Hillsong Church is expanding. The global church, which was founded in Australia, is launching on Feb. 21 its third congregation in the U.S., and it is located in Phoenix, Arizona.
According to Charisma News, the Phoenix site will initially offer six Sunday worship experiences on three different campuses—Scottsdale, Mesa, and Downtown—as they continue to build additional sites.
"After 15 years of serving as a large, vibrant, multisite church in the Phoenix metro area, and after much prayer and planning, we are excited to announce that we have become the 16th global campus of Hillsong Church," says Hillsong Phoenix Lead Pastors Terry and Judith Crist.
Hillsong says in its website that its Phoenix megachurch "is made up of a wide range of extraordinary people from all ages, races, and backgrounds." It invites everybody—"whoever you are, and wherever your journey has taken you"—to join the congregation because "you can rest assured you will be loved and valued at Hillsong Phoenix."
Earlier, Hillsong founder Pastor Brian Houston said they might welcome people from all walks of life and backgrounds, but that does not mean that they are affirming all of their lifestyles.
"Put clearly, we do not affirm a gay lifestyle, and because of this we do not knowingly have actively gay people in positions of leadership, either paid or unpaid. I recognise this one statement alone is upsetting to people on both sides of this discussion, which points to the complexity of the issue for churches all over the world," he told The Christian Post.
"I do believe God's Word is clear that marriage is between a man and a woman. The writings of the apostle Paul in scripture on the subject of homosexuality are also clear, as I have mentioned in previous public statements," Houston said.
