Interview With Jesus Culture’s Kim Walker-Smith

Welcome Kim!

Thanks for making the time to chat with us here at the WIWN

I checked out your Bio on the Bethel website, and it says:

“I am a passionate person and it comes out in my worship. I love justice and I love people. I have a heart to see the arts and creativity restored and a new standard set. The Holy Spirit is my friend. I’m married to Skyler and we are on a journey of discovering all that we can accomplish as a team! We spend our free time skating on our long-boards, playing the Wii, and dreaming. He is my best friend and I love him fiercely. I’m currently attending an acting school and still traveling and leading worship. Bethel Church in Redding, CA is our home church.”

So that’s a great insight into your and your heart! Love that you like long-boarding by the way

Tell us a bit more of your story -  how did you get involved in leading worship?

The simplest way to answer this question is to say that I served.

I never made it a goal to try to get anywhere.  I made intimacy with Jesus my only goal and in that process, I made myself available and served my worship pastor and church in any capacity needed.

As I fixed my eyes on Jesus, He guided my steps and lead me into leading worship in His perfect time.  It wasn’t smooth when I first started, but He helped me along:)

Lots of your worship leading is very spontaneous. Do you start off with a set list first, then spring board off that?

I view songs as my vehicle to get me to where I really want to be.

For me, the best part of worship is when I get to sing to Jesus out of the overflow of my heart; to speak to Him with my own words and feelings, right in the moment.

I have a set list that I stick to (mostly) and then I move in and out of that, singing whatever is in my heart to say to Him or whatever I feel Him prompting me to say.

You usually lead worship with just your voice. How do you communicate with the band about where you want the songs to go?

Not leading from an instrument was very difficult at first, but it can be done!

I had to work really hard at learning to communicate in an effective way with the band and they had to work really hard at learning to follow me.  I usually lead them with hand signals, however, most of my band members now, can tell where I’m going by the way I move my voice.

Most of them time I don’t need to give them any signals, they just go there.   But that is because we have spent so many years doing this together and they have become very familiar with my voice and body language when leading.

Has it ever been a challenge for you being female and being a worship leader?

YES!!  Before I was married, it was hard traveling and leading worship.

I had a rule that I didn’t travel alone.  I stayed in close relationship with the mothers and fathers in my life-they were my covering and protection.

Getting married helped SO much, but I still find myself feeling that at times, I have to work a little harder to provr myself.  Strong, women leaders are not accepted in all churches and I have definitely had a few moments that were uncomfortable.

I stick to my core value of choosing to honor people, but I am not apologetic for who I am, the fact that I am strong, or that fact that I am a woman.

Thanks Kim!

(You can catch Kim on tour with the Jesus Culture Band this year…here is the latest schedule)