It’s time for a random yet related fact.

So think about how many individual images go to make up a Pixar movie… the average frame (a movie has 24 frames per second) takes about seven hours to render, although some can take nearly 39 hours of computing time. (Source: Wired Mag)

P.S. Rendering definition here.

Finish of random but related fact.

We are creating our latest Hillsong Kids Big curriculum of which the media we produce is a very important part…

Why… In our culture because of the proliferation of media it is used to segregate and divide (you are defined by the music you like and the TV you watch – Hip Hop, Emo, Country, Pop, Beiber have their ‘tribes’). Having all your kids watch the same media at church is a small step in the effort to unite and build community.

So that’s why I’m wearing gold tights, drinking Pepsi Max and spending untold hours filming a ‘Christmas Story’.

It’s worth it.

For approx 35 minutes of video:

• Pre production: (Writing scripts/Recording songs): about 100 Hours
• Filming: 31 Hours

So here’s the thing. I have tried to film at least 5 different new leaders training videos over the last few years. But seriously it seems like every time we try something happens. We have hard drives fail, lost footage, evil clowns steal tape (not really).

It felt like there was a spiritual battle going on for the soul of our new leaders and powers beyond my understanding were working against me to stop this video from being created – (“what do you mean exaggeration???”)

But instead of deterring me, my resolve only got more resolved, and my gumption got more gumptionfied - I cast out the demons of fear and loss and tried again

How you start something is very important and I want to give our new team members the best start possible.

I believe that in our multi campus Church that including this video with all of our new leaders applications will really help give them that great start. This is one part of getting new team involved.

Here is the video:

Hillsong Kids New Leaders Training

There are a couple of awesome posts I wanted to highlight from our Hillsong Collected Blog.

The first is from our Senior Pastor Bobbie Houston all about doing ministry and life with children well, and the second is a recap of our Kidsong conference at Hillsong Europe!

“How do you balance family life and ministry life?”

This has to be possibly THE most frequently asked question in forums like this, and especially by young women in that fabulous season of early motherhood. However having said that, the question applies to pretty much every season of life, because there isn’t a season in any of our lives, where we don’t (or shouldn’t) feel something of the stretch and pressure of that new season.

Have you noticed that one word dominated this first paragraph … Seasons!!

On our Hillsong Collected Blog Julia A’Bell posted this Behind the Scenes video, here’s what she said:

What makes Hillsong, ‘Hillsong’ is all the Jesus-loving, people-focused individuals that call Hillsong HOME. To only see crowds, buildings, albums & large church services, is to completely miss the beauty of each individual & family who has their own unique story of encountering Christ & His plan for their lives. The crowds, buildings, albums & large church services are simply the fruit of a healthy family environment.

One of the legends featured is Kieran Short a part of our Hills Campus team!

Love your work Kieran!

I wrote an update post for our Hillsong Collected Blog recently.

It gives a short overview of what we did this year at our annual conference and includes our Happy 25th video!

Kidsong World 2011

The Hillsong Conference has now officially spread all over the world to our Churches everywhere.

I have loved watching from afar the journey that Hillsong Kids has taken in London. I have been there twice over the years and seen the programs in action and they never fail to impress with their creativity!

Here are the highlight videos from the Kidsong just finished.

Kidsong Hightlights Part 1 from Hillsong Church London on Vimeo.

Kidsong 2011 Highlights Part 2 from Hillsong Church London on Vimeo.

Something has puzzled me for years.

In my travels around the internet a song keeps popping up to mystify me. It appears that Hillsong Kids has performed and recorded the well known worship song ‘Every Move I Make‘ by David Ruis.

If you search Google with “Every move I make Hillsong Kids” 84,000 results come up!

If you search Youtube 184 videos result!

We have never actually recorded this song. And it’s definitely not us singing the song.

Can anyone help unravel this mystery?

This little tradition started a couple of years ago in our Voltage (Preteen) ministry in the City Campus.

You get a canvas, get someone artistically inclined to write your ministry name on the board and then for the rest of the year get every student that comes through your services to sign it!

It’s a simple idea, but a wonderful keepsake for each year of ministry and a reminder to the students that they are the Church! And also a great way to identify the extroverts in your group. The larger the name, the larger the personality!

Our annual Hillsong Conference is over for another year – we will have photos and videos up on the Conference website but it is in ‘promo mode’ without a specific Kidsong page getting ready for next year. So when it returns to info mode I will point you to it for sure.

Because of the Hillsong One Days we were in the Sydney Entertainment Centre (probably the lamest venue in Sydney for Kids), but we had tents… in the middle of winter! Okay, they were very nice marquees with big heaters (I want one for my house). So we were comfortably housed and our Primary school Year 2-6 kids were bused to our City Campus to spend the day in luxury.

It was a huge success on all counts, especially pulling off the crazy marquee thing and making buses a beautiful experience for all concerned!

I would like to officially acknowledge the fantastic Hillsong Kids Staff from all of our campuses for making this the safest and most enjoyable conference for kids ever! (I am basing that on data available from Paramedics and General feedback from Parents and Kids, so very scientific).

And as always the hundreds of volunteers that made it work, not only logistically but relationally, you really made it happen! (I even heard of kids crying at the end of the week because they would miss you. Brilliant!)

Here is the theme and teaching for this years conference!

KIDSONG 2011 BIG PICTURE:  Unchartered Journey

PRIMARY BIG WORD: Psalm 25:4 “Show me your ways, O Lord, teach me your paths; guide me in your truth and teach me, for you are God my savior and my hope is in you all day long” (NIV)

EARLY CHILDHOOD BIG WORD: John 14:1 “Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God John 14:1

TUESDAY PM

BIG IDEA: LIGHTS! CAMERA! ACTION!
BIG POINT: God has an epic journey planned just for me
EC WORD OF DAY: Dreams – God has a plan for my life

PREACHING NOTES: Children will learn that God has a great future for them. An Epic journey is not always easy, not always fun, there will be challenges and lessons learned along the way but with God it will be an epic adventure!

Psalm 37:23 (NKJV) The steps of a good man are ordered by the LORD, And He delights in his way.

Jeremiah 29:11 New International Reader’s Version (NIRV) “I know the plans I have for you,” announces the Lord. “I want you to enjoy success. I do not plan to harm you. I will give you hope for the years to come.

WEDNESDAY AM & PM

BIG IDEA: OPENING SCENE!
BIG POINT: If I trust God, he will direct my journey
EC WORD OF DAY: Love – God’s love leads us

PREACHING NOTES: We can trust God with our future. We don’t know what the future holds, but we can know that one that holds our future.

Proverbs 3:5-6 New International Version (NIV) Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight.

THURSDAY AM & PM

BIG IDEA:                    STICK WITH GOD!

BIG POINT:                 No matter what, never give up

EC WORD THE DAY:  Pray – I can talk to God all the time

PREACHING NOTES: An epic journey has a beginning, middle and end. What makes the story of the journey EPIC and exciting is that there are challenges to overcome along the way. Think of any movie you’ve seen – what makes it good is that the character has to overcome something to get where they need to go. And if they don’t give up in the end is VICTORY!  No matter what, don’t give up, God is with you!

Galatians 6:9 New International Version (NIV) Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.

FRIDAY AM & PM

BIG IDEA:                    CLOSING CREDITS
BIG POINT:                 With Jesus I can overcome any obstacles
EC WORD OF DAY:     Jesus – Jesus is always with me

PREACHING NOTES: With Jesus anything could happen, nothing is impossible and with Him we can overcome any obstacles. When we focus on how BIG God is, problems we thought were big, look small.

2 Timothy 1:7 New King James Version (NKJV) “For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.”

Matthew 19:26 New International Reader’s Version (NIRV) “Jesus looked at them and said, “With man, that is impossible. But with God, all things are possible.”

Isaiah 41:10 New International Reader’s Version (NIRV) “So do not be afraid. I am with you. Do not be terrified. I am your God  I will make you strong and help you. My powerful right hand will take good care of you.  I always do what is right.”

This year was the 25th Anniversary of Hillsong Conference! It all started in 1986 in a school in Baulkham Hills, and this week we were at the Sydney Entertainment Centre in the Heart of Sydney!

I haven’t blogged much in the last week, but to make up for it here is a Happy Birthday video from Kidsong to Hillsong Conference! Blog posts maybe take an hour to write but this video took days, so show the love and retweet/share do your thing!

Thanks!