There is a church in Hong Kong blasting Christian rock on a Funktion One sound system
Let's face it, we could all use a little bit of renewed faith on Sundays as we know them
Yes, it’s true. The Vine, an International Christian church located in the Wanchai district of Hong Kong, opened in 2011 and was outfitted with a brand spanking new Funktion One system – a system so powerful that it’s used almost exclusively in nightclubs and large music festivals. Until now that is.
The modern day five-story church, previously a cinema, turned its second and third floor, which hold 630 people combined, into an auditorium for worship and music plays a fundamental role in the worship experience at The Vine.
“Worship is a huge part of who we are as a church,” explains pastor Jon Pettigrew. “Our services are typically 90 minutes long and our worship takes up 30-45 minutes of a service. We would say worship is why we were created and music plays a significant role in expression our worship to God. We want our music to be dynamic, relevant, and rich with meaning and emotion.”
The primary genre of music that gets blasted out of the Funktion One system is contemporary Christian music, which the pastor explains is mostly soft rock and dance music. “Bands like Hillsong, Passion, Worship Central, and Gungor have had a huge influence on our worship music.”
Pettigrew says that the church gets the occasional “your music is too loud” but in general, the congregation members and clients have given them great feedback about the system. “We find that tuning the system right is crucial to getting the best sound out of these speakers,” he elucidates.
In fact, their sound engineers spend an average of 24 hours a week behind the sound desk mixing for different bands, dance groups and speakers. “A high quality sound system not only saves us time in getting the best out of a band but also says we are striving to give our best worship as a church and serious about providing the best equipment we can as a venue.”
The decision to use a F1 system came easy after doing some research online and narrowing it down to two. They have also reaped many other benefits from the system as the church is often rented out. Pettigrew feels that the Funktion One sound system has also helped them meet the high volume demands that come with renting the church out. “It serves well in providing quality sound that provides enough punch for a rock concert yet enough clarity for a movie screening or corporate seminar.”
Apparently the church experience has changed about as much as raving has from when we were young. Perhaps next they’ll be shopping for a DJ?
Check out a service from the church, more like Christian rock concert, and see the Funktion One sound system in action from Worship Central below.
You’ll never believe which country has the most Funktion One sound systems in Asia. Check our full coverage on the systems across Southeast Asia here.
