Led by the Spirit: a dive into SAGU Worship: Unplugged and interview with Meredith and Nathan Jones 

by Sydni errickson

Meredith and Nathan have always been passionate about recording projects. (Fun fact: back in their time in Britain, they had a band called “The Luxfords.”) Nathan is passionate about recording and has championed this project from the start. They’ve been recording since high school and even were involved in SAGU Worship’s original recording project in 2001.

Meredith says, “Recording projects are like the altars in the Old Testament. They were made so that they could remember, and every time they saw that altar, they could tell their kids. When we record projects and steward what He’s saying and doing, we create an altar to look back and see what He’s doing right here, right now, right at that moment. There is power in recording what the Lord is doing and releasing it for the world to hear.”

The Joneses’ dream is to have someone doing recording as a full-time job at the school, to help students release their music in all genres and all styles. To have a SAGU label that enables students to get their work out there continually. “But all in God’s timing and purpose,” Nathan says. 

Meredith adds, “Eventually, we want to get to a point where that can be something ongoing in our department.” They are eager to get started on another project, but before committing to another project/album, they are taking time to meditate on the Spirit. They are also waiting for the right time for the student body and the right songs to be an altar for SAGU. There are plans for a potential single or demo, but as for major projects, no dates are determined as of yet.

Meredith and Nathan Jones are humble to their core, and while they hope the absolute best for SAGU Worship as a label and a department, their main goal is not to “get big” or “make a name for themselves.” While that may come naturally with the development of the department and projects, they want to be obedient to the Lord no matter what that looks like in the future. Meredith says, “Health is more important than growth… If SAGU Worship makes a name for itself, I would hope that it is just a means to an end to build up the name of Christ.”

As for this most recent project, it was a dream placed in both of their hearts, and they had been toying around with the idea, but it was on a video call with alumni Clayton Brooks that they decided to pursue it. When they discussed possibly releasing a worship project, Clayton told them to “just go for it.” That little encouragement was all they needed to start laying the ground for this project. The semester before Spring 2022, they talked to Professor Rob Price about the project so he could put it in the syllabus for his DMA students the following semester and then began to focus on the songs themselves.

One piece was written in England, another was in songwriting sessions with Clayton Brooks, and the last was a few weeks before the recording. As for the songs themselves, Nathan and Meredith felt the songs included in the project were true to what the Lord was doing at SAGU. Their priority is always to be led by the spirit and honor what God calls them to before producing content. Quote Meredith, “It felt like there was a special grace on the project to make it easy to put together and get out.” From conception to completion, the project took roughly ten months to complete, which is extremely fast if you know anything about the recording/ production process.

Meredith remarked, “ The coolest part of the project was having a collaborative space with so many different people. Rob Price and his DMA students, faculty who edited the video, media services staff, music faculty, SAGU Worship current students, and alums worked together. Unlike anything we've done before, it exposed students to an official recording setting and hands-on experience mixing audio and video as songwriting for corporate worship.”

In the future, Meredith would like to feature more student writers; at the time of the project, student pieces were close but needed more time to be ready. In Meredith’s songwriting class, she often seeks student-written songs to minister specifically to other students. She is working on getting them corporate worship ready and cannot wait to include them. Meredith and Nathan are incredibly excited to continue recording here at the school and grow SAGU Worship into who God has called them to be. 

I’d like to round this off with a quote from Nathan that, I think again, speaks so clearly of who they are and what they desire for SAGU Worship,  “We’re just flowing in the vein that God has gifted us in, and being obedient with what He’s asked us to do, with the talents He’s given us…We do what we do because God called us to do it.”

And some encouragement from Nathan to all students reading this: “Just take what you have and give it, no matter how much or how little it is, God will honor that.”