Jesus Culture Music
Release Date: April 5th 2019
Reviewed by: Jonathan Andre
Kim Walker-Smith – Just Be (iTunes/Amazon mp3)
Track Listing:
- Just Be
One of the most dividing, but also unifying, movements of worship to ever become popular for this generation, Kim Walker-Smith, Chris Quilala and the rest of the team at Jesus Culture music have been touching people’s lives since day dot, be it in a positive or even less than positive way, depending on how people view Jesus Culture and their theology. While the theology discussion can happen on another day, what I will say is this- their music for me has been ministering, and while at times I’ve felt that the sheer volume of Jesus Culture material that releases every year, can somehow dampen the effect of these releases, unintentionally. Nevertheless, Kim Walker-Smith, lead singer of the worship movement, has released albums quite steadily within the confines of Jesus Culture, yet recently, we’ve come to notice her skills and worship leader outside the guise of Jesus Culture. Unveiling previously Here is My Song and Still Believe prior to the signing of Kim to Sparrow Records (Capitol CMG) in 2017, we’ve come to enjoy many of Kim’s beloved songs- ‘Glimpse’ and ‘Throne Room’ to name a few. Now here we are in 2019, and Jesus Culture’s new album (albeit a very underwhelming one!) Living With a Fire, unveiled to us last year. This year in 2019 however, we have a glimpse (no pun intended) into Kim’s new album direction, with new song ‘Just Be’!
As stated by herself on a JFH press release; ‘…I wrote this song with my friends Mia Fieldes and Jonathan Smith. I wanted to write a song that the worship leader wants to put in their setlist and that isn’t too complicated. It’s a simple song (even a little old school) with a profound message; just be. When you come into the presence of God to worship Him, everything else can wait. There is nothing more important in that moment then just to be with Him and pour out your affection and adoration on the One who is worthy…’ The song itself- about just being at the feet of Jesus and letting everything else slip away when knowing that all He really wants is for us to have communion with Him. It is a reminder that the work and the stress, the worry and the never-ending paperwork, will always be there. But to set aside a time where we talk to God, be it reading the bible, praying, actively worshipping by singing songs, just sitting and meditating on worship songs or even watching sermons online, whatever the way we want to outwardly express worship, is something that needs to be intentionally undertaken in this fast-paced culture we live in.
‘Just Be’ shows us that everything can wait and be shelved to another day, so as to continue to experience our worship with Christ. It is a reminder of the Bible passage where Jesus goes to the house of sisters Mary and Martha. Martha is cleaning a lot and wanting the house to be perfect for when Jesus comes. She’s continuing to clean when Jesus is there as well. But Mary- she’s just sitting at Jesus’ feet, listening to what He has to say. Yes there’s a time to be busy and clean, and there is a time to be still and wait to see what the Lord is speaking to us about. ‘Just Be’ can hopefully foster a spirit of waiting on the Lord; and exercising our ‘fruit’ of the Spirit we so desperately need to refocus on- patience. Patience is the virtue we need to exercise greatly, and maybe, ‘Just Be’ is a call to look in our own lives to see whether we are as patient as we should be, and whether we just want to stay in the moment, or do something else, quicker than needing to. Whatever the case, ‘Just Be’ is for anyone who loves Kim’s earlier music, Jesus Culture Music, or both. Well done Kim for such a tranquil and emotional song, can’t wait to see what the new solo album could be like, whenever the time arises!
Score: 4.5/5
RIYL: Phil Wickham, Shane & Shane, Chris Quilala, Christy Nockels