Attending Hillsong College - my experiences
UPDATED! I have recently updated this page to also include information about obtaining an Australian Student Visa, accommodation options and course costs.
The one type of email that comes through from this website the most is from people asking about Hillsong College! I thought it would be easiest, to answer all your questions in a weblog post rather than trying to reply to every email I receive and not giving it justice!
All I can say is that Hillsong college was the best experience of my life. Over the next few paragraphs I will try my best to encapsulate into words what a phenomenal impact that going to Hillsong for three years had on my life.
Getting to Australia:
#1 Obtaining an Australian Student visa
Make sure that you go through the correct channels to get a student Visa, listed below are a few government websites that will provide invaluable information about living an studying in Australia. There are also some great websites with free eligibility assessments as well.
#2 Course costs:
- Department of Education, Training and Youth Affairs - Hillsong College page
Includes course costs in Australian dollars - click on each course at the bottom for more information on each course. - Currency calc
#3 Insurance:
Health insurance varies for overseas students depending on the health fund, but a general rule is that it’s about AUD$75 per three months.
When you get to Hillsong College:
#1 - God calls…
It’s a little hard to express my gratitude to God for asking me to go and do Leadership training at Hillsong. I think this is my first point. You must feel called to do it, if God isn’t in the decision to go to College, then don’t do it. Your not doing Hillsong Church any favours by being there, the thing to remember is that it’s not about you, it’s about what God can do in you by placing you in that house. It’s an amazing place to be in regardless of whether you are called to be planted there or not. But imagine how much sweeter it would be if you were ment to be there, not just because it’s Hillsong.
#2 - Get planted
The best thing that God in me when I first rocked up was give me a revelation about being planted. It was so strong that I thought I would be there the rest of my life. He basically said to me to shut up and learn, to leave my own thinking behind and embrace all the revelation that He wanted to give me at Hillsong. This not only included revelation from the word, but also allowing myself to recieve revelation while submitted to strong leadership. In all areas of my life, God chose college at Hillsong to deal with much of my thinking. It was such an immersive experience allowing the word from the pulpit on Sunday’s to small lectures during the week to mould and shape me into the man God wants me to be.
#3 - Serve
To get the most from Hillsong College, the best thing I can recomend is to get a revelation on serving. Throw yourself into it and see what God will do. It’s a great place to see your heart tested. I can vividly remember the first conference I served (Colour Conference in March) and all the things that God brought to the surface through that experience. It was tough, I had to reach deep to finish that week, but I can honestly say that God pulled off some miracles in me. Predominantly God showed me that he wanted me to serve Him, and not man. Otherwise I would constantly look for validation through the words of men, rather than God’s.
#4 - Enlarge
Get ready to enlarge your thinking. If there is one place that can enlarge your thinking, it’s Hillsong! There is so much vision there, you can’t not be effected by it. It’s easy to allow yourself to become hardened to change. But my suggestion is to embrace it. As a church, we need to roll with the times in order to be relevant to the times! Hillsong is a great place to learn how to be relevant, while dogedly staying true to the truth of God’s word.
#5 - The Why behind the How
At Hillsong, there is a reason for doing everything. If there is no reason to do something, then don’t do it. If it’s not relevant to the present, then there’s no reason to do it! Serving at Hillsong is very intentional and focussed.
#6 - Passion and Purpose
Before Hillsong, I was mearly dating God, now the true romance has begun, and I can honesly say, there is no turning back. While at College I fell in love with God and His word, and He began to reveal to me His plans and purposes for my life. I remember driving somewhere up behind church one day and asking Him what He wanted me to do with my life. I heard three words… “Build My Church”. I can say the from that moment on, no matter what church I’m in, I would always be connected, relevant and purposful in the house of God, wheather I was at Hillsong or now serving at Generation Church on the Gold Coast.
#7 - Change your thinking
There are so many different things that God addressed in me while at college. If you are set in your ways and don’t want to change, I suggest asking God to soften your heart to His word and to people. To make the most out of College, always be learning, enlarging, growing and moving forward. This requires one of the most painful processes, addressing wrong thinking that you might have. There was, and still is, many areas that I want to grow in, it never stops, and it doesn’t get easier. But my sugesstion is to run to correction, whether it’s in the form of a word from your leader, from the pulpit on Sunday or direct from God and His word. So many people lose, because that refuse to listen and learn because they think they know what is right and cling desperately to their opinions. I could not express it more strongly, run to correction and all the goodness that it can bring you. It’s where pride is defeated, and God is victorious in your life.
Final Thoughts:
I hope that these few points will help you in your decision to go to college. Think carefully about your reasons for going. Are you certain it’s where you are called to be, go for it! God want’s to train and equipe the next generation of leaders and He is using Hillsong church (along with many other churches) to do so.
Anyway, feel free to leave a comment if you have any more questions. I will also try and answer your questions as best I can.
so be blessed!
Thanks for you help matt! Those were some really good points and thank you for your time.