After Hillsong Church Boss Brian Houston Was Acquitted Of Hiding Dad’s Sexual Abuse, His Legal Strategy Is Credited With Saving Him From Prison

Last week, a court in Sydney, Australia, acquitted the founder of the global megachurch Hillsong of covering up his father’s child sexual abuse in the 1970s.

The ruling found that Brian Houston had followed his father’s victim Brett Sengstock‘s request to not report the abuse to the police. Magistrate Gareth Christofi said there was “little doubt” Houston knew Sengstock did not want the abuse to be reported and thus “had a reasonable excuse for not bringing the matter to the attention of police.”

Houston addressed reporters on Thursday, saying, “A lot of people’s lives have been tragically hurt, and for that, I’ll always be very sad. But I am not my father. I did not commit this offense.”

Sengstock was in the court to hear the verdict. He previously recalled during the trial that he was repeatedly raped by Houston’s father, Frank Houston.

After the ruling, Sengstock said, “Frank Houston was no pioneer for Christianity… Regardless of today’s outcome, I have received a life sentence.”

Brian Houston learned about the abuse decades later. He told the leaders of the Church but not the police. His father later admitted to his crimes but was never charged and died in 2004.

Houston stepped down as Hillsong’s senior pastor in January 2022 after being charged with concealing his father’s abuse. He later resigned due to an investigation into inappropriate behavior toward two women.

Hillsong Church has hosted many celebrities, including Hailey and Justin Bieber, Selena Gomez, Nick Jonas, Chris Pratt and Kendall and Kylie Jenner.