Photo - Hillsong
Hillsong Young and Free Singer/Songwriter Alex Pappas says God has got each of us in a place for this moment.
Photo - Alex Pappas
Day 3: Hillsong Young and Free lead a youth revival, as the greatness of God displays in colour on spirit filled day at Hillsong Conference 2018.
As a Pastor in a Baptist Church I frequently get asked ‘How do we bring young people into Church?”.
Well for starters it has never been about our performance – rather we worship a God, who has a love for people from all walks of life and he wants us to have that same heart for his people.
We can’t do anything for ourselves, that is why Jesus came and paid the price for us on the Cross so he can be with us and we can share the good news with other people.
Photo - Hillsong
The Youth of Today
The Youth of today are looking for something more, they want to be apart of something that is bigger than their own self. Young people are reckless, they have a spirit they have an energy that God has gifted them, that he wants them to use to see them point to the glory of Christ.
That is bigger then they will ever get from their peers or through any unhealthy “high” that they might try and get.
Hillsong Church have completely understood this and hence the result has been a youth expression a youth revival that has not been seen that same Church birthed Hillsong United
That expression is Hillsong Young and Free.
Hillsong Young and Free
They are exactly their name, they are “Young and Free”, originally formed out of the Youth Ministry of Hillsong Church. They were formed as another expression to Hillsong United.
As Hillsong United were formed from the Youth Ministry of Hillsong Church in 1998, the band members started to mature and have children of their own and Senior Pastors Brian and Bobbie Houston felt a new sound needed to come for the Youth.
Out came Hillsong Young and Free, who are pioneered by the Son in law and daughter of Brian and Bobbie Houston they are Peter and Laura Toginavalu. They led worship on the third night of Hillsong Conference 2018.
In a room of people of different ages, they brought colour, vibrancy and passion that brought together the Youth and the Church. In an age where Churches are struggling to bring young people into the Church especially having them mix together in worship is rare.
Hillsong have succeeded in doing that. They modernised the classic song Jesus Loves Me, they even did one song with Chris Tomlin a member of their previous generation.
Speaking to Christians today, one of the front men of Hillsong Young and Free, Alex Pappas says it is 100% down to the grace of God. “It is an honour to lead people in worship, what can I say God is Good, it is the best.”
You see that typifies the heart of the group, they don’t see it as leading young people in Worship they love leading people and because they love leading people, they have reached God’s heart of teaching generations the goodness of God and how different generations have connected with God.
Pappas believes that it is no accident that God put’s us in places for a time and a place for that moment, “He expects us to be good stewards with what he has given us and where he has placed us and what he has put in our hands.”
“He expects to work hard and be faithful with what he has put in our hands and I am honoured with where he has placed me.”
Pappas is a young man, only 29 years of age and that humility and commitment to Christ is typical with the other young members of the band. You see we only need to be faithful with what God has put in our hands because he is responsible for the outcome not us.
Photo - Hillsong
Hillsong Conference 2018
Everything about Hillsong Conference on the Thursday session is about being closer to God. Pastor Stephen Furtick preached on Mark chapter 1 verses 40-45 about the risk the leper took being close to Jesus because his grace is contagious.
Pastor Chris Hodges spoke about characteristics of a good leader included, being filled with the Spirit, someone who meditates on God’s word.
Then with Hillsong Young and Free, John Gray another gifted communicator and singer ended the night with the reminder from the story of Jacob in Genesis chapter 32 verses 22-32, how God deals with our pride, how Jacob could not steal what God already wanted to be his because if God has called you to speak it does not matter if your are qualified or not because he qualifies you by the power of his Spirit
Just like Hillsong Young and Free it did not matter what songs they were singing, all that mattered was that God had qualified them by the power of his Spirit to bring the youth and the passion and unite the generations back in the Church.
Ben Kruzins the Campus Pastor of The Hub Baptist Church in Ocean Shores NSW, he holds Degrees in Ministry and Journalism.
Ben Kruzins is the Campus Pastor of The Hub Baptist Church in Ocean Shores on the North Coast of New South Wales. He is also a Journalism graduate who has written articles in The Canberra Times and The Sydney Morning Herald.
