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kkbird7
Look at what kind of fruit is growing on the tree.

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Nabi Saleh
Elder of Hillsong Church, a director of Southern Cross College of the AOG, a director of Jerry Savelle Ministries International, [b:c6edc32626]and a director of Kenneth Copeland Ministries Eagle Mountain International Church. [/b:c6edc32626]

He has a 50% share in the fast-growing coffee shop franchise Gloria Jean's Coffees, which is valued by BRW at more than $40 million.

The other partner, Peter Irvine, is a member of Hillsong. Saleh has stakes in many businesses (see the brains of the operation, page 41).

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1. The attached link describes a connection in philosophy with Prosperity Gospel/Positive Confession/Postitive Mental Attitude and the New Age Movement's Human Potential Movement of which Landmark is a major player:- [www.rapidnet.com]

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Hillsong Church 'misused welfare'

HILLSONG Church is generating money by recycling public funds aimed at disadvantaged people back into its own coffers through tithes, a NSW MP has alleged.
Labor MP Ian West has written to a NSW ombudsman asking him to investigate the claims that Hillsong is giving electricity vouchers to financially strapped people, then drawing them into the church, where they are asked to pay 10 per cent of their income as a tithe.

The allegations are the latest raising questions about the relationship between Hillsong Church, what it calls its benevolent arm, Hillsong Emerge, and the millions of dollars Hillsong Emerge receives from governments for public services.

In his letter to the Energy and Water Ombudsman, Mr West notes Hillsong Emerge is one of the organisations entitled to hand out state-funded Energy Accounts Payment Assistance vouchers. "I understand that current arrangements for EAPA vouchers are intended to assist persons suffering financial hardship caused by, for example, a loss of income, a very high electricity or gas bill, an illness in the family, a family crisis or unexpected expenses of bills," Mr West writes in the letter.

Mr West says he has been in contact with social workers dealing with disadvantaged people.

"In assisting them to identify weekly income and outgoings, it came to their attention that the low-income persons were in receipt of EAPA and food vouchers on a regular basis," he writes. "However, the low-income persons were also adamant they were required to pay a tithe to their local church, Hillsong.

"I would be concerned if taxpayers were, through EAPA vouchers, effectively subsidising activities not related to financial hardship," he said.

The Australian has been in contact with a social worker who said she had encountered people who had been through this experience with Hillsong.

Hillsong Emerge's media officer, Maria Ieroianni, would not answer questions and said the organisation's chief executive, Leigh Coleman, would not make himself available for interview.

But Hillsong Church's "new people" pastor, David Crafts, said his understanding was that when Hillsong Emerge was assisting people, it would "encourage people to come along to the church".

Asked if the church asked people to donate tithes, Mr Crafts said "very much so".

"We ask for 10 per cent of their income," he said.

Apart from the state funds Hillsong Emerge receives, it has obtained millions of dollars in funds from the federal Government, most recently a controversial $414,000 grant under a crime-reduction program administered by federal Justice Minister Chris Ellison.

Mr Ellison has refused calls from NSW Labor MPs and a mayor for an investigation into the grant, which has yet to be paid out. Mr West has alleged in parliament that Hillsong Emerge applied for one grant in partnership with the Riverstone Aboriginal community, which was unsuccessful, then put in a second, similar application on its own.

He said Hillsong Emerge had made the second, successful application without the knowledge of the Aboriginal community, and falsely claimed its support.

In an earlier statement to The Australian, Ms Ieroianni denied allegations that Hillsong Emerge had "sexed up" the second application to highlight violence in the Aboriginal community.

But the grant application, of which The Australian has obtained a copy, refers to "indigenous and non-indigenous young people" who "join gangs" and commit crimes.

"The partners will also work with the victims of crime, people who live in fear of leaving their homes, in fear of robbery or assault, in fear of youth gangs," the grant application say