A U . S . expatriate , Alex has been a vital part of Hillsong ’ s Young & Free for many years . He also serves as Campus Creative Pastor in Sydney , Australia . Our interview with Alex focused primarily on Hillsong Young & Free ’ s recently released EP , Out Here on a Friday Where it Began , a great collection of new songs .
[ WM ] Alex . What a pleasure it is to visit with you today !
[ Alex Pappas ] From one Alex to another … it ’ s great to be here with you !
[ WM ] I was surprised to see that you and I both originally hail from Southern California . I also read that you spent much of your growing up years in Coeur d ’ Alene , Idaho . What a beautiful place ! At the 7-week mark of a 10- week Randy Stonehill Tour many years ago , I chose to spend my three days off there in
Coeur d ’ Alene . I have never forgotten it . Is that where you began leading worship ? What were some pivotal worship songs to your faith during that time ?
[ Alex ] Then you know that Coeur d ’ Alene is a hidden paradise ! Yes , that ’ s right , I was given my first opportunity to lead worship at my local Youth Group when I was 17 years old . My youth pastor handed me a copy of Hillsong United ’ s United We Stand record and told me to go for it . Crazy of him to trust the worship team to a 17-year-old , but it taught me at a young age , we ’ re all risks , but God has a way of using people with a good heart ( and little talent ) to do something significant with what He ’ s put in their hands .
That whole record was pivotal for our team , but if I had to name a song or two , I ’ d always come back to “ From the Inside Out ” and “ None
But Jesus .” Those songs not only helped us encounter Jesus in new powerful ways , but frankly formed much of the theology of who I ’ ve come to know Jesus to be .
[ WM ] And so , your move to Hillsong Australia eventually led to your role at Hillsong and Young & Free . You also serve as Creative Pastor there . Please tell us what that term entails .
[ Alex ] After diving in head-first into volunteering full-time in church for the better part of four years , I was brought on as Youth Creative Pastor . It was half Youth , half “ big church .” Any youth pastors reading this know that means full time youth and full-time church ! ( laughing ) I joke , but I ’ m so grateful for those years of all-out ministry as a young adult , which prepared me for my current role of Campus Creative Pastor of our Sydney City Campus . I look after a team of 400 + people of primarily