Hillsong founder Brian Houston has issued an apology for engaging in inappropriate behavior with two women, resulting in his resignation late last month.
Houston, who founded Hillsong Church in 1983, had sent "inappropriate" text messages to a woman who, at the time, was a Hillsong staffer, and in 2019, spent nearly an hour inside another woman's hotel room while he was intoxicated and on prescription medications.
Houston resigned from his position as Hillsong's global senior pastor on March 23 after an investigation into the two complaints by the Hillsong Board concluded that he had breached its Pastor's Code of Conduct.
In an email obtained by Eternity, Houston apologized to his wife, Bobbie, and Hillsong members for his misconduct.
Houston also acknowledged that he has not "coped very well" amid the recent charges levied against him for allegedly concealing his father's sex abuse crimes, noting that he has turned to alcohol to cope with the turmoil.
"Over many years of constant pressure, opposition, challenges, and attacks accompanied by my personal turmoil over my father's evil, many people have asked – "How do you continue to get up, cope, and keep going?" And now we know the answer. I haven't coped very well at all. I openly admit that alcohol has been no friend, and I am determined to relegate it to my past."
Nevertheless, Houston contended that "God is not finished with me yet" and asserted he has "no intention of retiring."
"As Bobbie would say, 'the final chapters of our lives are not yet written'," he added.
"Thank you for the immense honour of pastoring Hillsong Church these past 39 years. What a journey," Houston concluded. "What wonderful memories and joy. What powerful testimonies and stories of Christ's transformation and grace. I still believe "the best is yet to come,"… and our prayer for your health, well-being and God's perfect Will in your life continues."
Following Houston's resignation and amid the growing scandals within the global megachurch, several Hillsong pastors have recently stepped down from their positions.
Related:
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Hillsong Founder Brian Houston Resigns as Global Senior Pastor
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Milton Quintanilla is a freelance writer and content creator. He is a contributing writer for CrosswalkHeadlines and the host of the For Your Soul Podcast, a podcast devoted to sound doctrine and biblical truth. He holds a Masters of Divinity from Alliance Theological Seminary.
