Hillsong Church facts for kids

Kids Encyclopedia Facts

Quick facts for kids Hillsong Church
Hillsong Convention Centre in the Norwest Business Park
Country	Australia
Weekly attendance	150,000 (global), 43,000 (Australia)
History
Founded	1983; 42 years ago (1983)

Hillsong Church, often called Hillsong, is a large Christian church group that started in Australia. It was founded in 1983 by Brian Houston and his wife, Bobbie Houston, in Baulkham Hills, New South Wales. The church was first known as Hills Christian Life Centre.

Hillsong is famous for its contemporary worship music. Music groups like Hillsong Worship, Hillsong United, and Hillsong Young & Free have created many popular songs. The church has grown into a global presence, like a well-known brand. In March 2022, Phil and Lucinda Dooley became the global senior pastors.

History of Hillsong Church

Early Hills Christian Life Centre logo

Early Years: 1977–1999

In 1977, Brian Houston's father, Frank Houston, started the Sydney Christian Life Centre in Waterloo, New South Wales. Six years later, in 1983, Brian and Bobbie Houston began holding services in a school hall. This was the start of Hills Christian Life Centre (Hills CLC).

Both Sydney CLC and Hills CLC were part of the Australian Christian Churches (ACC). The ACC is the Australian branch of the Assemblies of God in the US. Hills CLC grew quickly in the 1980s and 1990s. Many young people were drawn to its modern worship music. The church also started new churches in other countries.

In 1992, Hills CLC helped start the London Christian Life Centre. This church later became Hillsong London in 2000. It now has many locations across the United Kingdom. Hillsong Kiev was also started in Ukraine in 1992.

In 1997, Hills CLC moved into a new building in Baulkham Hills. In 1999, it joined with the Sydney CLC. Brian Houston led both churches for about 18 months. In 2001, the church with multiple locations was renamed Hillsong Church.

Hillsong in the 21st Century

Between 2008 and 2018, Hillsong Church started more churches in many countries. These included Russia, South Africa, Sweden, Israel, Canada, and Mexico. Hillsong also expanded into the United States, opening many locations by 2022.

In September 2018, Hillsong decided to become its own independent church group. Before this, Brian Houston had been a leader in the Australian Christian Churches. Hillsong wanted to be seen more as a global church. Both Hillsong and the ACC said the separation was friendly. Brian Houston explained that they became a separate group for practical reasons. This allowed them to legally ordain their pastors in Australia. He also said their beliefs had not changed.

In October 2020, Hillsong bought the Festival Hall in Melbourne. This venue became the new home for Hillsong Church Melbourne City's weekly services. In October 2021, Hillsong also bought the Golders Green Hippodrome in London, England. They planned to hold Sunday services there.

Brian Houston stepped down from his main leadership roles in January 2022. In March 2022, he resigned as the global senior pastor. Phil and Lucinda Dooley, who were leading the South African church, took over as global senior pastors.

Global Reach and Branding

Church Statistics

In 2018, Hillsong Church had 80 churches around the world. By 2022, the church reported having 38 churches in Australia. They also had 150,000 members in 30 countries. This number grew from 130,000 members in 21 countries in 2019.

During the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, Hillsong started counting online attendees. They reported an average of 444,000 online attendees each weekend.

Hillsong's Brand Identity

Hillsong has been called a "global corporate brand". It is seen as one of Australia's most powerful brands. Its quick growth around the world was helped by several things. These include its large conferences and popular music. Young people are also drawn to its leaders. Hillsong Television, its messages, and its presence on social media also helped. The church also uses merchandising and focuses on children.

Church Leadership

Hillsong Church is led by the Hillsong Global Board and a group of elders. The elders guide the church spiritually. The board of directors handles the church's business side. Since 2022, Pastors Phil and Lucinda Dooley have led the church.

The founders, Brian and Bobbie Houston, were the global senior pastors. In January 2022, Phil and Lucinda Dooley became acting global senior pastors. This happened after Brian Houston stepped down. Brian Houston also resigned from his role as chairman of the board in January 2022. George Aghajanian is the General Manager. He is also a director of Hillsong Church Australia and its international groups.

In March 2022, Brian Houston resigned from the board and his role as global senior pastor.

Locations and Ministries

Hillsong has churches and ministries all over the world. These include Australia, Indonesia, Japan, many European countries, Canada, the US, South Africa, and countries in Latin America. As of February 2022, they are in Argentina, Brazil, Mexico, and Uruguay.

Hillsong has many different ministries. These include Hillsong Music, Hillsong Kids, Hillsong Youth, and Hillsong Sisterhood. Other ministries are Hillsong Men, Hillsong Conference, Hillsong CityCare, and Hillsong International Leadership College. They also have TV & Film, Hillsong Performing Arts Academy, and Hillsong Health Centre. Their buildings and facilities are estimated to be worth around A$100 million.

Hillsong College

Hillsong International Leadership College has two campuses. These grew from the two original churches that became Hillsong Church. The colleges aim to offer courses in ministry and leadership. They focus on the creative arts and practical ministry training.

The Sydney college was first founded in 1983. It was called the "International Institute for Creative Ministries" (IICM). In 1988, Hills Christian Life Centre started its own training program under IICM. This program later became the Hills Leadership College.

In 2000, the Sydney college joined with the Hills Leadership College. They became Hillsong International Leadership College. By 2007, about 900 full-time students were enrolled. Most of these students were from other countries.

In late 2016, the college shortened its name to Hillsong College. As of 2022, it has campuses in Sydney and Phoenix, Arizona. It also offers online courses.

Hillsong Sisterhood

Bobbie Houston has been very important in Hillsong's ministry for women, called Sisterhood. She guides many of Hillsong's women leaders. The church believes its ministries help "empower" women.

Research shows that these ministries encourage women to start businesses. They also help women get promotions at work. They support women's involvement in cultural events. Women's voices in religious teaching and public life are also promoted. Church members say that women move from supportive roles to leadership roles within the church. The Sisterhood works on issues like HIV/AIDS and domestic violence.

Their midweek gathering is mainly for women. All female staff members attend this meeting. It forms the basis of Hillsong's women's ministries. A Thursday meeting for mothers includes businesswomen. Special quarterly "Sisterhood United" night meetings include working women.

Hillsong in Australia

Hillsong has many locations across Australia. As of February 2022, in New South Wales, they have churches in Baulkham Hills and Sydney city. They also have locations in various suburbs, Newcastle, and Wollongong. There are also churches in major cities in other states, except for South Australia. Globally, Hillsong has churches in 30 countries. They report 150,000 regular attendees worldwide.

Avalon Theatre

In 2020, Hillsong bought the historic Avalon Theatre in Hobart, Tasmania. The theatre underwent renovations in 2022.

Hillsong CityCare

In 1986, a community service program called CityCare was started in New South Wales. It offers various services to the community. These include personal development programs and counselling. It also provides a health centre and youth mentoring. CityCare's "street teams" help care for, feed, and clothe people experiencing homelessness.

In July 2008, some concerns were raised about the Hillsong City Care Shine program for girls. This program was run in public schools and community groups. Hillsong stated that parents supported the program. They also said it helped break down barriers in group situations.

Beliefs of Hillsong

Hillsong was previously connected to the Australian Christian Churches. This group is part of Pentecostal Christianity. The church's beliefs are Evangelical and charismatic.

Hillsong has diverse views on some less central religious topics. However, individuals have shared public opinions on many current Christian issues. These views often align with mainstream Pentecostalism. For example, the church's founder supports teaching creationism in schools. Hillsong also supports Creationism and Intelligent Design. They believe these should be taught in schools.

Hillsong's teachings on prosperity have been discussed by Christian leaders. Later, some leaders expressed satisfaction with changes Brian Houston made to Hillsong's teachings.

Media and Events

Hillsong Music

Hillsong Conference 2021 logo

Hillsong's music has been described as a mix of smart marketing and popular music. The music of Hillsong United and Hillsong Worship has made Hillsong popular worldwide. In the 1980s and 1990s, the church grew greatly. It became a major influence in contemporary worship music. This was due to clever marketing aimed at younger generations. Hillsong also successfully became a global music standard.

Hillsong Church has released over 40 albums. These albums have sold more than 11 million copies. Albums are made for different groups, like Hillsong Kids for children. Hillsong Chapel features acoustic music, which is calmer than Hillsong's usual electric guitar and drums. Hillsong's albums are produced by Hillsong Music Australia. The church's music has been the main reason for its influence in the Charismatic Christianity movement.

Music is a very important part of worship at the church. Hillsong's worship leaders are well-known internationally. Early leaders included Geoff Bullock and Darlene Zschech. Darlene Zschech was Hillsong's second worship leader. Hillsong gained international fame during her time. Her song "Shout to the Lord" was an early hit in the mid-1990s. In 2008, Reuben Morgan became Hillsong's third worship leader.

Hillsong's worship music has influenced many churches, not just Pentecostal ones. Many of Hillsong's worship styles are now used in Evangelical churches. These include raising hands, vocal expressions, and dance. Hillsong Music has released over 40 albums since 1992. Many of them have reached gold status in Australia. One album, People Just Like Us, reached platinum status. The church's 2004 live album For All You've Done was number one on the mainstream Australian album charts.

In September 2012, Hillsong created The Global Project. This was a collection of their most popular songs released in nine different languages.

Hillsong Worship

The Hillsong Worship albums were previously called Hillsong Live. They were led by Darlene Zschech and Reuben Morgan. All these albums achieved gold status in Australia. The live album series was recorded at the Sydney campus. Then, Hillsong Music Australia edited and produced them. In 1999, an agreement with Warner Music Australia helped Hillsong Music become more mainstream. In 2003, Sony Music Australia also signed with Hillsong Music. In 2018, Hillsong Worship won its first Grammy Award. This was for "What a Beautiful Name".

Hillsong United

Hillsong United started as the youth part of the worship ministry. They produced annual live albums, similar to Hillsong Live. Their music focused on alternative rock. As the members grew older, United became a band. It now has an eleven-member lineup of Hillsong musicians. They focus more on studio albums. Their song "Oceans (Where Feet May Fail)" was number one on the Billboard Hot Christian Songs list for a full year. It was the top Christian song in 2014 and 2016. It was also the number one song of the 2010s decade. Joel Houston, Hillsong's creative director, leads Hillsong United.

Hillsong Young & Free

Hillsong Young & Free was created in 2012. It is a newer youth branch of Hillsong's ministry. Hillsong Church has been good at changing its music style. This helps them keep up with new music trends. Hillsong Young & Free was launched to attract postmillennial youth. Their music style includes elements of electronic dance music. This style is popular with their target audience. Laura Toggs and Peter Toganivalu were the founders of this group.

Hillsong Kids

Hillsong Kids creates music for and by Hillsong's children's ministry. The albums Jesus Is My Superhero and Super Strong God were listed among the "Best Christian Children's Albums" in 2005 and 2006. These lists were published in Christianity Today.

Hillsong Television

In late March 2022, Network 10 removed Hillsong-produced TV shows. These were taken off its schedules and video on demand service 10Play. This happened during discussions involving Brian Houston. Since then, Brian Houston has announced a new online church for 2024. It will offer weekly services through an online platform.

Hillsong Channel

On March 9, 2016, Trinity Broadcasting Network (TBN) announced a partnership with Hillsong. TBN's channel, The Church Channel, was renamed Hillsong Channel on June 1, 2016. The American channel was renamed TBN Inspire on January 1, 2022. International versions followed in April 2022. Hillsong remains a partner in the network. TBN has decided to remove Hillsong Channel from their network. It has been replaced by similar Christian content. Instead of the channel, they will provide non-pulpit teachings, worship programs, documentaries, and a one-hour main program.

Hillsong Conference

The Hillsong Conference is a week-long annual event. It is held in Sydney, London, and New York City each year. It started in 1986. As of January 2022, it has become the largest annual conference in Australia.

Hillsong Church hosts the Australian conference. It features various guests from around the world. A Baptist minister, Michael Frost, described the 2011 conference. He said it had "a kind of electric, almost carnival atmosphere." He noted that "the delegates were full of anticipation and excitement."

In 2014, the New York event was held in Madison Square Garden. The London conference was held at The O2 Arena for three days. It has continued to be held at this venue until at least 2018.

Media Appearances

On September 16, 2016, a documentary called Hillsong: Let Hope Rise was released in cinemas. The film explores Hillsong's beginnings. It also shows its rise to becoming an international church. The movie focuses on the band Hillsong United. It shows them writing songs for their new album. It also shows them preparing for a performance in Inglewood, California.

In 2022–2023, several programs about Hillsong were aired. In March 2022, Discovery+ released a documentary series. It was called Hillsong: A Megachurch Exposed. In March 2023, The Betoota Advocate released a satirical series. It included an episode about Hillsong. The Herald Sun produced a podcast called Faith on Trial. In June of that year, former Hillsong member Marc Fennell presented The Kingdom on SBS Television.

FX: The Secrets of Hillsong

On May 19, 2023, Hulu released a four-part documentary series. It was called The Secrets of Hillsong. The series was released in the United States and Australia. It was directed by Stacy Lee. The episodes discuss various topics related to Hillsong Church. These topics focus on the United States and Australia. The series includes conversations and interviews. These are with former church members, journalists, and former pastors.

The show starts by introducing former pastor Carl Lentz. It describes how he helped create a revival in New York City. This was through their new location, Hillsong NYC, which opened in 2010. The church quickly grew into a large church. It started attracting many famous people. These included Justin Bieber and the Kardashian-Jenner family. In 2020, the church's reputation began to decline. People started sharing their experiences with Hillsong Church.

Political Connections

Hillsong Church has received support from well-known politicians. This is especially true from the Liberal Party of Australia. In 1998, Brian Houston met with the Prime Minister of Australia, John Howard. They met at Parliament House in Canberra. In 2002, Howard opened the Hillsong Convention Centre. In 2004 and 2005, the Treasurer of Australia, Peter Costello, spoke at its annual conferences.

Hillsong's close involvement with political leaders has been discussed in the media. Publicly, the church has said it does not support specific political groups or parties. Brian Houston has explained this by saying, "I think people need to understand the difference between the church being very involved in politics and individual Christians being involved in politics."

In 2008, a Sydney magazine stated that Hillsong had given A$600. This was for tickets to a fundraising dinner for a politician. Hillsong denied that this was a donation. They stated that "Hillsong Church does not make financial contributions to or align itself with any political party or candidate." However, records from the New South Wales Electoral Commission showed the money as a donation.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison opened the 2019 Hillsong annual conference. This was shortly after the May 2019 federal election. He is not a member of Hillsong. He is part of the Horizon Church's congregation.