Hillsong: Religion-lite
I couldn't help noticing Lisa Pryor's SMH article, ‘Add a little optimism to reconnect with the young ones’ (January 24, 2005).
She explores the ways in which the union movement could learn from the success Hillsong has had reaching today's youth. The Hillsong approach is optimistic and forward-looking and taps into the aspirations of young people. But as Lisa comments, “The downside to this approach is that it could increase [union] membership only by forsaking the ideals of the institution. Religion-lite can be attractive because it provides personal comfort without challenging some of the materialistic or individualistic values of modern life, and the union movement could fall into this trap.”
The true test of genuine, evangelical Christianity must be that not only does it add nothing to the gospel, but it takes away nothing. A gospel which does not confront our selfish desires is no gospel at all. And the real gospel comfort is not that we remain unchallenged, but that in the midst of the helplessness of our sin and depravity Christ died for the ungodly. Thank God there is no such thing as Christianity-lite!