Hillsong NYC

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There are so many different ways of doing church.  Mark Batterson challenges Christians to find ways of doing church that no one has thought of yet.  That’s an awesome thought.  I want to be part of this new movement of church, instead of sitting around in what’s comfortable.  I recently attended Hillsong Church in NYC and seriously loved it.  Here’s why:

            1. They are in sync with today’s culture
            2. Worship and Word are central to the service
            3. Their theology drives their philosophy
1. THEY ARE IN SYNC WITH TODAY’S CULTURE
From worship to the media and even the fashion, Hillsong NYC is completely in touch with today’s culture.  All of their media is current and looks professional.  They take complete advantage of today’s technology through social media.  They know how to appeal to the busy, fast-paced lifestyle of young people living in NYC.  They are completely intentional about everything they do.  Not only are they in touch with culture, but I believe that they are actually leading the way in what’s trending today.


2. WORSHIP AND WORD ARE CENTRAL TO THE SERVICE
Even though they seem to abandon the “traditional” style of church, worshiping Jesus and preaching the Word of God are still the core of every service.  The worship feels a bit “concert-y,” but the focus is completely on Christ.  Who says worship can’t be this way?  The message touches everyone listening by identifying problems that we face and bringing us back to the Word of God, and what God says about how we can trust Him.


3. THEIR THEOLOGY DRIVES THEIR PHILOSOPHY
Hillsong stands firmly on the Word of God and it drives everything they do.  When someone says, “Let’s go to church,” it can evoke a whole range of ideas.  Hillsong NYC is creating a place where people are excited to come and come again, even if they have no previous experience at church.  The old philosophy of church was “believe before your belong.”  The new church philosophy is “belong before you believe.”  It’s easy to belong and participate at Hillsong.


FINAL THOUGHTS
The three church essentials that every church most incorporate as Worship, the Word of God, and Community.  If churches are grounded in God’s Word, are passionate about worshiping Him, and form effective communities where people can connect better to each other and God, then churches are doing the right thing.  It’s not about all the fancy lights and technology; I believe Hillsong NYC stays true to the essentials of church and also effectively incorporates today’s culture into it.

The Bible calls us to love Jesus individually and corporately.  Not only do we love Jesus all by ourselves, but we also come together and love Jesus together in unity!  Hillsong NYC creates a place where it’s fun and exciting to love Jesus corporately with other believers.  Even if it isn’t your cup of tea and you prefer something a little more like traditional church services, visiting other churches can be really refreshing experience that reignites your heart to love Jesus in new ways.

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