Two Paragraphs report,
Is Justin Bieber A Member of The Religious Cult Hillsong?
Pop star Justin Bieber is hanging out with his friend and pastor Carl Lentz over the Thanksgiving break. The Biebs posted a photo of him making a snowman with one of Lentz’s young daughters. His fans think it’s sweet.
Lentz, the 36-year-old hipster who preaches at Hillsong NYC (a spin-off of the Australian Evangelical megachurch Hillsong), met Bieber in 2008 when Bieber was just 14. “I have a special role in Justin’s life, spiritually,” Lentz told the New York Postrecently. Lentz is not your stereotypical pastor. He favors mohawks, tattoos, rap and skinny jeans. Hillsong has a troubled history including the fact that its founder confessed to molesting a 7-year-old (he was never prosecuted). The megachurch is considered by some to be a cult.
Source: Is Justin Bieber A Member of The Religious Cult Hillsong?, 2Paragraphs, http://2paragraphs.com/2014/11/is-justin-bieber-a-member-of-the-religious-cult-hillsong/, 28/11/2014. (Accessed 29/11/2014.)
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Hillsong Church Watch 
Maybe I’m being a bit too direct here, but if your church is founded by a pedophile it’s probably a cult, I’m not sure how anyone can draw any other conclusions because to me it’s a clear sign that Jesus and the Holy Spirit were not anywhere near that place. But it might explain why they needed to get really good at music and lighting to manipulate a mood/atmosphere in the church.
Then again Hillsong shouldn’t feel special in that respect, there’s a whole other religion out there with a similar beginning that people choose to ignore…
Yes clearly from the accounts of AHA and other victims of Frank Houston, the man clearly did not know Jesus. The long standing contempt he demonstrated over the years for other Christians and the body of Christ out side his own organization is also a sign that this man was operating in a counterfeit form of Pentecostalism and deceiving millions. You can’t be running a prayer meeting, moving in the Gifts of the Holy Spirit then go into the back room and molest young boys. I struggle to comprehend it, but God’s grace is certainly there for him if he repented but from all accounts he didn’t. Even if he did repent at the end of his life after he was found out, it still leaves everything he did in his life before that as a complete farce and a total lie and stand for absolutely zilch.
By the true meaning of the word cult, Hillsong isn’t a cult but its operations are certainly cultist in terms of the power that one man at the top is endowed with.
Frank Houston set up this pattern for Brian and many others to follow (Pringle etc), which was the unaccountable, autonomous status of its leaders. This is the pattern of a form of personality cult which prospered from its foundations in the counterfeit Latter Rain movement of 1946, which is the origin of Hillsong’s roots .
As I see it, its splitting hairs to try to work it out. If its a personality cult like system then that’s good enough for me, its a cult then. Even the fact that the question arises is enough to conclude that it is a cult because of the gloomy confusion and smoke and mirrors, surrounding the whole movement.
A similar comparison could possibly be Jack Hayford who, himself is highly respected but his friends are the corrupt ones as is the questionable Four Square Gospel denomination. Guilt by association and analysis of its roots.
Hi there *Do Tell* – in terms of cultishness, yes I would agree – it is by degrees, to a point. However, the word ‘cult’ in the Christian context is used of aberrant groups (Potter’s House, RCI etc as well as the Mormons and JW’s,) because they have strong theological errors/distinctives that separate them from the rest of Christendom – the basics of the faith may not even be intact. “Heterodox” beliefs is one way to categorise them, as opposed to standard “Orthodox beliefs” held by genuine believers.
Many Christian people also use the other standard to declare a group a ‘cult’, which entails the assessment of their behaviour, not just their teaching. For instance, love bombing, finding “friends” for you at church, having an all powerful charismatic style (unaccountable) leader, and other aberrations would, in many people’s minds, cause them to call Hillsong and other man made organisations like it, a cult, for following the same distinctives that set Hillsong apart.
The syndrome of control and manipulation, coupled with the many lies told from the pulpit (WOF – your best life now, false prophecies and a watered down ‘gospel’ etc) are but a few of the ways that people will determine as to whether the label “cult” is a fair appraisal of the group/movement/sect or not.
Any Church that denies its members individual thought, Controls through manipulation and fear and propagates a Gospel that is in direct contrast to the true Gospel needs to be considered as such. If it walks like a duck and quacks like one…
I was just outside HS inner Brisbane and saw the tail end of the “faithful” entering in. One lady was around the corner in the Brunswick St mall holding a sign which said “Hillsong welcome home”. Others were att being to see asking at the nearby McWhirters car park. All of the volunteers wore black. One street person going past said to me:
” It’s a false religion – they jus want your money” – a STREET person!
You can hear the local folk say that about Hillsong as well in Sydney and Melbourne. If they don’t bring up Hillsong wanting your money, they accuse Hillsong of brainwashing and controlling people.
That’s alright. If the world says this about Hillsong, according to Hillsong, those folk are not worth saving or serving.
thor : Which church in the Valley is operating as Hillsong ?
It’s the old MET nightclub in Wickham Street. If you get off a train or bus near Valley Rail, it’s virtually underneath the walkway between the railway station and McWhirter’s building, slightly to the right. There’s a double public phone box, so it should be easy to find…
Here’s a link their website:
http://hillsong.com/brisbane/city
Thanks thor : Interesting , because, isn’t there the ACC church led by ACC National President Wayne Alcorn not far away ? Like a stone’s throw !
Looks like this Met campus is under the cover of Hillsong Mt Gravatt ?
+-x%
You obviously failed mathematics at school.
“Others were att being to see asking at the nearby McWhirters car park.”
Sorry about the faulty text – sent from my phone but with mistakes. It should have read:
“Others were attending to car parking at the nearby McWhirter’s car park…”
Now @Newtaste, who is faulty with their maths? Please explain…
Yes Ziggy that would be BCC now at Albion formerly Glad Tidings Tabernacle. Used to be in Alfred St and was started as a tent meeting in the depression years
The media and the local community are not the only ones who are concerned about Hillsong being a cult – that concern appears to be worldwide, and here’s a link to a German website, written by an unsaved person, who gives their own version of why they believe Hillsong is a cult:
http://marctv.de/blog/the-hillsong-church-cult/
You and I may not agree with all of the sentiments as expressed, but at least this person had the presence of mind to spot all of the ‘cult’ markers – money, influence, vain imaginations, fake generated atmosphere and various other falsehoods.
They also found and posted this (naughty) little video, calling it a Hillsong parody – well that’s wht Hillsong is, in part, isn’t it? A parody on real Christianity, but it’s false teaching and money making schemes betray its true purposes – mass deception and wealth gathering…
http://marctv.de/blog/the-hillsong-church-cult/
“+-x%”. It is actually +-x÷.
“We consider Hillsong a cult based on the BITE control criteria, the +-x% marks”.
Based on your statement, and what is said in that video regarding those ‘marks’ –
could you please point out with clear citations where Brian Houston and Hillsong have denied the Deity of the Trinity, where they have said anyone or all of the three persons of the Godhead are not God, and where Brian Houston and Hillsong have claimed that someone cannot obtain salvation except through Hillsong? You have implied this by stating that Hillsong substracts (-) from the Deity of Trinity. Please show us where that has occurred. You have also implied that Hillsong divides (÷) Christianity so that salvation only comes through Hillsong. Please show us where this has occurred.
Re Trinity issue: churchwatcher covered the Hillsong’s ambiguity RE Trinity in Houston’s Twitter message (17 Sept 2014) https://hillsongchurchwatch.com/2014/09/21/brian-houston-calls-christian-pastors-intellectual-pride-filled-pharisees-evil-people/
“Birds of a feather flock together”.
On Houston’s Twitter page there is a photo of T.D.Jakes, well-known for his modalism “tendencies”.
Apprising Ministries’ search results for modalism. http://apprising.org/?s=modalism&submit=go
The most logical conclusion is that either Houston doesn’t care (hireling NOT shepherd) or he agrees with T.D.Jakes (a false teacher). A true defender of the Christian faith would never treat a non-trinitarian heretic as a brother-in-Christ.
Church Watch implies that Houston denies the deity of Trinity in some way. That post you linked to and having a photo of TD Jakes (who has obviously been confused for most of his life) on Houston’s Twitter does not back up the claim by Church Watch.
Newtaste – why do you think Brian Houston continues to have T.D.Jakes as ongoing header for twitter stream pics? It’s been there for a VERY long time. Not to suggest Houston ‘denies the trinity’ as does Jakes.
Can only agree with Thinker, Houston doesn’t care and that does make him a hireling.
“TD Jakes […] has obviously been confused for most of his life […]”.
That’s something that Jakes has in common with Brian Houston, who is so “confused” that he has publicly stated that Christians and muslims serve the same God.
Brian doesn’t have a single redeeming quality; he is a characterless and ignorant individual who is nothing more than a reed swaying in the breeze, which is why he doesn’t mind being associated with people like Jakes. It has ever been thus with false teachers and their fellow-travellers.
for hillsong/c3 to invite so many yucks to hillsong/c3 public conferences, without ever any disclaimers saying they dont agree with any of their teachings, is implictly agreeing..
net effect:
1) hillsong/c3 constantly promote ppl like td jakes to the entire world
2) while taking their own congregants & other guests money
3) and financing false teachers.
the false teachers are united. in their lust after mammon & popularity..
nfg
From http://hillsong.com/what-we-believe:
“We believe in one eternal God who is the creator of all things. He exists in three persons: God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit.”
Trying to get Houston to make his position clear on anything is like trying to nail jelly to the wall! Look at their word games RE whether Christians and Muslims worship the same God, and whether Hillsong is pro-gay or not. Is it lack of spine or lack of intellect that makes Mr. “Leadership tweets” unwilling to lead?
Actions speak louder than words If Hillsong genuinely believes the doctrine of the Trinity then why is Houston willing to share the stage with T.D.Jakes, even indirectly advertise him via Twitter?
Until Houston gives a clear message or SERMON (broadcast on TV in usual format, then made available online in both video AND text format) – just one sentence/ paragraph might be taken “out-of-context” after all – upon why ALL Christians believe in the Trinity, and why anyone who does NOT believe in the Trinity is NOT a Christian and therefore should not be treated like they are one…. then all people who actually give two hoots about Christian doctrine should be a “Doubting Thomas” about Houston’s position.
If Houston genuinely believes in the doctrine of the Trinity he should be happy to *defend* that narrow-minded, narrow-roaded “this way is the only way ” doctrine. Putting Christ first always make you a TRUE Christian leader Brian Houston.
Start from our very first article on Hillsong Church Watch and keep reading…
So you can’t actually pinpoint anything. I’m not at all surprised.
T.D. Jakes is a heretic, condoned, supported and promoted by Brian Houstom and Hillsong. What does that make Brian Houston, Newtaste? Does the bible have a description and warning about such as these?
“T.D. Jakes is a heretic, condoned, supported and promoted by Brian Houston and Hillsong. What does that make Brian Houston, Newtaste? Does the bible have a description and warning about such as these?”
It does. And Brian Houston has never pretended that he is infallible. Is Houston a heretic? No. Is he a flawed sinner, like all of us? Yes he is.
I reckon if you asked the vast majority of Christians and Catholics what the difference is between “Three persons (Father, Son and Spirit) in One God”, and “One God who manifests into three persons (Father, Son and Spirit)”, they would probably have difficultly understanding that there was any difference in those statements. I have had people tell me “Isn’t it the same”. Is TD Jakes wrong? I believe he is 100% wrong. Is it a hanging offence? No. I will pray that he sees the light and realises his error. Brian Houston does believe in Three persons in One God – there is no doubt about that. TD Jakes has softened his modalist views in recent years, so hopefully Brian Houston will one day have a word to him so that Jakes does see that he is wrong.
I have no idea what Pringle really believes.
NewTaste, T.D.Jakes could have been a very successful politician. Any serious USA discernment websites show his word-game ability. e.g. search “t.d.jakes” on one pastors’ blog http://teampyro.blogspot.com
Re vast majority Christians/ Catholics unable to explain Trinity: that is why vast majority are and never will be church leaders/ teachers *as commanded* (see James 3:1).
A true church leader does not need to rely on (usually young) songwriters to deliver his church’s theology on his behalf.
*vast majority NEVER are/will be church leaders
Another well-respected blog’s entry on T.D.Jakes. http://www.challies.com/articles/the-false-teachers-td-jakes
@Badtaste – I had personal dealing with UPC people when I lived interstate years ago. The pastor of that church explained how he saw ‘God’ according to their theology. He used an analogy and said that:
“Basically, God the Father, used “Jesus” like we would use a raincoat on a very wet day. “Jesus” was an outer layer – a skin – that ‘God’ used, as a protective covering while here on the Earth, and when He had accomplished all that was necessary in terms of His ministry, “Jesus” was discarded (like a used Chux rag) and He (the Father) went back up to Heaven, with His mission accomplished.”
The man Jesus of Nazareth existed, but was used as a vessel and suggestions by me (taken from the baptism of Jesus by John at the Jordan river,) that Jesus evidenced both humanity and deity at the same time, were poo-hooed by him as being impossible and basically, unnecessary.
So much for UPC theology on the deity of Christ and any kind of orthodox views on the Trinity. My Bible tells me in 1 John 5:7 that:
“7 For there are three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost: and these three are one.”
There is no room within the New Testament Church for UPC heresy (also known as Monarchianism and Sebellianism,) nor is there any room in the ministry for those who deny the true nature and character of God and the Godhead, as orthodox people understand it.
Here’s a link to the story of John Ewart – founding father of UPC International, as listed on the Alpha Crusis web site, Web Journals:
http://webjournals.ac.edu.au/journals/ADPCM/e-to-h/ewart-francis-john-1876-1947/
>> “And Brian Houston has never pretended that he is infallible. Is Houston a heretic? No. Is he a flawed sinner, like all of us? Yes he is.”
“Muslims and Christians serve the same God” is not a heretical statement Newtaste? Even a declared atheist, or an unsaved 15 year old, knows better than that.
>> ” they would probably have difficultly understanding that there was any difference in those statements…..Is TD Jakes wrong? I believe he is 100% wrong. Is it a hanging offence? No.”
Jakes told Oprah on the Oprah show “There are multiple paths to God.” Go watch it for yourself Newtaste. Do you have problems understanding that statement also? Nobody else here would.
>> “I have no idea what Pringle really believes.
No Newtaste, you have no clue.
By your name, Trumpet 777, I’m guessing that you believe that Jesus is your Number 7, seventh seal in Revelations, 5 loaves + 2 fish = 7, Jesus was the harlot’s 7th man since she was married 5 times and had a partner, Jesus created man on the 6th day so Jesus’ day was 7, etc. All numerology that means zip. Jesus is the One.
Newtaste, the meaningless numbers were entered just to make the unique email. So of course they mean “zip.”
You are as clueless as Beloved Cult Leader Brian Houston, who follows another Jesus, deceiving you and tens of thousands of other Hillsong cult members.
Though I will admit, Guru Brian would be a hit as a talk show guest on the new age Oprah show, along with Mr. Jakes, where all three of them would agree on Brian’s “Muslims are Christians” message.
“Is Justin Bieber A Member of The Religious Cult Hillsong?”
Sorry, no he’s not. Justin is now a pastor at Hillsong LA.
” … qualifying as a lay preacher following an intensive, three-month bible study course. And he even wants to bring TV cameras into L.A.’s trendy Hillsong Church so he can preach to the masses and spread the good word as a part-time televangelist. Bieber, who turns 21 next Sunday, has helped Hillsong become the first church in history to be signed by top Hollywood talent agency William Morris Endeavor.
The agency, whose megastar clients include Robert De Niro, Ben Affleck, John Travolta, Taylor Swift and Kanye West, is already reportedly negotiating a prime time small screen slot on Sundays with two networks. And, to help boost ratings, The Bieb has offered to help staff clergy by reading sermons and even appealing for donations on camera. ”
http://www.sundayworld.com/news/justin-believer-bieber-to-perform-from-the-pulpit-hillsong