By: Natasha Archary
Head of Hillsong Church, Brian Houston has stepped down from his role at the church ahead of his criminal trial.
Houston has been implicated in his father’s child sexual abuse case and accused of concealing information.
He was charged in August 2021 and the trial is expected to run for much of 2022.
The Australian Global Senior Pastor and President of Hillsong Church made the decision to step down after consulting with the church’s leadership and legal counsel.
His father, Frank Houston who was also a pastor at Assemblies of God Church.
He was accused of sexually abusing a boy in the 1970s and died in 2004.
Authorities found that Brian Houston found out about his father’s sexual abuse allegations in 1999 and failed to report him.
Brian and his wife Bobbie founded Hillsong Church in 1983 in Australia.
The global church has worship centres in 30 countries across the world, including South Africa, with a weekly attendance of 150 000.
Brian Houston is expected to fight the charges against him and set the record straight.
In a statement, the pastor said he was shocked and will be pleading not guilty.
In other news: SABC dismisses Head of News Phathiswa Magopeni



