Brian Houston (pastor)
Encyclopedia
Brian Houston is a pastor in the Australian Christian Churches
. He is currently the Senior Pastor at Hillsong Church
which has locations in Sydney
and Brisbane
, Australia
, London
, Cape Town
, Kiev
, Germany
, Paris
, Moscow
, Stockholm
and New York City
. He was also the National President of Australian Christian Churches from 1997 to 2009. The denomination is the Australian branch of the Assemblies of God.
and Hazel, were then Salvation Army
officers. When Houston was three his parents joined the Assemblies of God in New Zealand and began pastoring a church in Lower Hutt
, near Wellington. Here Houston and his brother and three sisters spent their childhood. After completing school he went to a Bible college for three years. Shortly after completing college he met his future wife, Bobbie
, on Papamoa Beach in New Zealand during a Christian convention. They were married in 1977.
. In 1980 he started a church on the Central Coast and worked at a church in Liverpool
in 1981. In 1983 Houston saw a need in Sydney's north-western suburbs and hired the Baulkham Hills Public School hall to start a new church, the Hills Christian Life Centre. The first service was held on Sunday, 14 August 1983.
In May 1997 Houston was elected the President of the Assemblies of God in Australia (now called Australian Christian Churches) after Andrew Evans
' retirement. He helped to create the Australian Christian Churches network of Pentecostal churches in February 2000. This alliance represents over 200,000 members in affiliate churches and was its inaugural president. He is also a member of the Australian Pentecostal Ministers Fellowship (APMF). At the 2009 National Conference of Australian Christian Churches
, Wayne Alcorn was voted in to replace Houston after he chose not to run again for the position.
In 2000 Brian took control of the Sydney Christian Life Centre, after his father Frank Houston
confessed to the sexual abuse of young (under-age) male members of his New Zealand congregation 30 years earlier. From an initial congregation of 45 people, the combined churches grew to become Hillsong Church
with a weekly attendance of over 20,000.
On 5 April 2009, it was announced that the board of Garden City Christian Church in Brisbane had nominated Houston and his wife Bobbie to become their new senior Pastors. Garden City had been searching for a new senior pastor after the resignation of Bruce Hills in December 2008. On 26 April 2009, a majority of registered members of Garden City Christian Church voted to support the board's nomination.
He is an Executive Producer for Hillsong Music Australia (HMA), which is the music ministry of Hillsong Church. Their albums are distributed in nearly 90 countries, and to date HMA have released 63 albums, with sales well into the millions Hillsong Music info and statistics . This music ministry has been very successful over they years with chart topping albums from Hillsong United
(born out of the youth ministry), and Hillsong Live, which is the "worship expression" of Hillsong Church and incorporates their entire worship team. Each year Hillsong records their annual live album, and the songs from this live recording are then sung by church congregations all over the world. Some of the most popular songs sung today in churches are Hillsong songs, including 'Mighty To Save', and 'Shout to the Lord', which was even featured on a special episode of American Idol
called 'Idol Gives Back' in 2008.
Houston is the President of Hillsong International Leadership College. In 2010 Evening College was launched, with over 550 students, giving a total of 3,010 people being trained within Hillsong College. The college's students are from all over the world, representing over 70 different nationalities training full time. Students can study Pastoral Leadership, Worship Music, TV and Media or Dance, and receive a Certificate, Diploma and Advanced Diploma of Ministry.
Brian Houston is the Host of Brian Houston @ Hillsong TV a christian weekly Television program which has been on air for 17 years (originally called 'Life is For Living') and is seen on TV screens in in over 180 countries every week.
He leads the Hillsong Leadership Network which gives opportunities to connect with the Hillsong team and other pastors and leaders at events, open house events, informal gatherings and luncheons globally as well as annual leadership retreats in London and Sydney. Network members also receive resources and online training services designed to equip church leaders. As of 2011 there are over 500 members from nearly 50 different countries around the world.
Houston's three grown children, Joel
, Ben, and Laura, also live in Sydney.
Joel is a musician, a songwriter, and Hillsong Church's creative director. As of 2010, he co-pastors Hillsong New York with Carl Lentz.
Ben is married to Lucille and oversees Hillsong Sydney's extension services. They have two daughters.
Laura married Peter Toganivalu in 2008, and they have one daughter. Laura works for the church in the areas of graphic design & marketing and is currently in a partnership with her husband as a pastor of the Hillsong Wildlife Youth Ministry.
Assemblies of God in Australia
Australian Christian Churches , also known as Assemblies of God in Australia , is a Pentecostal Christian denomination and the Australian branch of the Assemblies of God, the largest Pentecostal denomination in the world...
. He is currently the Senior Pastor at Hillsong Church
Hillsong Church
Hillsong Church is a Pentecostal megachurch affiliated with Australian Christian Churches and located in Sydney, Australia. The church's senior pastors, Brian and Bobbie Houston, began the church in 1983 as the Hills Christian Life Centre in Baulkham Hills...
which has locations in Sydney
Sydney
Sydney is the most populous city in Australia and the state capital of New South Wales. Sydney is located on Australia's south-east coast of the Tasman Sea. As of June 2010, the greater metropolitan area had an approximate population of 4.6 million people...
and Brisbane
Brisbane
Brisbane is the capital and most populous city in the Australian state of Queensland and the third most populous city in Australia. Brisbane's metropolitan area has a population of over 2 million, and the South East Queensland urban conurbation, centred around Brisbane, encompasses a population of...
, Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
, London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, Cape Town
Cape Town
Cape Town is the second-most populous city in South Africa, and the provincial capital and primate city of the Western Cape. As the seat of the National Parliament, it is also the legislative capital of the country. It forms part of the City of Cape Town metropolitan municipality...
, Kiev
Kiev
Kiev or Kyiv is the capital and the largest city of Ukraine, located in the north central part of the country on the Dnieper River. The population as of the 2001 census was 2,611,300. However, higher numbers have been cited in the press....
, Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
, Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
, Moscow
Moscow
Moscow is the capital, the most populous city, and the most populous federal subject of Russia. The city is a major political, economic, cultural, scientific, religious, financial, educational, and transportation centre of Russia and the continent...
, Stockholm
Stockholm
Stockholm is the capital and the largest city of Sweden and constitutes the most populated urban area in Scandinavia. Stockholm is the most populous city in Sweden, with a population of 851,155 in the municipality , 1.37 million in the urban area , and around 2.1 million in the metropolitan area...
and New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
. He was also the National President of Australian Christian Churches from 1997 to 2009. The denomination is the Australian branch of the Assemblies of God.
Early life
Houston was born in Auckland, New Zealand, on the 17th of February 1954. His parents, FrankFrank Houston
Frank Houston , was a Pentecostal Christian pastor in the Assemblies of God in New Zealand and Australia....
and Hazel, were then Salvation Army
Salvation Army
The Salvation Army is a Protestant Christian church known for its thrift stores and charity work. It is an international movement that currently works in over a hundred countries....
officers. When Houston was three his parents joined the Assemblies of God in New Zealand and began pastoring a church in Lower Hutt
Lower Hutt
Lower Hutt is a city in the Wellington region of New Zealand. Its council has adopted the name Hutt City Council, but neither the New Zealand Geographic Board nor the Local Government Act recognise the name Hutt City. This alternative name can lead to confusion, as there are two cities in the...
, near Wellington. Here Houston and his brother and three sisters spent their childhood. After completing school he went to a Bible college for three years. Shortly after completing college he met his future wife, Bobbie
Bobbie Houston
Bobbie Houston is a Pentecostal Christian pastor in the Australian Christian Churches. Bobbie Houston and her husband Brian founded the Hillsong Church in Sydney, Australia.-Biography:...
, on Papamoa Beach in New Zealand during a Christian convention. They were married in 1977.
Ministry
After moving to Sydney, Australia in 1978, Houston served at the Sydney Christian Life Centre in Darlinghurst, where he became the assistant Pastor to his father, Frank HoustonFrank Houston
Frank Houston , was a Pentecostal Christian pastor in the Assemblies of God in New Zealand and Australia....
. In 1980 he started a church on the Central Coast and worked at a church in Liverpool
Liverpool, New South Wales
Liverpool is a suburb in south-western Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. Liverpool is located 32 km south-west of the Sydney central business district, and is the administrative centre of the local government area of the City of Liverpool...
in 1981. In 1983 Houston saw a need in Sydney's north-western suburbs and hired the Baulkham Hills Public School hall to start a new church, the Hills Christian Life Centre. The first service was held on Sunday, 14 August 1983.
In May 1997 Houston was elected the President of the Assemblies of God in Australia (now called Australian Christian Churches) after Andrew Evans
Andrew Evans
Andrew Evans OAM is a Pentecostal Christian pastor in the Assemblies of God and a politician in the South Australian Legislative Council. Evans is most notable for pastoring Paradise Community Church for 30 years and founding the Family First Party.-History:Andrew L. Evans was born to missionary...
' retirement. He helped to create the Australian Christian Churches network of Pentecostal churches in February 2000. This alliance represents over 200,000 members in affiliate churches and was its inaugural president. He is also a member of the Australian Pentecostal Ministers Fellowship (APMF). At the 2009 National Conference of Australian Christian Churches
National Conference of Australian Christian Churches
The National Conference of Australian Christian Churches is the biennial conference for the leadership of Australian Christian Churches, the Australian branch of the Assemblies of God...
, Wayne Alcorn was voted in to replace Houston after he chose not to run again for the position.
In 2000 Brian took control of the Sydney Christian Life Centre, after his father Frank Houston
Frank Houston
Frank Houston , was a Pentecostal Christian pastor in the Assemblies of God in New Zealand and Australia....
confessed to the sexual abuse of young (under-age) male members of his New Zealand congregation 30 years earlier. From an initial congregation of 45 people, the combined churches grew to become Hillsong Church
Hillsong Church
Hillsong Church is a Pentecostal megachurch affiliated with Australian Christian Churches and located in Sydney, Australia. The church's senior pastors, Brian and Bobbie Houston, began the church in 1983 as the Hills Christian Life Centre in Baulkham Hills...
with a weekly attendance of over 20,000.
On 5 April 2009, it was announced that the board of Garden City Christian Church in Brisbane had nominated Houston and his wife Bobbie to become their new senior Pastors. Garden City had been searching for a new senior pastor after the resignation of Bruce Hills in December 2008. On 26 April 2009, a majority of registered members of Garden City Christian Church voted to support the board's nomination.
He is an Executive Producer for Hillsong Music Australia (HMA), which is the music ministry of Hillsong Church. Their albums are distributed in nearly 90 countries, and to date HMA have released 63 albums, with sales well into the millions Hillsong Music info and statistics . This music ministry has been very successful over they years with chart topping albums from Hillsong United
Hillsong United
The Hillsong United band is an Australian praise and worship band that originated as a part of Hillsong Church. The band tours the world, performing at the various Hillsong church locations as well as general concert venues. They compose the songs for their own performances and for the other...
(born out of the youth ministry), and Hillsong Live, which is the "worship expression" of Hillsong Church and incorporates their entire worship team. Each year Hillsong records their annual live album, and the songs from this live recording are then sung by church congregations all over the world. Some of the most popular songs sung today in churches are Hillsong songs, including 'Mighty To Save', and 'Shout to the Lord', which was even featured on a special episode of American Idol
American Idol
American Idol, titled American Idol: The Search for a Superstar for the first season, is a reality television singing competition created by Simon Fuller and produced by FremantleMedia North America and 19 Entertainment...
called 'Idol Gives Back' in 2008.
Houston is the President of Hillsong International Leadership College. In 2010 Evening College was launched, with over 550 students, giving a total of 3,010 people being trained within Hillsong College. The college's students are from all over the world, representing over 70 different nationalities training full time. Students can study Pastoral Leadership, Worship Music, TV and Media or Dance, and receive a Certificate, Diploma and Advanced Diploma of Ministry.
Brian Houston is the Host of Brian Houston @ Hillsong TV a christian weekly Television program which has been on air for 17 years (originally called 'Life is For Living') and is seen on TV screens in in over 180 countries every week.
He leads the Hillsong Leadership Network which gives opportunities to connect with the Hillsong team and other pastors and leaders at events, open house events, informal gatherings and luncheons globally as well as annual leadership retreats in London and Sydney. Network members also receive resources and online training services designed to equip church leaders. As of 2011 there are over 500 members from nearly 50 different countries around the world.
Family and personal life
Brian and Bobbie Houston's home is in the suburb of Glenhaven, Sydney.Houston's three grown children, Joel
Joel Houston
Joel Timothy Houston is a musician, songwriter and pastor, best known as leader of the Sydney-based worship band Hillsong United, the youth worship band of Hillsong Church....
, Ben, and Laura, also live in Sydney.
Joel is a musician, a songwriter, and Hillsong Church's creative director. As of 2010, he co-pastors Hillsong New York with Carl Lentz.
Ben is married to Lucille and oversees Hillsong Sydney's extension services. They have two daughters.
Laura married Peter Toganivalu in 2008, and they have one daughter. Laura works for the church in the areas of graphic design & marketing and is currently in a partnership with her husband as a pastor of the Hillsong Wildlife Youth Ministry.
Books
Houston has written 12 books; his most recent, For This I Was Born, was released in 2008. His other books include For This Cause, Selah (2006), Selah 2 (2007), How To Build Great Relationships, How To Live In Health & Wholeness, How To Make Wise Decisions, How To Flourish In Life, and How To Live A Blessed Life. Books no longer in print include Get A Life (1996), You Can Change The Future, and You Need More Money (1999).External links
- Brian and Bobbie Houston's website
- Hillsong Church website
- Hillsong Church TV
- Hillsong Church Blog Site