Hillsong London releases new CD, and I rant about the megachurch (again)

Hillsong London releases their latest album, Hail To The King, next week. It's their first album in three years and the third album from the churcn.

Amidst all of the nifty PR bits about Hillsong London that were included in the release (like the fact that the church meets at the Dominion Theater, where the rock opera "We Will Rock You" has run continuously for six years; Gee, aren't they super cool? I'll bet that venue lets them put on a top notch show), was a statement that really jumped out at me: "Church motto/mission 'Because We Can,' is geared towards ending poverty ... because we can."

As many of you remember, we had some lengthy discussions a few months ago, when the Michael Guglielmucci story broke, about megachurches, celebrity-ism, and the whole commercialization of Christianity. (I'll include a bunch of links at the end so you can go back and read the posts.) read more
Source: http://blog.beliefnet.com/gospelsoundcheck/2008/10/hillsong-london-releases-new-c.html

Churches 'properly engaged' in Australian politics

The National Director of Uniting Justice Australia, Elenie Poulos, says there is a proper separation of powers between church and state in Australia.

Speaking at a forum in the New South Wales Parliament, she said concerns have been raised about some politicians stressing their Christianity, or about past dealings with groups such as the Exclusive Brethren or Hillsong.

However Reverend Poulos says churches are properly engaged in politics, as part of civil life.

"In Australia I think the appropriate role for religion in politics, includes for example, holding politicians to account on matters of justice and peace and wellbeing for the community," she said. read more
Source: http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2008/10/27/2402779.htm

Blessing and warnings

KEVIN Rudd was contacted by various church leaders after he assumed office last year, not just the Exclusive Brethren concerned that he had described that church as an "extremist cult". Hillsong Church senior pastor Brian Houston wrote a letter of congratulations, while Catholic cardinal George Pell took the opportunity also to warn against a charter of rights. But with Kev08 being an Anglican, the letter that carried most influence came from Anglican primate Phillip Aspinall, who was the first church leader to make contact and the first to get a personal reply. Aspinall gave Rudd his blessing and noted that as Labor had "won the support and trust of such a significant cross-section of Australians", it therefore had significant responsibilities and opportunities in government. "My prayer is that the new Government will embrace this opportunity to address inequalities and injustices within Australian society and to inspire in Australians a renewed sense of generosity, compassion, hopefulness and supportive community," Aspinall wrote on November27, in correspondence that has just been released. read more

Catholic Deaf Community Members celebrate using sign language.

As the song “Still” by Hillsong was played to the congregation, everyone was singing along except members of the performing group – they used sign language instead. The performers were members of the Singapore Catholic Deaf Community (SCDC) who were commemorating International Day for the Deaf at Church of the Immaculate Heart of Mary (IHM) on Oct 5.

The performance showed that hearing impaired people have the ability to participate in praise and worship using sign language. Members of the society also put up a skit about a deaf man, on the brink of despair and frustration, who thankfully met someone from church who shared the Good News with him and restored his faith in God.

Brother Lionel Thomas, a seminarian from the Malacca-Johor Diocese, commented that he was awed by Godʼs love for the deaf in giving them this wonderful tool for communication, and added that it was “a humbling experience to be with this group as they display such strong unity, love and support among members!” read more
" How wonderful to know that some people lack in physical capacity, yet give
more than their capacity. we should be inspired by these people, to give
more than what we can give to Jesus."

Various Artists WOW Hits 2009 (Word Records)

Well, that didn't take long. Last April, the masterminds behind the best-selling WOW series decided to revamp it by releasing three single-disc collections over a year's time, starting with WOW Hits 1, rather than the annual double-disc collection. Apparently, the idea bombed since WOW Hits 2009 has released in October right on schedule without missing a beat. Perhaps consumers weren't prepared to buy a WOW album in April so soon after the last October release, or maybe they were just too smart to recognize that three singles discs costs more than one double-disc set.

Still, one thing that WOW Hits 1 got right was its inclination toward timely hits. The WOW series has long struggled with this, but overall, WOW Hits 2009 does a reasonable job of compiling the biggest hits from Christian radio over the last year. In fact, a quick glance over the first disc's first seven tracks gives you a pretty good idea of what the Song of the Year nominees will likely be at the next Dove Awards in April 2009—MercyMe, Third Day, Chris Tomlin, and Steven Curtis Chapman for sure.

Also, Brandon Heath's "Give Me Your Eyes," NeedToBreathe's "Washed by the Water", and Natalie Grant's "In Better Hands," among others, are all recent hits that certainly deserve to be included. And admittedly, Michael W. Smith's live version of Hillsong's "Mighty to Save" is bound to get plenty of airplay in the months ahead. read more

Just 30 Days Left: Songdoor 2008 International Songwriting Competition Ends November 15; Joe Beck Of

SongDoor 2008 entries must either be postmarked by November 15, 2008 or submitted online by midnight CST, November 15, 2008. All entrants receive a free self-paced online songwriting course at SongU.com, plus a free personal evaluation of each song.

"The song evaluation alone is worth three times the entry fee, plus all writers who enter received a free online songwriting course from SongU.com, worth another $40. It's a great value, a great way to learn and and you just never know what might come of it," says SongDoor president Tony Zotta. Last year's Grand Award winner, Erinn Sherlock ("Return To You"), currently has a song on hold for Kelly Clarkson of American Idol fame. read more

Faith and Hope in Ukraine

Igor Stakhovskiy cracks jokes and blinks furiously as his car, loaded down with eight passengers, inches up a hill at walking speed. His is one of the few cars in Kyiv* that is not a bright, sleek Toyota Jazz or a new black Volkswagen—it's a pastor's car. Once it reaches the summit and starts rattling down the hill toward his apartment, Igor resumes telling me about his call to ministry and the little evangelical church he pastors.

I am crammed in the car with the whole Stakhovskiy family, one that could not have existed at any other point in Ukrainian history. Igor's wife, Raia Stakhovskaya, a strawberry blonde who fits the stereotype of a kindly Ukrainian woman, is from a family that has been Baptist for generations—a family that has several martyrs in its lineage. Igor was part of a wave of new believers who converted around the time the Soviet Union fell. After their third daughter was born, the Stakhovskiys adopted twins who had suffered intracranial hemorrhages. No one at the orphanage expected the babies to survive, but they seem to be out of danger a year after the Stakhovskiys took them in. read more