“They’re changing the world
But the world’s not changing them”
That’s a statement from the Hillsong movie trailer “Let Hope Rise” from Warner Bros. The above statement couldn’t be more misleading. Though the world is not changing the church, the world is definitely changing Hillsong.
Houston recently published a public statement offering his stance on the same sex issue. This section caught our eye.
“Nowhere in my answer did I diminish biblical truth or suggest that I or Hillsong Church supported gay marriage. I challenge people to read what I actually said, rather than what was reported that I said. My personal view on the subject of homosexuality would line up with most traditionally held Christian views. I believe the writings of Paul are clear on this subject.” [Source]
Do you think Brian Houston is speaking from both sides of his mouth? Do you think Brian Houston’s teaching’s “would line up with most traditionally held Christian views”? Do you think Brian Houston even believes the tough “writings of Paul”?
Let a woman learn quietly with all submissiveness. I do not permit a woman to teach or to exercise authority over a man; rather, she is to remain quiet.For Adam was formed first, then Eve; and Adam was not deceived, but the woman was deceived and became a transgressor. 1 Timothy 2:11-14
Don’t forget that Hillsong says they believe “that the Bible is God’s Word. It is accurate, authoritative and applicable to our everyday lives”. [Source]
So which Hillsong do you believe? The Hillsong that submits to the Word of God or the Hillsong that rejects the Word of God?
The Christian Post reports,
Pastor Bobbie Houston Explains Why Hillsong Church Does Not ‘Sideline the Girls’
NEW YORK — Hillsong Church co-founder Bobbie Houston recently explained why she believes “the church needs to come of age sometimes and just grow up” when it comes to fully embracing women in various roles in Christian ministry.
“It’s a good question and for some, it’s a theological debate. For us, it’s never been that,” said Houston when asked Oct. 16 by The Christian Post for her thoughts on empowering and raising up female leaders.
Protestant denominations vary in their stances on women in leadership positions within churches and other Christian institutions. The Southern Baptist Convention, for example, restricts pastoral ministry and any ministry role requiring ordination to men. Hillsong Church, which belongs to the Australian Christian Churches (formerly the Assemblies of God in Australia) embraces and equips women pastors and preachers, as evidenced by Houston’s own work in the Australia-based ministry.
“It’s basically, we just have a conviction and a belief that Jesus Christ created men and women together, said to them together, ‘Go multiply, be blessed, have dominion, flourish in life, be awesome.’ So our experience is that women have always been on the page, always been invited in, always welcomed.”
Houston added, “I personally believe that there’s a wealth of fabulous potential within the feminine heart and I think down through history it’s been quenched at times. I think that, you know, the secular world doesn’t have an issue with women and I think really the church needs to come of age sometimes and just grow up and realize that there’s a wealth of wonder and goodness and potential and all sorts of things within the feminine heart and that together we can actually make the church more beautiful and more vibrant and more relevant to society.”
Houston, who has been serving alongside her husband, Pastor Brian Houston, for 30 years, is described on the Hillsong Church website as “a beloved pastor with a prophetic teaching gift” who has “redefined the face of ‘women’s ministry,’ raising up a strong and capable company of women through a local Hillsong Sisterhood, global Colour Sisterhood and flourishing annual Colour Conferences that take place across four nations.”
As Mrs. Houston told CP, “It’s not even an issue in our world. And I think the fruit bears witness to that. And I think there’s a great strength within our church and churches of like spirit because we don’t sideline the girls as such. I think it’s exciting.”
Preacher, author and activist Christine Caine is one popular example of a Hillsong Church-reared female minister. The Sydney-born evangelist has spoken at many leading U.S. churches and Christian conferences, and created a magazine called Propel, for “women who lead.”
“I have had the honour of being the first woman in most of the leadership or church settings I have spoken in. I never set out to do that; I just wholeheartedly and faithfully followed God to the best of my ability,” Caine told Christianity Today last year.
Pastor Houston made her remarks on women pastors and preachers during a press conference held on Thursday, Oct. 16 in New York City, ahead of the Hillsong Conference that started that night and ran through Saturday.
The conference was held at The Theater at Madison Square Garden and was “at capacity” throughout its run, according to a Hillsong Church representative. The figure shared with CP for attendance was 5,366 plus Hillsong Conference volunteers.
Hillsong Church was founded by Pastors Brian and Bobbie Houston in 1983, and welcomes about 30,000 worshippers weekly at gatherings around the globe. Outside of Australia, the multi-campus church has congregations in New York City, Los Angeles, London, Copenhagen, Barcelona, and in six other cities.
Source: By Nicola Menzie, Christian Post, http://www.christianpost.com/news/pastor-bobbie-houston-explains-why-hillsong-church-does-not-sideline-the-girls-128563/, Published 25/10/2014, 9:08 am. (Accessed 25/10/2014.)
Hillsong Church Watch 
Bobbie Houston: “that Jesus Christ created men and women together, said to them together, ‘Go multiply, be blessed, have dominion, flourish in life, be awesome.’”
Really? Is that what happened?
Genesis 3:16 “Unto the woman he said, I will greatly multiply thy sorrow and thy conception; in sorrow thou shalt bring forth children.”
Genesis 3:17 And unto Adam he said, Because thou hast hearkened unto the voice of thy wife, and hast eaten of the tree, of which I commanded thee, saying, Thou shalt not eat of it: cursed is the ground for thy sake; in sorrow shalt thou eat of it all the days of thy life.”
Does bobbie have an UNBIBLICAL version of Genesis that is ‘awesome’ ?
Does bobbie even know what is in Genesis; and why is she comfortable adding her own words to Holy Scripture..?
“we can actually make the church more beautiful and more vibrant and more relevant to society.”
Yes…that is called Flirting with the carnal world, which hillsong loves to do.
“for some, it’s a theological debate. For us, it’s never been that.”
Yes indeed, don’t want those pesky people who quote Scripture bothering hillsong.
Bobbie houston: “the church needs to come of age sometimes and just grow up”.
That quote takes the cake. Now bobbie houston is telling ‘the Church’, the Bible, the Holy Apostles, Paul and Timothy, and Christianity what to do…..?
As brian houston once said about his Noah movie; and definitely applies to hillsong: “You’ll really enjoy it, if you’re not too religious.”
Yep, feminism in the Church, good one Bobbie, “you go girl”. Idiot.
This may appear to be slightly off-topic at first ….. at this point Mark Driscoll is still going to speak at Hillsong Sydney’s 2015 conference. http://www.patheos.com/blogs/warrenthrockmorton/2014/11/11/mark-driscoll-still-featured-at-hillsong-in-2015/
Yes, the same Mark Driscoll with a reputation for misogyny and sexism. http://www.patheos.com/blogs/slacktivist/2014/08/04/the-gospel-of-misogyny/
Patheos archive and Google search gives many serious news articles which cover what Driscoll has said in the past. (Too M-rated for this blog).
Thinker – have a listen to this short podcast. You may hear things about Driscoll and Mars Hill you were not aware of.
4. This Week in Pop American Christianity: Mars Hill to Disband, Kenneth Copeland on Ebola, Beth Moore’s Misinterpretation of the Exodus – Chris Rosebrough, 11/7/14 | Issues, Etc. : http://issuesetc.org/2014/11/07/4-this-week-in-pop-american-christianity-mars-hill-to-disband-kenneth-copeland-on-ebola-beth-moores-misinterpretation-of-the-exodus-chris-rosebrough-11714/
Of course! His star is rising again…
Is Mark Driscoll Rising With the Help of *Dr* Robert “Formerly Demon Possessed” Morris? | The Wartburg Watch 2014 : http://thewartburgwatch.com/2014/11/10/is-mark-driscoll-rising-with-the-help-of-dr-robert-formerly-demon-possessed-morris/
Sources: Mark Driscoll Considering a Return to Ministry : http://www.patheos.com/blogs/warrenthrockmorton/2014/11/09/sources-mark-driscoll-considering-a-return-to-ministry/
Of course he’s going to try to return to ministry, no matter which denomination will have him! Pay packet + social status = egomaniac’s dream job. Charismatics seem to be especially willing to give people like him the benefit of the doubt. http://content.time.com/time/nation/article/0,8599,1666552,00.html
He’s a gifted speaker – the theology that came out in some sermons makes Houston sound like a pre-schooler reciting “ABCs” in comparison. He’ll have to dumb down the content for Hillsong followers that’s for sure.
“Be awesome” said God nowhere in the Bible. “Make the church more beautiful, more vibrant, and more relevant to society” said God nowhere in the Bible. Bobbie Houston’s goddess cult of self is promoting blatant rebellion against God. That can’t end well.
@TNP…
Excuse me young lady? Didn’t you ever read that passage in the Babbel, which clearly states:
“Be ye awesome as I am awesome?” (1 Thessaurians 2:10) 🙂
I mean, it’s a slam dunk – Bobbie got it from the 19th version of the “Massage” Bible – so it must be true…
Honestly TNP – you should pay more attention in class – when “she who must be emulated” speaks at the Colour Conference – unless of course, you are ‘colour blind’???
Did you miss the text, not get the email, did you not ‘see the light’…?
And can i just add..SHAME on roberta/aka bobbie houston for saying nothing about the brian houston Royal Commission statement: ‘no financial or moral responsibility’ towards the innocent victims of frank houston’s paedophilia.
You would think she would have something to say, as a mother, as a Christian!.Nothing. She was privy to all the information from brian.
Would there be just ONE mother, daughter or sister at a ‘colour conference’ who has the christian courage to stand up and protest that the houston’s did..and will do.. nothing? No-one?
Child abuse victims..Nothing? So much for the ‘brave women run in my family’ bobbie houston seminars.
Hillsong will be forever tainted by the hard-hearted houstons. What a ‘church’.
Just saw that Brian is already plugging bobbie’s ‘history of sisterhood’ little pot boiler book she is working on.
I hope bobbie mentions that she took the ‘sisterhood’ theme from the Jewish National Federation of Temple Sisterhoods started in 1913. It isn’t NEW…it was an old concept WAYYY before bobbie ‘appropriated’ it for hillsong.
There is a great App called plagiarism checker..that’s the one that caught out mark driscoll from mars hill church. Might be needing that if bobbie’s book comes out.
Thank You the truth, I was made to believe that Bobbie Houston thought of the Sisterhood Concept. Maybe thats why they dont encourage critical thinking or learning outside the church, because we find the truth.
The sooner the Houstons pack up their
tent and return to New Zealand, the better of the Australian church will be.
Come on Brian / Bobbie / Joel, Hillsong made $100 million tax free in the 2015 financial year from the Aussie church thats more then enough to retire on.
“Hillsong made $100 million tax free in the 2015 financial year from the Aussie church thats more then enough to retire on.”
Enough about the jokes and be serious. What about grandkids? Do you forget about extended family? Lets not leaving anyone out. More wealth is needed for sure.
Why not picking talented family member to do word of faith Crossover Project? Aa family music or acting career would help to be sure all those kiddies also retire in comfort. Every houses should get big fence to grant privacy from nosey secular neighbors with questions on rich pastors.