The Secrets of Hillsong” Sins of the Father (2023)

The-Secrets-of-Hillsong"-Sins-of-the-Father-(2023)
The Secrets of Hillsong” Sins of the Father (2023)

The Hillsong Church, which originated in Australia, was the center of attraction in the mid-2010s. 2106 marked a significant milestone in the church’s history when its celebrity pastor, Carl Lentz, baptized the pop superstar Justin Bieber in the bathtub of Jensen Monroe, a professional basketball player. The year preceding that, progressive contemporary churches like the one that Hillsong was reporting revenue figures in excess of $100 million, with minimal tax liabilities. The church shortcomings became famous when it was reported that the church had more revenue than the rest of the combos. The church did not mind putting Carl and Justin’s picture at the love island because they figured it was good marketing and media spins and they were right. 

The church’s positive image did take a beating in 2020 when Lentz came public about his extramarital relations. Paparazzi and journalists from Australia and America went through information-seeking issues related to Lentz and it backfired when they came across claims of discrimination, fund misuse, sexual abuse, and deep-dive psychological trauma. Lentz was once factually looked at as the ‘American picture-perfect husband’ within the Pentecostal and Evangelical movement. He was given a ban from Hillsong in Australia for ‘moral corruption’ which was a result of his divorce. His works did expose the church, more than they claimed Lentz ever did. Mary Jones, a former member of the church, shared in one of the last episodes of the series that “If you plant things in rotten soil you are bound to get rotten fruits.” 

The compartmentalized nature of the glasses and the church is unveiled in the docuseries “The Secrets of Hillsong,” which is comprised of 4 parts and puts the first by telling the viewers about the other construction workings of the establishment.

Hillsong has Ajay G. Michael who takes it at face value: a company that at its zenith had more than 100 churches around the world in 30 countries, with worshippers belting out praise from the award-winning songbook of Hillsong. While it pays tribute to the emotional pain of its angry followers, it does seek out the power plays and controversies that can facilitate the establishment of a Hillsong church. 

Although broad, the documentary does not miss the focal point. It does seem like director Stacey Lee might either have been a Hillsong follower or someone who just wants the truth. Vanity Fair also co-produced the documentary, “The Secrets of Hillsong,” which included some clipped sequences of reporters during the interviews stating, “And then we realized there was more to the story,” which was not so useful. Such weaknesses, however, denote their strength, the series is most effective when the efforts of accountability and contrition become personal. 

With the primary editing done by Eva Dubovoy, the narrative of “The Secrets of Hillsong” is both fast-paced and emotionally rich. While the film is mostly made up of interviews, which tends to be tiresome, this style balances out and almost makes up for it.

Its first episode kindly sets the record straight regarding the fancy facade of a progressive church – sure, they have received large attention in New York City and other cosmopolitan areas, but they seldom showcased anyone who was not white, male, heterosexual, and like Lentz as well as Hillsong’s founder Australian Brian Houston. Hillsong is widely criticized for having a crowd mentality as opposed to a people-centered approach – whether it was volunteers being exploited for difficult and unpaid labor behind the scenes, or the absence of POC representation on the central platform. I recall her giving a slide about what a member of New York City, Tiff Perez, dreams of giving: ‘I want to one day support preaching at Hillsong’, only to face the disillusioning reality of none coming back for support. 

And that is the deeply intricate story of horrendous spiritual abuse. And that further means putting together the subtle details on Carl Lentz’s demeanor, who was, or rather still is a Hillsong’s poster boy. For the first time since he got ex-communicated from the church, Lentz is in front of the camera. He is tanned and has long, curly hair, just like a Florida Jesus. So, now he can be found working behind a small desk in the corner of an office of a not-so-good advertising company.

He is no longer in the crowd of a thousand people. He is relieved that after being away from the limelight, he is finally able to share his story and talk about how therapy benefited him and helped him open up to things faith never had space for. Speaking in this documentary, he claims, “It is one of the best platforms I could have ever asked for.” 

Indeed, Lentz is no longer in a race worrying about being slandered, nor does Lentz act as if he is seeking sympathy, which gives the documentary a different touch. The way the series is presented, he and his wife Laura, who is also a major character, are provided the opportunity to speak candidly. It makes room for interpretation and openly discusses a couple trying to deal with the consequences of marital betrayal while, at the same time, revealing the details of his life that should not justify his behavior, but give insight into his life in a more secretive way. In one of the many gentle and elegant details of the series, he discusses his experience of being sexually assaulted as a child. 

The newfound knowledge regarding Brian Houston’s father Frank Houston adds a sprinkle of nuance to the already scandalous series Jason and Dee are working on.

He also served as a pastor owning his own church with an intention to be the voice of the people. As a result of decades of testimonies from both Australia and New Zealand, Frank has faced accusations of child sexual abuse. During the early 1990s, his son Brian is reported to have found out about the allegations against him while he was helping him spread their community. According to interviews, and internal investigations in “The Secrets of Hillsong”, it seems that the Brian attempted to control the pace at which these matters would become public and authorities are involved. As of this moment though, Brian is on trial for allegedly hiding the information that could cause trouble to his father. The series of episodes published so far lead us to the 3rd episode where he elaborately discusses similar allegations and also celebrates the ones that have gone public with their painful truths. 

It’s heart-wrenching to know this side of the story, how in the 2010s A Royal Commission in Australia made their investigations surrounding the abuse allegations, abuse covered-ups from the police and alleged political figures that defended Hillsong. The sequence of events are shocking to Hillsong’s supporters, and as the series suggests these moments certainly break the narrative that Hillsong has crafted for itself in a bid to gain followers.

While Australia was doing damage control for the scandal-ridden beginnings of Hillsong, we in America were witnessing the rise of Hillsong. 

“The Secrets of Hillsong” manages to paint a story that encourages the viewer to shirk away from the very idea of this megachurch. But and leaves everyone wondering how does this relates to faith. And the final question offered is: How does being a part of this story affect one’s relationship with God? The lens there is deep and graceful. A handful of interviewees reveal themselves as ‘happy atheists’, some report to having switched to a smaller, more loving church, and as always, Carl Lentz is still sporting his signature cross necklace.

For More Movies Like The Secrets of Hillsong” Sins of the Father (2023) Visit 123Movies

Leave a Comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Scroll to Top