The Planetshakers movement is a Pentecostal Christian movement that originated in Australia in the late 1990s. It is associated with Planetshakers Church, an international ministry founded by Russell and Sam Evans and based in Melbourne. The movement is known for its spirit-filled worship, emphasis on youth, use of contemporary music, and vision for ’empowering generations to win generations’.
Planetshakers Church began in 1997 when Russell Evans, along with members of the youth ministry he led, started a church service for youth in Melbourne. The services were characterized by loud, passionate worship music with a rock concert-like atmosphere. As the church grew, Planetshakers released albums under the name of its ministry band also called Planetshakers. Their music defined the worship style of the movement, with songs like “Nothing Is Impossible” and “The Anthem” becoming anthems in many charismatic and Pentecostal churches worldwide.
Central to the Planetshakers ethos is the belief that worship transforms lives. Their rallies and conferences always have extended times of singing and dancing as attendees express praise and worship freely. There is an expectation that God’s power will be displayed with healings, miracles and people being ‘slain in the Spirit’. Planetshakers teaches that worship brings breakthrough and empowerment. Their slogan is “empowering generations to win generations”.
In 2003, Planetshakers Church acquired a building in central Melbourne that could accommodate their growing congregation of over 2000 members. From 2004, they began hosting an annual Planetshakers youth conference that drew thousands of young people from Australia and internationally. These conferences boosted the momentum of the movement, as attendees would return home encouraged and inspired. Planetshakers Church continued to grow rapidly under Russell Evans’ leadership. It planted churches across Australia and now has 15 locations nationwide.
A key aspect of the Planetshakers movement is its focus on reaching and discipling the next generation. Their ministry places great importance on building a youth movement that can evangelize and train young people. Planetshakers Church has separate youth services and an active youth ministry. The Planetshakers conferences are predominantly attended by teenagers and young adults. Through its uncompromising contemporary style of worship and preaching, the movement aims to make Christianity relevant and attractive to the younger generation.
On an international level, the Planetshakers movement has spread primarily through its music and conferences. Planetshakers albums and songs have been embraced widely in charismatic churches globally. As a result, Planetshakers conferences now take place annually across North America, Europe, Africa, Asia and the South Pacific. These conferences are almost like the ‘pilgrimage’ of the movement, where thousands of young people travel to experience Planetshakers worship and teaching. Many attendees are inspired to take what they learn back to their local churches.
Some key theological emphases of the Planetshakers movement include the belief that miracles still happen today, the baptism of the Holy Spirit evidenced by speaking in tongues, the prophetic gifts, healing through laying on of hands and the prosperity gospel. Planetshakers is strongly committed to evangelism and missionary work. They actively support church planting initiatives and fundraising for missions.
The Planetshakers movement has not been without its controversies. Some criticize the ‘rock concert’ style as overly sensationalist and lacking reverence. Planetshakers has also been accused of prosperity teaching, with critics saying their focus on health, wealth and success lacks a call to suffering and sacrifice. However, Planetshakers also has many supporters who see their ministry as an effective way to make the Christian faith experiential and attractive to the current generation.
In summary, the Planetshakers movement emerged in Australia in the late 1990s, founded on loud, passionate contemporary worship and a vision to empower youth. Through its concerts and conferences, it has impacted many young people with its music and experiences. The Planetshakers ethos has spread internationally, shaping contemporary charismatic worship worldwide. It continues to grow as a global movement focused on equipping and activating the next generation of Christians.
The Planetshakers movement has its origins in the youth ministry of Planetshakers Church in Melbourne, Australia. The church was founded by Russell and Sam Evans in 1997 and rapidly grew to over 2000 members in just 5 years.
Some key events and milestones in the history of the Planetshakers movement include:
- 1997 – Russell Evans begins hosting youth services on Friday nights that featured loud worship music and a rock concert atmosphere.
- 1999 – Planetshakers releases its first album, “Where You Are”. Their songs define the musical style of the movement.
- 2002 – Planetshakers Church acquires a 2000 seat auditorium in Melbourne’s Central Business District to accommodate their growing congregation.
- 2003 – The first Planetshakers Conference is held in Melbourne, attended by 4000 people. This becomes an annual event.
- 2004 – Planetshakers starts planting churches across Australia. They now have 15 locations nationwide.
- 2006 -Planetshakers begins touring their conferences globally, taking their events to countries like Singapore, South Africa, Norway, USA and the UK.
- 2007 – Founder Russell Evans hands leadership of the church and movement to his son Sam Evans.
- 2010 – Planetshakers Conference is held in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia with over 13,000 youth in attendance.
- 2013 – Planetshakers raises funds to build a new 6000 seat auditorium at their Melbourne hub location.
- 2018 – The Planetshakers movement has impacted over 2 million people through albums, events and churches.
Theologically speaking, here are some of the key beliefs central to the Planetshakers movement:
- Divine Healing – Belief that God actively heals sicknesses and performs miracles today.
- Baptism in the Holy Spirit – Subsequent to conversion, evidenced by speaking in tongues.
- The Prophetic – God speaks through prophets today. Prophecies must be tested.
- Prosperity Gospel – God wants to bless His children financially and physically.
- Evangelism – Priority on saving lost souls and planting new churches.
- Youth Focus – Dedicated ministry to train, empower and release young people.
In terms of leadership, Russell and Sam Evans have been the primary leaders and ‘face’ of the Planetshakers movement.
Russell Evans was the founder and senior pastor of Planetshakers Church for the first decade. He pioneered the youth ministry and early events that ignited the movement. His leadership centered around creating an ‘electrifying environment’ where youth could encounter God’s power.
In 2003, Russell’s son Sam Evans took on more leadership and became an associate pastor under his father. He took over as senior pastor in 2007 when Russell stepped down. Sam brought even more focus on youth ministry and empowering young leaders. He continues to lead the Planetshakers movement today.
Other key leaders have included:
- Brett Price – National Creative Pastor and former worship leader
- Andy Harrison – Lead vocalist and former worship pastor
- Joth Hunt – Evangelism pastor and church planter
- Henry Seeley – Chief executive officer and elder
- Dave Vaughan – Conference director
The Planetshakers movement promotes quite a distinct culture among its followers. Here are some key characteristics of the subculture this movement has birthed:
- Passionate, expressive worship – raising hands, shouting, jumping, dancing are seen as natural responses during praise.
- Contemporary music and art forms are embraced. The electric guitar is a hallmark.
- Casual dress code – t-shirts, jeans, sneakers are normal church attire.
- Experiential faith – emphasis on ‘encountering’ God’s power, not just believing doctrine.
- Heavy use of social media – YouTube, Instagram central to community.
- High energy and excitement for life. Spontaneous humor.
- Strong sense of identity and loyalty to the movement.
There are also some common criticisms and concerns raised about the Planetshakers movement, including:
- Style over substance – focus on hype, noise and emotions without much depth.
- Prosperity gospel – preaching that promotes materialism and individualism.
- Authoritarian leadership – little accountability for leaders and no financial transparency.
- Exclusivity – attitude that they are better than other churches or Christians.
- Heretical practices – exaggerated claims of miracles, spiritual mysticism.
Of course Planetshakers also has many supporters who believe the movement has successfully connected with youth culture and promoted evangelism. It continues to draw tens of thousands to its conferences every year.
In conclusion, the Planetshakers movement has emerged in recent decades as a global Pentecostal force shaped by its loud worship music, revivalist conferences and vision to activate and empower the next generation. It has become one of Australia’s largest church exports, but also attracts significant criticism. Its high-energy style and experiential faith continue to resonate with many young people searching for an authentic Christian spirituality today.
Here are some key biblical principles that relate to the Planetshakers movement and its practices:
Loud, Joyful Worship
“Shout for joy to the LORD, all the earth. Worship the LORD with gladness; come before him with joyful songs.” (Psalm 100:1-2)
“Praise him with the sounding of the trumpet, praise him with the harp and lyre, praise him with timbrel and dancing, praise him with the strings and pipe, praise him with the clash of cymbals, praise him with resounding cymbals.” (Psalm 150:3-5)
Healing Ministry
“He called his twelve disciples to him and gave them authority to drive out impure spirits and to heal every disease and sickness.” (Matthew 10:1)
“Is anyone among you sick? Let them call the elders of the church to pray over them and anoint them with oil in the name of the Lord. And the prayer offered in faith will make the sick person well; the Lord will raise them up.” (James 5:14-15)
Gifts of the Holy Spirit
“There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit distributes them. There are different kinds of service, but the same Lord. There are different kinds of working, but in all of them and in everyone it is the same God at work. Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good.” (1 Corinthians 12:4-7)
Focus on Reaching the Youth
“Don’t let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith and in purity.” (1 Timothy 4:12)
While aspects like healing, prophecy and expressive worship have strong biblical foundations, teachings on wealth and miraculous claims should be tested against Scripture. Overall, making disciples and glorifying Jesus should be the aim.
The Planetshakers movement represents one of the most influential Pentecostal networks to arise out of Australia. While beginning as a local youth ministry in Melbourne, it has expanded globally and shaped contemporary charismatic Christianity. Here is an overview of the key factors that enabled the rapid growth and international impact of Planetshakers:
Leadership
The pioneering vision and entrepreneurial approach of Planetshakers’ leaders like Russell and Sam Evans was foundational. Their ambition to build a large youth movement and invest in events and music drove exponential growth.
Branding
Building the Planetshakers brand through its church, conferences, music albums and social media created a recognizable identity and culture that young people felt part of.
Contemporary Style
The modern sound and feel of Planetshakers ministry made Christianity seem current, creative and culturally engaging for generations X & Y.
Youth Ministry
Priority investment in youth ministry built a large base of young leaders and devotees committed to the movement long-term.
Passionate Worship
Planetshakers’ experiential worship style facilitated spiritual encounters that attracted and retained members.
Conferences
Hosting mega conferences created a social hub for young Christians to gather and fueled exponential growth.
Media and Music
Recording albums and promoting songs globally established Planetshakers as a recognizable brand in churches worldwide.
Network of Churches
Having a national network of churches provided broader infrastructure and enabled rapid expansion of their ministry.
In summary, key factors like visionary leadership, branding, contemporary ministry, strategic events and global music distribution helped the Planetshakers movement grow exponentially and achieve international influence. It effectively established a ministry ecosystem that connected powerfully with youth culture.
While the Planetshakers movement has made a significant global impact, some potential dangers include:
- Personality-focused leadership that can lead to lack of accountability or integrity issues if mishandled.
- Overemphasis on experience which may neglect biblical literacy and discipleship.
- Potential misuse of prophetic ministry without proper oversight and testing.
- Misplaced priorities skewed too heavily toward youth at the expense of other demographics.
- Performing ‘miracles’ or ‘healings’ that cannot be medically verified.
- Prosperity teachings taken to unhealthy extremes that twist Scriptural principles.
- Burnout among leaders and volunteers due to overly busy schedules and unrelenting demands.
- Reliance on hype, lighting and volume where the ‘show’ replaces genuine encounter with God.
In navigating future growth and avoiding pitfalls, wise leaders in the movement should consider principles such as:
- Maintaining accountability through plural leadership and financial transparency.
- Balancing experience with solid biblical exposition and theology.
- Submitting prophetic words to leaders for evaluation before public release.
- Affirming simplicity, suffering and sacrifice as equally valid biblical values.
- Verifying any miraculous claims with medical documentation.
- A sustainable leadership pipeline that avoids founder burnout.
In conclusion, while the Planetshakers movement has brought blessing to many, maintaining integrity, sound doctrine and ethical standards will be vital for its ongoing impact. With careful leadership, it can continue reshaping global Christianity for generations to come.