Planetshakers
Planetshakers is a
Christian youth movement that began as an annual conference and grew into an international ministry and large church in
Melbourne,
Australia. The conference was born out of
Paradise Community Church in
Adelaide,
South Australia by Pastor
Russell Evans. Planetshakers expanded, and in
2004 moved to
Melbourne to begin a church ministry (originally called Melbourne City Church). Planetshakers also has its own bible college which is located in several campuses throughout
Australia.
Planetshakers' stated mission is to "empower a generation to win a generation".
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Conferences
Planetshakers runs annual conferences in several Australian states. The first conference held in
Adelaide in
1997 had 300 delegates, growing to reach 20,000 nation-wide by
2004.
The 2007 conference period saw
Perth,
Brisbane,
Sydney and
Melbourne as venues, and marking the 11th anniversary. Melbourne, being the primary venue, hosted the conference in
Vodafone Arena, part of
Olympic Park.
The conferences were held in Melbourne, Brisbane, Sydney and Perth in January 2008. Melbourne at
Vodafone Arena from 2-5 January 2008; Brisbane 7-10 January 2008 at
Brisbane Convention Centre; Sydney 9-12 January 2008 at
Sydney Olympic Park in the Sports Centre (formally State Sports Centre); and finally Perth on 15-18 January at
Challenge Stadium.
The 2009 Planetshakers conference tour will be moved to April, instead of January as in all past years.
Conference speakers have in the past included Glen Berteau, Jurgen Matthesius, Rich Wilkerson,
Mal Fletcher, Pat Schazline, Jude Fouquier, Matthew Barnett, Judah Smith,
Reinhard Bonnke, Reggie Dabbs and
Chris Hill. With messages containing memorable catch-cries such as "crossing over", "seizing the day" and "breaking out of the box", and "SHUT THE FRONT DOOR!". They strive to "empower a generation to win a generation". Young people are often challenged to deeper levels of surrender, repentance, passion, and faith in Jesus Christ.
In September of each year, Planetshakers also runs the smaller Planet Worship conference. Speakers in 2006 included Glen Berteau, Russell Evans, and Henry Seeley. The conference has been held at the Dallas Brooks Centre in Melbourne.
Growing internationally, Planetshakers now also runs conferences in
Malaysia,
Singapore and
South Africa, with a desire to expand to the
United States of America. They ministered at Singapore's Faith Community Baptist Church in
Singapore Expo's max Pavilion in 2006.
Internationally in 2007, Planetshakers band will play at events in
Hong Kong,
the USA,
the UK,
New Zealand,
Malaysia,
Singapore and
South Africa.
Planetshakers has also had relationships with Australian
Youth Alive events, which often cross-promotes the conference and college to tens of thousands of young people.
City Church
Planetshakers City Church (formerly
City Church Melbourne) is a
Pentecostal Christian church affiliated with
Australian Christian Churches, the
Assemblies of God in Australia. The church started when the Planetshakers band and ministry moved to
Melbourne in
2004, and currently meets in hired auditoriums throughout Central Melbourne. The church is pastored by Russell and Sam Evans and has attendance over 4000, and throughout most of 2005 ran three services per weekend, commonly approaching capacity. Currently, the church is held at the
Dallas Brooks Centre, with two Sunday services, 3:00pm and 5:15pm (both with a full kids program). The church also made use of the Arrow building for baptism services but due to the increased attendance the baptism services have been moved to Richmond AOG Church in Melbourne.
The church's
youth ministry called "PlanetBoom" is led by pastors Chad and Tiffany Harding, running Friday nights (7:15pm) during school terms at Collingwood Town Hall or Melbourne High School (check website for details). The youth ministry has become so successful that the Catholic and Anglican churches are looking at adopting Planetshakers' methods.
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The church also runs a children's ministry called "Planetkids", led by pastors Rob and Assunta Bradbury, which is held concurrently with the main church service at 3:00pm & 5:15pm. Planetkids also runs an annual children's conference, with the second conference for 2007 being held at
Melbourne High School in the September holidays. ("Planetkids goes Space")
"planetUNI" is the church's university students ministry overseen by pastor Matt Fielder and comprises local and international students as well as recent graduates being active in the group. In addition to fortnightly meetings (Urban Life groups), a new outreach event will be held once a month on a Friday night aiming to attract university students.
"Urban Life" groups (basically
cell groups) are run fortnightly in homes spread around all parts of Melbourne, offering discipleship and connection with other people outside of Church. They include different age areas, such as kids (held in the Church service each week), teenagers (PlanetBoom), university students (planetUNI), young adults and adults.
There are also various other ministries serving and reaching out to women (Beautiful Woman) and business people (Kingdom Life).
College
Planetshakers Ministries have set up a bible school for the gifted, aptly named,
Planetshakers College. There are several campuses running in most major Australian states. In Perth (WA), Newcastle (NSW), Brisbane (QLD) and Melbourne (VIC). The college is affiliated with
Southern Cross College and emphasizes on impartation, not academic learning. They offer a fully accredited course for the Certificate IV in Contemporary Leadership which runs as a year long course. Students can then choose to go on and complete a Diploma version for a second year. The aim of the college is the same as the Planetshakers movement, "empowering a generation, to win a generation". Many well known individuals associated with the Planetshakers conference including Henry Seeley, Russell and Sam Evans, Martin Steele and Mike Guglielmucci serve as guest lecturers during the course of the year.
Music
The Planetshakers band is the central part of their events, bearing a worship-woven modern pop-rock sound attractive to young people. The
2003 Australian Idol winner
Guy Sebastian was also a part of the Planetshakers band for several years, taking both lead and backup vocal parts on the
2002 and
2003 albums and conferences. Many of the musicians originated from Youth Alive South Australia, which also released CDs. Some of the songs written by current band members for the Youth Alive albums, such as 'Phenomena' and 'God of Miracles' (from Youth Alive Western Australia) have also featured on Planetshakers earlier albums.
In 2004, their
CD Open Up The Gates was nominated for
Praise and Worship Album of the Year for the
Dove Awards.
Planetshakers announced at their 2008 conference that they would no longer be producing two live albums each year. They instead announced that they will record one live album per year, and they will release tracks via subscription to the "Planetshakers Revolution" - a new online music/resource distribution system designed to consolidate and build upon different products that they already offer. These include backing tracks, music videos, and new releases of CGI "music videos" based on CGI graphics used at Planetshakers City Church and conferences.
Planetshakers TV
A television show, titled
Planetshakers TV is currently in production and is scheduled to air on the
Australian Christian Channel in
2008. The program will include all-new filmed material as well as Planetshakers songs and preaching from the conferences and church.
See also
References
External links
Australian
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I am very sorry to hear this account and pray that wherever the author is that Gods blessing is upon them and pray that they find a great church to keep growing!
In regards to going to church even when your sick – i believe its a personal choice. I hate getting sick especially vomiting, but PS are hardly to blame. Planetshakers church doesnt hold a role-call as im sure every church doesnt, yet im sure they would have meant it with good intentions (healing/prayer team ready) when they said to come even if ur sick. If i had a serious illness there would not be a better place than at the alter and have people pray for me because Gods words says to bring the sick for the elders to anoint them with oil for healing etc….
In regards to tithing and accusing planetshakers of leeching: I give my tithe because its a biblical principle… 10% belongs to God and we are to BRING IT to the storehouse/his house – its in HIS WORD. God looks at the heart and I would rather look to God and honour his word than worry about how the church is using the money. Because at the end of the day they have to deal with God if they are doing wrong not me! And at the end of the day when we bring or tithe/give offering… we do so IN FAITH… its not faith when you question and worry about where that money is going to.
In regards to love offerings etc…. its a matter of the heart! Ive never felt influenced to give more than i have prepared. although sometimes i have felt convicted… but those times where wen i didnt prepare my tithe so i felt i should give something but nothing can replace giving God whats his so the 90% is blessed!
With the comment about buying conference tickets for family and friends – its obviously for those who have the means to. You really shouldnt have starved so if you helped people out and starved then im sure God saw your heart. I think its great to be a blessing to someone and even mroe amazing that if you cant afford to go there are people in the church willing to bless you too-just reach out!
ANYWAYS I could keep going but i will leave it here for now.
At the end of the day if planetshakers, or any other church wasnt doing the right thing the church would not propser because we know God is not one to mess with! Even looking at Mike Gugz… many could never have imaged what he was hiding but at the end of the day everything was brought into the light and everything stopped.
Planetshakers is not a “group” but a church and if that church is covered by the blood of Jesus and you judge it…. your not judging them but your judging Jesus because his blood is covering them!
Ps im a new christian and would have loved to add scriptures but im still learning everyday by the Grace of God!
GOD BLESS!
So you are Jewish, still under the Law?
No, of course not. You are under grace, don’t believe the erroneous teaching about the 10% tithe. Give, and give generously, the Lord loves a cheerful giver – search the scriptures, see the Truth written there for the New Covenant believer.
Read this article “Thoughts On Tithing” by John Macarthur ….
http://www.biblebb.com/files/MAC/tithe.htm
Just two comments.
You said, “At the end of the day if planetshakers, or any other church wasnt doing the right thing the church would not propser because we know God is not one to mess with!”
Actually God lets lost of crazy groups, even non-Christian ones “prosper”, if by that you mean grow in numbers and have lots of money and buildings. Look around. And if Planetshakers or any other church has a decrease in numbers or money, it won’t necessarily mean that God’s blessing has gone. These things happen.
Second. you said, “God looks at the heart and I would rather look to God and honour his word than worry about how the church is using the money. Because at the end of the day they have to deal with God if they are doing wrong not me! its not faith when you question and worry about where that money is going to.
I think you have a great heart and a great attitude. But don’t let anyone tell you that you are lacking in faith if you question something. Please! Questions are good. They can save your life.
Lastly, if you read the article Teddy introduced, and you study the scriptures, and decided that macarthur is wrong and tithing is right, go for it! If you on the other hand, realize that tithing is not a requirement for New Testament believers, don’t throw away everything you have been taught at Planetshakers. I’m sure there are great people there. ANd that they teach a lot of great stuff.
But one thing I can say is that not a lot of preachers have really studied much about tithing – it was a lot more complex than what you might have been led to believe.
God bless. And remember mostly reality and truth is somewhere between two extremes
There’s room between 1. Planetshakers is the best church and nothing is wrong because they are prospering so I shouldn’t question anything and 2. Planetshakers is a money cult where nobody experiences God.
http://www.gotquestions.org/search.php?zoom_sort=0&zoom_query=tithing&search.x=10&search.y=21
Of course we are still to follow the Law. Grace doesn’t mean we are exempt from the Law, grace is actually empowerment to go beyond one’s natural ability to follow God. God put the Law there to protect us.
Just because the Old Testament is way in the past; it doesn’t mean it no longer applies to God’s children who are saved by the sacrifice Jesus made for us.
@The writer of this article: I’m actually from Planetshakers and they’ve done nothing but encourage me to grow in God!
I’m sorry you gave out of compulsion. I doubt someone actually put a gun against your head and told you to, hey? I honestly don’t care how right you think you are (along with anyone else). It is for God to judge who wolves on sheep’s clothing are, not us!
I pray God has dealt with your heart between the time you wrote this, and now. If not, then I pray He will.
I”m not trying to be sarcastic. It’s an either/or situation. Either Law or Grace. Read Galatians. Take a look at the incredibly ignorant man who tried to obey everything in the Bible for a year as a way of dissing it (“The Year of Living Biblically” was his book), or on a more positive note Philip Yancy’s book “What’s So Amazing About Grace?”
Also it absolutely IS up to us to discern who are the wolves. Why else would Jesus COMMAND us to watch out for them?
And heads up, Leigh, when you use phrases like “God has dealt with your heart” … it comes across as judgmental.
*credits to: http://groupsects.wordpress.com/2010/07/06/seeing-through-planetshakers/