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Brian Houston, celebrity pastor, Furtick, Hillsong, Hillsong Conference 2015, houston, Mark Driscoll, Rock star, Steven Furtick
Brian Houston announced that Mark Driscoll will be speaking at Hillsong Conference 2015. One has to wonder what on earth Brian Houston is thinking. The web is full of reports on the controversial conducts of men like Steven Furtick and Mark Driscoll. Notice how many of Brian’s friends conduct themselves in similar ways to Brian Houston as listed in this report.
1. They appear to have a, “[…] lack of transparency around [the pastor] and church funds.”
The media pressured Brian Houston to disclose the following – “My total personal income from Hillsong Church in its entirety is just on $150,000 including fringe benefits plus currently the use of a Holden Caprice, along with just over another $150,000 from Leadership Ministries which makes up my complete personal income.”). [Source]
2. They appear to have, “[…] non-disclosure agreements that […] pastors and staff members must sign when they depart”
3. They appear to lack anyone “[…] who holds [the pastor] accountable on money or any other issue.”
4. They appear to blur lines, “[…] between advancing the gospel and advancing the preacher.”
5. They appear to enjoy, “massive popularity”.
Frankly, the teachers joy should be seeing salvation and people growing into the fullness of Christ. Is it only because these preachers share the same totallatarian-like methods that they consider each-other valid teachers?
In the below article, we would like to point out that we do not endorse the New Age writer William Paul Young.
USA Today reports,
‘Rock star’ pastors lose luster: Column
It’s not easy being a celebrity pastor these days with that pesky Internet around.
Consider the struggles of Mark Driscoll of Mars Hill Church in Seattle. Faced with mounting accusations circulating online — plagiarism, misusing church funds to prop book sales, silencing anyone in his church with the temerity to question him — Driscoll has urged his followers to stay off the Web. “It’s all shenanigans anyway,” he explains.
Steven Furtick, a megachurch pastor in North Carolina, and Dave Ramsey, an evangelical finance guru, have been taking hits, too, as have the wheeler-dealers on the Preachers of L.A. reality show. This, against a backdrop of culture shifts creating strong headwinds against the leader-and-follower model typified by today’s Christian superstars.
What are a megapastor and his followers to do? Remembering the biblicaladmonitions against idolatry would be a good start.
Some media outlets have dubbed Driscoll a “rock star” among pastors. He is hip, brash, very interested in sex and, for a reverend, unusually irreverent. He doesn’t throw televisions out of hotel windows in the manner of bad-boy rock musicians. But he comes close in the rhetorical sense, tossing out insults about gay people, women and his theological rivals.
Ongoing enterprise
Also true to his rock-star status, Driscoll enjoys massive popularity. His Mars Hill Church (including its 15 franchised satellite locations) attracts nearly 15,000 weekly. Driscoll’s podcast has 250,000 regular listeners worldwide, and his 2012 book, Real Marriage, topped a New York Times best-seller list.
Ah, that chart-topping book. Driscoll has admitted to using more than $200,000 in church funds to hire a consultant to game the system, boost sales and add that magical reference — No. 1 best-selling author — to his glittering résumé. This questionable allocation of church money is indicative of a wider problem that rankles those in Driscoll’s growing flock of critics: the lack of transparency around Driscoll and church funds.
His salary? Unknown. Who controls church funds? Good luck finding that out. And because of the non-disclosure agreements that Mars Hill pastors and staff members must sign when they depart, little is known about who holds Driscoll accountable on money or any other issue.
One of the problems with celebrity pastors is that it’s very difficult to draw a line between advancing the gospel and advancing the preacher. When a famous pastor grows his audience and fame, doesn’t this mean that more people are hearing his saving message about Christ?
Well, yes.
But as revealed by the long history of church authority and its periodic abuse, the dynamic also gives the preacher on the pedestal a too-easy justification for seemingly everything he wants to do. You don’t want to be against God’s will, do you?
Scrutiny shared online
Now, however, there’s a wild card that older-school religious celebrities did not have to contend with. Thanks to the Internet, any disgruntled current or former follower can write a scathing blog post, add nasty comments to reader forums or, as creator of@FakeDriscoll does, voice a spoof Twitter account in the target’s name. This can take a toll — as demonstrated by Driscoll’s church, which has had to lay off staff due to declining attendance and giving.
Because of the Internet, “the audience is now at least as much of a celebrity as the pastor, if not more,” says Jim Henderson, a Christian author and producer in the Seattle area who is convinced that the era of the celebrity pastor as spiritual paragon is waning. Henderson produces a live show called Where’s God When … featuring a very different kind of “celebrity” Christian — William Paul Young, author of the megaselling faith-themed novel The Shack.
Young is, seemingly, everything the megapastors are not: small of stature and ego, quietly reflective, and open about his painful journey and struggles (including his being a sex-abuse victim).
Henderson might be right about this being the beginning of the end for celebrity megapastors. Until that process runs its course, however, fans of the Driscolls, Furticks and the rest have a big question to ask themselves. Who, ultimately, are they following? Jesus? Or their pastor?
Source: ‘Rock star’ pastors lose luster: Column, USA Today, http://www.usatoday.com/story/opinion/2014/07/31/rock-star-pastors-church-celebrity-internet-column/13422869/, Published 4:16 p.m. EDT, 31/07/ 2014. (Accessed 01/08/2014.)
Hillsong Church Watch 
I’m not sure why you are surprised? Hillsong and C3 know all about Authoritarian type leadership, where details of finances must be kept secret and power is held through nepotism. It’s the same model being perpetuated by enterprising people with some working knowledge of the bible around the world. Think about it, you leverage the credibility of the Church and the Bible to start your own church, and leverage off the false doctrine of tithing and miracle offerings to get rich! And if you need more “credibility” you do it in the form of a “church plant”, where you rent the name of a C3 for example and use that. It gives the enterprising person “credibility”, and provides C3 with a royalties stream from the “plant”. Win / win!
People like Houston, Driscoll, Pringle etc all need each other because they legitimise what they each do, feed off the Christian faith in order to become rich and live a life of fame and luxury. But the fact they are just people trying to juggle a lot to keep up the charade means that occasionally people will get a look behind the curtain.
Mark Driscoll is disgusting. Dont know how anyone would find his language and attitude acceptable.
Mark Driscoll is as vain, pompous, and self-absorbed as wannabe pastors come.
Judging by the total lack of class he consistently displays, I would guess that he hails from Boganville.
@ Annette, you’re right.
And guess who was assigned to mentor Mark Driscoll to help him clean that up? CJ Mahaney.
One mess assigned to clean up another mess.
~Andy
Looks like “cookie cutter” Bible schools are putting out “cookie cutter” ministries and ending up with “cookie cutter” disciples, who are non discerning and quite “fleeceable” members of the Megachurch flock. Now these ‘ministries’ are seeking ‘rock star status’, but the Internet is throwing a spanner in the data stream…
In my lifetime (54 years) we’ve gone from strong Pentecostal, Evangelical and Reformed churches, to Charismania/Emergent/Contemplative/Latter Rain/NAR becoming dominant, and I believe that it’s because they’ve used a formula – the same formula:
1. Put Christ down (send Him to Hell and back, if necessary: WoF ‘born again Jesus’)
2. Elevate yourself and “your” ministry (use modern marketing/networking methods)
3. Silence dissenters using Matthew 18 and other scripture twisting tricks
4. Water down the real Gospel so you don’t offend all of the local moneybags
5. Stay away from ‘gloom and doom’ prophecies – make out that ‘it’s all good’
6. Introduce Gnosticism by stealth – dress it up in ‘Christian’ terminology
7. Promote tithing and other false money raking ideas – fleece the flock to the max
8. Host annual conferences to set your new agenda in concrete for 12 months
9. Influence the youth group to emulate ‘Pastor Disaster’ as much as possible
10. Shoo away faithful people,who hold God’s word in high esteem
The end result for those who succeed using the formula is an opulent lifestyle, influence and notoriety, a jet set travel agenda and “apostleships” galore, conferred on those who pay the most money, or impress the XYZ ‘Apostolic Council’.
None of this rubbish is of God or comes from God – it is Satanic in origin but looks and sounds ‘Christian’ from a distance, so many people swallow the end result, without first establishing just how these ‘ministries’ actually got there, to the place that they call “success”.
Well, they got there on the backs of hard working, family oriented people, who did not read their Bibles well enough to know that they being deceived, and fleeced, and all at the same time, and all by the same people…
Thank God for the Internet, and for the fact that many faithful brethren have taken these false prophets to task online, and in print to the point where it is all starting to unravel for at least some of them.
“Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap. For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting.”
(Galatians 6:7, 8)
Be careful what you wish for…
Well said
In the situation I referenced above, this courageous brother:
http://www.brentdetwiler.com/
broke ranks to help expose this…
http://www.christiantoday.com/article/cj.mahaney.i.have.never.conspired.to.protect.a.child.predator/37641.htm
Brent also uses the word “aletheia”, as Paul does on MPBC.
Friends of mine who know Brent, have told me they think very highly of Brent:
http://www.brentdetwiler.com/please-support-aletheia-minis/
~Andy
I am not saying you are wrong, but you should be careful about calling anything “satanic.” That is a serious accusation. Be sure of what you are saying. Please don’t take this as an insult.
Hello enj – I won’t take offense, I promise, but i will quote you one more scripture:
“For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.”
(1 Timothy 6:10)
If you follow the reasoning behind this scripture through to its logical conclusion (and examine the lavish, opulent lifestyle that these false prophets actually live,) then you will see that the love of money IS the root of all evil.
This scripture comes from Paul’s epistle to Timothy, a young minister of the Gospel, whom Paul was training up in the things of God. The verse previous to this is:
“Perverse disputings of men of corrupt minds, and destitute of the truth, supposing that gain is godliness: from such withdraw thyself.” (verse 5)
So if you read the scriptures in context and then look again at the lifestyles of these “ministries”, you would have to conclude that:
1. They love money
2. Worldly ‘prosperity is taught by them, but it does not come from the Bible
3. That potentially, their acts, based on their love for money, must be considered as evil from a Biblical viewpoint, and are therefore Satanic…
4. That we, as genuine believers in the Lord, should immediately withdraw from any contact with and/or financial support for, these false ministries.
We can only judge the tree by the fruit it produces ‘enj’ so let’s be good “fruit inspectors” and see just what is growing in the false prophet’s orchard, before we bag it and put it up for sale, shall we???
“16 By their fruit you will recognize them. Do people pick grapes from thornbushes, or figs from thistles?
17 Likewise, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit.
18A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, and a bad tree cannot bear good fruit.
19 Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.
20 Thus, by their fruit you will recognize them.” (Matthew 7:16-20)
What you have said sounds correct, but I am still kind of wondering what to really believe about all of this. I live in the same town of a mega-church where the pastor lives, and I have seen him driving around in a Porche. That doesn’t look right to me, especially when there are people in the church who tithe and have asked for financial assistance, and can’t even get that, while giving tithes and offerings, and he’s driving a Porche. And the teachings seem to be off and primarily “motivational,” when this culture we are living in, now more than ever, needs to hear about sin. And when unbelievers look at this and see all of the “pastors” who seem to only want money, and the worldly people who go to their churches too, they think all of us are like that. But, I am still holding out on whether or not they really are completely evil, even though, yes, if you look at their fruit, they seem to be that. I say this because if you’re wrong about that, that is a big deal to God. I just don’t want to be wrong and mislead anyone. I also don’t know what is in their hearts. Maybe God really doesn’t mind them driving around in expensive cars. Solomon was very rich and he was blessed by God. Maybe the people at their church really do live a life for God somehow. I don’t know all of these people, and I don’t want to condemn a bunch of people I don’t know. What’s your opinion about that?
enj, it’s obvious to me from reading your post that you have a good heart. I strongly encourage you to guard your heart as the weeks, months, years and decades pass, because God uses people like you to change the world according to his purposes.
You are very wise to be cautious about condemning Christian leaders unduly. The verses in the Bible that are relevant to this caution of yours are Mark 3:28-30. You should definitely read them.
Having said that, there is no doubt whatsoever that there are tares in the leadership of the church of Jesus Christ in the western world who are leading it astray. Many of these tares are Freemasons pretending to be Christians.
If you continue to be circumspect in your current wise manner, you will be able to identify these tares as time goes on without imperilling your salvation according to Mark 3:28-30.
Mark 3:28-30 King James Version (KJV)
“28 Verily I say unto you, All sins shall be forgiven unto the sons of men, and blasphemies wherewith soever they shall blaspheme:
29 But he that shall blaspheme against the Holy Ghost hath never forgiveness, but is in danger of eternal damnation.
30 Because they said, He hath an unclean spirit.”
@ andymack24 this passage refers only to the Son of God – it has nothing to do with questioning the validity of so called ‘Christian’ leaders. In fact, it was the false religious leaders of the day that were saying these things about Jesus – not people like us.
You are very foolishly comparing the likes of Brian Houston to the person of Jesus Christ – there is NO comparison and no Christian who examines the life and doctrine of a false teacher/false prophet will come under such condemnation – what ridiculous nonsense… It seems to me that your ‘church’ leaders have you exactly where they want you – fearing man rather than fearing God.
“Enj, because God uses people like you to change the world according to his purposes.”
@ andymack24, In addition to what Austin said… so generous of you to decide WHO is worthy enough for God to be able to use…
* Numbers 22:28
* Matthew 3:9
* Luke 19:38-40
~the other Andy
is there any way for the website to please delete my comments? I would really appreciate it.
@enj – that would leave everybody else’s comments high and dry and without context…
Well, I would still appreciate it if you did. Not meaning to be rude but – isn’t what was shared in these posts I’m connected to already obviously known as your opinions? I’m trying to do something I feel is God’s will by getting rid of my posts.
I’ve deleted your name – the posts remain as “anonymous”.
@’enj’:
“I have seen him driving around in a Porsche. That doesn’t look right to me, especially when there are people in the church who tithe and have asked for financial assistance, and can’t even get that, while giving tithes and offerings, and he’s driving a Porsche…”
Of course he’s driving a Porsche ‘enj’ – his poor congregants paid for it , and according to you, they can’t even get so much as a shopping voucher when they run into financial difficulties…
“I say this because if you’re wrong about that, that is a big deal to God…”
It’s no big deal to God at all ‘enj’ – after all, wasn’t it Jesus who flogged the money changers out of the Temple, for desecrating His Fathers house, which should have been a house of prayer – and not based on greed???
How much more proof do you need ‘enj’, when the Son of God Himself took issue with greedy people “inside the house”?
Thanks for your responses. To be fair, this person lives in a wealthy area, but still, there are people that have needed assistance that they have turned down.
I guess it’s just hard to believe that so many people would be doing such a thing, and then all the people falling for it. It’s like these people who seem to be stealing from God’s people, don’t even really believe in God, because if they did, they wouldn’t be doing this (I’m not saying they don’t, but, really, think about it). It’s unbelievable. What are they going to say to Jesus on Judgment Day? Who do they think they’re kidding? Not to say I am perfect, but to use God’s people to line their pockets?
I read this article a month ago, and it said something like this: Paul stated in the Bible that those who labor deserve their pay, but, he purposely turned that truth around and said he paid his own way, so he didn’t inconvenience anyone, especially people who couldn’t afford to financially assist him (and probably also to be a good example, because of other things said, like, those who don’t work won’t eat). If I ever do anything for God that could be sold, I’m going to try my best to make it free, because the Bible does say “freely you have received, freely give” (said as humbly as possible, and not to say I am better than anyone for that at all).
@’enj’:
“It’s unbelievable. What are they going to say to Jesus on Judgment Day? Who do they think they’re kidding? Not to say I am perfect, but to use God’s people to line their pockets?”
Actually ‘enj’ – it’s not so much what they’re going to say to Jesus, come Judgement Day – it’s what He’s going to say to them:
“Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works?
And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity…” (Matthew 7:22, 23)
Notice that Jesus never denied that they could perform miracles or do good works? That’s not the issue – the issue is KNOWING HIM – it’s all about our relationship with the Son of God. Let me cap it off for you with one more relevant scripture passage:
“No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.” (Matthew 6:24)
If you love money, then you cannot truly love and serve God, and if you love and serve God then you truly cannot love money too. Think I’m being too harsh here ‘enj’? These are not my words – they are the very words of the Son of God, on money and leadership issues…
As far as it goes, I have no problems with good shepherds/elders/deacons being supported financially by their local churches should it be necessary for them to do so, especially in the case of larger churches. There’s lots of things to do for bona fide ministries;
1. Preaching of the word and prayer – 8 to 10 hours a week preparation/delivery
2. Visitation – one to two days a week
3. Midweek Bible study/prayer meetings – 3 to 5 hours per week
4. Elders/pastor’s meetings – 2 to 4 hours per week
These are probably bare minimums in some larger congregations, but I’ve managed to fill up 4 out of 5 week days so far, roughly. So, for that effort, and assuming that the workload has been split between one full time and one part time ‘elder’, there’s still more to be done.
5. Outreach/evangelism – helping and feeding the poor in various ways – 5 hours
6. Youth and young adults – another 5 hours
7. Community activities where a church decides to pitch in and do ‘good works’ outside of the church – half a day per month
There are Bible based guidelines for this:
“Let the elders that rule well be counted worthy of double honour, especially they who labour in the word and doctrine.” (1 Timothy 5:17)
There’s also an Old Testament allusion to this as well:
“For it is written in the law of Moses, Thou shalt not muzzle the mouth of the ox that treadeth out the corn. Doth God take care for oxen?”
(Deuteronomy 25:4 and 1 Corinthians 9:9)
So there is scriptural provision in God’s word to support those who are worthy of it.
The term “double honour” has often been taken by scholars to mean:
1. Worthy of respect for the work that local church leaders do.
2. Worthy of remuneration for their work and this can be a good wage and/or a rent free house (a manse) a car/car allowance and adequate respite in the form of holidays as well as week end breaks away from normal Sunday duties.
These are the kinds of things I have seen in many good churches over many years, where the shepherds are just as well looked after as the sheep and it is necessary to look after your leaders so that they will be in top shape to do what the Lord requires of them, but none of this is part of the money raking crowd that we’ve been discussing here on the blog…
@ eng, in addition to Austin’s excellent (as always) responses, I’ll add this.
You brought up a good point: “Solomon was very rich and he was blessed by God.”
Very accurate. And now that you mention it, I’m surprised that WOF (Word of Faith) pastors don’t constantly bring it up in defense of themselves.
However, Solomon ***DIDN’T ask for any money…
2 Chronicles 1:11-12
“God said to Solomon, “Because you had this in mind, and ***DID NOT ASK FOR RICHES, wealth or honor, or the life of those who hate you, nor have you even asked for long life, but you have asked for yourself wisdom and knowledge that you may rule My people over whom I have made you king, wisdom and knowledge have been granted to you. And I will give you riches and wealth and honor, such as none of the kings who were before you has possessed nor those who will come after you.”
Yet, WOF churches ***FREQUENTLY focus on money and why you should give it to them,
~Andy
@ Eng, “It’s unbelievable.”
You’re right, it is. I don’t remember if this insightful video has been posted before, if it has I apologize, but here is WOF preacher DR. LEROY THOMPSON SR, given over to his own depraved mind.
Examples of his some of sermons:
1. Millionaire Enlightenment Encounter
2. Wisdom is the Wealth Generator
3. How to Prophecy your own Wealth Transference
4. Releasing Covenant Wealth
5. How to Let God bring you into a Wealthy Place
6. Money Cometh to the Body of Christ
The staggering number of professing Christians drinking in this junk on a weekly basis makes you wonder,
~Andy
What makes me wonder is the fact that they are putting money on the altar? That’s got to be one of the most evil things I’ve ever seen…you can only imagine how angry that must make God. That’s the last thing that should be on the altar, in light of Scripture.
It is evil. And “angry” doesn’t even begin to describe it…
Check out: Exodus 4:24-26, 1 Samuel 6:19, and 1 Corinthians 10:5-9.
Also look for Scriptures on “the Day of the Lord”, to see what these people don’t quite understand…
~Andy
In the above video you saw the greed characterized by *WOF pastors.
To expand out a little more… Here’s another group, *EMERGENT pastors, showing how confused they are too.
(If you don’t want to watch it all, jump to Nadia Bolz-Weber @ 3:16 for a summary of the emergent church…)
Notice also Jay Bakker is on there (Jim & Tammy Bakker’s son),
~Andy
@the other andy…
I just realised who you and churchwatcher were talking about. How can this guy talk about Pringle being evil and using Satanic hand signs, and then caution poor old brother Enj to go easy on him and others like him???
What happened AndyMack24? Did you forget to take your pills the other day???
Seriously, you constructed not one, but two websites outlaying all of you ‘findings’ re Pringle and then you come back to the board with this ‘let’s be cautious’ rubbish? And worse still, you come with a very bad exegesis on blasphemy of the Holy Spirit?
@ Austin, andymack24 was definitely one for the books.
Maybe next we’ll get a visitor from the Galactic Federation…
~the other Andy
Hi @Andy – nice to see you online again. I only watched a minute or so of this man and his ungodly antics. He is essentially preaching the New Age/Occult based “Law of Attraction” – “Money come to me now” – he’s also encouraging the people to “covet their neighbour’s goods” which is against one of the ten commandments – the ancient “Law” of God.
It’s not right to look at someone else’s lot in life, and covet their goods, their job – or their hard earned ca$h either, so how can this preacher’s doctrine and methodology be considered Godly, based on his technique of “calling the money in NOW”???
It’s just good old fashioned covetousness and greed
This “Law”, if you can call it that, is also pushed at many motivational seminars, as a technique to gain the means to an end. It’s an Anthony Robbins style approach – meant to stir up the crowd to get them into a mind frame to “succeed”, but even if they do ‘succeed’ it is still only within a worldly context. This ‘Law of Attraction’ was promoted in that infamous book “The Secret”.
One man who lived in my unit block here in Brisbane 6 years ago, read “The Secret” after he’d had a workplace accident. The company offered him some compensation, and another less stressful job at the same workplace. However, after reading ‘The Secret’ – he decided that he needed to “attract” a lot more ca$h to himself…
He proceeded with a civil damages lawsuit and sued his former employer for much more than was on offer. It took 6 months to settle, but he got the money, and then left town. I can’t say whether this man was a believer of any kind, or not, but I can say that he was greedy – and the so called ‘Law of Attraction’ certainly helped him on his way…
We heard tell, several years later, that he had come unstuck with some bad investments (due to the GFC?) and that he’d gone broke and was all washed up financially. Apparently his former employer had hired someone else in his place, and was going great guns, despite the GFC melt down…
(Be careful what you wish for, my hyper faith friends…)
The Bible teaches us that true prosperity comes by hard work and acknowledging God in all of our ways (our daily lifestyle). Then we will have good success. For me, true ‘prosperity’ is having enough to meet my needs and a little left over to bless others who may not have done so well.
The principle “You shall not covet your neighbour’s goods/wife/house” etc, begins at Exodus 20:17+…
Using occult ‘confession’/Law of Attraction style techniques to try and bring about God’s blessing in our lives, is foolhardy at best, and downright diabolical at worst – it is of the Devil, and can in no way be misconstrued as a Bible doctrine…
“By their fruits shall ye know them” (false prophets) Jesus said…
The pressure is building on Mark Driscoll to do the right thing and step down as pastor of Mars Hill. http://ronwheelerjr.wordpress.com/2014/08/07/i-am-not-anonymous-2/
Latest on Mark Driscoll:
http://www.patheos.com/blogs/warrenthrockmorton/2014/08/08/acts-29-network-removes-co-founder-mark-driscoll-and-mars-hill-church-from-membership/
From Phil Johnson “I sincerely hope this is something more than a PR stratagem based on which way the wind is currently blowing.
Here’s what disturbs me most about the recent revelations regarding the history of Mars Hill: It is now absolutely clear that by 2004 or earlier (years before I ever said anything critical about Mark Driscoll) many on the board of Acts 29 and dozens of Driscoll’s colleagues in leadership had full knowledge of his most disqualifying character flaws. They tolerated and even encouraged his abusive behavior. In fact, when Driscoll was at the peak of his popularity, many of these men were the main “consiglieri” who provided cover for some of the secret sins that are now being exposed.
At the time, slanderous and purposely insulting posts about critics were posted on the Acts29 web site, written by top Acts 29 leaders, aimed at those who were trying to point out some of the very issues the Acts 29 leaders are now shocked – SHOCKED, I say – to find coming to light.
Let’s hope and pray that the way ahead for Acts29 as an organization involves deeper and more fundamental corrective changes than merely the dismissal of Mark Driscoll.”
And here: Phil Johnson “No message I ever preached got more angry pushback than this one. 5½ years later, give it another listen”
http://www.gty.org/resources/articles/A362/sound-doctrine-sound-words
And the updates are coming almost hourly:
http://www.patheos.com/blogs/warrenthrockmorton/2014/08/08/mars-hill-church-board-reacts-to-being-removed-from-acts-29-network/
Hi As a family we are very involved in Hillsong. It is where The Lord led us. No church is perfect and I am deeply aware of deception. Do I know these preachers mentioned, no, but I guess I will next conference. There is one thing that Hillsong does extremely well and that is, evangelise. That is its main mission. Does it teach massively deep biblical principles, not as well as other churches but does it teach the Truth. Yes, in as much as we lift the name of Jesus above every other name under heaven or on earth and always proclaim that salvation is through the death of Christ, Gods only begotten son. God has blessed the music and used it as a tool to reach the world. Yes it could do a lot better in eschatology, bible studies etc but if it focused too much in that area, it would be at the expense of evangelism. There is only so much a team of people can do at any one time and I know how much those who go to Hillsong serve and give of their time. Pray for Brian, he is an incredible leader with a massive job.
“Hi As a family we are very involved in Hillsong. It is where The Lord led us.”
Can you please explain how the Lord led you to Hillsong?
Hi Megan – I’m just a little curious as to which Hillsong you are talking about? Sydney, Brisbane, Melbourne, overseas? Well, whichever one it is, they all look the same to me… 🙂
What more can we say Megan – our experience is certainly not the same as yours, but then again, if you have been attending churches that do not preach sound doctrine, it is fairly easy to see why you would ‘feel led’ to go to Hillsong – they don’t teach it either.
Good works and fun times can never substitute for solid fellowship in a church well grounded in the word of God. Hillsong’s ‘gospel’ cannot save anyone, as it is predicated on the love of money, New Age philosophy, pop psychology and motivational guff.
People like you seem to ignore the opulent lifestyles of their leaders, also forgetting that you’re paying for it – but what about your own family? Are they doing OK financially, or has Hillsong already ‘led’ you to ‘tithe’ regularly, and therefore send yourselves broke each payday? Honest answer please…
One really has to wonder which ‘spirit’ actually led you to go to such a place, and then speak of it as if it were a part of God’s church? With all that has been stated above, anyone can see that clearly, it is not.
What does it take to convince the average “Hillsonger”, to take their rose coloured glasses off for an hour or so, and actually compare Hillsong’s words and actions, with what the Bible really teaches, Megan?
“No church is perfect […]”
That’s true, but it is not the slightest bit relevant in this instance, because hillsong is not a church, it is a prosperity / personality cult.
“[we] always proclaim that salvation is through the death of Christ, Gods only begotten son.”
And what a complete surprise it is that someone from hillsong can make such a glaring and elementary error: salvation is *not* through the death of Christ, it is through his death and subsequent *resurrection*.
Obviously you haven’t read the book of Romans, wherein Paul states:
“[Jesus] was delivered over to death for our sins and was raised to life for our justification.”
Are you perhaps you are unfamiliar with the foregoing verse because hillsong ignores such as being too hard to understand? Is it that hillsong avoids the book of Romans because it covers “massively deep biblical principles”? Is it really too difficult for Brian Houston to stand behind a lectern and read that verse out to his followers, Megan? Really?
Jesus said “I am the resurrection and the life” – where there is no resurrection, then there is no life. The fact that you overlook the resurrection is symptomatic of the fact that you attend hillsong, where there is no life at all – only a mountain of wood, hay and stubble, and the all-pervading stench of death.
“Yes [hillsong] could do a lot better in eschatology, bible studies etc but if it focused too much in that area, it would be at the expense of evangelism.”
The sort of “evangelism” that leads to the release of books such as “You Need More Money” and “Kingdom Women Love Sex”?
“Brian, […] is an incredible leader with a massive job.”
Brian is a man of average intelligence at best, who has no clearly identifiable gifts in any particular area and whose “preaching” is invariably characterised by being powerless to the point of being pathetic. The reason that Brian speaks with no authority whatsoever is because the Holy Spirit is not with him. God has not called Brian Houston – he is nothing but a self-appointed upstart with a big ego and a bigger mouth.
“No church is perfect […]”
Hi Megan. God himself will prove you wrong with His word. According to God – there is a perfect church. (Revelations 3:7-13) Hillsong is not even close to being a faithful or perfect church in his site. A basic grasp on His Word will reveal this. In fact, your church seems to be closer resembling the “synagogue of Satan” where you have leaders “who claim to be [Christians] though they are not, but are liars”.
Furthermore Megan, you appear to have not “kept [Christ’s] word” and have “denied Christ’s name” by elevating false teachers, your emotions and experiences above Christ’s authority. You are offering us lip service when you say you are, “deeply aware of deception”. If so, then why are you involved in the most perverse cult in Australia?
Hillsong is guilty for being ashamed of the gospel and leading churches around the world into utter apostasy. Yet you have the guts to say to us, “It is where The Lord led us”. Satan would do that kind of leading – not God. (Was it the music?)
God would lead you out of darkness – but you are saying God has lead you into it. God would never do that unless he called you to win people out of the cult. Not only that, you prove you love the darkness by embracing ignorance and taking no responsibility for your spiritual wellbeing when you say, “Do I know these preachers mentioned, no, but I guess I will next conference”. That’s not Christianity, that’s stupidity. Get out of the church of Laodicea and find a Philadelphia church. Light cannot fellowship with darkness.
Revelations 3:7-13
“To the angel of the church in Philadelphia write:
These are the words of him who is holy and true, who holds the key of David. What he opens no one can shut, and what he shuts no one can open. I know your deeds. See, I have placed before you an open door that no one can shut. I know that you have little strength, yet you have kept my word and have not denied my name. I will make those who are of the synagogue of Satan, who claim to be Jews though they are not, but are liars—I will make them come and fall down at your feet and acknowledge that I have loved you. Since you have kept my command to endure patiently, I will also keep you from the hour of trial that is going to come on the whole world to test the inhabitants of the earth.
I am coming soon. Hold on to what you have, so that no one will take your crown. The one who is victorious I will make a pillar in the temple of my God. Never again will they leave it. I will write on them the name of my God and the name of the city of my God, the new Jerusalem, which is coming down out of heaven from my God; and I will also write on them my new name. Whoever has ears, let them hear what the Spirit says to the churches.
I cannot believe the extent you have gone to in trying to tear down and frame these leaders and this church. For what purpose and for what benefit is this to the body of Christ? A whole website dedicated to analysing the every move of Hillsong Church and calling it out for its every flaw? I would expect this of militant atheists but not fellow brothers and sisters. And what have you done to impact the generations for Christ? Have you given the gospel to millions like this church has? Is it jealousy that motivates you? Is Jesus going to deny all who received the gospel through this church and affiliates just because of how their ways? Their are far greater causes you could be committing to and more dangerous cults they you could be addressing than this. I found this website simply because I was trying to see if Mark Driscoll would be speaking at conference. This site is both sickening and saddening, the level of devotion is ridiculous and an epic waste of precious time. I won’t be checking this again so leave whatever theological issues and reasons you want, I just pray you can see you could be doing better things for the cause of Christ instead of being critical of a movement impacting the world for Him. YOU ARE NOT GOD, YOU ARE NOT PERFECT AND YOU HAVE NO RIGHT TO JUDGE. YOU ARE JUST A MAN WHO THINKS HE KNOWS BETTER. This page is a joke, and I hope you are your devoted followers feel a huge weight of shame and conviction and repent of your senseless criticism of your brothers and sisters and do something constructive for the Kingdom.
“I found this website simply because I was trying to see if Mark Driscoll would be speaking at conference.
This site is both sickening and saddening, the level of devotion is ridiculous and an epic waste of precious time.
I won’t be checking this again so leave whatever theological issues and reasons you want, I just pray you can see you could be doing better things for the cause of Christ instead of being critical of a movement impacting the world for Him…”
@Anonymous – What is sickening and saddening is the fact that you would want to attend a conference where Mark Driscoll would be speaking (and maybe doing a little ‘cussing’ too!) This man has been called out in his home church for long list of sins, committed over a protracted period of time, and has stood down – at least for now.
Hillsong is the epic waste of time and energy – they attract many young people with their music, presentation, networking (dating?) false spiritual atmosphere.
And of course, let’s not forget the “tithing sermon” – that high part of the ceremony where the priests of Mammon get to spin the Gospel into a money making racket – the money that makes the Hillsong world go ’round!
Brian Houston’s only game plan is to impact the world for himself – he wants his global empire, feeding endless dupes into the ranks of Hillsongs in major cities here and there, while the percentages of the ‘take’ keep on flowing into Hillsong’s coffers.
Is this the organisation that is “impacting the world for Christ” Anonymous? I can see why you would not want to ‘call back in again’ – the simple truth of the matter could be too much for your “seeker sensitive” veneer…
“YOU ARE NOT GOD, YOU ARE NOT PERFECT AND YOU HAVE NO RIGHT TO JUDGE. YOU ARE JUST A MAN WHO THINKS HE KNOWS BETTER.”
So tell us, anonymous – are you yourself:
(a) God?
(b) Perfect?
(c) Someone who has a right to judge us?
No, of course not – you are not any of the above. You’re just another anonymous clown with a huge ego and a vastly over-inflated sense of self-importance. You are ignorant, arrogant, and vain – and just as your master Brian Houston is the quintessential imbecile, so too are you (and then some).
“A whole website dedicated to […] calling [hillsong] out for its every flaw?”
The “flaws” at hillsong are not the problem per se, rather they are symptomatic of the underlying issue: the spirit that is abroad in that cult – namely, the anti-christ spirit. On the day that Brian Houston is judged, you will see the truth of the saying: “It is a terrible thing to fall into the hands of the living God”. In the meantime, you would be well-advised to separate yourself from these money-hungry charlatans, lest you should share in their sins, which are as egregious as they are multitudinous.
“YOU ARE NOT GOD, YOU ARE NOT PERFECT AND YOU HAVE NO RIGHT TO JUDGE.”
“What business is it of mine to judge those outside the church? Are you not to judge those inside?” (1 corinthians 5:12)
———————————–
“Have you given the gospel to millions like this church has?”
oh, you mean the false gospel that this church has given? i don’t think anyone here is interested in having a millstone hung around his neck & being cast into the sea.
nfg
Would you guys mind if I made a website and facebook page similar to this? You have inspired me to take action, except I’d like to do something with the opposite intention of yours. Something along the lines of “hillsong church watchers exposed”- uncovering the biggest haters of Hillsong Church.
Yeah, that should be sweet. Okay thanks.
PS- I already have found your Facebook private group of the same name and am secretly among you
@Anonymous – some people take the view that “there’s no such thing as bad publicity”…
Of course, you did come back (ego problems?) and you’re going after us with a vengeance, but that’s to be expected… all I can say to that is: “NEXT”!
Hypocrites rarely have a balanced view of themselves against the larger backdrop of the Universe, but as long as they can please their lord and master (Mammon, and his servant, Brian Houston,) they are usually satisfied with the “outcomes” – more money in the coffers and more dupes amongst the pews… 🙂
Vilifying those of us who post here regularly, will only give us wider scope, via the larger crowd that your (intended) negative publicity would generate and virtually guarantee.
Thanks up ahead…
You guys remind me of the crew at Westborough Baptist Church, are u affiliated with them? Cause the passion and hatred towards this man Brian and his church is mirror image. Ya’ll gonna picket the services and conferences? “BRIAN HOUSTON IS THE ANTICHRIST”, “HILLSONG IS ROBBING YOU”, “GOD HATES HILLSONG AND THEIR CHURCH MEMBERS”- I can see it now.
No but seriously, commit to ya mission, it’s obvious this group hold to a divine truth so go for it.
I’m not even a member of Hillsong, I live thousands of kms away from a church of it’s size, living in and running an orphanage in Bali.
Anyway, I got 45 hungry mouths to feed. Sorry if the kids want to listen to some of their worship tonight, I’ll make sure they’re not too influenced by the lyrics.
Take the truly *positive* step of preventing your kids from being influenced by the lyrics via telling them the FULL Gospel.
Ephesians 2:8 For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, 9 not of works, lest anyone should boast. 10 For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.
Whatever, Dougy (Anonymous)
“I’d like to do something with the opposite intention of yours… I already have found your Facebook private group of the same name and am secretly among you”
some have crept in unawares..
nfg
Your discerning words are not done in a Spirit of love…and God works ALL things for the good of those who love Him. He is greater and above all…and he searches these gatherings…and plants His seed where He wills. He reaps the Harvest…not us.
How do you explain Jesus’ command to the apostles (and us), if God solely is responsible for planting the seed?
Matthew 28:19 Go *YE* therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: 20 Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world. Amen.
Galatians 6:8 For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting.9 And let *US* not be weary in well doing: for in due season *WE* shall reap, if we faint not.