Brian Houston on the "TODAY" show. "TODAY" show A Hillsong Church member in his 30s died of COVID-19 this week after declining to get vaccinated. The man, who lived in California, had derided the vaccine online and joked about the coronavirus. Hillsong Church founder Brian Houston told CNN the vaccine was a "personal decision." See more stories on Insider's business page. After a congregant of the Hillsong Church in California refused to get vaccinated and died from COVID-19 complications, its founder is not encouraging the shot.Brian Houston, founder and global senior pastor at Hillsong, told CNN vaccines are a "personal decision for each individual to make with the counsel of medical professionals."Stephen Harmon, who was in his early 30s, was part of a Hillsong Church in California and a graduate of Hillsong College in Mesa, Arizona.