Recently, we had the opportunity to interview Brian Houston of Hillsong Church for the June edition of Daystar’s monthly newsletter. Only part of the interview was included in the newsletter, but you can read the rest of it right here!
1) How many Hillsong campuses are there in the world and where are they?
- Australia
- London
- Kiev
- South Africa
- New York City
- France
- Stockholm
- Germany
- Amsterdam
- Copenhagen
- Barcelona
- Los Angeles
- Moscow
- Buenos Aires
- São Paulo
2) What’s the most challenging part of pastoring a global church?
I try not to focus on the challenges, but to see them as part of the adventure. Years ago it was only a dream that we (Bobbie and I) would have the opportunity to travel all over the world, let alone see great local churches built in cities of influence. Today, the travel and ‘time demands’ could be seen as a challenge, or as a great blessing. We choose the latter…most of the time 🙂
3) What does your typical week look like?
It depends where I am in the world. However, at home in Sydney we have 56 services every weekend in Australia alone. I generally preach at several, and live on the screen to multiple cities through a link. Then Bobbie and I endeavor to take Mondays off, along with the rest of our pastoral team. We spend time with family (Our daughter Laura and 2 of our grandkids still reside in Sydney), go for walks with the dog, and enjoy time at cafes on Bondi Beach. The rest of the week is reserved for meetings, sermon prep, filming various things for Hillsong Television and everything else that comes with running a local and global church.
4) This is a big year with the conference, your book release, and the Hillsong movie! What’s your favorite way to spend your downtime?
I love everything about what I do, so I don’t feel ‘drained’ by my weekly responsibilities. However, even though I don’t get much time for it these days, I love to ride my motorbike when I get the chance. I love to exercise along the famous Bondi to Bronte trail and I love spending time with my kids and grandkids.
5) What do you think is the best advice you could give to church leaders?
Be YOU. Don’t try to ‘do church’ the way others are doing it, don’t try and copy what is working somewhere else. Live with the original conviction and call that brought you to ministry in the first place. Find your grace zone and hold fast to your vision – we can learn and glean from others but you must be comfortable to be yourself. Don’t be afraid to raise up people that are ‘better than you’ – better preachers, better carers – where you sow, you will reap.
6) Everyone is talking about millennials and the church. Meanwhile, Hillsong seems to be full of them! Why do you think that is?
We purposefully and wholeheartedly care for and put great effort into raising up the next generation of leaders and influencers, healthy young people who know what they were created for. From children’s programs, to youth groups and conferences aimed at young people, our heart is about drawing young people to a message of worth, value and contribution, and ultimately a saving reality of Jesus Christ. Some people would say Hillsong is a ‘relevant’ church because of the music we sing and the ‘image’ we portray. But I have always said that relevance isn’t about the clothes you wear, but that ‘true relevance is measured by the distance between what you say and what you do.’ If your actions and lifestyle fail to line up with what you say, preach, and believe, then your message becomes irrelevant.
7) How was Hillsong Conference born?
Hillsong Conference was birthed out of a desire to be a blessing to the church worldwide and make God’s name known across the Earth. The first ever conference was held in 1986, just three years after we planted Hillsong Church, and actually began as a worship conference with 150 delegates. Since that day, the vision has grown and Hillsong Conference is now held annually in Sydney, London and New York City with over 70 different denominations represented and thousands attending each year. Our desire is to “Champion the cause of local churches, everywhere.”
8) What are you most looking forward to from Hillsong Conference 2015?
I look forward to Hillsong Conference every year, but I can honestly say that there is something special about this year. Each year I intentionally sit down to hear from God about the speakers to invite, the theme and words to frame the conference – God never disappoints, and that is exactly what happened. “Speak Lord, We’re Listening” is not just a phrase or a marketing campaign – it is the very cry of our hearts as we prepare every detail for our delegates.
9) What can people expect when they tune in to the conference on Daystar?
World class speakers, beautiful worship, new songs, some creative moments that will spark your imagination and of course, if they open their hearts and lean in, I believe people watching on television can expect to hear from God.
10) We’re excited about Daystar’s recent launch on Foxtel throughout Australia! What kind of impact do you think this expansion will have?
Having Gospel-based programming on television that is able to be widely accessed by the Australian public is a wonderful thing. From our own experience with Hillsong Television, we are continuously blessed hearing testimonies of everyday Australians who encounter the message of Jesus Christ and are impacted by the love and care of a local church, from their own living room through their TV screen. Daystar’s vision and expansion in this area of Australian television will see a great impact for Kingdom purpose.
To learn more about Brian Houston and Hillsong Church, visit hillsong.com, and be sure to check out his program on Daystar on Sundays at 12:00 a.m. EST.