Hillsong founders Brian and Bobbie Houston launch new online church

Eighteen months after being ousted from the church they built, Hillsong founders Brian and Bobbie Houston launch a new family venture – and it looks nothing like the church they once commanded.

Hillsong founder Brian Houston (right), his wife Bobbie and son Joel. Brian and Bobbie have announced their next move after leaving the church they built from the ground up.

Far from the bright lights and loud music that made Hillsong a global phenomenon, its founding family are now pursuing far humbler ministries.

Under the canny stewardship of founder Brian Houston and his wife Bobbie, Hillsong exploded from its humble beginnings at Baulkham Hills Public School in 1983 into a global megachurch with 150,000 members in 30 countries.

It all toppled down almost overnight when Mr Houston was ousted by the church’s board in March 2022 over multiple findings of misconduct.

Eighteen months on, life looks very different for Hillsong’s founding family.

The Houstons have launched an online ministry called JesusFollowers.tv, where they stream prerecorded sermons on Facebook and YouTube.

Mr Houston’s first sermon a month ago had 5000 views on YouTube.

His sermon on Sunday was streamed less than 100 times in any of their multiple time slots, in a distinct departure from the services of many thousands to which the Houstons were once accustomed.

An Instagram post spruiking the Houstons’ new ministry.

“What is Jesus Followers? It’s church,” Mr Houston said.

“We’re happy to start doing the difficult work, start where we’re at, whether it’s one person, a hundred, a thousand, a hundred thousand people, whatever.

“When you pioneer, you start from the ground up, and you build one person, one family, one conversion to Jesus Christ, one Jesus Follower at a time.”

Mr Houston said they would also look at running men and women’s events, and small groups, on Zoom.

Only their eldest son Joel remains affiliated with Hillsong through their Hillsong United music ministry, while he works on a separate music project titled Amxnradio.

Joel Houston in New York in 2017. Picture: Mike Pont/WireImage

Their second son Ben, who launched Hillsong in California, now works at California’s Oceans Church, and at a business called Overflow which is “innovating church giving”.

The Houstons’ only daughter Laura and her husband Peter Toganivalu, long thought to be the church’s heirs apparent, walked away from Hillsong in May last year.

The Toganivalus’ new church, Parable, meets at Pacific Hills Christian School in Dural – a mere 10km away from Hillsong’s global headquarters.

Laura Toganivalu at a launch event for Parable Church in October 2023.

In their most recent online sermon, Mr Houston confirmed Parable is their Australian home church, and Oceans where their son Ben works is their American home church.

In a July episode of American pastor Rich Wilkerson Jr’s podcast, Ms Toganivalu reflected on what Mr Wilkerson Jr referred to as a “strange few years” for Hillsong.

“When I finished up at Hillsong, my whole identity was challenged … you can’t help but go, who am I without this?” Ms Toganivalu said.

“We sensed God speaking to us, you are called, you are anointed, to lead the church, and to build the church, and to love the church.

“It’s not just something that was asked of us from my parents … we made this decision ourselves because we heard from God.”

Brian Houston at the Hillsong Atlanta grand opening in 2021 Picture: Marcus Ingram/Getty Images

Mr Toganivalu had his own intriguing take on the “strange few years” of Hillsong.

“One lesson I’ve taken away from this last season, there’s not just one side to a story, so many narratives have been created,” Mr Toganivalu reflected.

“At the end of the day my takeaway was … the most important narrative you ever hear is the one you tell yourself.”

The 2019 Hillsong conference.

The Houstons’ departure from Hillsong in the wake of the misconduct allegations against its founding pastor sent shockwaves through the church’s global network.

“The first issue was approximately a decade ago and involved inappropriate text messages from Pastor Brian to a member of staff,” the church’s board said in an email to congregants.

The second issue involved a complaint received in 2019.

“It was found that Pastor Brian became disoriented after a session at the Hillsong Conference, following the consumption of anti-anxiety medication beyond the prescribed dose, mixed with alcohol,” the board said.

“This resulted in him knocking on the door of a hotel room that was not his, entering this room and spending time with the female occupant.”

Brian Houston preaching in London.

The board said an integrity unit found not all parts of the complaint could be substantiated – but elements that were constituted a breach of the Hillsong Pastors Code of Conduct.

“To every single wonderful person who has called Hillsong Church home, I have let you down so badly, and sorry will never be enough to express my sorrow,” Mr Houston wrote in an email upon his resignation.

“I am determined that my mistakes will not define me.”

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Originally published as Hillsong founders Brian and Bobbie Houston launch new online church