Hillsong Still Scratching Itching Ears

Some years back, Brian Houston, senior pastor of Hillsong Church in Sydney, was asked by a reporter from the city newspaper why his church is so prosperous in a country like Australia, which is decidedly not the Bible belt. He replied, “We are scratching people where they are itching” (“The Lord’s Profits,”Sydney Morning Herald, January 30 2003). It was refreshing to hear his honesty in admitting that he is fulfilling prophecy. “For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears” (2 Timothy 4:3). The apostate generation described in this prophecy has ears that itch for new things and fables, and there are “heaps” of teachers clamoring to satisfy that itch. A major way that Hillsong scratches the apostate itch is through music, which is admitted in the following review of Hillsong Young & Free’s “This Is Living” album: “As oxymoronic as it may sound, JESUS CERTAINLY SOUNDS GOOD ON THE DANCE FLOOR. While Hillsong Worship and Hillsong UNITED thrive on a decidedly more anthemic pop-rock stadium filling sound, Hillsong Young and Free (Y&F) exists more for those who wish to take Jesus into electronic dance music (EDM). With swirling beats and disco dazzling daze, Y&F has given worship music an updated sound that makes it stand toe to toe with the music of Meghan Trainor and Bruno Mars ... With more and more members of UNITED getting past their youthful prime, Y&F has been pioneered to lead younger folks to Jesus WITH MUSIC THAT TICKLES THEIR EARS and gets them JIVING FOR THE GOSPEL” (“Hillsong Young and Free,” Hallels.com, Jan. 6, 2015). There is no doubt that Hillsong is one of the biggest itching-ear-ticklers on the planet. This generation is “hooked on a feeling,” and CCM scratches that itch in a big way.

(Friday Church News Notes, January 9, 2015, www.wayoflife.org, fbns@wayoflife.org, 866-295-4143)

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