Hillsong San Francisco to Operate Independently as Church Network Shrinks
The Hillsong Church network, originally based in Australia, announced on Sunday that its San Francisco campus will no longer be part of its brand. This change leaves just five Hillsong locations in the United States. Brenden and Jacqui Brown, who have led Hillsong San Francisco, plan to guide the church under a new identity.
Phil Dooley, Global Senior Pastor of Hillsong Church, revealed the decision alongside Sam Lopez, Lead Pastor of Hillsong California. “After much prayer and thoughtful consideration, we’re announcing that Brenden and Jacqui Brown will be taking on the leadership of our church community in San Francisco as a separate church,” Dooley stated in a remote broadcast.
This separation comes in the wake of significant changes within Hillsong’s U.S. operations, which have seen a reduction from 16 campuses to just five. The decline followed several scandals, including the dismissal of Carl Lentz, former Lead Pastor of Hillsong NYC, in November 2020 over “leadership issues” and other moral failures.
A documentary titled “Hillsong: A Megachurch Exposed” on Discovery Plus shed light on some of these controversies. Additionally, a leaked report by The Christian Post detailed claims of abuses at Hillsong NYC during Lentz’s tenure, including allegations of mishandling sexual misconduct involving church leaders and congregants.
Sam Lopez emphasized that the decision for Hillsong San Francisco to go independent had been in discussion for about two years. “We have an incredible couple there. They have a vision for it. God has called them,” Lopez mentioned, dismissing rumors of underlying issues.
The Browns are set to unveil the new name of their church next week, according to a joint statement on Instagram. “God has been faithful in every step of our journey, and we believe He’s leading us into something fresh and full of purpose,” they expressed, adding that while the church’s name may change, its mission remains steadfast.
Hillsong’s leaders have expressed support for the Browns’ new venture. “We’re just excited. And part of my job is not to keep and to hoard… My job is to see especially our staff step into the call of God on their life,” Lopez concluded.
For more information, visit The Christian Post.
This article was originally written by www.christiantoday.com
