Award-winning pop-rock band Stellar Kart released its INO Records debut and the band’s fourth studio recording, Everything Is Different Now on March 9, 2010. Unique to this project, Stellar Kart incorporates more worshipful music and lyrics. Produced by Dove Award-winning producer Ian Eskelin (Francesca Battistelli, Krystal Meyers), Everything Is Different Now is a collection of vertically minded songs that continue in the pop/rock tradition of Stellar Kart’s past work. However, instead of focusing on more relational matters, Everything Is Different Now takes a decidedly vertical turn, a nod to the band’s roots.

Songs like the catchy opening track, “All My Heart,” and the congregational-friendly, “Rescue,” which Agee wrote with some friends from Hillsong United, keep the praise-focused theme front and center. The album’s lead single, “We Shine,” also reflects Stellar Kart’s foremost desire to glorify God.

I got the chance to interview lead singer Adam Agee about new single, “We Shine.” You can listen to our entire interview here.

Please tell me the story behind recording this song.

We had performed at a camp earlier in the summer before recording this album, and we really discovered all over again that we love leading worship for youth. So we tried to find some of the songs that were our favorites and wrote a few new songs, too, and that eventually became Everything Is Different Now.

“We Shine” was originally written and recorded by Fee. The song perfectly fits the theme of what we are trying to get across with this new album.

From the beginning, we have always been about sharing our faith openly, and the bridge of this song really sums up what it is all about: “We're goin’ into all the world, Carrying the light of Jesus, And we shine.”

Please tell me about any Bible verses you feel go with the song.

2 Corinthians 4:5-6: For we do not preach ourselves, but Christ Jesus the Lord, and ourselves your bond servants for Jesus’ sake. For it is God who commanded light to shine out of darkness, who has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.

What's the take-away message for listeners?

As a band, we want to "shine" in front of adults, kids and anyone else who is listening. We hope that everyone will shine his or her light and not be afraid or ashamed of what they believe. We also really want the song to be encouragement for people as it has been for us as a band. As we have changed labels and with the struggles of the economy, it’s important to remember in everything we do that we live for Jesus.

Here are the lyrics:

Yeah, yeah, we shine, we shine, with the light of God
And when we speak, we speak with words of love
And when we dance, we may get a little wild
Cause we're the people of God, yeah, the people of God

When we sing, we sing, the angel's song
The ones they're singing around the throne
Yeah, yeah, we worship the King with everything that we are
Cause we're the people of God, yeah, the people of God

And now is the time for the people to rise
Lift up a shout, everybody cry out
Raise your voice, shout out a noise
And dance a dance of joy

[Chorus]
We are the redeemed
We are the ones who are free
And we belong to Jesus
We are now alive
And in this world we will shine
Cause we belong to Jesus

The spirit of God is freedom rings
So come on, come on throw off your prison chains
We're liberated by the King only freedom remains
For the people of God, yeah, the people of God

We're livin in kingdom that will never end
We're livin in the power that defeated sin
So come on everybody let your praise begin
Cause Jesus is alive and He's comin again

And now is the time for the people to rise
Lift up a shout, everybody cry out
Raise your voice, shout out a noise
And dance a dance of joy

[Chorus]

We're goin into all the world
Carrying the light of Jesus
And we shine, yeah we shine
In the darkest place we shine (x2)

And now is the time for the people to rise
Lift up a shout, everybody cry out
Raise your voice, shout out a noise
And dance a dance of joy

[Chorus x2]

Come on, come on, Your kingdom is comin
Come on, come on, Your kingdom is comin
Come on, come on, come on, let Your kingdom come down (x2)

This is one of my favorite, fast-paced worship songs, and Stellar Kart does an amazing job with their version of this great song. There are many challenges to believers in the lyrics of the song, including “We are now alive, And in this world we will shine, Cause we belong to Jesus.” There are many passages in the Bible that command us to “let our light shine before men.” I find Paul’s exhortation in 2nd Corinthians 4:5-6 very relevant to us as believers today and a strong reminder of why we all need to live for Jesus.

“For it is God who commanded light to shine out of darkness, who has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.”

Not only is that a great reason to share our faith, but also to “let your praise begin, cause Jesus is alive, and He's comin again!”