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Hillsong + Delirious? Unified Praise (DVD)

Beating Time
HILLSONG + DELIRIOUS? UNIFIED PRAISE (DVD)

‘During Hillsong Conference [2003], Delirious? combined with Darlene Zschech and the Hillsong team to record this project. It was an incredible night, with over 20,000 worshippers packing the Sydney SuperDome, praising God with one voice.’

This DVD really does capture something of the scale and spectacle. But as the mass synchonised pogoing started, my first thought was: ‘I do hope the structural engineers anticipated this!’

Darlene Zschech will be known to some as the writer of ‘My Jesus My Saviour’ (number 319 in Praise!) and has been prominent in the leadership of the Hillsong Church, Sydney, for nearly two decades. Hillsong churches are often criticised for their prosperity emphasis, but apart from the scale of the event (and perhaps the shoulder pads) that side of things isn’t much in evidence in this Abbey Road production.

Delirious? are a rather talented worship band from the UK and quite a contrast to the Hillsong team. Their front man Martin Smith is wonderfully scruffy, down to earth and comes across as a humble chap genuinely concerned for the glory of the Lord Jesus. The band’s music is quite often reminiscent of U2, but not quite in the same league.

The Hillsong’s contribution was pretty bland and samey. The building was still standing after their lively opener ‘Everyday’, but there wasn’t enough content for it to be truly edifying. Darlene seems to be very fond of using the term ‘church’ to refer to the crowd — apart from the band. This seems to highlight an unhelpful priesthood of all musicians theology — that it is their job to bring us into the presence of God.

Delirious? seemed a lot less self-conscious and were good ambassadors for the UK. But I’m still trying to work out quite where they are coming from. I really do like ‘I Could Sing Of Your Love For Ever’ and ‘Majesty’, but maybe ‘History Makers’ is too much about self-fulfilment? I’m not sure. The trouble with events like this is that it is all too easy to get swept away by the moment and to leave reason outside the door. I would have loved to have been there. But would it have done me any good? I don’t know. In a word: frenzied.

PGDH