People in Glass Houses

A true story of growing up in Hillsong—the Pentecostal church which draws nearly 100,000 attendees to its rock concert–like services in eleven countries around the world each week.

People in Glass Houses tells how a small church in a suburban Australian school hall became a multimillion-dollar tax-free enterprise and a powerful international force. Providing memorable portraits of charismatic leaders Brian and Bobbie Houston, this is a powerful, personal, and at times very funny exploration of an all-singing, all-swaying mega church.

Hillsong is a favorite among young celebrity churchgoers. Justin Bieber has tweeted that he “broke down” after hearing a sermon at Hillsong’s New York City location. Vanessa Hudgens has sung onstage during Hillsong’s worship services, and Selena Gomez, a regular at Hillsong’s location at downtown Los Angeles’s Belasco Theater, shared her Instagram cover of Hillsong’s No. 1 Billboard Christian Songs hit “Oceans”. The church is more than a faith—it’s a brand. And one fraught with scandal.