Anointing and Professionalism: Hillsong Leadership and Music

The religious organisations of Christianity in Australia no longer have strong influence for its contemporary society. The membership of Church goers is gradually decreased from the 1980s. Young generations (20-30 years old) are not interested to involve religious activities except some cases. Meanwhile, the Pentecostal church, located in Sydney (called Hillsong Church) not only impacts the life of the regional young people but also globally attracts non-religious people to become its follower in UK, Europe, South Africa, USA, and Asia. Then, how do they different in comparison with the traditional churches? Why so many young people attend their services even on Fridays and Saturdays? What are their major strategies? The Hillsong Church reaches out many communities through social services, but those voluntarily works do not bring young people as seen in the case of other religious organisations. This paper not only explores the internal and external figures of their leadership but also argues the institutional music skills that are applied in their movement. The long period of leadership training from their Sunday school and the purposely secularised style of worship will be regarded for the rapid growth of the Australian Pentecostal movement in the 21st century.