On any given Sunday (or Monday...or Wednesday...or Friday) you’ll find Justin in an arena leading over 10,000 students in worship through music. Humble and buoyant, Kintzel himself seems somewhat mystified that he’s got the gig.
Justin is the worship pastor and creative director for Liberty University--the largest evangelical Christian university in existence. Originally from Golden, Colorado, Justin visited the Central Virginia campus for the first time as a teenager in 2003. He saw a college student leading worship at an event for prospective students and as if a fuzzy image suddenly crystallized he told his mother, “More than anything in the world, that’s what I want to do.”
After four years of designing graphics and video for ministry purposes at Liberty, Kintzel was asked to step in and lead worship in 2008 with traveling worship teams. In 2009 he earned a degree in graphic design and became the creative arts director and convocation coordinator for the university. That same year he released a quintet of worship tunes on his freshman EP, “You Saved Me.” Two years later he was asked to take the reins as the worship pastor for all of the on campus services. Unimpressed by his own accomplishments, Kintzel keeps a grateful attitude: “God gives and takes away. He gave me what I have. He gave me the desires that I have, the abilities. He can take it away.”
In February 2012 Kintzel, together with co-producers Keith Everette Smith and Kyle Smith, released his first full-length album “Death Is Overcome.” The album is a collection of congregational worship anthems and more contemplative singer/songwriter fare. The title track was inspired by a concept that Kintzel couldn’t shake during the writing process: “Wherever Jesus is, death is overcome. Only He can do that.” The unifying motif across the album is declaring the glory of God. According to Kintzel, “the main theme is adoration for God...A thousand words are not enough. Wherever His presence is, death is nothing...We can’t escape His love.”
As for the future, Justin feels called to continue leading worship and plans to continue producing creative work on multiple platforms. Whether it’s with an arena full of sold-out college students or in the local church, Justin’s heart is to see people transformed by a direct encounter with God. He and his wife Ashley live in Lynchburg, VA and just had their first baby, a girl, in February of 2012.
slave
Justin Kintzel Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Owning nothing
But filled with desire
To give something
My passions may fail
But there's one thing that I know
I'm a slave
To the almighty King
I've been saved
I've been ransomed
From the sin and the shame
All I know is that I'm free to say
I love the One who called me by name
I'm a slave
Dead to all rights
I am no one
It's more than all right
He is someone
Who took all my sin
I'm unworthy
But I know
I'm a slave
I'm a captive
To the almighty King
I've been saved
I've been ransomed
From my sin and my shame
All I know is that I'm free to say
I love the One who called me by name
I'm a slave
I'm a slave
To the One who gave for me
I freely give my all to Him
A grateful servant of the King
He gave His all so I could live
Every spoken word or breath
For His glory and His fame
Every deed and every step
To the One who called my name
I'm a slave
I'm a slave
I'm a captive
To the almighty King
I've been saved
I've been ransomed
From the sin and the shame
All I know is that I'm free to say
I love the One who called me by name
I'm a slave
I'm a slave
The lyrics of Justin Kintzel's "Slave" are a powerful declaration of faith and devotion towards God. The song speaks to the idea that, as believers, we are bought with a price and are no longer our own. We may have passions and desires, but ultimately everything belongs to God, and our purpose is to fulfill His will.
The first verse sets up the theme of the song, describing the singer's desire to give something despite owning nothing of their own. The second verse reinforces this idea, with the singer declaring themselves as dead to all rights and acknowledging their unworthiness. However, the chorus shifts the perspective, emphasizing that being a slave to God is not a negative thing, but rather a source of freedom and redemption from sin and shame.
The bridge further emphasizes the singer's gratitude towards God for the sacrifice He made, and their willingness to give all they have in return. The final chorus repeats the message of the earlier refrain and ends on a powerful note, with the repeated declaration that the singer is a slave to the One who called them by name.
Overall, the message of "Slave" is one of surrender and devotion to God, recognizing that we are not our own but belong to Him, and that in following His will we find true freedom.
Line by Line Meaning
Bought with a price
I was purchased at a cost
Owning nothing
I possess nothing of my own
But filled with desire
Yet still I am filled with an intense longing
To give something
To offer something to my Lord and Master
My passions may fail
My urges and desires may falter
But there's one thing that I know
But I am certain of one thing
I'm a slave
I am a servant, beholden to a master
I'm a captive
I am held captive by the almighty One
To the almighty King
Bound to the all-powerful ruler
I've been saved
I have been redeemed and rescued
I've been ransomed
I was bought back by a payment
From the sin and the shame
From my guilt and humiliation
All I know is that I'm free to say
But I am free to express
I love the One who called me by name
My love for the one who called me is true and unwavering
Dead to all rights
I am relinquished of all rights I may have possessed
I am no one
I am simply an insignificant nobody
It's more than all right
But it is more than sufficient
He is someone
For He is the One who holds all power
Who took all my sin
He removed all of my wrongdoing
I'm unworthy
I am not deserving
To the One who gave for me
To the One who made a sacrifice on my behalf
I freely give my all to Him
I offer all that I have freely to Him
A grateful servant of the King
For I am a thankful servant of my Master
He gave His all so I could live
For He offered everything for me to exist
Every spoken word or breath
Every word I utter, every breath I take
For His glory and His fame
Is all for His honour and renown
Every deed and every step
Every action and every movement
To the One who called my name
Is for the One who named me as His own
I'm a slave
I am a servant, beholden to a master
I'm a captive
I am held captive by the almighty One
All I know is that I'm free to say
But I am free to express
I love the One who called me by name
My love for the one who called me is true and unwavering
I'm a slave
I am a servant, beholden to a master
Writer(s): Justin Kintzel
Contributed by Jackson C. Suggest a correction in the comments below.