When a person’s “image” starts to be bought into question through their own conduct, it’s not uncommon for that person to automatically kick into damage control mode. Brian Houston is doing just this over the recent A Current Affair report.
Hillsong: The multi-million dollar “crazy cult”
As a result of this report, Hillsong published a very lethal statement lambasting the media and even political figure Nick Xenophon. Houston retweeted the article from Hillsong:
RT @hillsong: Statement by Hillsong Church on A Current Affair story: http://hil.so/qzpw Source: Brian Houston, Twitter, https://twitter.com/BrianCHouston/status/590987698384560128, 2:17 PM – 22 Apr 2015. (Accessed 23/04/2015.)
The statement and our analysis of it can be read here:
Which “tabloid trash” do you believe?
The problem with Brian Houston’s damage control is that it actually is doing more harm than good. For instance, the more he says, the more easier it is to spot his hypocrisy online. For example, Brian Houston tweeted the following:
Leaders goal: Lead with grace, even in the face of opposition. Lead with love, even when under attack! Source: Brian Houston, Twitter, https://twitter.com/BrianCHouston/status/590964263788761088, 12:43 PM – 22 Apr 2015. (Accessed 23/04/2015.)
Love is a very compelling argument!! Source: Brian Houston, Twitter, https://twitter.com/BrianCHouston/status/590964263788761088, 12:43 PM – 22 Apr 2015. (Accessed 23/04/2015.)
However, Brian Houston seems to think that when he throws words around like “love”, “grace” and “leaders goal”, it means Mr Houston can be justified to say things like this:
When A Current Affair lie and malign @hillsong (which they have done regularly) they insult the intelligence of the thousands who attend. Source: Brian Houston, Twitter, https://twitter.com/BrianCHouston/status/590990488259420160, 2:28 PM – 22 Apr 2015. (Accessed 23/04/2015.)
It’s sad seeing Tim Costello become involved by aligning not only himself but World Vision in this story as well.
I’ve personally witnessed the generosity of @hillsong-partnering with @WorldVisionAus after Typhoon Haiyan @BrianCHouston #hillsongchurch Source: Tim Costello, Twitter, https://twitter.com/TimCostello/status/590738654601093120, 2:28 PM – 22 Apr 2015. (Accessed 23/04/2015.)
In closing, there’s an important question still to be asked.
Why didn’t Brian Houston call out Reverend Bill Crews for his strong statements against Hillsong during his interview on the ACA segment?
Rick Xenophon has been quite vocal for years about addressing cults and religious movements and their impact on families. What is the difference between Rick Xenophon and Reverend Bill Crews in their appeal for truthfulness from these ministries making mega millions of their “flocks” while their leaders lead lives of luxury and comfort in a very rarified atmosphere?
Did the Reverend Bill Crews miss out on an attack from Brian Houston because he (Brian Houston) operates under the false teaching of “not touching the Lord’s anointed” (Reverend Bill Crews)?
It’s a mystery yet to be answered.
Hillsong Church Watch 
“Hillsong appears to have joined the list of topics regularly recycled by Channel Nine’s A Current Affair (ACA). As the ABC’s Mediawatch has pointed out, recycling provides cheap TV which offers the prospect of reusing material from last time. This week’s ACA sledge of Hillsong had a simple formula: a producer of a documentary about Hillsong (built up to look like a Hollywood blockbuster by Nine), footage from Nine’s American affiliate ABC (America), and one constantly recycled critic, Tania Levin.”
From: http://www.biblesociety.org.au/news/hillsong-get-sledged-by-channel-nine
The article is spot on. Cheap rubbish. And you guys keep defending a story reported by an atheist, the star critic was an atheist, and the chief head kicker appears to be agnostic. It was an attack on Christianity.
The Bible Society is getting a reputation for naïveté re Hillsong, Newtaste.
http://www.biblesociety.org.au/news/brian-houston-theres-huge-difference-living-rich-living-blessed
And by the way, did ACA contact Hillsong via email the week before the program was aired? It would be quite a story if Hillsong and Brian were shown to be lying.
Ben McCormack was on the street outside the Waterloo building. He could have walked in, minus the camera, and asked to speak to someone if he had really wanted an official comment. A Current Affair always seems to have problems contacting people for comments, so they claim. The ABC’s Media Watch never has any trouble getting comments from the people they contact. Funny that.
As I asked, what if Hillsong and Brian are lying?
https://mobile.twitter.com/BenMcCormack9/status/591105999525650432
https://mobile.twitter.com/BenMcCormack9/status/591090162039279616
We would love to see some “forensic” investigation done with these emails – let’s see who really is telling the truth. If Brian can be so dishonest with the biblical text when he preaches, why should we not doubt his integrity when it comes to this sort of reporting?
“[…] the star critic was an atheist.”
Even atheists will fare better at the Judgement than will false teachers of Brian’s ilk.
“It was an attack on Christianity.”
No it wasn’t. Neither hillsong nor Brian Houston have anything whatsoever to do with Christianity.
You didn’t tell us yet, newtaste: are you or are you not travelling on the “broad road” as recommended by Brian? If not, could you please explain why?
https://hillsongchurchwatch.com/2015/04/07/brian-houston-insisting-christians-take-the-wide-road/#comment-18000
It’s sad to see what’s happening to The Bible Society. I’ve even seen Hillsong pastors writing for some of their Bible studies. They have become very ignorant
Dear Newtaste, A lot of Christians have been concerned for years the influence that Hillsong has had in and among their churches. There is a real issue in families as well, when there is a divide between those who go the Hillsong Way and those who keep on the old well trodden lonely path. It seems in the end there is almost NO common ground…The Hillsongee, looks at the traditional Christian with blank stares when they are presented with basic Christianity101, They seem to have little if no knowledge of the basic rennents of faith and they seem to be so defensive of the institution of Hillsong or their church, than defending and promoting the Truth and values of Gods Word or His Christ. We have many family members we cannot even communicare with now…My beliefs and understanding of the faith has not changed…and my family members no longer have anything to do with us…This is a real concern…WHY???
Great comment and question, Holmgrupe. One we’ve been asking for years. The breakdown in family communication is one of the saddest impacts on those who leave these movements (Hillsong/C3) because they’ve come to understand that they never even reached the level of ” basic Christianity101″.
From your Bible Society article:
–houston– “So, if a successful business person walked into Hillsong, clearly blessed by God, and they understand that God blesses them to be a blessing to others, then Houston says, that’s what it’s all about.”
–question– What verse forced that ‘SUCCESSFUL BUSINESS’ part into Houston’s equation? Why didn’t Houston just say “So, if a PERSON walked into Hillsong, clearly blessed by God”? Why did it have to be a “SUCCESSFUL BUSINESS” person? Wasn’t peter “clearly blessed by God”? In acts 3:6 Peter wasn’t a “SUCCESSFUL BUSINESS” person, however didn’t Peter “be a blessing to others” in that verse?
Churchwatch,
This grave situation can only be summed up in Scripture when Jesus said…”When I return WILL I find faith on the earth”. It is dire but not hopeless, for everyone is responsible for their own salvation…and as Joshua said. “Choose today whom you shall serve….for me and my houshold we will serve the Lord”. Hillsong founders like Charles Darwin, have sown some very bad seed.