Though the music of Sydney, Australia’s Hillsong Church has impacted the global Church for over a decade, it has only been in recent years that the their youth worship team, Hillsong United, has exploded. Their passionate lyrics and fresh brand of modern rock helped catapult them to top-selling status and earned the group the Gospel Music Association’s International Award as well as Dove Award nominations for “Group of the Year” and “Praise and Worship Album.” Amidst the growing zeal for the Aussie group, Hillsong United released their latest album, Tear Down The Walls.

Originally, there was no plan for United to become a recording artist and touring band. United is first and foremost a vibrant and active youth ministry and a sophisticated operation with over 200 young people directly involved creatively as musicians, vocalists, production techs, artists and designers. The key musicians and worship leaders who appear on the albums also help direct the age-focused worship teams that meet weekly for a time of music, worship and discipleship.

Hillsong Church has long drawn its worship leaders from the deep and talented pool of songwriters discovered in its United youth ministry, which includes over 3,000 young people at the church’s Sydney and suburban campuses. This includes worship leaders and songwriters Joel Houston, Reuben Morgan and Marty Sampson.

“One of the strengths of our church is the way the youth are embraced and encouraged to be a part of all that is happening,” says Joel. “It’s what makes United distinctive. We’re not just a band. The very nature of who we are and what we do is inclusive. It’s a discipling model. Everything we (the current band) do is because someone gave us an opportunity.”

I got the chance to interview Hillsong United member Joel Houston about the song “Tear Down The Walls.” Here are the answers to the questions I asked Joel.

Please tell me about the personal story behind writing the song “Tear Down The Walls,” especially regarding the lyrics “Oh, for all the sons and daughters, Who are walking in the darkness, You are calling us to lead them back to You.”

In writing songs for All of the Above, a lot of our songs are about fleshing out the ideas of worship and justice. Songs like “Solution” and “Point of Difference” are based on the theme of justice and are mission-minded from a “let’s be the Hands and Feet of Jesus” point of view. After those songs, we held our annual youth gathering, “Encounter,” and I personally felt we needed to write an evangelistic song. The reason for our love is not to have a service agenda, but we want people to be won for Christ. We want to see people come and have a saving relationship with Jesus. The theme of this song is to love people without an agenda or condition, but to “tear down the walls” between us and Jesus.

Please tell me about any Bible verses you used to write this song.

Romans 11:36-12:2: For of Him and through Him and to Him are all things, to whom be glory forever. Amen. I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.

What do you consider to be the take-away message of the song?

Romans 12 gives me strength and helps me to not be afraid to live for His glory. God created everything and everyone. Everything takes place by God’s design. I take courage from that Scripture. Why separate ourselves from the world? Let’s understand that everything is under His control.

The album title is Across The Earth: Tear Down The Walls and that’s where we are coming from as a global ministry. Everything is about Jesus and our hope. We were just in New York City and where do you go from there? It’s so big and grand. I was talking to a friend who lives in New York City and he said there’s such a sense of hopelessness there. People are chasing dreams and aspirations but without Jesus, we’re all empty. As simple as it is, every song we write is about Jesus. We are moved by Romans 12 and the idea that we are a “living sacrifice.” My prayer for everyone that we encounter is that they come to know Jesus.

Here are the lyrics:

Tear down the walls see the world
Is there something we have missed
Turn from ourselves
Look beyond
There is so much more than this

And I don’t need to see it to believe it
I don’t need to see it to believe it
Cause I can’t shake this
Fire deep inside my heart

Look to the skies hope arise
See His majesty revealed
More than this life there is love
There is hope and this is real

Cause I don’t need to see it to believe it
I don’t need to see it to believe it
Cause I can’t shake this fire burning
Deep inside my heart

This life is Yours and hope is rising
As Your glory floods our hearts
Let love tear down these walls
That all creation would
Come back to You
It’s all for You

Your Name is glorious
Glorious
Your love is changing us
Calling us
To worship in spirit and in truth
As all creation returns to You

Oh for all the sons and daughters
Who are walking in the darkness
You are calling us to lead them back to You
We will see Your spirit rising
As the lost come out of hiding
Every heart will see this hope we have in You

Cause I don’t need to see it to believe it
I don’t need to see it to believe it
Cause I can’t shake this fire burning
Deep inside my heart

This life is Yours and hope is rising
As Your glory floods our hearts
Let love tear down these walls
That all creation would
Come back to You
It’s all for You

Your Name is glorious
Glorious
Your love is changing us
Calling us
To worship in spirit and in truth
As all creation returns to You (x2)

A song like “Tear Down The Walls” is an amazing example of the heart and ministry of Hillsong. The journey of their ministry has led millions of believers around the world to live out the words of their great songs. The global church and the power of all of us as believers living for Jesus can “tear down the walls” between us and Him. Hillsong UNITED challenges me to live to for Jesus as a “living sacrifice.” All of us are absolutely dependent on God. He is the source of all things, and He works in all of us to bring glory to Him. God wants us to offer ourselves as “living sacrifices” out of gratitude for the forgiveness of our sins. God’s love is “changing us, calling us,” and He wants us to be “transformed by the renewing of our mind.” It’s all for Him.

You can listen to the song here.