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Brian Houston’s statements

12 Sunday Oct 2014

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Hillsong published a statement from Brian Houston today about the Royal Commission. We have decided to publish his latest statement (12 October 2014) and his earlier statement (7 October 2014).

Statement from Brian Houston, Senior Pastor, Hillsong Church
Re: Royal Commission – Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse

12 October 2014

This past week was a challenging time for me personally and for our church. I’m sure you have seen media coverage around my appearance at the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse.

I wanted to take a moment today to help you understand what this is about, because it’s difficult to get a true picture from media reports. The media only have a few minutes or a few lines to report so they can’t give you the full story and sometimes the headlines can be misleading.

First let me make the most important point – We fully support the commission. As we’ve seen over many years, parts of the Christian church have failed our children by turning a blind eye to abuse and even covering it up. In my eyes, attempting to cover up child abuse is pure evil. This commission allows survivors to share their traumatic experiences, and my prayer is that this will help them to heal.

Hillsong was asked to appear not because of anything that happened here but because of the abuse suffered by children at the hands of my father around 40 years ago when he was based in New Zealand – many years before Hillsong Church existed and when I was a teenager myself.

This was a Royal Commission to examine the way institutions – like the church – handle complaints of sexual abuse. There was no allegation of abuse against anyone at Hillsong Church and no one was on trial.  This was a hearing, not a trial. It’s important this point is clarified.

As most of you know, I have spoken about the crimes of my father many times over many years. I have shared that when I first found out about this, I immediately confronted my father and ensured he never preached or served in any ministry capacity again. There was no delay in action – from the moment we knew and he confessed, his ministry stopped. I then consulted the elders of what was then Sydney Christian Life Centre and we referred the matter to the national executive of the Assembly of God.

The investigation and subsequent actions were then handled by the AOG without my interference.

There have been reports of money being paid to the victim. Again for clarification, this was between my father and the victim. It had nothing to do with me or Hillsong Church.

Be assured that we did not tolerate sexual abuse when we heard of these allegation in 1999 – and we don’t now. Hillsong Church has zero tolerance for abuse. We do not allow any person with convictions or findings against them of child sexual abuse to attend any Hillsong activity and we are continually reviewing and updating our procedures so that children across our campuses are protected.

While I wanted to explain these events, I also wanted to thank you for being such a wonderful and supportive church. Talking publicly about such personal details involving my father is draining, yet throughout the week Bobbie and I have felt your love and encouragement and that’s lifted us and helped us through. And though we value your prayers for us, the truth is there are many people who’s lives have been devastated by sexual abuse and specifically by my fathers actions and need our thoughts and prayers.

Please keep praying for those affected by sexual abuse and for the victims in the cases involving my father. I believe that unconditional love and total restoration is possible for anyone through Jesus Christ – and that there is no other name that can bring hope and healing to those that are hurting.

7 October 2014

Hillsong Church welcomes this Royal Commission and fully supports its objectives. We believe that exposing child sexual abuse and the response of institutions to that abuse, and allowing survivors to share their traumatic experiences, is a powerful step in the healing process.

While our involvement in this commission does not involve abuse that happened at our church, and there are no allegations against me or Hillsong, I have been touched by the horrific act of child sexual abuse in a very personal way. Having to face the fact that my father engaged in such repulsive acts was – and still is – agonising.

However as painful as this is for me, I can only imagine how much more pain these events caused to the victims, and my prayer is that they find peace and wholeness.

Hillsong Church has zero tolerance for sexual abuse and has comprehensive child protection policies that are continually reviewed. We also welcome any recommendation of the commission that would assist us to improve on these policies even further.

This Royal Commission reminds us of the vulnerability of our children and should compel every organisation responsible for the oversight of children – churches, schools or other institutions – to ensure that the abhorrent acts of the past will never happen again.

Source: http://hillsong.com/media/statement-regarding-the-royal-commission-into-institutional-responses-to-child-sexual-abuse. (Accessed 12/10/2014.)

Warning Of Fascist Trends Coming To C3 Global Presence Conference 2014: “Wake up Church, this is not Christianity!”

03 Monday Feb 2014

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The fascist practices and philosophies emerging from the mega-church cults like C3, CHC and Hillsong church should concern Christians everywhere. They are unafraid to use propaganda and fuhrer-prinzip methodologies. They elevate arts, experience and feelings over logic and reason. They propagate the cult of youth and use the size of their ‘volkish’ community to bully Christians into submitting to their strong leadership and movements.

Sound extreme? Are we exaggerating the phenomenon? Are we making this up? Sadly, this is all too real. They may not realise it but these movements are built on the same community-identification principles that characterised the fascist movements in Europe in the 1920’s and 1930’s. Be aware that fascism isn’t to be confused with policies. Italian Fascism and German National Socialism were primarily personality cults where the vision of the leader must be implemented … the policies tended to be indistinguishable from socialism/communism. They were populist policies that played to the masses. The real danger is not where a Brian Houston or a Phil Pringle would take their organisations. The real danger is in whoever comes after them. C3 and Hillsong have set a precedent in Australia for the vision-casting leader who must be obeyed … or else!

Louie Giglio is speaking this year at Phil Pringle’s C3 Global Presence Conference 2014. Oddly enough, it has been observed that Giglio’s ministry also has fascist trends emerging from their movement. Please warn people how dangerous this man’s ministry is. Please also warn Christians the dangers of Phil Pringle’s Presence Conference.

Fascist Trends of Passion 2014

I cannot unpack all of the complexities of ideological fascism in this blog post and how it has revived under the name of postmodernism in our day and popular culture. 2 years in the works at HBP is an upcoming film on Fascism and the Postmodern church. See our full-length interview with Dr. Gene Edward Veith,Postmodernism, Fascism and the Church.

When people think of fascism today they think of Hitler, anti-semitism, the Holocaust, genocide, racism, militarism and the Nazis. Today, the word “Fascist” has been deduced to an insulting label for vilifying political enemies, but its true nature is greatly misunderstood. While Hitler and the Axis powers were defeated militarily in WWII, fascist ideology remains alive and well today under a new name.

Popular contemporary Christianity also appears to be emerging into something new. Much like the mainstream of European prefascist theology, many mainline church denominations have been turning away from transcendence and the Scriptures in favor of a spirituality based upon immanence, cultural activism, and existentialism. Many churches that were once committed to a high view of the teachings of Jesus and His apostles are now shifting their focus toward experience, emotionalism and communalism. In many ways, Christianity may be the strongest defense against fascism, but it may also be its point of entry. (See Veith’s book Modern Fascism: The Threat to the Judeo Christian Worldview and Chris Rosebrough’s lecture Resistance is Futile: You Will Be Assimilated into the Community)

Along with Darwinism and Existentialism, Romanticism was also a key component of the counter-Enlightenment worldview of ideological fascism. Romanticism emphasized inspiration and subjectivity as a reaction against alienation and the rationalism that characterized the Enlightenment. This movement in arts and literature reasserted the value of nature by explaining it with experience and emotions as opposed to reason, intellect and rationality.Passion, not reason, was uniquely “natural.”

Fascism rejected the concept of the individual. Nature, emotion and community become the emphasis of the fascist spirituality of immanence. In order to achieve this group identity, fascism was often characterized by grandiose public rallies. Hitler is pictured surrounded by people in panoramic shots of the community. “We have a community,” says Giglio in this Passion 2014 promo.

The group becomes the living organism or organic community. What you will find emphasized on the Passion 2014 website is not teaching the observance of everything Jesus commanded but the fascist themes of immanence (“God’s presence”) and community (“united”):

TWO GATHERINGS. ONE HEARTBEAT. THE JESUS GENERATION UNITED. . . .

Last year, our US gathering drew more than 60,000 students and leaders from around the world to the Georgia Dome in Atlanta. We were blown away by God’s presence. (source)

Rather than appealing to doctrine and objective truth, there is much talk and reliance upon feelings, emotions, action and movement. In fascism and postmodernism alike, emotionalism takes the place of logic. If objective truth and morality is alienating, then subjective experience is uniting.

Fascists did not know where this progressive revolution was going, but they believed anychange or any movement was better. Hitler uses the phrase “the Movement” over two hundred times in Mein Kampf and a Nazi Party journal was entitled Die Bewegung (The Movement).1 Similarly, the Postmodern Emerging Church has no fixed destination but is about action and movement. Likewise, the Passion 2014 event is described as a “movement.” Louie Giglio says, “More than an event, Passion is a movement,” in this Passion 2014 promo video.

The themes of the Passion movement and Passion 2014 are distinctly fascist. Christian Post reports:

The Passion 2014 Atlanta Conference kicked off at Philips Arena in Atlanta Friday with over 20,000 university students attending the two-day event from around the world.

Students from over 1,200 universities and 33 countries attended this year’s Passion conference in Atlanta. This is the first of Passion’s two large-scale gatherings this year in North America for 18-25 year olds. Passion 2014 Houston will be held on February 14-15 at the Toyota Center.

Passion 2014 brings together several internationally renowned pastors, teachers and worship leaders. Joining Passion founders Louie and Shelley Giglio in Atlanta will be John Piper, Christine Caine, and Francis Chan. Grammy award winning artists and worship leaders Chris Tomlin and Matt Redman, are slated to lead worship, along with David Crowder, Kristian Stanfill, Christy Nockels and Hillsong United. (source)

passion-conference-2014-youth

Notice the event attendance is limited to ages 18-25 year old. The English fascist James Barnes wrote, “the present Weltanschauung of fascism may be summed up in one word–youth.”2 Belgian and Romanian fascisms both originated in student movements and the youth were also predominant in fascisms in France, Spain, Italy and England.3 Calling to mind Hitler Youth and German youth culture, Jonah Goldberg writes,

Historically, fascism is of necessity and by design a form of youth movement, and all youth movements have more than a whiff of fascism about them. The exaltation of passion over reason, action over deliberation, is a naturally youthful impulse.4

Last year, the Passion 2013 was an event for young Christians. These Christian conferences that fill stadiums with thousands of people reflect the subjective experience and emotional fulfillment of fascism that comes from losing one’s identity in a larger organic mass community. Judah Smith emphasized the importance of community all throughout his sermon.

The musical performances are very emotional with an emphasis on experiencing God’s presence and the heart rather than the mind. The audience joins in a common experience, feeling and responding as one. These stunning spectacles complete with light shows and music, much like the grandiose public rituals and mass rallies of fascism, actually create community. See here where the “presence” of God, tasting, seeing, and subjective feelings/”experience” are elevated, the fascist marks of immanence over objective truth and rationality.

The consequences of these fascist ideas will unleash a monster. Events like this are raising up a generation that cannot think or reason for themselves. We are seeing a picture that mirrors that of the culture of Continental Europe just prior to WWII. Wake up Church, this is not Christianity!

Sources:
1 Jonah Goldberg, Liberal Fascism (New York, NY: Random House Inc., 2007), 176
2 Zeev Sternhell, Fascist Ideology, Ed. Walter Laqueur, University of California Press, 338
3 Zeev Sternhell, Fascist Ideology, Ed. Walter Laqueur, University of California Press, 342
4 Jonah Goldberg, Liberal Fascism (New York, NY: Random House Inc., 2007), 165

Source: Elliott Nesch, Fascist Trends of Passion 2014, Holy Bible Prophecy, http://www.holybibleprophecy.org/2014/01/20/fascist-trends-of-passion-2014/, 20/01/2014. (Accessed 25/01/2014.)

Carl Lentz Scrutinized

24 Saturday Aug 2013

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Christianity is founded on objective factual claims. Christianity is anchored on the historical person of Jesus Christ and what he accomplished on earth through his lifetime. God’s Word also records amazing factual accounts of God’s dealing with mankind from the very beginning of creation.

Today’s culture generally operates from a postmodern world view. That is, truth is subjective not objective. Your feelings and experiences are more founded on the truth then objective statements or facts. Critical thinking is overshadowed by what you feel is true. You could say that postmodernity weaves mysticism and gnosticism within it’s worldview. At it’s core, postmodernity is irrational, reactionary and inconsistent. On this basis, we have been observing how this pagan philosophy is leaving it’s mark on big churches like the Hillsong and C3 ‘Church’ movements.

It has been observed that, “Lentz has been criticized for sometimes going too far in toeing his line between secular and spiritual.”

Who Is Pastor Carl Lentz?

Furthermore, “Lentz, the newest pastor of Hillsong Church, merges the secular with the spiritual, incorporating references to pop culture and quips and slang. Considering his tactics, it’s no wonder the house of worship is reaching major success.”

 Pastor Carlmeleon Lentz Popularising The Hillsong Label

While young, upcoming pastors are highly susceptable to this, it is highly noticable in Carl Lentz’s double-mindedness.Evidence of his false worldview is revealed in his double-speak and double-mindedness in the recent articles we’ve been reading. For example, the Christian Post not long ago had an interview with ‘Pastor’ Carl Lentz about his involvement in Hillsong New York. Rather then produce the Christian Post interview with Carl Lentz, we thought CoercionCode did a decent job pointing out Carl Lentz’s hypocrisy. (Also observe how ambiguous and sujective some of Carl Lentz replies are to the Christian Post interviewer; e.g. “You know, the gospel is relevant and makes sense to people in different ways”.)

CoercionCode writes,

Hillsong in New York — Church on the Broadway

Carl Lentz is not your typical pastor.

Along with his half shaved head and slicked back Mohawk, he’s dressed in his usual Sunday attire: black jeans and an unbuttoned denim shirt with a tank top underneath. His tattooed arms, including one with two guns crossed, peek out from under his rolled-up sleeves.

His Hillsong Church NYC holds at least six sermons every Sunday in a ballroom-style concert venue that has hosted such bands as U2 and the Red Hot Chili Peppers. People squeeze into whatever space they can find and take notes on iPhones as Lentz marches across the stage, peppering his sermon with Bible verses, jokes, pop music lines and street slang.

“If you’re new to our church, we love you,” says the 34-year-old Lentz. “Don’t be alarmed by the craziness you see. One time somebody said, ‘Y’all are crazy in your church,’ and I said, ‘You ever seen you dance drunk? Don’t be judging us up in church.’”

New York has become a magnet for startup evangelical churches in recent years. There are currently more than 200 in Manhattan alone, according to Tony Carnes of the research project, A Journey Through NYC Religions, and Hillsong is one of the fastest-growing.

After a little more than two years, Hillsong estimates it draws 5,500 people to Sunday services each week. Crowds lining up are a regular weekly scene at Irving Plaza near Manhattan’s Union Square. Hillsong often has to add additional evening sessions, which could last well into the night.

“I’ve gotten used to seeing bar stools and club stuff in the place that we have church,” Lentz said, adding “that’s church to me now.”

Steve Dagrossa, a 31-year-old who says he is a recovering heroin addict, attended all six sermons on a recent Sunday, for a total of 12 hours. He has even styled his hair his hair like Lentz.

“It’s unconventional but we’re not a conventional city,” Dagrossa said. “This isn’t the Bible Belt. This is New York.”

Meredith Anderson, a 27-year-old church member who also works as an assistant to Lentz, said she “went from being a drug addict party animal to becoming a Christian living a full, healthy life.”

“If it was a church that was all buttoned up, you know, what everybody thinks about when they think about church … that’s not necessarily something that would speak to me,” she said. “But because it’s young people, because there are young people there, I feel more comfortable.”

The church is a branch of the popular Australian-based Hillsong Church, the Pentecostal church which draws more than 21,000 weekly to its services. Hillsong is best known for its concert-type settings where they play Christian rock and praise music, which often appeals to a younger demographic of churchgoers.

Much of Hillsong NYC’s success can be attributed to its unorthodox leader. Lentz is a hyperactive, self-proclaimed insomniac who would rather stand than sit. His gift for gab lends itself to creating hype for the church. He loves hip hop music and often calls getting the word of God out “a hustle.”

At one service, he broke out Coolio lyrics. At another he called the biblical Saul the “LeBron James of Judaism.” He is an avid basketball fan and player, and is a fixture at New York Knicks games.

Lentz has established himself as his own brand. He has more than 67,000 followers on Twitter and 59,000 on Instagram, where you can find pictures of him standing next to Jay-Z and NBA star Kevin Durant. Justin Bieber posted a picture of himself eating lunch with Lentz, “talking ’bout our savior Jesus Christ.”

Hillsong is far from the first church to attempt to win over a young demographic, but few have been able to pull it off as successfully as Hillsong, according to Carnes.

Hillsong Church NYC Pastor Carl Lentz has said that critics of his unconventional style give him “fuel for the fire,” as his ministry continues growing.

He acknowledged that some find his methods unconventional and even crazy, but the success of his evangelical church, which is a branch of the Pentecostal church in Australia with a 21,000-attendance, is showing that his style is connecting with young people in one of the world’s largest cities.

See his unconventional ways here

Also the type of worship found at his old stomping ground at WAVE church.

Others have noted that one danger with leading a modern church that appeals to young people is that Christ’s message could be overshadowed – though Lentz has made it his mission not to let that happen.

“This church is always only about Jesus. … It’s always, it’s only about Jesus,” the pastor said in a previous sermon.

Blog Editors Note: It might be about Jesus, but what is it about Jesus?? Jesus always asks the question, who do you say that I am? Hillsong’s Jesus is nothing more than a religious billboard, Jesus is the product as Joel Osteen, and T D Jakes would say.

In an interview with The Christian Post back in February 2011, shortly after the NYC branch of Hillsong was started up, Lentz shared some of his vision and hopes for the young church as it looked for ways to grow in the most populous city in America

Carl Lentz, senior pastor of Hillsong New York City, never imagined that a deal he had roughly 10 years ago with Joel Houston, son of Hillsong Church’s founder Brian Houston, would actually pan out one day.

Today, the long-time friends from Bible college lead Hillsong NYC, the first U.S. location of the Australian-based Pentecostal megachurch.

In the next couple of months the Manhattan-based church, which meets at Irving Plaza near Union Square, will have made it’s presence felt for 3,years, since it’s official launch on Oct. 17, 2010.

The Christian Post has spoken previously to Lentz, about how he got involved in Hillsong NYC, his response to critics who ask why New York City needs “another church,” and what the vision of the church is all about. Joel Houston has been the Creative Director of Hillsong since 2008. Joel is currently co-Pastor of Hillsong NYC with Carl.

The following are some excerpts from the interview:

Lentz: I think Brian and Bobbie has always had it in their heart to do something in America but the when and the where has been in development for the a long time.

Joel and I, I think we were 20 (years old), were talking at Bible college one day and I said: “I’m going back to America and you’re going to stay here. I wonder if we will ever work together again.”

Joel said that, “If my dad ever did something outside of Australia, that would be kind of cool.”

I said: “Yea, it would have to be somewhere like New York.”

CP: There are a lot of churches in New York City, thousands in fact. Can you explain what is the need for Hillsong New York and what is the demographic that it wishes to serve that might not be served by other churches?

Lentz: You are asking in really cool way but often times people ask me that in a really critical way, something like: “Why does New York City need another church?”

It is really sad to me. There are 20 million people in this city. There are a lot of people who don’t know the Lord. It’s like asking: Why does the city need another restaurant. It’s like one person going to McDonalds unless I have any other food.

You know, the gospel is relevant and makes sense to people in different ways. Sometimes, different churches have different feels. Maybe someone will not connect with Hillsong New York City but they go down to your church and connect with that. So if it saves one person then that church is worthwhile.

So for us, we really believe in building the local church in general and we feel like we have a lane. We often use the analogy of a running lane. We are all running the same race with the same destination. We’re not running your lane. It’s not better or worse, just different.

But I think the way that Hillsong does worship is appealing to people. And the way we teach the practicality of this Gospel is helpful to people.

Brian Houston is known for really practical teaching that takes something really complex make a whole lot of sense. That to me is… when I fell in love with Jesus it was through Hillsong Church. It was through this message of church. So there are a lot of people like us and it just makes sense.

Blog Editor: Really, practical teaching? It just makes sense? Brian Houston uses all sorts of antecdotes, and scripture verses to present his humanistic panderings, and prosperity propaganda , but that doesn’t make them biblical. These new congregates are being fed error as bold and as brazen, as the Roman Catholic’s ‘Transubstantiation’ teaching. They are so lacking in actual understanding, “they are ever learning, yet never coming to the knowledge of the truth”.

CP interviewer: Redeemer (church) tries to reach out to city professionals. I attended a Hillsong NYC service back in November and I noticed that there were a lot of young people, and dare I say a hip, young crowd. Is this a group or generation not being reached in New York?

Lentz: I think there are some churches reaching people like that. It is what it is. We are never going to say we are about this or about that. Because I just don’t feel God is that narrow.

Last night there were some CEOs of companies and people who New York City would consider some very big players who are calling Hillsong New York City their home. So, we absolutely believe that the grace of God will be appealing to everybody.

Yea, I think there is a hip, young factor that is wide open in this city, and we are part of a number of churches who are going after that group. But at the same time, it’s not intentional. We don’t sit there and go, okay, how can we appeal to the hip, young people. We just sit there and go how can we lift up the name of Jesus with how we see fit and let the chips fall where they may.

If it was as easy as picking a demographic, we would be doing a lot better as churches. So I don’t even believe that works.

CP: You told the audience during a church service back in November that this is “not a concert” but “a church service.”

Blog Editor’s note : [He shouldn’t even need to. The problem is the Hillsong’s ‘church’ music is nothing more than a rock concert, it’s not a worship service, plain and simple, and if we have to explain to people that it’s worship, then there is something wrong! Maybe the thinking is if we tell people long enough maybe they will be convinced.]

Do you think there are a lot of people who attend Hillsong New York because of the popularity of the worship music? How do you build the core membership and not only attract people who just want to listen to worship music from Hillsong?

Lentz: Yea, I don’t think it’s a problem – people who want to come to church because they love to worship. I think we’re going to keep showing up week in and week out. We have 20 minutes of worship normally. So if you’re coming because you think it’s a concert then you going to figure out within two services that this is a church. So we never once thought what we are going to do if people come because they love the music. That’s just a huge bonus.

Every bit of music that comes out of the church is because it’s a church. It’s not the opposite. It’s not a band that has a church attached to it. It’s the music that comes out of the church. It takes 10 minutes to explain that. I say that not for Hillsong music but we have visitors who don’t know what church is like.

Blog Editor: [Come on Lentz, it’s a religious rock concert! To use Lentz’ own anology of another restaurant in the area. If the smell of Fried Chicken covered in some herbs and spices starts wafting down the street, how can you pretend your restaurant is really flipping burgers with an all beef pattie, lettuce, tomato, onion, and mayo. The thing is absurd! Why would you need to explain to the customers that your cooking chicken , they know what it is!]

So when I’m talking to people and say, ‘Hey this is not a concert, this is not a spectator sport,’ I’m not talking about people thinking it’s a concert. But because they just don’t know what it is. We’re not just here listening to a band and just singing, but we’re singing to God. That’s why I do that.

Blog Editor: [Not a concert? Their not fooling anyone, but themselves]

CP: You blogged on Sunday that over 200 people have given their lives to Christ and 400 people have signed up to be volunteers for the church. How does Hillsong follow up for people who have made decisions for Christ and what kinds of activities volunteers are involved in these days?

Lentz: There are dozens of areas to volunteer as any other church.

For us, we’re building the church based on the Acts model where the Bible said they devoted themselves.

A shorter answer is that we’re going to give people classes, mentorship, and immediate connect group activity which is like you get enrolled in a small group, so with the hope of saying that you have the option of walking into a family.

CP: What kind of activities are the volunteers doing?

Lentz: We are brand new church. We are not trying to build Rome in one day.

We have music, ushering, hospitality team, a greetings team, a new Christians team, a welcome team, a children’s program, and a community team which will probably be developed over the next year as we know the city better and the organizations that we’re going to partner with. We have a couple of homeless organizations that are kind of on the radar right now. We are meeting with them to decide which one we can fill our lives into. We are not going to start our own homeless ministry. We’re going to find one that is working and put our weight behind it.

CP: Is the church active in any homeless ministry currently?

Lentz: We don’t have a specific one endeavor.

Right now, what we have planned is that we are going to meet with one organization. There is a woman in our church who runs a pretty fantastic operation, feeding people in different programs. So right now our plan is to mobilize our church to do it all together.

Our plan is not to have an outreach ministry. I think that’s a pretty much a tragic term because if it’s not outreach in general it should not be a department. We don’t like to say that we’re going to do outreach. Everybody is an outreach every day of the week they walk out the door.

CP: What are the roles for Joel and you at the church?

Lentz: Well, my wife and I would be the pastors on the ground here. When it comes to the leading, the teaching, the preaching and the motivational aspect, that’s us. When it comes to the music and some of the things we do around the country, whether it be some of the worship tours we’re involved with, Joel has handled every decision we make.

Every key decision, Laura, myself and Joel make it together in agreement. It’s pretty much a joint effort in everything we do.

He’s such a good musician. I’m not a good musician. So that’s a no-brainer. He can handle that by himself.

For us, it would be to never narrow our little human minds and try to get our heads around this because if we can stay with the big picture, God will stay bigger.

So everyday we are going to wake up and say: “Okay, Lord, we’re going to dream huge. No matter what someone tells us, you can’t use this venue– nope, we can. You can’t reach those people–we’re going to believe we can reach them.”

CP: What are your hopes and prayers for Hillsong New York this year?

Lentz:We’re just believing that we are going to help more people than we’ve dreamed. I think our church is in a really strong place to begin with. I think it’s a pretty successful place to be. Rather than start from scratch, we have a foothold like we do already.

CP: What are some of the main challenges you see in planting Hillsong NYC?

Lentz: Main challenge is for us to keep our vision big enough. When it comes to challenges, there is no mountain here that God can’t move in a day.

For us, we really believe in building the local church in general and we feel like we have a lane. We often use the analogy of a running lane. We are all running the same race with the same destination. We’re not running your lane. It’s not better or worse, just different.”

comment (from recent article)
jezziebezzie
11:22 AM on August 17, 2013
I like his concept of ‘running lanes’. I feel similarly about different religions & prophets. I believe that ultimately the “Message” we’re all receiving is the same, but the way the message is delivered & the person delivering the message might be different. So some of our rules & customs might be strange to each other, but at the heart – live a good life, be charitable & kind and you will move from this plane to better things … is what all of us believe.

Blog Editor:
Talk about leaving it to the interpretation of the listener! You can drive a bus through Lentz’ statements. It’s seems Hillsong are happy running on the Broad way that leads to destruction. How are we all running the same race? Is he talking specifically about Christianity, or religious persuasion generally? Who would really know? The girl who left her comment in reference to Lentz’s statement obviously thinks he means any kind of religious icon. This is from a supposed Christian pastor. It’s woeful! He is representing Christ, not as a spokesman for a religious organisation, but that’s what Hillsong has become, a sophiscated form of Scientology, that gives lipservice to the Lord Jesus, “having a form of godliness (a resemblance of the original, or a superficial veneer), but denying the power thereof”

Jesus said, “The fields are white unto harvest,…”, but Hillsong are seeking success in fields of Gold!

Sources: Article by Stoyan Zaimov,
Christian Post Reporter
July 18, 2013

http://global.christianpost.com/news/hillsong-church-nyc-pastor-carl-lentz-critics-give-fuel-for-the-fire-100412/

Article by Katherine T. Phan,
Christian Post Reporter
February 17, 2011|6:47 am

http://www.christianpost.com/news/interview-pastor-carl-lentz-on-hillsong-new-york-city-49021/

http://www.deseretnews.com/article/765634211/Unconventional-pastor-leads-booming-NYC-megachurch.html?pg=1

Source: CoercionCode, Hillsong in New York – Church on the Broadway, http://coercioncode.com/2013/08/23/hillsong-in-new-york-church-on-the-broadway/, Updated on 23/08/2013, (Accessed 24/08/2013.)

We may offer our own critique of the Christian Post review in another article.

Does Brian Houston Want Credibility As A Pastor Or As A Public Motivational Speaker?

19 Tuesday Mar 2013

Posted by in Books, Brian Houston's Beliefs

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Before reading profile blurbs and endorsements from Brian Houston’s books, we would encourage readers to ask some questions.

      1. What is the biblical role of a pastor?
      2. Does Brian Houston actually fulfil the role of a biblical pastor?

To help answer the first question, we think this article will help answer your question.

Do Hillsong & C3 Churches Know What The Role Of A Pastor Is? Do You?

This article will be looking at how Brian Houston likes to be represented. We would like to warn readers that we do not endorse Brian Houston’s books below. They are not Christian in their application nor are they Christian in the way Houston attacks God’s Word for his own worldly agenda. If you go through our archives, you can read some of the content in ‘You Need More Money’. We will examine ‘Get A Life’ and his other books in later articles.

BRIAN HOUSTON’S PROFILES

It is interesting to observe how Houston likes to present himself to the world and the church. You will note Houston likes to be considered a “sought-after” speaker for “leadership conferences” and wants “to see people fulfil their God-given potential”. Is this what the role of a pastor is meant to be? Is this what the bible calls the pastor to preach? Is this the gospel?

Here are some profiles Brian Houston has about himself.

“Brian Houston and his wife Bobbie, are the founders of Hills Christian Life Centre in Sydney, Australia, the home of Hillsong Music.

As one of Australia’s leading and most sought-after speakers, Brian travels extensively, addressing leadership conferences and churches throughout the world.

His passion to see people fulfil [sic] their God-given potential in every sphere of life has made him popular with all age groups and backgrounds, with his television program, Life is for Living, broadcast in over 30 nations.” – Back Cover, You Need More Money: Discovering God’s Amazing Financial Plan For Your Life, Alken Press: Smithsfield, NSW, 1999.

In contrast to the last profile blurb, Houston omits some above details in his “Revised Business Edition” of ‘Get A Life’ (republished in the same year as ‘You Need More Money’):

“Brian Houston loves life. As one of Australia’s sought after speakers, he has a passion to see people fulfil [sic] their potential in every sphere of life.

A respected church leader, popular motivational speaker and skilled communicator, Brian travels extensively, addressing leadership conferences throughout the world.

His television program Life is for Living is broadcast in over 30 nations, and his ability to mix humour with a strong, clear message draws him to people of all age groups and backgrounds.

Together with his wife Bobbie, Brian oversees a thriving Christian ministry in Sydney that is is impacting the lives of thousands of people every day. Diverse and broadbased, it ranges from training and equipping students at the Hills Leadership College to dynamic community centres that employ professional doctors, a psychologist and financial consultant. The music and teaching resources of Hillsong Australia are distributed to every continent and the annual Hillsong Conference is one of Australia’s largest, drawing thousands of delegates from around the globe.” – Back Cover, Get A Life: Principles For Success and Enjoyment In Every Area Of Life (Revised Business Edition), Brian Houston Ministries, NSW, 199.

You would note this time he omitted ‘churches’ in the second paragraph. Since he is appealing to ‘business’ people, Brian Houston has instead chosen to show what he thinks the world might want to know about him. He specifically has in mind the business world and the area of self-help. Is this the type of person that a bible-believing pastor is called to feed? Does Brian Houston know what is in his job description laid for him in the bible?

On the opening page of ‘Get A Life (Revised Business Edition)’, Brian Houston classifies his book under the following categories:

“1. Conduct of life. 2. Life skills. 3. Christian life. 4. Self-help techniques.”

His endorsements in this particular are also revealing.

HOUSTON’S ENDORSEMENTS

As a Christian pastor, you would generally seek endorsements that give you credibility as a faithful and reliable bible teacher. Not so with Brian Houston.

In fact, what he actually publishes in his endorsements reveals he has no clue what the guidelines are for a biblical pastor. There is no endorsement in his book ‘Get A Life’ that gives his teaching biblical credibility. Instead, we get the following:

Jonathan De Jong

Founder, Fantastic Furniture Australia

“This book will change your life. Brian will challenge you to believe in yourself. You will achieve more and go beyond all you dreamed your destiny could be. Read Get A Life and it will teach you how to obtain life in all its fullness.”

Peter Irvine

Vice Chairman

DDB Needham Worldwide Advertising

“Get A Life is a must if you find it challenging to balance every area of your life, progress and actually enjoy the journey. Brian Houston challenges you to not just get by in life – but have a life that is truly successful. Brian shares single-minded and simple challenges that will help you overcome, progress and grab all of life’s opportunities. He highlights the ‘robbers’ of life, such as negativity. Brian applies what he writes and enjoys his life to the full. Get a copy and get a life.”

Alan Cadman

Federal Member

Parliamentary Secretary for Work Place and Small Business

“I have no hesitation in endorsing Get a Life. From my experience, one of the greatest dilemmas facing humanity today is their lack of personal significance.

Brian Houston’s presentations and management style are a model for anyone wanting to absorb the theory, practise and ethics of excellence, effectiveness, quality management and team potential. He is an inspiring speaker and uses real life examples which captivate his audience whether they are self employed, looking for work or CEO’s of large organisations.

Get a Life is an inspired book which encourages people to go for their highest with confidence. It also warns of the traps which can sabotage potential. I highly recommend this entertaining and persuasive answer to life’s problem.”

Nabi Saleh

Chairman: Jireh International Pty Ltd

Master Franchise – Gloria Jean’s Gourmet Coffee Australia

“Brian Houston has written a remarkable book, Get a Life, in which he outlines how to fulfil your life’s potential. Brian shares vital keys straight from his heart and experience. There are some things we need to grow into and other things we need to overcome. The result will be fulfilment of your dream and vision. He puts into practise, in his own life, all that he has written in this book.

I have no hesitation in recommending this book to all those who want to rise up and excel in all facets of life.”

Bill Bassett

Owner and Managing Director of Interclean Australia Pty Ltd

“Full of great insight and practical wisdom. This is a wonderful book that captures Brian’s spirit. It will convince you that there is more life out there to obtain Brian [sic] will challenge you to take responsibility in the basic areas of your life. He’ll inspire you to look further and run the race of life well.”

Don Cooper Williams

Director of Marketing

SAP Australia and New Zealand Pty Ltd

“This book epitmosises Brian Houston’s philosophy and beliefs. A fresh, radical view that needs to be embraced by all who desire to be leaders or aspire to a life of ‘better things’. I recommend it to today’s business person who is looking for substance in a sea of motivational mediocrity. Great stuff!”

If you think Brian Houston is a pastor, think again. He clearly has chosen to portray himself as a relevant public motivational speaker and a life coach and walk down this dangerous road away from his role as a biblically trained pastor. This is incredibly dangerous and helps provide an explanation why Brian Houston has no clue how he is to read or preach from the bible correctly.

If Brian Houston wants to merge the two – then he disqualifies himself before God as a shepherd of God’s people. If on the other hand he wishes to be seen as a pastor, he needs to put down the motivational talk, turn his back on the world and remain in the biblical guidelines of how a pastor must function. If he wants to be a motivational speaker like Anthony Robbins, we are happy for him to pursue this career if he does not continue behind the pulpit.

Please pray that Brian Houston can distinguish the difference between these roles and make his decision carefully. The more he blurs these lines, the more people will perish in their sins due to receiving a watered-down gospel.

Brian Houston Is A Pastor How?

02 Wednesday Jan 2013

Posted by in Books

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What you are about to read from Brian Houston is not theological, historical or logical. This is what it means when Peter said, “In their greed these teachers will exploit you with stories they have made up”, (2 Peter 2:3). Below is an excerpt from Houston’s book, ‘You Need More Money’.

“WHAT IS THE TITHE?

Tithing was a principle that was established in the book of Genesis. We’ll probably need to go into a bit of Bible history here, but literally a tithe means “one tenth”.

The principle of first fruits

Going back to the book of Genesis, you discover the principle of first fruits. It was established in the Garden when one of the first principles given to mankind was that God kept something for Himself. Initially it was a tree in the middle of the Garden. Everything else was free for Adam and Eve to enjoy.

While Adam and Eve disregarded God’s portion and subsequently reaped the consequences, their sons Cain and Abel, made offerings to the Lord from their work.

“And in the process of time it came to pass that Cain brought an offering of the fruit of the ground to the Lord. Abel also brought of the firstborn of his flock and of their fat. And the Lord respected Abel and his offering, but He did not respect Cain and his offering.” (Genesis 4:3-4)

One brother gave the first of his increase, while the other waited to the end of  his harvest and gave of his left-overs. God honoured the offering that put Him first place, not the after thought. The eternal principle of first-fruits was established here.” – Brian Houston, You Need More Money, Smithfield, NSW: Alken Press, 1999, pg. 68-69.

HOUSTON EXPOSED

It only took Satan to reinterpret what the tree meant to Eve so she could eat of it. It only took Brian Houston to reinterpret what the tree meant so people could eat his false Christianity.

God said, “You are free to eat from any tree in the garden; but you must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, for when you eat of it you will surely die” (Gen 2:16-17). It is at the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil that Satan made Eve doubt God’s Word, “Did God really say?” (Gen 3:1), and eat the fruit.

It is clear that Brian Houston is lying to the reader. No where does it say in the bible that the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil is the tithe or “God’s portion”. He simply made it up. The Apostle Paul correctly writes about the Genesis account and writes against people like Brian Houston (emphasis ours):

“I am jealous for you with a godly jealousy. I promised you to one husband, to Christ, so that I might present you as a pure virgin to him. But I am afraid that just as Eve was deceived by the serpent’s cunning, your minds may somehow be led astray from your sincere and pure devotion to Christ. For if someone comes to you and preaches a Jesus other than the Jesus we preached, or if you receive a different spirit from the one you received, or a different gospel from the one you accepted, you put up with it easily enough. But I do not think I am in the least inferior to those “super-apostles.” 2 Corinthians 11:2-5

Brian Houston than dared to quote Genesis 4:3-5, in an attempt to teach something that contradicts scripture. In fact, Brian Houston once again lied about what the text says. The text Genesis 4:3-5 does not teach us that, “The eternal principle of first-fruits was established here”. Instead Hebrews teaches us something that opposes Brian Houstons false teaching. (Emphasis ours.)

“By faith Abel offered God a better sacrifice than Cain did. By faith he was commended as a righteous man, when God spoke well of his offerings. And by faith he still speaks, even though he is dead.” Hebrews 11:4

It wasn’t by the “eternal principle of first fruits” that Abel offered a better sacrifice to God. That would make Abel a pantheist. Abel didn’t bow to the eternal principles of nature to see God respect his offering. This wouldn’t be faith. This would be sin. Houston is teaching believers a pagan belief.

God did not honour “the offering that put Him first place.” If it did, that would be righteousness by works (a false gospel). Instead the scriptures say against Houston, “By faith [Abel] was commended as a righteous man, when God spoke well of his offerings.” This is righteousness by faith and not by works, (Ephesians 2:8-9)

To further demonstrate the logical bankruptcy of Houston, one has to consider what he meant here:

“The eternal principle of first-fruits was established here.”

What does this mean? If an eternal principle was “established here” in an historical moment (recorded in Genesis 4:3-4), then this principle is DEFINITELY not eternal. It is temporal. We must remember that Brian Houston is linking the “eternal principle of first-fruits” with the tithe “in the book of Genesis”. Therefore Houston simply defeated his own argument that the tithe/firstfruit principle is eternal or played a significant role in the early Genesis narrative. Not only that, the tithe no longer meant his definition of “one tenth”. There weren’t only ten trees in the Garden of Eden. The bible does not inform us how many animals Abel has. Houston simply redefined his meaning along the way to support his argument for the tithe.

Following this logic through, one has to ask these questions: Who taught Abel this “eternal principle”? HOW could Abel learn this “eternal principle” if his latter actions established this “eternal principle”? Maybe Abel should have asked Brian Houston how to access these eternal principles so God could respond in favour to Abel. Maybe both Cain, Abel could have bought Brian Houston’s book ‘You Need More Money’ to access these supernatural principles… You get the point.

To justify his unbiblical stance in regards to his false doctrine, Brian Houston created fables. Since when is a pastor ever qualified to treat God’s Word like this?

In his statement of beliefs, Hillsong says the bible is, “accurate, authoritative and applicable to our everyday lives”.

After examining Houston’s handling of the bible, everyone should be asking the question to Brian Houston or the congregation of Hillsong: “How?”