[ WM ] 20th Anniversary Review // The First Decade
Kari Jobe May / June 2009
Hillsong Live Sept / Oct 2010
Kim Walker Smith Mar / Apr 2013
“ I can ’ t write unless I am spending time with the Lord and journaling . I ’ m not extremely creative where I could write a song about the color green … it ’ s not that easy for me . I really must spend time with the Lord , and when I do that , it just comes from the overflow . It ’ s always been that way for me ; if I ’ m not spending time with the Lord , I ’ m not writing . Much of the time I ’ ll be writing in my journal and think , ‘ That sounds like a song ’. Then I ’ ll go for it and try to put music to it .”
“ Projects will come and go , but we are passionate about the people who are coming and we are passionate about helping them worship , and putting a new song in their mouth . The people who come to church , whom we get to know , are family now . The best projects flow out of that , flow from that heart . If we are all about serving , then I think it pulls out the best in us . It ’ s not about the project , or worship leader or the pastor ; it ’ s about the people and helping them worship the Lord .”
“ When it comes down to it , the only thing we really have to offer is Jesus . And that is what young ( and old ) are hungry for . This generation has seen a lot of divorce , abuse , pain , and fear . They are not dumb , and they know when something is real or not . If you are trying to give them something , and they look at you and see you clearly don ’ t have it yourself , they don ’ t want it . But to be an example , to give them Jesus , to love them and not to judge them , to be real … that is what they are hungry for .”
I first met Kari when Paul Baloche had her join him in his vocal class at the CMS Conference . As she grew as a worship leader , we brought her back several times . Always sweet with a heart for worship . Now , years later , her husband Cody graces the covers of [ WM ] too .
This is the first time Hillsong lands as the cover story in the magazine . It won ’ t be the last time :) Australian friendliness shines through .
It took me a while to be able to finally capture Kim Walker Smith as a cover story . I kept seeing her showing up and bringing such good worship music to the community . I was happy landing this cover story for the magazine .
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