A Review on “Hillsong: A Megachurch Exposed”

In 1926, writer Sinclair Lewis released a novel entitled, “Elmer Gantry”. The novel chronicled the life of a minister (Elmer Gantry) who was enamored with “the girls, the gold, and the glory”, as reflected in midwestern, American revivalism of the early 20^th century. My introduction to this book was an assigned reading for me in a graduate school philosophy class. Since the class was attended by mostly aspiring young ministers, the professor thought it might be a good springboard for us to discuss its premise and ethical challenge. My point is not to synopsize the book’s content. Personally, I would recommend every minister read the book and absorb the affect. (The 1960 movie with Burt Lancaster was nowhere close to providing the same impact.) The book’s lasting impact has affected me for close to 40 years.

I open this review of the newest religious expose’ on Discovery Plus, “Hillsong: A Megachurch Exposed”, by mentioning Lewis’ 1926 novel because at the time of its publication the book was considered a “hit piece”. Despite its commercial success (for who doesn’t like salacious expose’s?), the book actually created a public uproar. The book was banned in Boston and in other cities. Lewis was threatened with physical violence. It was denounced from pulpits across the United States as a demonic strategy to undermine revivalism. Evangelist, Billy Sunday called Lewis, “Satan’s Cohort” and it was suggested by numerous pastors that Lewis be imprisoned for 5 years for such writing. Many considered Lewis an agent of the devil. Others considered him the torch of needed transparency.

This newest documentary on Hillsong Church has caused no less concern or furor. Is it a hit piece spawned of the devil -or- is it bringing needful light to provide a righteous cleansing from the Lord Himself? Sadly, the stories are nothing new with regards to celebrity ministerial collapse. Whether it be historically or in recent years, Pentecostalism, Fundamentalism, and Evangelicalism has appeared to have more than its fair share of spectacular ministry collapses. I was a pastor in the 1980’s as the world watched the falls of Bakker, Swaggart, and Gorman televised on Ted Koppel’s ABC Nightline. Many can still remember the falls of Ted Haggard, Ravi Zacharias, and Bill Gothard as the media blitz to capture their stories was in full blown expose’ mode. I could list other more contemporary and relevant names to further illustrate the breakdowns within mega-ministry, but let it suffice to say that it is embarrassingly too many.

The last several years has been tumultuous for certain megachurches and their brand. It has not only touched the globally influential Hillsong brand but has touched my own local church. So, allow me to say at the start, this article is not done with any animus on my part. The accusations, reverberations, and relational fallout are all heart wrenching and heartbreaking. And no matter who you choose to believe in these stories or where you land in the shakings that are going on, something is awry. Something is very, very wrong.

This Hillsong expose’, while raising some important questions and providing what I believe some much-needed light to megachurch life, also needs to be reviewed and analyzed. As the people of God, we need to discern with accuracy not only what is true or false, but what lessons is God trying to teach His people. Our shame and embarrassment before a watching world needs to produce a more consecrated, pure, and discerning people.

There are 3 areas of analysis that were brought to mind as I watched this expose’. I am sure there may be more, but I will focus only on these:

The Sad Need for Expose’

The question that has arisen in almost every instance of public exposure is when and how to approach correction and possible unveiling of such shenanigans. When does silence and “covering”, out of respect for people’s privacy and the potential immaturity of some sheep, actually become a “cover-up” to a sickness which needs to be exposed? When is a journalistic expose’ a needful medicine for our hidden sins within the Church or a “hit-piece” which simply increases our readership, exploits people’s personal sin and brokenness for profit, or feeds our sick curiosity when people collapse? When is the coverage of these megachurch disasters an attack of the enemy or a judgment from God?

These questions become even more acute in an era of social media journalism and widescale immaturity with such a powerful tool of communication at everyone’s fingertips. With one click of a “post”, we all can become social media commentators who use calamity to spout off our opinions and get our “pound of flesh”. (And here I am apparently spring boarding off the debacles for my own blog. Am I as confused as everyone else?)

Let me start by saying that the Apostle Paul found himself communicating widely about certain problem people and situations in his own letters (Demas, Hymenaeus, Alexander, Philetos, and Alexander the Coppersmith to name but a few.). These people have been memorialized in Scripture for all eternity. I would say that eclipses a Discovery Plus Documentary. Paul could not be accused of producing a “hit-piece” since the Holy Spirit enshrined and established such remarks under the endorsement of “inspiration”. Furthermore, Paul is clear that an elder is to be rebuked publicly as an example to all (I Timothy 5:20). James reiterates this to some degree by stating, “My brethren, let not many of you become teachers, knowing that we shall receive a stricter judgment.” (James 3:1)

But I know what some are saying…

That was Paul…

That was James…

These people writing articles and producing documentaries today aren’t in their league, nor are they functioning under the same inspiration as the Canon.

OK…

Fair critique…

But is there no principle or precept Paul and James were demonstrating for those saints to follow found within their scriptural expose’? I would suggest there are indeed precepts to follow. Heretics and divisive people should be exposed. To allow error and heterodoxy to remain unchallenged is itself sin to both the individual and the Church. The same should be said of abuse and harm, especially to children, or financial malfeasance. These things cannot be hidden from a clear and public view. Matthew 18 is not a trump card for celebrity pastors to get a pass on confrontation when there is no chance of a person getting a personal audience. So, the question really isn’t, “Should celebrity ministers be corrected or disqualified?”; but rather, “How should celebrity ministers (or any minister) be corrected or disqualified?” No one, no matter how high profile that pastor may be, is beyond the possibility of rebuke and correction.

However, how does an ordinary person breakthrough the insulation of celebrity ministers? How do you breakthrough their personal security, layers of staff, and the general feeling of being “untouchable”?

Sadly, it falls to public expose’.

When ancient Israel ignored the prophets, God always had the Philistines, Amalekites, Jebusites, or the like; come to judge the people of God. It is no different in our era. If ministers and ministries refuse to be corrected and accountable through godly people and processes internally, then a Philistine journalist may be the arm of God. I can say with no small degree of certainty that when celebrity pastors and churches fall under the scrutiny of investigative journalists, it is almost always after numerous “shots across their bow”, concerning the area of concern. Sin isn’t shouted from the housetops instantly, but if unaddressed, it will eventually get shouted. God will not be mocked.

While I am sad for Hillsong on several levels, if only a fraction of what was reported has any legitimacy, there is a systemic problem within that organization. No one is too big for correction. And even in the fallout articles which have been recently posted, it appears that there were pastors internally attempting to speak to these problems. I do not rejoice over “hit piece” journalism or rejoice watching the strong man stumble, but sadly, when God’s name is at stake, He will use any means necessary to vindicate His holiness and righteousness.

LESSON: Have organizational processes and credible points of accountability that always provide safety for ministers and members.

Serving, Slavery, Sex, and a Standard

The weakest parts of the expose’ revolved around these four concepts. The Lord certainly calls us to serve His Church, His people, and others (voluntarily), yet we are not to be enslaved or unrighteously bound to unrealistic expectations of leaders. As one high profile minister is quoted as saying, “It is hard to be a pastor who is tasked with caring and legitimate concern towards a congregant while at the same time being an employer and exercising legitimate management expectations and work direction to that some congregant who may be on staff.”

As I listened to the stories and complaints of ex-staff, I found some of the incidents uncompelling and honestly, some of it was presented as simply a juxtaposition of (specifically) Carl Lentz’s failure. (ie. Carl had an expectation of others early in his ministry which he himself violated at the end of his ministry. It provided a better context for the producers to illustrate inconsistency and hypocrisy.) This was especially seen as the woman who attended Wave Church, confessed to sleeping with her boyfriend and was offended by being “set down from the choir” for 6 months. The biblical leadership fact is that sexual failure of those in visibility does demand correction and this testimony tended to undermine some of the more serious and egregious points which were being made. Obviously, any sexual interaction of a pastor towards anyone outside of their spouse is legitimate reason for ministerial correction and possibly disqualification (Details matter). The fact that Carl Lentz was eventually fired demonstrates this principle. The problem, if accurate, was the over-sexualized culture of Hillsong/East Coast which was never addressed. The standard was never presented nor enforced. Hence, the problems. The report of pedophilia (or lack of reporting) committed by Brian Houston’s father was incredibly concerning. This report stands alone in many ways and is a justifiable disappointment on every level imaginable. Kids are to be protected at all costs.

The culture of service v. slavery is a bit dicier to diagnose and discern. However, the point is legitimate as to what are the permissible expectations a church or pastor can place on a member who is volunteering to serve. This may be even a greater point of sensitivity as young adults, who are lacking experience in evaluating such things, are solicited into service.

LESSON: Develop volunteer job descriptions, time expectations, and clear behavioral expectations to enumerate expectations of the volunteers and the ability to affirm or reject. It also can serve as a metric for later evaluations.

The Branding of a Wineskin

Those who live by a brand, may die by the brand. Just ask the Disney Company as they are trying to navigate their latest fiasco of opposing parents who want to know when their 5–9-year-olds want to have a conversation about sexual matters. Disney is aligning with those who espouse secrecy from parents. Investors are selling off stocks in droves as the Disney ship is sailing towards the iceberg of cultural disdain. There was a time the Disney brand was the gold standard in entertainment. It is quickly becoming the symbol of predators.

Up to recently, Hillsong was the gold standard in church music, structure, and resourcing. It is quickly collapsing. Churches which proudly displayed the moniker, “Hillsong Family Church” on their outside signage are quickly finding ways to remove it or cover it. Websites are down removing any remnant of a relationship to Hillsong. It’s the downside of associating with a brand. When the brand is gold, everyone wants it. When the brand is toxic, it splashes on you.

I am hoping that this is a moment we non-denominational, Pentecostal, evangelicals, can have a great ecclesiology discussion about the structure and function of the local church. Honestly, I am not sure how that happens. Our tendency is to sweep collapse under the rug and keep motoring forward believing “that was them and that won’t be me”. I have concluded after years of quiet suspicion and silent concern, that the megachurch model of success and branding may not be the best direction for the future and indeed, could be problematic for the Church in the West. Could I be wrong? Perhaps, I’ve been wrong before. But who is asking the hard questions and how many broken bodies must be laying on the road before we ask them? I have friends who pastor megachurches. They are good, decent, and honorable men. However, maybe there is something inherently wrong with CEO/Corporation churches. Can we explore what is going on without being shamed into silence or being labeled as divisive?

LESSON: Biblical structure and function is as critical as doctrinal fidelity. What are the real metrics to evaluate Kingdom success and effectiveness?

I suppose the real test as we see the shaking of mega-ministries and celebrity pastors will be our own hearts and how we handle what is taking place before our eyes. Correction, even judgment, are all qualities that God can and will dispense at His discretion. As for us, we might do well to remember an obscure verse out of an equally obscure book:

You should not have gloated over the misfortune of your relatives in Judah. You should not have been glad on the day of their ruin. You should not have laughed at them in their distress. You should not have entered the city of my people to gloat over their suffering and to seize their riches on the day of their disaster. You should not have stood at the crossroads to catch those trying to escape. You should not have handed them over to the enemy on the day of their distress. “The day is near when I, the Lord, will judge all nations. Edom, what you have done will be done to you. You will get back what you have given.

Obadiah 1:12-15 GNT

As God does what only God can do, let us all remember to lament what we see and not gloat over misfortune and ruin. Yes, victims need vindicated. Perpetrators need justice. The Church needs cleansing. And we all need humility.