The popular Hillsong Church will come under the scrutiny of the child sexual abuse royal commission when it examines Australia's Pentecostal institutions at its next public hearing in October.

It will look at allegations made against Frank Houston, who admitted sexually abusing a boy in New Zealand in the 1970s.

A Hillsong Church conference earlier this year: the popular Pentecostal church will come under royal commission scrutiny. Credit:Tony Walters

Houston was sacked by his son Brian Houston, now the Hillsong Church's senior pastor, when the allegations became public in 2000. The disgraced evangelist died in 2004.

Houston snr is widely regarded as the father of Australia's Pentecostal movement, through his work with the Australian Assemblies of God, now known as Australian Christian Churches.