DARLENE ZSCHECH DELIVERS THE ‘KISS OF HEAVEN’ - printed by permission
Darlene, when did you record your first album?
I recorded my very first solo album about 13 or 14 years ago. It’s a bit of a collector’s item (laughs) - the cover photo is to die for… not! I’ve made a couple more since then, but I’ve just been waiting for the right time really, with our family and church commitments.
Mark and I are on staff at Hillsong Church, and I’m the worship pastor, so after being a Mum and doing that, this project has definitely had to take second, third, or fourth place! I feel very blessed and feel like it has been the right time to do this project.
The first time people saw you performing it was in Australia as a 10-year old on the Happy Go Round television show, and later they heard you on jingles for KFC, Diet Coke, Special K and McDonalds. These are things you do to prepare for a pop career. Was that your goal at the time?
I think, many years ago, I would have loved to have been a pop singer or something like that. I praise God for age now, and a little bit more wisdom and understanding of what some of the true values of life are. I certainly don’t struggle with that thought anymore.
You’re known today as a worship leader and composer of songs like Shout to the Lord, I Will Run to You, All Things Are Possible and The Potter’s Hand. When did your passion for worship begin?
My passion for worship really started to develop from the moment that I got saved, at fifteen. I guess also because I’ve been paid to sing full time since I was ten, I had a small understanding of what I thought, then, was the reason for music.
Once I got saved and really met Jesus, my whole understanding of why music was even there, started to change, and I’ve been on that journey, discovering freedom and integrity in worship, for many years now. Sometimes, I feel like I just know less and less!
One thing I do know, is that through worship, and through learning how to love my God with a whole heart; through that process, the walls of my heart have softened, and I just want to worship my God in spirit and in truth.
In discovering how to worship God in “spirit and in truth”, how do singers and artists fit within the church framework?
One of the things that I have been challenged with over the years is where musicians and singers and artists ‘fit’ within the framework of local church. What I’ve discovered, is if the heart of the church is healthy, there is always a place for someone who just wants to serve and celebrate community in the magnificence of being a part of a family.
There is always a place for musicians and singers within a healthy church framework.
It doesn’t mean that you can only play your music inside a church. In Psalm 84, it says “blessed are those who dwell in Your house, they are ever praising”.
One thing I know is that when the artists of the world; the passionate people of the world; the creative people; when they find themselves ‘ever praising’, which comes out of being planted in a great house, it really causes them to be very strong.
Once they are strong, they can go anywhere, and just be anointed to worship the Lord wherever they find themselves.
It’s a magnificent thing to be part of. I’ve personally found that once I’ve let go of my own agenda and let myself fall into the hands of God and serve to whatever: music, cleaning, just serving to see the Kingdom of God established where God has planted me, then I have watched God put legs on all of my dreams!
Really, it’s the promise of Matthew 6, and the heart of our awesome God towards His kids.
That journey you’re talking about has led you to serve Him at Hillsong Church in Sydney?
I’m very much still the worship pastor of Hillsong Church, where I oversee this wonderful, wonderful, team of people who love the Lord and just want to serve Him through their gifts.
Also watching over and making sure the integrity of worship is alive and well, and that the church will have a greater understanding, week after week, of what it actually means to open their heart to the Lord through praise and worship. This is one of the greatest honors in my life and I love it very much!
What role does Mark your husband play at the church?
Mark, my lovely husband, oversees all the media in Hillsong church, all the print and TV production and many other things. We have also established Mercy Ministries of Australia, where Mark is much more “hands on”, especially at the moment. We are watching Mercy explode in our nation. It is very needful.
In a sense, the new solo project Kiss of Heaven takes you full circle. It takes you back to your early days when you were singing pop music, but now with a confidence and spiritual sensitivity that we’ve only heard on your worship albums. Is this a new direction for you?
Kiss of Heaven isn’t a change of musical direction for me at all but, it really comes out of the fact that I write a lot of songs. I sing and I record a lot of music. I can’t remember a week in many years that I haven’t recorded somewhere, for something. It’s really a part of what I do and who I am.
These songs are more of an expression of some of the music that is in me, but is not necessarily congregational singing. There are still a few songs in there that are congregational songs, but some of them are just songs from my heart to the Lord, or my heart to my husband and celebrating that.
Talking about congregational music, I understand you also working on a new Hillsong project now.
We are always working on a Hillsong recording! We have recently finished Simply Worship 6, and now we go into rehearsal mode for our next live album. It’s pretty exciting and a great honor and I do not take the responsibility lightly. I love it!
Australia has a number of outstanding Churches that started small, but now impact the world in a very profound way. What is it about the Australian Churches- Hillsong in particular- that has helped achieved this?
Australia is originally called “the great south land of the Holy Spirit’… maybe we’re getting back to Australia’s inheritance? I think there are many reasons that Hillsong Church and many other churches around our nation are having some sort of impact at the moment.
I think great leadership (is a factor); I think healthy houses are full of joy. We’re very imperfect houses but we really try and reach out into the community and meet the need that is right in front of us. I think just having a place where people can come and worship their hearts out and love the Lord, where is a lot of joy, and its not very religious, is really critical.
And I think the music is very strategic in all of that. In fact, throughout history, wherever there has been a great revival, there has always been a new song, so maybe that’s part of the reason as well.
You cannot ignore the supernatural hand of God and His favor. We would be very presumptuous to ever take any credit.
Apart from people who have dedicated their lives and are working hard, it is God and He is going before us and opening doors that no man can shut! And I think that (‘going before”
is available for every single person.
Just as Christian music from Australia is having an impact globally, Christian music is today beginning to have an impact on mainstream music. Why do you think that is?
I think it the impact Christian music is having around the globe now, is awesome! I don’t think it’s any coincidence. I think God is moving, I think we’re trying very hard to keep the stones quiet as we rise up in worship with integrity, with strength, with conviction and with a new song in our hearts.
I pray that more music that is “God music” will be heard right through mainstream radio and in that arena, because isn’t that where we should be… light in the dark? I think it’s very awesome. The church is rising and it is a great season for the church in the earth at the moment. As the dark gets darker… the light gets brighter. Praise God!
Darlene, when did you record your first album?
I recorded my very first solo album about 13 or 14 years ago. It’s a bit of a collector’s item (laughs) - the cover photo is to die for… not! I’ve made a couple more since then, but I’ve just been waiting for the right time really, with our family and church commitments.
Mark and I are on staff at Hillsong Church, and I’m the worship pastor, so after being a Mum and doing that, this project has definitely had to take second, third, or fourth place! I feel very blessed and feel like it has been the right time to do this project.
The first time people saw you performing it was in Australia as a 10-year old on the Happy Go Round television show, and later they heard you on jingles for KFC, Diet Coke, Special K and McDonalds. These are things you do to prepare for a pop career. Was that your goal at the time?
I think, many years ago, I would have loved to have been a pop singer or something like that. I praise God for age now, and a little bit more wisdom and understanding of what some of the true values of life are. I certainly don’t struggle with that thought anymore.
You’re known today as a worship leader and composer of songs like Shout to the Lord, I Will Run to You, All Things Are Possible and The Potter’s Hand. When did your passion for worship begin?
My passion for worship really started to develop from the moment that I got saved, at fifteen. I guess also because I’ve been paid to sing full time since I was ten, I had a small understanding of what I thought, then, was the reason for music.
Once I got saved and really met Jesus, my whole understanding of why music was even there, started to change, and I’ve been on that journey, discovering freedom and integrity in worship, for many years now. Sometimes, I feel like I just know less and less!
One thing I do know, is that through worship, and through learning how to love my God with a whole heart; through that process, the walls of my heart have softened, and I just want to worship my God in spirit and in truth.
In discovering how to worship God in “spirit and in truth”, how do singers and artists fit within the church framework?
One of the things that I have been challenged with over the years is where musicians and singers and artists ‘fit’ within the framework of local church. What I’ve discovered, is if the heart of the church is healthy, there is always a place for someone who just wants to serve and celebrate community in the magnificence of being a part of a family.
There is always a place for musicians and singers within a healthy church framework.
It doesn’t mean that you can only play your music inside a church. In Psalm 84, it says “blessed are those who dwell in Your house, they are ever praising”.
One thing I know is that when the artists of the world; the passionate people of the world; the creative people; when they find themselves ‘ever praising’, which comes out of being planted in a great house, it really causes them to be very strong.
Once they are strong, they can go anywhere, and just be anointed to worship the Lord wherever they find themselves.
It’s a magnificent thing to be part of. I’ve personally found that once I’ve let go of my own agenda and let myself fall into the hands of God and serve to whatever: music, cleaning, just serving to see the Kingdom of God established where God has planted me, then I have watched God put legs on all of my dreams!
Really, it’s the promise of Matthew 6, and the heart of our awesome God towards His kids.
That journey you’re talking about has led you to serve Him at Hillsong Church in Sydney?
I’m very much still the worship pastor of Hillsong Church, where I oversee this wonderful, wonderful, team of people who love the Lord and just want to serve Him through their gifts.
Also watching over and making sure the integrity of worship is alive and well, and that the church will have a greater understanding, week after week, of what it actually means to open their heart to the Lord through praise and worship. This is one of the greatest honors in my life and I love it very much!
What role does Mark your husband play at the church?
Mark, my lovely husband, oversees all the media in Hillsong church, all the print and TV production and many other things. We have also established Mercy Ministries of Australia, where Mark is much more “hands on”, especially at the moment. We are watching Mercy explode in our nation. It is very needful.
In a sense, the new solo project Kiss of Heaven takes you full circle. It takes you back to your early days when you were singing pop music, but now with a confidence and spiritual sensitivity that we’ve only heard on your worship albums. Is this a new direction for you?
Kiss of Heaven isn’t a change of musical direction for me at all but, it really comes out of the fact that I write a lot of songs. I sing and I record a lot of music. I can’t remember a week in many years that I haven’t recorded somewhere, for something. It’s really a part of what I do and who I am.
These songs are more of an expression of some of the music that is in me, but is not necessarily congregational singing. There are still a few songs in there that are congregational songs, but some of them are just songs from my heart to the Lord, or my heart to my husband and celebrating that.
Talking about congregational music, I understand you also working on a new Hillsong project now.
We are always working on a Hillsong recording! We have recently finished Simply Worship 6, and now we go into rehearsal mode for our next live album. It’s pretty exciting and a great honor and I do not take the responsibility lightly. I love it!
Australia has a number of outstanding Churches that started small, but now impact the world in a very profound way. What is it about the Australian Churches- Hillsong in particular- that has helped achieved this?
Australia is originally called “the great south land of the Holy Spirit’… maybe we’re getting back to Australia’s inheritance? I think there are many reasons that Hillsong Church and many other churches around our nation are having some sort of impact at the moment.
I think great leadership (is a factor); I think healthy houses are full of joy. We’re very imperfect houses but we really try and reach out into the community and meet the need that is right in front of us. I think just having a place where people can come and worship their hearts out and love the Lord, where is a lot of joy, and its not very religious, is really critical.
And I think the music is very strategic in all of that. In fact, throughout history, wherever there has been a great revival, there has always been a new song, so maybe that’s part of the reason as well.
You cannot ignore the supernatural hand of God and His favor. We would be very presumptuous to ever take any credit.
Apart from people who have dedicated their lives and are working hard, it is God and He is going before us and opening doors that no man can shut! And I think that (‘going before”
is available for every single person.Just as Christian music from Australia is having an impact globally, Christian music is today beginning to have an impact on mainstream music. Why do you think that is?
I think it the impact Christian music is having around the globe now, is awesome! I don’t think it’s any coincidence. I think God is moving, I think we’re trying very hard to keep the stones quiet as we rise up in worship with integrity, with strength, with conviction and with a new song in our hearts.
I pray that more music that is “God music” will be heard right through mainstream radio and in that arena, because isn’t that where we should be… light in the dark? I think it’s very awesome. The church is rising and it is a great season for the church in the earth at the moment. As the dark gets darker… the light gets brighter. Praise God!
