Australian worship leader and songwriter Darlene Zschech led worship and was interviewed by Vicar Nicky Gumbel at two HTB Sunday services today.

Hundreds of people queued around Onslow Square to pack the 16:30 and 6.30pm services as Darlene, 46, who was Worship Pastor at Hillsong Church, Sydney, from 1995 to 2007, led worship with a Hillsong band on the UK leg of their European tour which included events in Italy, Hungary, Holland and Germany.

She spoke about the ‘long journey’ of church growth at Hillsong, now one of the largest churches in Australia. ‘Out of obedience we learned over many years that the Lord will never disappoint,’ she told Nicky Gumbel in the interview.

She had never intended to be a worship leader but had been encouraged by Hillsong founder Brian Houston.

Darlene, who wrote the song ‘Shout to the Lord’ and many other worship songs sung at HTB, said, ‘I will never forget life before Christ and finding Christ. I am so grateful. I worship the Lord if I feel like it or not because the joy of the Lord is my strength.’

Asked if she had any advice for the many young people attending, she said, 'Don't despise the day of small beginnings. The gold is in the journey. Thank God for what he has given you today. God is a good God and he is faithful but he also knows we need time to grow in our faith.'

Watch the full interview here.