Hillsong founder Brian Houston has spoken out in what one media outlet in Australia labeled as a “bizarre 15-minute rant” defending his former church following the recent release of a damning docuseries titled “The Secrets of Hillsong.”
The docuseries details the multiple scandals that have surfaced since 2022 surrounding the church, including Houston’s resignation and the investigation of his “inappropriate” behavior with female staff. Houston is awaiting trial for concealing his late father’s history of child sex abuse.
Houston’s social media video has curiously been deleted, but Australia media outlet Sunrise, a program on 7NEWS Australia, was able to capture part of that video and some of Houston’s comments. He referred to “The Secrets of Hillsong” as a “mockumentary,” according to the video, defended himself, his family and the popular church in Australia and said if he has his time at Hillsong again, he would “change very little.”
“Interesting times,” Houston said. “Slanderous documentaries. The only reason for that is because Hillsong is newsworthy. It’s newsworthy because of all that God has done.”
Tanya Levin, creator of the podcast “Leaving Hillsong” and a former member at Hillsong Australia, painted a very different picture of the church and the Houston family to Sunrise hosts Matt Shrivington and Natalie Barr.
“He (Houston) is so used to being the center of attention, and the focal point, he just can’t help himself. He’s got to say something,” Levin says. “This is a man who is totally not taking responsibility. The evidence is out there—the whistleblower comments, all kinds of documents … There is all kinds of evidence out there and he’s just in denial. He won’t take responsibility for the damage that has been done.”
A big part of the scandal at Hillsong is the money the Houston family spent on luxury items, and Levin was astounded at Houston’s comments about that.
“His response in this rant is, ‘I never took a vow of poverty.’ Poverty? It’s just about hedonism, it’s crazy,” Levin said.
Levin said there is a great deal of loyalty among the staff and congregation at Hillsong, and she praised former Hillsong NYC pastor Carl Lentz—who was a big part of the docuseries—”for doing what he can to make amends, apologies and responsibility.”
But Houston?
“It’s just an incredible contrast of denial, arrogance, narcissism,” she said. “Hillsong is all about loyalty, culture, and family and that type of thing. So that’s what keeps people hanging in there and sticking by him, but it’s tough. We’ll never hear the end of this for Brian Houston.”
Former Hillsong member Yolandi Bosch told 9 News Australia said the Houston family “are not about the impact they have had on their victims.”
“I would like to have heard some sort of remorse from them,” Bosch said. “It’s really just all about the Houston’s.”
Late last year, Houston’s wife, Bobbie, defended her husband adamantly on Instagram: “As a wife of near 46 (years) I’m weary of the relentless assault on this man, weary of the unchallenged, uncontained narratives left to fester. I vowed to him last (year) that if no one stands up & vindicates his integrity, character & worth, I will.”
In addition to the charges he faces in Australia, Houston pled guilty to a DUI charge in California recently for driving with a blood-alcohol level of .08%., in which he received a three-year probation sentence.
He is yet to be sentenced for an enhanced charge of driving with a blood-alcohol content of 0.2% or more, which addiction experts classify as being “blackout drunk.”
Houston’s daughter Laura Toganivalu and her husband, Peter, stepped down from their roles as pastors over the Hillsong Young and Free youth ministry last month.
Shawn A. Akers is the online editor at Charisma Media.
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