Posted on 04/26/2022 7:01:05 AM PDT by Kaslin
Few pastors have influenced global church culture as much as Brian Houston. Hillsong, a church movement which he founded in the 1980s, has produced worship music that is sung Sunday to Sunday in churches across the world. For decades many pastors and ministry leaders have looked up to Houston as an example of how to successfully engage culture and reach many with the gospel.
All of that admiration came tumbling down recently when news emerged about his mishandling of a sexual abuse case—involving his father—and possible sexual indiscretions with other women. To the shock of many this year he stepped down after leading Hillsong for over four decades.
Houston’s case is unfortunately not uncommon. Over the past few years and even in recent months we have learned about pastors and leaders of prominent ministries who have abused their power, fostered unhealthy work environments and misrepresented Christ. Their downfalls often result in confusion for many and attract condemnation.
At times like these many also offer diagnoses for what is ailing these churches and what the best course of action should have been. But whenever I have read these responses—many offered by thoughtful Christians—I have felt something is often missing from them. Strangely, I realized what this “missing” element was when I watched an interview with American actor Denzel Washington.
Few pastors have influenced global church culture as much as Brian Houston. Hillsong, a church movement which he founded in the 1980s, has produced worship music that is sung Sunday to Sunday in churches across the world. For decades many pastors and ministry leaders have looked up to Houston as an example of how to successfully engage culture and reach many with the gospel.
All of that admiration came tumbling down recently when news emerged about his mishandling of a sexual abuse case—involving his father—and possible sexual indiscretions with other women. To the shock of many this year he stepped down after leading Hillsong for over four decades.
Houston’s case is unfortunately not uncommon. Over the past few years and even in recent months we have learned about pastors and leaders of prominent ministries who have abused their power, fostered unhealthy work environments and misrepresented Christ. Their downfalls often result in confusion for many and attract condemnation.
At times like these many also offer diagnoses for what is ailing these churches and what the best course of action should have been. But whenever I have read these responses—many offered by thoughtful Christians—I have felt something is often missing from them. Strangely, I realized what this “missing” element was when I watched an interview with American actor Denzel Washington.
Jesus’ remedy to the spirit of the age was poverty of spirit. It should not surprise us that he said that the kingdom of heaven belongs to the actual poor and powerless and those poor in spirit. This is why we must enter his kingdom as children who in their state of powerlessness put their faith in someone stronger than them.
Jesus wanted his followers to understand that the Christian faith was never about attaining a level of self-righteousness when one succeeded or prospered. It was about being the lowly and humble of heart even if one was actually the Son of God. This humility gives us the ability to acknowledge our own weakness, sins and failures, and to say confidently as the apostle Paul said, “But by the grace of God I am what I am.”
Bookmark.
There’s a special place in hell for these people.
It should remind us to return to NT Christianity instead of the idolization of culture, disguised as worship.
Good morning, my dude! :D
In the “wheel of time” fantasy series - a tale of the struggle between good and evil in a world like Earth during the late Middle Ages - the Good Guys can’t figure out why the Bad Guys keep winning battles when they (Good Guys) have all the best generals. (This is toward the end of the series when things are literally falling apart, due to the Evil One’s malign power, and there are little wars and battles all over the place.) (Note: I didn’t like “wheel of time” at first because it seemed like Mr Jordan was ripping off Lord of the Rings, but by the end of the first novel I couldn’t wait to read all the others.)
So the Good Guys look at all the generals’ exploits together. These generals are all good-hearted, brave, intelligent, sturdy men famous for previous wins, but there are inexplicable losses and weak campaigns for which there are no good explanations.
The Good Guys determine that even these famous generals have somehow been corrupted and gone over to the Dark Side. This ends up being the case - and the generals themselves are also for the most part surprised, for almost all of them were tricked, beguiled, or enchanted into following the Evil One’s plan.
(Spoiler: The Good Guys win, but with lots of sacrifices.)
I’m not going to sit in judgment on these clerics, but on the other hand I haven’t been buying their stuff anyway and don’t intend to start.
Mr K (not the one on this forum, but my roommate) was talking about this very thing, i.e., the obvious corruption of many church leaders in Christianity and asked me what I would do if I was, you know, influential.
So I said: I would encourage people to worship together in their homes or, if there are a lot of like-minded folks in one place, a community hangout. Pray with your family and read the Scripture out loud. Leave Big Religion out of it. Get in the habit of praying with others and talking about faith-related issues. If someone wants to lead and has leadership skills, let him lead but keep him on a leash so it won’t end up being “his” church. If some ordained person wants to hold formal services - that’s great, but again: Watch him. If he’s for real, he won’t mind folks prying into his personal life or habits. He’ll be up front about everything.
Starve the Beast. Don’t give it your money, property, or your kids.
(from the article)
‘Jesus wanted his followers to understand that the Christian faith was never about attaining a level of self-righteousness when one succeeded or prospered. It was about being the lowly and humble of heart even if one was actually the Son of God. This humility gives us the ability to acknowledge our own weakness, sins and failures, and to say confidently as the apostle Paul said, “But by the grace of God I am what I am.”’
Yes, but he was also known for his heated remarks about “whited sepulchers,” hypocrites, and fakes.
Good morning Mr. Double Post.
Please don’t bother to spend the 20 seconds it takes to proofread your offerings.
Good morning Mr. Double Post.
Please don’t bother to spend the 20 seconds it takes to proofread your offerings.
The first century church was a slaughterhouse, both from within and without. What exactly is NT Christianity? Is it a synonym for orthodoxy?
The article is a bizarre interpretation of “Poor in spirit”. “Poor in spirit” does not equal humility. “Poor in spirit” is spiritual poverty, which is cured by coming to Christ and being filled with the Holy Spirit.
Every time people in the New Testament are filled with the Holy Spirit, it is a good thing. Ephesians 5:18 says, “And do not be drunk with wine, in which is dissipation; but be filled with the Spirit,..”
Recognizing and admitting spiritual poverty can equate to humility.
Yes.
You could also include Bill Hybels and Willow Creek Church in the discussion. It is just stunning how these frauds can do such damage to so many.
Maybe they were almost believers .... but never came to a saving knowledge of the Truth.
So sad. Even disgusting.
I did not write the op-ed, I only posted it. Also I never heard of that guy you mentioned and that particular church.
That is strange, I have been a she for over 80 years and nothing has changed as far as I am aware of.
You wanna know what we used to say in Germany when I grew up there? We said doppel genaeht held besser. Which means double sewn holds better. So there
Wer zwei Hasen auf einmal jagt bekommt keinen.
My former joke, i.e., did I accidentally call you “dude”...? (Months ago.)
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