Brian Houston

Brian Charles Houston was born in Auckland, New Zealand, on 17 February 1954.{{cite book |first=Wayne |last=Detzler |title=Emerging Awakening - A Faith Quake: Revival Is Rising in the Emerging Church Paperback |date=11 February 2013 |publisher=Wipf and Stock |location=Eugene, Oregon |isbn=978-1610979870 }} His parents, Frank and Hazel, were then Salvation Army officers. When Houston was three his parents joined the Assemblies of God in New Zealand and began pastoring a church in Lower Hutt, near Wellington,{{cite book |first=Sam |last=Hey |isbn=978-1625643223 |title=Megachurches: Origins, Ministry, and Prospects |publisher=Wipf and Stock |location=Australia |date=9 August 2013 }}{{rp|62}} where Houston and his brother and three sisters spent their childhood. After completing school he went to a Bible college for three years.{{rp|66}} Shortly after completing college he met his future wife, Bobbie, on Papamoa Beach in New Zealand during a Christian convention. They were married in 1977.

After moving to Sydney, New South Wales, Australia, in 1978, Houston served at the Sydney Christian Life Centre in Darlinghurst, where he became the assistant pastor to his father, Frank.{{cite book |first=Paul |last=Oslington |title=The Oxford Handbook of Christianity and Economics |chapter=IV. Multinational Church (MNC) |publisher=Oxford University Press |location=USA |date=2014 |isbn=9780199729715 |page=[https://archive.org/details/oxfordhandbookof0000unse_h9e7/page/266 266] |chapter-url=https://archive.org/details/oxfordhandbookof0000unse_h9e7/page/266 }} In 1980 he started a church on the Central Coast and worked at a church in Liverpool in 1981. In 1983, Houston hired the Baulkham Hills Public School hall in Sydney's north-western suburbs to start a new church, the Hills Christian Life Centre.{{cite book |first=Allan |last=Anderson |title=An Introduction to Pentecostalism: Global Charismatic Christianity |publisher=Cambridge University Press |location=UK |date=2013 |page=155 }}{{cite news |first=Sarah Pulliam |last=Bailey |work=Huffington Post |url=https://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/11/05/australia-hillsong-church-influence_n_4214660.html |title=Australia's Hillsong Church Has Astonishingly Powerful Global Influence |date=5 November 2013 |access-date=15 March 2019 }} The first service was held on Sunday, 14 August 1983.

In May 1997, Houston was elected the president of the Assemblies of God in Australia (now called Australian Christian Churches) after the retirement of Andrew Evans. In February 2000, Houston helped to create the Australian Christian Churches network of Pentecostal churches. This alliance represented about 200,000 regular attenders in affiliate churches{{cite web |first=Rowland |last=Croucher |title=Australian Christian Churches |website=John Mark Ministries |date=6 January 2003 |url=https://www.jmm.org.au/articles/183.htm |access-date=24 January 2017 |author1-link=Rowland Croucher }} and Houston was its inaugural president.{{cite web |last1=Brooks |first1=Adrian |last2=Gallagher |first2=Paul |title=Spreading God's Fire in Australia |website=Charisma Magazine |date=11 April 2000 |url=https://mycharisma.com/propheticrevival/evangelism2/spreading-gods-fire-in-australia/ |access-date=29 February 2024 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://archive.today/20240301091723/https://mycharisma.com/propheticrevival/evangelism2/spreading-gods-fire-in-australia/ |archive-date=2024-03-01 }} He is also a member of the Australian Pentecostal Ministers Fellowship (APMF).{{cite web| author=Australian Pentecostal Ministers Fellowship |url=http://www.cdi.gov.au/submissions/222-AustralianPentecostal.doc |title=Inquiry Into the Definition of Charities and Related Organisations |date=January 2001 |access-date=24 January 2016 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20050618035059/http://cdi.gov.au/submissions/222-AustralianPentecostal.doc |archive-date=18 June 2005 }}

Houston founded Hillsong Music Australia (HMA), the music ministry of Hillsong Church.{{cite web |url=https://www.allmusic.com/artist/brian-houston-mn0000614501#credits |title=Executive Producer credits: Brian Houston |work=All Music |access-date=29 February 2024 }} Over a number of years, this music ministry has been successful with chart-topping albums from Hillsong United (born out of the youth ministry), and Hillsong Worship, which is the "worship expression" of Hillsong Church and incorporates their entire worship team.{{clarify|date=August 2021|so! What does this mean to the average person in he street?}} Annually, Hillsong records a live album, and songs from this recording are sung by church congregations all over the world. Hillsong songs include "Mighty to Save" and "Shout to the Lord"; with the latter featured on a 2008 special episode of American Idol called "Idol Gives Back".{{YouTube|i6G0U8Vg6nY|Shout to the Lord on American Idol }}

In September 2018, Hillsong left the Australian Christian Churches to become an autonomous denomination, identifying itself more as a global and charismatic church.{{cite web |first=Leonardo |last=Blair |url=https://www.christianpost.com/news/hillsong-church-becomes-own-denomination-splits-from-australias-largest-pentecostal-group-227456/ |title=Hillsong Church Becomes Own Denomination, Splits From Australia's Largest Pentecostal Group |work=christianpost.com |date=19 September 2018 |access-date=15 March 2019 }} According to both Hillsong and ACC, the parting was amicable.{{Cite news|url=https://premierchristian.news/en/news/article/hillsong-splits-from-denomination-we-have-no-grief-or-dispute-at-all |title=Hillsong splits from denomination: 'we have no grief or dispute at all'|date=19 September 2018|work=Premier|access-date=19 September 2018}}

On 5 August 2021, New South Wales Police issued a warrant for Houston's arrest, alleging that he concealed child sexual abuse by his father, Frank. Houston was in the United States at the time of being charged and resigned from the church's board as a result of his arrest.

In March 2022, Houston resigned his position as senior global pastor after an internal investigation into his conduct with two women connected to the church. It was reported that in 2013 and 2019 he had engaged in inappropriate behaviour with both women.{{cite web | last1=Knowles | first1=Lorna| first2= Kevin|last2= Nguyen | title=Hillsong Church founder Brian Houston resigns after internal misconduct investigation | website=ABC News| publisher= Australian Broadcasting Corporation | date=23 March 2022 | url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/2022-03-23/hillsong-church-founder-brian-houston-resigns/100932318 | access-date=24 March 2022}}{{Cite web |last=Alexander |first=Harriet |date=2022-03-23 |title=Brian Houston resigns as Hillsong pastor |url=https://www.smh.com.au/national/brian-houston-resigns-as-hillsong-pastor-20220323-p5a76y.html |access-date=2022-03-23 |website=The Sydney Morning Herald |language=en}}{{cite web | last=Knowles | first=Lorna | title=How Hillsong Church founder Brian Houston's fall from grace played out over five days |website=ABC News| publisher= Australian Broadcasting Corporation | date=24 March 2022 | url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/2022-03-24/hillsong-church-founder-brian-houston-fall-from-grace/100934680 | access-date=24 March 2022}}

In December 2023, Houston announced plans for starting a new community and church in 2024. {{cite web|url=https://www.christianpost.com/news/brian-houston-announces-2024-comeback-new-online-ministry.html|title=Brian Houston announces 2024 comeback with new online ministry and church |work=Christian Post |first=Leonardo |last=Blair |access-date=29 February 2024 |date=December 8, 2023}}

Houston has made public comments on homosexuality{{cite web |last=Houston |first=Brian |url=https://hillsong.com/collected/blog/2015/08/do-i-love-gay-people/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150806190726/https://hillsong.com/collected/blog/2015/08/do-i-love-gay-people/ |archive-date=2015-08-06 |url-status=dead |title=Do I Love Gay People? |publisher=Hillsong Church |date=4 August 2015 |access-date=6 August 2021}}{{cite news |last=Kuruvilla |first=Carol |url=https://www.huffpost.com/entry/hillsong-brian-houston-gay-marriage_n_6016774 |title=Hillsong Church's Brian Houston Clarifies Position On Same-Sex Marriage |work=Huffington Post |date=20 October 2014 |access-date=6 August 2021 }}{{cite news |last=Honderich |first=Holly |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-49186785 |title=Hillsong: A church with rock concerts and 2m followers |work=BBC News |date=13 August 2019 |access-date=6 August 2021 }}{{cite interview |subject=Houston, Brian |url=https://abcnews.go.com/Nightline/video/hillsong-pastor-homosexuality-unwrite-bible-26919114 |title=Mega-Robbery at America's Biggest Mega-Church {{!}} Hillsong Pastor on Homosexuality: 'I Can't Unwrite the Bible' |work=Nightline |publisher=ABC News |location=United States |interviewer=Byron Pitts

|date=12 March 2014 |access-date=6 August 2021 }}{{cite news |url=https://www.couriermail.com.au/news/queensland/central-queensland/hillsong-pastor-brian-houston-denies-gay-marriage-support/news-story/f905c260f72d0f4a42388cd3a770caf9 |title=Hillsong pastor Brian Houston denies gay marriage support |work=Courier-Mail |date=20 October 2014 |access-date=6 August 2021 |agency=APN Newsdesk }} and same-sex marriage:{{cite news |last=Paulson |first=Michael |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2014/10/18/us/megachurch-pastor-signals-shift-in-tone-on-gay-marriage.html |title=Megachurch Pastor Signals Shift in Tone on Gay Marriage |work=New York Times |date=17 October 2014 |access-date=6 August 2021 }}

{{quote|"I do believe God's word is clear that marriage is between a man and a woman ... Hillsong Church welcomes ALL people but does not affirm all lifestyles. Put clearly, we do not affirm a gay lifestyle and because of this we do not knowingly have actively gay people in positions of leadership, either paid or unpaid."|Do I Love Gay People?, Brian Houston, August 2015.}}

Houston has said, "I think my father was homosexual, a closet homosexual."{{cite news |last=Snow |first=Deborah |url=https://www.smh.com.au/lifestyle/inside-the-hillsong-churchs-moneymaking-machine-20151026-gkip53.html |title=Inside the Hillsong Church's money-making machine |work=The Sydney Morning Herald |date=13 November 2015 |access-date=6 August 2021 }}

On 10 May 1999, Houston's father, Frank Houston, stepped down from the role of senior pastor at Sydney Christian Life Centre and Houston was appointed to the position.{{Cite web |url=https://www.childabuseroyalcommission.gov.au/sites/default/files/STAT.0361.001.0001_R.pdf?guid=f656e896-774c-4472-95a2-5838189b1b02&type=exhibit&filename=STAT.0361.001.0001_R&fileextension=pdf |title=Statement in the matter of Case Study 18 - Statement of Brian Charles Houston |last=Houston |first=Brian |date=28 September 2014 |publisher=Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse |page=4|access-date=21 December 2018}} Brian Houston said that Frank "appeared rushed" to hand his church to him. This was before the revelations of Frank's child sexual abuse became known.{{Cite web |url=https://www.childabuseroyalcommission.gov.au/sites/default/files/file-list/Case%20Study%2018%20-%20Transcript%20-%20Australian%20Christian%20Churches%20-%20Day%2088%20-%2009102014.pdf |title=Transcript (Day 88) |last=Houston |first=Brian |date=9 October 2014 |publisher=Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse |pages=55–5 6|access-date=21 December 2018}} Fifteen years later, in 2014, Houston spoke at hearings held by the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse, stating that he received an allegation in October 1999 that his father sexually abused an Australian boy. Houston's statement and the evidence submitted to the commission revealed that, in November 1999, his father confessed to child sexual abuse. Houston reportedly forced his father into retirement and did not go to the police.{{Cite news |last=Lampen |first=Claire |date=6 August 2021 |title=Hillsong Church Leader Charged with Concealing Child Sex Abuse |work=The Cut |url=https://www.thecut.com/2021/08/hillsongs-brian-houston-concealed-child-sex-abuse-police.html |access-date=16 February 2022}} The royal commission censured Houston for his failure to report the sexual abuse allegations against his father and for his failure to avoid a clear conflict of interest investigating his own father while serving as national president of the Assemblies of God in Australia.{{cite news |url=https://www.smh.com.au/national/nsw/royal-commission-sex-abuse-inquiry-censures-hillsong-head-brian-houston-20151123-gl5esn.html |title=Royal Commission sex abuse inquiry censures Hillsong head Brian Houston |first=Rachel |last=Browne |date=23 November 2015 |work=The Sydney Morning Herald |access-date=15 March 2019 }}{{Cite news |access-date=29 February 2024 |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2022/01/31/world/australia/brian-houston-hillsong.html|title=Leader of Australian Megachurch Steps Down After Charge over Father's Sexual Abuse|newspaper=The New York Times|date=31 January 2022|last1=Zhuang|first1=Yan}}{{Cite news |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-australia-58798383 |title=Brian Houston: Hillsong Church founder denies concealing child abuse |work=BBC News |date=5 October 2021 |access-date=16 February 2022 }}{{Cite news |url=https://www.npr.org/2021/08/06/1025513360/the-founder-of-hillsong-church-is-charged-with-concealing-child-sex-offenses |agency=Associated Press |title=The Founder of Hillsong Church is Charged with Concealing Child Sex Offenses |website=NPR |date=6 August 2021 |access-date=29 February 2024 }}

On 5 August 2021, NSW Police issued a warrant for Houston to attend the Downing Centre Local Court in Sydney on 5 October, alleging that he concealed child sexual abuse by his father. Houston was in the United States at the time of being charged and resigned from the church's board as a result of his arrest.{{cite news |last1=Hunter |first1=Fergus |last2=Smith |first2=Alexandra |last3=Chung |first3=Laura |url=https://www.smh.com.au/national/nsw/hillsong-pastor-brian-houston-charged-for-allegedly-concealing-child-sexual-abuse-by-his-father-20210805-p58g7z.html |title=Hillsong pastor Brian Houston charged for allegedly concealing child sexual abuse by his father |work=The Sydney Morning Herald |date=5 August 2021 |access-date=5 August 2021 }} He was charged with concealing a serious indictable offence.{{Cite web |last=Mitchell |first=Georgina |date=17 August 2023 |title=Brian Houston found not guilty of covering up father's child sexual abuse |url=https://www.smh.com.au/national/nsw/brian-houston-found-not-guilty-of-covering-up-father-s-child-sexual-abuse-20230817-p5dx7m.html |access-date=17 August 2023 |website=The Sydney Morning Herald |language=en}} Houston stood trial at Downing Centre Local Court and pleaded not guilty.{{Cite news |last=Doherty |first=Ben |date=17 August 2023 |title=Hillsong founder Brian Houston acquitted of covering up his father Frank's abuse of a young boy |language=en-GB |work=The Guardian |url=https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2023/aug/17/hillsong-founder-brian-houston-has-been-acquitted-of-covering-up-his-father-franks-abuse-of-a-young-boy |access-date=17 August 2023 |issn=0261-3077}} In August 2023, he was found not guilty. The magistrate determined Houston had a "reasonable excuse" for not reporting his father as Houston believed the victim did not want the allegations reported to the police,{{Cite news |last1=McKinnell |first1=Jamie |last2=Parkes-Hupton |first2=Heath |date=17 August 2023 |title=Hillsong founder Brian Houston found not guilty of concealing his father's sexual abuse of a child |language=en-AU |work=ABC News |url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/2023-08-17/hillsong-founder-brian-houston-not-guilty/102740394 |access-date=17 August 2023}} however, the victim testified at trial that he did not make this request.{{cite web |title=Hillsong Church founder found not guilty of concealing his father's child sex crimes |website=NPR |date=17 August 2023 |url=https://www.npr.org/2023/08/17/1194499061/hillsong-church-brian-houston-not-guilty-concealing-sex-crimes |access-date=4 September 2023 |agency=Associated Press }}

Houston and his wife Bobbie reside in the suburb of Glenhaven, Sydney, Australia. They have three children, Joel, Ben, and Laura. All are married and involved in the leadership of Hillsong Church.{{cite web |url=https://hillsong.com/contributor/joel-houston/ |title=Joel Houston Lead Pastor NYC |publisher=Hillsong International |access-date=25 September 2019}}{{cite web |url=https://hillsong.com/contributor/ben-houston/ |title=Ben Houston Lead Pastor LA |publisher=Hillsong International |access-date=25 September 2019}}{{cite web |url=https://hillsong.com/contributor/laura-toggs/ |title=Laura Toggs Youth Pastor |publisher=Hillsong International |access-date=25 September 2019}}

Houston has been friends with Australian prime minister Scott Morrison, who described Houston as a mentor during his maiden address to parliament in 2008.{{cite web |last1=Kelly |first1=Cait |title=The shocking story of the pastor Scott Morrison considers a major influence |url=https://thenewdaily.com.au/news/national/2019/09/23/hillsong-brian-houston-scott-morrison/ |website=The New Daily |access-date=5 August 2021 |date=1 October 2019}} Morrison has, however, distanced himself from Houston following the circumstances of Houston's resignation from Hillsong Church.{{Cite news |last1=Martin |first1=Sarah |last2=correspondent |first2=Sarah Martin Chief political |date=2022-03-24 |title='Disappointed and shocked': Scott Morrison distances himself from Hillsong pastor Brian Houston |language=en-GB |work=The Guardian |url=https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2022/mar/24/disappointed-and-shocked-pm-distances-himself-from-hillsong-pastor-brian-houston |access-date=2023-02-22 |issn=0261-3077}}

Details of books written by Houston:

{{Reflist}}

• [http://www.brianandbobbie.com/ Brian and Bobbie Houston's website] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081001165518/http://www.brianandbobbie.com/ |date=1 October 2008 }}
• [http://www.hillsong.com/ Hillsong Church website]
• [http://www.lightsource.com/ministry/hillsong-tv/ Hillsong Church TV]
• [http://www.hillsongcollected.com/ Hillsong Church Blog Site]

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{{Succession box| title=National President of Australian Christian Churches | before=Andrew Evans | after=Wayne Alcorn | years=1997–2009}}

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{{s-bef | before=Frank Houston }}

{{s-ttl | title=Senior Pastor, Hillsong Church | years=1999–present | alongside=Bobbie Houston }}

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{{National President AOG Australia}}

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Category:1954 births

Category:Hillsong Church

Category:New Zealand Pentecostals

Category:New Zealand emigrants to Australia

Category:Religious leaders from Auckland

Category:Clergy from Sydney

Category:Living people

Category:Australian Christian Churches people

Category:Assemblies of God pastors

Category:Australian television evangelists

Category:New Zealand evangelical leaders

Category:Pentecostal writers

Category:Charismatics pastors

Category:Scandals in Charismatic and Pentecostal Christianity

Category:People acquitted of crimes