People in Glass Houses Read online

  PEOPLE IN GLASS HOUSES

  PEOPLE IN

  GLASS

  HOUSES

  AN INSIDER’S STORY OF

  A LIFE IN & OUT OF Hillsong

  TANYA LEVIN

  Published by Black Inc.,

  an imprint of Schwartz Publishing Pty Ltd

  37–39 Langridge Street

  Collingwood VIC 3066 Australia

  email: [email protected]

  http://www.blackincbooks.com

  Copyright © Tanya Levin 2015

  Tanya Levin asserts her right to be known as the author of this work.

  ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

  No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form by any means electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise without the prior consent of the publishers.

  The National Library of Australia Cataloguing-in-Publication entry:

  Levin, Tanya, 1971- author.

  People in glass houses : an insider’s story of a life in and out of Hillsong / Tanya Levin.

  Edition: 2nd edition.

  ISBN: 9781863957427 (paperback)

  ISBN: 9781921825583 (ebook)

  Levin, Tanya, 1971- . Hillsong Church. Pentecostal churches - Australia.

  3. Big churches - Australia.

  289.940994

  Cover design by Thomas Deverall

  This book is dedicated to

  My father and mother, because it’s the only commandment that comes with a promise, and because they are the two finest human beings I have ever met

  My sun, Sam: may freedom of thought be the revival of your generation

  CONTENTS

  Someone to watch over me

  PROLOGUE

  Thank you for the music

  WITH OR WITHOUT YOU

  CHAPTER 1

  Two tribes

  CHAPTER 2

  C’mon Aussie, c’mon, c’mon

  CHAPTER 3

  The Justice League

  The way we were

  CHAPTER 4

  Friends forever

  Dear diary

  CHAPTER 5

  Reason to believe

  CHAPTER 6

  Sympathy for the devil

  CHAPTER 7

  Into temptation

  Nina

  CHAPTER 8

  It’s hard to be a saint in the city

  CHAPTER 9

  Money changes everything

  CHAPTER 10

  Eight is enough

  CHAPTER 11

  Free at last, free at last, thank God almighty, we’re free at last

  HOLD ME, THRILL ME, KISS ME, KILL ME

  CHAPTER 12

  Walk this way

  CHAPTER 13

  Last night a DJ saved my life

  CHAPTER 14

  Will you miss me when you’re sober?

  Only the good die young

  ALL ALONG THE WATCHTOWER

  CHAPTER 15

  Hollaback girl

  CHAPTER 16

  Saving all my love for you

  Veronica

  CHAPTER 17

  Let’s hear it for the boy

  David’s princess

  CHAPTER 18

  Kids

  CHAPTER 19

  There’s no business like show business

  If I was a rich girl

  CHAPTER 20

  I just can’t wait to be king

  CHAPTER 21

  When the generals talk

  CHAPTER 22

  If it makes you happy

  CHAPTER 23

  Consider me gone

  AND THE BAND PLAYED ON

  CHAPTER 24

  Blank Space

  Notes

  Acknowledgements

  You don’t want the truth, because deep down, in places you don’t talk about at parties, you want me on that wall. You need me on that wall.

  We use words like honour, code, loyalty … we use these words as the backbone of a life spent defending something. You use them as a punchline.

  I have neither the time nor the inclination to explain myself to a man who rises and sleeps under the blanket of the very freedom that I provide and then questions the manner in which I provide it. I would rather you just said thank you and went on your way. Otherwise, I suggest you pick up a weapon and stand a post. Either way, I don’t give a damn what you think you are entitled to.

  —A Few Good Men

  SOMEONE TO WATCH OVER ME

  Perhaps it would be as well, first of all, to try to make out what one means by the word Christian. It is used these days in a very loose sense by a great many people. Some people mean no more by it than a person who attempts to live a good life. In that sense I suppose there would be Christians in all sects and creeds. The word does not have quite such a full-blooded meaning now as it had in the times of St. Augustine and St. Thomas Aquinas. In those days, if a man said that he was a Christian it was known what he meant.

  —Bertrand Russell, Why I Am Not a Christian (1927)

  A number of terms are used to describe people who attend churches like Hillsong. In some situations they can be used interchange ably, but to do so in others will result in partial or total inaccuracy. In this book I have used definitions that are to the best of my theological understanding of the fraction of Christian climates I have studied. They are broad characterisations, intended simply as an overview of religious beliefs held by millions of people worldwide.

  Being a Christian means—what? The problem with nailing a definition is that there are too many contending authorities. The ‘Christian church’ has an infinite number of fragments and offshoots, in a body that requires itself to have unity. ‘Christianity’ evolves continually, and with it the doctrines that underpin it.

  Being a born-again Christian narrows it down a little. Born-again Christians believe ‘Jesus’ when he allegedly said that no one can see the kingdom of God unless he is born again. This involves repentance of your sins and acceptance of Jesus Christ as your personal Lord and Saviour. Liberal born-again Christians think very differently to fundamentalists, who are generally quite conservative.

  Fundamentalist Christians believe that every single mark on the pages of ‘the bible’ is there as ‘God’ breathed it, and that every word should be taken literally. If it says it rained for forty days and nights, then that’s what happened. Thus, since Jesus said it, all fundamentalist Christians know they must be born again.

  An evangelical Christian believes that you must be born again and that it is each born-again Christian’s responsibility to convince others of the same. This is in direct response to The Great Commission Jesus gave the eleven men closest to him, instructing them to go and make disciples of all nations. Not all evangelicals are fundamentalists, but all fundamentalists are evangelical.

  Southern Baptists are strict fundamentalists, particularly when it comes to matters of sexuality and women’s rights. They are born-again evangelicals who often aim to share their puritanical morality with everyday citizens by gaining political power. Southern Baptists are not often Pentecostal, although they are fond of demon exorcisms.

  Only Pentecostals have the lot. Taking born-again, evangelical, fundamentalist Christianity literally, Pentecostals seize upon the verses in Acts 2:1–5:

  When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place.Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting. They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them. All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them. When they heard this sound, a crowd came together in bewilderment,
because each one heard them speaking in his own language.

  If it was good enough for the disciples, then the Pentecostals decided it was good enough for them. They are distinguishable by the ‘signs and wonders’ that accompany them.

  Founded in 1914 in Hot Springs, Arkansas, the Assemblies of God was an organisational exercise designed to ensure representation on the Pentecostal council for white ministers not faring well in a majority African-American church. This Pentecostal offshoot had minor theological differences with its forerunners, but grew to sizeable proportions through both world wars.

  The structure of the Assemblies of God has remained much the same for generations. While each church was, and technically still is, autonomous, things have changed significantly since the rise of churches such as Hillsong.

  Brian Houston is the Senior Pastor of Hillsong, the largest Pentecostal church in Australia. He is also the President (formerly known as General Superintendent) of the Assemblies of God National Executive. The National Executive exists as a board of leaders who provide direction and integrity to the organisation.

  When problems arise in individual churches, a member of the National or State Executive may intervene to resolve complex issues appropriately. However, should any concerns arise regarding Hillsong, or its pastors, it is impossible to seek independent assistance from the AoG national body. You can’t call the authorities on Brian. He is all of the authorities.

  One notable characteristic of the AoG is the deep conviction that we are living during the end times or ‘last days’, when Jesus is due back. This is sometimes called the Latter Rain movement, and infuses Pentecostal doctrine with a great sense of urgency.

  The Word of Faith movement is also at the core of the mainstream Pentecostal church. Its premise is that the Protestant bible (out of a choice of the simpler translations) is the Truth. Scripture is God-breathed, therefore every word in the bible, even the laws on cleansing from mildew, is holy. The Word of Faith proponents also believe that every word, every phrase is relevant to the reader.

  This started out sweetly in the beginning. There are 21 promises in Romans 8, I was taught as a child. The promises often come with conditions, which must be kept. Any promise can be generalised to anyone. In Joshua 1:9, when “the Lord said to Joshua, son of Nun, Moses’s assistant ... Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go,” the Word of Faith believers claim this assurance as applicable to them (and you if you want it!).

  Prosperity theology would be nothing without the Word of Faith movement. Bible verses about money can be selected, emphasised, with context removed, and made to fit any situation, generally to show that a previously unjustifiable level of wealth is part of Christian doctrine. With the Word of Faith doctrine, anything is possible, if you can find it in the Word.

  Blessed with an AoG Pentecostal born-again evangelical Jewish Australian upbringing, and plagued by a Gen-X post-modern mind and a middle-class education, I can only offer one opinion.

  By the way, a lot of people don’t like my identifying as Jewish, considering I’ve been a born-again Christian. As if I could undo a bloodline like this that easily. From what I can deduce, they think I’m being greedy. And yes, I am. My mother always taught me I was entitled to double blessings, as the bible says, first for the Jew and then for the Gentile. I’m not giving that up for anyone.

  A NOTE ON THE BIBLE

  As there are so many interpretations of the same Word of God, I have chosen the New International Version purely for sentimental reasons and for argument’s sake. I have used my own multicolour highlighted New International Version bible that I bought in 1987. The pastors always said, ‘God is not a man that he should lie, nor son of man that he should change his mind.’ If it was true then, and Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today and forever, then it’s true now.

  Prologue

  THANK YOU FOR THE MUSIC

  Joanna: If I am wrong, I’m insane … but if I’m right, it’s even worse than if I was wrong …

  —The Stepford Wives (1975)

  This book could never have been written without Hillsong. They are, in fact, the very people who gave me the strength and the determination to make sure it got done. They were the Hills Christian Life Centre when I was around, but the message was almost the same.

  The eighties were my formative years, and while other teenagers were gyrating to rock’n’roll, we were praying for revival. We were taking communion, not cocaine. We treated virginity like a wedding present, not a cold sore.

  And why wouldn’t we? We were told we could be, we already were, anything we wanted to be. We could overcome anything, and to him who overcomes is given the authority over the nations.

  We were armed and dangerous. Armed with the power of God and dangerous in the eyes of Satan. For, after all, we were wrestling not with flesh and blood but with principalities and powers. It was a spiritual battle we were fighting. And Jesus had already won the war.

  If God was for us, who could be against us? No weapon formed against me shall prosper. We were sold out for Jesus, on fire for God. Why would we fear man, or sickness, or death, or ridicule? We were in the world, but not of the world. We had faith way bigger than mustard seeds. And we were bound to move mountains.

  As it turned out, many of us did. The generation that, with me, spent their youth being raised up as warriors for God has succeeded and supported one another in the pursuit of excellence.

  It’s not hard to see why. When you have no fear but the fear of God, nothing really matters. We were saved, born again, sanctified, washed, cleansed, made righteous, justified, just-as-if-we’d-never-sinned. We were living only to spread the Word that Jesus was the Answer. To everything. To anything. Whatever you need to know, it’s all in the Book. What else is there? What else could there possibly be?

  So we walked on adolescent water, unfazed by being left out of high school drinking games and groping sessions, hoping for an opportunity to minister, to share the Good News. We formed our own rebellion, and were proud to be renegades against mainstream society.

  We didn’t need passion pop to give us passion. We had a simple goal of taking over the world. And there was no reason why we couldn’t. Except now, it looks like they weren’t kidding when they said they wanted Australia for Jesus. And then the world. I never thought they’d get the numbers. Boy, was I wrong.

  I have to sincerely thank Hillsong and the crew backstage for propelling me into becoming the person that I am. For giving me a confidence that in a psychiatrist’s office would have been called delusional. For telling me that the only person I have to keep happy is my creator. That I should rejoice when persecuted. Expect to be called crazy. Delight in being driven out of town. As long as it is in the name of Truth. That God has no favourites. That the strangest people are used in the strangest ways. And that God is powerful enough to save me from the fire, but that even if he does not, I still will not serve your gods or worship the image of gold you have set up.

  Without these things being drummed into my head, week after week after year after year, I would never have had the guts to write all this down. Even the bible agreed with me.

  ‘Command those who are rich in this present world not to be arrogant nor to put their hope in wealth, which is so uncertain, but to put their hope in God, who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment’, it says in 1 Timothy. ‘Command them to do good, to be rich in good deeds, and to be generous and willing to share.’

  Can you say Amen to that?

  WITH OR WITHOUT YOU

  Chapter 1

  TWO TRIBES

  ‘I have heard what the prophets say who prophesy lies in my name. They say, “I had a dream! I had a dream!” How long will this continue in the hearts of these lying prophets who prophesy the delusions of their own minds …

  ‘Therefore,’ declares the Lord, ‘I am against the prophets who steal from one another words supposedly from me. Yes,’ declares the Lord
, ‘I am against the prophets who wag their own tongues and yet declare, “The Lord declares.” Indeed I am against those who prophesy false dreams,’ declares the Lord. ‘They tell them and lead my people astray with their reckless lies, yet I did not send them or appoint them. They do not benefit these people in the least,’ declares the Lord.

  —Jeremiah 23:25–26, 30–32

  Dr Andrew Evans thought he was the one. If anyone was going to be running the Assemblies of God, if anyone was going to be overseeing the great revival promised to the land considered the uttermost ends of the earth, Andrew Evans knew it was going to be him. He was born for the job. In 1977, Dr Evans had nothing to fear.

  New Guinea hadn’t worked out. Missionary work was not for Andrew and his wife, Lorraine. He might have been a missionary’s kid, but he was no missionary. Anyway, Lorraine hadn’t been the same after a nasty experience in a meeting, with snakes and spiders and all kinds of things coming for her. It really had been time to come home back to paradise in South Australia, where Andrew’s father, Tommy, pastored the Klemzig Assemblies of God church. Andrew renamed it Paradise after the church moved to a new building in a neighbouring suburb.

  Pastor Tommy Evans had been a holy man of God, a man of visions and prophecy, hellfire and brimstone. He had predicted repeatedly that Jesus would take him alive before death got him. Blind at 95, he did not go willingly. His wife, Stella, had herself gone to be with her Maker, kicking and screaming that God was going to pay them for what they’d done.

  Some say Stella told an eight-year-old Andrew that he was this generation’s Elijah, a prophet of a new land. In families such as these, it is a divine appointment of kings. In heaven and on earth, Andrew was destined for the role.

  Tommy and Stella passed the mantle on. All the saints were gathered as the power of the Lord came down on Andrew, seated onstage alongside Lorraine on chairs that would be thrones. Tommy took his coat off and put it on Andrew’s shoulders. The congregation swooned and handed up monies of support. It was an exciting Adelaide night. The future was in God’s hands.