Hillsong Pastor Re-Affirms Stance on Gay Marriage

Brian Houston, pastor of Hillsong Church in Sydney, Australia, has issued a statement re-affirming his traditional position on same-sex marriage. 

Houston's reaction follows his appearance Thursday at a news conference in New York City that gave rise to media reports suggesting Houston had a "shift in tone on gay marriage."

The mega-church pastor was in New York for a Hillsong conference at Madison Square Garden.

"I encourage people not to assume a media headline accurately represents what I said at a recent press conference. Nowhere in my answer did I diminish biblical truth or suggest that I or Hillsong Church supported gay marriage," Houston said in a statement published by the Christian Post. 

"I challenge people to read what I actually said rather than what was reported that I said," he continued. "My personal view on the subject of homosexuality would line up with most traditionally held Christian views. I believe the writings of Paul are clear on this subject."

Hillsong Church operates 12 campuses around the world, including facilities in Los Angeles and New York City, where gay marriage is legal.

"I was asked a question on how the Church can stay relevant in the context of gay marriage being legal in the two states of the USA where we have campuses. My answer was simply an admission of reality -- no more and no less. I explained that this struggle for relevance was vexing as we did not want to become ostracized by a world that needs Christ," Houston said.

"I made the point that public statements condemning people will place a barrier between the Church and the world (and I note that Jesus came to save and not to condemn), which is why at Hillsong we don't want to reduce the real issues in people's lives to a sound bite."

"This -- like many other issues, is a conversation the Church needs to have and we are all on a journey as we grapple with the question of merging biblical truth with a changing world," he concluded.