Hillsong inspires sellout crowd in Greenwood
On Monday, August 25, at 9 p.m. five young men in their early 20s put in 18 hours driving from Rhode Island to Greenwood to hear a single concert on August 26: Hillsong United.
International college students from Mongolia, Columbia and Spain also made the trek from their Kentucky campus for a concert: Hillsong United.
And Jacob Vieira, 17, a visiting Brazilian high school student halfway through his year in Greenwood, also came to participate in the Hillsong United evening.
Hillsong, the internationally known Australian band, immersed an exhilarated Greenwood crowd of 4,000 in spectacular sights and sounds last week at The Gathering Place, the Main Street sports and concert venue. The Christian rock band has won the hearts of fans worldwide in their quest to unite Christian believers in worship.
Loyalty runs deep. As 23-year-old Jose Ramirez from Rhode Island said, when the band comes to the U.S., he and his friends find the nearest concert site, and “we go where they go.”
True to the band’s “united” appeal, the virtually sold out event drew all ages, sizes and races to a shared celebration. Hillsong’s tunes were so well known that the audience loudly chimed in. At times, the crowd would sing alternating lines with the band. The mood was one of shared excitement, rather than the more common gulf created by a band on stage and an audience down in the seats.
Youth group on the road
The Hillsong band developed out of joint youth group gatherings in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. Writing, performing and later recording original music was part of the outgrowth of the Sydney Hillsong Church. Over time, the recordings gained an international fan base — as evidenced by the eclectic group of attendees.
A simple sacrifice
In an unusual move during a concert, bandleader Phil Dooley quieted the crowd, asking them to sit down. Backed by a professional video, Dooley shared about the work of Compassion International. Greenwood resident Megan Graham, 25, was pleased. “Hillsong United brought a global perspective to their concert in Indianapolis. By educating concert goers about Compassion International, the group was able to bring awareness to the poverty and injustice that many children throughout the world experience on a daily basis.”
The organization provides health care, education and love to the world’s poorest children, often rescuing them from starvation and the threat of slavery. Dooley invited each person to commit to financially sponsoring one child through Compassion International. Their information booth was swamped after the concert. Graham noted, “It was inspiring to see many young people from Greenwood rise to the challenge of supporting those who are in dire need.”
Vieira was thrilled to hear Hillsong, as he is a musician and songwriter, too. His Greenwood host family is headed by Tom Wright, a worship leader at Community Church of Greenwood (CCG), parent organization of The Gathering Place venue. Jacob happily lends his guitar talents to one of the CCG worship bands. Guest photographer Lon Osborn travels the world in his work and has been a guest in Vieira’s home in Brazil. They were both surprised and delighted to run into each other at this concert in Greenwood.
Why?
Hillsong’s appeal is more than effective music. The group taps into the desire for purpose in life, leading people of all ages to evaluate their direction in life. That is why the chance to become a sponsor through Compassion International is provided. Phil Dooley explained that dedication to giving of self is a reflection of love for God as well as a reflection of who God is. “Overall,” added Graham, “I came away from the concert with a new perspective on what is most important in life.”
One song embraced by the exuberant crowd may have summed it the evening message: “We live for You, our God!”
1September 4th, 2008 at 10:04 pm
I went to the United concert in San Josa, CA a couple days ago. It was amazing! I’ve been a fan of the band for a few years and this was the first time I’ve seen them live. The band didn’t make it feel like they were our superiors, but our equals, and I really liked that. I also loved the worship time we had, with the (probably) thousand people in the building. It was money well spent on the ticket and the gas and time driving from Sacramento area.
2September 5th, 2008 at 2:03 pm
Brandon,
I noticed the qualitatively different atmosphere with this group too. It felt like family singing (and more) together. I think your description of equals fits well.
Thanks,
Tia