I attended Hillsong Church in Sydney for 6 years and this is a very accurate portrayal and quite insightful. The writers have obviously done their research, and it's quite surprising how on point they are! The thinly veiled George Aghajanian (HS general manager) character (Eli) is particularly accurate. It must have taken some good research to reveal the type of person he is, considering how guarded they can be.
The series also depicts Brian Houston (Cal) very well, highlighting his struggles with drugs, money, power, infidelity, and his overall disingenuousness. They did well to show the 'wizard' behind the curtain. I guess this is the problem with all rich 'celebrity' pastors, where eventually their growing hubris gives them a self-rationalised clear conscience to break ethical and Biblical boundaries. Congregants are isolated and marginalised as the money raising intensifies and people at the top get rich. Eventually this same hubris brings them tumbling down.
There is also the exploitation of staff, volunteers and Hillsong College students, which has led to a revolving door of burned out, disillusioned assistant pastors, leaders and church members.
Don't get me wrong, Pentecostal/Charismatic churches are a real true blessing (so maybe don't binge-watch this?). Technically, any church that has a membership of over 1500 people is a "megachurch", but if you happen to be a member of a charismatic megachurch this series will help you be more critical and less naïve; simply because of the large amounts of tax-free money changing hands with no external accountability.
It should also motivate you to question and hold to account the ethics of any large Pentecostal/Charismatic church (regardless of size) that mimics/models the methodology of Hillsong. Question your Pastor's motivation and ethics. Check the percentage of tithing actually going directly to the needy and not just 'building funds' and hidden tax-free fringe benefits for elite leaders and payments to/from your pastors to reciprocating guest speakers.
Definitely worth watching but please don't let it turn you off finding a good, ethical Bible-based Pentecostal/Charismatic church to attend!! But if you are already attending one as a congregant and you feel you are either being marginalised, disconnected or exploited, then you should probably find another church.
