Brian Houston Claims Sex-Abuse Victim Begged Him Not to Report Father’s Abuse+ New Revelations
Former Global Senior Pastor of Hillsong Church, Brian Houston, testified in court Friday that his father’s abuse victim, Brian Sengstock, begged him not to report it to police or authorities, a wish he says he honored and a claim the victim vehemently rejects, after Sengstock’s mother made the abuse known.
Houston is on trial responding to charges that he concealed sexual abuse by his deceased father more than 30 years ago. He was made aware of the allegations in 1999, five years before his father passed, but did not go to the police and turn his father in. He has pled ‘not guilty’ and, if convicted, faces five years in prison.
Houston described the meeting where he confronted his father, saying it was “tense” and “awkward” and lasted around 45 minutes.
“He simply said ‘that did happen’…He told me it only happened once, he told me it involved fondling his genitals. He was, I think, a mix of embarrassed, humiliated, shamed, remorseful.”
As a result of the confession, Houston told his father that he would not be able to attend church at Hillsong anymore, then known as Sydney Christian Life Centre.
He asked why, and I told him we have a ‘one strike and you’re out, no tolerance policy’ towards pedophiles, and it can’t be any different for you than it is for anyone else.”
He reiterated several times that Sengstock did not want any of this reported, describing him as “paranoid” that he might be identified.
(Mr Sengstock) was very dogmatic that he didn’t want the police involved… He said ‘you are not to go to the police’. He said ‘if anyone’s going to go to the police, it’ll be me and I don’t want to do that’.
I told him that I had no option but to disclose it to the national executive of the Assemblies of God and then his demeanor changed. He got angry, sort of panicky. And he said ‘I don’t want to be part of some big church investigation’.He said ‘I don’t want my name splashed all over the church, you know how gossipy they all are’….He said ‘if strangers from the church try to contact me I won’t talk to them, I’ll deny it, I’ll hang up’. He was just very blunt and clear he didn’t want to be having any conversation with any people from the church. He was very concerned about his anonymity.”
The trial continues Monday.
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I trust the word of child sexual assault victim over that of a pedophile enabler. Brian Houston should join his father in his current location. “People” like that are the reason God’s name is blasphemed among the pagans. In weaker moments, it certainly gives me pause about His willingness to protect the helpless or care about those entrusted to Him. Pillars of salt should come back in style…or public hangings (although I vote for wood chippers). This isn’t isolated- youth programs, especially, are rife with perverts and abusers among the ranks. The modern church is failing to do its job, all while patting itself on the back for “saving” zygotes or opposing birth control pills (which work by not releasing an egg- they’re only theoretically a possible a pre-sentient abortificent–not causing pain to a baby in even the worst case scenario and up to the woman to give an account to her maker if you really believe blocking implantation is a sin [why are we not focusing on the fornication or adultery that often precedes it?) Priorities, people….first things first. This is evidence that our own house (not that there’s anything Christian about Hellsong) isn’t in order/remove the log instead of going through the motions of piety.