"Hillsong is a culture – success, beautiful people, a positive message and nothing negative. "Brian's intuitive genius is marketing," says one senior churchman, who asks not to be quoted. It's all too much for critics such as American pastor Chris Rosebrough, who labels Hillsong an "evangelical/ industrial complex" and Houston the "CEO of an international multimedia entertainment company" that "happens to have venues around the world where they do something they call church". Underpinning it all is the hugely successful and lucrative Hillsong United rock band, fronted by Joel, which has soared to stratospheric heights on US Christian music charts. There are bible training colleges, a Hillsong Performing Arts Academy, a Hollywood-produced film in the works, and Brian and Bobbie's many books, CDs and DVDs. Daughter Laura, 28, and son-in-law Peter Toganivalu are youth pastors at Hillsong in Sydney. Sons Ben, 33, and Joel, 37, lead the charge in the US, with Ben having "planted" a Hillsong offshoot in LA and Joel becoming assistant pastor in New York. but I think whatever frustrations he had, he took out on children. I think my father was homosexual, a closet homosexual. They are just liars."įormer Hillsong regular Alex Pittaway. He suggests it could have been a response to his stark warnings from the stage about Channel Nine's A Current Affair, which had been quizzing Hillsongers outside the conference about their financial contributions to the church (a perennial sore point). When I ask Houston some days afterwards about this subtle undercurrent of paranoia, he expresses surprise. My sin, apparently, is to have made people "feel uncomfortable" by writing in a notebook and asking the young chap next to me a few questions. Speak it into being! Speak it into being! Speak it into being! Amen!" The uplifting mood is punctured for me two days later when I'm hauled out of my $300 conference seat near the rafters by a burly security guard wearing a Hillsong T-shirt. Mother of handsome sons and beautiful daughters! Businessman who is prosperous and fruitful! Your brother's salvation, your sister's healing. Owner of your first home! Best-selling author. "Speak your faith, start seeing miracles. "Your words can frame your future," he tells them. Amen! Amen!" he proclaims, pumping the stage as they stomp and cheer. "We are lean, mean kingdom machines, all set for everything that God wants to do in this place. Brian Houston (left) leads the Hillsong entourage at the church's annual conference in Sydney.
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