The Secrets of Hillsong (TV Mini Series 2023) Poster

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8/10
The Grittiest Documentary I've Seen
chocolatepopcorn28 May 2023
This has to be the most engaging, informed, exposed and gritty documentary I've watched. Christians and Non-Christians alike will find more than enough to keep them on the edge of their seats while also being provided with receipts of a broken system throughout. My jaw dropped wide open when Carl Lentz showed up on the screen in the most recent interviews recorded for this, it certainly felt real and all too gripping. Certainly while this is quite the expose' and the intro theme may be oddly & aesthetically pleasing, when they warn you about triggering episodes, please don't look past that... There's a lot of info in the last episode or two to make a weak stomach or a victim of SA and the like feel triggered and mind-boggled. It's a lot to chew on but at the end of the day, no matter what you believe spiritually, finances and scandals shouldn't become the norm, and thats what ultimately brought down this den of wolves I used to see as a legitimate church.
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8/10
Much better than the HBO documentary
itsahoverboard2 September 2023
As an ex-evangelical and graduate of the infamous Liberty University, I am always intrigued by these kinds of stories. Hillsong was a big part of the worship music culture I grew up in, and so it was quite surprising for me to see the scandals that have just come to light.

This doc, compared to the HBO doc, goes much more in depth to the story, and it actually has Carl featured as an interviewee. Had no idea about the monstrous crimes of Frank Houston, pastor father of the founder of Hillsong. Just goes again to show you that all institutions, religious or otherwise, will almost inevitably result in abuse of power.

The doc is a pretty tight 4 episodes, I don't think it was overlong like others said. Maybe it could have been 3 episodes and shaved down the rhetoric from some of the speakers. Although it's all truthful and insightful, and there's always some person who hasn't yet grasped why they find themselves disappointed with people and institutions they so love and trust.
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9/10
Excellent documentary
LeftyMcLefterson23 May 2023
Really digs into the very heart of the problems and rot at the Hillsong church. Was incredible to hear from Carl Lentz and Laura. Felt like we learned a lot of intricate details about what happened and how absolutely screwed up Brian Houston was and the entire Hillsong apparatus.

Excellent production value, footage and audio mixing. I really appreciated the lining up of old footage in a way to emphasize the hypocrisy of the church and the toxic community that was created.

If you enjoy high production documentaries on controversial topics this will hit every note and keep you at the edge of your seat.
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9/10
A Nailbiter!
dwknuj22 May 2023
I am pretty omnivorous when it comes to film. I like everything from silent movies to new releases. I am fine with foreign language films. But there's one thing that I love most of all - a well crafted documentary. The Secrets of Hillsong is a great example.

It's grounded in facts and interviews. Yet, somehow, the production team managed to keep me on the edge of my seat.

I am not going to reveal any spoilers, but several times, after a major revelation, I'd think, ok, this is obviously the end of this episode- and it never was.

Many of the interviews must have been painful. I applaud those brave souls for finding the inner strength to do them.

If you love great documentaries I suggest that you see this. To me it offers a master class in how to tell a story that is both factual and gripping.
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4/10
Carl says sorry
r-g-vos26 July 2023
There are two things wrong with this production: there's no focus and they failed to ask Carl en Laura Lentz some quite obvious questions.

About the focus: what is the documentary about? That evangelical organizations tend to be very conservative and have a strong bias towards all people that are 1. White and 2. Male? Thats how 90% of the Christian churches work, especially the pentecostal ones. Of course it's very sad when a young girl of color finds out she never will be a pastor because she isn't 1. White and 2. Male. But, no disrespect intended, she should have read the fine print before joining. Instead, the documentary should have been about a narcissistic opportunist (not Carl) and his buddies (enter: Carl) who see religion as a way of making (heaps of) money.

I can imagine how the production meetings went: a bunch of happy, lefty, intellectual people with no clue what churches are, were in the proces of making the show with the bad-narcissist approach. But then someone noticed "Wow, they are against abortion, gay-marriages, equal rights! Our viewers can't relate to that. Let's interview gay/female/colored people and let them speak out what we all think in this room!" -cheers all around- I imagine one person in the back faintly arguing: "But the majority of the (young) people who go there, share these opinions. Shouldn't we at least interview one or two of them?" Of course not, don't be ridiculous!

And then, just before the meeting was closed, there came this huge announcement. Carl and Laura wanted to be on the show! -more cheers, clapping- "The negotiations were successful. Carl and Laura agreed to tell their story! Of course we won't ask them any uncomfortable questions or verify their stories. -some laughter- "We are producers, not journalists" -more laughter- The faint voice in the back said something about telling the other people interviewed in the documentary that they will be participating in a crying-Carl-I'm-so-sorry-but-'they'-are-to-blame show. But alas the meeting was already over.

And there you have it. Interesting footnote is that Carl joined another mega church with accessory celebrities and controversies. Let's see how this turns out.
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10/10
When did this happen? Wow!
jamesreactive17 July 2023
I've followed the Hillsong story for almost 20 years buying my first album in New Zealand and dipping in and out by attending the occasional conference or buying an album, or watching on TV. Have taken my eye off the ball as this is an amazing documentary showing inconceivable developments in the story. It's clear that this massive church's success has come at a huge cost but so many of the issues described plague so many churches. This is a fantastic story and my mind is blown! This story is still developing too. What will August the 17th bring? I won't give my opinion on the people involved (all loved by God) or what happens as this will ruin it, but this documentary is wonderful.
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2/10
Another ten-minute story stretched out to 4 hours
jake_fantom10 June 2023
Warning: Spoilers
This four-episode snoozer follows the basic pattern of the vast majority of current streaming documentaries: stretch it out to as many episodes as possible even if you have to regurgitate the same unsurprising factoids over and over and over again. It's a familiar story: gigantic Aussie megachurch exports itself to New York City and fills thousands of seats with ecstatic parishioners enraptured by the miraculous words of a charismatic preacher who likes to dress in tight jeans and leather jackets. Fast forward to the end: the megachurch turns out to be run by child rapists, adulterers, serial abusers, and multiple sleazebag cover-uppers. There are hours of interviews with one of the key sociopaths - a guy who has now repented his evil ways and is bathed in the light of goodness and mercy (right). If it feels like you've seen this one already, it's because you have. The real question is how do they keep filling up these churches with mesmerized followers when the ultimate outcome is so predictable? I would think anyone of average intelligence would take one look at these creeps and run for the door. But sadly, not so.
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10/10
I speak as a former member. Lenz should pay all the money back and Houston should be in jail.
Birminghamukengland30 July 2023
I am speaking from personal experience about this Church, I have financially supported with some large gifts and also attended the London Church, whilst watching Hillsongs Sydney throughout the Pandemic and ever since. Of course I used to buy every Hillsong CD back in the day and adored Darlene Zsceck.

I am absolutely horrified about how this organisation has exploited not only the volunteers but also people like me. If I had any idea that my hard earned money was being used to accommodate the lifestyles of Lenz and Houston I would never have given a penny.

The participants were very brave especially the gay gentleman and females who were treated like dirt, as well as the musicians and volunteers.

I was concerned that this documentary would be fabricated and not authentic, but on the contrary, genuine accounts from genuine people who were right in the thick of it.

I have been a practicing Christian for 30 years and I have seen many of the practices mirrored in many Churches that I have attended, I am sad to say.

Only recently I looked into the finances of Elim, as we were tithing 10 percent there each month. I was absolutely disgusted to see how big their salaries and pension contributions are.

Now, I don't go anywhere. I have a simple faith and that's as far as it goes.

So, the cry on cue Lenz has repented and sought forgiveness from all, yet has a personal fortune of £4 million and a massive house worth goodness knows how much, all from Church money which from from US. Lenz should pay it all back. I note that he is in a Leadership position in another Church, if this man had any humility he would not be in any such position. The narcissism is still very evident.

As for Houston, I am hoping that he is locked away in August for many years. To think that I watched his preaches over and over.

Well done the makers of this documentary for exposing such evil in plain sight.

It was extremely painful to watch and I cried at much of it, but it all needed to be shown for what it is.

The whole organisation should now close.

I wonder how many more megachurches are operating like this, Joyce Meyer, Joel Osteen etc etc etc.

Be very discerning people.
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10/10
I loved it better then the others!
whitneyconnolly22 June 2023
I listened to the other one megachurched exposed vy Discovery+ and this one is less deep into emotional drama and Vanity Fair has it to add the Razzle Dazzle in their Docu series. I loved it way much better, even that I literally created a account on IMBD just to let everyone (like me) who still reads these comments to say its worth the watch of you like good docu series. I hope they make other ones like this. Not that the discovery+ one is not legitimate, it is! It just had a different direction or path from one another. You should watch it if you're still wondering if you should watch it or not.
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2/10
Looooooong and unnecessarily drawn out
elisa-grant26 July 2023
Warning: Spoilers
There's a lot of build up towards a crescendo that just doesn't come....

There's definitely content to warrant a documentary of the church and the Houston's ....anyone with any sort of connection to the church here in Sydney has known this for years.

Unfortunately though these 4 hours waffle on and on and you just can't help but wish a decent editor had been hired to do the job and cut it down to something more digestible and interesting,

My only real comment is it's staggering that the Houston's have gotten away with what they have for decades. Specifically their financial dealings. The sexual abuse allegations outlined here may be what brings them down but they aren't the major crime. It's like Al Capone being done for tax evasion- there's more to it. Here the financial dealings are so outrageous and the church leaders need to go down for those...
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3/10
The worst kind of docuseries there is.
danielmoksmann29 May 2023
Warning: Spoilers
Watching this made me think of the distinction between the great and the very bad documentary series or films.

I'll give an example of a fantastic documentary to make my point: "The Act of Killing", a documentary film from 2012 that had the former Indonesian death squad leaders re-enact their killings. The director of the movie didn't force those murderers to tell their stories: they were happy to do so in great detail. The director/producer didn't have to shape their story into something "sellable" for a wider audience - no, they did it themselves, the film just shows the outcome of that experiment. THAT is what is enticing about it, just watching it play out as naturally as possible. What we see is the reality of Indonesian history, documented for our amusement and bewilderment.

Compare that to this series. It seems to me that the series started as "we want to produce a docuseries about Carl Lentz and what happened to him, but we're hearing all these other stories about Hillsong being flush with money and no accountability, let's go there". With this alone, you have perhaps 5% of a story. So what do you do? You add pathways from point A to Z. You show things that should be (quite) natural in the context of an evangelical church (e.g., women being taught to be good wives, men taking on leadership positions, the Bible being at the center of a Christian church - wow, this is really unexpected) but that will trigger a secular audience. You show people that are willing to go on camera to say they thought they were underrepresented among leaders (and it's the sleaziest thing ever to then add "We asked Hillsong for comments and they provided none" - of course they won't, why would they contribute to your money-making production, which is made at their expense?). You talk about volunteers not being paid for their work (because they're volunteers). None of this is central to the story, but because you only had 5% to begin with, and because you want to hook in the secular audience that wouldn't care about Hillsong otherwise, what you do is "wrap" the 5% with narratives A, B, C, D...

Notice the difference between "The Act of Killing" and this docuseries. "The Act of Killing" starts with the story - the story that is in need to be told AND that the perpetrators WANT to tell. This starts with figments of stories that the producers piece together with their own preferred narratives, so that in the end what they present to us is THEIR story, THEIR take on Hillsong and on what Hillsong is. A telling part of the 1st episode that showcases this problem is the scene with the theologian on a TV transmission saying that "the text" doesn't say anything, that it's all interpretation (so as to leave the viewers thinking "these Conservative white men and their literal reading of the Bible, how dumb that is", without realizing that this attack is itself a political narrative).

There are evidently parts of the story that are true and that deserve investigation/merit criticism. No doubt. But while great documentaries present stories as a well-executed, straightforward dish for us to consume, this presented the story as a dish drowned in dressing, oil, seasoning... Forcing us to find the story among the many narratives the producers added.
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3/10
Could have been one episode, not four
alissaallred1 June 2023
Warning: Spoilers
Just finished watching. As others have mentioned, it goes on and on in circles.

Not sure why Carl was even part of this, but I guess he was the perpetrator of those "Secrets" of Hillsong. I feel for his family, but he should have been and was eliminated from ministry for good cause.

I find it interesting that many of the people they had featured with their stories of being excluded were devastated that they weren't elevated to the status that they wanted. Most individuals featured were not at all focused on elevating Jesus, which is likely the REAL reason they were likely eliminated from ministry. Most wanted the recognition, opportunities & status. The most authentic stories of pain were a Mom & Daughter that served along with Carl Lentz and I felt for them! It would have been really challenging to witness his behavior and I could see their heart for The Lord and their pain. We must not elevate people of this world! Only Jesus. I also know that we have authentic Jesus-loving brothers and sisters at Hillsong who are doing their best to serve God. It's been gross to see how quickly the church turns its back on its own body, as many churches have moved towards banishing Hillsong's music (written by our faithful brothers and sisters who have had zero to do with these scandals). We need to weed out the individuals that aren't authentic in ministry and keep pressing on.

The others in this documentary that I feel for are the victims of Frank Houston. It's horrific and I am SO sorry for their pain. He was not part of Hillsong though...he had a different church. His crimes all occurred before the 1970's and he was banished from preaching after he confessed of a single crime to Brian Houston in 1999. The crime had occurred decades earlier in a different country and he was ailing in his late 70's and no longer a threat to society. Frank also apparently revealed that he himself had been abused by his own grandfather. I can't call Brian guilty for the sins of his father, and it doesn't seem like a cover-up as he wasn't trying to keep him in ministry...he banished him from speaking. When this disturbing info came to light, his father was suffering mental challenges and near 80 years old. I can't even imagine what it would be like to learn this info about your family member. It's detestable but again, how do we hold Brian responsible for that? Should he have preached about his Dad being a serial pedophile near 80 years old? We'll see what the court says this month about whether or not he is accountable, as I'm not sure how courts work outside of USA.
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5/10
Just What You'd Expect
tadted24 July 2023
As with nearly every documentary that lifts the lid on these "charismatic" movements there is a dirty underbelly. Since Henry VIII created his own form of christianity to suit his own ends so many humans have followed suit. The subject matter of this movement follows the same pattern - somebody saw the chance to "create" a faith that suits a mindset that will bring rewards. The rewards are power, control, adulation and money. The "leaders" of these "faiths" are definitely never short of material possessions and a comfortable lifestyle and they run it like a business because that's exactly what it is. Sometimes I wish there was such a place as a fiery Hell, an often used tool of fear by them, because that is where so many of them would be going and their fake tears wouldn't quench the flames.
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1/10
Mix of Facts, Lies and Exploitation
lukeddj-6586630 May 2023
Not a fan of Hillsong. I like docuseries shows but this show is dishonest and exploitative. A good docuseries show will be objective but this show seemed to be more interested in attacking Christianity rather than sticking to the facts about Karl Lentz and Hillsong and including all the facts pertain to these situations. The show could of done better showing specifically the mistakes that Hillsong and Karl Lentz made as a cautionary tale but it failed in doing that. This should of have been a story about greed, lust, immorality and egoic pride but instead, it took the easy way and stated opinions that were going to cause reactions. I would not recommend this show to anyone. I would say try Christianity on your own and then make up make up mind about the religion.
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2/10
A Woke Farce
Erik-Movie-Reviews18 August 2023
A very sad attempt by some lost souls to blame others for their misfortunes and failures in life. Unemployed people with a lot of free time on their hands, should not expect to be paid for volunteering. Attendees of a Religious University should not expect to be automatically appointed as Ministers upon graduation. People who are living lives that are not in accordance with their Church's teachings, should find other Congregations that are more consistent with their lifestyles.

There do not appear to be many secrets or victims in this dull and uneventful tale of woe, mostly unhappy complainers with unrealistic expectations.
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3/10
Who Needs to See This?
thalassafischer9 July 2023
Who needs to be told that a hipster in a leather jacket, who posts shirtless photos of himself and cries on cue, leading a megachurch that has services which look like pop concerts isn't actually a real spiritual leader?

I feel insulted that this documentary even exists, I guess this is made for people who are genuinely surprised that Donald Trump is a narcissist and a liar.

Next I'm looking forward to Secrets of Wal-Mart and Secrets of the Ku Klux Klan.

Fifteen minutes into this documentary I'm just laughing at these people and thinking no wonder most of the people in the crowd are teenagers.
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