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Many People Are Leaving Hillsong Church. Here’s Why.
Abuse scandals have shattered the image of the world-famous church
CW: Please be advised this article deals with issues of sexual assault and abuse. USA helplines for victims of assault are located at the bottom of this essay.
Like any other twenty-first-century kid raised in an evangelical Christian household — or any other Christian home I grew up absorbing Hillsong Worship music.
Whether it was at church, through the speakers of the car radio on the way to soccer games or at youth summer camps, Hillsong songs like Oceans, What A Beautiful Name and King of Kings gave me renewed hope and peace.
I loved Hillsong music so much I dreamed of visiting one of their locations — envisioning myself among the thousands of parishioners worshiping from below the rock band stages. Even now, the playlists on my phone bound with worship songs produced by the star-studded mega-church.
For a while, Hillsong seemed like a breath of fresh air.
In an era where church attendance has plummeted across the United States, Hillsong could captivate young people with top tier worship music and services that resembled concerts more than religious services.
