Hillsong Church founders Brian and Bobbie Houston say they're working to improve the organization as one of its former pastors, Carl Lentz, faces sexual abuse allegations. Former parishioner Tanya Levine paints the church as an aggressive and wealthy religious corporation in her 2007 book, People in Glass Houses: An Insider's Story Of A Life In & Out Of Hillsong, an account of growing up with Hillsong as it grew from local parish to influential megachurch in Australia.Watch Video: Pastor Carl Lentz's sway over stars isn't what people think Much like Scientology, defectors call the parish a “cult” that exploits its volunteers for endless free labor (hello, Sea Org!). As well as former churchgoers who've offered harsh critiques. Hillsong maintained that it had no direct involvement in the abuse that occurred long before it was founded. There were no legal consequences from the public hearing, but Brian was censured and guidelines for Hillsong were put forward (including, but not limited to, mandatory child protection training for pastors). The commission found that, amongst other things, Brian did not report the abuse to police. In the early aughts, Hillsong founder Brian Houston was investigated by a Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse over sexual abuses perpetuated by his father Frank ( also a Pentecostal pastor who, in 2000, admitted to sexually abusing a boy years earlier). In the US, Hillsong is buoyed by its high-wattage parish and fawned-over pastor, but in Australia there has been a serious controversy. And has weathered a sex scandal back in Australia. (The two men chose to stay and worship at Hillsong NY, and are still close to Carl and Laura.) Lentz takes a much more diplomatic approach, telling Oprah he does not want to become entangled in issues that have previously pushed young people away from organized religion. Hillsong founder Brian Houston also wrote a blog post, “Do I Love Gay People?” Spoiler alert: he says he does, but does not support a “gay lifestyle” or marriage. Since the recent Purpose World Tour cancelation, Justin and Carl have seemed inseparable, even in style: nerd glasses, basketball-style athleisure wear, hoodies, and expertly groomed facial hair have these two majorly #twinning.īut in 2015, the Church issued a statement to clarify the role of two choir members, stating that the men’s engagement was a “complete shock” and that they could not hold active leadership roles in the Church, but the were still welcome to attend service. After being chased from four different spots by paparazzi, Lentz and Smith baptized Justin in NBA star Tyson Chandler’s bathtub (as Lentz explained to Oprah, the baller has custom 7-foot tubs). On Oprah’s SuperSoul Sunday (Gayle insisted O have him on), Lentz recalled a late-night call from Bieber, who was anxious to be baptized. Through Carl Lentz’s friendship with Judah Smith (the City Church pastor who counts Russell Wilson as a follower), he became more immersed in the sports and celebrity world, which led to him meeting Justin a decade ago. And he's a long-standing Bieber confidante. The faceless and the famous.” But why is Hillsong such an A-list magnet? Part empathy, part opportunity: Lentz said that the elite athletes are drawn to him because he understands the pressures and pitfalls of high-calibre play - and that he recognizes celebrities are often isolated and spiritually neglected. We just believe that our church would be a home to everybody. Hillsong’s popularity with celebrities didn’t take Lentz completely by surprise, as he told VICE in 2014, “We knew what we were getting into. He is often namechecked by NBA superstars like Carmelo Anthony, Jeremy Lin and Kevin Durant (whom he baptized at a spot unique to Hillsong - the Gansevoort’s rooftop pool).
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