They started as a group of friends, teenagers who met at their church’s youth group who liked music a lot and liked playing it more. All of them jammed together every Friday night, not knowing where that jamming would one day lead.

Today, these musicians are known as Hillsong UNITED, from Sydney, Australia’s Hillsong Church. They are one of the most influential bands in the world, with more than 20 million albums sold and songs translated into 100 languages.

They are also the stars of Hillsong-Let Hope Rise, a full-length feature film that traces their journey all the way back to their humble early days. It is an entirely new genre of film: the theatrical worship experience, leading audiences to spontaneously sing along from their seats with the band on the screen as they praise God together.

The church sponsors and partners with others in worldwide ministry work, including feeding and educating children in the slums of India, building housing for those living with AIDS in Africa, and rescuing victims of human trafficking around the globe. A significant portion of those good works are financed by Hillsong’s music outreach through record sales and concerts.

Hillsong-Let Hope Rise follows the band across the globe as it writes and records a new album against the backdrop of a world tour and the history of the church from which it was born. At every stop along the way, whether in personal interviews, performing community service projects or from the stage, the band members’ humble hearts and commitment to a cause greater than themselves are front and center.

The film releases September 16. View the trailer and clips at https://www.youtube.com/user/hillsongmovie.