Famed worship leader Chris Tomlin has responded to pushback over his decision to tour with Hillsong United over the next few months in light of the multiple scandals that have rocked the Australian megachurch over the last two years, saying that he ‘knows their hearts; and that that he believes the shows will be ‘amazing.’
This is not the first tour that the two bands, considered evangelical worship royalty, have gone on together. During their time last year, they came under fire for offering pricey ‘VIP experiences’ that included perks like “PRE-SHOW PHOTO OPPORTUNITY WITH YOUR PARTY FROM THE ON-STAGE CATWALK TO COMMEMORATE YOUR NIGHT.” Amid sustained criticism, theyeventually canceled that sort of ticketing.
By all accounts, Tomlin is the more theologically solid of the two bands, though he is not without his issues, given the other artists he worships alongside. He has toured with or put on shows with troublesome performers such as Matt Maher (a practicing Roman Catholic idolater) and Kim Walker-Smith of Jesus Culture, the musical group belonging to the hyper-charismatic cult of perdition that is Bethel Church in Redding, California.
As far as distancing himself from them, Tomlin says he has no intention of bowing out and will see it through. Christian Post reports Tomlin telling Hillsong when they offered to release him from the tour:
’ No, if we’re going to do this, I think it’s going to be amazing. And I think it’s gonna really help people, and I’m with you guys.’”
Tomlin is committed, knows full well what he’s getting into.
From the time that we started to the time we actually went on tour, they were completely different, [Hillsong United] were in a completely different place.
…It wasn’t like I was touring with somebody I really don’t know; I’ve known [Jonathon ‘JD’ Douglass] forever. I’ve known Joel for so long, and I know their hearts. I know their hearts are broken just like everybody else’s. The only difference is they have to live it and get lumped in with all this media stuff, and they have to take the hits on that.”
Everybody goes through hard times, and life is hard, and life throws curves in many different ways…To stand there and say, ‘You know what, in the midst of that I worship you, God.’ I mean, that is the Bible. That’s the Scripture; that’s what we read.
The fact that he’s playing with Hillsong- a mega musical band in their own right that has dominated the worship scene for the last two decades and who is simply a vehicle to deliver the scandal-riddled organization’s own brand of wicked prosperity gospel and cauldron of blasphemies is an indictment against him. We’re not trying to kneecap the guy. Still, Hillsong is awful, and we regard every aspect of the Hillsong ecosystem designed to draw in Christians and expand their influence to be wholly and utterly demonic.
