Jelly Roll: ‘I Love Where Christianity Is Heading’

The Church looks different to Jelly Roll these days — and that’s a good thing.

On a recent podcast, the country singer said he’s encouraged by what he sees as a shift in how faith is being lived out and talked about. “I love where contemporary Christianity is heading right now,” he said. “I think it’s back in love and empathy.”

He said the expression of faith he’s noticing feels less confrontational and more rooted in action.

“It’s not being preachy on corners and through megaphones,” he said. “It’s like through acts of service, through acts of kindness. Like, Christians are back showing up for people.”

Jelly Roll also referenced generosity as a defining trait of the Christian community.

“You know, the Christian community makes up 70 percent of the world’s giving. Or 80 percent of the world’s giving,” he said. “It feels like we’re talking about Jesus in a really cool way again. We’re not judging people on lifestyle stuff with Jesus anymore. We’re like, ‘Yo, let them find Jesus.’”

That approach connects to how he described his own faith, which he said is still in process. Jelly Roll shared that changes in his life and his walk will come through conviction rather than pressure.

“Jesus’ll come to me if He tugs on my heart to do something else,” he said. “I’ll tell you what, you couldn’t have told me three or four years ago this is how I would be talking on podcasts.”