Inspire, Summer 2011

OneVoice Gospel Choir took their joyful worship on tour in Sydney, Australia. “Just days before the team’s departure, he was stunned to receive an e-mail from Australia.” Singing at Hillsong To hear Justin Spann ’06 tell it, “It was totally a God thing.” Justin, who directs Cedarville’s OneVoice Gospel Choir, led an ensemble of 19 members from the choir to Australia this summer with Missions Involvement Services (MIS). With less than a month before departure, the team had a full week left unscheduled in Sydney. With neither booking nor housing, he wondered if he should simply cancel the tour. “But God, in His goodness, showed us grace,” said Justin. In June, Justin made contact with Tracy Steyn, a gospel radio personality in Sydney. She listened to some of the choir’s music online and agreed to house the team at no charge and arrange venues for them to sing that week. “She played our CD, Free to Worship , on her radio program for three weeks,” said Justin. Just days before the team’s departure, he was stunned to receive an e-mail from Australia. Would the team be available to lead worship for a Friday night youth event … at Hillsong? Sydney’s Hillsong is a multinational church with congregations in nine countries. They are perhaps best known in the United States for their music label and Hillsong United band, which has produced worship songs like Shout to the Lord and Mighty to Save . “As a musician and worship leader,” said Justin, “I admire their ability to lead God’s people in worship across cultural and generational barriers. They have been writing and producing quality music that engages the nations for a long time.” The team was impressed by Hillsong’s detailed care to create an atmosphere of worship. “The time their band spent working on each microphone and monitor and perfecting the lighting and visual media was inspiring,” Justin said. Everything done with quality — Justin, a Cedarville graduate, could relate. “They create an environment that embodies Psalm 150: they use everything at their disposal to praise the Lord,” he said. While students might have felt starstruck to have such an impressive platform, the humility and genuineness of Hillsong’s band and tech crew made the team feel right at home. “The people were so down-to- earth and service-minded,” said Jordan Doyle ’12. “They took the time to learn our names and made our needs a priority. They treated us like they were honored to have us there while we felt honored to be there.” The OneVoice ensemble had planned to sing only one song, but they were so well received they were asked to sing several more before joining the Hillsong band to lead the youth in one of their own worship songs. “The atmosphere was filled with so much energy and total acceptance,” said Brittany Smith ’14. “I will never forget how it felt to serve God in a place that felt totally free.” “Lord, You are good, and Your mercy endureth forever,” OneVoice sang. These opening lyrics from their song You Are Good embodied the grateful spirit of each team member. “We nearly canceled this trip,” said Justin. “Yet in that one week, we led worship at Hillsong, met many unbelievers at outreach concerts, heard our CD on a Sydney gospel radio program, and, as a result, Australia’s largest Christian music and bookstore purchased our CD to make available in stores across the country and in England.” “The Bible says God can do exceedingly above all that we can ask or imagine,” Justin said. “It seems He used this experience to demonstrate the reality of that verse to us.” cedarville.edu/onevoice campus news CEDARVILLE UNIVERSITY 3