AUSTRALIA
Religion News Service
Sarah Pulliam Bailey | October 10, 2014
(RNS) The founder of Hillsong, an Australian megachurch that has exported its influence to major global cities and into churches’ music across the U.S., is facing strict scrutiny for what he
In 1999, Brian Houston’s father, Frank Houston, who was also a minister, confessed to sexually abusing an underage male at his New Zealand congregation 30 years before. In response, the younger Houston, who was then president of the Assemblies of God in Australia, fired his father, took control of the church and merged it with Hillsong.
The elder Houston died in 2004.
On Thursday and Friday (Oct. 9-10), the son took the witness stand in Sydney and denied any attempt to cover up the allegations. Next week, Brian Houston will be in New York City for the church’s c, at Madison Square Garden.
In his testimony, Brian Houston denied trying to hide his involvement in a $10,000 compensation payment made to a man who was abused as a child by his father.
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