Holy chic! From designer handbags and celebrity pals to saucy Instagram snaps and SERIOUS bling: Inside the glamorous life of Hillsong leader's model wife Esther Houston
- Esther Houston is the Brazilian model wife of Pastor Joel Houston
- Joel Houston is Hillsong Church's global director
- The power couple divide their time between Sydney, LA and New York
- Esther Houston has more than 200,000 followers on Instagram
- Her designer lifestyle is more rock chick than religious missionary
- Stated she's 'not a feminist and doesn't believe men and women are equal'
As one half of the most glamorous couple in religion, Brazilian model, Esther Houston, is not what you might expect from the wife of Hillsong Church’s global director.
With more than 200,000 followers on Instagram, as well as a wardrobe stuffed full of designer clothes, handbags and a little black book that boasts Justin Bieber, Selena Gomez and Ashley Benson as pals, she is far more rock chick than traditional holier-than-thou Pastor’s spouse.
Here, FEMAIL takes a closer look inside Esther Houston, nee Lima’s, very modern religious missionary life.
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Model moment: Model, Esther Houston, is married to Pastor Joel Houston, creative director of Hillsong Church
Rock chick religion: She, with Joel, represents the evangelical church that counts Justin Bieber as a devotee
Not what you would expect: FEMAIL takes a look at her glamorous lifestyle, from the friends to the wardrobe
Originally from Brazil, Esther Houston is a model. She married Pastor Joel Houston – the son of Hillsong founders Pastor Brian and Bobbie Houston – in 2012 and the couple have since had a son, Zion (a biblical name meaning ‘promised land’).
The Houstons are the face of Hillsong Church, the Christian movement that has grown from humble beginnings in the suburbs of Sydney in 1983 to a multi-million dollar success story around the world.
The church counts Justin Bieber, Hailey Baldwin and Vanessa Hudgens as devotees, and Esther’s husband, Joel, is reported to be the personal ‘spiritual guide’ for the stars themselves.
Rock chick: Originally from Brazil, Houston is a model who primarily splits her time between LA and New York
Routes in religion: She married Pastor Joel in 2012, and the couple have a young son together called Zion
A-list circles: The couple have numerous celebrity friends, many of who subscribe to the Hillsong Church
Glossy posse: Esther and her husband, Joel, count Justin Bieber and Vanessa Hudgens as personal friends
Esther, meanwhile, fills her days by blogging, modelling and being a mother to son, Zion.
Regularly photographed draped in Hermes, Chanel and other designer clothes and ‘It’ bags on her Instagram page, she has a wardrobe most women would dream of having, while also staying true to her mother-in-law, Bobbie Houston’s, values that young female followers of Hillsong should be glamorous and have perfect hair and teeth.
On her website, Miss Whoo, Esther describes herself as ‘a classic woman with a modern approach’.
The blog continues: ‘She is an entrepreneur and business owner with an incredible creative eye, business mind and network.’
Surfing missionary: Esther pulls a peace sign while wearing a Hawaii cap in the ocean
Label lover: Esther Instagrams hundreds of pictures of herself draped in designer gear
Favourite things: The model favour Chanel and Hermes Birkin handbags which come with a waiting list
Look good: Esther stays true to her mother-in-law's belief that Hillsong women are glamorous with good hair
Personal website: On her personal website, she says she is a classic woman 'with a modern approach'
When she isn’t at work, however, Esther’s life continues to be glamorous and not conventionally 'religious' in the old-fashioned sense of the word.
She and her Pastor husband jet around the world, from Sydney to New York and LA, with their young son, Zion, spreading the word of Hillsong and recruiting more fashionable missionaries to their modern way of religious life.
Pretty Little Liars actress Ashley Benson is another stylish fan and personal friend of Esther.
Jet set: She and her husband split their time all over the world spreading the word of Hillsong
No filter: Esther is very adamant on her website that she is not a feminist - she attracted criticism for this post that poked fun of the recent Miss Universe scandal
Huge rock: She regularly Instagrams pictures of her huge engagement ring from her husband, Joel
While Mrs Houston is fairly adamant that she is not a feminist.
She wrote in a 2014 blog post: 'I am no feminist, I don't believe that men and women should be equal. Simply because we aren't.
'Men and women are different, physically and mentally, so that we can fulfill different roles and carry different responsibilities in life.
'I mean, if my car breaks down and there is a man around, no way I'm fixing it myself. There is also no way I would get out of the car and run around it to open my husband's door and help him out, but I expect him to.
'There are men, and they should do "men things", and then there are women.'
Her religious views are less clear.
Esther posts messages which appear to be about her religious faith on her Facebook and Instagram pages, but it isn’t evident whether or not she was a Catholic who converted to the Hillsong born-again style of Christianity.
Unclear religion: Esther's religious origins remain unclear as to whether she is a converted Catholic
Huge popularity: The Hillsong Church shows no sign of abating in terms of popularity
Luckily for Esther, Pentecostalism and the Hillsong Church in particular, show no sign of abating in popularity.
In 2014, the empire pulled in tax-free revenues of nearly $80 million in Australia alone, while internationally the profit was more than $100 million.
And what with a glamorous celeb following, church services that are as professionally choreographed as rock concerts, and leaders such as herself and her guitar-playing husband, it must surely suit the Brazilian model just fine.
Number crunching: In 2014, the empire pulled in tax-free revenues of nearly $80 million in Australia alone
Suitable life: What with the glamorous friends, wardrobe and brimming social life, Esther's life suits her fine
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