Brian Houston resigns as global senior pastor of Hillsong Church for 'moral failure'

[essentialsaltes]

Hillsong founder Brian Houston has stepped down as the global senior pastor of the church after he was found to have breached its moral code in his behaviour with two women.

The Hillsong Church Global and Australian boards announced on its website on Wednesday afternoon that they had accepted Mr Houston’s resignation.

The first issue related to inappropriate text messages that he sent to a staff member about a decade ago, which resulted in the staff member resigning. On the second occasion, in 2019, he was alleged to have entered a woman’s hotel room during a Hillsong conference and spent time with her there.

See also #1 #2

 

[Blade]

Praise God we that believe forgive the past. The world wont

 

[cow451]

Color me unsurprised.

 

[cow451]

Praise God we that believe forgive the past. The world wont

You were about to finish a thought?

 

[Tinker Grey]

Praise God we that believe forgive the past. The world wont

One might forgive a pedophile, but you don't let the forgiven babysit.

 

[cow451]

One might forgive a pedophile, but you don't let the forgiven babysit.

The cynic in me says he'll do a Swaggerty, get some counseling and be in a pulpit again inside of twelve months.

 

[.Mikha'el.]

For whatever scorn the world heaps upon him, I'm sure he'll be even harder on himself for those past indescretions.

 

[Tinker Grey]

For whatever scorn the world heaps upon him, I'm sure he'll be even harder on himself for those past indescretions.

That's optimistic.

 

[cow451]

For whatever scorn the world heaps upon him, I'm sure he'll be even harder on himself for those past indescretions.

LOL. He'll just be better at covering his tracks.

 

[.Mikha'el.]

That's optimistic.

That's just human nature. We are our own worst critics.

 

[Tinker Grey]

That's just human nature. We are our own worst critics.

I think that that's rarely true for heads of large organizations. Too much ego to see/admit their own error; it's always somebody else's fault.

 

[cow451]

I think that that's rarely true for heads of large organizations. Too much ego to see/admit their own error; it's always somebody else's fault.

The harlot wore a short skirt and threw herself at him. How could he be expected to resist?

 

[essentialsaltes]

The harlot wore a short skirt and threw herself at him. How could he be expected to resist?

OP article shows the church found all sorts of excuses for his behavior.

Case #1: The church said in a public statement that Mr Houston was dependent on sleeping tablets at the time, which he later overcame with professional help, and that he had immediately apologised to the recipient of the messages.

Case #2: Mr Houston is said to have been disoriented from a mixture of alcohol and anti-anxiety medication “beyond the prescribed dose”

 

[durangodawood]

I dont know who this is.

Is he one of those people who are very loud about how other people should behave?

 

[Aussie Pete]

Hillsong founder Brian Houston has stepped down as the global senior pastor of the church after he was found to have breached its moral code in his behaviour with two women.

The Hillsong Church Global and Australian boards announced on its website on Wednesday afternoon that they had accepted Mr Houston’s resignation.

The first issue related to inappropriate text messages that he sent to a staff member about a decade ago, which resulted in the staff member resigning. On the second occasion, in 2019, he was alleged to have entered a woman’s hotel room during a Hillsong conference and spent time with her there.

See also #1 #2

Brian Houston has done the right thing by resigning. It's a tragedy. It gives another reason for the world to judge Christians. He's also facing court over a charge that he covered up his father's sexual abuse. He's not been found guilty but it's not a good look.

To clarify the headlines, Mr Houston was apparently under the influence of prescription sleeping tablets in the first case and sleeping tablets and alcohol in the second. There has been no claim of sexual misconduct.

 

[cow451]

There has been no claim of sexual misconduct.

Well, he certainly hasn't been accused of paying hush money to porn actresses, but .... from the OP link:

“The first incident involved Pastor Brian text messaging with a female member of staff, which ended in an inappropriate text message along the lines of, ‘If I was with you, I’d like to give you a kiss and a cuddle, or a hug,’ words of that nature,” Pastor Dooley told the meeting."

 

[GreekOrthodox]

1 Tim 3 This saying is trustworthy: “If someone aspires to the office of overseer, he desires a good work.” then must be above reproach ...

 

[Rachel20]

I don't know this person, but 1 Peter 4:17-18 seems appropriate.

For the time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God: and if it first begin at us, what shall the end be of them that obey not the gospel of God?

And if the righteous scarcely be saved, where shall the ungodly and the sinner appear?

 

[cow451]

I don't know this person, but 1 Peter 4:18
And if the righteous scarcely be saved, where shall the ungodly and the sinner appear?

My handlers are advising no comment at this time.

 

[Bradskii]

Well, he certainly hasn't been accused of paying hush money to porn actresses, but .... from the OP link:

“The first incident involved Pastor Brian text messaging with a female member of staff, which ended in an inappropriate text message along the lines of, ‘If I was with you, I’d like to give you a kiss and a cuddle, or a hug,’ words of that nature,” Pastor Dooley told the meeting."

Hmm. Not verbatim then. But 'words of that (ahem) nature'. It's what I used to tell my kids when they were young and something innapropriate appeared in a film before I could hit the controls.
'What are they doing, Daddy?'
'Um...they're just giving each other a big hug'.

I think that Dooley has a way with words:

'Pastor Dooley would be appointed acting global pastor, but to keep the matter discreet, Pastor Dooley said. “The decision was made to offer, I suppose, what I would call grace, and not to cover up but to not expose.” Brian Houston resigns from Hillsong

So they weren't going to cover it up. They just weren't going to tell anyone about it. Sounds more like a politician than a preacher. Which reminds me that ScoMo is a member of said church.