Discussing
Millennials, Worship, and Hillsong: Let Hope Rise

There is something to be learned from the Hillsong documentary Let Hope Rise, but it might not be what you expect.

Thanks for the thoughtful post. A couple of random thoughts:
1) It is dismaying how many North American churches have split over the seemingly (but clearly not) innocuous question of musical styles in worship. Or have two different services, in effect becoming two churches.
2) It's interesting in this article that "fog-and-lights" is used for a shorthand description of overproduced rock music, and that we all instantly get it.
3) Winston Churchill famously observed that "We shape our buildings; afterwards they shape us." Paradoxically it seems that preference for "fog-and-lights" worship music is shaping the built churches of the 20th and 21st centuries.

In Reply to David Greusel (comment #28751)
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Thanks for reading David! I agree with all your thoughts...the first one in particular, which could be a whole different article in itself, and something that saddens me deeply about the church in America. I'm glad you picked up on the dialogue I was trying to convey, and hopefully you can send this article to others to begin some conversation on how to educate people on worship (hint -- age and style shouldn't be as big a deal as people make it!)

Kate, thank you for this article. I haven't seen the film, but it's refreshing to hear that members of Hillsong United and leaders of Hillsong Church are acknowledging both the much wider span of Christian worship and the call for people to commit to their local contexts. I will admit that I shared your sentiments before reading, but your writing took me further than just reinforcing my viewpoint -- you taught me to consider Hillsong with more patience and compassion, and you strengthened my hope for emerging leaders in your generation. More like this, please!

While worship includes music and singing, it is also much more than music and singing. Worship is all we do as followers of Jesus to acknowledge, affirm, express and celebrate the unimaginable worth of God. Worship therefore includes singing, but also prayer, confession, the exposition and proclamation of the Gospel, and so much more. Worship doesn't end when the worship band leaves the platform. It has only begun. And worship doesn't end with the pastor's benediction. Worship should continue in our lives as we go about what we think are the mundane and daily routines. We can celebrate God's worth when we wake in the morning and when we go to sleep at night; when we pick up our children to hug them or sit them down to admonish them; when we pray and when we cry; when we praise God and when we lament our brokenness.