About Phil & Lucinda

Phil and Lucinda Dooley stepped into the role of Global Senior Pastors for Hillsong Church in February 2023. They have been Lead Pastors of Hillsong Church Africa – a large, multi-campus church with locations across South Africa and branching out into the rest of Africa – and will continue in this role.

Before moving to Cape Town, South Africa, to plant Hillsong Church there in 2008, they’d led the youth and young adults ministries of Hillsong Church Australia for 12 years. Phil was also involved in pioneering Hillsong United’s worship music ministry.

Together, Phil and Lucinda are committed to building a healthy church that is a wellspring of life, reaching individuals from every part of society with the hope of Jesus, lifting up lives, and building people up within the context of a loving church culture and community.

A visionary leader and life-long learner, Phil believes that every person has a unique, God-given purpose and can positively impact their spheres of influence in a great and enduring way. He is passionate about wholeness, wellbeing, growth and development in all areas of church life, as well as in his own life. Having started off as a youth pastor, he remains committed to raising up new leaders and seeing the next generation thrive, and step into all God has called them to. Phil is an engaging and empathetic communicator, skilled at applying biblical wisdom in practical ways to the highs, lows and challenges of everyday life. He loves to connect with people and to celebrate others and witness their lives transformed and made fruitful by the grace and love of Jesus. His desire is to keep growing throughout all the years of his life and to invest in others doing the same.

As a wife, mum, leader, communicator and church builder, Lucinda knows well the pace and pressures of women’s lives. She draws strength, courage and inspiration from her faith in Jesus. Her passion for serving the cause of Christ wherever she finds herself was ignited when she was a teenager. She cares deeply about reaching people with the good news of Jesus, building a church that is salt and light in cities and nations, giving a hand up to those in need, and placing value on women so they may flourish and move forwards in life. She has been able to champion womanhood through the Hillsong Sisterhood, a movement of everyday women from all walks, who are committed to making the world a better place.

The Dooleys have three children, Abbey, Bella and Zac, and two dogs, Spencer and Stanley.