FILE IMAGE - Brian Houston is pictured in a file image taken on May 23, 2009, in Brisbane, Australia. (Photo by Paul Harris/The Sydney Morning Herald via Getty Images) SYDNEY - Brian Houston, a founder of the Australian-based megachurch Hillsong, has resigned after an internal investigation by its board found that he had breached the church’s code of conduct at least twice over the past decade by behaving inappropriately toward two people.Houston’s resignation was announced by Hillsong Church in a statement Wednesday posted to its website. "We understand there will be much emotion at this news, and we all share these feelings," Hillsong said in part.
It added, "We acknowledge that change is needed. We have committed to an independent review of our governance structure and processes, understanding that this is a time of humble reflection and we are committed to doing what is necessary to ensure God is honoured, and our eyes are fixed on Jesus."The global church, which in the past has drawn celebrities like Justin Bieber, Selena Gomez and Chris Pratt, was co-founded by Houston and his wife, Bobbie, in Sydney in 1983.
Now with churches in 30 different countries, the church has dealt with a series of controversies in recent years.Houston previously stepped down from ministry duties in January amid charges of concealing child sex offenses related to allegations that his preacher father, Frank Houston, had abused a boy over several years in the 1970s."These charges have come as a shock to me given how transparent I’ve always been about this matter," Houston said in August at the time of being charged.