The Kingdom

When journalist Marc Fennell (Framed, Stuff the British Stole, Mastermind) was just 20 years old, he ran away from the only life he had ever known – the world of Pentecostal churches. The Pentecostals, then Australia’s fastest growing Christian denomination, were led by Hillsong Church, arguably the world’s most famous megachurch.

Today, a seismic shift is taking place across the country. For the first time in decades, Pentecostals are facing decline, and the once mighty Hillsong empire is engulfed in allegations of bullying, sexual assault, and financial mismanagement. Formerly devoted followers are leaving in droves. But where are they going?

After 17 years, Marc is stepping back into the world of his childhood to uncover how Australian Pentecostal churches came to dominate Christianity around the world.

The Kingdom takes cameras inside several of the megachurches from around Australia making the bold move into Hillsong’s home turf. Is this the competition for souls it seems to be and can they succeed where Hillsong has failed its followers?

Fennell also meets current and former believers who expose the human cost of the Pentecostal juggernaut. With his unique experience, Marc connects the complex dots of faith, money, music, power and family that binds Australia’s hundreds of evangelical churches.

Marc confronts his own past spent in these churches, where he witnessed adults speaking in tongues, falling to the ground, and demons being thrown out of people. He explains why he escaped and why he’s remained largely silent about it until now.

With a wild journey around Australia and into the USA, The Kingdom isn’t just the story of how the Hillsong dynasty crumbled. It’s about who truly has what it takes to inherit the Kingdom.