This person contacted us the same Tuesday night they attended this Hillsong event (Tuesday, 10 Feb, 2015). The email has been slightly edited to help assist readability, to make shorter and to ensure anonymity.
Tonight I attended the Hillsong Vision event because some friends wanted to go. I’m not particularly a great fan of Hillsong but I was not prepared for what I was about to witness that night. I had to go home and jot down what I heard straight away. My observations are in no particular order:
I listened to Brian Houston talk about his new book entitled, “Live, Love, Lead”. Of course he was encouraging people to buy it, but he also wanted us to pray over it. (As if THIS will make the book Holy). Anyway, in an effort to get people to read this book, Brian said that he talks about his father, Frank Houston, his pedophile “pastor” inside his book. (Only he didn’t mention the pedophile part.) What was really interesting is when he said that this new book is the only book he’s ever written. He kept emphatically stating this, which was very weird. My question, of course, was, “Then who wrote all of the other books that claim Brian Houston as their author?”
Another time, Brian randomly talked about Garden City Church, claiming that Hillsong merged with them to create a Hillsong church, I was obviously upset. They didn’t merge – it was a deceitful and hostile take-over! He lied to us!
Houston also made an offensive joke about his kids. In an “off the cuff” remark he talked about the fact that since he sent Joel (or Ben?) off to the United States to plant a church he should do the same with his daughter. The difference is that he would send her to Iraq. I was disgusted when the crowd laughed as though this was meant to be good joke.
Two Hillsong pastors also talked about two churches being planted in South America. They said that because UNITED was so well received, (apparently people attended the musical event in the rain), they knew it was time to plant churches there. The talk was all about building and growing churches. It was NEVER about saving people from their sins. The focus was on getting people into these churches to further the “cause.” How creepy!
I think it was one of these leaders that mentioned that he was planting a church in an influential city because Hillsong wanted to plant churches in influential places.
Need I say more?
Brian also talked about how the biggest mistake he ever made was publishing the book, “You Need More Money.” What about “You Can Change the Future?” Doesn’t he think THAT book was an even bigger mistake? That book was published eight months after his father confessed his crimes! I remember reading that book! It only taught how wonderful Frank Houston was and how we would should live like him to impact future generations.
From ‘You Can Change The Future’*:
“The day my father committed his life to Jesus, he didn’t understand what was actually happening in terms of impacting other people’s lives. Because of his decision, our family has been changed forever, and thousands of people have been trained up and are preaching the Gospel worldwide.
There have been some great men of God in days gone by – Wigglesworth, Finney, Spurgeon, Booth – but they are now in eternity. They made an impact during their generation but in all His wisdom, God chose to put you and me in this generation. You may imagine living in the time of horse-drawn carriages, but it isn’t coincidence or chance you are here today. You are here for a time such as this to be part of God’s eternal purpose. […]
The decision you make and the actions you take have a huge impact, not only on yourself but on the generations to come.
You will pass on a baton to the next generation. What will that baton look like?
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.” – pg. 122
Brian Houston, You Can Change The Future, Published July, 2000.
Brian Houston also talked about the time that Hillsong bought a property for $28 million only to have it lose half its value when the GFC* hit. I didn’t understand what he was talking about. He was acting like he wasn’t telling the whole truth about this. This is something I plan to look into.
The music tonight was garbage. It was such a manufactured scene to watch. You could feel people going through the motions while leaders tried to manipulate people to get into the mood. It didn’t look right and it definitely didn’t feel right. One song was called “Wings of Everlasting” and was so self-centered and creepy. It was about touching the sky when our knees hit the ground. I don’t really know what gnosticism is but it made me think of it. I could easily envision the devil himself singing the lyrics.
At one point I asked the people who were sitting next to me if they knew what the Gospel was. Even though they’d been going to Hillsong for a few years they had no clue what it was. If I wasn’t already convinced that Hillsong isn’t a real church, that exchange would have done it. How tragic that so many people who think they are Christians aren’t. The consequences are eternal. God help these people!
People thought they were going to get preaching. They didn’t. Instead everyone heard how fantastic Hillsong was.
Oh yeah! And Hillsong was updating us about their movie and promoting it.
Promoting what? A self-centered corporation that could draw a crowd but not lead people to Jesus? A movement that tried to cover up the crimes of a serial pedophile by writing about how wonderful the pedophile was? A movement that lies and covers up it’s sins? A movement that’s takes over Christian churches?
I’m devastated. How can this perverted corporation even be considered to represent the standards of the Christian faith?
Source: Email sent: Wed, 11 Feb 2015 01:13:16 +1100 || Edited and approved by sender: 24/03/2015.
* Snippet from original book inserted later into email.
* GFC – Global Financial Crisis
Hillsong Church Watch 
Well done watchman! interesting to note that God will save some people even though we have our issues & faults. But we allways confess, repent and put our trust in Chist…but
where HS is heading? Do you know? Will they eventually come around and proclaim the “gospel” or will they continue drift away further from it?
“But we always confess, repent and put our trust in Chist…but where HS is heading?”
http://churchwatchcentral.com/about/what-we-believe/
Do a copy/paste of the quotes we have in the 4 points. This is where Hillsong is demanding Christianity progress to. This is Hillsong’s idea od “championing The Cause of the local church”.
The Bible says we are on a journey…meaning we commence somewhere headsomewhere…and unless there is a complete change of direction I cannot see how Hillsong could ever find the right path. Then the Scripture to emphasise this says
Matthew 7:13-14 13“Enter through the narrow gate; for the gate is wide and the way is broad that leads to destruction, and there are many who enter through it. 14“For the gate is small and the way is narrow that leads to life, and there are few who find it. ”
I would say based on this and other Scripture I would not want to be going down the same road as Hillsong, I have serious doubts they and their teaching and their lifestyle would fit on that narrow path, but I pray they do, have many friends and family either worship there or influenced by them.
Hi Linton,
You might want to listen to Brian Houston preach “No Other Name” last year at Hillsong Conference. He actively promotes that people walk down the wide road and enter through the wide gate.
I was at that conference and was disgusted by his twisting of Matthew 7…. that the path is wide and big because God wants us to do big things for him…
Interesting that the next part of that chapter is about false teachers 🙂
Hi Reverent – want to email us more about your experience at Hillsong Conference? Hillsong do not livestream some of their sessions. What was your experience?
Sure. Would love to give you an account of some of the things I noticed at hillsong conf 2014.
Thank you for sharing your thoughts and experience. I agree that Hillsong is a fake church. I go much further and say its also fake worship. The music is the driving beat, similar to jesus giving a feed to the 5000. Remove the feed and you will see their true commitment. Sadly its not just Hillsong.
This seeker sensitive poison has infected many churches. RICK WARREN and his purpose driven model only grows the numbers. “Felt needs, unchurched, change agents, contemporary music…..” when you hear these terms your church is been stolen by the seeker sensitive movement.
Just reading this 2014 remark from Dr. Al Mohler, president of the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, and theologian:
On Hillsong minimizing the gospel, Mohler told the New York Times, “It’s a prosperity movement for the millennials, in which the polyester and middle-class associations of Oral Roberts have given way to ripped jeans and sophisticated rock music. What has made Hillsong distinctive is a minimization of the actual content of the gospel and a far more diffuse presentation of spirituality.”
http://www.charismanews.com/world/45370-al-mohler-calls-out-hillsong-for-minimizing-gospel
Ephesians 3:16-19 (NIV)
16 I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, 17 so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, 18 may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, 19 and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.
Brian Houston has stated that, yes, the path is narrow, but within the context of living and walking in the wide love of God which Brian referred to as a wide path. Not defending him, just pointing out what I think I remember him saying.
There are a lot of errors in this article, including regarding Rosebery. Hillsong buying the property, attempting to build a church there in the face of community and council opposition, and the recent residential development on the site, has not been a secret. Brian can hardly be hiding anything as it’s all been reported in the media. The development: http://www.capitalcorporation.com.au/pages/projects/otto-rosebery.php
And Brian stating that his new book is the first book he has written, he originally said he felt it is the first book he has really written as he considers it the most important. He wasn’t saying he hadn’t written his previous books.
Were you there, Newtaste?
“[…] how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ […]”
I see the word “wide” there, but the word “path” is conspicuous by its absence.
“Brian Houston has stated that, yes, the path is narrow, but within the context of living and walking in the wide love of God which Brian referred to as a wide path.”
So Brian wants to tell us about “context”? That’s got to be the height of irony, doesn’t it? Is he really saying that we are on a narrow path, and yet, at the very same time, we are also on a wide path? It sounds like Eastern mysticism to me (I’m sure that Brian wouldn’t be doing drugs, so it couldn’t be that). Anyway, Brian presents as a very confused individual, which is not at all consistent with his projected persona as a switched-on ultra-hip man of God.
“And Brian stating that his new book is the first book he has written, he originally said he felt it is the first book he has really written as he considers it the most important.”
That’s interesting. I wonder how people might feel if they had shelled out good money to buy all of Brian’s books in the past, only to now have the author himself infer that those earlier works had been rendered all but irrelevant by his latest tome. Perhaps Brian is simply trying to improve sales by talking up his literary joke du jour, albeit in the clumsiest manner imaginable.
“Not defending [Brian] […]”.
No one’s going to blame you for hedging your bets on that, given that it’s increasingly the case that Brian only opens his mouth to change feet. (He really should get a check up – one worries that he may be suffering from early-onset dementia).
“[…] just pointing out what I think I remember [Brian] saying.”
It’s telling in the extreme that even though you have always been a staunch supporter of Brian’s, his dizzying eisegetical merry-go-rounds now have even you second-guessing.
We shouldn’t forget that one of the hallmarks of anointed preaching is it’s clarity, as there is nothing like mealy-mouthed ambiguity to rob discourse of its power (as with the mindless prattling of today’s poll-driven people-pleasing politicians, who seem to think that convictions are something that only criminals should have). And poor old Brian wouldn’t know clarity if it bit him – that’s why he is forever having to apologise for things he’s said and written, and why he is always having to justify himself by explaining away his many missteps. Brian wants us to believe that he is a great leader and a gifted communicator, but his embarrassing track record tells an altogether different story.
mark beeson is another seeker-sensitive one whos way out there catering to visitors having a ‘pleasant experience’ so theyll come back..
watch some of the granger community church band doing 1980s pop/rock hits during ‘church’ services. its pretty unbelievable..
its just entertainment masquerading as a church,
nfg
Matthew 7:14 NIV But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it.
Brian Houston- “Don’t ever think that serving God, is a narrow path. People make it so narrow, so negative, so legalistic and they make it into a narrow path and I think it’s one of the devils great strategies. Here at Hillsong Church, lets decide we are going to live a big life that God’s got for you, a big life.”
Brian Houston- “It’s not the path that’s narrow, I believe God wants to challenge you to have bigger dreams, have a wider belief, have a bigger church, Amen. Be a bigger spirited person, have bigger thinking because it’s a big and a wide path”
Proverbs 4:26-27 Give carful thought to the paths for your feet and be steadfast in all your ways, do not turn to the right or the left; keep your foot from evil.
” At one point I asked the people who were sitting next to me if they knew what the Gospel was. Even though they’d been going to Hillsong for a few years they had no clue what it was. If I wasn’t already convinced that Hillsong isn’t a real church, that exchange would have done it. How tragic that so many people who think they are Christians aren’t. The consequences are eternal. God help these people! ”
Guess it depends who you sit beside.
” Hillsong singer David Ware said that their song “O Praise The Name” brought a new revelation of Easter and helps people reflect on the resurrection of Jesus Christ in a different way.
…
He and the rest of the band recorded the song with their gaze transfixed on Jesus’ face, and Ware hopes that listeners will be inspired with the way they told the ancient story.
He said that Easter is the only time of the year when Christians and non-Christians alike from all over the world place their focus on Jesus and what they believe about Him. People reflect on “who He was or wasn’t, what He did or didn’t do, the life He lived, His death, His resurrection and all that happened after,” said Ware.
And he loves the fact that their song sheds new light into His timeless story, and it helps Christians remember the greatest love story of all time in a different way. Ware considers it amazing that Jesus’ story is as relevant today as it was 2000 years ago. And not only is it His story, but it’s everybody’s as well, because Jesus died on the cross to save mankind, the singer said.
He quoted the Bible verse Romans 5:8, which says: “God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” ”
http://www.christiantoday.com/article/hillsong.singer.david.ware.says.their.song.o.praise.the.name.brought.a.new.revelation.of.easter/50866.htm
Newtaste – again, were you there?
So, Newtatste. You WERE there, why the “secret”? response via, not one, but two emails? Have we blown your cover? Are you really “secret agent man”?
“[…] their song […] brought a new revelation […]”
“[…] their song sheds new light […]”
“[…] and helps people […]”
“[…] listeners will be inspired […]”
“[…] helps Christians […]”
So this is an “ancient story”, but we are fortunate that David Ware and his mates are here to “help us” by bringing a “new revelation” and “shedding new light” to “inspire” us, because obviously the Holy Spirit is manifestly incapable of doing any of that.
“”[…] People reflect […]”
The gospel according to hillsong: “believe in Brian and reflect on Jesus”.
“Ware considers it amazing that Jesus’ story is as relevant today as it was 2000 years ago.”
With the sub-text being that it is only “relevant” because hillsong is here to package and market it in such a way that it appeals to the masses. Ware’s self-congratulatory gushing is indicative of how much he adores himself, just as Brian Houston has taught him that he should.
“He and the rest of the band recorded the song with their gaze transfixed [sic] on Jesus’ face”
Really? Jesus himself appeared to them during the recording sessions? I would have thought that they would have been content to gaze lovingly at a portrait of Brian Houston.
A friend from overseas was in Sydney for a few days, and she was keen to visit Hillsong. The “Heart & Soul Night” on 10th Feb worked out to be the best opportunity for that. At this event Brian Houston did talk about his new book “Live, Love, Lead”. I recall him saying something about it being the only book he has written, I don’t recall what he said exactly, though I don’t recall him saying that he “felt” like this is the only book he has written. I think the impression I got was that what he was trying to communicate was that his past books were written from a very different state of existence, like as if he had now reached some higher place, and his past writings were like that of somebody else. He seemed to joke about the title of his past book “You need more money” saying something along the lines of “what was I thinking!?” (I don’t recall the exact words). He seemed to laugh it off as a grownup might laugh off crayon scribbles they had made as a child.
Anyway, my main question to anybody selling and marketing Christian books is if they seriously want everybody to read something they have written, why don’t they make it available for free in electronic form for anybody to read and share?
“freely you have received, freely give.” (Matthew 10:8).
Regarding the music at the event, it was very loud even way out the back, thankfully I had some tissue paper in my pocket, and I rolled some up and stuffed it in my ears, where the paper remained for the remainder of the service to deaden the volume to a bearable level, so as a witness of what exactly was said and what was not said, I might not be the most reliable witness, since I did have paper stuffed in my ears.
What is the last known salary of Brian, Bobbie e.t.c? Can such information be requested?
If you’re a member of their church, you are entitled to know. We know exactly how much our minister earns, it’s disclosed at our church’s AGM each year. A meeting the whole congregation attends, with each member also receiving a copy of the church’s complete financial records.
I’m sorry but I have a very difficult time believing much in this post.
>”At one point I asked the people who were sitting next to me if they knew what the Gospel was. Even though they’d been going to Hillsong for a few years they had no clue what it was.”
How did this conversation even go? “How long have you been coming here? Do you know what the Gospel is?”
This is just so hard to believe that it takes away credibility from the entire post, and frankly from this blog in general. Why lie about something so insignificant when other facts speak for themselves? Even if you didn’t ask the part about how long they’d been going, Brian Houston continually and actively speaks from and refers TO the Gospel, so the first part of the conversation sound extremely far fetched.
As I said, a lot of facts about Hillsong church speak for themselves. You do not need to make up completely unbelievable stories to get a point across, and you’ve almost completely discredited your post and made me a lot more wary of this site in general.
Don’t make things up. When you do, you are exactly as bad as they are.
Hannah – We can assure you the post is spot on, the events true. Painful, but true. It’s not uncommon for a Hillsong member to not effectively share the gospel let alone say exactly what it is. By the way, using “Francis of Assisi” as an example is not how to explain the gospel, as said by one of those asked.
1 Cor. 15:1-4 “Now I make known to you brethren, the gospel which I preached to you, which also you received, in which also you stand, by which also you are saved, if you hold fast the word which I preached to you, unless you believed in vain. For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received, that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, and that He was buried, and that He was raised on day according to the Scriptures……”
Hannah – dialoging with a Hillsong “evangelist”
“Todd Friel – Be Careful of Hillsong”
“You can watch this video on youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XkdlIRku2Z8
Todd Friel, “Do you remember when we went to Great Britain? And I found a guy in the street who was from Hillsong Australia and we got into bit of a theological conversation with that fellow. Do you remember?
Todd Friel, “What is the message of Christ?”
Hillsong attendee, “Well it is about you know
he says go out into all the world and you know…”
Todd Friel, “That is the command. What is the message?”
Todd Friel, “Now I take it was he Hillsong from the UK?”
Tony Verkinnes, “Yeah.”
Todd Friel, “Because yeah they have got branches in the UK too. Alright a cousin.”
Hillsong attendee, “The message is eternal.”
Todd Friel, “Sorry?”
Hillsong attendee, “Eternal life, prosperity, hope,
self-love, salvation, healing. A whole bundle of stuff
but it is really to equip people and give them the
resources to go and affect the lives of the people
around them in the communities which they live in.”
Todd Friel, “What is the best way that I can affect
the lives of the people in my community?
Hillsong attendee, “Well it all comes from love
doesn’t it really at the end of the day. The conviction that you get from love.”
Todd Friel, “Helping people?”
Hillsong attendee, “Yeah I mean sort of doing all you can.
I mean there is obviously loads of facets that you could talk
about how particularly. I mean it is a bit a vague question that but…”
Todd Friel, “Alright hold on. You said two words that kind of jumped out at me – prosperity what kind of prosperity?”
Hillsong attendee, “Well prosperity in life and prosperity in the workplace and prosperity in your family life.”
Todd Friel, “So if I became a Christian I get prosperity in those arena’s is that right?
Hillsong attendee, “Well I think becoming a Christian is a very Christian is a very organic process. I mean contrary to a lot of other faiths, we accept what has been done we don’t win our place in heaven or favour of God by what we do. It has been done on the cross so the whole process of becoming a Christian is very much certainly for me on my own testimony. But for most Christians if you speak to them about it, it is an organic growth thing so…”
Todd Friel, “Yeah hold on a second. What I heard you say is if I am a Christian I have prosperity in the workplace in the world financially?”
Hillsong attendee, “Well not necessarily financially, but there is sort of an abundance of peace and trust that you will be provided for.”
Todd Friel, “Hmmm…..Brian Houston’s book is called “You Need More Money.” I am not kidding. “Discovering God’s Amazing Financial Plan for Your Life.”
Hillsong attendee, “That is very biblical but it is just…”
Todd Friel, “Okay help me out we have got a lot to cover here in a little bit of time. Alright I become a Christian. I get fired the next day at work. What went wrong?”
Hillsong attendee, “I don’t think it is as black and white as that. I think ultimately you grace is about His strength in our weakness and that is what you kind of get. So I suppose it is very much a trust thing. You begin trusting like a child. It says in the Bible he that doesn’t accept the kingdom of God as a child does, doesn’t really accept the kingdom at all and I guess you just stop doing things on your strength and start relying on His.”
Todd Friel, “Okay but help me harmonize. I become a Christian and my wife gets cancer. My children get hit by a bus. What am I missing where is that prosperity?”
Hillsong attendee, “Well I suppose if you have got an eternal perspective on things then. I mean obviously questions like that they are transcendent questions aren’t they? They are very difficult to answer.”
Todd Friel, “Really?”
Hillsong attendee, “I mean I don’t think becoming a Christian necessarily goes hand in hand with you know a perfect worldly life. But if you have got an eternal perspective on things, you know we are just passing through here. We will take knocks.”
Todd Friel, “Okay you said the other thing, the other word that you said is something about self-love. What was that about?”
Hillsong attendee, “Well there is a lot of people you know harm themselves on a psychological, emotional, and on a deeper level, a spiritual level which perhaps you are not aware of on your own efforts. I think having a relationship with Christ reveals these things to you and through His strength again coming back to grace you are able to tackle them hand in hand. I don’t think being, sitting around presuming that becoming a Christian all of a sudden means that you are in the land of milk and honey because our Saviour wasn’t alien to suffering, to temptation, to being rejected by His friends and ultimately torture.”
Todd Friel, “Apparently they were failures because Brian Houston says, “it is a guarantee if you have got enough faith.”
Hillsong attendee, “He was a God that embraced all that and said, “hey you opened this door to all this cack for want of a better word. Instead of being alien to it, I am going to step right into this mess which you created and be on the receiving end of it. So as Christians we go through the school of hard knocks. But we just remember that it is good enough for him, it is good enough for us.”
Todd Friel, “Okay so self-love I should love myself why?”
Hillsong attendee, “Well I think if you love and respect yourself then you are quick to love others. I mean when Christ was asked by those people that are you know hell bent on The Law as to what the greatest Mosaic commandments are He said, “hey just love others as you love yourself. Love the Lord God with all your heart.” It also says you know the most important thing is expressing your faith through love and you are not saved by the Law you are saved by your faith. So just going back to the organic thing and the love thing it does stem from love. But if you can’t love yourself then how are you supposed to love others?”
Todd Friel, “Okay you brought up the law, is there any purpose for the law today?”
Hillsong attendee, “Well I suppose the fundamental stuff like, “thou shalt not kill, thou shalt steal.” There is definitely a purpose to that. I mean much of the democracy and the Law which we abide by will stem from Christianity. Now it is embedded into society. Obviously there is more sort of more vaguer Law stuff but I suppose what I am trying to say with the whole you are saved by your faith and not by the Law is what you experience really through accepting Christ and what has been done as opposed to what you do. The Law is really sort of embedded on your heart anyway. So I guess you get to for me I suppose I feel God’s heart beat. So if I am harming and hurting Him and doing things which are contrary to my new life and more like my old life. I am aware of it on a spiritual level because I feel, I have a tangible relationship with Him.”
Todd Friel, “Okay I walked up to you and instead of putting a microphone in your face, I have got a knife in my back and I am going down. It is a bloody mess. I am gasping for air, I have got thirty seconds. I am scared to die. You are a Christian, what do I need to do to go to heaven?”
Hillsong attendee, “Well I suppose salvation prayers are good. You won’t just accept that somebody loved you enough to step into all this mess and ultimately, you know we all know that the deepest act of love is to die for somebody. I mean that is obvious. It is a huge unconditional love and to accept that, the rest of the work is done. I mean again it is a quite transcendent question, it is a difficult one. But I suppose if you have got a knife in your back. Christ had nails in his hands and nails in his feet and a spear in his side and thorns on his head.”
Todd Friel, “Beauty.”
Hillsong attendee, “And dogs around him mocking and spitting in his face, so I mean I suppose if you can accept His pain and your pain then you are on your way to somewhere special.”
The thing is a total dog’s breakfast.”
https://craigbrownsreformedtheology.wordpress.com/2012/07/12/wretched-radio-with-todd-friel-be-careful-of-hillsong-9-2/
Just to make this clear, you write off an article as a “lie”, while you have no information on who was involved, and you certainly didn’t witness it? Also the post had a fair amount of info as to what Brian said in public at that meeting. That means anyone else that was there would be able to confirm or deny those things were said. So have you asked around because you don’t seem to believe that either?
That kind of head in the sand thinking that you have so wonderfully displayed is exactly why people like Houston and Pringle are millionaires. People like Hannah believe anything they tell them and as a bonus reject without any thinking or fact checking whatsoever anything that supports an alternative view! Hannah if you give me your contact details is like to discuss a business proposal with you involving a certain bridge…
“I’m sorry but I have a very difficult time believing much in this post.”
I’m sorry , but your real problem is that you don’t believe God.
it seems like this is many christians experience of hillsong, but as many leave through this back door.
more come through the front door, there will always be new people even if they come from other churches.
hillsong dont really care as long as they have their numbers.
serving, giving and building their churches is more important than repenting of sins asking for forgiveness and coming to salvation through christ jesus.
“serving, giving and building their churches” is done by Hillsong only in one goal: point people to Jesus so they accept Him as their Lord and Saviour and be saved.
Hi! Thank you for your post! But I think there is some miss understanding here that need to be clarified.
First of all what you apparently didn’t realized is that the day you attend the service was VISION SUNDAY part 2 being the day where the pastors would clarify what this year would be about. What’s new, etc. In other words, it wasn’t a day where you went to hear a preach, but a day where you went to know whats ahead for you church! So yes, that means they were going to talk about the new churches in South America.
“he also wanted us to pray over it. (As if THIS will make the book Holy)” I am a photographer and whenever I do an exhibition I am going to ask people to pray for it, not to “make it Holy” as you say but because whatever you do, you should do it for the Glory of God right ? So Ps. Brian asking the church to pray for his, is the most normal and random thing to do, what would be weird is him not asking to.
” They didn’t merge – it was a deceitful and hostile take-over!” Are you a pastor of the Garden CIty Church? Were you siting in those meetings where they discussed this? If the answer is no, then that is probably the way you lived it, but certainly what truly happened.
“One song was called “Wings of Everlasting” and was so self-centered and creepy. It was about touching the sky when our knees hit the ground.” The song is called “Touch The Sky” and it is one of the songs on the latest Hillsong United album. Now what you maybe didn’t understood, this year VIsion Sunday was all about Matthew 5, Sermon on the Mountain; “Blessed are..” “You have heard that it was said… But I tell you”. This new song “Touch the Sky” is all about that : “I touch the sky when my knees hit the ground” : I touch the sky when I start to pray, I touch the sky when I’m weak, and in my weakness God acts (Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted. Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth.). This song is also about humility: The greatest among you will be your servant. (Matthew 23) (Jesus’s Words). In other words, to be Up you need to be Down, to be great you need to be a servant : counter culture, the worlds says the inverse but Jesus says…
“I think it was one of these leaders that mentioned that he was planting a church in an influential city because Hillsong wanted to plant churches in influential places.”
The Hillsong Church vision is to implant churches in influential cities. Let’s be honest for a moment: What is our simple mission as Christians on this world ? Preach the Gospel and make disciples. How are we going to touch the world if we stay hidden? If we don’t influence the society and the culture. How can we do that? Implementing ourselves in the middle of influential places, cities. So no one could say “I never heard of God, I never heard His word”. That is why “Hillsong wants to plant churches in influential places”.
I’ll stop here but there is plenty of other stuff in this email, that instead of really looking the heart behind is all judgmental.
“[…] it wasn’t a day where you went to hear a preach […]”
“Preach” is a *verb*; the noun is *sermon* In any case, you will never hear a sermon from Brian Houston, given that he is not a Christian.
“[…] is the most […] random thing to do […]”
Maybe you should look up “random” in a dictionary (perhaps you can borrow Brian’s – you know, his special hillsong edition that omits any mention of the word “modalism”).
“The Hillsong Church vision is to implant churches […]”
“Implanting” churches, eh? Is it true that some localities need bone grafts before said implanting can take place?
“Let’s be honest for a moment […]”.
Now, now, let’s not be talking like that – you know that Brian would be most upset by that sort of attitude.
“What is our simple mission as Christians on this world?”
I’m not surprised that you don’t know that – after all, it’s not something that Brian Houston could have shed any light on for you, is it?
“How are we going to touch the world if we stay hidden? If we don’t influence the society and the culture.”
God showed us his boundless love and grace in the atoning death of Jesus. Brian Houston has provided a demonic counter-point for you by filling your otherwise empty head with works, works, and more works. Can you guess which one of those two is the ruler of the universe who will judge the living and the dead?
“Implementing ourselves in the middle of influential places […]”
Yeah, that’s quite right: just the other day I was saying to a good mate of mine “We really need to implement ourselves much more than we do”.
“I’ll stop here […]”.
Well that’s a relief. I thought you were going to dig your way clear to China.
You have clearly missed the point. one needs to build churches to get people saved, so that they have a spiritual home where they can be taken care of. I attend Hillsong Church and see first hand the changes they are making in our poorer communities. Be careful not to judge before you really know all the facts. The way you judge others, is the way you will be judged.
p rueqq: “one needs to build churches to get people saved, so that they have a spiritual home where they can be taken care of.”
Do you have Scripture to back this up?
Did the Holy Apostles say any of this? Or are you against them?
“so that they have a spiritual home where they can be taken care of”
j ruegg, Where is your proof Hillsong can ‘take care’ of anyone? Get people saved just to introduce them to conferences full of false teachers. I don’t think so.
“I attend Hillsong Church and see first hand the changes they are making in our poorer communities. Be careful not to judge before you really know all the facts.”
Yeah? Where is the rest of the $75 million going? Have you researched all those facts? Into whose pockets is all the rest of the money walking? Facts, please.
“You have clearly missed the point. one needs to build churches to get people saved […]”
LOL: it seems that it is actually *you* who have missed the point, and that you are blissfully unaware of the fact that Jesus said:
“[…] I will build my church […]”
That’s right: *Jesus* will build his church – not Brian Houston, not any of Brian’s heretical hireling fellow travellers, and not any among the multitudes of pathetic brain-dead followers and defenders of the hillsong cult. If you actually bothered to read your Bible you would have already known that, and you could have saved yourself the embarrassment of making a complete fool of yourself in a public forum.
“I attend Hillsong Church […]”
No kidding? You didn’t think that we had already deduced that based on the rank ignorance and utter lack of substance in your facile comment?
“Be careful not to judge before you really know all the facts.”
Riigghhhtttt. Just as you yourself “really know all the facts”, is that correct?
Acts 5:29
“However, if it’s from God, you won’t be able to stop them. You may even discover that you’re fighting against God.”
Romans 14:4
“Who are you to condemn someone else’s servants? Their own master will judge whether they stand or fall. And with the Lord’s help, they will stand and receive his approval.”
Matthew 7:1-3King James Version (KJV)
7 Judge not, that ye be not judged.
2 For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged: and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again.
3 And why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother’s eye, but considerest not the beam that is in thine own eye?
What’s the context, Jane?
Jane ignorantly mis-applied 3 Scriptures.
That 3rd one is one of the top 10 most misused Scriptures of all time.
The Word of God surely is a two-edged sword, and Jane just cut herself to shreds.
Hey Jane,
It appears that you have never read this: “I do not permit a woman to teach or to assume authority over a man; she must be quiet.”
If you are interested in appealing to the authority of Scripture, you would be best advised to take heed of the foregoing verse, and keep your ill-informed opinions to yourself. In particular, you should refrain from mindlessly parroting cherry-picked verses, since it only serves to underscore the depth of the hillsong-induced ignorance to which you so doggedly cling.
You are nothing more than a pathetically anaemic hillsong apologist – you can’t even pull off a convincing Jezebel impression. (Maybe you should send Brian Houston to comment here next time – or is he content to hide behind your skirts?)
Here’s a thought: How about we stop judging people? If your aim is really to help or save people then churches you need to be aware of are cult Churches like Dunamis Christian Church, who constantly preach if that if you do not attend their church and cut all ties with your family, you will fall. Or scientology churches? These are the ‘churches’ that cause real harm.
“Here’s a thought: How about we stop judging people?”
Here’s a better thought. How about you READ YOUR BIBLE and DO WHAT IT SAYS… JUDGE what is happening, rather than remaining ignorant and oblivious with your head in the sand.
Hmmm , , ,Helen.
Hillsong is a cult church!!
Cleaning out has to begin somewhere and the others will be dealt with in turn.
And . . . by the way . . .. Hillsong cause REAL HARM.
Have you met any Hillsong casualties Helen? I have and it makes me angry to read what you have written. READ YOU BIBLE HELEN.
Houston doesn’t need you to defend him. He doesn’t know you exist . . .. but God does and He loves you.
The real harm is with you Helen . . . . defending the Hillsong cult.
You have given permission to people to join the cult because you infer it’s not as bad as those you named. Are you serious?
Helen, do you realise that you belong to this cult:-http://www.letusreason.org/pent44.htm
God, instructs us to use discernment and reprove and rebuke. Paul the apostle would have called Houston a ‘dog’ and ‘evil doer’ preaching a false gospel.