Frank Houston
Encyclopedia
Frank Houston was a Pentecostal
Christian
pastor
in the Assemblies of God in New Zealand
and Australia
.
He commenced ministry training as a Salvation Army
officer shortly after turning 18. He married Hazel and they had five children. They transferred to the Baptist church, and later to the Assemblies of God in New Zealand
. Houston founded his first Assemblies of God ministry at Lower Hutt
in 1960, and served as the superintendent of the Assemblies of God in New Zealand from 1965 to 1971.
In 1977 he and his family moved to Sydney, and founded the Sydney Christian Life Centre in "Sherbrooke Hall" in Double Bay, which was not affiliated with any denomination in its first decade, but then became an Assemblies of God
church. With further growth it moved to Darlinghurst, and then warehouse premises in the inner Sydney suburb of Waterloo
, which housed a 2,000 seat auditorium, a Bible and Creative Arts College, and many other ministry arms. Known in the church as "the Bishop" he was also involved in over twenty CLCs being opened throughout New South Wales
, Australia
and overseas. Houston served as pastor there for more than two decades and in senior positions within the Assemblies of God in Australia.
After consultation amongst senior pastoral staff of the church and Brian Houston, a pastor of a daughter church, Hillsong Church
, the churches were merged and Sydney CLC
became its second campus.
In 2000 he was advised to resign his ministerial credentials by his own son, Brian Houston
the National President of the Assemblies of God in Australia, after Houston confessed to the sexual abuse of young (under-age) male members of his New Zealand congregation 30 years earlier.
Contrary to the requirements of New South Wales child protection legislation neither Brian Houston nor the AOG administration reported the matters to the police and Frank Houston was never charged or convicted. However, Houston did resign, living in Hillsong-owned accommodation until his death in 2004.
In August 2007 further allegations emerged that Houston had sexually abused a trainee pastor during counseling sessions in the early 1980s.
Pentecostalism
Pentecostalism is a diverse and complex movement within Christianity that places special emphasis on a direct personal experience of God through the baptism in the Holy Spirit, has an eschatological focus, and is an experiential religion. The term Pentecostal is derived from Pentecost, the Greek...
Christian
Christianity
Christianity is a monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus as presented in canonical gospels and other New Testament writings...
pastor
Pastor
The word pastor usually refers to an ordained leader of a Christian congregation. When used as an ecclesiastical styling or title, this role may be abbreviated to "Pr." or often "Ps"....
in the Assemblies of God in New Zealand
Assemblies of God in New Zealand
The Assemblies of God in New Zealand is a Pentecostal denomination in New Zealand and a member of the World Assemblies of God Fellowship, the world's largest Pentecostal denomination. In 2007, the denomination had nearly 200 congregations and preaching points and 30,000 members and adherents,...
and Australia
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 commenced ministry training as a 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....
officer shortly after turning 18. He married Hazel and they had five children. They transferred to the Baptist church, and later to the Assemblies of God in New Zealand
Assemblies of God in New Zealand
The Assemblies of God in New Zealand is a Pentecostal denomination in New Zealand and a member of the World Assemblies of God Fellowship, the world's largest Pentecostal denomination. In 2007, the denomination had nearly 200 congregations and preaching points and 30,000 members and adherents,...
. Houston founded his first Assemblies of God ministry at 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...
in 1960, and served as the superintendent of the Assemblies of God in New Zealand from 1965 to 1971.
In 1977 he and his family moved to Sydney, and founded the Sydney Christian Life Centre in "Sherbrooke Hall" in Double Bay, which was not affiliated with any denomination in its first decade, but then became an Assemblies of God
Assemblies of God
The Assemblies of God , officially the World Assemblies of God Fellowship, is a group of over 140 autonomous but loosely-associated national groupings of churches which together form the world's largest Pentecostal denomination...
church. With further growth it moved to Darlinghurst, and then warehouse premises in the inner Sydney suburb of Waterloo
Waterloo, New South Wales
Waterloo is an inner-city suburb of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. Waterloo is located 4 kilometres south of the Sydney central business district and is part of the local government area of the City of Sydney.-History:...
, which housed a 2,000 seat auditorium, a Bible and Creative Arts College, and many other ministry arms. Known in the church as "the Bishop" he was also involved in over twenty CLCs being opened throughout New South Wales
New South Wales
New South Wales is a state of :Australia, located in the east of the country. It is bordered by Queensland, Victoria and South Australia to the north, south and west respectively. To the east, the state is bordered by the Tasman Sea, which forms part of the Pacific Ocean. New South Wales...
, 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...
and overseas. Houston served as pastor there for more than two decades and in senior positions within the Assemblies of God in Australia.
After consultation amongst senior pastoral staff of the church and Brian Houston, a pastor of a daughter church, 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...
, the churches were merged and Sydney CLC
Christian Life Centre
Christian Life Centre is generally a name given to churches that are affiliated with the Assemblies of God in Australia, a Pentecostal denomination in Australia. The CLC stream of churches started when Frank Houston moved to Australia in 1977 and planted Sydney Christian Life Centre...
became its second campus.
In 2000 he was advised to resign his ministerial credentials by his own son, Brian Houston
Brian Houston (pastor)
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...
the National President of the Assemblies of God in Australia, after Houston confessed to the sexual abuse of young (under-age) male members of his New Zealand congregation 30 years earlier.
Contrary to the requirements of New South Wales child protection legislation neither Brian Houston nor the AOG administration reported the matters to the police and Frank Houston was never charged or convicted. However, Houston did resign, living in Hillsong-owned accommodation until his death in 2004.
In August 2007 further allegations emerged that Houston had sexually abused a trainee pastor during counseling sessions in the early 1980s.