Unless one doesn’t party too hard, it’s possible to overlook Hillsong Church’s meagre prescence in New Zealand, which appears largely limited to conference appearances from its frontline pastoral and entertainment teams, and music advertisements for the godbot market.
In Australia, that’s not quite as possible. This Assemblies of God Pentecostal megachurch promotes itself as the largest church in Australia. It began in Sydney during the nineties, and has experienced wildfire growth, opening branches in London, Kiev and Moscow. It claims to be politically non-aligned, but one former Hillsong congregant became a Liberal MP, former Liberal PM John Howard opened a new Hillsong conference centre, and former NSW ALP Premier Bob Carr attended one of their conferences. In fact, their alleged Liberal Party liaisons have led Adelaide-based Family First Party (Assembluies of God-backed) to criticise their apparent political bias.
They’ve had their share of internal scandals too. Brian Houston, one of the Hillsong founders, was aghast to find that his dad Frank had engaged in paedophile sexual activity while in New Zealand, and promptly curtailed his father’s involvement in the organisation. Despite the fact that mainline church social service agencies strongly resisted the Howard administration’s welfare privatisation policies, Hillsong signed up to administer them, until being forced to withdraw such services after pressure from the aforementioned mainliners.
From this perspective, then, Hillsong’s entanglement with Mercy Ministries Australia appears to be par for the course. Founded in the United States, Mercy Ministries targets young women. Mercy Ministries Australia has no accredited social service professionals on its website. According to ongoing Sydney Morning Herald coverage, sufferers of eating disorders, substance abuse problems, depression and child sexual abuse, as well as others with unplanned pregnancies, and young lesbians- are read bible verses, prayed at, or exorcised, without receiving professional psychotherapeutic assistance or counselling for their problems.
Why did Centrelink (Australia’s government social service delivery agency) approve these young women’s benefit payments to Mercy Ministries? Why did it also provide a ‘caregiver’s’ allowance to Mercy Ministries, given that in case of rule infractions, young women might be summarily expelled, without adequate post-service counselling or referral to alternative support services?
And what about Mercy Ministries New Zealand? As with Mercy Ministries Australia, there are no references to social service professionals on its website, although it also lacks corporate sponsorship, unlike Mercy Ministries Australia, which is backed by Gloria Jeans Coffee. It may be worth considering a boycott of this brand.
Given the gravity of some of these young womens problems, they deserve far better than the above, and surely, they are entitled to referral to best practise professional counselling and psychotherapeutic services? One also wonders what feminist women’s health groups think about the behaviour of Mercy Ministries, on either side of the Tasman.
Update: It looks like the New Zealand Herald have picked up the story. In an article filed this morning (22nd March), Patrick Glover wrote a piece entitled “Church Ministry in Exorcisms Controversy Expands Programme to New Zealand.” In it, he notes that Gloria Jean’s Coffee is involved in fundraising and promotion activities, and claims that Mercy Ministries New Zealand provides “counselling and health advice.” If that is indeed the case, why are none mentioned on their website?
More significantly for us, though, the entry questionnaire inquires whether the young female entrants have been involved in same-sex relationships (or Role Playing Games like Dungeons and Dragons).
In a further development, Mercy Ministries New Zealand has noted that while it subscribes to the same care programme as its Australian counterpart, it is a seperate organisation. Mercy Ministries Australia has responded to the earlier stated issues raised in the Sydney Morning Herald through issuing a media release on its website, stating that its clients do have access to general practitioners, dieticians and tertiary trained and qualified psychotherapeutic and counselling personnel. Moreover, they state that there is follow-up care available.
However, Ruth Pollard raised further concerns about Mercy Ministries Australia’s quality of services in her SMH articles on the organisation, raising additional questions. The Australian Medical Asssociation’s Federal Ethics Committee may be about to investigate its medical consultation procedures after one young woman claimed that she was never alone when she visited a doctor for medical consultations related to her eating disorder, raising questions about medical confidentiality and possible client coercion. Doctors appeared to only give client folders cursory attention.
Furthermore, Joe Ludwig, Minister of Human Services, has ordered an investigation of Centrelink’s payment of benefits for the young female clients to Mercy Ministries.
In another article on Mercy Ministies, Ruth Pollard also cited the concerns of Dr Louise Newman, from the University of Newcastle and New South Wales Institute of Psychiatry, who argued that ‘high-risk, complex cases’ should not be entrusted to “Bible students.” She also expressed concerns about the apparently isolated, surveillance-ridden environment in many conservative Christian ‘residential services’, arguing that it might prompt self-harm and encourage suicidal ideation.
Dr Ian Hickie of the Brain and Mind Institute agreed, and was worried that there was an apparent lack of regulation of such services, which appeared to elevate religious conversion of clients above commitment to evidence-based professional practice, and emphasised compliance to organisational values over healthy development of self-esttem and autonomy.
Strongly recommended:
Sydney Morning Herald:
especially Ruth Pollard: “Lives at Risk When Patients Taken in By Cult-Like Groups”: “Ethics, Financial Probity for Review” (18 March)
See also:
http://www.mercyministries.org.nz
http://www.mercyministries.com.au
Mercy Ministries New Zealand and Australia
21 responses so far ↓
1 Hillsong Church: A Backgrounder for New Zealanders // Mar 22, 2008 at 1:09 pm
[…] Blaise Brooks wrote an interesting post today onHere’s a quick excerptAccording to ongoing Sydney Morning Herald coverage, sufferers of eating disorders, substance abuse problems, depression and child sexual abuse, as well as others with unplanned pregnancies, and young lesbians- are read bible verses, … […]
2 Kaz // Mar 24, 2008 at 8:33 pm
Simply said - it is all untrue with the Mercy Ministries stuff. Stop listening to all the rubbish. I myself have graduated and have nothing but deep thanks for it existing.
Hillsong Church is contantly attacked for all sorts of things and it is simply another attempt to do damage. Hillsong just gives a yearly donation to Mercy Ministries and the girls attends the services - thats all. Just like all of the other churches doing the same. They have no influence with the structure and happenings of Mercy Ministries.
Boycotting Gloria Jeans is just silly. All they do is give contributions to it also. They haven’t pulled out because they know the media’s attack is one-sided and false.
If you don’t have all the facts it isn’t smart to make a final decision about something - everyone knows people say anything to get attention including media (New Idea the magazine for instance)
3 Craig Young // Mar 25, 2008 at 11:27 am
Sorry, don’t buy this.
According to the Sydney Morning Herald, Mercy Ministries, Hillsong Church and Gloria Jeans Coffees all have interlocking executive personnel.
Ruth Pollard’s SMH articles on Mercy Ministries raise disturbing questions about the provision of evidence-based vital medical assistance to vulnerable young women that need to be answered in detail. She cited qualified medical authorities in her case against Mercy Ministries and Hillsong’s entanglement, don’t forget.
Craig Young
4 BDC: response to Craig Young // Mar 26, 2008 at 10:02 pm
Craig Young: did those medical personnel actually assess the psychotherapeutic model which Mercy Ministries uses? Did they investigate the program themselves? Did they even speak to anyone remotely associated with the program?
I think not. How can medical personnel draw conclusions regarding the treatment efficacy of a program when they have had no association with it? Answer: they cannot. To do so is unethical and damaging. Perhaps the medical ethics board should be investigating them for professional misconduct?
These medical professionals base their practice and research upon empirical (observable) evidence. Obviously they have felt no need to apply the same objectivity to Mercy Ministries.
5 Craig Young // Mar 27, 2008 at 9:31 am
BDC:
Thank you for raising legitimate clinical questions in this context.
I would point out that I qualified the report with the word “alleged” when I discussed the SMH reports. In terms of the Australian Medical Association’s FEC investigation, surely it is important that Mercy Ministries counselling and therapeutic practice are investigated by qualified peers, with their own clinical experience in these matters.
It may be the case that Mercy Ministries has been the subject of malicious attacks. It may be the case that their standard of care for these vulnerable young women is not best practice.
Hopefully, the AMA investigation will clarify these matters. If it finds that Mercy Ministries is engaged in best practice care, then I am sure that the cited medical figures will retract their earlier negative assessments.
However, we are talking about the health and wellbeing of vulnerable young women here, and surely, it is vital that they receive the best possible standard of care on the way back to optimal health.
6 Craig Young // Mar 27, 2008 at 9:33 am
I’d also point out that if Mercy Ministries is found to have engaged in best practice, then it might do to identify affiliated medical practitioners and cite their relevant qualifications on their website in future?
7 BDC: response to Craig Young // Mar 27, 2008 at 11:34 am
You’re right Craig, it is very important that the board engages in an investigation of best practice. I would ask questions if they did not. You are also right in pointing out that such information regarding best practice should be posted in a publically accessible place (e.g. website).
You may or may not be aware, but there is in fact outcome research currently being conducted with Mercy Ministries’ program by a DClinPsych candidate in Australia. Obviously such research takes a substantial amount of time, particularly if the research is to also assess whether these young women maintain their gains (such clinical research is certainly devoid of much meaning if this is not assessed). I am looking forward to reading the results of this research, and I do hope that such research would be critically analysed for its methodological merits and will hopefully bring some balance to the madness that is the media.
8 BDC: response to Craig Young // Mar 27, 2008 at 11:40 am
And again, I agree that the relevant qualifications of their practitioners need to be made publicly available, although I am sure that such information should be readily available to those who ask. You may notice that none of the staff are listed on the website (and therefore neither are their respective qualifications). I am not sure why this is so, but to be optimistic I believe this would be a privacy/protection issue rather than avoidance. It will be interesting to see if Mercy Ministries makes any changes to their website or policies as a result of the media allegations and/or investigation by the AMA.
9 i was in mercy australia // Mar 29, 2008 at 5:16 am
Kaz, you do not know these girls. You do not know the facts, so stop lying and being so defensive.
The allegations in the SMH are true. I know. I was at mercy in australia and had a similar experience.
If you want to see the counselling materials used, in among exorcisms, then look here http://nautblog.blogspot.com/ there is some excellent reading and information, as well as videos about mercy ministries.
Girls in the program are not treated by psychologists, social workers or other professionals, despite mercy ministries’ false claims.
I am just thankful that the truth is finally being told so that girls and their caregivers can be warned about this organisation.
10 i was in mercy australia // Mar 29, 2008 at 5:20 am
Just to add, about the qualifications question.
The staff that were ‘caring’ (if you can call it that) for me had been to Bible college. They had no medical, psychology or social work degrees.
There is a psychologist on the mercy ministries payroll, but I did not see her during my whole time there. (I am not even sure if they had her on their payroll while I was there.) The only professional I saw was a GP to re-fill my prescriptions, and even then they sent volunteers (who were basically strangers to me) into the doctor’s office with me! I was mortified and couldn’t talk with the doctor freely about my conditions or concerns.
I am sure that not every girl at Mercy Ministries has the same experience. There are different houses, with different staff. But the girls who have spoken out are from two different houses in Australia, so it is obviously not just a small problem confined to one place or one staff member.
11 BDC: response to 'I was in Mercy' // Mar 29, 2008 at 9:36 am
I’m not entirely sure what staff you are talking about, but I know that both of the counsellors in the Sydney home have relevant qualifications, as do the counsellors in the Mercy NZ home. Further, at least half of the day staff had relevant qualifications, while the night staff varied in their qualifications. You will find the distribution of quals to be similar in any residential program. Further, I am sure that if you had begun to suffer from psychosis or a manic episode, you would have been seen by the psychologist immediately.
I am not negating your experience at all, but I am asking you to think carefully about any statements you make about the program, as you do not want to be accused by anyone as failing to bring forth evidence for your allegations. Have you asked each staff member what their quals were? They may have been to bible college, but it may not be the case that that is the only qual they have. Further, many bible college-based counselling courses are government accredited.
If there is firm evidence that a bible college-based couselling degree/diploma qualitatively differs from that from a mainstream institution, then this should be addressed. However, I have not yet seen any evidence that this is so.
As far as the doctor visits are concerned, I’m not sure what other residential programs do, but it would be a good idea for the staff member to speak to the doctor afterwards to gain relevant knowledge regarding meds etc, and the doctor can make a decision about what to disclose.
In saying this, you obviously had a difficult experience, and for that I sympathise with you. I hope you have managed to find yourself help since you left Mercy.
12 i was in mercy australia // Mar 29, 2008 at 10:23 am
Thanks for your post. Yes, I am sure of their lack of qualifications of the day and night staff - they used to tell us how all they ‘needed’ was Hillsong Bible college because God has ‘appointed’ them.
We often heard about how the world and it’s professionals cannot help, and only Mercy can because Mercy has God and the professionals with their qualifications mean nothing.
In saying that, I was not in either of the houses you mentioned, I was in a different Mercy house so you are probably thinking of different staff.
It sounds like the Sydney staff may have recently changed over, because I know some girls who were in Sydney and most of their staff were similarly unqualified.
With the counsellor, she had not completed a counselling degree or any degree to treat mental illness, but she was in the process of doing a ‘mercy ministries in house counselling program.’
The staff told us that any symptoms of mental illness were not caused by a sickness, they were signs that demons were present and they needed to be cast out.
I hope that answers some of your queries.
13 Craig Young // Mar 29, 2008 at 11:18 am
In the Sydney context, could I ask whether psychotherapeutic and/or counselling qualifications from evangelical Christian institutions of higher education, either in Australia, the United States or elsewhere, are recognised by relevant professional associations in those countries?
14 Craig Young // Mar 29, 2008 at 11:21 am
Moreover, if the counselling practitoners allegedly at Mercy Ministries Australia were in fact only partially qualified, who was supervising them? Who were they accountable to?
15 i was in mercy australia // Mar 29, 2008 at 11:40 am
Craig, there are some Christian colleges where you can get, for example, a bachelor of theology that is a recognised bachelor’s degree. The counsellor told us that she was in the middle of doing the mercy in house course though. That is hardly an appropriate degree to allow the organisation to claim that they are qualified to treat mental illness. I didn’t see a psychologist the whole time I was there, and I was not allowed to go to counselling with my regular counsellor, I had to only see their ‘counsellor.’
There was very little visible supervision or accountability at all. It was all very lax. I’m sure there was some phone contact, however I question the qualifications of the supervisor if the staff who they are claiming are qualified to treat mental illness have no qualifications in such treatment.
Volunteers also had access to girls’ private medical files without the permission or knowledge of the girls. Very lax, little to no accountability, and that is how they got away with things.
16 i was in mercy australia // Mar 29, 2008 at 11:50 am
I meant to say the counsellor was in the middle of completing the ‘in house course’ and a counselling course from a Christian college. She did not have qualifications to treat people with mental illness, and she indicated that she had not yet completed her counselling courses either.
17 Craig Young // Mar 29, 2008 at 12:17 pm
Thanks, and I’ve had a look at the blog site that you mentioned earlier. What I meant to ask was whether NSW or Australian federal professional bodies or government organisations that recognise such qualifications did so in the context of Mercy Ministries? Has there been any comment from NSW or Australian federal government ministers or officials related to these issues?
Craig Y.
18 BDC // Apr 1, 2008 at 7:51 pm
I’m not aware of any comments from these bodies.
‘i was at mercy’: by your comments, I assume you are one of the young ladies who spoke to the SMH? I hope you have been able to find a psychologist who has been helpful in treating you?
I really think that a lot of the issues stem from a differing ontological perspective. Some young women would have found the practices in Mercy incredibly helpful because they identify with them in their own belief system. Others may not and therefore put up resistance either before or after. I’m not saying this resistance is a bad thing - the staff should make it clear that if the residents are feeling particularly uncomfortable about something, then they should be allowed to skip that exercise after making sure it is not an avoidance issue. Some of the allegations (particularly on today-tonight) were completely off, and some were close to the truth.
The issues are complex, and I think the media circus has been over hyped. However, the issues are also very important and I really hope that Mercy picks up on key components - not to keep people happy for the sake of it, but to make sure they are following duty of care guidelines and due process.
In saying this, I believe that overall Mercy does some fantastic work in helping young women to overcome mental illness. Even if graduate stats put forth are not accurate, they would be pretty close. Mercy has a much better success rate than public residential programs (this gives me a lot of hope being someone who is involved in the clinical field).
19 Craig Young // Apr 4, 2008 at 6:23 pm
I suppose my response to that, BDC, would be that as a journalist, I would prefer to deal with concrete evidence that Mercy Ministries does run a best practice therapeutic and counselling service.
Incidentally, as soon as the aforementioned Mercy Ministries practice study is accepted for publication at the journal you mentioned, could you get back to me with the reference so that I could follow it up?
‘I Was In Mercy Australia’, is there a patients rights state regulatory agency in New South Wales, which upholds the rights of medical service users when receiving medical treatment? Have you and the other complainants addressed your concerns to that government body, if it exists?
20 BDC // Apr 5, 2008 at 11:16 am
Sure. I’m not sure when the research will be completed and what journal it will be submitted to, but I will keep my eyes open for you.
21 Mel // Jun 26, 2008 at 4:01 pm
BDC which things that the girls said on Today Tonight are you trying to say were untrue?
She didn’t say anything that didn’t happen. I was at MM in Australia too.
Unless you mean that what Peter Irvine said was untrue. That, I would have to agree with.
Also, I don’t know if people realise that more than half of the girls who go to Mercy are dismissed (often without warning) or they leave. Irvine’s claims of a 95% success rate and that only 5% leave the program are blatant lies.
There were no Mercy Ministries staff that I saw that were qualified to treat me. I didn’t even get to see a psychologist. I would have been better not going to Mercy, and staying at home, because at least I could have had proper medical care there.
Mercy shouldn’t advertise that girls are treated by a psychologist when they are not. Mercy Ministries advertising is false, and their media response was outright lies.
I am really glad the truth has come out and I’m glad that God is moving and made sure one of the Mercy houses is being closed. I’m sure he is shaking his head in disappointment and sadness at how Mercy has treated girls, and how they have lied to the media.
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