Rebecca St. James (Top-10)

#9 - Rebecca St. James (Transform 2000)

OK, Iíll admit that this is a case where our own rules about not allowing worship albums and Greatest Hits into this list makes it a little tougher for us to recommend a particular CD by Aussie Rebecca St. James. After all, RSJ is one of the top three artists in Christian music (with The Newsboys and Third Day) and ìLive Worshipî, ìWorship Godî and ìThe Best from Rebecca St. Jamesî are must haves in anyoneís CD collection (and contain a few original songs in each CD) but since this Top Ten list of CDís for new believers is dedicated to original albums, Iíll focus on her studio works.

Transform is a wonderful CD but when you are talking about Rebecca St. James, named by Christianity Today as one of the 50 most influential evangelicals under age 40, the artist supersedes her works. She has leaped into so many different areas ñ global outreach and mission coordinator, spokesperson for sexual purity, Presidential prayer team committee member, author, actress, worship leader ñ and at the tender age of 27, the influence she will have on our generation can not be overstated. She is the Paul of our generationÖand, oh yeah, her music rocks.

St. Jamesí CDís alternate between rock, pop and dance influences, giving her wide appeal but having fans wonder which genre the next work will be (her next CD, due out in August, will go back to the rock roots of her earlier ìGodî album).

Transform is a very theatrical record with big production numbers like ìFor the Love of Godî, ìDonít Worryî, ìOneî (not the U2 version), ìStandî and ìMy Hopeî. ìWait For Meî, her anthem of sexual purity until marriage, and ìIn Meî were the huge songs from Transform and rightly so.

ìWait For Meî is one of the most important songs in contemporary Christian music (CCM). Iím not sure how many teens and twenty-somethings today wonder what their future mate is doing in the years before God puts them together, but ìWait For Meî at least makes you think about your social actions until your wedding come comes:

Darling did you know that I, I dream about you,
Waiting for the look in your eyes when we meet for the first time
And Darling did you know that I, I pray about you,
Praying that you will hold on
Keep your loving eyes only for me
Because I am waiting for, praying for you, Darling
Wait for me too, wait for me as I wait for you

ìWait For Meî had crossover traction on pop music charts and was the genesis of her book on the subject, also entitled ìWait For Me.î ìStandî is a song from the album that should have appeal for a new believer, especially in light of ìthe values questionî:

This is our time to be strong
This is our time to rise up
To stand and be counted
This is our time to believe
To know in our God we are free
Let the world know to Him we belong

All of the songs on Transform have appeal for the new believer. Thatís the strength of St. James: everyone feels she is singing directly to them, touching on the things they need to focus on. She is a fabulous live performer and one of the most gracious people in music, spending as much time needed to speak to every fan who comes up for an autograph. She speaks Biblical truth in todayís music but the prophet Rebecca St. James is so much more than her singing voice.

In the top 50 evangelicals under age 40? I can think of no one more important. RSJ may be as important a prophet or disciple as anyone of the last 2000 years.