There are widespread claims of narcissistic behaviour. Students at Hillsong College are reportedly required to sign non-disclosure agreements. Lentz’s adultery and Houston’s cover-up are the most serious allegations contained in the series, but there are many others. Christians are right to seek unity and even give one another the benefit of the doubt, but we cannot excuse the inexcusable. Let’s be clear: Carl Lentz’s infidelity was inexcusable, and if Brian Houston covered up his late father’s paedophilia (an accusation that he denies and has yet to be proven in court) that, too, is abhorrent. If Hillsong had practiced what it preached and created a healthy church culture, this documentary could never have been made. Ill-conceived defences of "the media hates Christians" just won’t cut it here. Far worse than this, the church is accused of burying abuse allegations and creating a culture of hypocrisy, where pastors would preach against sexual sin while secretly cheating on their wives.Īs Christians, we cannot excuse the inexcusable Seats for celebrities were cornered off, in a flagrant disregard for basic scriptural teaching (see James 2:3). Former volunteers speak of pastors arriving in limos and using church funds to dine out in fancy restaurants. Inexcusable sinĪs the title suggestions, Hillsong: A Megachurch Exposed aims, from the start, to stick the knife in. The problem is, it’s becoming harder to defend Hillsong. Yes I’ve grilled them too, and, at times, given airtime to their critics, but I’ve tried to be fair. I’ve even publicly defended their worship leaders. I’ve been to their conferences in London and attended services in LA and New York. I’m old enough to have bought the worship CDs (remember them?). When it comes to my own views, you could even say I’m a friend (or should that be ‘fan’?) of Hillsong. Premier Christianity magazine takes no pleasure in reporting bad news about any church – Hillsong included. And while the BBC (might have) tried (a tiny bit) to produce something (vaguely) balanced, Discovery Plus certainly has not. With double the runtime, Hillsong: A Megachurch exposed contains so many accusations against the church, I lost count. Contrast that with this three-part offering from streaming giant Discovery Plus. When the BBC released Hillsong Church: God Goes Viral, last summer, they were able to squeeze the worst of the news into 94 minutes. It is surviving, but you could say it’s on life support. In recent months this most mega of megachurches has been rocked by numerous scandals. 25 years on from the Good Friday Agreement, the Church still has a vital role to play.Matt Redman: ‘Reverence in worship has become my lifelong pursuit’.Rev Les Isaac: ‘I get bored if I’m in church too much.
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