From the Stage to the Streets: Q&A with Hillsong NYC

Hillsong NYC is committed to serving people both inside and outside the four walls of the church. On Jan. 25, five members of Hillsong NYC visited Liberty students in the School of Music’s Concert Hall for a Q&A panel discussion.

The members spoke about how their personal journeys with Christ have propelled them to where they are in music ministry and how that ministry is reflected on the streets of New York City. The panelists also talked about how their love for God and service for the Kingdom transcends what people see on the stage.

“I just love the vision that Pastor Brian and Bobbi had, and I wanted to learn from them” Hillsong creative team member Lauren Hodges said.

Senior Vice President for Spiritual Development David Nasser kicked off the Q&A session, asking that each member share the story of how they came to know God and how they ended up with Hillsong NYC.

 

“I’ve always looked up to Hillsong Church and their vision for the local church,” Hodges said. “Hillsong Worship wasn’t just a band that traveled but they were people rooted in the local church, sent out to lead people in worship for them to experience the presence of the Lord.”

New York City is often commended as a landmark buzzing with people from different cultures and backgrounds. Hillsong members on the stage talked about how the similarity amongst all people is that, essentially, they all need Jesus.

Hillsong is not a ministry that focuses on the stage, but one that focuses on the streets said Denvre Couts, a worship leader.

“I just knew once I got (to New York) that I was going to roll up my sleeves and be a part of this church and a part of this city,” Couts said. “New York is full of a lot of people that don’t know Christ and maybe don’t have a home or maybe don’t have a family, so there’s a lot to do not just within our church walls but out on the streets.”

Chris Davenport, creative team leader, talked about how the heart of a servant is not exemplified by what is seen, but by what is unseen.

“Our goal with all of this is to help take some of the pressure off of you guys if you feel like you have to kick down doors to get to where God’s called you, ‘cause you don’t,” Davenport said. “That all belongs to him and he’s going to make a way where there is no way.”

Music production major Alphonse Jeanty, a Liberty student who attended the Q&A, talked about his music experience thus far serving behind the scenes. He was reminded by Hillsong NYC that servanthood is not for the moment, but for life.

“In everything you do and everything you say, make sure your life is an act of worship unto God,” Jeanty said.

The aspiring music producer also talked about how important it is to stay plugged in to the word of God in and out of production.

Hillsong NYC emphasized how they know that they do not need to be praised or acknowledged by people to know that they are doing well in working for God. All that matters is what God sees, they said.

Drummer Zachary Mullings brought up how there is a certain level of trust maintained in the family dynamic of Hillsong, and how that trust flows from the members of the church to the streets.

“It didn’t start with me jumping on stage with some sticks, it ended with me asking God ‘what do you need from me?’” Mullings said.

Davenport also talked about how Hillsong is not so much in need of singers and instrumentalists, but more in need of people dedicated to service — people ready to lend a hand and serve wherever they are called and in whatever capacity that may be.

Mullings recalled his first encounter with Hillsong NYC and how they were in search of people willing to serve and at that moment, he knew God placed him with the right people.

“It was me just wanting to do what they gave me, just wanting to serve the church in any way possible,” Mullings said.

Couts shared a similar story to Mullings, describing her first encounter with the worship group being in the heart of New York.

“I knew once I moved to New York that it was just time to get to know the people in the place God had called me,” Couts said. “I’m honored to get to do what I do but I think each of us has the opportunity to lead people to a place of closeness with God because that’s where there’s true hope and peace and life.”

Listening to the panelists, Jeanty was reminded that leading worship is not about the lights and the cameras, but about the action. Not the kind of action that calls for playing a temporary role, but actually living out love in action.

“Being on the stage is one thing,” Jeanty said. “But knowing how to get out there and be practical about touching people’s lives is what it’s all about.”

The members of Hillsong NYC know that, at the end of the day, their satisfaction comes from doing the things that please God.

“It’s never been just about Hillsong, it’s about glorifying God,” Hodges said.