The Hillsong cult-leader Brian Houston, is once again making headlines with A Current Affair.
A Current Affair reports,
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For more context on Brian Houston’s aggressive behaviour towards the woman at the Royal Commission, read our article here:
Exclusive – Brian Houston: “I got attacked by a protester”
A Current Affair writes,
Inside Hillsong
He’s the cult-like leader who loves his flock and knows just how to get to its hip pocket.
Tonight, A Current Affair goes inside the private world of Hillsong head Brian Houston.
Hillsong have responded to our story. You can read the full statement below.
Statement by Hillsong Church
Over many years, ‘A Current Affair’ (ACA) has waged what we believe to be a dishonest campaign against Hillsong Church. While Hillsong Church – like all churches – is a charity, the premise behind these stories is based on a misrepresentation by confusing a church and a welfare organisation (Public Benevolent Institution – PBI). We note that giving to churches is NOT tax deductible, while giving to PBIs is.
The primary function of Christian churches across the world – regardless of denomination – is to build people’s spiritual lives, and meet the fundamental needs of faith: discipleship, teaching, worship, missions and church planting. On top of these basic spiritual building blocks, Hillsong Church is committed to world class youth and children’s programs, ministries for all ages, pastorally supporting families and marriages, counselling services and hospital support, as well as general pastoral care to thousands within and beyond our church community. Hillsong Church also runs a successful Bible College with over 1500 students attending from all over the world who come to study. The income of the college is invested back into the costs of the college. In order to facilitate these basic church functions, we require facilities, staff, utilities and general administration – like any other church or PBI; we would not function without them. These needs are met through the income of Hillsong Church – ALL income of Hillsong Church goes toward the not-for-profit objectives of our ministry, including, but not limited to those mentioned above.
What about welfare?
On top of these basic church-focused functions, Hillsong Church has a thriving welfare arm that focuses solely ‘outwardly’ to both our local and global communities. The generosity of Hillsong Church parishioners over many years has built schools and homes in Africa, provided anti-retroviral drugs to AIDS patients, sponsored thousands upon thousands of children, rescued and rehabilitated trafficked sex workers, and provided food and education for thousands of less fortunate children in nations such as India and the Philippines. Each week, hundreds of families in Australia are provided with emergency relief services, food and beverages, basic household supplies, and utility vouchers free of charge, from our City Care department. This local arm of our church also provides free counselling to members of the community by qualified individuals.
Our partnerships with such organisations as World Vision Australia, Compassion Mission Australia and the Salvation Army are paramount to our ongoing commitment to the community.
People who attend Hillsong Church give of their own free will to the work of the church and the spending of Hillsong is in line with the expectations of those who give. People have every right to give their own money (which they have paid tax on) to whatever cause they like. Christians are passionate about the work and the ministries of the church – youth, children’s evangelism etc – and those who give to Hillsong believe in and support the work of Hillsong Church, much like those who give to other churches support whatever those churches do (and it should be noted that almost ALL Christian churches in Australia run similar types of ministries. The emphasis by ACA on money paints a very inaccurate picture. Thousands – indeed hundreds of thousands globally – are helped every year in their spiritual, emotional and physical lives. All involved with Hillsong are passionate about the Gospel and about helping people.
Source: By ninemsn staff, Inside Hillsong, A Current Affair, http://aca.ninemsn.com.au/article.aspx?id=9057465, Published 25/11/2015. (Accessed 25/11/2015.)
Categories: Hillsong
I could be wrong, but in all of Brian’s diatribe above, I don’t seem to recall him mentioning the name of Jesus Christ once – not even once…
So all of the above ‘works’ are to the glory of Brian and Bobby, but poor old Jesus doesn’t even rate a mention???
Well I think it’s crystal clear then that Brian is saying:
“I will build MY church and the gates of heaven will not prevail against it…”
Reblogged this on Truth2Freedom's Blog.
Brian takes scripture out of context.
False doctrine false living .
What a thoroughly disgusting performance for someone who claims to be a ‘man of God’ – which god???
According to the RC report summary, Brian Houston failed to notify police of his father’s confessed pedophile activities, and provided the Hawkesbury Christian Centre church as a hidey hole to harbor him for the next five years. Last time I looked, that was a crime.
He also allegedly ‘ran interference’ on the AoG/ACC executive meeting where his father’s future was discussed at some length. Looks like ‘conflict of interest’.
He also offered an identified victim a $10,000 payout (hush money?) to try and make it all go away, but now refuses to even consider any kind of payment/compensation for at least another five victims?
And more recently abused a woman attending the RC hearings in a violent and threatening manner, to the point where security guards had to pull him off of her, a fact that made it onto the TV screens of Australia earlier this week. Bribery and corruption ‘pastor’ Brian?
Why isn’t Brian Houston already in a jail cell awaiting trial? Why? Who’s covering for Brian – that’s what I want to know?
Absolutely , why is Brian Houston still allowed to function in a church , it is just inconceivable to most people how a man can get away with such a cover up ? This is child sexual abuse , the worst abuse known to man , and yet hillsong are allowed to hide it all even though the public know and the countries law enforcement know what has happened . Why are we not marching around this cults building and demanding justice for these children ?
Brian would probably get the cops to arrest us all for ‘trespassing’ like he did with Tanya Levin. But then again, I think they’d have their work cut out to try and arrest 10,000 people marching on the same day…
“Thousands – indeed hundreds of thousands globally – are helped every year in their spiritual, emotional and physical lives.”
Prove it.
Why do you not complain when the Lotto, or TAB or local pub, retailers with “amazing” sales manipulate people to enter their establishments or spend their money on the products being shoved down our throats.
You have an agenda against Brian Houston and Hilsong and you are shameless and bigotted in the manner in which you pursue him. By the way, I am not now, nor have I ever been a member/follower/attendedd of any Hillsong church or event.
Get a life!
Do any of those secular companies/ gambling establishments claim to be Christian churches, promising life change and personal destiny through faith in their brand of “Jesus”?
People like yourself conveniently forget about Jesus’ actions in the temple, casting out all the money lenders who Jesus said had turned the temple into “a den of thieves”. They were ripping off sincere Jews in God’s name.
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew+21%3A12-13&version=KJV
Hillsong would not be raking in the money if they taught what the bible taught – the (unsaved) world hates the full Gospel message.
“and you are shameless and bigotted in the manner in which you pursue Brian Houston”
@Andrew, if FACTS are being spoken about Brian Houston, then WHAT is shameless and bigotted?
Put your $$$ where your mouth is and elaborate Andrew. Unless it’s YOU who is the shameless bigot.
Hi Andrew – you sound a little biased. If you’ve never been to Hill$ong, or been ripped off by the Houston money making machine, then why be so upset for them?
You claim that we are all biggots – no, we are warning people not to get involved with a blatent ‘false profit’ organisation. At $85 million+ each year in untaxed revenues, Hill$ong weilds unbridaled influence here and abroard, with hardly any of that money going tothe poor.
How would Houston respond to the lame man at the temple gates? Would he be able to say (like the true apostles, Peter and John) “silver and gold have I none”? I doubt it – in fact I doubt that Houston would even stop and talk to such a person. His body guards and PA and other ‘minders’ would probably preclude such a meeting taking place – at all.
Brian Houston has the “agenda” Andrew – to get as much money from his gullible following as possible, and then retire… and if you don’t believe that, just start “tithing” to Brian and company – prove his doctrine on prosperity, and I’ll have no more to say… 🙂
I used to tape Hillsong messages from Houston but stopped when it was evident he was more emotional, than Biblical. He appealed to the emotions of the listener, not to the Biblical truths they needed to hear.
So, I stopped watching him.