Hillsong is a multi-million dollar Christian phenomenon. Its founder, Brian Houston, became a religious rockstar. Now he’s facing a Sydney courtroom. How did the church get here? Discover the gripping new podcast.
From humble beginnings in a suburban Sydney warehouse to an international pentecostal powerhouse, Hillsong has changed the world around it, filling stadiums with screaming congregations and counting politicians, business tycoons and A-list celebrities among it true believers.
DO YOU KNOW MORE?: Contact stephen.drill@news.com.au or andrea.thiis-evensen@news.com.au
Talking to one of those believers, who’s since turned her back on Hillsong, reporter Stephen Drill found himself asking: How did the church get so powerful? And is Hillsong really everything it claims to be?
On his journey to find out the truth, Stephen follows the money, exposing disturbing claims of worker exploitation, complicated consensual sexual relationships and a culture where women are allegedly told to physically submit to their husbands.
A ground-breaking eight-part investigation, Faith on Trial will leave you asking what you can believe in.
Faith on Trial is available with a subscription and features exclusive audio and video interviews and award-winning journalism. You can get it by downloading your local News Corp title news app via the App Store.
WARNING: Podcast contains strong language.
LISTEN TO EPISODE ONE BELOW:
Hillsong’s Rise to Global Megachurch Dominance; how founder Brian Houston took over the world.
Are Hillsong’s faithful willing volunteers or simply being exploited?
LISTEN TO EPISODE TWO BELOW:
God wants you to be rich. He also wants you to give 10 per cent of your money to the church.
LISTEN TO EPISODE THREE BELOW:
What it’s like to lose yourself inside a Hillsong service.
LISTEN TO EPISODE FOUR BELOW:
What happened when a New York pastor met a girl, ruining his own life and rocking the faith of his followers.
LISTEN TO EPISODE FIVE BELOW:
What really happened in the Pullman Hotel when Brian Houston knocked on the wrong room door.
LISTEN TO EPISODE SIX BELOW:
What Hillsong teaches its young female students about sex.
LISTEN TO EPISODE SEVEN BELOW:
Inside the courtroom where Brian Houston has pleaded not guilty to a charge of concealing his own father’s child sex abuse.
LISTEN TO EPISODE EIGHT BELOW:
Hillsong loses $100k a week amid ATO investigation
The crippling finances have been exposed in new financial documents, with the Christian megachurch losing an eye-watering $5 million in just one year.
Hillsong twist as Brian Houston starts new church
The megachurch is making a major change to its complaints process amid a tax office investigation into whistleblower documents that was examined in Faith on Trial podcast.