This last Sunday night, Amy and I traveled to Hillsong with three guys from the local church plant that we have been working with here in Sydney. During the four weeks that we have been here, we have heard many jokes about Hillsong, and have read some press from the Sydney Anglicans writing against the ministry there. The main complaint is that the ministry there is nothing more than an evolved Pentecostal service that preaches a prosperity gospel. In spite of all that we had heard and read, we thought that it would be best to keep an open mind for our visit, giving them the benefit of the doubt. The following is a summary of our visit, followed by some reflection.
Upon our arrival, the outside of the church was very large. Upon entering the inside, we walked into a busy thoroughfare, where parishoners were buying coffee, books, and presale CD's and DVD's. We walked past these things and entered into the arena. To our surprise, the church was smaller than we had expected. From all of the pictures we had seen of their worship rallies, we expected a massive arena, when in fact there were seats for about 3,000 (still considerably large, but not too overbearing for people from the land of mega-churches).
The service began with some amazingly produced music. There were three movie theater sized screens that were flashing images of the band and art, as well as lights moving across the stage and crowd, and there was a lot of sound. Big guitars, lots of bass, cool synths, and loud drums. The sound moved through you. The crowd was very involved in the music as most of them (15-25 yrs. old) were jumping up and down and singing. Lyrically the music was quite impressive. Most every song that we heard referred to Jesus, the gospel message, and the glory of God. These songs were often loose strands of Christianized words, however the overall message was very encouraging from a gospel perspective.
In the middle of the music, a pastor came out and gave an alter call. There was no preaching preceding this, but rather a strong movement of music. The call was in response to the songs. The pastor that gave the alter call explained that everyone had a problem of separation from God, that they could not solve that problem by themselves, and that Jesus was the answer to their problem. After this explanation he invited people to come forward if they wanted to begin to live for Jesus.
The service continued with more singing. Then another pastor came out and read from Galatians 6. He explained that we need to sow our money in order to reap rewards. He said that it is a good thing to be generous, and that the Lord blesses generosity. He prompted a video of a lady giving a testimony of how she sold things on eBay in a compulsion to give, and how her giving resulted in miracle after miracle in her life that next year. There was prayer, then more music as the offering buckets went around.
The music continued. Another, pastor came out waving prayer request cards and prayed for the Lord to answer the requests based on the promises of his Word. Then more music.
Next, Brian Houston (senior pastor) came out and gave a sermon. The theme for the evening was a heart for the household, and that evening there was a once a year special offering to support the household (the church). His sermon was on Acts 16, the story of Paul and Silas in jail, and the conversion of the jailer. The main thrust of his message was based on the word 'hold.' He used the words 'hold' and 'household' throughout the entirety of his message. He explained that the jailer went from putting people in the 'hold,' to seeing his 'household' converted. He said that the jailer was being 'held' by things. There were 'holds' on his life that almost kept him from what his 'house-held.' He applied this by saying that we all have things in our lives that may be 'holds' on us keeping us from what our 'house-held' (he used the past tense here). He gave three or four illustrations to support his point, including one about himself. He said that when he was younger, his father always favored his older brother, seeing him to have more potential. Brian said that had he allowed that 'hold' of his father favoring his older brother to keep him down, he may have never realized the potential of what his 'house-held.' In conclusion he said that whatever was 'holding' us (e.g. poor relationships, negativism, etc.) could be keeping us from our potential. Therefore we needed to free what our 'house-holds.'
The evening then returned to more music. Brian's wife came out to pray. There was a satelite feed to the other congregation in the city. There was a video about the special offering and their hopes for work around the city and around the world. The bucket was passed for the offering. Then more music. Finally, there was an encore, as people shouted "one more song."
So what do we make of this first-hand encounter of Hillsong's ministry. In our discussion following the service, we decided to start with positives first, before we offered critiques. Therefore, that is where I shall begin.
Positively:
*The music was about as good as a production could be. It would rival any good rock show. This includes quality of sound and theatrics.
*Lyrically, the music included the gospel message. The aim of the lyrics was glory to God. *There was a very clear missional element to their lyrics that encouraged the hearer to be active in the world for the kingdom.
*The video for the giving was very good, as it portrayed a vision for aid around the world and Sydney. This sounded like gospel work (though this did not match Brian's words).
*They (the Church leaders) seemed to know their audience. The music and style of the service fit well with the demographic of the service. The service we attended was definitely a youth service. The only old couple in the congregation (maybe mid 60's) was sitting behind us. At one time I turned around to see how he was responding to the service. When I looked he had his cheeks puffed out, exhaling, and he was rubbing his ears as if to express "wow! that was intense (and LOUD!!!!)!" ( I chuckled when I saw him! :) )
*There was an expressed care for people.
*There was a gospel presentation. It was not clear in explaining sin, or the death, burial and resurrection of Christ, or even faith. However, there was clearly an attempt to connect people with Christ. The preacher clearly said that we all are separated from God, and Jesus is the only answer.
Negatively:
*The sermon was rubbish (as the Aussies would say). To translate: The sermon was garbage!!! I am quite certain that it was the worst sermon that I have heard. The content was terrible. Brian clearly had an agenda, the word 'hold' and 'household,' and he used the Word to accomodate his message. His sermon had no relation to the text at all. In his message he never even addressed the fact that the change agent for the jailer was JESUS!!! His message was a prosperity/ self-help talk. Besides the content, his delivery was also terrible. He was very slow on his feet, and unorganized in his thoughts. And in all seriousness (and not to poke fun) he has a preacher's voice that sounds like a pirate (I comment on this because I think it was manufactured. If this is his natural voice and not a part of his image I apologize).
*The push for giving was given in the attitude that if you give you will be blessed with miracles.
*The gospel was presented in a loose way, but it was not presented in fulness. It was not clearly stated why we are separated from God (sin), or why Jesus is the answer to our separation from God (namely because of the atonement he made for us by his death, burial and resurrection). It also was not explained clearly what the gospel means for our lives. The preacher did call people to live for Jesus, but I would hope that there would be further explanation of what it means to walk in the newness of life.
Synopsis:
I want to err on the side of charity. I think that there are many people at Hillsong who truly love Jesus. I think that there are some there who would be gospel believing Christians. That being said, I also think that the church is doing a very poor job at feeding their sheep. Their diet is an emotional one of musical experience. The Word is absent. It is not absent as though it is not read, but it is absent in that it is not taught. People are in fact being lead astray by a false gospel. They do teach that Jesus is the only way to God, but they also believe that the Christian life equals a life of prosperity in this world. In fact, there message seems to make a heavy appeal to this end.
The music is very good, but it is a concert. A personal hobby-horse of mine is flashy production in a worship service. Though I am typically against this, their production is done in such a way that there is a large amount of audience participation. The draw for the church is clearly the music. I think for churches around the world, it is okay to use their music, but there must be an understanding of the church which is generating the music. Most of the Sydney Anglicans do not use Hillsong music because they are in the same town and they do not want to associate Hillsong and its teaching of a prosperity gospel. It is their way of boycotting the message.
Concerning Brian, he seemed very out of place in the service. The service would have been close (note the word close!) to permissible without him. His message was an atrocity, and it made my stomach hurt (not exageratting). It is sad to reflect from a ministerial position on the many lives he is misleading. He will surely have to answer to God. (This may seem harsh, but this is not something to take lightly).
Hillsong is a church with a lot of missed potential. Each weekend they draw a crowd of well over 10,000 people. During that time they would have a great opportunity to share the gospel and the Word with their congregants. Unfortunately, people are being mislead by poor teaching and emotional hype. I fear that many who attend will fizzle out when their emotions become stale. Their faith is currently based on experience, but when their experience changes, I wonder where their faith will reside.
After talking to my Anglican friends here, I empathize and side with them. If we allow for poor teaching one generation, what will happen in the next generation? False teaching should not be permitted. I think my overall approach would be similar to Paul's response to the Corithians. He was keen to recognize them as brothers and sisters in Christ, but was sure to rebuke them for their mislead life. I think that Hillsong does have some genuine believers, however they are mislead and their life and faith reflect that. My prayer is that there will be a change of heart amongst the leadership and the congregation, that they might have a clear passion for the Word of God. Then there worship will not only be in Spirit, but also in Truth.
9 comments:
I think also about paul when he addresses the Corinthians about their desire to follow Apollos and Cephas ( is that right?) and not simple message of the Gospel. A message that is foolishness to the world and won't draw big crowds. But its a message that has the power to change and it actually has fuel behind it.
I've researched Hill$ong for a few years, and I'd point out that what you heard was not a failure to explain the gospel, but their own spin on or version of the gospel.
Hill$ong does not see the gospel as justification through faith in Christ's blood via repentence from sin.
Hill$ong sees Christ's death and resurrection as an expression of God's power, and therefore if you believe in Jesus you share in an 'empowerment to live an awesome life.'
It takes the consequences of embracing the gospel, and makes it the 'gospel' itself.
The key to understanding Hill$ong's 'gospel' is their alternative definition of grace.
Whereas a regular evangelical would see grace as God's unmerited favour on an undeserving sinner (amazing grace that saved a wretch like me), Hill$ong teaches that God gives you 'grace' ..that is power (as long as you do all the right things like tithe..etc)....to fulfil 'God's amazing plan for your life'.
That is... they believe God 'graces' you to live your life in power and authority.
Hill$ong bypasses the whole sin thing altogether. The closest they get to acknowledging sin is that they sometimes admit that believers 'make mistakes'...(as opposed to sinning), but teaches that believers should not live in regret or 'negativity'.
So when someone like you goes to Hill$ong, although you'll hear a lot of the same words like 'Jesus' and 'born again' or 'following Christ'...the assumptions you have about those terms and the assumptions they have about what those terms mean are very different.
It took me years to figure out the difference between what Hill$ong believes and classical Christianity...and that was only after studying transcripts of their teachings and writings.
So I wouldn't expect someone who's been there on a first visit..or even a few weeks or months...to get a handle on what's not right about the place.
BTW. On Hill$ong's website you can read their statement of beliefs...which cover the traditional ground of sin, repentence, the blood (it's a copy and paste of standard AOG beliefs)....blah, blah, blah...but that's not what Hill$ong teaches from week to week.
I found your blog through the Sola Panel blog.
http://solapanel.org/
One thing you may not have considered in your assessment of Hillsong... you said that they see 10,000 people a day walk through their doors... Hillsong Baulkham Hills "campus" has four services on a Sunday, and a capacity of about 3000. I would suggest that most people who attend the church regularly would go to two or more services a day. Pentacostalism in Australia is strongly pushed towards "parishoners" going to every service available (especially when there are only two on for the day) or at least a morning and an evening service. So there are probably 7,000 "unique visitors" each Sunday (assuming that the church is mostly full for each service).
I'm not a Sydney Anglican now although I grew up as one. If I left my current church, I'd go back to the Anglicans in a heartbeat - and I've been to Australian Baptist churches (different to American ones), Anglican churches, pentacostal churches and Vineyard churches...
Hillsong are scary in what they preach. I've noticed that their music has become less about the singer and more about God - at least now they have moved from "I" and "my" to "we" and "our" a little more, but thereis a distinct abscence of songs which simply declare God's goodness, without talking about what God has done for us/me.
Thanks for this review of a night out... it's been over 2 decades since I last visited Hillsong and heard Brian preach, and sadly, nothing's changed.
I've been to Hillsong quite a few times (i dont go there, I dont live in sydney)
The fact that you judge a church on one semon/service is kind of disconcerting. They have been doing that particular service once a year for at least 6 -7 years now.
Their normal services and Brian's sermons arent focused on money, in fact their most recent service that I went to was all about being the hands and feet of Jesus in the world, being the light and salt that Jesus talks so much about.
They do focus a lot on the music, but that is their thing. Their goal with the music is to be an example to the world of what music can be from a whole and complete Christian perspective.
I'm pretty sure Brians voice isnt a put on, It has been getting more and more gravel in it over the years
OK — let's forget the service critique for a moment and focus on the sermon alone. Doesn't that send off the alarm bells — and loud ones at that?
I've got some Hillsong mates and to be honest this preaching style filters down into the way Hillsong parishioners speak. I'm sure there are some with some better understanding of their theology and critical thinking skills, but generally I find 'fellowship' with Hillsongs Christians to involve wishy washy biblically ignorant and misinformed positive-speak. There's little understanding of Biblical Theology and how the Old Testament relates to the New, poor understanding of eschatology, and confusion about all manner of subjects. The whole theology seems 'open to the new' rather than being anchored into the unchanging faith once handed down to the saints. Because they have separated the ministry of the Holy Spirit from upholding His Word, they are open to 'every wind of teaching' as if the latest fad is obviously some manifestation of the spirit.
It's dangerous in the extreme, and to be avoided at all costs. There is nothing like stable, reliable expository teaching from God's word year in and year out — and Hillsong has nothing like good expository preaching.
Our little church of All Saints North Epping has only about 1/4 of sermons as 'topical'. Most series are divided up by the school year (because people go away during school holidays etc).
Our church has only 1 term each year where a 'topical' series might be covered — such as Guidance, social concerns, etc... but even here the preaching is subject to good expository handling of the passages concerned. But 3/4 of the year we simply plough on through God's word — where His Scriptures dictate what is taught.
This is by far one of the greatest tests I employ when choosing which kind of church I'd belong to.
The fact that you judge a church on one semon/service is kind of disconcerting.
Back in 1993 I visited Hills Christian Life Centre (what it was called before Hillsong) about six times over the course of about 3 months so I could get a "feel" for what is being taught and experienced there.
It seems that 15 years ago the service was more typically Pentecostal. There were slayings in the Spirit and speaking in tongues.
What hasn't changed, from what I have read here and at Sola panel, is the positivity message and the poor exegesis. It's almost a given that when you walk into a Pentecostal / Charismatic church these days that you are going to hear the Bible being butchered.
I was speaking to an ex-Caro the other day and we were talking about the problems in the movement that have developed over the years.
The most important thing is that the modern Charismatic movement is not the same movement that evolved during the 1960s and 1970s. Back then the movement was a grassroots movement and was quite egalitarian. Nowadays the movement is tightly controlled by its leaders. Gone are the days when Charismatic Christians could meet together, read the Bible, sing songs of praise and talk about how great God is. Instead the movement has become tightly controlled and directed by "anointed" leaders.
Moreover, the Charismatic movement seems to have been infiltrated by heretical Pentecostals early on in its life - these being the "Latter Rain" guys from America in the 1950s who taught aberrant theology and were kicked out of the Assemblies of God for doing so. Without a firm basis in the Bible (a necessary generalisation) the movement got swept up by unbiblical theology from the early 1980s onwards. Brian Houston has always been a prosperity preacher, and he was able to build Hills CLC / Hillsong by attracting these 70s Charismatics.
I honestly think that back in the 1960s and 1970s the Charismatics were seriously lacking in Bible knowledge, but still had enough of it for God's Spirit to be working amongst them. Sadly I think that Biblical literacy amongst this group has actually gotten worse, which means that heresy goes unquestioned and the Bible becomes a book of magical proof texts that can be used out of context to support anything the preacher wants.
The post from “Groupsects” on 20 July is an excellent description of how the deception works: On their statements of faith they may have traditional Biblically correct items, but what they regularly preach is a different gospel by redefining the meaning of words like grace and sin.
Proclaiming a particular statement of faith, but then preaching and practicing something different is deception and hypocrisy.
“Worldly” businesses often fool around with mission statements and "press releases" (spin-doctor stuff), then practice something different, some churches are practicing the same kind of deceit.
My interpretation of churches like Hillsong (Brian Houston), Saddleback (Rick Warren), etc., is that they are worldly businesses with the name of Jesus glued on top.
This is why their leaders often double as motivational speakers to the secular business world.
They do some “Christian things” (charities, drug rehabilitation programs, etc.) to make it look authentic.
Members of these Church businesses typically idolise the chief executive, and this is proven when they defend any kind of transgression they may make (they usually use “nobody is perfect”, “don’t speak against God’s anointed”, “don’t have a critical spirit”, “don’t be negative, etc.).
That is unbiblical as “touch not God’s anointed” (1 Sam 24:6) is about not killing God’s anointed.
“Whoever is without sin may cast the first stone” (John 8:7) is about not murdering transgressors (stones are for killing).
Scripture says we should discern (judge) transgressors and expel the immoral from the fellowships: eg. 1Cor 5:12-13 What business is it of mine to judge those outside the church? Are you not to judge those inside? God will judge those outside. "Expel the wicked man from among you."
But the wicked man will never be expelled if he is a charismatic leader being idolised.
Jesus kicked the money dealers out of the temple once before.
One day he will do it again.
Hi gang,
I'm a Sydney boy, a Pentecostal, a musician, a songwriter and I'm relatively young (if 25 is!). But that's where the similarities end to Hillsong.
I believe in the old school gospel you have referred to on this blog. I lean more towards Calvin than the AOG does, simply because I believe he was closer to the truth than our denomination is.
I'm also learning how to preach and one thing I have noticed is how we as a denomination DONT preach with exegisis, we preach topics. Has its place yes, but you get interpretations, you get allegories and you don't get the truth of the Word. That sermon from Mr Houston is typical of the modern Pente church - allegories and stories that SOUND right but are far from truth.
Like the Anglicans we distance ourselves from Hillsong, and we are moving to boycott their music as well. I write and praise God, some of my songs have touched our little church and really been embraced by the faithful there.
Anyhow my 2 cents, thanks for listening, may Jesus once again take delight in his church. Amen.
Peace, Drew
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