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Brian Houston, Carl Lentz, deceive, deceivers, Hillsong, houston, Lentz, liar, liars, lies, lying
“For the wisdom of this world is folly with God. For it is written, “He catches the wise in their craftiness,” and again, “The Lord knows the thoughts of the wise, that they are futile.” So let no one boast in men.” 1Corinthians 3:19-21a
Not only did we catch Brian Houston lying again in his media statement,
Brian Houston admits he can offer “no great answer” on gay stance (Part 1)
not only did gay couple Reed Kelly and Joshua Canfield expose Brian Houston lying in his media statement,
Ben Gresham exposes Houston lying in his media statement
not only did Ben Gresham catch Brian Houston lying in his recent blog article,
Josh Canfield & Reed Kelly expose Hillsong leadership lying about their stance on same sex issues
but Brian Houston has exposed himself lying back in in his media statement.
Not Your Granddad’s Church: Hillsong Church Mixes Sermons With Rock Concerts
Every Sunday, thousands of people gather in New York City to get in line for a church service that is full of hand-raising, heart-thumping, hipster-style Christianity.
That is Hillsong Church. Their followers, which include celebrities like Justin Bieber and Kevin Durant, are mostly 20-somethings, many of whom grew up in church, but are drawn to Hillsong’s style and substance. In this “come as you are” congregation, tattoos and leather jackets are welcome for a 90-minute experience that’s part rock concert and part gospel.
The pastor leading Hillsong New York is 36-year-old Carl Lentz, who comes with Brad Pitt looks and Billy Graham theology, and has enough tattoos to make a rapper blush. He is even the New York Knicks’ official chaplain on the road.
“We aren’t trying to have this cool trendy packed church,” Lentz said. “The story is not the clothes people wear. It’s the lives they lead.”
In short, this is not your granddaddy’s church.
Hillsong New York was started four years ago and is now the church’s United States flagship. They host close to 8,000 people over six Sunday services in a rented New York City theater, but in years past, Hillsong has met in nightclubs.
With very few paid staff, the church relys on an army of 20-something-aged volunteers. Some members said Hillsong helped them overcome addiction or reconnect with their faith. Others said the weekday community service work and small group meetings provided both a connection and purpose.
“This generation has seen multiple wars, seen things no one expected,” Lentz said. “It seems like a pretty tumultuous time in culture, and I think the response to that has been the really shallow world of social media. A real smoke and mirrors way of living … so you come into church and there is a realness to it.”
Hillsong Church was started in Sydney, Australia, 30 years ago by Pastor Brian Houston, and has grown into a worldwide Christian phenomenon, with satellite outposts across the globe from London and Paris to Kiev and Cape Town.
“If you walked into all of them you would see a similar demographic of people,” Houston said. “You could close your eyes and think I am in any one of our Hillsong churches anywhere in the world.”
For many in their flock, the church’s Christian rock music group, Hillsong United, is a huge draw to come to services.
“Definitely the initial draw for many, many people,” Houston said. “We started singing and writing songs in our church and we were surprised when they started singing them in other churches in Australia and then suddenly for those songs to be sung all around the world like they are now… it’s something that God has given us as an arrow to a bigger message.”
Hillsong United is one of the hottest bands on Earth. With hits like “Oceans,” and “Break Free” Hillsong United has sold over 16 million albums worldwide, playing to packed venues across the globe and is now nominated for its first American Music Award this year.
Joel Houston, the son of Pastor Brian Houston, is co-lead pastor in New York but also guides Hillsong United.
“Music has the incredible ability to break down walls and to reach people’s hearts. It was given to us by God for the very purpose of worship,” he said.
But when asked how vital the money is that the music brings into the church, which is a non-profit, Brian Houston didn’t give a straight answer.
“To be honest I really genuinely can’t answer the exact amount [of annual revenue],” he said. “Of course we are a non-profit so all of the finances come into the non-profit and are used for the ministry.
Like many mega churches, Hillsong is shy about discussing their finances and how much money they bring in. At the service “Nightline” attended in New York, they asked us not to film the offertory.
“The fact that these lights are on, these chairs are here, it’s because single mom’s young couples, young people, single people, older couples, believe in the cause,” Lentz said. “So the collective sacrifice of many is what you see in our church.”
And also like many mega-churches, Hillsong has not escaped scandal. Fifteen years ago, Brian Houston discovered that his father, who was also a pastor, was being accused of sexually assaulting a child.
“We received a complaint that my father had abused children, males, and you can imagine that was the hardest day of my life to find out that my hero was a pedaphile,” Houston said.
As a leader for his denomination, Houston said he removed his father from the ministry immediately. He said he later came under attack for not alerting the police. Houston’s father died in 2004.
Brian Houston recently testified before an Australian commission investigating institutional sexual assault to try to prevent it from happening.
“It brings all of that rawness back to the surface pretty quick,” he said. “Just accepting that my father has devastated and destroyed the lives of children is just a really hard thing to accept.”
While Hillsong seems like a “hip and modern” church, some of its beliefs are quite Christian conservative. One area critics, both liberal and conservative, have seized upon is the church’s stance on social issues like homosexuality.
“We see it as a conversation,” Brian Houston said. “It’s quite clear in the New Testament the apostle Paul describes homosexuality as a sin and I can’t un-write the bible… but on the other hand we are not a church that can just make big blanket sweeping statements that dismiss people.”
When asked what the pastor would say if a gay couple walked into Hillsong, Houston said, “the short answer is I think all of us need to be changing. So that’s what serving Jesus does.”
“We would never be the kind of church who when people joined the choir asked them are you heterosexual? Are you homosexual? We will never be that kind of church,” he added. “I think it was Billy Graham who said it’s the Holy Spirit’s job to convict. It’s God’s job to judge and it’s our job to love.”
Another part of Hillsong’s job, as Pastor Brian sees it, is growth. His son Ben Houston just opened Hillsong Los Angeles, and already long lines are forming for Sunday services they hold in a rent theater on Sunday.
“You don’t have to sell a good party,” Lentz said.
Source: By Byron Pitts, Ely Brown, Laura Ramirez, and Lauren Effron, Not Your Granddad’s Church: Hillsong Church Mixes Sermons With Rock Concerts, abcNEWS, http://abcnews.go.com/US/granddads-church-hillsong-church-mixes-sermons-rock-concerts/story?id=26898474, 5:03, Published 13/11/2014. (Accessed 10/08/2015.)
Hillsong Church Watch 
The church watch websites are becoming the National Enquirer, or a reincarnation of the old Sydney Sunday Mirror or The Truth – full of a succession of made up stories. JD Hall also thought he had dug up some dirt thinking he had found evidence of Brian Houston lying, but even a cursory look at it sees there is no basis for Hall’s slur.
For an accurate and truthful report I suggest you all read Jonathan Merritt. http://jonathanmerritt.religionnews.com/2015/08/10/why-survivors-broadway-boyfriends-will-keep-singing-with-hillsong-church/
We are all appreciating the light being shone on the truth about Hillsong, Houston and Lentz by very godly men like Jordan Hall.
Hillsong’s attempt to “sanitize Hillsong’s Downgrade”.
http://pulpitandpen.org/2015/08/11/podcast-mohler-discusses-openly-secular-awkward/
“The church watch websites are […] full of a succession of made up stories.”
Not like Brian Houston – he’d never make up any stories. Like when he said that Christians and muslims serve the same God, that was the bare unvarnished truth, wasn’t it?
And talking of made up stories newtaste, tell us this:
“You need more money” – true or false?
“The church watch websites are becoming .. a succession of made up stories.”
thats hilarious. newtaste says that with a straight face, while overlooking hillsong conference is nothing but brian houstons personal succession of false teachers paraded around on stage. his personal ‘gift’ to the church.
ntm B&B’s never ending succession of bogus ‘words from God’.
ntm brian houstons teaching & preaching has always been a succession of made up stories about what the Bible >ISNT< saying.
And of course you realize Jonathon Merritt comes as someone “who takes the more liberal side of virtually every issue” and who has his own same-sex attraction to deal with? And he’s not at all biased, right Newtaste?
“If you walked into all of them you would see a similar demographic of people,” Houston said. “You could close your eyes and think I am in any one of our Hillsong churches anywhere in the world.”
Well that sounds like ‘cloning’ to me. I remember an incident many years ago where a person from a certain ‘church’ wanted to get me involved with local ‘youth’ activities. This offer of involvement seemed very tempting at first, but then I realised that this person came from a ‘church’ that wore a certain uniform and marched to the beat of their own particular ‘drum’. Individuality seemed to be lost to a large extent, in favour of the ‘corporate image’.
I was warned by the Lord not to become involved, and to stay right where I was, for now. It turned out that this organization was in the process of ‘cloning’ its members after a certain pattern too. This person boasted to me that:
“You can go just about anywhere in the world and you’ll find the same kind of people, the same message and the same kind of music.”
… and that was back in 1979, long before the modern Hill$ong even got up.
While I recognize that a certain amount of uniformity is neccessary for the sake of each church setting, it is that very “sameness” promoted by the leaders and taken to extremes that is the beginning of cult like thinking (‘group think’).
After that comes all the wicked and sinful activity that keeps the Grand Poohbah on his throne, and keeps the money rolling in each week, against all of the odds (love bombing the newbies, shaming those who dare question motives or speak out about abuses, getting rid of those whose eyes have been fuly opened to any of those things before they can do any ‘damage’ to the organization etc.)
That is where cultishness begins – with extremes that are promoted by these wayward leaders, who are devoid of any truth or accompanying godly lifestyles…
The bright lights of ‘Hollywood’ style church are too alluring for those fateful moths who are drawn ever closer to the eternal flame of death and judgement, who would refuse everlasting life, in exchange for the public notoriety, influence and money, that the world often showers upon its own…
” … has been exposed. As a thief, a liar and a hypocrite of the highest order … “.
You’re probably drooling from your collective mouths, anticipating your fantasies being fulfilled. But, no. Sorry. It’s ‘Brave’ Kathy Jackson.
http://m.smh.com.au/national/kathy-jackson-exposed-as-a-thief-liar-and-hypocrite-20150819-gj2fl4.html
“That is Hillsong Church. Their followers, which include celebrities like Justin Bieber and Kevin Durant, are mostly 20-somethings, many of whom grew up in church, but are drawn to Hillsong’s style and substance. In this “come as you are” congregation, tattoos and leather jackets are welcome for a 90-minute experience that’s part rock concert and part gospel…”
Kind of makes you wonder, doesn’t it @Newtaste, just what Brian and Bobbie have in store for the next generation of Hillsongers… I just wonder what ‘Hill$ong United’ wll look like in 10 years time…
Spoon feeding them an ‘A list’ of rock stars, movie idols and false teachers, not to mention an entire rainbow coloured backdrop of New Age imagery. I do hope they’ve got a 44 gallon drum of DEXAL out in the back room cupboard, for all of those people who end up with doctrinal indigestion…
But now back to ‘made up stories’ @Newtaste…
Did Brian honestly think that anyone at the Royal Commission would actually believe ‘his’ story in regard to him not running interference on/or allegedly covering up his father’s pedophile acts? Or is that just another ‘made up story’ purpetrated on the unwitting bloggers here at the ‘sinister’ CW websites…?
Did you believe it, @Newtaste…?
There’s no doubt that Hillsong has left any gospel it once might have had miles behind and has become a new age rewritten version of another false christianity based on materialism and embracing sin.
The true gospel is Mathew Mark luke and john and the Acts of the apostles calling us to give our whole hearts to Jesus in repentance and turning from wickedness. While we are saved by grace and the precious shed blood of Jesus we are encouraged to live blameless lives.
I have attended charismatic services many times over the years and have been shocked at how weak and watered down there messages are.
I don’t ever recall any of them other than billy graham preaching the actual gospel ever.
I think its fair to say that maybe john hagee kenneth copeland brian huston are really christians. There message is more like motivational speaking than biblical christianity. Creflo dollar said he would like to shoot people who don’t pay tithes and bury them at the back of the church. This is not a christian man speaking wether he likes it or not. The problem is pride and intolerance in the charismatic church leaders and deep lack of biblical knowledge in the congregations.
The charismatics are very unapproachable and unteachable and full of pride. Sadly this has contributed to there crash in morals and massive deceptions springing up all over the place.
We must all pray for them God shakes what is wrong and rebuilds it into what is right. Personally I have returned to humble genuine faith and christianity and can only what with horror at what the charismatic chirch has become. Thank God He is in control and will grow His church in spite of them
You are right Sheridan:
“16 Simon Peter answered, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.”
17 And Jesus said to him, “Blessed are you, Simon Barjona, because flesh and blood did not reveal this to you, but My Father who is in heaven.
18 And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.”
Matthew 16:18
Christ asked his disciples a question – “Who do you say that I am”? and Peter answered Him in verse 16 as listed above. He got the revelation straight from God.
Hundreds of years later, the RC ‘church’ put Peter up on a pedestal, as the ‘first Pope’ and they have been following a man (a succession of Popes,) ever since. The early church never did that, as they had gotten the revelation too, that Jesus Christ was the Son of God, and He is the only head of the Christian Church.
But then along come these many ‘little popes’, who claim to have the monopoly on God, but none of them have any kind of Biblical fruit in their lives so as to make good their claims.
The ‘Jesus’ that Houston and the other false teachers you mentioned have made up, is ‘another Jesus’ because when they re-manufactured their lifestyles to dump off Biblical Christianity (if they ever had it in the first place,) they had to recreate ‘Jesus’ in their own image, otherwise the orthodox teachings of the real Jesus would have immediately shown them up for the fakes and phonies they are.
This is a blasphemous slur on God creating man in His own image back in Genesis, Giving the real Jesus a ‘makeover’ just so that you can rob and plunder the crowd under the gross deception of tithing, is one of their main motivations for doing what they do.
Playing to the unsaved crowd in order to get them into their “goat’s pen” churches (as opposed to the Lord’s sheepfold,) is the other thing they do – worldly music, New Age backdrop, materialism and Mammon worshiped instead of God… Surely the blind are leading the blind into the proverbial ditch…
Surely these false prophets and their entourage are a mirror image of the world that they have let into the church, and surely their judgement is not too far away now.