By Leah MarieAnn Klett, Assistant Editor Monday, April 06, 2026

HOLLYWOOD, Calif. — For music icon Lionel Richie, “Jesus Is Love,” a song he wrote decades ago, remains just as relevant today as it was when he first recorded it.

After he performed the song, originally released with the Commodores in 1980, alongside Luke Bryan during “Songs of Faith” night on "American Idol," the 76-year-old singer reflected on the power of the song’s lyrics, particularly in a cultural moment he said calls for unity and prayer.

“We are in need of prayer. We are in need of power,” Richie told The Christian Post. “The irony of this is that every time I write a song, it seems to be needed more as life goes on. We keep repeating the same stupidity. Every generation, we do the same thing, and here we are again, in need of that.”

 “Jesus Is Love” includes the lyrics “'Cause Jesus is love/ He won't let you down/ And I know He's mine/ Forever.” Richie reflected on how, over the years, the song has taken on new layers of meaning, including a moment when he performed it at the 2009 memorial service for Michael Jackson.

“The last time I sang that song was at Michael’s funeral, when Mother Katherine asked me to sing it,” Richie recalled. “Each time, it calls for a moment of reflection, to think about where we are and how we got here.”

Richie is one of the most successful artists in modern music history, with a career spanning more than five decades. As a member of the Commodores and later as a solo artist, he helped define the sound of pop and R&B in the 1970s and ’80s, penning hits such as “Easy,” “Three Times a Lady,” “Hello,” “All Night Long (All Night)” and “Say You, Say Me.”

His 1982 self-titled solo debut and the blockbuster follow-up Can’t Slow Down also earned him multiple Grammy Awards and sold tens of millions of albums worldwide. In 1985, Richie co-wrote the charity single “We Are the World” with Michael Jackson, a global anthem for humanitarian aid that raised millions for famine relief in Africa.

“Someone said to me the other day, ‘You need to write another “We Are the World,”" Richie said. “I said, ‘Just play it again.’ And it’s the same with ‘Jesus Is Love.’ The message is the same.”

The artist, who grew up in Tuskegee, Alabama, said that faith has always guided his life and career, as he felt an anointing from God from a young age.

“If someone said to me years ago, back in the '70s, ‘You need to get turned on to God,’ I said, ‘I've been turned on forever. What are you talking about?’ In other words, it's not a fad. It's a feeling, it's a presence. And if you understand that, I just stand there to receive it. It's gracious and it's wonderful, and it's glorious. You just have to be able to understand that when you're anointed, you take that step. Who's going to be the ministers? We all are.”

That perspective, he said, has shaped both his understanding of success and his sense of responsibility as an artist. Richie emphasized he sees music as a form of ministry and an opportunity to encourage and uplift others.

“When you have a moment to be in ministry, turn to the person who is not in the right way of thinking and correct them,” he said. “That’s your ministry.”

At the same time, Richie cautioned against what he described as the misuse of faith in public discourse.

“God has been hijacked so many times,” he said. “You don’t need all of the congregation. You just need to listen to your heart and understand He’s speaking to you.”

Despite his global fame, Richie said he remains closely connected to his roots. He recently returned to Tuskegee, where he was greeted by members of his home church community.

“To my horror, I had my entire congregation waiting there,” he said with a laugh. “They said, ‘Lionel, we need a few things.’ … “It was wonderful to get back home and fellowship with everybody.”

Whether he’s serving as a judge on “American Idol” or mentoring the next generation of artists, Richie said he wants to use his platform to point audiences toward hope and unity.

“We’re all human beings. We’re all God’s children,” he said. “We all have mothers and fathers, sisters and brothers. Let’s treat each other like our family. That’s all we need.”

News Source : https://www.christianpost.com/news/lionel-richie-reflects-on-early-anointing-from-god.html