The Murdoch press continues its assault on the megachurch, publishing continuous articles about Hillsong throughout December. The latest attack on the Houstons in particular is about comments Bobbie Houston made in a 2003 tape and CD set called ‘Kingdom Women Love And Value their Sexuality’, which is no longer sold.

Life brings with it many lessons and moments of deep regret. — Bobbie Houston

“If I carry weight, I feel like a r**ard, how are you going to do anything to surprise your man when you need a hydraulic crane just to turn over in bed?” she said at the time.

Houston told women to “have plastic surgery if it makes you feel better and it is for the right reasons” and encouraged them to do pelvic floor exercise because she had heard it helped women have a good orgasm. (Eternity notes that this last suggestion is extremely common, known as “sexercise“).

“Minimise the negative of ageing, ageing does strange things to us. It discolours your teeth. Things sag when you get older,” Houston added.

“Old people’s habits, don’t go there before you have to. Who cares if you have a face-lift, but do it for the right reason. Back pain. Plumbing bits. Okay, get them fixed, get healed, or go to a doctor, I’m not joking.”

Great sex, she said, was godly. “We need to be good at sex ourselves so that if the world happens to come knocking we can tell the story of God in our lives. We can say, ‘I have a great marriage and a great sex life’ … wink, wink, nudge, nudge.”

Today, Houston released a statement on the Hillsong website, saying that while the comments were made “almost 20 years ago while I was teaching on the subject of healthy marriage, intimacy and family” she “unreservedly and humbly apologised for any hurt incurred” by her use of language and certain words that were “unwise and offensive”.

“For over two decades, I have sought to champion the value and rights of women, but that was not reflected in my comments.  We live in a world where words carry enormous weight and consequence, and rightfully so. Life brings with it many lessons and moments of deep regret. I hope and pray that those affected will find it in their hearts to forgive me.”