Posts tagged Hillsong Church
Hillsong Founders Launch ‘Online Church’ And Ask For Money

Disgraced Hillsong founder Brian Houston and his wife, Bobbie, are asking for money for an online church venture. The longtime pastor says they’ve “got desperate needs” for a TV studio, while glossing over recent scandals and a government probe into past church spending.  

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Pastor Carl Lentz Announces Podcast, Ends Speculation About What’s Next

Carl Lentz tonight posted a video on Instagram, announcing he’s launching a new podcast, ending two days of speculation that he may be returning to ministry. The “new show,” called “Lights On with Carl Lentz,” premieres June 4. But the video claims it’s not a comeback.

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‘Cult’ Classics: Best Documentaries Now Streaming About New Religious Movements  

There’s no denying the popularity of true crime media in the non-fiction genre. In addition to shows and novels, true crime makes up a massive portion of the podcast market and fuels content creation on social media.  Though there are more than a few ethical concerns that come with recounting the most gruesome details of crimes for a rapt audience, demand for this type of content is high — and there’s no shortage of it.

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Hillsong Founders Brian And Bobbie Houston Announce Plans For New Church

Former Hillsong founder Brian Houston announced that he and his wife, Bobbie, will launch a new church in 2024. He broke the news that the two would be “starting a weekly online ministry and church” and that he was “excited about building this new community.”

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Why Are People Losing Faith In Christianity? ‘The Starling Girl’ Has Some Answers

(REVIEW) “The Starling Girl” is, at its heart, a visceral reminder of what it’s like to grow up as a girl in strict religious environments. It’s also a thorough picture of the grievances made about fundamentalist and evangelical Christian circles in two recent docuseries.  

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Two Documentaries Portray Religious Groups Capitalizing On Fear And Shame

(OPINION) Two recent documentary series offer distressing portraits of Christian organizations that, although unrelated, appear eerily similar. Both movements gained prominence in part by instilling fear and shame in their members. Both have reaped abuse, scandal and decline.

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Hulu Series Shows The Gravity Of Hillsong’s High And Low Notes

(REVIEW) “The Secrets of Hillsong” uncovers Hillsong culture, abuse and Carl Lentz. The four-part documentary dropped on May 19th. Since Carl Lentz’s fall from grace due to his affair with Ranin Karim, many celebrity gossip and media voices have chimed in to tell Lentz’s story. For the first time since the scandals, both Carl and Laura Lentz tell their own stories in the documentary. 

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Brian Houston’s Daughter, Son-in-Law Resign From Hillsong Church Leadership

The daughter of former Hillsong Church leader Brian Houston and her husband have resigned as global pastors of Hillsong Young & Free, the Australia-based church’s youth ministry. The resignations of Peter and Laura Toganivalu, nicknamed “The Toggsys,” were announced by Phil Dooley, the recently appointed global senior pastor of Hillsong Church, May 7 during a worship service, Church Leaders reported.

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New Hillsong Exposé Reveals More Alleged Sex Abuse Cover-Up & Shameless Spending

An investigation into embattled Hillsong Church by the top-rated news outlet in Australia has uncovered new revelations of financial and sexual misconduct, as key sources go on the record for the first time. “Hellsong: Hillsong Church Global Investigation” first aired on Australia’s 7News on April 23 and released Friday on YouTube.

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Hillsong Megachurch Revenue Fell Almost 20% In Last Two Years, Report Shows

Hillsong’s latest annual report reveals the megachurch is bring­ing in $17 million less in revenue com­pared to two years ago — that’s a drop of almost 20%, due at least in part to a series of controversies. The decline comes as former leader and founder Brian Hou­s­ton faces charges of cov­er­ing up his late father’s alleged sex crimes.

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Just Say No: The Four-Letter Word Religion Writers Really Want To Avoid

This week’s Weekend Plug-in reflects on debate over the use of the term “cult” in religion news stories. Plus, as always, catch up on all the best reads and top headlines in the world of faith.

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Discovery+ Documentary Meant To Harm Hillsong Church, Interim Pastor Says

An upcoming Discovery+ documentary series on embattled Hillsong Church was produced to purposely hurt the church, interim head pastor Phil Dooley said in a Feb. 19 message livestreamed on YouTube. Discovery+ released the trailer for “Hillsong: A Megachurch Exposed,” on YouTube Feb. 16. The series is set to premiere March 24.

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New BBC Documentary on Hillsong Church Paints A Grim Picture

(REVIEW) A new documentary by the BBC on Hillsong Church reveals new insight into the global evangelical church network’s celebrity culture, sex scandals, and questionable financial dealings.

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'Where Feet May Fail': After Carl Lentz Affair, What’s Next for Hillsong Church?

After its celebrity pastor Carl Lentz’s marital affair became public, Hillsong Church is quietly rebuilding and resetting their global mission to keep reaching more people searching for meaning in their lives and create community and worship music. Critics say the church needs greater accountability for its leadership. Rumors of Lentz, who is married, acting inappropriately with women circulated as early as 2017.

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