BRIAN HOUSTON LIED
When Brian Houston released his media statement over dropping Driscoll for Hillsong Conference 2015, media outlets around the world, petitioners and people in general, understood that Driscoll wasn’t speaking at Hillsong Conference 2015.
Christians and protestors expressed that they did not want the disgraced and unrepentant Mark Driscoll to be given a platform at this global event. Brian Houston, to remove the distraction to his conference and quieten the objections of Driscoll getting the platform, released this statement:
Houston bends knee to critics and media (Part 3): Driscollified to speak at Hillsong
Brian Houston’s statement gave the impression that Mark Driscoll was not going to be given the platform or speak at Hillsong Conference 2015. The fact is this: Brian Houston lied.
The interview between Mark Driscoll and Brian Houston did happen.
Brian Houston lied by omission. He covered up and mislead Christians and the international media through tricky words and technicalities. He did not livestream this event through the internet like he has done with his other sessions.
Furthermore, we have also noticed that there were no twitter, instagram or facebook commotion over Driscoll speaking at Hillsong Conference. So the question is, did Hillsong somehow communicate to attendees not to promote the Driscoll interview on social media?
One of our valued critics who is pro-Hillsong reported to us:
“Brian Houston has just talked to Mark and Grace Driscoll in a prerecorded interview at Hillsong Conference. Driscoll was very contrite, and Brian did ask some tough questions.”
Source: NewTaste, Reviewing Houston’s second statement on Driscoll: Is Mark Driscoll speaking at Hillsong Church?, Hillsong Church Watch, https://hillsongchurchwatch.com/2015/06/15/reviewing-houstons-second-statement-on-driscoll-is-mark-driscoll-speaking-at-hillsong-church/#comment-20228, 30/06/2015. (Accessed 30/06/2015.)
However, Brian Houston did give Mark Driscoll the platform TODAY (30th of June) in spite of this information being absent for the Hillsong Conference 2015 Diary.
(Edit 08/07/2015: Click to download and examine Hillsong Conference 2015 Diary.)
Here is also Rick Warren acknowledging the Brian Houston with Mark Driscoll interview at Hillsong Conference 2015:
“But I just want to say this right up front. First, I trust this man [points to Brian Houston] and I trust his wife Bobbie. I trust them. And I trust them for the very reason of what you just saw so brilliantly portrayed in the Mark Driscoll interview. Truth and grace together. Truth and grace together.
He [Brian Houston] is authentic. He’s real. He’s honest.” [1:10]
[Download of footage coming soon]
When you look at Brian Houston’s misleading media statement, we pointed out this sentence:
“It is my hope that Mark and I will be able to speak in person in the coming weeks to discuss some of the issues that have been raised, what – if anything – he has learned, and for me to understand better how he is progressing in both his personal and professional life.” [Source]
We said back on the 8th of June (2015),
“It’s interesting to note that Brian Houston deliberately wrote that he STILL wants to speak with Mark Driscoll “IN PERSON in the coming weeks to discuss some of the issues that have been raised.” How long is “in the coming weeks?” Does this mean Mark Driscoll is STILL going to fly over to Australia? Is this meeting with Brian going to be private or public, and will Mark STILL be speaking, but just not at the Hillsong Conference?
Seeing how some churches are responding to Mark Driscoll, and knowing how Houston operates, it would not surprise us at all if Brian Houston does invite Driscoll to speak at Hillsong Church prior to the Hillsong Conference. After all, Driscoll is still meeting with Houston and “will be able to speak in person in the coming weeks to discuss some of the issues that have been raised”.” [Source]
We realised Brian Houston was up to something. However, we personally believed Brian Houston would not allow Driscoll to speak at the Hillsong Conference because he said this in his statement,
“However, I do not want unnecessary distractions during our conference, particularly as this 30 minute interview was only a small part of this five day event. It was clear to me that Mark’s attendance had the potential to divert attention from the real purpose of Hillsong Conference, which is to see people leave encouraged in their own spiritual journey.”
Little did we know just how deceitful Brian Houston would be over his wording. Like others, we feel duped for believing his media statement at all. We should have been smarter than this and learnt earlier when Brian Houston publicly lied about the ACA media story in his media statement not long ago.
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As ChurchWatcher, we apologise for suggesting that Mark Driscoll would not be given the platform at Hillsong Conference 2015.
