Considered Comment by billcnz

Comment by billcnz on aogs post  “Guglielmucci Youth Pastor at CLC Perth” (Mainly a post from GroupSects “Lie Detector..”)

 

If Planetshakers is a hedonistic mammon house like Brian Houston’s Hillsong empire, then the following critique may be helpful.

Hillsong church claims to represent Christianity.
Any Christian who decides that any of their practices or teachings contradict the Bible is OBLIGATED to state an objection, as otherwise they are being negligent to the Biblical command to be a WITNESS OF THE TRUTH.

Any displeased non Christian can also raise objections, but they should use the Bible as the basis of their complaint, as Hillsong may ignore criticism from “unbelievers”.
The Bible is the authority of Christianity, not church leaders. The Bible should be used to support critique of frauds.
The Bible can be searched online eg. http://www.biblegateway.com

Hillsong can easily be challenged by verses from search words like money, riches, greed, covet, immorality, etc.

There is also a good repository of authentic documentation concerning the truth behind the facades of Hillsong at http://www.christian-witness.org (use their search facility with words “Hillsong” and “Brian Houston”).

Obviously, criticising church systems interferes with unity, but unity is worthless unless it is with truth.

The Bible encourages discernment against falsehood, as otherwise Christians would be forced to unify with corruption when it infiltrated the church.

1 Thes 5:21-22 Test everything. Hold on to the good. Avoid every kind of evil.

            Here is my critique –

At Hillsong, salvation is indirectly offered for sale through participation in a church business system supervised by business managers called pastors.

Brian Houston is following and promoting a FALSE CHRIST of hedonism (worldly indulgence).

Good things in extreme, or in the wrong situation, become evil.

1 Tim 6:10 NIV “For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs.”

Brian Houston runs a gigantic church business system using a marketing ploy that appears as “Come to church, we’ve got party music, attractive girls, and money everywhere”.

Hebrews 13:5 Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said, “Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.”
1 Thes 4:3-5 It is God’s will that you should be sanctified: that you should avoid sexual immorality; that each of you should learn to control his own body in a way that is holy and honorable, not in passionate lust like the heathen, who do not know God

In contrast, Brian Houston wrote a book “You need more money” and his wife Bobby “Kingdom women love sex”.

This is the seduction and worship of a false Christ who might be named “Mammon Jesus”.

Jesus Christ warned about false Christs (eg. Matt 24:24), so they can be named appropriately when they turn up.

Any unbiblical teaching about who Jesus Christ is, or what he wants us to do, creates a false Christ for people to follow.

Hillsong is built on the same premise as the Roman Catholic church institution, and others like it, that contradict the Bible:

The authority of men instead of the authority of the Bible.

The fear of men, instead of the fear of the Lord.

Prov 29:25 Fear of man will prove to be a SNARE, but whoever trusts in the LORD is KEPT SAFE.

Prov 14:26-27 He who fears the LORD has a secure fortress, and for his children it will be a refuge. The fear of the LORD is a fountain of life, turning a man from the snares of death.

Where does the Hillsong money come from?

In this foul institution, faith blessing is PURCHASED WITH MONEY – no coins, only “the folding”, and credit cards.

This is a contradiction of the Bible and a manipulation of people, with potential for tremendous social harm.

In addition to the “faith money” there is all the merchandise – clothing, CD’s, DVD’s, books, seminars, etc. as well as income from all entities that Hillsong controls.
These are all tax free where they are registered under “not for profit” status.
It would also be worth knowing if they are siphoning off any government funds via social projects they create through their church entities.

 

The large Hillsong churches may be nothing more than entertainment factories that promote materialism to distract Christians from what they should be doing.

Luke 4:5-7 shows the Devil offering Jesus Christ worldly kingdoms in exchange for worship: “The devil led him up to a high place and showed him in an instant all the kingdoms of the world. And he said to him, “I will give you all their authority and splendor, for it has been given to me, and I can give it to anyone I want to. So if you worship me, it will all be yours.”

 

Hillsong must be partnering with the Devil through their love of money and the building of worldly kingdoms.

Jesus Christ kicked the money enterprises out of the temple “Take these things away! Do not make My Father’s house a house of merchandise!” (John 2:16 NKJV)

Matthew 6:24 NIV “No one can serve two masters. Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and Money.”

Christians should discern and reject fraudulent church ministries:

2 Cor 11:13-15 For such men are false apostles, deceitful workmen, masquerading as apostles of Christ. And no wonder, for Satan himself masquerades as an angel of light. It is not surprising, then, if his servants masquerade as servants of righteousness. Their end will be what their actions deserve.

Their end will be what their actions deserve!

1 Tim 6:11 But you, man of God, flee from all this, and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, endurance and gentleness.