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R&B Icon Montell Jordan Sings Christian Version of 'This Is How We Do It' on American Idol

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Multi-platinum recording artist Montell Jordan performed a faith-filled rendition of his hit single, "This Is How We Do It," on American Idol last weekend. 

"This Is How We Do It" is one of the most iconic R&B songs. When it was released in 1995, it peaked at number one on the Billboard Hot 100 for seven weeks. It sold millions of copies worldwide, went platinum, and earned Jordan a Grammy Award for Best Male R&B Vocal Performance. 

While the song promotes heavy drinking and promiscuity, Jordan, who is now a born-again Christian, decided to give it a makeover for his special performance. 

"This is how we do it, it's Sunday night, and I feel alright, the party's on American Idol," Jordan sang as judges Katy Perry, Lionel Richie, and Luke Bryant danced along. 

"The hood's been good to me ever since I was a lower case g, but now I'm with the big G," he continued.

Jordan took to Instagram to explain that he performed on American Idol to "make disciples." 

"I just want to thank God for the opportunity to perform in front of a nationally televised audience live and basically to allow the blessing of musicality and the gift of music to be shared with the world. Ya'll know I love what I get to do for ministry. I love the church. I believe the local church is the hope of the world. I also believe Mathew 28 says go into the world and make disciples," he said. 

Jordan left his wildly successful music career in 2010 to become a worship leader at Victory World Church in Norcross, Georgia. During a fast, Jordan said God told him to quit the music industry altogether and dedicate his life to faith. Today, Jordan is an executive pastor for Victory World Church. 

In 2012, he told CBN's Terry Meeuwsen that he doesn't regret his time in the music business because he believes God used it to build his testimony. 

"I believe it was God allowing us to be able to have a testimony for such a time as this now," he said. "I'm grateful to God that he was patient enough with me to allow me to take the journey that I took."

Jordan said he left because he found a spiritual and emotional emptiness in the industry.

"I realized that I loved something that couldn't love me back. My wife could love me back, my children could love me back, my family can love me back. Music is something that could never love me back," he explained. "I have more now in Christ than I ever had in the world."

Now he believes God is calling him to use his fame to reach people who would have otherwise never stepped inside a church. 

"God allowed me to go out into the world and have a great big successful career, but to give Him glory from it and to reach people that maybe some other people cannot reach. You've got lots of pulpits and I can reach some places that maybe the pulpit can't reach."  

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About The Author

Emily
Jones

Emily Jones is a multi-media journalist for CBN News in Jerusalem. Before she moved to the Middle East in 2019, she spent years regularly traveling to the region to study the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, meet with government officials, and raise awareness about Christian persecution. During her college years, Emily served as president of Regent University's Christians United for Israel chapter and spoke alongside world leaders at numerous conferences and events. She is an active member of the Philos Project, an organization that seeks to promote positive Christian engagement with the Middle