Brian Houston

Prime Minister Scott Morrison once named Hillsong Church founder Brian Houston as a friend and mentor, but details about the pastor's treatment of women has ...

Pastor Dooley said he unfortunately did not keep his promise. In 2019, Mr Houston "became disorientated... Though the church apologised for his behaviour, it thanked Mr Houston and his wife for their commitment and service to Hillsong and said it would pray for their wellbeing. The investigation did not uphold all parts of her complaint but "important elements of the complaint were sustained and the conduct was of serious concern". The woman, who was not a member of the church, opened the door and Mr Houston went into her room and spent 40 minutes there. The church said at the time, Mr Houston was under the influence of sleeping tablets, which he had developed a dependency on. The church said Mr Houston was drinking with a group of people and after being locked out of his hotel room, ended up knocking on the door of a woman who he met earlier in foyer of the Pullman Hotel. The church said Mr Houston engaged in conduct of "serious concern", and offered an unreserved apology to his "victims". In a detailed letter sent to members, the church said Mr Houston sent "inappropriate text messages" to a female staffer in 2013. He said the decision was made to offer "grace". Yet it was a lack of transparency from Hillsong that has sparked a major rift within the mega-church and led to the unravelling of Mr Houston's legacy. The extraordinary revelations have rocked the church, with some asking why Mr Houston was permitted to resign and was not sacked.