STEVE CAMP

'Steve Camp' (b. April 13, 1955 in Wheaton, Illinois) is a prominent Dove Award-nominated contemporary Christian music artist with an adult contemporary pop sound. He was very popular in the late 1980s and early 1990s, however to date his popularity now continues mostly in his Christian writing addressing current trends and matters of Reformed Theology. He started Audience One Ministries, and his blog covering Christian music, biblical study, reformation, and revival. He's also an author. Camp currently lives in Nashville where he's the single father of five kids.
He is well-known for his strong views that Christian musicians are called to make direct, uncompromising music that confronts the world with the message of the Scriptures. Following Martin Luther's 95 theses, on Reformation Day (October 31), 1998 he sent out the 107 theses calling for a reformation in contemporary Christian music.
Camp was introduced once as the "Keith Green with theology" by John F. MacArthur.

Contents

Biography

Career

Musician

Appearances

Radio Show and Writing

Discography

External links

Biography

When Steve was 5, his parents taught him all about Jesus which led him in making a confession, which made a big difference in serving God by the time he was 17. As a young Christian, he created a close bond with legendary Christian singer/songwriter, Larry Norman, who gave him advice in the likeness of Camp's own singing and songwriting talents. In addition, he met the late Keith Green, who encouraged him to make a stronger commitment to Jesus and at the same time his own ministry.

Career

He attended Roosevelt University where Camp majored in Music Composition and Theory under Professor Dodds, protegee to George Gershwin and studied Business Law/Music at the College of DuPage, where his goal was to spread the gospel. Among many other college professors Steve had studied under, Camp didn't go through his academic circles for his theological or musical training. He did exactly that, hence, he received intense working knowledge of Scripture and theology; reading each week, mastering the Greek language, and has accomplished a library of historical and theological works. Camp also retains an Orthodox, historical, reformed, Biblical theology, in the tradition of John Owen, Jeremiah Burroughs, Thomas Watson, Dr. John F. MacArthur, Dr. D.A. Carson, Dr. R.C. Sproul and the late Dr. Stephen Olford. He also began having a longtime relationship with a then unknown-Rob Frazier, beginning in the late 1970s. Frazier, a one-time ''Petra'' member, began his tenure with Camp co-writing songs for Camp's own albums. It is also ironic that Camp was reunited with Frazier on his 1992 compliation, ''Retrospect'', that Camp was his duet vocal for the song, ''Why?''. Years before that, Camp's singing career also began when he played his acoustic guitar and singing backups on Scott Wesley Brown's 1977 album, ''I'm Not Religious, I Just Love The Lord'', one year before he went on his own.

Musician

Prior to being a talented conference speaker, a pianist, and a lecturer, Camp also became a serious musician. He began releasing his first record in 1975 for CBS Records, his first and only secular label. He began playing music for Jesus and used them for His glory. In 1977, he signed a recording contract with Myrrh Records, releasing a stringful of songs, as a solo artist. In 1983, Camp signed a new contract, this one with Sparrow Records, where he released nine powerpack albums. On his first album, ''Fire and Ice'', Camp paired up with labelmate and old friend, Michele Pillar, to sing with him on ''Love's Not A Feeling''. She would later sing on ''Do Something Now'', which she was a part of, and on Camp's 1987 album, ''After God's Own Heart'', as one of the backup vocalists. Early in 1989, he released his 10th studio album, ''Justice'', where he recorded the ever-popular hit, ''Do You Feel Their Pain?'', where BeBe Winans shared duet vocals with him, Steve Green, Ashley Cleveland, former labelmate Margaret Becker (whom she sang duet vocals with him on 1986's ''One On One'', from the album of the same name), and The Choir all sang background vocals. After his contract with Sparrow in 1992, he signed up with Warner Alliance, where he released 2 albums. On 1993's ''Taking Heaven By Storm'', after Camp had decided to team up with keyboardist and veteran songwriter, Michael Omartian, to produce the album, he had a lot of #1's in one whole year, from ''Taking Heaven By Storm'' (the album of the same name), to ''The Lord's Prayer'', in 1994. Later that same year, he released ''Mercy In The Wilderness'', also produced by Omartian, and unlike his ''Storm'' record, the songs whose records didn't make it to #1, at all, except for the album of the same name.

Appearances

Proving to be a creative Christian artist of the 1980s in the likes of: Mylon LeFevre, Scott Wesley Brown, Michael Card, Randy Stonehill, Steve Green, Amy Grant, Michael W. Smith, Wayne Watson, Steven Curtis Chapman, Twila Paris, Rick Cua, Phil Keaggy and Sandi Patty, he made several front covers of (CCM) Magazine, World Magazine, Christianity Today, among many others. At the same time, he also wrote several articles for leading Christian publications, in addition to numerous interviews in Christian radio. After recording numerous albums, Camp began attending several conferences and making a lot of guest appearances at Christian colleges. In 1996, he was an honorable invitee at the Alliance of Confessing Evangelicals Conference where the Cambridge Document was drafted. One year later, he was spotted in 1997 for the Summit on Church Music Ministry held at Cedarville College in Ohio, contending for sound Biblical theology in Christian music.

Radio Show and Writing

In the mid-1990s, Camp was a frequent guest star on radio stations, all across the country. Between 1995 and 1997, he hosted his own radio talk show, 'No Compromise with Steve Camp'. As his popularity continued to grow, he was also featured as a guest appearance on ''The Bible Answer Man'', ''The Janet Parchel Show'', ''The Dick Staub Show'', ''Prime Time America with Jim Warren'', ''Iron Sharpens Iron'', and many more. He is also a well-known writer for the AudienceONE ministries website. As of 2007, Camp continues to make numerous guest appearances on other radio shows.

Discography

★ ''Sayin' It With Love'' (1978, Myrrh)

★ ''Start Believin' (1980, Myrrh)

★ ''For Every Man'' (1981, Myrrh)

★ ''Only The Very Best'' (1983, Myrrh)

★ ''Fire and Ice'' (1983, Sparrow)

★ ''It's A Dying World'' (1984, Myrrh)

★ ''Shake Me To Wake Me'' (1985, Sparrow)

★ ''One on One'' (1986, Sparrow)

★ ''After God's Own Heart'' (1987, Sparrow)

★ ''Compact Favorites'' (1988, Sparrow)

★ ''Justice'' (1989, Sparrow)

★ ''Doing My Best'' (1990, Sparrow)

★ ''Consider The Cost'' (1991, Sparrow)

★ ''Doing My Best Volume 2'' (1991, Sparrow)

★ ''Taking Heaven by Storm'' (1993, Warner Alliance)

★ ''Mercy in the Wilderness'' (1994, Warner Alliance)

★ ''The Steve Camp Collection'' (1995, Sparrow)

★ ''The Best of Steve Camp: My Utmost for His Highest'' (1995, Sparrow)

★ ''Abandoned to God'' (1999, Ministry)

★ ''Desiring God'' (2002, Audience One)

External links

★ Audience One Ministries

★ CampOnThis - Steve Camp's Blog

★ Complete Discography @ Christian Music Archive