Hillsong United Conference: Joel Houston

Joel Houston provided a very moving message during the second Saturday Morning Rally. It is his heart for helping others, with no agenda, and the driving force for the I Heart Revolution. I encourage you to read all of the notes below - it will encourage you and change your life!

• He never planned on being a worship leader - he was simply asked by his youth pastor
• Today, he is humbled by how God has used him and Hillsong United over the years
• God takes pride in using the weak and humble
• They travel to so many places, but rarely get to experience it (airport-to-airplane-to-airport-to-bus-to-hotel-to-bus-to-venue-to-bus-to-airport…)
• He started to notice the contrast between the amazing worship experiences he led with the streets/people/cultures/life he saw from the bus
• The worship he leads provides an experience with the believers of Christ but does not have an impact through them to the local culture, he considers it a failure

Amos 5:21-24 (The Message) - “I can’t stand your religious meetings. I’m fed up with your conferences and conventions. I want nothing to do with your religion projects, your pretentious slogans and goals. I’m sick of your fund-raising schemes, your public relations and image making. I’ve had all I can take of your noisy ego-music. When was the last time you sang to me? Do you know what I want? I want justice - oceans of it. I want fairness - rivers of it. That’s what I want. That’s all I want.

• God loves it when we worship Him, sing to Him, tell Him how great He is
• He wants to be someone who chases the heart of God in everything by reaching those experiencing injustice
• His biggest fear is that people will be distracted by the stage, lights, loud music and miss the point
• Through the heart, the mouth speaks
• God isn’t impressed with the lights, amazing sound, music - He is impressed with our hearts
• If our heart is in right the place, God will move, God will use us

Isa 58:5-7 (The Message) - Do you think this is the kind of fast day I’m after: a day to show off humility? To put on a pious long face and parade around solemnly in black? Do you call that fasting, a fast day that I, God, would like? 6 “This is the kind of fast day I’m after: to break the chains of injustice, get rid of exploitation in the workplace, free the oppressed, cancel debts. 7 What I’m interested in seeing you do is: sharing your food with the hungry, inviting the homeless poor into your homes, putting clothes on the shivering ill-clad, being available to your own families.

• If we get caught up in our ways of doing things, it is just religion - it is missing the point
• Jesus didn’t die on the cross for us to have religion - He died on the cross so that we may know love
• We can get so consumed in appearances, on the outside, to ensure things appear to be great from the outside
• Everyone that chase acceptance or seek significance, we often mess up by missing God’s heart and love
• If we can remove all of the “stuff”, enough for others to see us reflect Jesus within, we’ll reach others for Christ
• The universal symbol for love is the heart
• He wants to redefine the true meaning of “I heart” from what others have defined it to true love: Jesus laying down His life for the love of others
• We judge others outwardly all the time
• Human judgement is never going to be completely just
• We can keep trying to chase injustice and right the wrongs, but we can’t do it in our strength
• The only way we can bring justice to this world is to keep our eyes fixed on Jesus
• He died to show us more than justice - He died to show us love
• If we demonstrate that our significance, our value was nailed to a cross and that we in turn live our lives that value the unlovable, the least - that is what God wants
• No matter if you are a student, full time ministry leader, or a business person, treat each person you meet with selflessness, love
• We have so much in the church, in our lives - so much abundance
• We need to value each other, focus on others, realize that we are each called to minister to others
• Our life is no less valuable than anyone else’s
• If we can realize the value of each person in God’s eyes as we walk day-to-day, things will start looking better for each person
• Allow your heart to be open, to do it to understand the heart of God rather than being about us
• It isn’t about what we want - we must love without agenda
• We must not get fooled by the illusion of success in the world’s eyes - something that is fleeting and a distraction
• We need to give everything to God for the sake of other’s
• This is what is going to keep you fired up each day to serve your church, go to school, or go to work
• Have you caught this fire?
• God has called us to play a part in His story (”history”) - let’s play our part!

A quote from Archbishop Oscar Romero:

This is what we are about:
We plant seeds that one day will grow.
We water seeds already planted, knowing that they hold future promise.
We lay foundations that will need further development.
We provide yeast that produces effects beyond our capabilities.

We cannot do everything
and there is a sense of liberation in realizing that.
This enables us to do something,
and to do it very well.
It may be incomplete, but it is a beginning, a step along the way,
an opportunity for God’s grace to enter and do the rest.

We may never see the end results,
but that is the difference between the master builder and the worker.
We are workers, not master builders,
ministers, not messiahs.
We are prophets of a future not our own. Amen.”

• We are called to do amazing things, all the while walking one step in front of the other
• All we need to do is walk through an open door - God will do the rest
• Keep moving, keep going, keep trusting God - even when you don’t feel up to the task

Powerful!