Faith on Trial podcast: Hillsong College under fire as demands in non-disclosure agreements emerge
As Brian and Bobbie Houston start the next chapter of their life together, new detail has emerged about what Hillsong expects of its new members.
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A national education watchdog says it is prepared to probe into Christian megachurch Hillsong College’s entrance practices.
The Christian school has been the subject of criticism by a number of former students for asking new entrants questions about their sex lives on an application form.
A leaked video also reveals students are required to sign non-disclosure agreements preventing them from talking about some details of college life with their “own family”.
Hillsong College, in the Sydney suburb Norwest, offers TAFE and university courses in ministry and theology.
The Australian Skills Quality Authority, which oversees TAFE institutions, says it will look into claims made by whistleblowers in the Faith On Trial podcast, which was released on Sunday.
The podcast also revealed that, in a separate development, Hillsong had been referred to police by independent Federal MP Andrew Wilkie over a woman’s claims that married women were taught to physically “submit” to their husbands.
Another education body, the Tertiary Education Quality and Standards Agency, which regulates university courses, has also urged anyone who felt mistreated at Hillsong College to contact them and make a complaint.
“Based on information received, ASQA will be engaging with Hillsong College to understand its performance and compliance with the Standards for Registered Training Providers (2015) and the National Code,” a spokesperson for the The Australian Skills Quality Authority said
“Fit and Proper Person declarations are required for all owners, certain executive officers and all high managerial agents, who are employees or agents of the registered training organisation with duties of such responsibility that their conduct may be assumed to represent the organisation”.
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Hillsong runs its undergraduate courses in conjunction with Alphacrucis University College, which has locations in Parramatta, Melbourne, Brisbane, Perth, Hobart, Adelaide and New Zealand.
Alphacrucis received almost $300,000 in government funding in the 2022 financial year, the Department of Employment and Workplace Relations said.
The Tertiary Education Quality and Standards Agency, which regulates university courses, said Alphacrucis University College, as the registered provider, was responsible for ensuring the “wellbeing” of students at Hillsong College.
“While we have not received any complaints from current or former Hillsong College students, any Hillsong student who is concerned the TEQSA Act or Higher Education Standards Framework (HES Framework) have not been followed can raise a concern with us via our website.” a Tesqa statement said.
Hillsong has a warning for new students about divulging information to outsiders, and requires them to sign a non-disclosure agreement.
The details of the non-disclosure agreement are explained in a video for new students.
“The non-disclosure agreement is just for you to understand that while you are part of our church, and part of our college, there is information, resources, and things that you will be involved in that you are required to, you know be confidential about, and not share those resources freely with other people,” the students are told.
“They’re actually HIllsong church’s resources or Hillsong College’s resources.
“They may have confidentiality attached. So just understand that you actually are not freely able to share those resources with other people even in your own family.
“So that’s all just laid out there for you to agree and to sign and to understand before you, um, start on your journey with us.”
It comes as Bobbie and Brian Houston are starting a new life outside of Hillsong.
Mrs Houston has been selling the former power couple’s clothes on Instagram, where a pair of Frye New York boots, which retails for “$699USD”, was advertised for $499.
“Good size: 9.5 to wear with socks for size 8 women’s,” Mrs Houston posted.
An Ermenegildo Zegna suit, with an inside pocket label that says “exclusively for Brian Houston” was also up for grabs.
The Houstons listed their home in Sydney’s leafy suburb of Glenhaven for $4.5 million last year.
Mrs Houston posted they were selling the clothes, and their sofa, because they were moving.
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