Hillsong senior pastor Brian Houston says he holds a "traditional" view on same-sex marriage, insisting: "I believe the writings of Paul are clear on this subject".

Houston was forced to clarify his view after last week asserting that the issue is "too important for us to reduce [down to a] yes or no answer".

Speaking at a press event ahead of Hillsong's No Other Name conference in New York, Houston said gay marriage is "the one big hot topic maybe for churches".

"Staying relevant is a big challenge. I think it's more than just singing more contemporary songs and the colours you paint your walls or whatever," he added.

"There's the world we live in, there's the weight we live with, and there's the word we live by...It would be much easier if you could feel like all of those three just easily lined up. But they don't necessarily."

The New York Times then ran a headline proclaiming: "Megachurch Pastor Signals Shift in Tone on Gay Marriage".

Religious News Service (RNS) reported that Houston "refused to offer a concrete position" on the topic.

"Houston would not offer a definitive answer, instead saying that it was 'an ongoing conversation' among church leaders and they were 'on the journey with it,'" RNS' Jonathan Merritt reported.

However, in an email to the Christian Post, Houston later clarified: "Nowhere in my answer did I diminish biblical truth or suggest that I or Hillsong Church supported gay marriage. I challenge people to read what I actually said, rather than what was reported that I said.

"My personal view on the subject of homosexuality would line up with most traditionally held Christian views. I believe the writings of Paul are clear on this subject."

"I encourage people not to assume a media headline accurately represents what I said at a recent press conference," he added.

Houston recently gave evidence at an inquiry into the way in which Australian churches handled sexual abuse allegations levelled against his father, Frank Houston.

Houston senior admitted to sexually abusing a young boy in the 1970s before his death, and subsequent allegations came to light in later years.

Brian has described facing his father's crimes as "agonising" and branded the abuse "repulsive" in a statement on the Hillsong website.