Jackson, and Chris Quilala

Harvest Worship leader Ricky Jackson, who is one of five co-writers of the song including Tomlin, Bobby Strand, Ran Jackson, and Chris Quilala, shared in a Q&A with Think Eternity News (full text below), how the collaborative effort began: “My brother (he’s a great writer named Ran Jackson) and I started this song in a hotel room on the west coast. We brought it to our friend Chris Quilala at a Jesus Culture writing retreat, and it definitely started becoming more real, but wasn’t quite right for their church. A few years later, Chris heard it and loved it, so he added much of the bridge, but it still wasn’t quite home yet. I remember listening to the piano melody on a train ride in Italy in tears because I thought the melody was so beautiful and the lyrics so activating.”

The music video for “Have You Met My Jesus" (below) that was captured at Capitol Studios in Nashville and released on Friday features a behind-the-scenes look at producers Ricky Jackson and Strand working with Tomlin.

If you find your heart restless And searching for more His love will meet you there And if you feel your world spinning Out of control

His peace will meet you there Wherever you are Don’t be afraid Just reach out And call on the Name

Have you met my Jesus…

— Lyrics for ‘Have You Met My Jesus’

Q&A Interview with Harvest Worship Leader Ricky Jackson

Think Eternity News: How did the song’s release day feel?

Ricky Jackson: It’s a strange and great feeling to be honest. This song was actually birthed 5 or 6 years ago and not finished until just a few months ago, so it feels old and new at the same time. The joy is definitely in the journey with all its twists and turns. The fact that people can now listen in their ear pods is incredible.

Thinke: Working with Chris Tomlin must be awesome! How was that?

Jackson: Chris definitely has “a signature” to the art he creates. His voice is such a clear and focused instrument, and he’s chosen throughout his career to keep it focused towards God, which I find fascinating. I’ve often been surprised to find the biggest artists in the world are often the easiest to work with. I can’t speak for Chris, but I think he’s found that the secret sauce is just to be himself, true to his faith story, with no hustle and nothing to prove… so it’s lighthearted and fun to be in the studio with him. Those are dream sessions to me.

Thinke: The writing was a collaborative effort. How did that go?

Jackson: My brother (he’s a great writer named Ran Jackson) and I started this song in a hotel room on the west coast. We brought it to our friend Chris Quilala at a Jesus Culture writing retreat, and it definitely started becoming more real, but wasn’t quite right for their church. A few years later, Chris heard it and loved it so he added much of the bridge, but it still wasn’t quite home yet.

I remember listening to the piano melody on a train ride in Italy in tears because I thought the melody was so beautiful and the lyrics so activating, so I decided I would start leading at my own church. It actually aligned so well with the messaging of our own church, and these giant altar calls Pastor Greg does in stadiums. It wasn’t until I chose to record it in Nashville with my friend Bobby Strand that he helped see it to the finish line (that’s an understatement), and I couldn’t be happier with where it lives now. For anyone reading, if there’s a song, or art, or passion in your head you just can’t forget about, I hope this is another inspiration to keep pursuing it until it’s done. Trust your gut. ;)

Thinke: Was there a testimony or inspiration that was the motivation?

Jackson: My very first time being on the field during an altar call moment was profound. To be completely honest I went in thinking “do people really meet Jesus this way, in stadiums?” I knew people gave their lives to Jesus in a myriad of ways, but I was skeptical. Pastor Greg gave a very distilled message about the gospel - to the point - not fancy, just the simple gospel, and people responded in droves. 10,000 kind of numbers. I was shocked. It wasn’t until I was talking with people on the field that it opened my eyes.

I met a man (mid 50s) with tattoos, surrounded by 3 daughters and his wife. They were weeping in each other’s arms, and I approached them, as someone new to Harvest, a skeptical volunteer ha-ha. I asked their story and the man mentioned that he had been in prison for some crazy things but gave his life to Jesus while listening to Greg Laurie on the radio. From then on, he was devouring the word of God, spending all of his time in prayer, and growing and changing as his heart was transforming. He said he would talk to his wife and daughters on the phone, but they were skeptical, however, they couldn’t ignore he had drastically changed. He was eventually released and on the night of the crusade begged his wife and daughters to come. Reluctantly they did, and I was witnessing the moment they had ALL made decisions to follow Jesus. I cried with them, so moved by the reconciliation that I was the lone witness of, and to this day, I can’t unsee it. It’s one of the most beautiful memories of my life.

Much of this encounter was woven into the lyrics of the song, from my perspective, and it was definitely the seed that was planted to write it.

Alex Murashko is a journalist and writing team leader for Think Eternity, a site for powerful faith content to help you live the fulfilled life in Jesus. Murashko is also founder of Media on Mission.

Connect on X (formerly Twitter): @AlexMurashko.