My trip to Hillsong was incredible! I love Aussies! They have a lot of enthusiasm for life and are really generous people. (They have really cool accents, too.) I fed kangaroos, petted koalas and got to see some of the city of Sydney.
My time with the United guys was really encouraging. [Hillsong United is the youth ministry of Hillsong Church.] I met a lot of teenagers who are excited about following Jesus and are willing to stand alone and stand strong. I had the privilege of speaking on Friday and Saturday and also participated in a conference with youth leaders from around the country.
One of the other speakers was an American youth pastor named Judah Smith. He had a lot of awesome stuff to say. One of his messages was "Mistaken Love." He talked about how he's drawn some boundaries in his life in terms of the movies he sees and the kind of things he says and does. Some people think that's legalism. But he says he's made those decisions because he's in love—in love with Jesus. He challenged others not to mistake his love for God for legalism. It really made an impact on me.
Some of the other people who made a big impression on me were the young guys from the next generation of the Hillsong United band. They just released some really fresh worship music on an EP called In a Valley by the Sea. These guys are all great servants and so humble. You can check out the EP here.
The guys from United have also launched an effort called "The I Heart Revolution," encouraging our generation to love others in a revolutionary way. One night while I was there, Hillsong’s creative director Joel Houston described a village in Brazil where young kids are addicted to drugs and exploited victims of violent crime. He had a dream that the students from Hillsong could provide relief and hope to those kids by building a community center. Joel is a strong and optimistic leader, the kind of guy people want to follow. That night the kids at Encounterfest raised $80,000 for the center in Brazil! It was incredible!
I was really encouraged by the eagerness these students have to serve Jesus and serve the world. On Friday, I spoke about modern-day slavery and my belief that God can use anyone to make a difference. I met a teenager named Tahnee who felt God was calling her to get involved. In the few weeks since I've been home, she has already met with her youth pastor, crafted a plan to reach high schools throughout Australia and now calls herself Australia's Female Abolitionist. She didn't see the barriers or believe the problem was too big. She decided to make a difference right where she was and to use her voice on behalf of children who don't have a voice. People like Tahnee keep me going when things get discouraging.
I was also impressed by everyone's willingness to embrace a message from a teenager. In some places I go, I feel people don't really believe I have much to offer because I’m a teen. It was great to walk into a place where I didn't have to prove anything. They already believed that God could use someone like me and their own students. I think that's a huge credit to Hillsong’s youth ministry.
I have the opportunity to visit the White House in a few weeks. I'll let you know how it goes.
Pray for me, bros! 
