In Australia, ’60 Minutes’ has aired an exclusive interview with the victim of Hillsong’s pedophile founder, Frank Houston. In light of this we are already seeing Hillsong followers peddling the lies of Hillsong leadership in order to malign the media, deceive the general public and defend their beloved Hillsong ‘brand’. This article is a resource to help combat the lies and mistruths of Hillsong leaders and members.
Here is the trailer of the upcoming story:
Issues of behaviour with Hillsong advocates.
After assessing the commentary from Hillsong leadership and observing Hillsong supporter’s comments on social media regarding this exclusive 60 Minute story, we have noticed many Hillsong members claiming the following:
- The Royal Commission is at fault for attacking the integrity of Brian Houston.
- Hillsong had nothing to do with Frank Houston and Frank’s CLC ministry.
- The sexual abuse happened years ago and had nothing to do with Hillsong.
- Hillsong members should not watch media that paints their movement in a bad light.
- Frank Houston’s pedophilia is a myth.
- And those who acknowledge his unrepentant pedophilia, Frank Houston was always called by God and was always was an ‘apostle’.
By saying this, many Hillsong defenders insinuate that the ’60 Minutes’ program just want to paint Hillsong in a negative light. We encourage our readers to share this article in order to clarify the truth about the scandal, lies and cover-ups.
The Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse – Case Study 18: a public hearing concerned with the institutional response to child sexual abuse of the Australian Christian Churches (ACC) and its affiliated churches.
HILLSONG LIE ABOUT THE ROYAL COMMISSION.
Brian Houston and Hillsong leadership have not only covered up the crimes of their founding leader, they also misled a Royal Commission and have publicly slandered them (Bobbie Houston claimed that “the unfairness that yet again my husband’s integrity was about to be assailed” by a Royal Commission).
Hillsong has created a culture where they have convinced their followers to not believe the accusations brought against their leadership by the Royal Commission. Our well-documented resources prove that Hillsong has misled the Royal Commission, the media and their members about Hillsong’s history.
For a thorough documentation of the nature of this scandal, please visit the timeline and this resource to see the facts of this issue.
THEY LIE ABOUT THEIR HISTORY.
When Brian Houston attempted to cover up his father’s crime and leverage of his father’s ‘apostolic’ reputation back in the year 2000, he had no problem claiming that Hillsong started with his father back in 1977:
“In 1999, my father Frank Houston decided to step back from day-to-day running of his church, Sydney Christian Life Centre, and passed the baton of leadership on to me. What an honour for Bobbie and me to continue building on the foundations laid by my parents. It was also a tremendous responsibility as we were already pastoring Hills Christian Life Centre in Sydney’s north west. Today Hillsong Church continues what was started in 1977, with our two major worship centres, a city-wide network of cells, and contributing services and ministries all adding to the expansion of future generations.”
Source: Brian Houston, You Can Change the Future, pg. 122. [Link to article]
In 2014, Brian Houston acknowledged his father and wife founding Hillsong at his ‘Vision Sunday’:
“they were in their mid 50s and they moved to Sydney and just in summer here in Australia… I went to the little hall in Double Bay, the Eastern Suburbs of Sydney, where they pioneered…
… So look at what big things, more than what we could have imagined at this point, came out of one little decision and a tiny little hall to pioneer, big things come out of a pioneering spirit, praise God that we have that opportunity in our own lives to believe God to see new and to see big things.” [Article]
You will notice hear how they are downplaying 1977 but acknowledging that, “Hillsong emerged from a church plant in the north-western suburbs of Sydney.”
Brian Houston’s fellow Apostle, C. Peter Wagner (who worked with David Cartledge), recorded this about CLC/Hillsong:
“Frank Houston planted the Christian Life Centre in Sydney and now has 2,500 members. His son, Brian, started a daughter church from Christian Life Centre, and now has 5,000 members, the largest church in Australia.”
Source: C. Peter Wagner, Churchquake, Publisher: Regal Books, (Ventura, California, USA: 1999), pg. 151.
But here is Brian Houston’s friend, David Cartledge, talking about the foundings of Hillsog/CLC in his book ‘The Apostolic Revolution’ (published in the year 2000):
Even in Hillsong’s movie ‘Let Hope Rise’, Brian and Bobbie stood at Sherbrook Hall and announced “this is where it all started”. And they are right – it started with Frank and Hazel Houston with a few others at Sherbrook Hall in 1977.
Hillsong had nothing to do with Frank Houston and Frank’s CLC ministry?
To see why this claim is wrong – please visit the timeline and this resource to see the facts of this issue.
Hillsong had a lot to do with Frank Houston as he was employed as a Hillsong staff member and was never removed. Frank also handed over his ministry to his son in 1999. In other words, what was Frank’s now belonged to Brian – they were protecting their empire. It was under Brian Houston’s Hillsong leadership and under Hillsong eldership, that Frank Houston’s crimes were covered up.
The sexual abuse happened years ago and had nothing to do with Hillsong?
To see why this claim is wrong – please visit the timeline and this resource to see the facts of this issue.
The most disturbing thing about this claim is that Brian Houston stated the reason why he didn’t go to the police was because the victim was ‘fragile’. If this is the case, why did Brian allow Frank Houston to meet with his victim when the victim was trying to do the right thing? Why was Brian allowing his pedophile father to get close to the victim again when the victim was using a mediator to try and resolve all these issues?
This is another a form of abuse where the victim’s predator could ensure that the victim would feel intimidated. Brian is guilty of allowing a “child sex criminal” (Brian’s words from ‘The Australian’, 2015) to negotiate with his victim.
Brian Houston also accused the victim of sexually leading his father on. False accusations of sexual misconduct are also a form of abuse. Although this was not ‘physical’ sexual abuse, it was yet another form of abuse that prevented the victim to heal – and proceed to correctly seeking proper justice.
Email all comments and questions to c3churchwatch@hotmail.com
Categories: Hillsong