The story behind Cross Equals Love (+ = ♥)

Cross Equals Love started out as simple Easter branding for Hillsong’s Easter services about eight years ago, but has since grown into a global movement.

Jay Argaet is Hillsong’s Communications Director and one of the key creative genii behind the campaign. His passion for reaching people in the community with the love of God through these three simple symbols is compelling.

Argaet loves that they don’t know who to address it to because it means that God really gets the glory.

“I would love to think that one day Cross Equals Love is just what happens at Easter,” says Argaet. “As much as Easter is an Easter egg, and as much as Easter is the Easter Bunny, it’s actually Cross Equals Love as well. That’s what I hope for.”

The now-yearly campaign is surrounded by lots of prayer. Argaet says that the team don’t go into it lightly, but really seek God for what kind of artwork to do each year. He strongly believes they are led by God, and guided by peace. “Peace is like a compass,” says Argeat.

“I hope they are like signposts that God uses to bring people home.”

They receive a lot of letters, most the time saying, “I don’t know who to address this to but I saw the Cross Equals Love, and ended up in church and found Jesus.”

Argaet says he loves that they don’t know who to address it to because it means that God really gets the glory.

It’s also abundantly clear when talking to Argaet that this is not a “Hillsong” thing.

“It’s not exclusive to Hillsong. The gospel is not exclusive to Hillsong.”

He says he’s had people ask if they can use the symbols for their church and he tells them to go for it. “Imagine if all the churches and Christians at Easter started to put out the signpost of the Cross Equals Love. Imagine if as a believer, this is the season that we tell everyone what we believe, and every Christian at that moment felt proud to put Cross Equals Love on their social media or their house or wherever!

“I hope they are like signposts that God uses to bring people home.”

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