Hillsong Church faces lawsuits in some of its locations over non-payment of rent issues, defective housing units, as well as allegations of ungodly behavior.
The Wall Street Theater Company, the lessor of the venue Hillsong Church's branch in Connecticut uses, is suing the religious institution for more than $100,000 over allegations of unpaid rent, stealing of a venue property and carrying out actions that are "immoral, oppressive and unscrupulous". The complaint was filed in the state's housing court in Norwalk on Jan. 20, the New York Post reported.
Court documents says that in February 2020, Hillsong Connecticut signed a new contract as an agreement to pay for about $6,000 weekly, using the property as a venue for its Sunday services. But due to the coronavirus pandemic, Hillsong requested to invoke the 120-day termination clause of the agreement and cancel the contract. The theater agreed but the church allegedly did not pay the $100,899.25 balance as stated in the clause.
In addition, the theater also accused the church of removing electronic equipment that belongs to the company on Dec. 18 but Hillsong refused to return it.
A source who knows about the situation said that the church "just ghosted the theater."
"When the theater sent them a bill, they responded saying they were a small not-for-profit and couldn't pay it, and that they didn't owe it anyways because of the pandemic," the source added.
But Connecticut has no moratorium on commercial rent payment relative to the pandemic.
The source also said that Hillsong showed no intention of resolving the issue properly.
"Hillsong, as a tenant, was always about the last nickel, which is fine, contracts are contracts, but when the shoe was on the other foot, suddenly they were a small church. It was quite sad, really," the source further stated.
Dale Smith, owner of the company in charge of the church's venue security, said that the church "seemed like a business, real robotic".
"Even the ones on the payroll seemed to be fighting, positioning in order to climb that ladder which, in my opinion, is not what a church is supposed to be," Smith further noted.
Hillsong also faces a $20 million lawsuit over defective housing units in Rosebery, Australia.
Owners of about 300 Sydney apartments accused the church and the construction company, tasked to build the housing complex, of failure to construct the houses properly.
"We're worried we will find it difficult to sell our apartments," a homeowner who declined to be named reportedly told the Daily Telegraph. Units were sold at prices between $440,000 and $945,000.
The complaint accused the developer and Hillsong's property arm, Sydney Christian Life Centre, that it "breached their duties of care in causing or permitting the defective work." A lawyer told the Telegraph that the owners were restricted from inspecting "the common property" before purchasing their housing units. The structural engineers have allegedly discovered in 2019 that the windows and balconies of the houses were not up to code.
Hillsong responded by filing a counterclaim accusing the construction firm, Icon Construction Australia, as the true "wrongdoers."
According to earlier reports, Hillsong Church is also in hot water over several other controversies including the use of tithe money of some of its pastors to fund lavish lifestyles and firing of former pastor Carl Lentz having been embroiled in sexual misconduct activities.
