Who is former Hillsong pastor Carl Lentz?
FORMER pastor Carl Lentz earned a sizable following for his sermons at the Hillsong Church.
Eventually, the megachurch decided to end his employment after "breaches of trust" and "revelations of moral failures" came to light.
Who is former Hillsong Church pastor Carl Lentz?
Born on November 6, 1978, Carl Lentz is a former pastor from Williamsburg, Virginia.
In 2010, he began preaching Sunday services at Hillsong Church's New York City location.
Through Lentz's sermons, Hillsong gained a notable following with the millennial audience.
Regarding his and the church's popularity, Lentz told : "People often talk about the trendy aspect of our church, it's a small portion.
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"There are a lot of people at our church right this second who do not care about fashion, they don't care about what looks cool.
"We just say you come as you are and there's going to be a place for you here.
"We're conscious of culture, that's the thing. We just want to see the Bible connect with people.
"So I think our music, it's like, eye-opening and people go, 'Wow, I didn't know churches could do stuff like that,' which is sad, but that's the truth."
He shared: "I think that's why it's opened so many doors because it's so good.
"There's not an issue we would ever run from. There's not an issue we would ever not preach about, not one.
"Life is sacred but whatever you chose to do, this is still home for you.
"We're not going to kick you out this house, you have to make your own decision.
"We're going to walk with you either way. This is what we believe, life is sacred but we still love you."
When did Carl Lentz marry his wife Laura?
On May 5, 2003, Carl Lentz tied the knot with fellow Hillsong Church leader Laura Brett.
The two started dating after they met while attending Hillsong's college training program in 2000.
Following their courtship, they relocated from Australia to the US.
Carl and Laura share three children together; two daughters named Ava and Charlie, as well as a son named Roman.
Why was Carl fired from Hillsong?
On November 4, 2020, co-founder Brian Houston revealed Carl Lentz was fired from Hillsong.
In an email to staffers, Houston attributed Lentz's termination to "leadership issues and breaches of trust, plus a recent revelation of moral failures."
He disclosed: "I know this will come as a shock to you, but please know that this action was not taken lightly and was done in the best interests of everyone, including Pastor Carl.
"They have a heart for people and we are confident that after a time of rest and restoration, God will use Carl in another way outside of Hillsong church.
"In terminating his tenure, we in no way want to diminish the good work he did here."
On November 5, 2020, the former pastor announced to his Instagram followers: "Our time at Hillsong NYC has come to an end.
"This is a hard ending to what has been the most amazing, impacting, and special chapter of our lives.
"When you accept the calling of being a pastor, you must live in such a way that it honors the mandate.
"That it honors the church, and that it honors God. When that does not happen, a change needs to be made and has been made in this case to ensure that standard is upheld."
How can I watch The Secrets of Hillsong?
On May 19, 2023, Lentz's scandal was retold in the docuseries The Secrets of Hillsong.
That Friday, FX premiered the first two episodes of the show, and is expected to conclude the following Friday, May 26.
The program features testimonies from Lentz and his wife Laura as they give their perspectives on the variety of controversies faced by Hillsong.
Discovery+ also had its own documentary about the backlash in Hillsong: A Megachurch Exposed which was released on March 24, 2022.