Jeremy Camp Bringing Catchy Ballads, Message of Hope to Polk Theatre

Dove Award Winning Christian Artist Jeremy Camp, known for his heartfelt and upbeat music, and story of overcoming the loss of his first wife at a young age, is visiting the Polk Theatre on April 21 for an intimate evening filled with songs both old and new, including some featured on his new album, “Deeper Waters,” which releases in May. Opening for Camp on the tour are up-and-coming Contemporary Christian Music (CCM) duo Caleb & John. 

Camp has been a CCM mainstay since the early 2000s and has released 12 albums. Stylistically Camp’s music is a combination of pop, rock, ballads and worship.

“You’re gonna get a very wide variety of styles in my music, but you’ll never, you’ll never walk away not knowing what I’m trying to say because I don’t compromise,” Camp said. “Like my heart is to minister and to be all about Jesus. And so you may have some different styles, but the purpose is the same.” 

In 2020, Camp explored a project outside of music and worked alongside Lionsgate Entertainment as they told his personal story of love and loss in the movie “I Still Believe.” The movie was an exciting and different opportunity for Camp, and since he enjoys trying new things, the Theater Tour was a natural addition to his calendar. “It’s a fun new adventure for us. I’ve never done this before and it’s exciting.” 

Theaters were selected as the tour’s venues because Camp likes “the intimacy” of them. Camp has been to Lakeland before, but never to the Polk Theatre. 

“It’s a way to go out into a whole different area of the city, cities that I don’t go to a lot, which I love, and finding these cool theaters,” Camp said, “And I feel like bringing Christ in those places is going to be so sweet.” 

“It’s a way to go out into a whole different area of the city, cities that I don’t go to a lot, which I love, and finding these cool theaters. And I feel like bringing Christ in those places is going to be so sweet.” – Jeremy Camp 

Camp recently shared on social media about his journey with two types of heart conditions: atrial flutter and atrial fibrillation. On March 11 he underwent a successful surgery and the next day was cleared by doctors to go on tour. Camp took a few days to rest after his surgery before kicking off The Theatre Tour on March 21. Through this journey, Camp said he has gone “deeper with Jesus,”—which ties directly into the theme of his latest album “Deeper Waters.”

“It’s not always easy, there’s a lot of difficult things going on right now,” Camp said. “But even in my song, ‘These Days,’ it’s like, we were made for these days. It’s not a mistake that we’re here. He called us by name and we can walk that out with confidence.” 

Camp said he has been inspired by artists Jonathan David and Melissa Helser, whose album from a few years ago “had been so life-giving.” He shared he met them once and thanked them for their music and how it ministered to him. He has also been moved by Steffany Gretzinger’s album, “Faith of My Father.”  “It’s all these old songs I grew up on, and it just reminds me of the purity of the sweetness of love and the early relationship with Jesus that I had and how I don’t ever want to lose that first love.” 

As Camp continues to make music, he shared it’s pivotal for him to always check his motives. While performing on platforms and checking streaming numbers could be fulfilling, to Camp, “It’s really about stepping back and going, ‘Jesus, am I doing this for you? Is this for you?’” he said. 

The Theater Tour is a ministry in motion and he wants people in the audience to be reminded that “in the uncertainty and instability, we can find ultimate stability in Christ.

The Tour is hosted by Compassion International, a Christian nonprofit that serves children living in poverty across the globe. During the concert, attendees can learn more about Compass and they will receive an invitation to sponsor a child to help release them from the difficult realities of poverty.