it's the middle of summer in this great land of australia, however it's been a while too long since i last saw the sun and enjoyed all the warmth, freedom and vitality it offers.. if there is a tone of bitterness associated with my sentiments please disregard.. truth be known i've had an unforgettable summer to date.. and while the vast majority of the hours have been spent engaged in all manner of activity under the umbrella of what may be described as "work".. i couldn't be more excited about the result..

and it nearly didn't happen.. here's the story

we're in the process of producing a project called "the i heart revolution".. it's ambitious, and time consuming, and large, and everything that would be required and expected in the pursuit of trying to create something significant.. and i believe it will be.. as time got the better of us and it became obvious it would not be complete for another year or so there was a clear need to make sure we captured what was goin on in our hearts and lives right now.. as well as make sure we were bringing new songs for our people to sing to their creator.. (take it all, and inside out are getting old..)

another project??!?

7 months ago the thought of doing this to the extent required seemed beyond our combined capabilities and an absolute impossibility.. i was nervous.. i was scared.. cause i never wanna put anything out there that doesn't represent well.. every excuse in the known universe became apparent to not do a united project in 07.. i mean fair enough, we'd thrown everything we could into "unitedwestand" and it was still going well.. we were busy working on "i heart".. we've done 5 united albums in 5 years and how many artists put out a project every year.. i mean combined with our involvement in the church live project that's 2 a year.. and on top of that we've been travelling non stop and taking this thing to the people's of the world.. and blah.. and i haven't been home in what seems like close to forever.. and... yeah.. poor me etc...

well.... God had something else in mind...

and besides, since when has this thing been in any way, shape or form reliant on whether WE could make it happen...NEVER.. and when did we start categorising ourselves with "every other artist"..??? the very nature of what we do is different.. this is way bigger than all of that.. and so, once again God got a chance to make himself known in our weakness.. we found ourselves falling once again on our need for Him to come through with the goods - and that's exactly where God wanted us to be..

and so we embarked on the possibility of doing something in the studio... initially it looked like 5 new tracks and 5 older songs recorded real pretty like.. well... that didn't happen..

as soon as we started thinking and prayin about it - opening our hearts and eyes and ears to what God might be wanting to do.. it became screamingly obvious.. this thing was gonna be all out.. and that's how we approached it.. in every aspect.. everyone involved has given everything they have to making every element of this album everything it had to be.. and in the midst of it God became everything we desired for it..

yep.. it's different.. but it's still the sound of real people getting real with a real God... it's in the studio, but there's no fancy, fancy or over-indulgent production trickery.. we laboured to write the best songs we could.. not just lyrics bending around melody over a bed of instrumentation in a way that would "work in church"... but we chased hard after the heart of God.. searching and pursuing the right words.. pushing ourselves to find the right melodies.. not just playing our instruments.. but worshipping with them..





when we hit the studio.. we just worshipped.. the way we would anywhere.. it was the same as always except without the crowd.. and in some ways it helped us to just focus on God.. we would play the song front to back a few times without stopping and focus our heart and attention on Him the whole way until it felt right (which was usually the 2nd time)... it was a beautiful way of doing it.. just forgetting we'd pressed record at times.. and letting the song and the Spirit have their way..

we went for what was real over what sounded good.. however most of the time those 2 elements seemed to line up in a somewhat divine manner..

the album is called "ALLOFTHEABOVE"...

it's referring to what we are about and who we are about..

it's about a selfless faith.. the call to love.. the pursuit of justice and helping others.. the hope and freedom we have in Christ.. and the truth of the gospel in a world that is searching..

all of the people who have been involved are hands down the most faithful, creative, inspired and inspiring and obedient, and best people i know... big call, but that's how i feel... it's just an incredible honor to do life with them..

chislett, jimmy, mabes, crawf, jades, lees, gillies, fraser, annie, wing sang, pj, josh, benny, crox, slayer, dani and kel, glenn, etc etc etc... definitely left out a hundred others.. but these people haven't stopped, wavered, or slowed one bit in making it happen..

i can't wait for you all to hear it.. we really believe it's going to help people connect with God all over the world.. that's all we want.. not for it to just sound good or be cool or whatever.. we're not trying to keep up to date with the cool kids.. we're not trying to make God relevant.. we're not trying to win awards or get it on the charts.. whatever... we honestly couldn't care less..

and yep... it sounds real good and all the rest.. but more importantly.. it goes beyond us in achieving what we wanted most.. and that is that it would truly draw people closer to God..

we've done everything we can to take what's in our hand, and together, use it to help others collide with their saviour.. our prayer is that you let it..


thanks to everyone who supports us in all of this..

we're all in this together...

peace...............jth

THE I HEART REVOLUTION

I have a t-shirt.. it has an "I" which I'm thinking is in particular reference to the person bearing the garment.. a heart – which has accordingly become the universal symbol for love.. and an "N standing along side a Y" – which is intended to refer specifically to the city of New York as opposed to other acronymic possibilities such as "nebulous youth" or "ned's yaught"

Now I just like the t-shirt.. but the truth is; i heart ny.. I really do.. it's an incredible city; the skyline.. the lights.. the landmarks.. the frenetic pace of it all with it's orchestra of sirens, car horns and life in motion.. a statue called liberty? Banana coloured taxis.. the sky lost amongst scrapers.. and in the midst of it all a jungle within a jungle pretending to be a park.. I love it.. there's intrigue and character to be found around every corner.. it's a city of a thousand personalities.. a cocktail of cultures and colours fused together to create a landscape that in many ways has become a symbol of the modern era.. but what makes new york new york.. and what I love most about the place; is the people.. they are in truth it's definition.. they are the movement, the energy, the life within the structures.. they are the landscape the sound-scape.. the history and the future.. they are ny.. and they are what I heart..

see the world is a place made up of places.. and every place has a history.. and every place's history is reflected in what becomes it's culture.. and culture itself is defined through its people.. and the people; well, they are the future… and the future is now..

so then - looking at it in the same light but from the other side of the room; at this moment in history, we are the people in the places.. and we are the ones defining cultures.. and we are the ones creating history.. and so the question must be asked…. If we are the future; how's it gonna look..??

I don't know about you.. but if our generation is remembered for ipods, myspace, and youtube we missed it.. if history speaks of our generation as self indulgent pioneers of the digital age, reality television and purpose built celebrity we'll have failed.. the world will change by itself.. for better or for worse.. it changes daily.. but who will be the ones to shape it.. and how will it look?

in and of itself revolution is neither good or bad.. revolution represents change.. a shift in culture.. History is marked by revolutions.. social and political.. some have represented victory, freedom and justice, however on the flip-side.. too many have become infamous representations of despair, oppression and injustice.. all it takes for evil to prosper is for good men to do nothing.. for the church – the hands and feet of Jesus and His plan for the salvation of this big, broken sphere of dirt, water and life we temporarily call home, this has never sounded with more urgency.. it's time for a revolution.. fuelled by a dissatisfaction with self-centred living and complacent faith.. driven by a desire for truth, love and justice..

that's what this is all about…
every generation needs a revolution.. and this one needs to look, sound, walk and breathe like love..

it's not a new concept.. it's an eternal concept.. it's the reason we are alive.. it's the fundemental call of what it means to be a follower of Christ..

Love God.. love people.. that's it.. that's the revolution.. revolutionary I know.. but if we understand what that means.. if we get it.. if we establish in our thinking how that looks.. and we start living it.. we will change the world.. it's not so much about the big stuff.. it's just about the stuff.. it's about the people in the places being the answer - in the places.. and together; becoming the answer to the big stuff.. it's about your backyard.. it's about my backyard..

The world has watered love down to slogans and t-shirts.. lollipop pop songs and popcorn munching excursions in visual indulgence... all of which are fine.. but we throw the word around.. we confuse it's definition.. we diminish our understanding of God's command.. love is the quintessential human emotion.. it is the desire of every human being to experience, and in turn express love.. and God himself IS love.. and he desires to be loved.. and who are the carriers of His spirit..?? it's us…

So that's the call.. that's the mission.. that's what this is all about..

A generation expressing their worship; moreso expressing their heart for worship in the action of love.. toward God.. and toward the world we live in.. and the people who inhabit it.. it's not about highlighting the darkness.. it's about becoming the light that diminishes the darkness.. it's the gospel.. and it is now..
we're all in this together..
much love...

joel

((please note: this is not called 'I heart revolution… we don't love revolution.. we're a part of a revolution fuelled by our love for God.. our love for life.. and our love for people.. it's called "the I heart revolution.."))

so.......

the last 6 months have been a blur.. my eyes are still trying to adjust to where i am and how i happen to be here and all the other hows you can imagine.. sometimes it just doesn't make a lot of sense.. but that's the beauty of God and runnning His race.. there's no time to write words suffice to explain the details of our adventures so i'm gonna do it in brief and passing.. our travels have taken us to some of the most incredible places and we've experienced and met some of the greatest people on earth.. these are amazing days we're living in..



JULY//AUGUST :: USandA.. houston and pheonix and lalaland were particular lights that stood only slightly higher than the other highlights.. it was our greatest experience in the states to date.. to whom much is given much is required and i believe that if the young people of america stand up and take the challenge they'll not only redefine the Church ibn their own nation, but they'll continue to lead the way for the rest of the world..






SEPTEMBER :: BRAZIL.. you won't find a more passionate people in all the earth.. we didn't have a lot of time but we made the most of it.. one thing is for sure; it's a long way from home.. it was intense.. we played one night with delirious.. literally high fived in between sets and that was it.. they were off to some other south american destination.. and another night in sao paulo in an outdoor venue i for sure thought was too big.. it was one of the most amazing nights of my life.. if people could only have seen what i saw that night.. i can't put words to it.. looks like we'll be heading back to south america in march07.. i don't know what to expect.. LONDON :: starting to feel like a home away from home.. the conference there was great.. it was actually a little relaxing to be amongst family.. i have a real desire to see God move throughout Europe.. it's ripe for the harvest.. i'm real keen to be a part of it.. and to be honest, i just really like the place..






OCTOBER// ENCOUNTERFEST.. all i'm gonna say is you had to be there.. was a little different this year in that we didn't do our usual live recording.. but it is always something so special in the life of our youth ministry, and this year was killer.. PORTUGAL :: it's a long way to go for 5 days.. but they were 5 days well spent.. we had a great time; good people, good food and other goodness.. got stuck in london fro 7 hours in the process and my bags never arrived in portugal which made for an interesting combination of makeshift attire.. grattitude to the boys for the lending of socks, shirts and other essentials.. my bags eventually were returned to me the day before departing on our asian tour.. which was convenient in more ways than you could know.. not least of all because i didn't have to pack.. timing is everything..





NOVEMBER :: ASIA.. ummmmm... in brief it went something a little like this. KONGHONG.. good food, SHANGHAI, CHINA.. CHINA!!!! who would of thought.. an old chinese theatre.. bit of a secret show.. 4 government officials watching our every move.. Crishan (our young adults youth pastor who came with us) praeached about a guy called "JC" who wants to be your friend.. he then invited people into a "conversation with JC"... it was so gooood.. people met God for real.. and the city is rad.. SEOUL, KOREA.. who said koreans were conservative?? it was out of control.. a lot of people..





TOKYO, JAPAN.. one of my favourite places and cultures on earth.. God is doing stuff here.. they are the most polite yet eccentric people on earth, and i love them.. i could spend way more time in japan.. we were in tokyo 2 years ago and to see the growth in the church and in the people there was so encouraging.. it is perhaps the most secular country on earth.. people don't have faith ina nything.. they just work hard, eat sushi and sing karaoke.. all good things.. but it's changing.. can't wait to go back.. MANILA, PHILLIPINES.. the most insane sound of singing i have experienced ever.. deafening.. i couldn't hear the band for the crowd.. it was hotter than you can imagine with more way more people than the building could handle.. no such thing as occupational health and safety in the phillipines.. no fire marshalls.. just as many people as can fit in the building gettin real with God.. JAKARTA, INDONESIA.. the most populous muslim nation on earth, and one of my favourite destinations.. i've been to indo many times and i love it.. the children are amazing.. crishan and i went down to a ghetto for a couple of hours and just spent time with all these local kids.. many of them muslim and just beautiful in every way.. we talked to them about their dreams and just played soccer and had a laugh.. the ultimate remedy to everything.. i can see why Jesus spent time with the children.. the service there was madness and all the crew who looked after us are without doubt some of the finest people on earth..



KUALA LUMPA, MALAYSIA.. the only downside was that we spent all of 10 hours in the place.. airport, hotel, venue, hotel, airport.. i wish so much that we coukld have spent more time getting to know the people there.. the airport is great however.. you can take trolleys up the escalator.. clever.. SINGAPORE.. the ultimate place to finish our tour.. the whole asian experience was phenomenal.. the places we visited were in so many ways diverse.. i was left so humbled by the people.. so gracious.. everywhere we went we confronted by need.. and everywhere we went we encountered a Church passionate about chasing God's heart and making a difference..





WHICH LEAVES US WITH NOW...

and right now i'm sittin next to jadwin in the control room while michael guy chislett drops guitar on what i think is one of the best worship songs i've ever heard.. and i don't think i'm exaggerating.. it is 2:33AM here in aussie.. but if only you could hear what i hear..

we've spent the last week recording the first instalment in what i'm considering a trilogy of very different projects we have in store.. i'll explain to a deeper level in another blog.. but it's been the funnest week.. partly because we haven't slept but mostly because the crew here in the studio are humerous units.. jad has been in particularly fine form... we're gonna post some of our experiences on the united myspace soon and very soon..

so yeah..

the hairs on my arm are standing on end due to a combination of the vibrations that are penetrating my ear drums in unison with the spirit at work in my soul... the song is called "my saviour king" i think.. it'll be the last song on the album.. ((all subject to change))..

perhaps i've said too much..





EITHER WAY.. this year has been a big one.. God has continually proven himself faithful beyond word or measure.. to everybody who has supported united i wanna say you are greatly appreciated.. the way we see it, we're all in this together.. what we are a part of is so much bigger than any individual or song.. and it's gonna stay that way.. it has to.. we're throwing ourselves into the art of losing ourselves in bringing Him praise.. in our words.. in our action.. wirth our gifts and our creativity.. we're gonna keep loving God and loving people with everything we have.. and our greatest desire is to see others choose to do the same all across the earth.. i can't wait to see what 2007 brings..

MUCH LOVE..

JOEL

so it's 2 in the morning where i am... but where i am i'm not entirely sure... i'm sure of this... i'm in a studio... i'm by myself... and i'm procrastinating the moment where head hits pillow.. even though it screams for our re-aquaintance.. i am however in hereford, england...somewhere nowhere near home... it is cold (to the point of snow).. grey (yet beautiful).. and rich in agriculture.. (top spot for a honeymoon webby??)..

anyway.. the point is... it's given me an opportunity to jump on the myspacien bandwagon... i'll admit that i've been a skep in the past..... but my words are currently being chewed on and i've resigned myself to wasting away the current hours tryin to work out how this things work... i'm learning.. perhaps compromising moments better well spent.. but already it seems to be paying dividends... i'm finding people i'd thought were all but lost... i'm in conversation with those i've failed to contact... i'm better understanding the inner workings of my computerrrrrr... i'm feelin good about it... suddenly it's as if my life has found a new sense of order...

see the thing is... order for me is a fantasy... anyone who has ever experienced my bedroom can attest... my life often follows.. i'm usually tryin to create some minimal resemblance of order out of the random scattered components that comprise my life... hoping to achieve more.. or alternatively.. i'm finding myself desperately trying to pull apart the areas of my life that seem to be ordered in an attempt to maintain the procrastinator in me.... the excuse being i "achieve more that way".. i cop out and justify it by labelling myself "creative".. or "ill-equipped at all things organised..." but deep down i know the time for change is near and neccessary... perhaps this is the moment... perhaps it all changes right here... right now... at 2 in the morning in a studio in hereford, england..... maybe...

either way... it's nice to be amongst friends.....

the last 3 weeks have been a blur... i wanna delve into the intricacies (there is no way i spelled that correctly..) of our time in the united states of americana... but it's almost 3am and i have to be awake sooner than my body and mind and spirit would like...

words continue to fail me... so here's a brief pictorial insight into the first half of our trip..





i'm committed to expounding later...

peace in the middle east...............

jth

PART ONE // friday 2nd june, 2006


Leading in I knew this week would be life changing.. I had that expectation.. But just how so would end up deeming itself perhaps my life's greatest understatement so far.. There aren't words.. Not any collaboration of them that do justice to what we've experienced..

I'm gonna give you the long version.. Because I'm writing from 37000 feet somewhere between kigali and nairobi and my ipod has no battery.. short is sweet, and that is the goal but know that no matter how long it gets it could be a whole lot longer..

THE FIRST DAY //

Our journey started in south africa.. Johannesburg.. its an eye opening city.. in every sense.. Times have changed significantly since the end of apartheid, but you can't help but notice the vast division in wealth between whites and blacks that still remains.. Beauitiful security estates with incredible homes on one side of the street are innappropriately balanced by shanty towns and makeshift squatter villages on the other..fences are lined with every kind of security deterrant imaginable and there is no shortage of creativity in the use of barbed or razor wire from house to house.. but first impressions never tell the full story, and while the long term effects of 60 years of racial segregation are evident.. it is a NEW south Africa, and there is an incredible resolve toward unity and reconcilliation, especially amongst the youth.. We played in pretoria on the first night.. 7000 young people.. Their passion is tangible.. It felt like we were there once again just to give them permission to express their love for God in freedom, and they were.. Free and passionate and all about praising God..

THE SECOND DAY//

It was an early start, but no-one was complaining.. We were going to a lion park.. We were like kids at a candy carnival.. Needless to say we saw lions and lioness's and a whole lot more.. It was un-real!!!.. They were the same lions that 10 years earlier ate 2 chinese tourists who got out of the car for some happy snaps.. We made sure kev lee stayed inside the vehicle.. I was however attacked by a 3 month old cub who took a likening first to scotty's water bottle and then my bracelet and then my necklace.. The cub drew blood but I survived..

A few of us went from there to visit soweto.. We walked vilikazi street which is where nelson mandela and bishop desmund tutu grew up.. How many streets in all the world could boast 2 nobel peace prize winners.. Let alone a small dusty shack lined street in the middle of one of the worlds largest ghettos.. It was truly inspiring.. We walked around the corner and stumbled upon the hector peterson memorial.. The memorial holds a photo of a teenager carrying a young boy (hector peterson) who was shot and killed on june 16, 1976, when the young people of soweto stood up against the oppression and injustice of the apartheid regime.. Thousands of black students marched peacefully, protesting against being forced to learn africaans in school (the language of their oppression).. As they marched they were shot down by police.. Hundreds died, but the stand they took inspired people all across south africa to stand up and make noise about the injustice of apartheid.. The events of that and the following days are credited with being the catalyst to the abolition of aparthied almost 20 years later.. June 16 is now known as national youth day in south africa.. A public holiday, and the memorial reads: to honor the youth who gave their lives to stand for freedom and justice.. Powerful stuff... We went straight from soweto into the night in j'burg.. It was once again all that the first night was and more.. It is obvious that God is doin something amongst the youth of south africa.. Bishop Tutu states: I whole heartedly believe that the youth, both black and white will be our salvation.. It is the truth.. And you can't help but sense that they are up for the challenge..

THE THIRD DAY//

5am.. On our way to rwanda..

Considering the rigors of travel.. Especially within a large group I can't quite work out why this day was so enjoyable.. It just was.. The team are all time.. Good, good people.. Good, good times.. our plane flew right over the tip of kilimunjaro.. It was real close.. Almost scary.. But incredible in every sense of the word.. Sitting on the plane in nairobi about to take off a diplomatic vehicle drives out to the plane.. Webby was outside trying to sort out luggage.. 2 very important looking african men get out of the car.. Webby just goes up and shakes their hand and gets a photo - no idea who it was.. They obliged and as we laughed from the plane the woman behind us informs us that it is the rwandan prime minister and the minister for health.. They get on our plane.. We take off.. As soon as the seatbelt sign is off.. The prime minister just decides to come back and have a chat with us.. It was unreal.. He talked to us the entire length of the trip about everything.. The genocide.. The issues facing their country.. The youth.. AIDS.. Hope rwanda.. He didn't wanna leave.. We gave him a united cd.. It was a beautiful introduction to our time in rwanda.. By the time we arrived in kigali it was already night.. There wasn't much to see.. We went straight to the hotel which seemed inapproprately nice.. The best hotel we'd stayed in so far.. In the poorest nation we've been to.. Our interpreter told us however that the hotel was a governmant initiative to lure business men back to rwanda to help rebuild it's economy.. We settled into our rooms and slept, like babies.. Unaware of what the ensuing days had in store..



TO BE CONTINUED...


Alright... The second installment..

PART TWO// tuesday 6th june, 2006


THE FOURTH DAY//

first stop: the genocide memorial.. I can't write anything here that explains.. It just doesn't seem real.. It is worse than the worst horror movie imaginable.. But it happened.. In real life, in real time.. 1000000 real lives taken for no reason in 100 days.. I just can't bring myself to the actual realisation that people were able to administer such evil toward such innocence.. I had researched the events beforehand.. I thought I'd be prepared for it.. But I wasn't.. To be honest I still don't think I've truly allowed myself to understand or accept the reality of it.. It's too hard to grasp.. Even after you hear the stories and see the pictures.. As we left it's even harder to swallow cause all you see is beauty.. The land is beautiful. The same fields, rivers and streets that were the scene of such bloodshed seem so removed.. There are people everywhere.. Living life..the same people who witnessed what no one should ever have to witness.. The same people who lost brothers, sisters, mothers and fathers in the worst possible manner line the streets.. Doing life the best they know how.. We travelled by bus to butare.. Along the way we stumbled upon the truck with all our equipment for the rally.. They'd left 2 hours earlier but had broken down.. Out the front of a school of all places in the middle of nowhere.. There were kids everywhere.. We piled out of the bus like it was on fire.. The kids were awesome.. They were the ultimate remedy to what we had experienced at the memorial.. The most beautiful faces.. So happy.. So content despite having almost nothing.. We push started the truck.. But webby couldn't do anything to get us back on that bus.. we gave the kids everything we had on us.. Eventually we left.. Those kids have no idea how much they inspired us.. 20 minutes up the road the truck had broken down again.. We piled all the production gear.. All the instruments into our bus.. Along with the 5 production guys and continued our journey.. We were literally out the windows.. Sittin on top of gear and each other for another 2 hours.. Butare eventually arrived.. A small university town.. We met up with the youth teams who had been on the ground all week.. Evangelising and training local leaders.. It was so unreal to see groups of rwandans surrounding our young guys as they presented the gospel with an interpreter and a revolutionary device called an evangi-cube (pretty much the love child of the gospel and a rubix cube).. They saw hundreds get saved..

We arrived at the football field where we were gonna play.. There was a small cement platform and that's about it.. There was a small box with 2 wires which was pretending to be a power box.. just before we started half a drum kit arrived.. And a couple of guys hooked up a generator to the 2 little wires for sound.. It's a different world.. The local africans kinda ran the show.. We did a couple of songs.. Brooke did some songs.. Phil preached out of his skin.. It was the best thing ever seeing hundreds of rwandans respond to jesus in a field as the sun set.. John fergusson then got up and prayed for healings.. A lot of people were healed including a woman's ear which john spat in.. Pretty full on.. The highlight for us was a young boy, maybe 10 years old who got up and said that he'd had a broken heart, but jesus has healed it.. We lost it... The meeting ended when it was too dark to see.. We finished the last song and the power literally cut out..
we tried our best to pack up our stuff in the dark and loaded the bus for the long trip back to kigali..it had been a perfect day..

THE FIFTH DAY //

Again we woke early.. We were psyched cause we were goin to visit the compassion kids in kigali..

IT WAS UNBELIEVABLE!!!!

We arrived at the compassion village.. There was a big dirt paddock surrounded with class rooms with broken windows and corrigated iron.. We walked into a room and webby and jd met their sponsor kids.. Once again we all lost it.. I mean serious tear overflow.. Jd gave his little guy a whole lotta gifts including a soccor ball.. We went outside and started kickin it with him.. Next thing all the compassion kids came up.. They were excited but shy at first.. We gave them stuff.. Next thing jd booted the ball across the paddock and started chasing it.. Literally a hundred kids started screaming and chasin after him.. It was the funniest start to the funnest 3 hours of my life.. All the crew literally went nuts with the kids.. Just played games and sung songs, and danced and skipped and played soccer and taught them how to play rugby and laughed and cried and everything else.. Highlight was seein kev lee lead a conga line with about 50 little kids through the middle of the paddock.. It was so hard to leave.. They would not let go of our hands.. Without doubt, hands down, no exaggeration, honestly the best day of our lives no question.. And we hadn't even had lunch yet..

We were about to head to the venue for the service when we heard that the guy driving the production truck (who was obviously on african time given he was supposed to arrive 12 hours earlier) had been arrested and put in prison for driving infringements.. They eventually organised someone to go pick up the gear.. And our production guys pulled a miracle in putting it together in next to no time.. Meanwhile the youth teams with the local churches started a march through the streets of kigali.. As they sung and danced their way through the streets people and children just joined in until thousands of them arrived at the venue.. As for the service...................

Ummmm.... No words..

Thousands of rwandans.. In a field as the sun set behind the mountains.. Freedom and joy that transcends their circumstances and only serves to express the peace and healing power of God.. We just cried the whole time... The praise party at the end just went off.. Like you can't imagine.. Anything that could be waved was bein waved.. Flags.. T-shirts, crutches.. Their chairs were in the air.. They danced like we could only dream of.. Faces as far as you could see.. Givin it all to God... It was so so so amazing.. I can't explain it... We got pictures but I'm not sure even they can tell the story properly..

once again I am dumb stuck by the goodness and bigness of God.. that we get to play a part in what HE is doing is the ultimate expression of Gods grace.. Know that it is so obvious to us as we travel and get to see and experience this first hand that the power of it is what is happening at home... As a youth ministry, as a church.....

TO BE CONTINUED.... AGAIN...

BIG AFRICAN LOVE....




the final instalment of the trilogy..

PART THREE// thursday june 8th, 2006


THE SIXTH DAY //

We left rwanda....... Not an easy thing to do... I can't imagine it will be long till we return.. There is so much need in africa.. Rwanda is just one small nation tucked away within this incredible continent.. The congo, sudan, nigeria, sierra leone etc etc etc..there are so many nations facing daunting political, social, health and economic issues.. The challenge is there for all of us..

THE SEVENTH DAY//

We are back in south africa.. Durban to be precise.. webby surprises us.. We're up early and off to the durban wave house.. The place is the ultimate youth centre.. Jd, scotty and I spend the best part of 2 hours gettin smashed but havin the time of our lives.. It is actually nothing like surfing at all.. But it is ridiculously fun.. I can hardly move afterward.. My body is spent.. We go straight to the venue.. Meet shaun pollock who is arguably south africa's best cricketer.. Dooley faces a few deliveries and hits him to the boundary twice.. The worship night is again off the hook.. 600 salvations.. The night didn't want to end..

Eventually it did...

THE EIGHTH DAY //

We travel to cape town.. It's an interesting journey.. A lot of the guys are feeling a bit on the other side of well.. This was originally pencilled in as our day off.. When we planned our trip to south africa almost a year ago, cape town was first on the list.. For whatever reason it fell through and we ended up planning to go everywhere else but... Of course the cape townians weren't happy with our exclusion of their beautiful city and they let us know about it.. So we had to make a decision... We enjoy our much needed, strategically placed day off in the wonders of jefferey's bay (possibally the best right hand surf break in the world..!!) ?? Or.. Do we do cape town.. We chose the latter.. A costly but wise choice.. We were all feelin a little worse for wear.. But all our ills would be soon long forgotten..

Cape town truly is one of the worlds most eye pleasing cities..
By the time we'd arrived, sorted our 2 billion bags and checked in to our hotel, we had an hour and a half till sound check.. We jumped a cable car up table mountain, which is a mountain that looks like a table.. Fascinating stuff.. Very high.. You could see both the indian and atlantic oceans from the top.. And a whole lot of other stuff as well.. We took photos and descended.. Off to the venue.. The night meeting was incredible.. They sold all 5000 tickets within 2 days with next to no advertising.. People were up for it.. It was one of the most memorable worship services I've been a part of.. The people were gettin loud.. We got a 13 year old kid up to play drums.. It was unreal... The whole night was intense.. We met a young guy afterward who couldn't get a ticket from anywhere so he decided he'd just turn up and try and climb onto the roof.. Needless to say we found him and he got in.. And we hung out with him afterwards.. He was so stoked.. As were we..

THE NINTH DAY //

Port Elizabeth... they sold 6000 tickets to the event.. The venue could only legally hold 5000.. The only option was to move the event to st georges park.. Which is the cricket ground where the aussies win.. I wasn't sure.. But my faith needed a wake up call.. 12000 people turned up.. The biggest turnout for a concert in the history of the city they told us.. (Bryan adams held the previous record.. Haha..) And we were havin church.. It was out of control.. The ultimate way to conclude our time in south africa..

The response has been like nothing we've experienced.. Annie said it best when she told me it feels like passionate is an understatement when describing the youth's desperation in worship.. Every venue has sold out completely.. 5 worship nights and over 30 odd thousand people givin it up completely for God...
Their hunger is challenging.. This nation has a dark history.. But I have no doubt given the passion of their youth that the future is bright..

THE TENTH DAY //

Jefferey's bay... Need I say more..?? Yes I will... I'm puttin it in my own personal 7 wonders of the world.. We got to surf.. It was brief.. Not as cold as I'd expected.. And not as big as I'd of liked.. But an all time experience all the same... Surfed super tubes.. No one told us how to get in.. Ended up with more cuts and sea urchin spines in my feet than waves.. But it was well worth it.. I scraped onto a couple of fun ones and didn't get eaten by a shark so I'm countin my blessings.. If I lived in south africa it would be here.. Unreal place.. Unreal people

Our time was short.. Another airport.. Another plane on our way to another airport and another plane which will act as our bed for the night as well as our transportation vessel to a whole nother continent and another airport and another plane to another airport, at which point we will be in paris, FRANCE.......

...... Bon jour... Oui oui

Excuse my french..???

MORE TO COME...

Word..

jth

20 hours of flying in sky mobile finds us lost in atlanta international airport with 3 hours until worship time.. After a few confused and almost frustrated minutes we find our pick up and we be on our way to the service.. Peak hour traffic and a weak bladder brings cause to scope the atlantan woods aligning the freeway.. There were no bears.. We arrive in time.. We're playin @ 7:22 which is a young adults ministry formed and formerly run by louie giglio.. It's pretty sweet what they've got goin on in atlanta and it was an honor to go and be a part of it.. All goes extremely well for a first night.. Overflow crowd.. Many saved.. Passionate worship.. God glorified.. Good times.. We had the opportunity to do a workshop with a whole lot of worship leaders afterward which was good.. I'm not sure what we said cause my head was already shuttin down.. But it was good to connect with some of the crew there..

We get on our bus.. I don't wanne delve too far into the bus situation.. But I'll say this.. One of the bus's we were meant to get had a problem, and the bus company sent us a replacement.. It's 25 years old and was most likely built for neil young or willie nelson back in the early 80's..

That's the bus I'm on...

After about half an hour you get used to the smell of it.. Your eyes never quite adjust to the decor, but I did become good friends with the bed it beheld for me..

The end of the first day.. And I looked at phil and said it was good

The wheels on the bus go round and round and we are found wakin up in virginia beach.. Waking up was painful.. But the frustration and sleepy eyes subsides as we reaquaint my favourite people in the whole world: the lentz' pastor the youth in vb and It was great to be amongst friends..

Building is chockas.. People have trouble sitting down cause there's no room.. Worship is great.. Phil preaches great.. Alter call.. 200+ salvations.. Incredible.. Phil says he's not gonna get up as he often does at the end and tells us to just to go for it.

He should of stuck to his word..

Final song of the night: all day..

Praise craziness ensues.. There was much dancing.. A few stage invaders (including carl and phil).. Gets to breakdown.. Jd climbs on drum riser.. Phil positions himself underneath.. Band begins to build.. The tension is breathtaking.. 1..2.. 123..4!!! Jd launches himself like a hang glider without the glider.. He neither glides nor hangs.. He descends.. Phil doesn't move.. Jd continues momentus descent.. Phil doesn't move... All becomes slow motion.. Jd lands on phils head.. Great collapse begins.. Absolute carnage.. Jd rises lokks at phil in disbelief.. And continues to sing song.. Phil rises with a combination of pain and shock and retreats to back of stage and dissapears.. 2 hours later.. 2 doctors, an x-ray, a pschitzophrenic nurse and an obviously bored hospital security guard with strong conviction regarding the use of a video camera within the emergency ward reveals the lover of horses has a broken leg in 2 places..

The end of the 2nd day.. And phil turns to joel and says..
the show must go on..

Resilliance to the end.. We be on the bus on our way to new jersey..

Phil will preach from a stool.. Which is ironic given his message is titled united we stand...

God bless america.. It's 3:30am..

Who knows what the third day will bring...

Much love...

Joel

SOOOOO......... here are our first instalment for united tour dates circa 2006........ we wanted to be everywhere at once... but only God can do that... here they are: APRIL 4:: ATLANTA, GA - USA 7/22 @ North Point Community Church 4350 North Point Pkwy. Alpharetta, Ga 30022 @ 7.30pm Contact: krista.glasscock@northpoint.org 678-892-5722 www.722.org APRIL 5:: VIRGINIA BEACH, VA - USA Wave Church 1000 Nth Great NecK Rd, VB @ 8.00pm Contact: laura.lentz@wavechurch.com 757-481-5005 www.wavechurch.com APRIL 6:: TOMS RIVER, NJ - USA Abundant Grace Church Ritacco Centre, 1245 Old Freehold Rd, Toms River, NJ @ 7.00pm Contact: Anthony Storino III storino71@agfc.org 732-914-2058 www.rescueyouthministry.com TICKETS Tickets available from www.ritaccocenter.com APRIL 8:: TORONTO, ON - CANADA Toronto Airport Christian Fellowship 272 Attwell Drive, Toronto, ON @ 7.30pm Contact: Melleni Persaud events@uniteproductions.com 905.641.0641 x210 www.UniteProductions.com TICKETS $15.00 advanced or $20.00 at the door APRIL 9:: MUNSTER, IN - USA Family Christian Center 340. w. 45th Street Munster, IN @ 6.00pm Contact: Pam Ross pross@familychristiancenter.org 2199226500 www.familychristiancenter.org APRIL 10:: SPRINGFIELD, MO - USA James River Assembly 6100 N 19th Street, Ozark, MO @ 7.30pm Please contact James River Assembly for further details 417-581-5433 www.jamesriver.org APRIL 11:: TULSA, OK - USA Hillsong United @ ORU Mabee Center, Oral Roberts University @ 7.30pm APRIL 15:: TOOWOOMBA, QLD - AUSTRALIA Australian Gospel Music Festival Queen's Park, Toowoomba, QLD contact: info@agmf.com.au 07 4638-3911 www.agmf.com.au APRIL 26:: ADELAIDE, SA - AUSTRALIA Influences Conference @ Paradise Community Church 57 Darley Rd, Paradise, SA, 5075 Contact: Lynda Mabikafola lynda.mabikafola@paradise.asn.au 08 8336-0006 www.influencesconference.com APRIL 27-29:: AUCKLAND - NEW ZEALND Noise hosted by Parachute Music TelstraClear Pacific Events Centre 770 - 834 Great South Rd, Manuakau, Auckland, NZ Contact: noise@parachutemusic.com 64 9 366 1629 www.parachutemusic.com MAY 30:: PRETORIA, SOUTH AFRICA Moreleta Park Church De Villebois Mareuil Road, Woodlands Pretoria @ 7.00pm start Contact: Karlien Theunissen karlien.theunissen@moreletapark.co.za 27 83 226 7205 www.moreleta.org TICKETS Please contact Karlien for ticket information MAY 31:: JOHANNESBURG, SOUTH AFRICA info coming.... JUNE 2:: BUTURE, RWANDA 100 Days of Hope Butare University @ 7.00PM Contact: www.hoperwanda.org JUNE 3:: KILGARLE, RWANDA 100 Days of Hope Kigali Nyamrimbo Stadium @ 4:00PM Contact : www.hoperwanda.org JUNE 4:: DURBAN, SOUTH AFRICA info coming...... JUNE 7:: PORT ELIZABETH, SOUTH AFRICA Victory Christian Church Centenery Hall, New Brighton, Port Elizabeth @ 7.00pm Contact: Adam Engela designmedia@victorychurch.org.za 0824341493 www.victorychurch.org.za TICKETS Please contact Adam for ticket information JUNE 9:: PARIS, FRANCE Hillsong Paris.. JUNE 10:: EDINBURGH, SCOTLAND Frenzy Festival Ingliston Edinburg// Gates open @ 12.00pm Contact: Justin Dowds JUNE 11:: LONDON, ENGLAND Hillsong london Wembley arena... info coming... www.hillsong.co.uk MORE DATES TO BE CONFIRMED.... so to all my friends and everyone else.... it would be a beautiful thing to see you at one of the dates... we have many more dates planned for later in the year to the USA // EUROPE // and ASIA..... i'll post them when i know them... and to all the wonderful people in south america (brazil specifically)... we are planning to come your way as soon as possible... but in the meantime.. we have a recorded a spanish version of UNITED: WE STAND... yep.. we were singin in spanish... sie...!!! i know it's not portugese.. but...??? it sounds great... so we hope that will bless you.... peace........

ALRIGHT............. so tomorrow i pack my bags... catch a train through a landscape littered with old old buildings to an aeroplane launchpad called heathrow and jump a sky traveller back to the promised land................ and my heart leaps for joy....... look.. i know i pay out the english... but to be honest i've had a great time.. most of it has been spent dishing up various excuses to justify the verb in the word "work".. but i have had the opportunity to head down to london on the weekends and catch up with friends and go to london hillsong .. and it's amazing... (if any of you are ever in london on a weekend.. make sure you get down there... @ the dominion theatre..).. you'll honestly love it.. anyway... all that to say... the next UNITED record is next to being completed... now i can't tell you too much... but i'll say this much...... :: it's gonna be called "UNITED WE STAND" ---- and that's the over-riding theme of the album... that people (like you and like me.. and like other people like us... and even others who aren't a lot like us.. but are still our brothers and sisters in Him... and anyone else who wants to join the family...) all over this big old planet we temporarily call home.. would make the constant choice to stand for God in their everyday circumstance.. not just within the four walls of the church.. but in their world.. your world... wherever that is... in your school.. college.. workplace... family.. dentist... etc etc..... it's about giving everything to God... not just our words to our songs... but in our action.. in living for justice.. reaching and helping those in need within our communities... living lives of love.. (the john 14 obedience kinda love) that is prepared to sacrifice our wants and our desires for His... ...... so yeah....... it's about us.. giving it all to God.. and startin to live it out...... from the inside out... and that's pretty much what the album is about... (in a nut shell..) and i'm rap-blogging... ok.. :: we recorded it in october at encounterfest.. and the recording night was out of control.. left us all speechless.. there was such an intense sense (say that 10 times fast) of the presence of God in the room.. and we've done all that we can to capture that on the 70 odd minutes that make up this record... everytime we stopped singin on the night.. the crowd kept goin.. that's all good except we were left with 25 minute versions of songs.. it's all right.. we cut most of them down to under 20... :: all the songs are brand new.. never heard before by anyone unless you were there on that fine night in october.. or you go to hillsong.. or you were at one of the nights on our tours where we played a little slice of a song called "the stand"... or you managed to lime wire some bootleg.. and in that case you should repent... haha.. :: the songs sound real good... :: it's gonna have a bonus dvd again... and it looks real real good... :: there's still a bit of work to do on the dvd but it should be out in march 06.. maybe april in the states and canada... i know that seems like a long time to wait.. but it'll come around soon enough.. we should have versions up on the website for your listening pleasure early january.. and we will be releasing a couple of tracks for download at the end of jan... :: and i said i wasn't gonna tell you much... alright that's enough for now... in other news... myspace is my friend.. and right now i feel i have more friends than i thought possible.. thanks to everyone for all your emails and comments.. i read every single one.. and i reply as much as i can.. but i do have a life to live away from this wonderful little device called "computer"... one big shout out right now to anyone from brazil.. oi... OI!!! tu de bem..?? i don't know if that's how you spell it... but yeah.. i still call australia home.............. love joeltimothyhouston...