Reviews|October 23, 2013 12:41 EDT
Bryan and Katie Torwalt “Kingdom Come” Album Review [VIDEO]
When was the last time we have had our eyes and our ears checked? Many of us crane our necks to see God at work, but we fail to see not even a huffing plume of God's explosive works. Many of us strain to hear the distant gurgling of God's cleansing river of revival, but we never hear a drip of God's rejuvenating water. The problem is not that God's kingdom is not at work in this world but it's that we have not trained our eyes to see and our ears to hear the ruffling ways of God. What worship does is that it nurtures our hearts so that we become familiar with God. Just like a weaning baby who can smell and recognize his mother's tender touch, our hearts need first to be weaned. We need first and foremost to prayerfully sing as Bryan and Katie Torwalt teaches us in the song "When You Walk into the Room:" "We give you permission/Our hearts are yours/We want you/We love you and we can't get enough." And the value of a record like Bryan and Katie Torwalt's "Kingdom Come" is that it provides for us opportunities for us to nurture our hearts; to soften our hearts with His grace; and to quicken our heart's senses so that we can sense God and His kingdom at work amongst us.
"Kingdom Come" is the much anticipated sophomore effort of husband and wife team Bryan and Katie Torwalt. The Torwalts are also part of theSacramento, California-based Jesus Culture, an international ministry that reaches out to youth with their music, holding conferences and events all over the world. The Torwalts exemplify what the movement is all about: young revivalists who, through creative expression, lead others to encounter the power and presence of God in worship. To date, the Jesus Culture Band has recorded nine albums and released a total of 19 projects on their music label, including "Kingdom Come." Adopting the atmospheric epic building template of Jesus Culture, "He is the Light" starts off on a slow burner before Bryan brings this ode of praise to a boil with its explosive chorus. Katie demonstrates once again why Jesus Culture is such a fixture in today's contemporary culture. On "King of All the Earth," for example, she doesn't nimble with circumscription when it comes to her approaching God. Rather, she sonically throws herself at the Savior's feet on this gorgeously bold worship ballad.
Just on the eve of World War II, when the world was at the cusp of disarray, C. S. Lewis was asked to deliver the sermon at the Church of St. Mary the Virgin in Oxford. Lewis gave his famous "The Weight of Glory" where he solemnly reminds us that we are created for something more than just the meager wants of survival; we are created for God's glory. Taking such as a theme as its seed thought, "Weight of Glory" is a weighty piece of worship moment that deserves to be replicated across churches all over the world. "Shores" with some beautiful sounds of hand bells continues on the theme that God has a lofty desire and that is He wants the world to know He is God. Fellow worship leader of Jesus Culture Kim Walker-Smith joins the couple on "Worthy King" that boasts some staccato drumming giving this worship anthem an arresting quality that is just mesmerizing.
One track not to be missed is "It is Finished." Prepare for some goose bump moments as Katie sings acapella for the first minute or so as she tries to recapture the earth shattering excitement of the first resurrection day. You can feel the excitement; you can feel your heart beating faster and faster; and you can feel Christ's resurrecting power pulsating right through your body when Katie sings: It was finished on that day Death was beaten, all darkness was slain/All his passion poured out like rain upon the earth... Hallelujah... " "Kingdom Come" is more than just a worship record. Be warned: listen to this CD long enough and your sensitivity will change... these songs nurtures our hearts in such a way that God's kingdom will come and rule in us in ways we dare not even imagine.
Bryan and Katie Torwalt "Kingdom Come" [VIDEO]