HOUSTON’S METHODS REWRITING CHRISTIANITY
It is all too common to hear Brian Houston insist that
“the methods have to change for the church to stay relevant.” [Source]
This is cult-talk because the Bible is absolutely CLEAR that the church has been given a mission with specific methods and commandments to adhere to.
Hillsong has clearly rejected biblical Christianity from its inception in Sherbrook Hall, Sydney, which is why it falls into the category of an anti-Christian cult.
For further proof of Hillsong’s anti-Christian agenda, Brian Houston recently released an article titled “30 Rules for the Hillsong Australia Preaching & Teaching Team.” As you read through this, it becomes clear that these rules disqualify even Jesus Christ and His apostles from preaching behind the Hillsong “pulpit”.
Brian Houston appears to surpass what the Bible clearly says about preaching and exalts his ideas and methods for what should be preached on the Hillsong stage. This only confirms that Houston speaks not from God’s authority but from his own “sphere of authority” (see Rule 21) This is what happens when someone like Brian Houston REJECTS the pastoral office and replaces it with his New Age “motivational speaker” office.
Does Brian Houston Want Credibility As A Pastor Or As A Public Motivational Speaker?
The Christian pulpit can preach positive messages – but this is not its number one goal. Christian teaching is NOT meant to motivate people but should be anchor people on the historical writings of the prophets, the apostles and Christ. The message of repentance and the forgiveness of sins through Christ’s death and resurrection is THE #1 goal.
What’s even more damning is that THE #1 goal does not even make it in Brian Houston’s top 30 rules. In fact, his top 30 rules oppose the Christian message which was given to us by Jesus and His Apostles.
If Hillsong was a Christian church – this would have been rule number one:
“Now, brothers and sisters, I want to remind you of the gospel I preached to you, which you received and on which you have taken your stand. By this gospel you are saved, if you hold firmly to the word I preached to you. Otherwise, you have believed in vain.
For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures, and that he appeared to Cephas, and then to the Twelve. After that, he appeared to more than five hundred of the brothers and sisters at the same time, most of whom are still living, though some have fallen asleep. Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles, and last of all he appeared to me also, as to one abnormally born.” 1 Corinthians 15:1-8
Of first importance, Christ crucified is meant to be preached. This is THE message Brian Houston blatantly rejects, which explains why this does not even make it on the list. Brian Houston says in Rule 19 that preachers need to preach “from notes you’d be proud to show me“. This means that no minister in Hillsong will be tolerated if they preached the Christian gospel message since Brian Houston vehemently opposes it.
The final authority in Hillsong is Brian – not Christ. He determines what is relevant and what is not. And relevance is governed by popularity. This is why Hillsong is so dangerous to Christianity and needs to be rejected and seen for the cult that it is.
More can be said with this problematic list and its hypocrisy but what we have said should suffice for now.
Brian Houston writes,
30 Rules for the Hillsong Australia Preaching & Teaching Team
It wasn’t long ago that I presented these key points on Hillsong’s Culture for Preaching and Teaching to our Staff, even though many of them don’t speak on our platform on a weekend or even during the week. Yet, all of us do have opportunity in one form or another to speak into the lives of others and it’s always wise to examine the way we communicate, what we communicate and the impact it has on our audience. I’ve learned some valuable lessons over 30 years of preaching and teaching in public – many through my own error.
Culture, atmosphere and DNA in a church is not accidental. Just like culture, atmosphere and DNA of your home is not. You have to be deliberate about it – especially from the ‘platform’. Leadership in this area is about making intentional and focused choices, and taking a degree of measured risk.
So wherever you have the chance to input into others – take a look at these guidelines to building a strong platform teaching culture in your church or homegroup – many of them can also be applied to your family life or worklife. There are 30 points – one for each year of experience!
Every message…
1. IS POSITIVE.
Don’t preach to an individual – using the platform to get a personal message across to an individual is cowardly and blesses no one.
2. IS IN LINE WITH OUR BELIEF.
Don’t contradict basic fundamentals and doctrine. Make sure you know what they are BEFORE you take the platform.
3. HAS A SET TIME LIMIT.
Hillsong Church typically has a 35-minute time limit on messages. Be a good steward of people’s time. Be reliable. You can do a lot of waffling in 60 minutes! You are entrusted as a steward of the platform you are on – the moment you go over time, you are outside of your authority!
4. MUST BE PROVEN IN THE BIBLE.
If you can’t prove it, don’t say it. The platform is not for your opinions, it is God’s Word that matters. Every Scripture reference must be in context and within the tenure of Scripture = credibility and respect.
5. MANY HOURS OF MEDITATION, PREPARATION & FAMILIARISATION.
All 3 are important. 1) Think things through. 2) Get the structure as polished as you can – it must impact. 3) Be familiar with your message so you get it across clearly and effectively.
6. CHECKED FOR OVERUSE OF “I”.
It is not about you. People will see through a self-focused message and it doesn’t build others.
7. FOCUSED ON HELPING, NOT IMPRESSING.
Joyce Meyer once made a comment that really helped me with this, after I had asked her if she ever gets nervous? She said: “I never think about myself, I just think about helping people.” This attitude will keep your focus on course.
8. REINFORCING – NEVER CONTRADICTING – OUR CULTURAL VALUES.
Wherever you are speaking, you must respect the cultural values of that platform. Encourage the congregation to engage with what is local and relevant.
9. FROM A NEW TESTAMENT PERSPECTIVE.
By all means use the Old Testament, but always through the lens of the New Covenant of grace – through the cross of Christ. Otherwise we are in danger of preaching law and condemnation rather than building people up.
10. A REFLECTION OF THE LIFE YOU ARE LIVING, NOT JUST THE SERMON YOU ARE PREACHING.
Be authentic. The best messages come out of our own struggles and journeys. People sense authenticity as well as a lack of it. No matter how professional or eloquent you are as a speaker, you won’t build anything into people’s lives if you lack authenticity.
11. A REFLECTION OF YOUR PERSONALITY, NOT AN IMITATION OF SOMEONE ELSE.
This was one of the hardest lessons for me to learn but one of the most important. You’ll always be your best if you are being yourself – It’s not about being perfect or about a certain ‘style’. Be your best self and don’t use this freedom as an excuse to support rebellion or negativity.
12. AFFECTS PEOPLE’S MONDAYS, NOT JUST SUNDAY.
In other words, your message needs to be applicable to people’s daily lives. The greatest compliment someone who is doing well in life can give me is to say, “All I’ve ever done is to take the principles that have been taught in church and put them into practice.” – I love hearing that sort of testimony!
13. NOT STRAYING INTO THINGS YOU DON’T UNDERSTAND.
Stay within your boundaries. Keep learning, but don’t preach outside your understanding. Stick to what you know but also continue to grow in what you know and in your knowledge of the Word. 1 Timothy 3 in The Message says of the leader, “He must know what he is talking about”. Preparation is a discipline.
14. REFLECTING WHAT WE ARE FOR, NOT AGAINST.
Remember, our lives should reflect what we are for and not just what we are against. Preaching always against things leaves people feeling downcast.
15. LEAVES PEOPLE FEELING BETTER ABOUT THEMSELVES THAN WHEN THEY CAME IN.
I intentionally approach every service by trying to create an encouraging environment. The world doesn’t input positive messages into people very much – between the newspaper and the television, people are starving for messages of hope and encouragement!
16. EASILY TRANSITIONED INTO AN ALTAR-CALL.
If people are being impacted and reached during your message, then the altar call moment will be a smoother and easier transition. (HOWEVER, you cannot let your confidence be measured by how many people get saved when you speak.)
17. NOTEWORTHY.
Are people taking notes? Make sure people understand what you are saying, that there is substance to it, and that you are not boring. Be compelling and helpful to people.
18. SEES HUMOUR AS A BONUS, NOT THE GOAL.
Humour is a tool, but it is not the goal. If you are not good at being funny, don’t try. Any use of humour should serve the message – but never build your message around a funny story or joke.
19. PREACHED FROM NOTES YOU’D BE PROUD TO SHOW ME.
You should have some content in your notes: Key statements, scriptures, examples. Content – not neatness – is the goal. Your notes should reflect the hard work you’ve put in.
20. EXALTS JESUS AND BRINGS GLORY TO GOD.
Be deliberate about this. “God” means many things to many people, so ensure you are presenting Jesus. People don’t need motivational speeches, they need the Word of God and AN EMPHASIS ON Jesus Christ.
21. REFLECTS YOUR LEVEL OF AUTHORITY.
Speak within your sphere of authority, not outside of your credibility. Unless you have the right credibility or platform to confront and challenge people, then don’t. It is always better to encourage people.
22. PROJECTS CONFIDENT HUMILITY.
Minimise “I”, “me” and “my”. Be confident, not weak or false. I know who I am and that God has entrusted me with the platform. I know I belong here, but at the same time, I recognise I didn’t earn the right and I am accountable to Him for how I handle it. It’s about bringing glory to God – keep the main thing the main thing.
23. COMBINES FAITH WITH TRANSPARENCY.
It’s not about exposing and highlighting our strengths and weaknesses, but balancing these examples to enhance the message – our weakness or strength is not the message. It’s not about being ashamed of the blessing but people benefit more from understanding the journey and challenges that you had to overcome to get there. People relate to and learn more from your struggles – don’t present yourself as perfect. Conversely, don’t be negative and down all the time – people need to be encouraged in their faith; they want to listen to an overcomer.
24. TELLING NOT JUST WHAT, BUT HOW.
It’s more challenging to tell people how to outwork the principles we teach. I remember early in my ministry a man came up to me after I preached on loving God with all your heat, soul and strength and he said, “I want to do that, but how do I do it?” It’s easy to tell people what they should do but more challenging to tell them how.
25. LEFT BEHIND ON MONDAY.
Don’t do post-mortems or beat yourself afterwards… AND be careful not to get too full of how great you think you were. Time moves on. Be good at walking away.
26. FOCUSED AS MUCH ON DELIVERY AS CONTENT.
If you aren’t good at communicating your message, then no matter how good the content is, it will get lost on people. Say it in a way that best connects with the hearts of people.
27. AWARE OF A GREATER AUDIENCE THAN THE ROOM.
The days are long gone when the possibility of being recorded in one form or another is absent – whether by individuals on phones or corporately on cameras or sound-systems. Even though you may be speaking to church family, you have to remember your message will more than likely go beyond the family – so nothing is entirely safe in that sense. Filter everything you say through this reality.
28. LISTENED TO OR WATCHED BY YOU.
Ask for a copy of your message for review and don’t worry about appearing proud by asking – it’s a necessary part of growing as a speaker. Get used to how you sound and get past the ‘cringe-factor’. By observing and listening to yourself, you will notice habits and other distractions that you can fix. Learn to love the way you sound – if you don’t, no one else will.
29. HELPING PEOPLE OVERCOME AND BELIEVE WHAT GOD SAYS ABOUT THEM.
Without exception. Remind people about what God says about them – there’s a lot of opposition in the world and you have an opportunity to lift people up and speak life to them – maximise it
30. ABLE TO STAND ALONE IN A NEWSPAPER.
Every message should include points that would stand alone in the newspaper. For example, years ago I wrote a book with a controversial title. I was young at the time and thought it was a great idea to use a controversial title. But as Hillsong’s profile (and my own profile grew), I may as well have drawn a bullseye on my forehead. It became fodder for journalists wanting to criticise it’s content. Let’s assume everything you say is quotable and can be published in a newspaper – how does it stand then? Think about how would you sound without your spirit and physical presence on it – quoted in black and white?
Always take responsibility for what you say and never assume anything. It is an enormous responsibility that we have when it comes to carrying the message of Jesus Christ to this world. Ignorance is never an excuse, so decide today that you are done with excuses. Apply wisdom and understanding to the message on your life and the platform you have been given – and the potential and influence on your life will continue to grow and extend well ‘above and beyond’.
Source: By Brian Houston, 30 Rules for the Hillsong Australia Preaching & Teaching Team, http://brianchouston.com/blog/2015/08/30-rules-of-the-hillsong-preaching-platform/, 11/08/2015. (Accessed 21/09/2015.)
Hillsong Church Watch 
Those who cannot exegete Scripture (the Brian Houstons of the world), only have these options left:
Twist Scripture, present stupid anecdotes, and make stupid lists of rules like this.
“Twist Scripture, present stupid anecdotes, and make stupid lists of rules like this.”
…and expect people to carry them out!
This is what happens when the Lord declares the word “ICABOD” over a church or gathering, which claims the name of the Lord, but where clearly, the presence of God has departed, and in the case of Hill$ong, I’d have to say that was a long time ago…
This looks like the begnnings of an RC ‘catechism’ where everything is learned by rote, and everything is done mechanically, in a bid to please the powers that be – to become a man pleaser rather than a pleaser of God.
I wonder if Brian is ‘enforcing’ these silly rules across his global empire, or if he can’t do that directly, the he just ‘suggests’ that people in far flung places become “ministry robots” by adapting them?
I also wonder how the ‘whisperers and the natterers’ inside Hill$ong are reacting to this 10(x3) Commandments of ‘how you do platform ministry’? Perhaps they’d like to comment?
Finally, as to whether Alphacrusis College now has a new ‘module’ to impart to those who will one day ascend a Hill$ong platform for the first time…
I wonder?
“Of first importance, Christ crucified is meant to be preached. This is THE message Brian Houston blatantly rejects”.
From the “Hillsong: Open Heaven / River Wild” CD and DVD album.
Houston doesn’t reject the message of Christ crucified, as this proves.
How long did it take you to find that prayer Newtaste?
Also, this is BRIAN HOUSTON’S LIST for PREACHING! Why isn’t Christ front and center for PREACHING behind the PULPIT?
Brian Houston is a wolf in sheep’s clothing Scripture warns us about. He parades as a Pastor while using and abusing people to keep in power. He’s a Pharaoh, a god king of his own “castle” and he’ll do whatever it takes to keep his power and wealth. How much evidence do you need to be convinced of this Newtaste?
Do you need to become one of his victims to have your eyes opened to the truth? Is that really what it’s going to take for you to accept the truth and stop following a man who HATES God’s Word and is leading people to Hell with his doctrines of demons?
Well Gooniebird, I think it might be too late for poor old Newtaste. He’s heading down the track to become “goat stew” sometime soon. You can lead him to water time and again, but he’s just too stubborn to drink of the truth.
Truth is not just wrapped up in a set of doctrines though, it is also contained within a person – that of our Lord Jesus Christ by whom all things were created. The Bible is in one sense, an expression of God in Christ, revealing his plan of reconciliation and redemption for man:
“15 Who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature:
16 For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him:
17 And he is before all things, and by him all things consist.
18 And he is the head of the body, the church: who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead; that in all things he might have the preeminence.
19 For it pleased the Father that in him should all fulness dwell;
20 And, having made peace through the blood of his cross, by him to reconcile all things unto himself; by him, I say, whether they be things in earth, or things in heaven.” Colossians 1:15 – 20
Unless they can grasp the magnitude of what God has done in Christ, then I suppose the Hill$ongers will have to be happy with Brian’s taccy little handbook…
I would never be satisfied with that myself. Give me Jesus any day…
God gave revelations unto men (apostles and prophets,) who wrote them down. Eventually the revelations became the 66 books that we hold dear to ourselves, today.
Men drew ‘doctrines’ from the scriptures, which created a framework for church structure, discipline, life, conduct and faith, but then one day, the doctrines became traditions. Even the traditions were eventually sidelined in some places, and so all they are left with now, are things like Brian’s no-brainer 30 point preacher’s handbook…
And Brian Houston has the audacity to say that many other churches outside of the Hill$ong fold are dead and dying???
And Newtaste, just one last thing, that cover from the CD/DVD album, is not going to do anybody any good if it is buried in your drawer/cupboard/old box or whatever. Can I suggest that you go down to Officeworks, and “run the presses” on that hallowed ‘gospel’ message, and hand them out around town, before it becomes lost forever?
No? You’re not an evangelist? I didn’t think so. What a shame… 😦
“No? You’re not an evangelist? I didn’t think so. What a shame…”
Why is that? Because Brian Houston does not raise people to be biblical disciples of Jesus such as is called for in the Great Commission. Nor does he even teach people to be evangelists for Jesus.
He raises people to be evangelists for Hillsong. These are Hillsonger clones who go around trying to find more people to become member clones of Hillsong Church.
Bottom line: More members, more locations, more money.
You can easily see the difference between Brian Houston vs. a true Christian pastor.
Every true Christian pastor I have ever known has been a true shepherd and geentleman. They want people to get saved and they couldn’t have cared less what church they attended, so long as it was a biblical church and the people get cared for.
Brian Houston, on the other hand, not only does he want them as part of Hillsong Church, he even goes out of his way usurping existing churches clandestinely behind-the-scenes with no public vote making them somehow under the Hillsong umbrella.
That should set off warning bells to anyone thinking of joining Hillsong Church. There are many resentful comments on-line written by those who have been unwillingly usurped/coerced, into being under Hillsong, who didn’t like that nor the way it was accomplished and saw the underhandedness of it.
“How long did it take you to find that prayer Newtaste?”
The album was released last Sunday. So it took a few minutes to read the booklet in the DVD case.
You start your comments with a bias, assuming I needed a month to find anything. You have an axe to grind.
newtaste, Another problem with that is MANY cults say this, but afterwards they ADD things to establish their gospels.
In Brian Houston’s case, such as “I am convinced, you must get your finances in order, before you can be right with God.”
What did Brian Houston infer by his addendum? “You must be giving 10% tithes + your offerings to Hillsong Church.”
That became a CONDITION for salvation. One that is clearly NOT in the Bible.
The Gospel can have no additional conditions to “get your finances right” or “call for social justice” or “help the poor” as many are claiming you must do to be right with God.
Those are NOT part of Salvation, those are Works.
Abide-in-Him, if those quotes are from “You Need More Money”, well Houston has disowned that book.
Reconsider that answer Newtaste, that would make Brian Houston a false teacher/prophet.
Then my Hillsong Apologist newtaste… Why did he write it??? Oh thats right, he changed history to make it look like a orthodox conspiracy against him and the whole book was taken out of context… am i right???
“Abide-in-Him, if those quotes are from “You Need More Money”, well Houston has disowned that book.”
I’m a little curious, Newtaste, how could Houston ‘disown’ a book he wrote years ago, thoroughly promoted, and no doubt brought lot$ of extra ca$h into the Hill$ong coffers?
Did he offer refunds for any unhappy customers that didn’t ‘profit’ by buying the book?
Did he offer to edit any sermon material (currently still on sale) that may have been used in the text of the offending book, so that future generations of would-be book buyers, wouldn’t be deceived by the contents of this now defunct publication?
Or did Brian just ordered any remaining copies of the book be pulped, and then it was “business as usual” at Hill$ong book stores Australia wide???
Can you give a video link to where:
* Houston says exactly what the album message says OR
* (even better) Houston expands on that message e.g. saying why it was necessary for Jesus to die for our sins, that we are condemned before (a holy) God unless we believe in Jesus (therefore Houston presents whole Gospel)?
Do people have to first buy Hillsong merchandise to receive a message of any substance (whether message is correct is another topic entirely)? Are the pep talks on TV are merely sales pitches for the real product e.g. album?
“I would never be satisfied with that myself. Give me Jesus any day… ”
… or church watch.
Considering the deceptive nature of your original post, I think the folks here have been easy on you Newtaste, but not me.
Into the Goat’s Pen you go my boy…
“I would never be satisfied with that myself. Give me Jesus any day…
… or church watch.”
Your fizzled logic once again Newtaste.
Being a member of the church watch community, one does not deny Jesus.
Being a member of the hillsong cult, one denies Jesus constantly.
Very well said Milligan – Newtaste very deceptively made out that he’d “found” somethng – possibly very old, and then left the date off of it, so he could suck in part of the crowd into believing it had been buried and not used for a long time.
Then, when he’d achieved that subterfuge, he accused us of making assumptions. Well, Newtaste, if you’d have told us it was only a week old in the first place, we mightn’t have had any room for assumptions. It is your own dishonesty that created this situation…
To be fair Newtaste *did* show it the quote was directly from a Hillsong album.
Google search immediately showed it was released in 2015. Of course God knows if it merely skipped his mind or whether he did that on purpose.
Hi thinker – it doesn’t really matter, but because ‘goats eat rubbish’ we do have to be careful just what Newtaste offers from time to time.
It’s just the same to me as Hill$ong offering up its ‘cut and paste’ statement of belief. If it’s just “shop window dressing” to appease the crowd.
If they don’t really believe in the gospel as outworked in their lives, then does it matter whether it is attached to their website, or if it’s printed on a hundred thousand album covers???
Not at all…
newtaste, good job breaking that Kelly and Canfield story on Churchwatch Central !
http://churchwatchcentral.com/2015/10/20/strangers-with-candy-broadway-couple-defend-their-spiritual-predators-2/
Glad you’ve now provided 1 good post as a contributor of around 500 posts.
Have you realized the error of your ways and left your cult leader Brian Houston ?
Churchwatcher
you have some very strong arguments againgst Brian Houston, do you think more people are becoming aware that hillsong is run like a business more than a church and the pastors are more like company directors.
do christians really see the difference to pastors who are suppossed to shepherd their flock and give pastoral care.
rather than senior pastors who pass you on to assistant pastors, so they can run all around the world promoting themselves for their own gain. not caring for anyone else other than their own families.
There’s a new generation of Hillsongers that are attend “churches” like this, it’s ALL they know. So it’s “real” church as far as they’re concerned. If this new generation truly are regenerate, the Lord will draw them out. The unregenerate? Well, they are clearly spoken of in scripture.
2 Timothy 3: “For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but wanting to have their ears tickled, they will accumulate for themselves teachers in accordance to their own desires, 4and will turn away their ears from the truth and will turn aside to myths.”
The pastors?
2 Peter 2 speaks clearly of them:
“But false prophets also arose among the people, just as there will also be false teachers among you, who will secretly introduce destructive heresies, even denying the Master who bought them, bringing swift destruction upon themselves. Many will follow their sensuality, and because of them the way of the truth will be maligned; and in their greed they will exploit you with false words; their judgment from long ago is not idle, and their destruction is not asleep.”
“For if God did not spare angels when they sinned, but cast them into hell and committed them to pits of darkness, reserved for judgment; and did not spare the ancient world, but preserved Noah, a preacher of righteousness, with seven others, when He brought a flood upon the world of the ungodly; and if He condemned the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah to destruction by reducing them to ashes, having made them an example to those who would live ungodly lives thereafter; and if He rescued righteous Lot, oppressed by the sensual conduct of unprincipled men (for by what he saw and heard that righteous man, while living among them, felt his righteous soul tormented day after day by their lawless deeds), then the Lord knows how to rescue the godly from temptation, and to keep the unrighteous under punishment for the day of judgment, and especially those who indulge the flesh in its corrupt desires and despise authority.”
“Daring, self-willed, they do not tremble when they revile angelic majesties, whereas angels who are greater in might and power do not bring a reviling judgment against them before the Lord. But these, like unreasoning animals, born as creatures of instinct to be captured and killed, reviling where they have no knowledge, will in the destruction of those creatures also be destroyed, suffering wrong as the wages of doing wrong. They count it a pleasure to revel in the daytime. They are stains and blemishes, reveling in their deceptions, as they carouse with you, having eyes full of adultery that never cease from sin, enticing unstable souls, having a heart trained in greed, accursed children; forsaking the right way, they have gone astray, having followed the way of Balaam, the son of Beor, who loved the wages of unrighteousness; but he received a rebuke for his own transgression, for a mute donkey, speaking with a voice of a man, restrained the madness of the prophet.”
“These are springs without water and mists driven by a storm, for whom the black darkness has been reserved. For speaking out arrogant words of vanity they entice by fleshly desires, by sensuality, those who barely escape from the ones who live in error, promising them freedom while they themselves are slaves of corruption; for by what a man is overcome, by this he is enslaved. For if, after they have escaped the defilements of the world by the knowledge of the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, they are again entangled in them and are overcome, the last state has become worse for them than the first. For it would be better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than having known it, to turn away from the holy commandment handed on to them. It has happened to them according to the true proverb, “A dog returns to its own vomit,” and, “A sow, after washing, returns to wallowing in the mire.””
Churchwatcher
so what we have is the world dressed up as the church, full of unrepentant sinners.
who are not really saved or born again.
2 timothy 3:5
Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away.
1 timothy 6:5
Perverse disputings of men of corrupt minds, and destitute of the truth, supposing that gain is godliness: from such withdraw thyself.
proverbs 29:12
If a ruler hearken to lies, all his servants are wicked.
proverbs 29:26
Many seek the ruler’s favour; but every man’s judgment cometh from the LORD.
“so what we have is the world dressed up as the church, full of unrepentant sinners.
who are not really saved or born again?”
Well, it certainly looks that way in some cases. What really gets me, is the proverb you quoted:
“If a ruler hearken to lies, all his servants are wicked.” Prov 29:12
It seems to me that mega church leaders are just happy pumping out lie after lie.
Tithing – a lie, not for NT believers. Free will gifts are for the church, not law.
Prosperity – another lie, only works for those at the top (of the pyramid)
Healing/miracles – a partial lie. God does heal today, but most ‘healings’ are either stage managed, or may even come from an occult source.
Higher life seminars and conferences – gnosticism, all dressed up but nowhere to go
If the ruler harkens to lies… then his whole life and ‘ministry’ are a lie… .
“If the ruler Brian Houston harkens to lies…then his whole life and ‘ministry’ are a lie.”
This raises a new point for Mr. Newtaste… Contrary to what he says about Hillsong being ‘life’, etc, and Churchwatch being ‘dead’:
According to Scripture, Hillsong is not any form of love at all:
1 CORINTHIANS 13:6
“Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth.”
I’m a member of Hillsong I’ve been attending for about 2 years and have accepted Jesus as my saviour over 30 years ago what kind of spirit do you have obviously not the Holy Spirit otherwise you’d see the good things that Hillsong is doing .Please come and see for self I pray your eyes and ears will be open to the truth! Please come brother otherwise your heart will grow harder and harder !
“have accepted Jesus as my saviour over 30 years ago”
You’ve been reading the Bible for over 30 years, please show 1 verse that justifies a ‘pastor’ covering up child sex abuse…..
Ingo, Let’s look at what the Bible says, since your 30 years isn’t helping you…..
* Titus 1:7 For a bishop must be blameless, as the steward of God; not selfwilled, not soon angry, not given to wine, no striker, not given to filthy lucre;
* 1 Timothy 3:2 A bishop then must be blameless, the husband of one wife, vigilant, sober, of good behaviour, given to hospitality, apt to teach;
Stop with this, knit picking. You’re all making it sound like no pastor ever makes a mistake when in reality, not everyone is on camera for the whole world to see… You’re all picking on one man like leeches! You all should ask yourselves if this is what God wants in your hearts!
It’s normal to raise eyebrows, yes… But using this as a platform to cripple others who are actually serving Jesus? You’re all forgetting John 3:17.
I once questioned his methods, thought of him to be more of a motivational speaker than a preacher..
But this was before I realized that he suffered from PTSD. How would any of you like it if others tried crippling you, not understanding what you were dealing with personally?
This happened after he found out about his fathers past with child molestation cases, he later on developed PTSD. Through that time, the church flourished not because he thought of making money off of famous people (no need to name pastors for that), but rather he focused on sharing Christ with the world. After all, we may quote John 3:16 over and over, but let’s remember that verse 17 says “For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.” This from the beginning has always been their church’s mission.
In addition to sharing his personal testimony, Pastor Brian admits his wrongs.. For instance he held himself accountable for naming the title of one of his books “You Need More Money”… He realized that despite the message inspired, people felt like the title made the church look like a prosperity church with a prosperity teaching pastor, when I reality he was young, eager and naive… Like many of us once were (…after reading this and all the comments here, still are).
By doing this we are encouraging every Christian to attack every other Christian. I find it ridiculous tearing down other churches whom we do know share the gospel of Christ. Picking on their sermon rules? Really? We are tearing each other apart and THIS is exactly why nonbelievers are living and dying without Jesus! Look at the fruit of pastors, churches & ministries accross the globe… And even worse…
This is exactly what the enemy wants us to do.
Sadly some pastors have concluded that “there’s no such thing as hell” others have hidden their personal acts of homosexuality… What was the result? Their churches broke apart and nonbelievers see these things and use them as examples to claim that the Christian community itself is a cult… Florida is now allowing for satanism to be taught in their schools… Christian monuments are now being asked to be torn down… Atheism is on the rise.
Yet here we are picking on pastors who are on screen for all to see and when someone makes a mistake, what… We point fingers and try to tear down their ministries because of our tunnel vision? This is not helping God in anyway, it’s only paving a way for the enemy. If we each insist what God’s church should look like by quoting scriptures just to support our selfish ambitions and agendas, then how are we to reach out to the lost? Jesus himself said “I am the way, the truth and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.” (John 14:6)
Pastor Brian is NOT God. He is NOT Jesus Christ.
But he is a man who chooses to serve the King of all Kings… to serve the one TRUE GOD: Jesus Christ.
This is what he wants to share with the world.
And if we’re just going to find ways to cripple men like him, then all we are doing is falling into the trap of the devil.
“But he is a man who chooses to serve the King of all Kings… to serve the one TRUE GOD: Jesus Christ.”
Really? Do you think the King of all Kings approves of Brian Houston lying to the Royal Commission?
Do you think the King of all Kings approves of Brian Houston refusing to compensate his father’s victims?
Do you think the King of all Kings approves of an inept ‘pastor’ Brian Houston who cannot rightly divide the Word of Truth?
Do you think the King of all Kings approves of a ‘leader’ Brian Houston who endlessly parades false teachers on stage in front of the Body of Christ at Hillsong Conference year after year after year?
Do you think the King of all Kings approves of ‘Ps’ Bobbie Houston making up ‘words from God’ and using them to hold her brainwashed followers captive so she can keep taking their money? Especially when the Bible told her she is *not* to teach or lead men?
Don’t think so.
‘Ps’ Brian is a man who serves his one true god: Mammon.
‘Ps’ Bobbie is a woman who serves her one true god: her own fleshly Egomania.
Please Toni, get real.
PS: “I find it ridiculous tearing down other churches whom we do know share the gospel of Christ.”
And stop with your own lies already. What ‘we do know’ is that Multi-Millionaire Brian Houston shares his own oh-so-“heartwarming” (I think I’m gonna cry it’s so beautiful) version of the gospel of mammon and worldly success.
>>> matthew 6:19-21: “Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal: But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal: For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.”