Over the last couple of weeks, I'd asked both Integrity and Hillsong if they had any comments on the Michael Guglielmucci story, and if there was any word on whether they were going to remove the song "Healer" from the CD.
I shared Integrity's response last week and I have heard back from Hillsong. They directed me to the statement I've already shared about the DVD, but also suggested I read a post from HIllsong's Brian Houston, who along with his wife Bobbie, founded Hillsong in 1983. I think it's worth sharing with you, and it might give you some insight in to the ministry and it's response.
Yes, they were as convinced as the rest of the world that he did, in fact, have cancer. Houston says, "It was a two year academy award worthy performance as far as I am concerned." His blog shares some insight into just how convincing Guglielmucci's hoax was.
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A monday morning musing on the megachurch, Mike Guglielmucci, and music
(you'll find more links at the end of this post)
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Grace, I don't know anything about Mercy Ministries.
I'll have to read up on that. Thanks.
Joanne
host of the GS blog
Grace,
Don't believe everything you read in the papers about Mercy Ministries.
I happen to know that most hat was printed was highly sensationalised and innaccurate.
Ron
Ron
Quote "I happen to know that most hat was printed was highly sensationalised and innaccurate" You KNOW This? Really? I bet your AOG pastor told you right? Sorry but if you think the reports were so misreported try telling some of the Mercy Ministry survivors that it never happened. I've read their stories from their own writings. If anything the newspaper stories were mild!
Thank you Christopher.
Ron, that's not true. I suggest you do your research. Mercy Ministries has actually done some backpeddeling and admitted to a lot of it now (and done some housekeeping) after so many women came forward (25+ I believe.) They couldn't really sit there and deny it when around 25% of their former clients came forward with proof of abuse.
Joanne, mercysurvivors.com is a start (I think that's the url, if not, try mercysurvivirs.org) and another good source is http://nautblog.blogspot.com/search?q=x-mercy and http://nautblog.blogspot.com/2008/09/peter-irvine-apologises-sort-of.html but if you just google it on google australia a lot of information is there.
Ron,
Having traveled half way across the country and met one of the girls in person and talked to two others I find your statement "sensationalised and inaccurate" offensive. These women were abused, that abuse was hushed up.
They have been apologized to not only by the Australian directorship but by Nancy Alcorn herself, but this you won't find this reported in the media - because that would be a public admission and there seems to be an aversion within certain evangelical circles to saying sorry and demonstrating remorse through action.
With Brian and Bobbie, as with the Catholic church it's all about protecting the institution at the expense of the individual - hardly Christian by any stretch of the imagination.
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