Less than a week after Hillsong Church’s board announced that Global Senior Pastor Brian Houston had “breached the Hillsong Pastor’s Code of Conduct” regarding two separate occasions involving inappropriate behavior toward two women, the board announced that Houston has resigned.
In a statement released on March 23, 2022, Hillsong Church’s board shared that they have accepted Houston’s resignation.
“We understand there will be much emotion at this news, and we all share these feelings,” the board said. “Irrespective of the circumstances around this, we can all agree that Brian and Bobbie have served God faithfully over many decades and that their ministry has resulted in millions of people across the world being impacted by the power, grace, and love of Jesus Christ.”
The board explained how grateful they are for Brian and his wife Bobbie’s obedience and commitment to God to build what Hillsong Church is today and asked for continued prayers for the Houston family as they navigate these challenging times.
Speaking to the future of Hillsong Church and its leadership, the board said, “As you can appreciate, there is still much to be done and our church leadership continues seeking God for His wisdom as we set the course for the future.”
The board acknowledged that change is needed and revealed they have asked an independent review for guidance, saying, “We have committed to an independent review of our governance structure and processes, understanding that this is a time of humble reflection and we are committed to doing what is necessary to ensure God is honored, and our eyes are fixed on Jesus.”
The statement concluded by asking for support and prayers from the Hillsong Church family.
Houston announced last September that he was stepping down from his role on the Hillsong Church boards so they could function at full capacity while he dealt with the allegations of concealing child sex offenses relating to his father that were brought against him by the New South Wales Police Force (NSWPF) following an investigation. Houston pleaded not guilty to the charges in October 2021.
Still preaching through the rest of 2021, Houston made an announcement during a Sunday morning worship service via video recording on January 30, 2022, that he would step aside as Hillsong Church’s pastor for the rest of 2022 in order to focus on the charges the NSWPF had brought against him.
Less than two months after Houston announced his 2022 sabbatical, the board shared why they didn’t release a statement regarding their global senior pastor’s announcement. They shared that although the reasons for Houston gave for his sabbatical were genuine, the board had been investigating two separate complaints from women that violated Hillsong Pastor’s Code of Conduct that had taken place in the last 10 years.
