Critical
Dear Jesus received mixed reception from critics. In a 3.5-out-of-5 star review for Jesus Freak Hideout,Alex Caldwell described the EP as "musical comfort food" containing "warm,familiar 60's and 70's folk-rock vibe," praising its "mellow grooves and appealing songs that soothe the soul." Later continuing on with the "musical comfort food" metaphor,he criticized its short length as "a good snack that could have been a great meal with some additional ingredients," but regardless,"still goes down smoothly and nourishes the soul after a long day." [16]
In a similar score of 3-out-of-5 stars for Jubilee Cast,Timothy Yap made stated of the EP that,"in many ways,it succeeds. In others,it feels cautious and uneven," describing it as "meaningful" but not "fully memorable." He observed that the EP "reflects a desire for freedom and authenticity," containing "no overarching concept,no radio-driven urgency,and no attempt to chase current worship trends," which he described as "admirable". He enjoyed the EP's "emotional honesty," but criticized it's "creative restraint" as being too predictable. [14] Awarding the album with a perfect score of 5-out-of-5 stars,Darcy Webber of Today's Christian Entertainment praised the "amazing lyrics,music,and vocals" found in Dear Jesus. He observed that,unlike previous releases by the band,the EP contained no "great vertical worship song," but stated that the fault "[doesn't] take away from Dear Jesus." [17]
