Gateway Worship’s Jessie Harris grew up in the hill country of San Antonio, Texas. She’s married to fellow worship leader and songwriter Matthew Harris, the son of 4HIM’s Mark Harris, who serves as Gateway Church’s Executive Creative Pastor. Stewarding a rich legacy of worship that has been the training grounds for internationally known artists like Kari Jobe and Cody Carnes, Jessie and her husband are among the current generation of worship leaders at the sprawling megachurch, whose main campus is located in Southlake, Texas. The church recently endured a difficult season that made news headlines and resulted in a change of senior leadership. Anthems of praise — led by the Gateway Worship team — became the church’s lifeline during a time marked by uncertainty and transition.
With several babies in tow, Jessie’s youngest among them, members of the collective flew to Franklin, Tennessee, to film a special worship session for Air1. We sat down for a chat in the hair and makeup room afterwards to discuss the mother of three’s journey to Gateway, her surprising alternate career ambition and how worship has become an integral part of Gateway Church’s collective healing.
Air1: How did you initially get connected with Gateway Church?
Jessie Harris: So I moved up to Dallas for college. I went to The King’s University, which is affiliated with Gateway. I studied worship leadership there and then just kind of stuck around. I got on staff at the church at one of our campuses as a worship coordinator and just got plugged in; and that’s where I met my husband.
Air1: Did you know pretty early on that you wanted to lead worship as your vocation?
Jessie Harris: Yes. I grew up in church. My parents were at the same church for 25 years, so I got to grow up in that same church until I left for school, which is awesome. And yeah, I just always was serving at church in worship in some form or fashion. I started out with the kids’ team, then the youth group, and then “big church.” I just have always loved it. And I really didn’t even want to study that in school, but I felt like the Lord was like, “No, I’ve put these gifts and talents in you for a reason, and I really want you to cultivate them.”
Air1: Did you have another dream you wanted to pursue prior to committing to leading worship?
Jessie Harris: For a hot second, I wanted to be a park ranger. My husband and I love to travel to national parks. We haven’t been to many, but that’s something we love to do together. Yet, I feel like the Lord was like, “No, let’s steer you back toward what I gifted you in.” And I’m grateful.
Air1: Do you feel like you are somewhat on the other side of this traumatic experience you’ve walked through collectively as a church?
Jessie Harris: I think we’re kind of rebuilding the plane as we’re flying it a little bit. We love our senior pastor [Daniel Floyd], and we’re really excited for the future, which is a good feeling. We have lots of hope and expectation for what’s to come.
Air1: What positive ripple effects has this challenge created within your church?
Jessie Harris: In a way, I feel like it’s actually strengthened our community. You go through something difficult with somebody, and you really come out closer together on the other side.
Air1: What’s the story behind “Always,” one of Gateway Worship’s newest songs that you are featured on?
Jessie Harris: I love that song. I got to write it with Josiah Funderburk and my husband, Matthew. Josiah brought the idea, actually, and just had that whole chorus and the tag of, “The Lord is good always.” It’s something that I, honestly, right away felt was a good Church song — not only for our church, but I feel like it could be used for the “Big ‘C’ Church.” We’ve walked through a crazy season as a church together, and I think it’s really important that we put language in the mouths of people to sing to the Lord — something heartfelt, something with gratitude, something that reminds us the Lord carries us through, something that helps us remember His goodness and His faithfulness in every season. It’s a gift to be able to look back on how He has truly carried us through some really crazy times.
Air1: You sing lead on “Known By You,” which you also co-wrote. What was the inspiration for that song?
Jessie Harris: My husband actually came up with the idea for that. In Matthew 7, it talks about how Jesus is saying that there will be people who will come to the end of their lives, and when they stand before the throne, He will say, “Depart from me, I never knew you.” I think we tend to put a lot of emphasis on us knowing the Lord, but it’s vital that we also allow God to search us and know us. Psalm 139 [v. 23-24] says, “Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. Point out anything in me that offends you, and lead me along the path of everlasting life.” And I think as much as I want to know the Lord, I so deeply and desperately want Him to know me even more so, if that’s even possible. I hope that the question of, “Lord, would You search me and know my heart?” would just be the starting place for other people to invite Him into deeper levels of intimacy.
Air1: How has being a mom shaped your approach to leading worship and writing songs?
Jessie Harris: Oh, that’s a good question. I feel like it’s given me good perspective. For songwriting, I want to put as much Scripture into songs as possible, because I know how quickly my kids can catch onto songs. Music is such a powerful thing, and so filling songs with Biblical truth is vital for me just because I know the impact that it has. And from a worship leadership perspective, I feel like I have grown in my relationship with the Lord the most by becoming a mom. It’s given me a lot of confidence and boldness when it comes to leading worship, because I know I’m leading other people’s kids.
Air1: There are more churches making music right now on a wider scale than ever before. What do you feel is special about Gateway Worship, and what sets you apart from the other worship collectives out there?
Jessie Harris: I feel like Gateway has always been a worshiping church, and I think that’s really special. Honestly, I hope people can see our congregation worshiping and hear our congregation worshiping and just be reminded of the faithfulness of God. It just makes my heart so tender, but I hope that people can really know that the Lord is good, truly, in every season and that they can hear it through the songs that come from our house.
