Startling News About "Healer"

From AdelaideNow, 8/21/08

'A FORMER Adelaide pastor who inspired hundreds of thousands of young Christians with his with his terminal cancer "battle" has been exposed as a fraud.

Michael Guglielmucci, whose parents established Edge Church International, an Assemblies of God church at O'Halloran Hill, is now seeking professional help.

Earlier this year, Mr Guglielmucci released a hit song The Healer which was featured on Sydney church Hillsong's latest album. It debuted at No. 2 on the ARIA charts.

The song has become an anthem of faith for believers, many of whom are suffering their own illness and were praying for a miracle for Mr Guglielmucci, who has claimed for two years to be terminally ill.

In one church performance that has attracted 300,000 hits on YouTube, he performs his hit song with an oxygen tube in his nose. The clip was pulled late last night by YouTube with the advice "video no longer available."

It appears that Mr Guglielmucci, who was a pastor with one of Australia's biggest youth churches, Planetshakers, may have even deceived his own family.

"This news has come as a great shock to everyone including, it seems, his own wife and family," Hillsong general manager George Aghajanian said in an email to his congregation yesterday.

"Michael has confirmed that he is not suffering with a terminal illness and is seeking professional help in Adelaide with the support of his family.

"We are asking our church to pray for the Guglielmucci family during this difficult time."

The Advertiser was last night told that Mr Guglielmucci may release a statement on the situation.

The Australian Christian Church said that Mr Guglielmucci's credentials were immediately suspended once he told the national executive that his cancer claims were "untrue".

"The National Executive is taking this matter very seriously and is awaiting the results of medical tests before determining the full extent of the discipline that will be imposed upon him," said vice president Alun Davies.

"We are very concerned for the many people who have been or will be hurt by Michael's actions. We encourage all of our churches to pray for all those affected."'
______________________________________________________
I appreciate Los sharing this info with us.

Healer...

Started hearing about this tune from Carlos awhile back...the song is now on Hillsong's new release...thought I might include the video in case you haven't heard.

(If you're unfamiliar, there are other videos linked to tell the story of the song from the songwriter's perspective.)



Heard it? Dig it? Thoughts?

Did you guys know that before she became a pop star in the UK and then the US, Natasha Bedingfield sang in a Christian dance group called The DNA Algorithim and worked at Hillsong Church in London? At Hillsong, she wrote and recorded songs that appeared on Shout God's Fame and Hillsong Austrailia children's record Jesus Is My Superhero.

I guess Paul can marry her after all...