Hillsong Worship Returns with New Music after Years of Scandal
Listen or Read Below:
Audio By Carbonatix
Jad Gillies, a longtime member of Hillsong United and Hillsong Worship, revealed to The Christian Post how the Australia-born church has been navigating a difficult season in recent years.
"The season that we've been through, and upheaval, and there's been some disappointments in there," he explained "What I think this new season represents is a real opportunity to kind of reset."
"I feel like even for us at Hillsong, it was ... a bit of a gift, as painful as it was, and as painful as it is, and the impact on relationships and things like that," he added.
Hillsong, known for hit worship songs including "What a Beautiful Name," “Oceans,” and “Shout to the Lord,” recorded a new EP, titled Holy Is The Name, its first live recording since 2018, without prior public announcement.
Despite struggling with whether Hillsong Worship should resume making music, Gillies believes they ultimately felt called to make more music, particularly with a focus on the character of God. The project’s name is based on 1 Peter 1:16, which states: “BE HOLY BECAUSE I AM HOLY”(NIV).
"What does God really want His church to sing?" Gillies recalled asking. "Let's sing the He is songs. Let's sing the You Are songs. Let's make it so that ... we're just helping people to put their attention on God, but also we're helping people to remember who He is, and remember what He said, and remember what He did, and remember whose we are."
"What I believed our church needed to be singing in this season was the 'He is' or the 'You Are' songs, songs that make a real ... proclamation or declaration of who He is," Gillies said.
Hillsong Church, founded in 1983 by Brian and Bobbi Houston, faced multiple scandals in recent years, including the termination of NYC Pastor Carl Lentz for leadership issues as well as Lentz’s subsequent confession that he was unfaithful to his wife. Meanwhile, Brian Houston resigned as Hillsong’s global senior pastor in 2022 after he was accused of engaging in inappropriate conduct involving two women. He was also found not guilty in August 2023 after being charged regarding allegations that he concealed his late father's sexual abuse of a child.
When addressing the matters, Gillies shared that he initially questioned whether to leave or remain at Hillsong until he recognized the struggles his fellow church members were experiencing at the height of the turmoil.
"I just watched a bunch of that unfold one morning, and it was right in the midst of everything that was going on," he said. "Our church is made up of these people that just love God and they're doing their best for their family. … [I thought], ‘Well, we can serve our church in this season.’”
He also expressed gratitude for both the church's current senior pastors, Phil and Lucinda Dooley, for navigating through a “tough season” and also for Brian and Bobby Houston for their contribution to building Hillsong over the past three decades.
"Did we get everything right? No, we didn't," he continued. "But I'm not ashamed of what I'm a part of, and I'm not ashamed of ... what God did through our church and through our teams."
Looking ahead, Gillies expressed confidence that worship music’s ability to impact younger generations, especially those questioning organized relationships and an authentic relationship with God
"People are searching for what's real and what's true," he reflected. "This is an amazing opportunity right now to be like, this is real. God is real, His word is true, His promises are faithful, and this is somewhere that is for you.”
"And God will not let you down. There are many things that will let you down. There are many people that will let you down, but God will never let you down, and that is the truth.”
Gillies also reiterated the church’s mission to maintain that message of faith as they seek to rebuild public trust and reenter the worship scene.
"That's a message worth really highlighting and clinging onto as not just a worship team, but as a church and as the Church,” he said.
Hillsong Worship’s “Holy is the Name EP” was released Friday, Oct. 23, with a full album to come in 2027. The trailer for the album can be watched here.
Photo credit: ©GettyImages/Terry Wyatt / Stringer
Originally published October 26, 2026.
