As a devoted follower of Hillsong Church, I have been intrigued by the fascinating journey of this global Christian megachurch since its early days in Australia. The inspiring story of Brian Houston and his father Frank Houston, who founded the church, has always held my attention.
Hillsong Church, initiated in Australia by Brian Houston in 1983, experienced exponential growth on a global scale. This was primarily due to the rising popularity of their modern worship music during the late 1980s and 1990s.
In the US, Houston laid the foundation for the church’s presence. Meanwhile, Carl Lentz significantly contributed by starting Hillsong NYC in 2010. Over time, this megachurch gained popularity and became a favorite among celebrities with attendees like Justin Bieber and the Kardashian-Jenners. Regrettably, the Hillsong Church faced a downfall following several scandals that surfaced. Among these controversies were allegations of abuse against Frank Houston.
Who was Hillsong Church’s Frank Houston?
According to Vanity Fair, Frank Houston is identified as Brian Houston’s father. He initiated the precursor of Hillsong Church, Sydney Christian Life Centre, in the year 1977. Subsequently, Brian and his spouse, Bobbie, established Hills Christian Life Centre in Sydney around 1983. Later on, in the year 2001, as reported by People Magazine, Hillsong Church came into being when SCLC and Hills were merged, with Brian overseeing the rebranding process.
What was Frank Houston accused of?
Based on The Guardian’s report, Brian testified in court that he strongly suspected Frank Houston was a repeated offender of child sexual abuse. The head of Hillsong Church expressed concern that multiple children might have been victims, and the full extent of Frank’s wrongdoing may remain unknown. In 1999, Frank disclosed to his son an instance of past abuse that occurred in New Zealand decades earlier.
After that, Frank was prohibited from delivering sermons. However, it was revealed that the authorities weren’t aware of the abuse allegations against him, leading to accusations against Brian for keeping quiet about Frank’s misdeeds until his death in November 2004. In court, Brian stated that he didn’t consider his father a danger to the public due to his deteriorating mental health. He explained, “Although he was physically fit, his memory was fading rapidly.” In 2023, Brian Houston was acquitted of hiding Frank’s misconduct, according to BBC reports.
The 2023 docuseries “Hillsong: The Secrets Behind the Megachurch” provides an in-depth look into the contentious history of Hillsong, now streaming on Hulu.
Read More
- The Beauty Cast Adds Rebecca Hall to Ryan Murphy’s FX Series
- How Much Did Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour Contribute to the US Economy?
- Boney Kapoor cites Jr NTR in War 2 as example when Siddharth asks if a ‘new face’ from South can find success in Bollywood today
- Who Is Kelly Reilly’s Husband? Kyle Baugher’s Job & Relationship History
- IMX PREDICTION. IMX cryptocurrency
- What Happened to Richard Perry? ‘You’re So Vain’ Music Producer Passes Away
- Skeleton Crew Episode 4 Ending Explained: What Happens to Neel?
- Arnold Schwarzenegger’s Santa & Alan Ritchson Smile for First Man With The Bag Photo
- Black Ops 6 needs to add this key feature to curb-stomp cheating
- Bridgewater Founder Advocates “Hard Money” Like Gold and Bitcoin Over Debt
2024-07-19 16:11