A pastor has told a Sydney court she tried to set up a meeting between Frank Houston and his alleged sexual abuse victim in order for him to seek "forgiveness".
Mr Houston's son, Brian Houston, on Tuesday faced Downing Centre Local Court, charged with allegedly hiding abuse allegations made against his father, which date back to the 1970s.
Brian Houston, the founder of Pentecostal megachurch Hillsong, has pleaded not guilty to concealing the indictable offence of another person.
Prosecutors allege Brian Houston knew about the claims in 1999, but failed to report them to police.
His barrister, Philip Boulten SC, on Monday told the court his client had a reasonable excuse not to report the claims, arguing the alleged victim did not want police involved.
Brett Sengstock, who says Frank Houston abused him as a child, alleges he was "paid for my silence".
Barbara Taylor, who has been pastor of the Emmanuel Christian Family Church for 45 years, on Tuesday said she first found out about the allegations when she was approached by the victim's mother, Rose Hardingham, in the late 1990s.
"She told me that her son Brett had confided in her that when Frank Houston stayed with them in Coogee, he'd crept into his room and behaved inappropriately," she told the court on the second day of the hearing.
"No details were given and frankly I was in shock and never asked for the details ... I was told in confidence and promised I wouldn't tell another soul."
She said the issue "blew up" within the church when Ms Hardingham told a group of evangelists about the incident one evening at an event.
"People were sharing their testimony of how abuse had messed up their lives and she felt she had to tell," she said.
Ms Taylor said she was not aware of any process within the church to deal with claims of child sexual abuse, but did not refer the matter to any other authority because she believed "judgement should begin at the house of God."
Instead, she said, she made repeated attempts to arrange a meeting between Frank Houston and his victim, who was by then an adult.
Diary entries tendered to the court from that time contain notes by Ms Taylor saying she believed that Frank Houston was guilty, and needed to repent.
"I was trying to negotiate a meeting so [Frank] could ask forgiveness from Brett, so Brett could be healed inside," she said.
"I've since been told it was the wrong thing to do."
She said despite her best efforts, the meeting never took place.
The special fixture hearing will continue on Wednesday.
