The founder of an Australia-based megachurch is stepping down as leader to fight charges that accuse him of concealing child sex abuse.
Brian Houston, who leads Hillsong Church, allegedly knew his father, Frank, abused a boy in the 1970s. He never came forward with the information.
“These allegations came as a shock to me, and it is my intention to vigorously defend them,” Houston wrote in a statement posted to Hillsong’s website.
Houston said that under the advice of outside legal counsel, it was recommended by Hillsong’s board that he step down. He agreed to step aside while the case played out in court. He estimates it could take the better part of the year due to court backlogs.
“The result is that the Hillsong Global Board feel it is in my and the church’s best interest for this to happen, so I have agreed to step aside from all ministry responsibilities until the end of the year,” he said.
He denies any wrongdoing and “welcomes the opportunity to set the record straight.”
Houston founded Hillsong with his wife, Bobbie, in Australia in 1983. It now has locations in 30 countries. The church boasts a global attendance of 150,000 per week, including celebrities.
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