Scandals and the Church: To the Point LIVE with Jon Noyes 

Jonathan, this was an EXCELLENT analysis! I also had watched the documentary on Hillsong and I was enraged and heartbroken at the same time. Thank you for highlighting this problem and bringing into the light what the church really is about......Jesus. 💕 Keep up the great work at STR!

Right on!

There are people who go from church to church looking for handouts. The church I was on staff at was very discerning and strictly limited help to strangers. We would also be in contact with other churches in the area when these people came around. This is another important reason to be in relationship with a local church body. When you're known and your needs are known, the fellowship of believers can rally around you. Cold calling churches when you're truly in need may not get you far cuz they don't know who you are and have been taken advantage of by druggies and swindlers.

People in Hillsong still defending their leaders actions and saying because I’ve not seen it here or there they will continue in ignorance bliss. Too many pleasure seekers and not enough truth seekers.

With regard to RZM, Parachurch ministries like STR need to find out why no-one from the inside broke the glass and pulled the emergency switch to prevent that from happening to their own ministries. A prime example is the special expense account he was able to use with little to no accountability

Amen brother. 1) It's the Lord Jesus who builds HIS Church, not men. And when men attempt to do it themselves, or when they have a different agenda than that of Christ, they are building that which actually works to destroy the church and the people under its influence, and gives the world another opportunity to blaspheme God. 2) It's the "simple" duty of the pastor to study to show himself (not herself) approved by God, and then to deliver the Word and explain its meaning in it's context and in light of the rest of the Scriptures, and make the message understandable even for children, and to administer the sacraments in their integrity. 3) Music is an important part of worship but should not be itself labeled as "worship" with "worship leaders". There can certainly be someone who is responsible for working hand-in-hand with the pastor in selecting the proper music for the integration of the music with the prayers, sacraments, and message from the Word. Sadly most churches have abandoned the songs that God wrote through men, the Psalms, and have substituted what can often be referred to as "Jesus is my boyfriend" songs with pop/rock sensibilities. Even uninspired Hymns have been abandoned for shallow, repetitive, smarmy tunes that have little-to-no variation, and are not designed for congregational singing. The musical instruments and mic-wielding singers are overpowering, like a rock concert, and the "music leaders" are performers. The congregants are an audience who sing along when they can, unable to hear one another as only the miked and amped performers are audible, again, just like a rock concert. 4) Churches that have gained more than 500 communicant members really should consider breaking off and starting another church. There's simply no way for the elders and deacons to keep up with anything greater, and it's the sort of situation that creates cliques and neglected people. For that matter really, 250 is about as big as a local congregation ought to be. And yes, I know that there are some solid ministers of the Word who have huge churches. But in this day and age, and in order to avoid the cult of personality, they need to reconsider, and spread out.

I need to watch the Discovery + story, but there's been problems with Hillsong for a long time. A simple short interview with Carl Lentz before he fell should have been enough. These churches exits because too many Pastors and Christian members have been afraid to call them out, for fear of offending the attenders and sometimes members. There's got to be a way to be gentle with the sheep and harsh with the wolves.