hillsongs - the next installment
As the comments in two weeks have gone beyond 500 comments - here is the new thread..
4620 Responses to “hillsongs - the next installment”
Pages: « 1 … 143 144 145 146 147 [148] 149 150 151 152 153 … 154 »
Pages: « 1 … 143 144 145 146 147 [148] 149 150 151 152 153 … 154 »
August 1st, 2007 at 4:20 pm
Go for your life.
I’m of the view that once something is posted on the internet-a-rooney..then it’s open slather for its re-use.
Viva la copy & paste.
August 1st, 2007 at 4:25 pm
Hi David. I just read the post in your blog, and it would be funny if it wasn’t so true. As I read it, something flickered at the back of my mind along those lines from our past experiences. Not quite so blatant, but it is definitely a case of either embracing the vision 100%, or there really isn’t a place for you here. So much for diversity.
Have to admit, I actually did laugh when I read the pointers for being able to stay in a church like this. Again, all too true.
And Lance, I think you could be right. I remember when the big push came on with the finances. The Kingdom Men thing and all that. It made me uncomfortable, particularly when the big givers were being singled out in this way, when Biblically that’s the exact opposite of how we should give or behave toward givers.
The crunch came for me when the credit card giving was introduced. I found that embarrassing. The long tithing messages were bad enough (I usually had my finger ready to flip to Malachi 3. In fact, we often used to have a bit of a game with our friends as to whether it was going to be 2 Corinthians 9, or Malachi 3), but when the credit card giving began, I really cringed. It seemed so wrong to be giving what you don’t really have.
Not long after we left, we received a glossy brochure about the new giving program. Even though they’d reached their goal, they decided not to stop there. So they were going to continue the Kingdom Men thing (or whatever it was called), but it would have levels of givers. The top givers got loads of goodies, including a special lunch or something with Brian. The next level of givers got some things, but not quite as much. If you were right at the bottom, I think you got a hearty “thank you” and a soggy biscuit.
Okay, I don’t know about the soggy biscuit, but it was definitely a very defined structure of giving. When we received the brochure, I just looked at my husband and said, “Aren’t you glad we’re not there anymore?!”
Love, Deb
August 1st, 2007 at 4:58 pm
“The top givers got loads of goodies, including a special lunch or something with Brian.”
2nd prize - 2 lunches with Brian.
August 1st, 2007 at 5:17 pm
Lance Says:
“2nd prize - 2 lunches with Brian.”
Now that’s funny! Wish I’d thought of it.
August 1st, 2007 at 5:37 pm
I just don’t get what the whole ‘charisma’ thing is supposed to be with Brian..and other wankers like Phil Pringle and Phil Baker.
They’re ugly…they’ve got annoying voices.. and they talk shit.
What’s so charismatic about that?
If you’re talking charisma…then let’s talk about Pierce Brosnan.. JFK…or even Eddie.
But it seems just about anybody is allowed to have ‘charisma’ these days.
http://myspace.com/frankwalkernationaltiles
August 1st, 2007 at 5:45 pm
Emblazoned… you commented about the consultant’s findings about the culture at Hillsong on post 2674 of this thread…. page 90. I think you’re quoting an earlier post from Lance however, but it’s near that spot. I hope that helps.
August 1st, 2007 at 6:51 pm
Hold on to your hats.
(Former AOG big cheese) Phillip Powell’s latest email circular is a doozy.
He’s come up with audio of a recent function where Pastor Danny Nalliah sang the praises of Frank Houston.
http://www.christian-witness.org/audio/Thanksgiving-Service01.mp3
From the Christian Witness Ministries email -
“1. PENTECOSTAL DISGRACE - Catch the Fire Honouring the Late Frank Houston
On Saturday evening May 26th 2007 Daniel Nalliah of Catch the Fire Ministries publicly honoured the late Frank Houston, who had been found guilty by his own denomination of serious sexual misconduct while in a senior position of ministry.
Listen to the tribute by pastors Daniel Nalliah and Bob Cotton
http://www.christian-witness.org/audio/Thanksgiving-Service01.mp3
Read the transcript and Philip Powell’s analysis
http://www.christian-witness.org/blog/?p=7
Read the article The Honouring of the Late Frank Houston
http://www.christian-witness.org/pdf/CETF40P3-4.pdf
(But the God in whose hand is your breath, and whose are all your ways, you have not honoured - Daniel 5:23).
It’s hard to imagine a greater disgrace to the Christian testimony. Sadly the Hon Fred Nile ignored several appeals not to participate as guest speaker at the event. He was informed of the known facts regarding Frank Houston, as were Kevin Conner and Daniel Nalliah all of whom chose to proceed without making any public statement of dissociation from the honouring of a homosexual paedophile. This is an outrage. How can any organisation pray or work for righteousness, whilst also honouring a confessed abuser? Roman Catholic Arch-Bishop Cardinal Pell was one of several who were named among the “honoured” and who were not present. It is hoped that some of these will make a statement of public dissociation.
We are pleased to be able to announce that Following our contact Mr Nile sent us this note:
(19/06/07): Dear Philip: I responded to Pastor Danny Nalliah’s invitation to be a guest speaker on 26th May because I respect his courage and wished to stand with him. In no way was I involved in the selection of Pastor Frank Houston’s name. I requested his name be removed from the program on 26th May but Pastor Nalliah felt he could not do that as he believes Pastor Houston had previously blessed his ministry - signed - Rev Fred Nile.”
August 1st, 2007 at 10:58 pm
Interesting post Lance. This ties in with Tanyas Denton interview when she described the standing ovation at HS but no prayer for the victims (sic) and their families. I wonder what their lives have been like over the years???
August 1st, 2007 at 11:22 pm
Cargill and Hillsong - my memory is that Hillsong never actually followed through with his plan - they decided not to implement it . I stand corrected if I am mistaken
August 2nd, 2007 at 9:13 am
Eman / Emblaz,
Smithus informs me she was at Gleebooks yesterday, Tanya’s book selling extremely well & for that reason the event on 16th is expected to sell out. Smithus was informed she could only book 3 tickets instead of 4 so whichever is the less keen of you to attend please come forward….
FIGHT! FIGHT! FIGHT!
Um,… for everybody else i had Jesus Camp out on DVD yesterday & Smithus & i watched it (me for the 2nd time) - be prepared to cringe! Smithus didn’t want to watch it through & i could only peering through my fingers.
The Highlights? Watch out for the camp attendees dancing away to “Kickin’ it for Jesus”, a creepy guy teaching them about abortion & how they must protest against it when they grow up, the kids being made to pray with outstreched hands to a cardboard cut-out of Bush (yes, really) & wait for it…….two of the camp attendees do a pilgrimmage to Ted Haggards New Life Church in Colorado to hear him partly….wait for it……preaching against homosexuality (how ironic). The amount of times this guy says “fabulous” with a lisp - really, how did they not know….
You probably won’t want to watch it more than once but you should just once just for the cringeworthy experience.
August 2nd, 2007 at 11:39 am
Reve… Smithus is a girl!?!?!? Wow…
I’m happy to pass the trophy along to Emblazoned, as he’s the Hillsonger (ouch). Perhaps another time.
August 2nd, 2007 at 12:43 pm
Smithus is a girl yes, sort of ;o)
Shall i tell the story my darling? , all right i will….
You see, back in February, just 5 months ago Smithus & i both started attending a group - on & off- called Freedom 2 B(e) - AVB’s organisation. Me because i am a gay christian & Smithus because she relates to anyone who is a spiritual refugee.
After the meeting we all went a restaurant & in a table of about 25 ppl two Signposters were sitting right alongside each other & discovered each other by accident - me & Smithus (AVB says God did it).
Now, i’m ex CCC & Smithus is ex Hillsong so we got fascinated by the shared & similar experiences. We’re also both in out thirties & enjoy running around in public, going out to dinner & movies nearly every Fri & Sat night & pretending to be a cute straight couple.
Smithus is a constant source of fascination to me because, …& i have to be careful to not go into specifics here - her parents still attend HS & one of her siblings is a leader in HS & her step-sibling is PA to a major HS identity, both on paid staff (all i can say). She also introduced me to former HS music identities Geoff Bullock, Peter Laughton & Signposter Singer at AVB’s book launch.
We often joke about marriage & “sealing the deal” but it’s all in jest.
Sorry i won’t see you on the 16th, Emanresu - be good when we finally catch up. Let’s not put it off forever. Hows your mom or should i not ask?
August 2nd, 2007 at 12:59 pm
“pray with outstreched hands to a cardboard cut-out of Bush (yes, really)”
WTF?!!!!!!!!!
August 2nd, 2007 at 1:16 pm
Thanks emanresu…I appreciate the gesture.
It would be fun to meet some signposters.
Hey maybe we should have a get together at the Newport Arms sometime?
August 2nd, 2007 at 1:29 pm
Don’t know if I’ll be available to come - but I’m sure that Emblazoned could organise a cardboard cut-out of me
August 2nd, 2007 at 1:31 pm
That would be awesome, you know Geoff Bullock once suggested the same thing on this blog - that a bunch of us should get back to basics, meet at the Arms, break bread & share some cheap nasty red. Defintely an idea now that Spring is only a few weeks away..
I would be up for that & i know Smithus would too, she was only saying last night how nice it would be to actually have a social group made up of people who have had our experience.
August 2nd, 2007 at 2:26 pm
I would very much be up for that… especiallly at the Newport Arms. Someone take the initiative and organize it!
August 2nd, 2007 at 2:50 pm
I’m thinking 1pm Sunday after this one - 12th August.
Who’s up? (all welcome)
August 2nd, 2007 at 3:11 pm
Count me in!
August 2nd, 2007 at 3:25 pm
Cool, well Smithus & i will be there, Emanresu - hopefully Emblazoned, too. Everybody can of course bring their partners if they want to.
Who else is in Sydney, or can be in Sydney, on Aug 12th to meet us here
http://www.newportarms.com.au/restaurants-hotels-bistro.html
August 2nd, 2007 at 3:35 pm
Tanya / Geoff / AVB : we understand you guys have semi-public profiles but we’d love you to come too, we are happy to help protect you against any unwanted attention in the unlikely event.
August 2nd, 2007 at 3:37 pm
Hey…can someone tell me whether that story about Hillsong’s offering buckets having holes in the bottom (so coins fall out) is true, or whether it’s just a widely circulating urban myth??
August 2nd, 2007 at 5:00 pm
Bec, that’s definitely an urban myth.
Love, Deb
August 2nd, 2007 at 7:10 pm
Yeah that’s a myth.
I’m keen for lunch on the 12th…sounds great!
How will we recognise each other?
August 2nd, 2007 at 7:40 pm
That’s a good question Emblazoned, well - ermmm…..well…ummmm, we’ll have to do it by mob ph / sms describing what we’re wearing on the day. We’ll need to get each others email addresses before that time. Only way i can think of.
August 2nd, 2007 at 7:52 pm
I should be pretty easy to pick out. I wear all black all the time, walk slightly awkwardly, and am just a spunk.
Actually it’s easy. Check out the case 4 change at hillsong myspace page (the links here somewhere). I’m the number one friend, “beLIEve”, so you can look at my sexy photos, and then look through my friends to find Emblazoned! Then you’ll see two sexy under-25 guys standing out like a sore thumb, and you’ll recognize us from our myspace pages! It’s so simple really!
August 2nd, 2007 at 7:54 pm
HI Signposters,
The last few days have been amazingly busy as you know so please accept my apologies for not writing sooner as i have been reading your posts, and learning much! i have gone from part time to full time work this week as well so things are intense.
i have wanted to write ever since i found out about the ‘too much tanya is never enough’ brigade. Lance you are fantastic…and that’s why tuesday was the day because i was working wednesday thursday friday…
ok, so i have spent some time in studios and cabs and talking to people trying to do what is so hard, explain all this stuff in a few moments. actually, the denton show was different. and for anyone with questions, please know that going on tv like that was terrifying. i was sick with fear for about two weeks before…so if you think i’m nervous on that interview, you’re so so right. i had never been on tv before and i was overwhelmed. Andrew Denton was nothing but warm and welcoming to me, i was just like a deer in the headlights…
so i have appreciated all of your comments. thank you. i hope we can meet at these events, i can’t believe the response, even though we all know here how many people are affected…the response has been quick and strong…i appreciate the support because there is of course a range of negativity as well, and i’m sure more to come.
oh, i have an email for people wanting to contact or tell story or tell me i’m going to hell or whatever….peopleinglasshouses@hotmail.com…it’s better than my own one where i mainly get work emails and ones from my mum.
thanks again for your patience. there’s also so much to say about all this, what’s been covered is the tip of the iceberg….as you know…
August 2nd, 2007 at 8:03 pm
Hi Tanya,
I don’t have anything profound to say, but I’m honoured to be writing on the same blog as you. You did a great job on the interview.
August 2nd, 2007 at 8:25 pm
I wish I was in Sydney, I would be there and I doubt any of you would fail to recognize me, I would be the 105 kilo, shaved head, broken nosed Yank with a Melbourne lack of tan.
rev
August 2nd, 2007 at 8:54 pm
Hey…can someone tell me whether that story about Hillsong’s offering buckets having holes in the bottom (so coins fall out) is true, or whether it’s just a widely circulating urban myth
I’ve heard that they all carry a vial of Brian Houstons blood around ona necklace..can anyone tell me if that’s true?