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Australian megachurch founder steps down amid allegations of misconduct
“We wish to advise you that Pastor Brian Houston has resigned as International Senior Pastor of Hillsong Church, and the board has accepted his resignation,” the church stated in an announcement.
“We acknowledge that change is required. We’ve dedicated to an unbiased evaluate of our governance construction and processes,” it continued.
On Friday, Hillsong issued its first assertion on the matter, saying the founder had “breached” the church’s “Pastor’s Code of Conduct” following an investigation into harassment complaints from two girls.
The primary incident occurred “roughly a decade in the past” in keeping with the church and “concerned “inappropriate textual content messages from Pastor Brian to a member of employees, which subsequently resulted within the employees member resigning.”
Hillsong claimed that on the time of the incident Houston was “underneath the affect of sleeping tablets, upon which he had developed a dependence.”
“He instantly apologised to the individual. We additionally labored intently with Pastor Brian to make sure he obtained skilled assist to get rid of his dependency on this remedy, and this was achieved efficiently,” Hillsong’s assertion stated.
In response to Hillsong’s International Board the second grievance was obtained in 2019 when Houston entered a lady’s lodge room after a Hillsong convention.
“It was discovered that Pastor Brian grew to become disoriented after a session on the Hillsong Convention, following the consumption of anti-anxiety remedy past the prescribed dose, blended with alcohol. This resulted in him knocking on the door of a lodge room that was not his, coming into this room and spending time with the feminine occupant,” the church stated.
“Though all elements of the grievance have been unable to be sustained, vital components of the grievance have been sustained and the conduct was of significant concern,” the assertion continued.
In a video convention shared with the Australian media, Houston’s interim alternative Phil Dooley stated the church did not know whether or not the incident had concerned any “sexual exercise.” CNN has not been in a position to independently confirm the video.
“The reality is we do not know what occurred subsequent. The girl has not stated there was any sexual exercise. Brian has stated there was no sexual exercise, however he was within the room for 40 minutes,” Dooley stated.
Hillsong’s public relations group didn’t remark additional on Houston’s resignation when contacted by CNN.
Houston had already quickly stepped apart as Hillsong’s International Pastor in January of this yr, to “vigorously defend” in opposition to prices that he allegedly hid the intercourse abuse of a younger man within the Nineteen Seventies.
Australian authorities stated final yr that Houston allegedly knew info regarding the sexual abuse of a younger male within the Nineteen Seventies and didn’t carry it to the eye of police.
Houston is likely one of the most influential non secular figures in Australia and a pal of Prime Minister Scott Morrison, who commonly attends the Hillsong nationwide convention, and gave the opening handle on the occasion in 2019.
In December of 2019, Houston was invited to a religion briefing with non secular leaders on the White Home, the place he prayed for then-President Donald Trump within the cupboard room.
Hillsong was based in 1983 by Brian Houston and his spouse Bobbie in a suburb of Sydney, Australia. At present, it operates church buildings in thirty nations — together with the US — and markets itself as a “modern Christian” place of worship.
It’s recognized globally for its document label Hillsong Music, which produces Christian pop-rock with teams together with Hillsong Younger & Free, Hillsong Worship and Hillsong United.