Hillsong Conference

Hillsong Conference
Hillsong Conference 2019 Logo
This is for everyone!
Genre Christian
Location(s) Sydney, Australia
Years active 1986 - Present Day
Capacity 38,000
Website hillsong.com/conference

Hillsong Conference is a mid-year week long annual conference in Sydney with smaller two or three day conferences held in London and New York later each year. It is the largest annual conference in Australia[1]. The conference is hosted by Hillsong Church and Lead Pastors Brian and Bobbie Houston.

Hillsong Conference grew from 150 people at the first conference in 1986 to now be attended by upwards of 30,000 people each year at Qudos Bank Arena.[2] It brings in over $40 million to the New South Wales tourism sector annually.

History

Early years: 1986–1994

The first Hillsong Conference was held in 1986 in Baulkham Hills with only 150 attendees.[3] In the early 1990s, night rallies were held in the Hills Centre where Hillsong Church was holding meetings, with attendees growing to as large as 750[4] by 1992.

Growth: 1995–2000

From 1995, night rallies were held at the State Sports Centre in Sydney Olympic Park. Two similar conferences were held in 1999 and 2000 across two weeks.

Move to Sydney Olympic Park: 2001 –Present

Hillsong Conference was first held in the Qudos Bank Arena (formerly Sydney SuperDome and named Acer Arena at the time) and various venues throughout Sydney Olympic Park from 2001.

In 2011 Hillsong Conference was not held in Sydney Olympic Park but instead in the Sydney Entertainment Centre[5] for logistical reasons relating to the availability of Sydney Olympic Park.

In 2018 the Hillsong Conference completely sold out Sydney Super Dome (Qudos Bank Arena).[6] Future growth is expected to continue to overflow into the wider Sydney Olympic Park precinct where currently the Kidsong and Hillsong Young & Free Conference is held simultaneously.[7]

Hillsong Conference Sydney

Image of Hillsong Conference Sydney 2018's night worship service
Hillsong Conference Sydney 2018

Hillsong Conference was first held in the Qudos Bank Arena (formerly Sydney SuperDome and named Acer Arena and Allphones Arena at the time) and various venues throughout Sydney Olympic Park from 2001.

Sessions

The sessions that make up Hillsong Conference are diverse and vary from a typical church service, to presentations from Government Ministers, through to Design and Production masterclasses. [8]

  • Opening Ceremony
  • Morning/Night Meetings - Hillsong Church Service with special guest preachers
  • Masterclasses - One hour presentations in more intimate settings with experts across a wide breadth of topics.
  • Closing Ceremony

Hillsong Conference London

In 2007, an offshoot of Hillsong Conference Sydney began in London at the ExCeL Exhibition Centre known as Hillsong Conference Europe. Since its inception in 2007 it has become an annual conference held in London attracting people from inside and outside Europe.

As at 2014, Hillsong Conference London is held at The O2 Arena, which is the second largest indoor venue in the UK of 21,000 seats.[9]

Hillsong Conference New York

In July 2012, Brian Houston announced they will be bringing the Hillsong Conference for the first time ever to the United States. Hillsong Conference was held in New York in 2013 for the first time, and annually since.[10]

Hillsong Conference New York is held in the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, with a seating capacity of 17,000.

See also

References

  1. ↑ "Australia's largest annual conference draws 30,000" (Press release). Hillsong Church. 1 July 2005. Retrieved 28 July 2006.
  2. ↑ "Annual Report 2016" (PDF). Hillsong Church Australia. 2017. pp. 8, 36. Retrieved 15 March 2018.
  3. ↑ "Hillsong's true believers - National - www.smh.com.au". www.smh.com.au.
  4. ↑ Stephen Ollis (13 April 1992). "Hillsong '92". Newsgroup: aus.religion. Usenet: 35140@nntpd.lkg.dec.com. Retrieved 11 December 2008.
  5. ↑ Church, Hillsong (21 October 2010). "Hillsong conference 2011 - celebrating 25 years".
  6. ↑ Brian, Houston (10 July 2018). "We are packed out. There is going to be a God shift at #hillsongconf 2018". Instagram.
  7. ↑ "Hillsong Conference - Kidsong".
  8. ↑ "Masterclasses at Hillsong Conference". hillsong.com. Retrieved 2018-07-31.
  9. ↑ "Hillsong Conference London".
  10. ↑ Petrucci, Anthony. "Hillsong Conference Makes History at NYC's Radio City Music Hall". Charisma Magazine.
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