The founder of the Hillsong megachurch, Brian Houston, has stepped down from the church's board two months after being charged by Australia police with concealing his late father's sex offenses.
Houston has said that he will still be the church's Global Senior Pastor in an internal email, People reported.
In the email, Houston did not cite his upcoming court case in Australia, saying instead that he had resigned so the board could function 'to their fullest capacity during this season.'
'I also wanted to let you know that I've made a decision to step aside from my role on the Hillsong Church boards that oversee the governance of our operations.
'I did this so that these boards can function to their fullest capacity during this season.
'This doesn't change my role as Global Senior Pastor. I thought it was important to let our church family know in the interests of transparency, and I wanted you to hear it from me directly,' the email obtained by People said.
He is set to appear in Sydney's Downing Centre Local Court on October 5, exactly two months after he was charged by New South Wales Police Force with concealing a serious indictable offense.
Brian Houston, has stepped down from the church's board after being charged with concealing his late father's sex offenses.
Houston's father, Frank Houston, was accused of sexually abusing a seven-year-old boy from Sydney's east during trips from his native New Zealand three decades' prior, in 1969 and 1970. Pictured Pastor Frank Houston and wife Hazel
'Police will allege in court the man knew information relating to the sexual abuse of a young male in the 1970s and failed to bring that information to the attention of police,' a statement NSW police said.
The charges can carry a maximum penalty of up to five years' imprisonment, depending upon the exact crime concealed.
Houston's father, Frank Houston, was accused of sexually abusing a seven-year-old boy from Sydney's east during trips from his native New Zealand three decades' prior, in 1969 and 1970.
NSW Police began investigating Brian Houston after a 2014 royal commission into child sexual abuse delved into how Hillsong's forerunners - the Hills and Sydney Christian Life Centres - handled 1999 abuse allegations raised against Frank Houston.
Brian Houston, then the president of the evangelical organization the Assemblies of God in Australia, allegedly confronted his father, who confessed, the royal commission's final report said.
The inquiry said that instead of reporting the abuse to police, Houston allowed his father to go into retirement and gave money to the alleged victim.
Houston's is the last in a series of sexual abuse and harassment allegations that have been raised against members of the megachurch, which operates in 28 different countries and was once highly popular among celebrities. Devoted
