Jesus Culture

Jesus Culture
Formation 1999
Headquarters Sacramento, California
Parent organization
 Bethel Church
Website www.jesusculture.com

Jesus Culture is an international Christian revivalist youth outreach ministry that was formed at the Bethel Church of Redding, California. Jesus Culture Ministry hosts conferences and operates a record label, Jesus Culture Music, to share its message and spread worship. In 2013 Jesus Culture moved to plant a church in Sacramento. Meetings started on September 14, 2014.

Background

In late 1999, when the youth group at Bethel Church in Redding, California, led by youth pastor Banning Liebscher, launched the first Jesus Culture conference. Tony Cummings, music editor of Cross Rhythms, described the ministry as "one of the most significant Christian movements in post-war America".[1]

According to Jesus Culture's website, "The heart of these gatherings was to serve other churches and lead young people to experience the radical love of God."[2]

In 2013 Jesus Culture moved to Sacramento to plant a church,[3] and meetings started at Folsom High School on September 14, 2014.[4]

Conferences

Growing from the original conference in Redding, the organization now hosts annual conferences in Redding, Atlanta, Las Vegas, Dallas, Cleveland, and locations in Australia and the United Kingdom. The conferences bring thousands of young people from around the world to the host cities.[5]

The conferences bring together a number of pastors and ministers to preach to the conference attendees.[5] Worship is led through song, featuring a number of worship leaders, including the Jesus Culture band.

Jesus Culture Music

Jesus Culture Music is the music label for the Jesus Culture Ministry. Its albums feature the worship of the Jesus Culture band, performing a mix of original and cover songs.[6]

Youth worship leaders Kim Walker-Smith, Melissa How and Chris Quilala, long active with the youth group at Bethel Church in Redding, became the core of the Jesus Culture band.[7] Jesus Culture states the purpose of music in their movement is to "ignite revival in the nations of the earth; to compel the Body of Christ to radically abandon itself to a lifestyle of worship; to encounter His extravagant love and raw power."[2]

John F. MacArthur, an American fundamentalist Christian pastor, who has publicly criticized all forms of charismatic worship,[8] has also been critical of performances by Jesus Culture.[9]

Since 2006, the band has released a number of albums on the Jesus Culture Music label. Their 2011 album, Awakening (Live From Chicago), appeared at No. 133 on the Canadian SoundScan charts.[10] Although the album was reviewed by Christianity Today, who critiqued that "...amps of staggering sound leave little room for thoughtful reflection or deliberate contemplation...",[11] Jesus Freak Hideout ..."[12] praised it for its "very overt sense of passion for the LORD and worshiping him."[13]

The tenth album entitled "Unstoppable Love" was released in June 2014. Some critics called it "one of their best",[14] "passionate",[15] and "powerful",[16] while others see this newest offering as "a missed opportunity for the band to push themselves a little more musically" other than another CD with musicality that "get[s] bigger and bigger, wider and wider."[17]

Discography

Artists

References

  1. ↑ "''Cross Rhythms'' Jesus Culture: Kim Walker speaks about the powerful worship ministry from California". Crossrhythms.co.uk. Retrieved October 24, 2011.
  2. 1 2 "Jesus Culture website". Jesusculture.com. Retrieved October 24, 2011.
  3. ↑ "JC Move: Jesus Culture is moving to sacramento". Jesus Culture. Retrieved July 11, 2013.
  4. ↑ "Welcome - Jesus Culture". Jesus Culture. Retrieved September 5, 2014.
  5. 1 2 Winters, Amanda (January 16, 2010). "Bethel burgeons under pastor's visions of prosperity". Record Searchlight.
  6. ↑ Mahoney, Mike. "Jesus Culture – Come Away". The joint review. Retrieved September 28, 2011. It's also typical in that it's a mix of originals and cover songs.
  7. ↑ Quilala, Chris. "Encountering God in Jesus Culture". 700 Club Interview. CBN. Retrieved October 24, 2011.
  8. ↑ MacArthur, J. (1992). Charismatic chaos. Grand Rapids, Mich.: Zondervan Pub. House.
  9. ↑ "Strange Fire Panel Question and Answer Session 1". Grace to You. October 17, 2013. Retrieved May 12, 2014.
  10. ↑ "SoundScan Charts", Jam! Music, Canoe.
  11. ↑ "Awakening: Live in Chicago", Jesus Freak Hidout, Nov 2011, retrieved October 12, 2014.
  12. ↑ "Awakening: Live in Chicago", JesusFreak Hideout, Nov 2011, retrieved October 13, 2014.
  13. ↑ "Jesus Culture, "Awakening: Live From Chicago" Review". jesusfreakhideout.com. Retrieved May 1, 2015.
  14. ↑ "Jesusfreakhideout.com: Jesus Culture, "Unstoppable Love" Review". jesusfreakhideout.com. Retrieved May 1, 2015.
  15. ↑ "Jesus Culture: Unstoppable Love". ccmmagazine.com. Retrieved May 1, 2015.
  16. ↑ "Review: Jesus Culture – Unstoppable Love - Soul-Audio". soul-audio.com. Retrieved May 1, 2015.
  17. ↑ Haydon Spenceley. "Jesus Culture - Unstoppable Love - The Phantom Tollbooth - The Phantom Tollbooth". tollbooth.org. Retrieved May 1, 2015.

External links

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