hillsongs - the next installment
As the comments in two weeks have gone beyond 500 comments - here is the new thread..
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Signposts is the personal website of Phil and Dan McCredden. We are involved in leadership at Northern Community.
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Recent entries
October 17th, 2006 at 9:57 pm
Darryl,
It looks like a bahai faith temple!
October 18th, 2006 at 10:16 pm
Just a thought.
With all this hoo-hah about cross-media ownership laws, Hill$ong is probably in a financial position to buy some sort of media asset.
For the $28m they paid for the site at Rosebery, with that sort of money, they couldn’t afford a capital city FM station, but they could buy a lower-rating capital city AM station, say, a 2CH or 2SM in Sydney or a 3MP in Melbourne or a 6IX in Perth……or buy a regional tv station or regional fm station/s.
It would cause all sorts of problems for Hill$ong in defining themselves as a non-profit entity, but that hasn’t stopped them seeking commercial opportunities before.
The Catholic Church happily owned 2SM/3XY/4IP (and buggered them up..and lost tens of millions of dollars).
Just thinking out loud. Don’t mind me.
October 19th, 2006 at 8:38 pm
Lance,
It is obvious…you want to work for Hill$ong FM…..
October 20th, 2006 at 9:29 am
Lance in charge of Hill$ong FM… i would definitely tune in
October 21st, 2006 at 1:55 am
“(Sarah) Blasko’s parents, both Christians, were overseas missionaries before she was born and when they returned to Australia they regularly changed churches. (”Instead of moving schools or moving states, we moved church,” Blasko joked to me last year.) They settled at a Pentecostal church in Sydney, which later became Hillsong.
Blasko isn’t entirely comfortable talking about her religious upbringing. “People tend to automatically see the cliche, which is that you were brought up in this restrictive religious household,” she says with obvious annoyance. “My family wasn’t like that and I get frustrated when I talk to people about it and they automatically assume that I was this religious daughter who rebelled.”
Blasko left the church in her last year at school, declaring that its emphasis on material success “just didn’t fit” with her or her interpretation of the scriptures. She never entirely lost the faith, though.
“I can’t help but think about it though, because it’s always been such a big part of my life,” she says. “The common expression in the church for people who stop going is they’ve ‘fallen away’. I know how people there would view me now - ’she’s really fallen away’ - but in a lot of ways I kind of feel more…” she drifts off briefly. “I don’t know what I think.”
From http://www.smh.com.au/news/music/true-faith/2006/10/19/1160851052849.html?page=fullpage#contentSwap1
October 21st, 2006 at 5:27 am
For those of you who are into positive thinking … you might like this website about demotivation : http://www.despair.com/viewall.html
October 22nd, 2006 at 11:06 pm
http://www.warrensnowdon.com/speeches/060216.htm
October 25th, 2006 at 2:24 pm
“We had Reuben Morgan and the Hillsongs team at our church recently. They needed $5500, and we only took up $1700 in the love offering. Our music department made up the difference for them. We were a little disappointed that people didn’t give more.”
From http://forums.crosswalk.com/Love_Offerings/m_842853/tm.htm
October 25th, 2006 at 2:48 pm
“Evangelist Jeff Beacham jettisoned a fruitful ministry with Sydney Christian Life Centre–the Hillsong Church in Australia–to preach revival in the Northeast region of the United States. He landed in New Jersey 19 months ago with his wife, Heather, five children, a few suitcases and a little bit of furniture.
“At the age of 50 God called me to pack up and leave everything behind and come to America,” he said. “We had to start from scratch all over again. I believe God is going to do powerful things in the Northeast of America.”
Cracking denominational barriers, Beacham is making waves in Assemblies of God (AG), Lutheran, Baptist, Presbyterian, Episcopal and independent Pentecostal churches and has preached in more than 100 meetings in the last year. He’s on the road at a different church every week. The results are packed altars, many decisions for Christ and divine healings, which have grown exponentially, particularly in the last three to four months.
He experienced a supernatural phenomenon last August while conducting a Friday evening revival service at Bethany AG church in Wyckoff, N.J. Beacham had finished preaching and was praying for the sick at the altar, when oil suddenly appeared on six doors in the front and rear of the sanctuary.
“As I began to pray for people for healing, I began to anoint people with oil, and I felt strongly to really put a lot of oil on them,” he said. “I was smearing them with oil.”
After about 30 minutes into the healing service, a group of worshipers noticed oil oozing from the bottom of one of the doors. They daubed their fingers with the oil that had a sweet aroma like perfume or roses. Others saw the oil on all of the doors and dripping down the wooden columns in the sanctuary.
“I’ve never seen anything like it in my life,” said Don James, Bethany’s pastor who was present in the service. “It was quite bizarre. We accept these things as the hand of God upon us. We saw many people healed.”
Beacham doesn’t stand still when he preaches. Dashing back and forth across the platform, he exhorts the congregation at Gospel Tabernacle AG in North Bergen, N.J., to worship.
“Where would we be without Jesus?” he shouts in a telltale Aussie twang.
A former professional musician with rock and soul bands, Beacham still plays the bongo. He and his wife immigrated to Australia from New Zealand in 1974. They became born-again Christians at Sydney Christian Life Center. After two years in Bible
college he joined the Hillsong staff as personal assistant to Frank Houston, senior pastor.”
From http://www.charismamag.com/display.php?id=969
October 25th, 2006 at 7:27 pm
Gee another New Zealander. They sure breed them funny over there.
October 25th, 2006 at 7:29 pm
Hey and he has started a blog.
October 26th, 2006 at 9:17 pm
http://www.warrensnowdon.com/yoursay.htm
pass on your congratulations to Warren Snowdon (see post 877 by LF…see LF I still loves ya
) and let him know that pairlament should more fully investigate HS
October 27th, 2006 at 3:18 pm
“Read ‘em, love ‘em…signposts rocks.”
“…the notorious Signposts site …”
From http://atleastithinkiminteresting.blogspot.com/2006/06/it-begins-with-first-of-many-rants.html
Does Signposts ‘rock’ ..or are we ‘notorious’ …..or do we ‘rock’ because we are ‘notorious’?
I suppose it reminds us that people do actually bother to read our crap.
October 27th, 2006 at 11:00 pm
That naughty “the notorious Signposts site” …
That comment has given me wings to fly!
October 28th, 2006 at 10:20 am
“Sydney’s Hillsong Church leader, Brian Houston, said there was “no doubt the Bible teaches about modesty, but to me, these are not issues you can regulate, it has to be a matter of personal conviction.”
From http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,20867,20658462-2702,00.html
October 31st, 2006 at 1:27 pm
Women really should konw their place!
October 31st, 2006 at 9:00 pm
….And in the Pampering corner…….are …the Hill$ong women…
“From another angle I wish there are some bigger changes to Hillsong women. I’ve been there for like 6 years now. Sometimes I find the ingredients are getting stagnent.
For example, like the pampering element. It’s great to see it at the beginning, having nails polished and painted, shoulder messages, tea and toast…quite appealing. But then week after week the same thing it loses the attractions to me. I’m sure it’s still appealing and attractive to the new comers. But then the majority of people are already saved. I’d really like to see that apart from pampering corners, there can be some more spiritual corners, like prayer tables, prophecy tables where people can go get a personal prophecy or prayer,etc.
For me, I’d be more interested in going to these corners than pampering corners every week. And I think a lot of Christians feel this way, too.”
From http://xiuxin.blogspot.com/2006/10/hillsong-women.html
October 31st, 2006 at 10:18 pm
What the …?
November 1st, 2006 at 6:36 am
*cough* PROPHECY TABLES?!!!! Why not just go to a parlm reader?!
November 1st, 2006 at 6:39 am
*cough* PROPHECY TABLES?!!!! Why not just go to a palm reader?!
November 1st, 2006 at 9:15 am
Just when you think one of them has got the idea….blammo…she probably meant profiting tables where you can go to make a personal donation to Hill$ong
November 1st, 2006 at 2:28 pm
that sounds like susan from philbaker.net days … her take on Christianity left this galaxy many years ago
November 1st, 2006 at 4:07 pm
I can just imagine the ‘prophecy’ : - “I have just heard a word from God himself - he predicts that you are going to be poor tomorrow and that will be awesome you are to abundantly enjoy that - so you better make a large tithe now.”
Do they get a commission if the propheting tables make a profit ?
November 1st, 2006 at 8:09 pm
(For Dingbats)…. In Defence Of My Church.
From http://fiveminuteargument.blogspot.com/2006/10/in-defence-of-my-church.html
“So…. you all know I’m a Christian, and as a Christian my main prerogative is to become more like Jesus Christ. And Jesus warned us that we would be persecuted, and the bible talks about offering the other cheek. True, all true, and good stuff.
But can I also please add: to all these people hating on my church, would you kindly pull your heads in or just nick off.
I was trying to find a video on Google video and randomly I tried searching on Hillsong and all these random ‘We Hate Hillsong’ videos came up. OMG people, why waste your time? Could I please refute a few things and make a few things clear (in no specific or logical order or manner) (have to live up to the name of the blog after all).
1. If you don’t like us, that’s okay. We’re not after world domination with our ‘brand’, nor are we attempting to brainwash you. I, for example, don’t much care for Bratz dolls (who I believe are trying for world domination), but you don’t see me posting hate sites about them do you? Get out into the real world and focus on something you do like, you’ll find the world a much nicer place looking at it that way.
2. You don’t have to pay to be a member of Hillsong church! The pastors don’t force us to give money! This one really gets my goat. If this is the only thing you’ve read about us in the media that makes me sad - Hillsong has so many great community initiatves that you never hear about, simply because they’re not as sensational and might not get as many hits on the news blogs as will a nice juicy story about a money-hungry church swindling some poor suckers.
Have you heard from the thousands of people impacted by our Street Teams, who go out into the community every Saturday and give their time for free doing any odd jobs you need doing? Have you heard from the people whose lives have been changed through doing the SAFE course, for people who have been impacted by sexual abuse? Or how about the people who have gone through the DARE course, which helps those impacted by addications? Heard about the hundreds of thousands of dollars Hillsong gave to disaster relief? The hundreds of children we sponsor in Uganda and Rwanda? The many people helped by our Emerge centres? Our backpackers ministry that’s changing the world? On an even smaller level, are you interested in hearing about the thousands of people who came to church lost and broken, who now live in the church whole and healed?
So where do you think all those resources come from? Some poor suckers who were brainwashed into giving up their last remaining dollars? Or possibly do you think it more likely that a crowd of people have decided that something can be done to help people all around the world, and it might as well be us who helps. Yes, I tithe, I certainly tithe. I believe it’s a bible principle, and I attend a bible-based church and am working on becoming a bible-based person! But even if it weren’t a bible principle, don’t you think that a few of these causes are worthy of our attention? What do you give your money to?
3. Our church is not dismissive toward or patronising of women. This was the silliest thing I heard. Being a girl is absolutely no hindrance to rising to a level of leadership in our church. Please note that as a girl who has been in a position of leadership at Hillsong church, I do feel that I have some authority to say that confidently. Dingbats.
4. We are not a threat to your way of living. There are (apparently) nearly 20 000 of us in Sydney. Sounds like a bit of an army doesn’t it? Well look at it this way - that’s 20 000 people who are trying to become more like Jesus. Yes, trying to become more loving; generous; faithful; trying to become less judgemental; violent; selfish; trying to set good examples; commit random acts of kindness; bless the communities welive in and the world around us. Please tell me how that impacts on anyone’s way of life in a negative manner?
5. We are not trying to run the country. Hillsong has no political affiliations. Sorry, did you hear me? Hillsong has no political affiliations.
6. We don’t believe anything crazy. We are not nutcases. The bible has been around for a pretty long time now, and we are entirely a bible based church. We are not less intelligent because we believe in God, and we can still hear what you’re saying about us over there - we’re not deaf either.
7. We are not trying to make Hillsong clones out of every other church. Hillsong champions the cause of the local church. We think we’ve got a pretty good formula, if it works for you too then bless you. If it doesn’t, and you’ve got a better way of reaching people in your community then bless you too - we’re still behind you all the way.
8. One of the main arguments against my church seemed to be that the people there were only superficially friendly, and not really interested in getting to know people properly. This one is so far removed from reality that I can only offer this as a refutation. (I also think I may have just made up the word refutation, it’s getting late)
9. Lastly, please come and check us out before you slam us! I think most of the people who I hear saying bad things about Hillsong are just recycling the sensational rubbish that they’ve read in the newspapers, seen on the news, heard from a friend of a friend in chinese whispers etc. etc. Want to check it out for yourself? Make your own mind up instead of hearing from soneone who is possibly biased into giving a sensational account in order to drive up their revenue and advertising? Come see us, everyone is welcome.
As I mentioned a few weeks ago, becoming a Christian changed my life. But I would not have gotten far were it not for my church supporting me every step of the way, and the dedicated and tight-knit band of friends I’ve acquired along the way. So Hillsong is not for everyone - I’ve always had a hard time believing those tops that you see for sale that say ‘One Size Fits All’ anyway. Find something you love, find your fit - I’ve found mine and I’m loving it. We only wish the same for you.
Leave me a comment, give me a hollaback if I’ve touched a nerve or left something out. It’s getting real late… zzzzz…
posted by Clovergirl @ Saturday, October 28, 2006″
November 2nd, 2006 at 8:02 am
Let the comments begin.
November 2nd, 2006 at 10:45 am
Smithers, release the hounds!
November 2nd, 2006 at 11:31 am
The only problem I have with Hillsong is the way they deal with sex, money and power. Other than that, they’re not too bad. And that’s speaking from personal experience…..
November 2nd, 2006 at 1:02 pm
Brian Hou$ton’s address to a Hill$ong staff meeting in September… ‘A Leader’s Heart To The Poor’ has been posted on the Hill$ong website.
Hou$ton says he no longer uses the term…’a handup..not a handout’…and that it’s now OK for Hill$ong staff to be generous to people with no strings attached.
Hou$ton also tells them they need to work smarter…rather than employing more staff and creating a ‘monster’…and that by living in the Hills district, they are all rich…and they run the risk of being ignorant of the poor.
I think the media spotlight on Hill$ong has started to produce some slight changes of thinking at the Till On The Hill.
http://www2.hillsong.com/podcasts/Brian%20Houston%20-%20A%20Leaders%20Heart%20For%20The%20Poor.mp3
November 3rd, 2006 at 11:28 am
I left a long post on clovergirl’s blog. Let’s see whether she can engage.
Please don’t attack her the way the last poor Hillsong blogger was attacked!!!
November 3rd, 2006 at 1:09 pm
Clovergirl emailed me saying the post was deleted a week ago. I’m not sure how, since it was posted on the 28th, but anyway.
The bigger question is, why did she delete it? (and I’m curious as to why it’s still popping up, but then blogger isn’t the greatest with such things…)