David Hardaker Offers an Inside Story the Rise & Fall of Brian Houston and Hillsong Church

David Hardaker is an experienced Walkley Award-winning investigative journalist who has worked for Four Corners, 7.30, Foreign Correspondent and 60 Minutes, has just released his new book Mine is the Kingdom: The rise and fall of Brian Houston and the Hillsong Church. 

In 2023 the curtain finally came down on Brian Houston. The rock star of Pentecostalism, former Global Senior Pastor of Hillsong Church, was acquitted of concealing his father's sexual abuse of a minor, but it was too late. His glittering megachurch had disowned him. How had it come to this? And how did Hillsong, the brightest star of international evangelical Christianity, fall to earth so spectacularly?

Following in his father Frank's footsteps, Brian led Hillsong to become the nation's biggest and loudest Pentecostal church, built on the millions donated by its followers. He would hold audiences of 20,000 in the palm of his hand with a powerful message from God: You need more money.

Houston took his church worldwide, and even made it into the White House. Justin Bieber and several Kardashians were Hillsong regulars. Politicians courted Hillsong, with its magnetic appeal to aspirational Australians, and the church's story became entwined with that of Australia's first Pentecostal prime minister, Scott Morrison, who looked to Brian Houston as a key spiritual influence.

But just as Houston's kingdom was at the very height of its powers, it dramatically fell apart when the church's dirty secrets came tumbling out. Behind the scenes a secret insurrection, led by young Christian women, had mobilised. Journalist David Hardaker had been investigating the Hillsong phenomenon for several years, gaining unparalleled access to former insiders, when he received a tip-off. Something big was going down . . . 

Hillsong is known for its music. While music production is not central to the book, one chapter begins with former music pastor Geoff Bullock, who left his ABC job in the late 1980s to work for Hillsong full-time. He left the church in 1995, after 12 years, deciding he no longer shared its vision. 

This chapter also introduces Nabi Saleh, former co-owner of Gloria Jeans coffee chain, who is described as a "fabulously wealthy" donor and key advisor to Houston. Hardaker shows how the business interests of Gloria Jeans and Hillsong were often "symbiotic", with coffee shops on site at Hillsong churches and Gloria Jeans franchises owned by Hillsong attendees (who returned financial tithes or donations to the church).

He details how Saleh cultivated relationships with leading American evangelical preachers, including two, Casey Treat and Rick Godwin (also authors and motivational speakers) who were "among the most influential" in Houston's life.

You can purchase the book HERE.

 

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