Singer-songwriter Justin Gambino has never been shy about sharing his journey — one that’s taken him from small-town Texas to the U.S. Navy, through brokenness and redemption, and into a full-time music ministry. Sitting down with NewReleaseToday at Centricity Music Studios in Franklin, Tennessee, Justin opened up about his powerful testimony, his heart for the prodigal, and the stories behind his latest music — including his new EP, Just Like Jesus.
For those who may not know you yet, can you share a bit about your story and how music became such a big part of your life?
I live in a little town south of Houston, Texas — I’m a Texas guy through and through. Music has been part of my life since I was a kid. My mom likes to tell people that when I was five, I’d bring my Bible to church and strum it like a guitar. She eventually put me in piano lessons, but I didn’t enjoy them much. What I really loved was the guitar.
When I was fifteen, my parents bought me my first guitar, and that moment changed my life. However, looking back, I can see how the enemy also noticed this. Around that time, I landed my first job, started associating with the wrong crowd, and began living a double life — attending church on Sundays and partying on the weekends.
By the age of eighteen, I had gotten into trouble with theft and breaking. I found myself standing before a judge who looked at me and said, “You’ve never been in trouble before. You were raised in church. Why are you here?” He gave me two options: go to jail for two years or join the military. I chose the Navy.
How did your time in the Navy change your life?
I joined the construction battalion known as the Seabees, and in 2007, I was deployed to Iraq. Honestly, at that point, I thought my dreams of doing music were over. But God had other plans.
One Wednesday night, there was a USO concert for the troops, and while everyone else went, I felt a strong pull to attend the chapel instead. The chaplain asked if anyone could play guitar and lead worship. I was the only one who raised my hand. I called my dad from Iraq, asked him to dust off my guitar, and ship it to me.
That’s how God put the guitar back in my hands. I started leading worship for my fellow servicemen and women — and that’s where the calling really began.
What happened after you came home from Iraq?
Coming home was hard. I had anger issues and couldn’t end a day without drinking. Alcohol led to depression and suicidal thoughts. It was a dark season. But once again, God used music to pull me out.
A mentor invited me to a Friday night Bible study, and that’s when I began writing songs for the Lord. I’d gone from serenading girls to writing worship songs. In 2015, I quit my job to pursue music full-time. It’s been ten years now since I took that leap.
Then 2020 hit — the pandemic shut everything down. No tours, no shows. I remember hearing that voice saying, “There’s no point in writing these songs.” But one night in Salt Lake City, the Lord spoke clearly: “It’s time to go home and hold a night of revival.”
He told me it had to be at the courthouse — the same courthouse where I was judged at 18. I resisted, but God wouldn’t let me go. On December 12, 2020, we held the first annual Brazoria County Revival. That night changed everything.
God said to me, “The same plan I had for you 16 years ago is still the plan I have now. The difference is that now I have your undivided attention.” That was my personal revival. From then on, every song I’ve written has come from a deeper, more authentic place.
That revival led to your album, Made New. What did that record mean to you?
Made New was me telling my testimony through thirteen songs — the story of the prodigal son coming home.
Before that, I was making music because it felt like the right thing to do. But after 2020, everything shifted. I realized God didn’t just want my songs — He wanted me.
Now every lyric, every melody is personal. It’s my story and God’s story together.
Many of your songs talk about prodigals returning to the Father. Why is that message so important to you?
Because I’ve lived it, I know what it’s like to feel far from home. I meet people every night on tour who feel the same way — like they’ve strayed too far for God to take them back.
I remember a concert in Idaho where a young man came up to me in tears and said, “I can see the Father’s house, but I can’t move toward it.” I told him, “You don’t have to make it to the property line. The Father sees you from a long way off and will come running.”
That’s the heart of my message: no one is too far gone. When I thought I was too far gone — or even when I was going through the motions — God put me on His shoulders and carried me home.
You’ve recently released new music, including “Just Like Jesus.” What can you tell us about your latest EP?
Yeah, so by the time people read this, two songs will be out — “Just Like Jesus” and “You Were Always There.” That second one is special to me. It started with two lines from my journal:
“You knew my name before I took a breath.
You knew that I would run before I took a step.”
That became the song, “You Were Always There.”
The EP Just Like Jesus will include five songs. It’s the first of two EPs — the second one will be all original worship music. Together, they’ll form my third full-length record.
This new worship EP is something I never planned to write. But as I’ve shared my testimony, it’s like walking through a garden with God — uprooting, pruning, tending to my heart. These songs have come out of that process. They’re meant to be immersive, just me sitting in His presence.
I look forward to seeing how God uses them.
When you take time to reflect on everything God’s done in your life, what stands out to you most?
I love sitting on my front porch in the morning, having what I call “church on the porch.” It’s in those quiet moments that God reminds me how far He’s brought me.
He once told me, “What breaks my heart doesn’t break yours yet. Your heart is calloused. We need to spend more time together.” Those words changed me. I spent two weeks just sitting still before Him. That’s when He reminded me — He’s always been there.
When you’ve seen how faithful He is, there’s really nothing left to worry about. He’s got it all under control.
How can we be praying for you as you continue this journey?
Pray that I stay true to the calling. The last couple of years have been amazing — I’ve seen God open doors I never imagined. But it’s easy to let pride or distraction creep in. My prayer is to stay humble, keep Him first, and not move or speak until He tells me to.
Bradden Ford is a Christian music enthusiast responsible for managing NewReleaseToday's new release database of artists and albums. He resides just outside Nashville, Tennessee.
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