Hillsong founder Brian Houston was accused of two incidents towards women about seven years apart, which were investigated by senior church staff. Photo / Getty
Hillsong founder Brian Houston was accused of two incidents towards women about seven years apart, which were investigated by senior church staff. Photo / Getty
Hillsong founder Brian Houston is once again under fire after church staff were told he committed "indiscretions" towards two women.
Pastor Phil Dooley, who took over the role as the head of the evangelical church after Houston stepped down this year, told 800 staff members of the incidents on Friday.
He detailed two incidents about seven years apart which were investigated by senior church staff, one of which resulted in a woman stepping down from the church.
The first incident involved a female church member who quit after making a complaint about an "inappropriate" text message about a decade ago.
"It was along the line of 'if I was with you, I'd like to kiss and cuddle you', words of that nature," Pastor Dooley reportedly told the meeting, according to multiple media reports.
Pastor Dooley told staff of another incident that occurred at a Sydney hotel during the church's annual conference at Qudos Bank Arena at Homebush in 2019.
It was outlined to staff that Houston's drinking and prescription anxiety medication played a role in the incident.
Pastor Dooley said that after Houston locked himself out of his own room, he spent 40 minutes inside the woman's room.
"The truth is we don't know what happened next," Pastor Dooley said.
"The woman has not said there was any sexual activity.
"Brian has said there was no sexual activity but he was in the room for 40 minutes."
The incident was investigated by the church's global board which decided he should take three months off.
Hillsong has been contacted for further comment.
Houston in January stepped down from the mega-church while fighting allegations he concealed his father's child sexual abuse.
He was last year charged with one count of concealing a serious indictable offence and has pleaded not guilty.
