It's interesting how a new sound often precedes a movement. In the Old Testament the musicians went before the soldiers into battle; and it seems as the war of light and darkness wages on now in different forms, music still leads a new battle wave.
I've felt this new movement bubbling under the surface for a while now. The generations before still are great, but a new sound has been forming as young people around the world discover God for themselves and begin to worship Him their own way, with a new song no one has ever sung before. This transition happened organically as young people developed and a new generation formed over time, all that's happened is we've been empowered with a new name and identity to run with, and a sound to represent our own generation.
Tonight we recorded that sound, and the songs were incredible! The worship was heart-felt and powerful, and the Spirit of God tangibly came and inhabited the praises of His people. It was truly magnificent to be there.
This is an album that could go around the world and impact this generation globally. But the key to tonight is we just did what we do week in week out, in our own unique way we passionately worshipped God simply because we can't help it. We love Him so much! We love to worship Him! If there were no album recording, we'd still do it. If there were no cameras, no lights, no smoke, we'd still give our very best to worship our Creator because He is good, and without Him we wouldn't be free. In fact, without Him we wouldn't be at all.
Even if the recording never gets released or has no impact around the world, even if all these songs that we laboured over never get sung again, even if all our effort and extravagant worship doesn't affect anyone else, but if just one teenage kid in the crowd tonight experienced God in a new way and fell more in love with Him, then it was all worth it. We'd do it all again for just one more soul to know God's love! If one person meets Jesus through this project, then none of it was in vain.
But it's funny how the more we give to God, the more He blesses us. And the more He blesses us, the more we can give back to Him. Then He blesses us even more because we offer only what He blessed us with in the first place, and we can't help but to worship Him even more, which leads to Him blessing us still more! That's how our capacity and influence grows - its a beautiful cycle of His grace, of Him constantly giving; and we give nothing that we didn't first get from Him - because without Him we are nothing. We're just doing our best with the gifts and talents that He's given us, influence and promotion comes from God alone so we're only worried about pleasing Him.
This is my generation, this is my sound, and if you want to be a part of it then you are. We can't help but worship God with not just our songs, but with every thought, every action and every moment. And we will do it in the craziest, most vivacious, fun and energetic style. Why? Well.. Because we are Young and Free.
Daniel J. Mathew has finished his Bachelor of Music at Sydney's Wesley Institute and currently volunteers in Hillsong Youth, City Campus.
Daniel Mathew's previous articles may be viewed at www.pressserviceinternational.org/daniel-mathew.html