Darlene Zschech to leave Hillsong church to work with Church Unlimited

RENOWNED worship leader and composer Darlene Zschech has announced that, after 25 years, she will be leaving the Sydney-based mega church Hillsong to assume a senior pastor role at a nearby Pentecostal church. The composer of such classics as "Shout To The Lord" will be leading Church Unlimited with her husband, Mark, beginning in January 2011. Said Mark Zschech in a statement earlier this week, "We are incredibly honoured and very excited to be heading into this great opportunity to serve the people of the Central Coast and everyone at Church Unlimited. We are entering into what we believe will be a wonderful and fruitful season ahead. We really feel like God's called us to the central coast and to really have an impact there. And really the two words that are on our hearts are to lead and to build. We're going to build a church for everybody."

Hillsong pastor Brian Houston expressed good wishes for the Zschechs. "I feel good about it. . . and our church leaders and elders feel good about it because Mark and Darlene have really sown into our church for a long, long time. The Zschech family have been an integral part of our church family and whilst they will be greatly missed, we feel as though this is a good and a timely step for them."
The Zschechs will still be involved in various Hillsong praise and worship projects, including an upcoming live album as well as Hillsong conferences.