![]() From the balcony, about eye level with Irving Plaza's disco ball, it's easy to observe the crowd. The words to the songs are projected on the stage, and people enthusiastically sing along. A rock band, outfitted in skinny jeans and T-shirts, plays Christian music to open the service. Friendly people greet you on your way in they help you find seats if it's crowded. Hillsong's services, which last ninety minutes, are very easygoing and welcoming. He has some of the same values, and some of the same passions," he added.Īs a not particularly religious Jew, I arrived hand-in-hand with my husband (a native of Taiwan with no religious affiliation) to services at the Irving Plaza location in New York City, not knowing exactly what to expect-but hoping we might get a Bieber sighting and see some people worthy of gratuitous street style shots. "People say we look similar," Lentz said, laughing. It was Wilkerson who performed Kim Kardashian and Kanye West's wedding ceremony. That’s something will have to be upfront with, and they haven’t been so far.That was Rich Wilkerson, Jr., who, though he occasionally speaks at Hillsong as a guest, is actually the pastor of another church, Vous, based in Miami, and is often mistaken in the media as being associated with Hillsong. “Hillsong is hip and attractive and contemporary, but there’s certainly nothing contemporary about what LGBT people will face if they want to be a leader in the church or offer themselves up for service. “Gay people need to know that when they go to Hillsong, they have to go to the back of the bus," former member Alex Pittaway told The Daily Beast. Although most Hillsong pastors have spoken about loving all people and even attending gay weddings, they're still not accepting of the lifestyles and, according to a blog post from Brian himself, their "position on homosexuality and gay marriage has not changed and is consistent with scripture." Both Josh and Reed remained on good terms with the church and continued attending services, but the controversy tarnished Hillsong's "progressive" image. ![]() Shortly after, they were asked to step down from their positions. They forced two gay choir members to step down after going public with their relationship.īroadway stars and former Survivor contestants Josh Canfield and Reed Kelly shocked Hillsong members when they announced their engagement on Instagram. I believe that Brian Houston and other elders of the Hillsong Church kept the abuse as quiet as they could, and have not been held accountable.” "I have received absolutely no support, no counseling, apology or acknowledgement of the abuse. “The church community made me feel like it was my problem," the victim said in his testimony. In the victim's testimony, he alleged that Brian offered him $10,000 to stay quiet and even later blamed him for "tempting" his father. According to a victim who said he was abused by Frank when he was seven years old, he told Brian about the abuse in 1999, but not much was done. Frank had already passed away back in 2004, and yeah, the statue of limitations had probably passed by that point, but what was most upsetting about the allegations was how the church responded. And then, of course, all this money and no tolerance for any criticism at all." Uh oh, should Justin and Selena be worried? Below, eight things about Hillsong that might make you feel differently about the church.īack in 2014, it was revealed that Frank Houston, the father of Hillsong Church founder Brian Houston, was accused of allegedly sexually molesting as many as nine children throughout the '70s and '80s. Then there’s the attraction of all these celebrities that are really boosting the brand. ![]() "It’s not really about a religion, it’s about you. "Hillsong is looking a lot more like Scientology these days than ever before," former member and critic of the church Tanya Levin told A Current Affair. ![]() The international church, which started in Australia and is now based in dozens of countries, fashions itself as young and progressive, and its members are attractive hipster-types who all like to wear the same dang hat.īut, unsurprisingly, there are plenty of demons hiding in the church's 34-year-old closet and many former members have spoken out against the church. It's not a "real" church, it's a cool church - at least according to the famous A-listers who attend Hillsong every Sunday for service, but what is it? Ever since celebs like Justin Bieber, Selena Gomez, and Kendall Jenner started attending the famous worship service, everyone wants to know what it is and what it's all about.
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