Kanye West is continuing his faith-based crusade, telling thousands of college students at a youth conference Sunday how Jesus radically changed his life.
The “Jesus Is King” rapper and husband of Kim Kardashian shared his experience in between songs with the Sunday Service Choir at the Strength to Stand Conference in Pigeon Forge, Tenn., where 1,483 of the 12,400 students in attendance made decisions for Christ, according to organizer and evangelist, Scott Dawson.
Dawson invited the 42-year-old born-again believer last minute in November after comedian John Crist had to step down due to “moral failure.”
“I believe Jesus died for my sins,” West declared, the Christian Post reports. “There was a time when the devil had me.”
As the 135-member gospel choir sang, “I stretch my hands to you/Father I stretch,” West added: “Do you know the good news? Jesus can save a wretch like me.”
The Sunday Service Choir, who just released their first album, “Jesus Is Born” on Christmas Day, performed several songs like “Ultralight Beam,” “Every Hour” and “Revelation 19:1,” along with traditional hymns including “How Great Thou Art” and “Jesus Loves Me.”
The day before, at a 10-hour-long prayer rally in Arizona called “Awaken 2020,” West discussed overcoming an addiction to alcohol as the choir hummed “Jesus Walks” in the background.
“Jesus saves,” West testified. “No matter how long you think you’ve been away. No matter how long you’ve been in the dark, the light is right there ready to save. To give you the confidence where they don’t want us to be brave. So you tell the devil today that we’ll no longer be his slave.”
He added, “It’s something that we take on day by day. Every day that I don’t pick up that drink, I beat the devil.”