First, there is no alcohol being sold anywhere in the venue. Any related branding has been hidden. Second, there are volunteers in blue vests slowly circling the concert floor, seeking donations for a Christian ministry group. And third, there is a massive CGI recreation of Jesus Christ on the cross, beamed up above the stage. The band, Hillsong United, is a vital limb of Hillsong Church. Founded by husband and wife duo Brian and Bobbie Houston in Sydney, Australia, in , the ministry has expanded into a global Evangelical phenomenon.
It spans six continents and claims churches in 23 cities. Every Sunday, an average of , worshippers will attend a Hillsong service somewhere around the world. Hillsong's congregation now boasts a celebrity following: Justin Bieber and his wife, Hailey Baldwin Bieber, are famed members. Hillsong calls itself a "contemporary" Christian church, "on a mission to see God's kingdom established across the earth".
This mission is being manifested in its ministry and its sprawling brand. Hillsong lays claim to two colleges one in Sydney and one in Phoenix, Arizona , annual conferences, a hour TV channel, community service initiatives and a music label. Of these, Hillsong United is arguably the most visible and, certainly, the most accessible to the mainstream.
The band has more than 2 million followers on Instagram, with an additional 1. Their songs have almost 3. Their followers nearly double that of the platform's Top Christian channel.
Its most popular song to date, Oceans, has been played more than million times on Spotify alone. For context, that is more than twice the plays than Billie Eilish's recent collaboration with Justin Bieber.
The tie between Christianity and rock music is not new, but the expanse of Hillsong's reach may be. Hillsong is "on the forefront of church music" Brock says. The meteoric rise of Hillsong, in all its various forms, is particularly striking given some recent patterns of decline in religiosity around the world.
For years, the Christian share of the US population has fallen, paralleled by an increase in those who do not identify with any religion at all. Over a period of seven years - to - the percentage of adults who describe themselves as Christian dropped by almost eight percentage points.
This drop is most pronounced among young people, a demographic that is especially enthralled by Hillsong. At the Anthem, the line to enter formed about an hour before the doors to the venue opened, more than two before anyone started singing. Most of the people I spoke to answered with some version of this: Hillsong's music is an embodiment of their faith, and their concerts are a chance to share in it with others.
Many intimated a visceral connection to Hillsong or, as Caputo put it: "I'm going to cry my eyes out. This notion - of meeting followers where they are - is central to Hillsong's mission, and to its appeal. Hillsong is located squarely in the thoroughfare of the young and hip. Hillsong's band sells out arenas, its church services fill Manhattan's Hammerstein Ballroom, its pastors sit courtside at NBA games.
Brock and other followers interviewed reject the idea that Hillsong's designer aesthetic is either a deliberate choice on the part of its leaders, or a calculated marketing scheme. Now, you can BRING value to any title, you can bring passion to any position, because you know your purpose. Your time is right now… occupyallstreets ownthemoment linkinthebio. I was also taken aback by how Hillsong pushed marriage onto its young members.
In my youth group, most of the twenty-somethings were virgins and in a rush to get married. I was surprised when some of the members thought my sexual choices were heretical and asked if I wanted to be baptized again, just because I was happily sexually active and open about it. I declined the invitation to be baptized, even though baptisms are a huge spectacle at Hillsong. Many Hillsong-ers will attend, singing worship songs to support the newly baptized.
Marriage preparation and various marriage-related workshops are two of the most-frequently conducted events at the church. The pastors often talk about their reckless days of premarital sex before they found Jesus saying that engaging in such coitus is a temptation from the devil. The church found itself moored in controversy over this in , when its founder, the Sydney-based Brian Houston, released a statement regarding his opinion on same-sex marriage after it was revealed that there was an openly gay couple on the choir staff.
Almost two years after my first Hillsong experience, I decided to leave the church. Once I officially left, my Hillsong peers stopped talking to me and some even unfollowed me on social media. People who question and leave the church are considered renegades. Join us for worship and a message from Robert Fergusson at Facebook.
Faith practices taught at Hillsong are rooted in Pentecostal Christianity. The teachings focus on Bible study, faith in Jesus Christ, and baptism. The belief systems fell under scrutiny recently when actress Ellen Page tweeted out a criticism of the church. Actor Chris Pratt appeared on The Colbert Show discussing a recent fast he had done under the guidance of his church.
I go to a church that opens their doors to absolutely everyone. I really enjoyed my time with oprah filming for her super soul Sunday show… She is truly a special woman and a culture changer. What struck me most about her, was her ease and kindness. She told me her key was "waking up each day and thanking Jesus for loving me and thanking Him for all he has done.
0コメント