The church is governed by a adminstrative board and group of elders. The replacement chairperson has yet to be announced. Brian Houston was chairman of the board, until he resigned in 2021. Though Bobbie is a senior pastor, she has no leadership role on the eldership or board. The founders, Brian and Bobbie Houston, are currently the global senior pastors of Hillsong Church. ĭue to COVID19 impacts the church has focused on measuring online attendees instead of regular attendees, which they state average 444,000 per weekend. In Australia, the denomination reported 30 churches and 43,000 regular attendees in 2018. Hillsong Church reports 150,000 regular attendees in 23 countries. In October 2021 Hillsong bought the Golders Green Hippodrome in London, England, with the intention of holding Sunday services there. In October 2020, they purchased the Festival Hall venue in Melbourne to become the home of Hillsong Church Melbourne City's weekly church services after undergoing renovations to better suit the new uses. According to both Hillsong and ACC, the parting was amicable. In September 2018, Hillsong left the Australian Christian Churches (of which Houston had been national superintendent/president from 1997 to 2009) to become an autonomous denomination, identifying itself more as a global and charismatic church. In 2018, it was announced that Hillsong would be expanding into Canada and Mexico, with the launch of Hillsong Toronto on 23 September, and Hillsong Monterrey later that year. The video was recorded live in Israel and shows a stone at the entrance of Nassar's farm, which has the words "We refuse to be enemies" written on it. Hillsong United featured Daher Nassar, a Palestinian Christian, in their music video Prince of Peace. In 2017, Hillsong announced it would be opening a church in Tel Aviv, Israel. Hillsong Stockholm, Sweden, formerly known as Passion Church, was planted in 2008–2009. It was announced in October 2007 that Phil Dooley and Lucinda Dooley would plant a Hillsong Church in South Africa in March 2008. In March 2007, Hillsong Kiev planted an offshoot church in Moscow, which started regular services in July 2007. During the 1990s, Kiev Christian Life Centre, now Hillsong Kiev, and London Christian Life Centre, now Hillsong London, were planted from Hillsong Church as independent churches. A new convention centre at the church's "Hills" location, was opened on 19 October 2002 by John Howard, the then Prime Minister of Australia. In 1997, the church moved into its new building at Baulkham Hills' Norwest Business Park. Originally, services were held at the Baulkham Hills Public School hall. This was a result of strategic marketing that targeted younger generations and Hillsong's success at establishing itself as a global music standard.
Through the 1980s and 1990s, the congregation grew from 45 members to nearly 20,000 and emerged as a significant influence in the area of contemporary worship music. The music of Hillsong United and Hillsong Worship are credited with driving Hillsong's global popularity. Hillsong is a megachurch that has been described by popular music scholar Tom Wagner as a "confluence of sophisticated marketing techniques and popular music".
Until separating from the denomination in 2018, Hillsong was a member of the Australian Christian Churches (the Australian branch of the Assemblies of God). Hillsong is primarily known for its worship music, with groups such as Hillsong Worship, Hillsong United and Hillsong Young & Free. The church, originally called Hills Christian Life Centre, was established in 1983 in Baulkham Hills, New South Wales, by Brian Houston and his wife Bobbie. Hillsong Church, commonly known as Hillsong, is a global charismatic Christian megachurch based in Australia.