Oh, come all ye faithful, joyful and cashed up Jesus is in the house, apparently, somewhere among those praying and swaying, thrusting their hands in the air, hanging their heads in praise or dancing like dervishes at the back of the hall. On stage, a hipster preacher - long lank hair, tight jeans - makes an offering: "We are hungry, we are desperate for you, Lord Jesus. Have your way, Lord God. It is Thursday night in a 3500-seat auditorium in Baulkham Hills, where the Hillsong Church is celebrating "an awakening across the globe." Singers in baseball caps whip the young crowd into near catatonia. Psychedelic sunrises are splashed on big screens, along with a notice asking the owner of AA38QP to "please move your car." The slowing of growth could signify a return to traditional churches. This Pentecostal church began in a small school hall in Sydney's Hills district 30 years ago. At tonight's service, worshippers connect by video with Hillsong "campuses" in New York, Paris, London, Copenhagen and Stockholm. Prayers are sent to Cape Town, where church leader "Wazza" is suffering from a lurgy. The local crowd includes some from Newcastle, where the church began regular Sunday services in May. Hillsong opened its fourth Melbourne campus in August. A second inner-city Sydney campus opened in April, in Alexandria. The church says it attracts more than 30,000 worshippers a week in Australia. Sam Hey, an expert in Pentecostal churches, describes Hillsong as a "giga-church" (a step up from "mega"). The church's positive, sing-along style of praise helps explain its growth, he says. The emphasis is on God is present among us ... whereas traditional churches put God at a distance. There is a certain attraction in the down-to-earth Aussie, robust Christianity, which I think countries like the United States and England find refreshing. Dr Hey, from the Christian Heritage College, believes there are 21 "mega-churches" in Australia, including C3 in Sydney and Planetshakers in Melbourne. Pentecostal congregations grew about 30 per cent in Australia in the decade to 2006, largely on a groundswell of young believers. But such growth is tapering, Dr Hey says. Perhaps the appeal of the experiential form of Christianity is slowing ... There is an argument that the slowing of growth could signify a return to traditional churches. There is little evidence of that in Baulkham Hills tonight. "Let me walk upon the waters ... And my faith will be made stronger," sings a young woman, her arms held up in spiritual surrender. "Davey" prays for generosity as buckets are passed around: those donating $5000 and above are called "Kingdom Builders"; those contributing $2500-$4999 are "Vision Impactors"; below that sum lie the "Army of Faithful Believers." A Hillsong spokesman attributes the church's growth to something less corporeal. People [are] acknowledging the need for a relationship with Jesus Christ, and the desire to join with other Christians in a church that meets their spiritual needs in a relevant way. After the service, I meet Hillsong worshippers from Australia, the US and Norway. "It is awesome the way they can influence the world from Australia," Kaio de Souza, 21, from North Carolina, says. Campbelltown's Alex Lawrence, 22, says: "It's not so religious. I guess it focuses more on your relationship with Christ and not rules and regulations. Monash University professor, Gary Bouma, an Anglican priest, calls it "aerobic Christianity." "The message is positive ... affirming," he says. But he questions whether Hillsong can cut through in the US, where there is no shortage of "charismatic" Christian churches.