Reformation Charlotte has chronicled the many scandals that the worldwide corporate megachurch, Hillsong, has been embroiled in over the years. Whether it be their sleazy rendition of Silent Night during Christmas, their posing of a nearly naked man on stage at a women’s conference, its cover-ups of pedophile pastors, having openly homosexual worship leaders, defending abortion, complaining about the death penalty, or the fact that celebrities love them because they “don’t teach that book with Moses and stuff,” one thing is for sure, Hillsong has been an outright dangerous threat to churches around the world.
The most recent scandal, though, is founder and CEO, Brian Houston’s alleged inappropriate liberties with women who are not his wife. This latest scandal has caused Houston to resign as the organization’s “global pastor” and all of his teachings and resources removed from the church’s various websites.
As this scandal plays out—and this scandalous organization continues to crumble before our eyes—another prominent Hillsong pastor has resigned in its wake. Sam Collier, who just became the pastor of Hillsong’s fledgling Atlanta branch, has announced on his Instagram page that he could no longer faithfully pastor a church due to the scandals.
On his Instagram page, Collier writes:
This one hurt my heart deeply. I love @Hillsong, it’s leaders and believe God will pull them through this season.
Join me this Sunday at @CenterStage for our final service as @HillsongAtlanta and for more info about a new Church I’m planting/launching on Easter Sunday 2022: “STORY CHURCH”
It is with great sadness that I inform you of my departure from Hillsong.
I have appreciated the Hillsong family and want to thank the Houstons for the love they have shown Toni and me.
My greatest reason for stepping down as Pastor of Hillsong Atlanta is probably not a secret to any of you. With all of the documentaries, scandals, articles, accusations and the church’s subsequent management of these attacks it’s become too difficult to lead and grow a young Church in this environment.
I have no shame in admitting I cried like a baby moments after I informed the Hillsong global pastor of my departure.
I truly love the Hillsong family and believe they will get through this storm and come out better than they were before.
While Reformation Charlotte does not endorse Collier in any way, especially theologically, as he is a promulgator of the Word of Faith heresy that Hillsong is known for, we can at least say that he has enough integrity to no longer associate with an organization that is now more known for its sex scandals than anything else, even including what made it famous—its music.
