Hillsong Church facts for kids
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Hillsong Church, often just called Hillsong, is a large charismatic Christian church that started in Australia. It was founded in 1983 by Brian Houston and his wife, Bobbie Houston, in a suburb of Sydney. At first, it was named Hills Christian Life Centre.
Hillsong is famous for its modern worship music. Bands like Hillsong Worship, Hillsong United, and Hillsong Young & Free have created many popular songs that are known all over the world.
The church grew quickly and became a global brand. However, it has faced challenges and criticisms that have affected its public image. In March 2022, Brian Houston stepped down as the main pastor. An internal review found that he had not followed the church's rules for leaders. In February 2023, Phil and Lucinda Dooley officially became the new global senior pastors.
Contents
The History of Hillsong Church
How It All Started (1977–1999)
Before Hillsong existed, Brian Houston's father, Frank Houston, started a church in Sydney in 1977. It was called the Sydney Christian Life Centre.
In 1983, Brian and Bobbie Houston started their own church services in a school hall in a nearby area. This became the Hills Christian Life Centre. Both churches were part of a larger group of churches called the Australian Christian Churches.
The church grew a lot in the 1980s and 1990s, especially with young people. They were drawn to the modern music and the church's goal of starting new churches in other countries. In 1992, they helped start a church in London, which later became Hillsong London. They also started a church in Kyiv, Ukraine, that same year.
In 1999, the Hills church joined with the Sydney church after Frank Houston left his leadership role. The combined church was renamed Hillsong Church in 2001.
Growth in the 21st Century
From 2008 to 2018, Hillsong opened more churches in countries like Russia, South Africa, Sweden, Israel, Canada, and Mexico. It also expanded into the United States.
In 2018, Hillsong separated from the Australian Christian Churches to become its own denomination. A denomination is a group of churches with similar beliefs. Hillsong said the change was for practical reasons, like allowing its pastors to legally perform weddings.
In January 2022, Brian Houston announced he was taking a break from leading the church because of a court case. He was later found not guilty. In March 2022, he officially resigned as pastor after it was revealed he had broken the church's code of conduct. Following this, some Hillsong churches in the United States decided to leave the global network.
Church Statistics and Reach
According to a 2024 report, Hillsong has 28 churches in Australia and is present in 27 other countries. In 2019, the church reported having about 130,000 people attending its services worldwide.
During the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, the church began counting people who watched services online. They reported an average of 444,000 online viewers each weekend.
How the Church is Run
Hillsong is led by a group called the Hillsong Global Board and a team of church elders. The elders focus on spiritual matters, while the board handles business and administrative tasks. Since 2022, Pastors Phil and Lucinda Dooley have been the main leaders.
The founders, Brian and Bobbie Houston, were the global senior pastors for many years. Brian Houston was also the chairman of the board until he resigned in 2022.
Ministries and Locations
Hillsong has churches all over the world, including in Europe, Asia, Africa, and North and South America.
The church runs many different programs, called ministries. These include:
- Hillsong Music: Produces all the church's famous music.
- Hillsong Kids and Youth: Programs for children and teenagers.
- Hillsong Sisterhood: A ministry for women, led by Bobbie Houston.
- Hillsong Conference: Large annual events held in different cities.
- Hillsong CityCare: A charity that helps people in the community.
- Hillsong College: A school that trains people for church leadership.
Hillsong College
Hillsong College started as a small training school in 1983. It was created to teach people about ministry, leadership, and creative arts like music. Over the years, it grew and merged with another college.
Today, Hillsong College has campuses in Sydney, Australia, and Phoenix, Arizona, in the U.S. It also offers online classes. Many of its students come from countries all around the world to study there.
Hillsong Sisterhood
The Sisterhood is Hillsong's ministry for women, founded by Bobbie Houston. It encourages women to take on leadership roles and get involved in community issues. The group holds regular meetings and special events for women of all ages, including mothers and businesswomen.
Hillsong CityCare
CityCare is the church's community service program, started in 1986. It offers help to people in need, such as providing food and clothing for the homeless.
One of its programs, called Shine, was designed for girls in schools and community groups. Some people raised concerns that the program taught old-fashioned ideas about girls. Hillsong responded by saying the program was meant to be positive and helpful.
What Hillsong Believes
Hillsong's beliefs are considered evangelical and charismatic. This means they emphasize a personal relationship with God and the power of the Holy Spirit.
The church supports the teaching of Creationism in schools, which is the belief that the universe and life were created by God.
Some people have criticized the church for its teachings on money and success, sometimes called "prosperity teaching." The church has made some changes to its teachings in response to this feedback.
Music and Media
Music is a very important part of Hillsong. The church is known for its modern, high-quality worship music that has helped it become popular worldwide.
Famous Music Groups
Hillsong has several music groups that create songs for different audiences.
- Hillsong Worship: This is the main worship band of the church. They have produced many famous songs, such as "Shout to the Lord" and "What a Beautiful Name," which won a Grammy Award.
- Hillsong United: This band started as a youth group and plays music with a rock style. Their song "Oceans (Where Feet May Fail)" was a huge hit, staying at number one on the Billboard Christian songs chart for a record-breaking time.
- Hillsong Young & Free: This group was created in 2012 to appeal to younger generations. Their music often includes electronic and dance styles.
- Hillsong Kids: This group makes fun, upbeat music for children.
TV Shows and Documentaries
Hillsong has been the subject of several TV shows and documentaries. In 2016, a movie called Hillsong: Let Hope Rise was released. It showed the band Hillsong United as they wrote songs and prepared for a big concert.
More recently, several documentary series have been made about the church's history and the challenges it has faced. These programs featured interviews with former members and leaders and explored some of the controversies surrounding the church.
Political Connections
Hillsong Church has had connections with well-known politicians in Australia, especially from the Liberal Party of Australia. Former Prime Minister John Howard and former Treasurer Peter Costello have spoken at Hillsong events.
The current Prime Minister of Australia, Scott Morrison, has also attended and spoken at the Hillsong Conference. He is not a member of Hillsong but attends a different, similar church.
The church says that it does not officially support any political party. Founder Brian Houston has said that while the church itself is not political, individual Christians are free to be involved in politics.
See also
In Spanish: Iglesia Hillsong para niños
- C3 Church Global
- Transformational Christianity
