Tag Archives: why you need more money

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.

Why You Need More Money – Chapter 1

12 Sunday Aug 2012

Posted by in You Need More Money

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Here is chapter 1 of Brian Houston’s book ‘Why You Need More Money,

Chapter 1

 DEALING WITH

A POVERTY

MENTALITY

 Human nature is fascinating. There are the people who have money, but feel guilty and uncomfortable about their wealth. Then there are those who don’t have any money, but continually criticise and condemn those who do.

 The age old conflict between the “haves” and the “have-nots” rages on because wrong thinking is passed through generations. It is not about being poor, but it all boils down to poor thinking. That is what this book is all about – straightening out perceptions about money, breaking the poverty mentality and becoming comfortable with wealth.

 Many people are so locked into the concept of being poor that it doesn’t even cross their minds that life can be different. They are uncomfortable with even the thought of being more prosperous. More often than not, this is a generational issue.

 Consider how limiting this is in terms of what their life can accomplish. There is a lot more to life than money, but many people are plundered because of this poor mindset. Even the church suffers because of misunderstanding in this area.

 The church us actually in a sad state in terms of its attitude to wealth. Religious traditions of past generations have established strongholds that cause the church today to see blessing in terms of what others may donate or give. Yet the church needs to see blessing in terms of what she is able to give to others. Our storehouses should be full and overflowing, according to Malachi, chapter three.

 I believe that God wants the church to have the kind of wealth that the world experiences. Isaiah 60:5 declares

Then you shall see and become radiant, And your heart shall swell with joy; Because the abundance of the sea shall be turned to you, the wealth of the Gentiles shall come to you.

 See it this way: Money can accomplish tremendous things for the Kingdom of God. In order to do this, we have to become comfortable with wealth, and break the bondage, guilt and condemnation of impoverished thinking. Poverty is definitely not God’s will for His people. In fact, all His promises talk of blessing and prosperity

 So where does that leave the poor?

For you have the poor with you always, and whenever you wish you may do them good; but Me you do not have always. (Mark 14:7)

Jesus said that the poor will always be with us, but I don’t believe He was telling us that we should desire to be poor. There is nothing noble about poverty or someone’s inability to lift themselves up out of it.

Being poor doesn’t make you

a second rate citizen

William Booth started the Salvation Army because of the way his church treated the poor. They were embarrassed by the people who come in off the street and put them around the side so that no-one else could see them.

 It is tragic that society has, over the centuries, classed itself and built prejudices based on wealth.

Being poor doesn’t necessarily

equate to godliness

 There are those who emphatically reject the notion that God could want them to be wealthy. They feel more comfortable serving God with nothing, but with this mentality, they limit their ability to bless anyone, and actually require others to resource them. They become part of the need instead of the answer.

 Somehow people have misinterpreted the words Jesus spoke telling the rich young ruler to “sell all he had and give it to the poor” in order to follow Him (Mark 10:21). While there are those who are called to serve God by working with impoverished people, there are also those who are called to be successful business people in affluent centres of the world. Neither is necessarily better, as long as you are doing and being who God has called you to be.

Paul spoke on being content in whatever state you are in. There were times when his bank balance was healthy and times when it wasn’t.

Not that I speak in regard to need, for I have learned in whatever state I am, to be content. I know how to be abased, and I know how to abound. Everywhere and in all things I have learned both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need. (Philippians 4:11,12)

He wrote that “Contentment with godliness is great gain”, not that poverty with godliness is great gain! It is not an issue of covetousness or being ruled by money, but rather having a spirit of contentment.

Being poor doesn’t necessarily mean

having no money

Poor isn’t about how much money you have. You can have no money but still not be poor. This is because poor is a way of thinking.

A person may be in a stage in their life where they haven’t yet built the financial resource God has called them to enjoy, but with a foundation based on godly principles, the fruit will follow, if their thinking lines up with the Word of God.

Poor is not permanent

If it was the will of the Lord for you to be poor in your life, the scriptures would not be full of promises of prosperity.

 Biblical prosperity is built over a process of a person’s life. Part 2 looks at biblical principles and God’s promises of prosperity.

 While you are certainly not judged for being poor, the fact is, that you are limited by being poor. This is why those in need should begin to believe God for wealth, so that firstly, they can live lives that reflect the promise of God, and secondly, they can be a blessing and help others.

FROM POOR THINKING TO

PURPOSE THINKING

There is a businessman and his wife in our church who once told me their personal vision. It may sound grandiose but their thinking blessed me. Their personal vision is to “fund and finance the salvation of the earth”. This young couple are committed to seeing it come to pass, and have given hundreds of thousands of dollars, above tithes and offerings, into the work of the ministry.

Bill, who is now in his thirties, came to our church at the age of 17. He came from a broken home and he carried a number of hang ups, but He took the Word of God, applied it in his life and bought himself a small business. This has increased and grown to the point where his aim now is to prosper, so that money will be their tool to advance the Kingdom.

I like the way Bill thinks. One day he told me how he was believing for a new car, but instead of going out and buying it, he set himself a goal. He said he was a bit overweight and decided that he wouldn’t get his dream car until he had lost a certain amount of weight. It was his own little reward system: no weight loss, no car!

Now, does the Lord mind Bill having this new car? Certainly not. The Bible says that wealth and riches

will be in a righteous man’s house. Every year, Bill and his wife, Heather, have given more into the Kingdom to fulfil their vsion.

 Yet let me point out that our church doesn’t judge our congregation according to how much money they have or don’t have. Our commitment is to preach the Word of God and see it empower them to reach their full potential in every area of their life.

 It is poor thinking and bad choices that are often responsible for people battling in the financial realm. Look at how Paul explained the life of Jesus in terms of wealth and riches.

For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though He was rich, yet for your sakes He became poor, that you, through His poverty, might become rich. (2 Corinthians 8:9)

 I’ve heard people misinterpret this scripture to support their belief that it is biblical to be poor. They only read half of it, that “though He was rich, yet for your sakes He became poor.”

 They completely miss the crucial point because if you read on, the reason why He became poor was that “you, through His poverty, might become rich.” That is what it says. He became poor so YOU could become rich. The purpose of Jesus coming to earth included giving up a place of abundance and riches and becoming poor so that we could escape that poverty.

GET COMFORTABLE AROUND MONEY

It is time to relax and become comfortable around money. You need to stretch yourself and position yourself right out of your comfort zone.

 For example, it may involve a little exercise like putting on your best clothes and ordering coffee in a fancy restaurant or hotel lobby. Even though you could make the coffee for half the price at home, the total experience may enlarge your thinking. You may even feel better about yourself and life.

I challenge you to do something that will break any poverty thinking and guilt that has a hold on you. It may only take one cup of coffee, but it’s a step in the right direction of making you feel more comfortable about money.