Hillsong Announces their New Youth Worship Team – Young & Free
Justin Sarachik ,
Christian Post
July 18, 2013
Hillsong Church is announcing their new worship team, Young & Free, which is comprised entirely of youth and young people making music for God’s glory.
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The group debuted at the annual Hillsong Conference in Sydney, Australia, and released their debut single “Alive” this week at iTunes, which is currently at No. 1 on the iTunes Christian & Gospel single chart. It has also become the second single to reach the charts in their home country of Australia.
The song is available on iTunes.
Hillsong already has their UNITED and LIVE groups that have a signature style of worship. Young & Free is more of what the youth are listening to now.
Meanwhile Hillsong LIVE Streams Online Pre-Release Show for ‘Glorious Ruins’ Release was back on July 22 just after their national conference.
“Young & Free is more than a label, it is also our message and mission,” said Laura Toggs, team leader for Young & Free in a press release. “This is a generation called to stand strong in their youth and in their freedom, refusing to allow others to dismiss them for their age. Songs arising from Young & Free are unlike anything that we have ever done before, and we believe that through them young people will find life and deep, unending joy in Jesus. We are the voice of THIS generation.”
Editors Note: What youth are listening to now? What club style music? Did you know that “Young, Wild & Free” is a song by American rappers Snoop Dogg and Wiz Khalifa. The song features American pop artist Bruno Mars. It was released as a digital download on October 11, 2011 in the United States.
And last year ONE DIRECTION featuring Justin Bieber did a song called “Young Wild & Free”!
This is just Christian Remix, in other words let take what’s cool and popular in the world, and market it to the Church.
This is just cheap carnal plagiarism for ill-gotten gain!
Youth standing strong in their youth and their freedom? Freedom to do what? Sit around, watch movies, hang out with friends at the beach?
“If the Son shall set you free you are free indeed” They might have life and deep unending joy in Jesus, but how are they going to find out about it, when all Hillsong offers is funky music? Again where is the Gospel?
Young & Free will release We Are Young & Free on Oct. 1, and will be traveling to the U.S. to perform at the first ever Hillsong U.S. Conferences in New York City and Los Angeles.
Young & Free members will also join UNITED on their fall-leg of the WELCOMEZION tour.
The Australian worship group has sold out shows throughout the country and so far has totaled up to 80,000 tickets sold.
“Our goal with the “WELCOMEZION” Tour was to take it to the next level,” said Jason Strong of Hillsong UNITED.
Editor’s note: “Next Level” – New Age language.
“We believe we have been given an opportunity, and we want to make sure we do the best we can with that. Ultimately, it is about using what you have the best you can to bring glory to our Savior and King. We are excited to be doing some pretty famous venues, but our goal remains the same; that He is made famous and everything we do brings people closer to God.”
Blog Editor’s note:
You make Jesus ‘famous’ by going into all the World and preaching the gospel, not travelling in and around 1st world countries, doing ROCK concerts to those who have more or less rejected the truth! These young people are being sold a gospel of music and goodtimes! Seriously, whether Hillsong leads or follows this is still the world’s sound remixed. Sure its great to tap along to in the car, but please don’t blur the lines, and call this worship
Personally I think this is all just young and frivolous.
2 Timothy 2:22
Flee also youthful lusts: but follow righteousness, faith, charity, peace, with them that call on the Lord out of a pure heart.
1 Thessalonians 5:5
Ye are all the children of light, and the children of the day: we are not of the night, nor of darkness.
Here is a song that was suggested to Mariano (see comments section below)
Coercion Code - "Dark Times are upon us" 
Friendship with the world is enmity against God. Come ye apart and be ye separate, says the Lord. They are taking the world’s music dressed in a tinsel of the gospel into the world. Maybe some listeners will eventually get saved, hopefully. There is no stopping this music and straying from the gospel presenting scenes of the Bible.
What do you have against “Hillsong Young & Free”? This article seems really biased towards the negativity of the group. Where are the positive comments? You may not realise this, but Young & Free is probably one of the most practical ways to spiritually connect to youths of the modern age. Our lives tend to revolve around music, so why not create music that youths will not only enjoy, but soley focus on Christ? Therefore this generation will start to connect more with God in a way they will enjoy and seek more of. I don’t see what you have against this, to be honest.
Oh and one more thing- maybe you don’t like it because the target demographic are youths, not people like you who constantly criticises the things our generation has to offer, pre judging it before you have had to opportunity to truly appreciate the good things we are quite capable of doing. May God bless you. xx
What do you have against “Hillsong Young & Free”? Youths of the modern age tend to revolve around music, so why not create music that youths will not only enjoy, but focus on Christ? The answer is they are just connecting with the music and NOT with Christ… The new generation may connect with God, but there is no guarantees.
Because the music machine that is Hillsong see this new brand “Young and Free” as just another money making venture, another bow in the armoury to increase their funds. If the gospel was preached thru the music and not just a passing reference to the Lord then maybe, and I say MAYBE I wouldn’t protest so much.
But they ARE preaching the gospel through their music. Titles of their songs, lyrics withing the songs, all talk the bible. For example, this song may be a little old, but the lyrics in the bridge of “One Way” says “You are the way, the truth, and the life, we live by faith and not by sight for you”. If these lines aren’t “gospel” & “Christ-centred” enough for you, then what does? Please, go ahead and demonstrate.
Dear CC,
I note that One Way is as far back as 2004 when it was released. Even then is just made the grade in terms of bringing Christ to the forefront. If you actually study Hillsongs from before 2000, and then compare this with now, there is definitely a bias away from Christ Centred lyrics. The style of music is another discussion.
If you read my article “Why I left Hillsong…” which is on this blog, you will realise that one of key things, that was disturbing at the time was, I was on stage as part of the choir, and I think we were singing “break free” or something similar and all the lyrics were going no where. They were all man centred, and NOT Christ centred.
So under a conviction that was a split second decision, I started singing my OWN lyrics to centre my thoughts away from everything around me, to the Lord, and it was an instant change.
An example of lyrics which define our faith is one example (yes old, even very old), but certainly not dated is “Crown Him” I have copied in some of the lyrics.
Crown Him with many crowns, the Lamb upon His throne.
Hark! How the heavenly anthem drowns all music but its own.
Awake, my soul, and sing of Him who died for thee,
And hail Him as thy matchless King through all eternity.
Crown Him the virgin’s Son, the God incarnate born,
Whose arm those crimson trophies won which now His brow adorn;
Fruit of the mystic rose, as of that rose the stem;
The root whence mercy ever flows, the Babe of Bethlehem.
Now compare this with “One Way”
I lay my life down at your feet,
’cause your the only one I need.
I took to You and You are always there..
In troubled times its You I seek,
I put You first that’s all i need.
I humble all i am all to You..
[here we go!]
One Way, Jesus, You’re the only one that I could live for..
One Way, Jesus, You’re the only one that I could live for..
You are always always there,
Everyhow and everywhere.
Your grace abounds so deeply within me..
You will never ever change,
Yesterday today the same.
Forever till forever meets no end..
[here we go!]
i am sorry, but one clearly gives creed and dcotine, the other froth and bubble!
Fair enough.
Well I shall be on my way to prevent further argument. Good day, sir.
you should have listened the cd before making an opinion. i thought it would be the way you described. however, the cd contains really great worship songs, such as “sinking deep”,”glorious tempest”, “embeers”. and the world style songs are also great. christians should also have fun in a christian way. we are jumping ang singing their songs while we lift His name up.
regards from Buenos Aires, Argentina. sorry for my english!
Mariano,
Thanks for the suggestion to listen to the cd. i was ready to be put right, and accept I might have been unfair? NO…yes those songs embers, sinking deep, glorious tempest have their place, but as for worship? Perhaps? I know that nature doesn’t like a vacuum so if you want to call it ‘worship’ thats fine. I personally gain nothing from the songs, and as for fun…there are plenty of places for fun!
“The hour comes and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth, ( and have FUN) for the Father seeks such to worship.” – John 4 23
May I suggest the following song/s as just some examples which is far better than what your listening to.
Suggestion number 2
God bless