by Integrity Music, part of the David C Cook family, Christ alone was actually the first song Keith Getty and I wrote together. Stuart Townend & Keith Getty Copyright © 2001 Thankyou Music (Adm. When fears are stilled, when strivings cease!īought with the precious blood of Christ. What heights of love, what depths of peace, "It's a lot of people who are drawn to the story of Christ and all the implications his life has for contemporary life.Firm through the fiercest drought and storm. "Church communities themselves, while much reduced in size in Australia in recent decades, still attract more people through the doors on a Sunday than all the footy codes combined," Mr Smart says. He also believes that Australians are still drawn to the story at the centre of Christianity. "This activity of the church is a vital part of supporting our communities and especially those in need." "At my last count of the top 25 charities in Australia, 23 were faith based," he says. However, he also notes the Christian church's outsized role in delivering core community and social services such as aged care, education, and poverty alleviation. "The movement away from the institution is dramatic and a generation of people have now had little exposure to what Christianity is actually about," he says. Mr Smart says Australians have lost faith in all kinds of institutions - and the Christian church is not exempt. "They are monitoring individual churches on their progress in relation to these issues, as well as their theologies and messaging via media. "There is now a group of vocal critics, many of whom are ex-members, wanting better governance, financial, pastoral, and safeguarding accountability," she explains. "The initially egalitarian values of Australian Pentecostalism have been deeply challenged in recent times."īut the church is not going unchecked - and it's not just the media playing a role here. "Due to the size of these churches, and extension through various media companies, there was immense popularity of some preachers and leaders who pursued a celebrity lifestyle," she explains. She also believes the size and popularity of Pentecostal churches and personalities have contributed to the demise of churches like Hillsong. Her PhD thesis is on urban, Aboriginal-led Pentecostal congregations, and she has co-authored a book about the Hillsong movement. Tanya Riches is the master of transformational development course coordinator at Eastern College Australia, and an expert on Pentecostalism in Australia.
Reverend Tania Harris says the rapid rise of Australian Pentecostalism has revealed its imperfections.
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