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 CHRISTMAS MESSAGE 2008 - BRIAN HOUSTON

Released: Wednesday, 17 December 2008

 

AUSTRALIAN CHRISTIAN CHURCHES DIG DEEP FOR CHINA APPEAL 

Released: Monday, 28 May 2008

This month the people of China became victim to a devastating natural disaster, with an earthquake on May 12 measuring 7.9 on the Richter scale. The tragedy has claimed the lives of an estimated 40,000 people from the Sichuan province and more than 220,000 have been left injured.  

“With human tragedies seemingly dovetailing around the globe, I believe church leaders should call for assistance from their congregations to help bring aid to those affected by this catastrophe.” Brian Houston, National President of the Australian Christian Churches said.

The Australian Christian Churches have launched an emergency appeal requesting urgent donations from its more than 1100 churches. These funds will be dispersed through various aid agencies already at work in the disaster-affected areas. 

“Although the disaster may seem overwhelming we hope we can play even a small part in assisting the aid efforts in the Sichaun province,” Ps Houston said. 

“My understanding is that there are areas proving difficult to reach in the rescue effort, and we are praying for the workers as they tirelessly search for people still trapped under rubble.”  

 AUSTRALIAN CHRISTIAN CHURCHES RALLY TO PROVIDE AID FOR BURMA

Released: Monday, 12 May 2008

Cyclone Nargis, which tore through Burma last week, has devastated the population, the official death toll now at 23,000 people, a figure the United Nation’s believes could actually be as high as 100,000 people.

“It is a shocking and devastating tragedy that we have not yet seen the full effect of,” Brian Houston, National President of the Australian Christian Churches and Senior Pastor of Hillsong Church said.

“Burma is on the brink of an even greater humanitarian disaster unless food, water and medical supplies are allowed to enter the country to feed and help the starving and the displaced,” he said.

“We are praying that the Burmese military junta will be moved by this human tragedy and open their borders to overseas aid and disaster relief workers to enter the country as quickly as possible.

“Our churches, like churches around the world, are praying and raising funds for those devastated by this natural disaster and for those who have lost loved ones. We are believing for miracles,” he said. “Raising funds is the easy part, getting the aid to those who desperately need it is going to be the biggest challenge.”

The Australian Christian Churches have launched an emergency appeal with the aim of raising $50,000 for short-term relief. Funds raised will go towards helping affected families and communities by meeting basic needs.

The Church in Australia can make a significant contribution to rebuilding the lives of the Burmese and are being encouraged to do whatever they can to help.

“It will take a long term commitment to the people of Burma to see them recover both psychically and emotionally from the destruction of Cyclone Nargis,” Ps Houston said.

EASTER MESSAGE 2008 – BRIAN HOUSTON

Brian Houston
Senior Pastor – Hillsong Church &
National President – Assemblies of God in Australia / Australian Christian Churches

 

AUSTRALIA SAYS SORRY - BRIAN HOUSTON

Released: Wednesday, 13th February 2008

The word "sorry" is a powerful word and one that today marked a significant moment in our nation¹s history.  I commend our Prime Minister, Kevin Rudd, and his parliamentary colleagues, for their acknowledgement and awareness of the need for reconciliation amongst the people of Australia.

If today¹s apology is to become more than a gesture, I believe recognition of past wrong doing must be received with a spirit of forgiveness.  Forgiveness is a starting point for a new beginning and is an essential step in building our future together as a nation.

Reconciliation however is not reserved for the halls of parliament.  To be effective it must be embraced by the individual Australian and outworked in everyday life.  The scriptures tell us to "Pursue peace with all people" (Hebrews 12:14).  My hope is that as we do so, our resolve and vision as a nation will be unified and regenerated.

Brian Houston
Senior Pastor – Hillsong Church &
National President – Assemblies of God in Australia / Australian Christian Churches

 

CHRISTMAS MESSAGE 2007 - BRIAN HOUSTON

Released: Friday, 21st December 2007

Last week I was talking to a man who appears to have all the attributes of success, yet he describes his desperate loneliness as an ache or a grief on the inside. Clearly crowds or people do not calm the feelings of emptiness and loneliness that grip him, as he has a big family, attends our big church, and lives in a huge city. He is dealing with hollowness which external factors and material things have failed to alleviate. He is not seeking more company or friends; he just would like the internal ache to stop.

Our cities are filled with people who, although surrounded by others, are overwhelmed by powerful feelings of loneliness, separation, disconnection and isolation from the world.

Mother Teresa once said, "The most terrible poverty is loneliness, and the feeling of being unloved."

This from a woman confronted each day by people living in the most abject of poverty. She knew that physical poverty could be comforted by a warm meal, medical attention or bed at night, but emotional poverty required a different cure.

This cure comes in the form of Jesus Christ. In Him humanity was sent a friend. He came to forgive, embrace, accept and love each of us unconditionally. Through Him we can find hope for today and for our future.

This Christmas as we celebrate the birth of Christ the Saviour, my prayer is that each and every person would know the love and inner peace that comes in and through a relationship with Him.

Wishing you and your family a wonderful Christmas and New Year.

Brian Houston
Senior Pastor – Hillsong Church &
National President – Assemblies of God in Australia / Australian Christian Churches

 

DIVORCE REMARRIAGE POLICY & CODE OF CONDUCT

Released: Tuesday, 24th April 2007

The Assemblies of God in Australia today passed a new Divorce, Marriage & Remarriage Policy at its 36th Bi-annual National Conference being held on the Gold Coast.

Close to 2000 pastors and leaders representing some of the 1130 AOG churches from around Australia are attending the conference, 850 of whom voted on the new policy.

It makes allowances for divorce in cases of proven physical abuse where previously the policy only allowed for divorce on the grounds of adultery.

National Vice-President of the AOG, Alun Davies, said, “This is an important and serious issue which affects many Australians. As a movement we need to bring Biblical perspectives on contemporary issues, and ensure we are continually providing help and support in difficult situations.”

“We value and are committed to upholding the marriage covenant, and we consider divorce a last resort.”

The decision follows a comprehensive two-year consultation process, which received input from hundreds of people from every state.

Also passed was a Minister’s Code of Conduct which provides guidelines to churches and leaders on a range of moral and ethical issues.

The Conference marks the 70th year of the AOG in Australia, the largest Pentecostal movement in the nation.

The conference delegates also heard from National President, Brian Houston, today who shared future vision for the movement, with a strong emphasis on training up and releasing future generations of ministers and leaders.

He also commended the growing focus of AOG churches on community initiatives.

“I think that it’s very significant that churches around our nation have a fresh emphasis on providing community services that are bringing answers and healing to the hurting,” he said.

 

EASTER MESSAGE 2007 – BRIAN HOUSTON

Released: Thursday, 5th April 2007

For millions of Australians, and billions of Christians worldwide, Easter is one of the most significant events on the calendar.

It’s a time to reflect and remember the selfless sacrifice that Jesus Christ made on the cross, and to celebrate the forgiveness and hope we have through His life, death and resurrection.

Pivotal to the Easter message is the fact that Jesus rose from the dead. It’s the resurrection that differentiates Christianity from all other religions and gives potency and legitimacy to the message of Christ.

For close to two millennia people have tried to discredit this Truth, most recently in a documentary that claims to have found Jesus’ sarcophagus.

The resurrection transcends understanding and can’t be explained rationally because what took place on the third day was truly supernatural.

This supernatural event arrested Mary Magdalene’s attention, the first to encounter Jesus after His resurrection. It ignited faith and passion in the Apostles, fuelling them to take Christ’s message far and wide, and it continues to transform the lives of people today.

Jesus died and rose from the grave for all humanity. Spectacular? Yes. But more importantly, it was supernatural.

I pray in the midst of gathering with family, friends and an abundance of chocolate, that we will all take time to reflect on the true meaning of Easter and the supernatural power of Jesus Christ.

Brian Houston
Senior Pastor – Hillsong Church &
National President – Assemblies of God in Australia

 

SENATE DECISION ON HUMAN CLONING

Released: Thursday, 9th November 2006

I am disappointed with the recent decision by the Australian Senate to pass legislation that would allow the cloning of human embryos for the purposes of harvesting stem cells.

This is a highly emotional issue with serious ethical implications that saw the bill only narrowly passed in the Senate, a fact I trust MPs in the Lower House will consider when deciding if the ban on cloning should be lifted.

We have the utmost compassion for those who are suffering debilitating, life-threatening illnesses and we are supportive of the efforts to find cures, but we uphold the right for all human life, from fertilisation to death, to be protected.

To legally permit human embryos to be used for scientific research, however noble the quest is, paves the way for a society that disregards the rights of those who cannot speak for themselves.

Brian Houston
National President – AOG in Australia &
Senior Pastor – Hillsong Church

 

CIVIL UNION: MARRIAGE BY ANOTHER NAME WARNS AOG PRESIDENT

Released: Wednesday, 5th April 2006

The Civil Union Bill planned for the ACT is an attempt to introduce same-sex marriages under the guise of a different name, Assemblies of God National President, Brian Houston said.

Pastor Houston said marriage holds a unique place in society, and he warned that the proposed Bill has the very real potential of eroding one of the cornerstones of society.

“Same sex unions so closely mimic marriage that they threaten to undermine the majority held view that marriage is something that takes place between a man and a woman,” Pastor Houston said.

“Marriage and the families that ensue from them make up the fabric of our society, and I believe, as would most Australians, that this is something worth nurturing and safeguarding,” he said.

 

STATEMENT ON HOMOSEXUALITY

Released: Tuesday, 7th March 2006

Jesus Christ embraces and accepts everyone whatever their nationality, colour, creed or gender. He died for all of us and loves us equally. He gave every human being dignity and honour and so should we. However, the Bible makes it clear that certain behaviour is unacceptable to God and harmful to us. This is true for all of us, whatever our personal preferences, social norms or cultural practices.

For instance, the Bible teaches that the only place for sexual expression is within the context of a marriage between a man and a woman who are not closely related. Any sexual activity outside this Biblical model of marriage is considered to be immoral (1 Cor 6:12-20) (1 Thess 4:1-8).

The homosexual lifestyle therefore is contrary to the Biblical teaching on marriage and the practice of homosexuality is described as immoral in both the Old and the New Testaments (Lev 18:22) (Lev 20:13) (Rom 1:24-27) (1 Cor 6:9-11) (1 Tim 1:10).

However, we need to distinguish between a person's identity and activity. There is a great deal of difference between a homosexual preference and homosexual practice. It is the latter that is the issue here. People may argue about how easy it is to choose or change our sexual preference but we can definitely choose our sexual behaviour.

We are each responsible for our own actions and have to live with the consequences of our choices. However, whatever our current inclination or previous conduct, there is always the hope and possibility of change through Jesus Christ (1 Cor 6:11).

AOG DEEPLY DISTURBED BY LOCKHART RECOMMENDATIONS

Released: Wednesday, 21st December 2005

The Assemblies of God in Australia stands with other religious leaders across the nation in its grave concerns over the recommendations of the Lockhart Review into stem cell research and human cloning released this week.

“We uphold the right for all human life, from fertilisation to death, to be protected and we believe the Committee’s recommendations threaten this most basic of human rights,” National President of the AOG in Australia, Brian Houston, said.

“We, along with the vast majority of Christians across Australia, will not support research that uses embryonic stem cells as it is inappropriate that human life in the form of an embryo is reduced to a disposable commodity,” he said.

“We appeal to the Federal Government to oppose these recommendations when they come before Parliament next year and that they recognise the destruction of human embryos at any stage of development ultimately devalues the sanctity of life.

“We have the utmost compassion for those who are suffering debilitating, life-threatening illnesses and are supportive of the efforts made by medical science to find cures, however to legally permit human embryos for scientific research paves the way for a society that disregards the rights of those who cannot speak for themselves."

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