Disclaimer: This article contains child sexual abuse. Readers are advised to exercise caution.
Hillsong founder Brian Houston cleared of cover-up | 9 News Australia
Hillsong Church was originally founded in Australia in 1983 by Brian Houston. The Christian megachurch quickly expanded worldwide as contemporary worship music became increasingly popular in the 1980s and 1990s.
While Houston established the church’s base in the U.S., Carl Lentz played a major role in bringing the megachurch to the country when he founded Hillsong NYC in 2010. It eventually became a celebrity hotspot, with the likes of Justin Bieber and the Kardashian-Jenners attending services. However, the Hillsong Church empire collapsed after several scandals came to light. One of the controversies was Frank Houston’s accusation of abuse.
According to Vanity Fair, Frank Houston was Brian Houston's father. He started Hillsong Church's predecessor, Sydney Christian Life Centre, in 1977. After serving at SCLC until 1983, Brian and his wife Bobbie founded Hills Christian Life Centre in Sydney. Brian renamed the church Hillsong in 2001 after merging SCLC and Hills, People Magazine reported.
