In mid-November 2020, a crisis manager from the public relations firm Sunshine Sachs took on a new client: Carl Lentz, former head of Hillsong Church's four locations in the American Northeast.. From that day, Jones skipped the line and went right to the front row. In six years I never came face-to-face with [Carl], says one former congregant and volunteer. Several years after their marriage in 2003, the couple moved to New York City to help Hillsong founder Brian Houston open and run the New York branch of the megachurch. Im sure hes really sorry. But he never apologized and denied assaulting her. Theres no problem. Watching from her seat, Jones filled with anticipation. Lentz was for years the New York pastor and face of Hillsong, a global megachurch that counted Justin Bieber and Selena Gomez among its followers at the peak of its cultural power. Thats essentially a pyramid scheme. Although, she adds, with pyramid schemes at least you get employment out of it. More recently, Houston has rejected the prosperity-gospel label. Carl Lentz Net Worth 2023: Age, Height, Weight, Wife, Kids, Bio-Wiki Abreu summed up their experience as a queer Hillsong attendee: How do we get people to come to the church and make them feel safe and still remind them that they suck and are headed to hell?, Other congregants and their family members told similar stories of acceptance only on the churchs steeply qualified terms. That felt like a nonanswer. (A church spokesperson said, We are unaware of this situation occurring.). The Hollywood Fix featured a video of the singer bonding with his new church Churchome. Human Resources, whistleblower policies, or any sort of safe place to share concerns., In 2018 a group of Hillsong volunteers emailed the Lentzes and the Houstons claiming that church staffers were engaging in unchecked sexual misconduct and bullying. The wife of former Hillsong pastor Carl Lentz is speaking out for the first time since her husband was fired from the megachurch amid a sex scandal. Where is Carl Lentz now? He pursues a career in entertainment - TheNetline She objected, noting that Lentz appeared at other churches all the time. I froze. Still, the churchand Lentzcould be welcoming. In January 2020, Mays pleaded guilty to indecent assault and received two years probation and mandatory counseling. We were hoping to share this update with you this weekend, Houston wrote.). Hillsong Church founder breaks silence about scandals surrounding ex-pastor Carl Lentz May 19, 202109:01 She said the sexual abuse also "started small," with her boss commenting on her looks.. A Lentz family insider provided People.com with updates: family nights on the beach and Thanksgiving plans. It was really difficult calling people a few hours before theyre supposed to sing on the platform to tell them theres been a last-minute change because a pastors new girlfriend wants to sing onstage, Jones says. Lentz, the pastor from global megachurch Hillsong, who once ministered to Justin Bieber and a bevy of other . Met Gala 2023 Red Carpet: See All the Fashion, Outfits & Looks, Get Him Out of Here: Donald Trump Tossed NBC Reporters Phones During Tirade Aboard Campaign Plane, How to Watch the 2023 Met Gala Live Stream. According to Williams account, Lentz had been extremely flirtatious with the volunteer and made her feel extremely uncomfortable. The volunteer told William that Lentz had been involved in inappropriate sexual behavior with multiple women. Kimes said in her statement that she told her husband about the alleged abuse after she learned of Lentzs departure from Hillsong, and she told Religion News Service that she had previously kept quiet because she feared both losing her family and Josh losing his job. The message denied only one scandal specifically. carl lentz | Entertainment News, Photos, and Videos - Just Jared John Termini, Lentzs successor at Hillsong NYC, told William that he needed to defend the church the way that Termini would defend his wife. All rights reserved. Lance Vivar, a pediatric ICU nurse in New Jersey, says that the church is just too important for him. (Keatinges email was obtained by V.F.) During a visit home before his sophomore year, his parents brought him to a service at the newly established Wave Church. Pastor Carl Lentz and his wife, Laura, seen with their three children, Ava, Charlie and Roman on March 22,. On November 9, Ranin Karim, a 34-year-old jewelry designer and actor with a septum piercing and her own sleeves of tattoos, described a monthslong tequila-drenched love affair with Lentz in interviews with The Sun, the New York Post, and others. This church will fail you, he remembers the pastor promising. By. advisers believed his return began with three months out of public view, followed by a news cycle dominating mea maxima culpaperhaps, as suggested for a time, in this magazine. 2 min read. If you dont complain, you can climb the ladder. former Hillsong staffer, One year Joness superiors excluded her, the only Black woman leader on the worship team, from planning meetings for a Black History Monththemed tribute. Though Lentz came from a family of believers, by college at North Carolina State, where he earned a spot on the varsity basketball team, he had just about given up on his faith. May 18, 202100:49. The Lentzes home in the tony suburb became a hub of social activity. When reached for comment, the woman responded that she had stated/agreed that I wouldnt speak about my time there., In February 2018 a group of volunteers sent a letter with a list of concerns to church leadership, including the Lentzes and Joel Houston. In 2019, Hillsong paid Gray $14,178 (AUD). Carl Lentz's Hillsong Replacement Is Starting a New Church in Hawaii A few months after Lentz was fired and the megachurch's scandals cascaded, John Termini confirmed his departure. But after the other witnesses corroborated Crenshaws account, Hillsong placed Mays on paid leave. Abreu crowdfunded a trip to Sydney to start at Hillsong College in 2015 around the time of Josh Canfields Survivor appearance. She wrote that she told Carl that she would find a new job outside Hillsong, and that he responded by asking me who would possibly hire me. I wont forget how that made me feel, Kimes wrote, so alone, so worth absolutely nothing, so fearful of my future, so fearful for my husbands future. A year later, she said, Lentz told her he took full responsibility for taking advantage of me and putting me in a situation that was so heavy for me. According to Kimes, Lentz said that he discussed the matter with Laura and that the couple decided not to confess his conduct to church leadership. He returned wearing the loudest shirts we had ever seen, Bullock, who left Hillsong in 1995, has said. The email summed up what he had heard over weeks and months. Following months of scandal surrounding Hillsong, a pastor at the megachurch alleged on Monday that Carl Lentz repeatedly sexually abused her and threatened her during conversations about his conduct. As they were leaving, the man who tried to intervene asked her not to tell anyone what had happened. Hillsong College serves as a farm system for the churchs global network of pastors, who become centers of gravity wherever they land. Hillsong told V.F. Brian Houston has denied he said the abuse had been Sengstocks fault. He kept a low profile for a while and was allegedly working on his mental health. (A church spokesperson said its leadership was unaware of any inappropriate activity at the Kent Avenue address. Church officials de-rostered her daughter from her weekly volunteer commitments. Frank Houston, Brian Houstons father, started Sydney Christian Life Centre, the forerunner to Hillsong Church, in 1977. Left, photograph by Danielle Levitt; right, by Wagner Az/Backgrid. She froze. (Hillsong teachings reserve sex strictly for marriage.) On Monday, June 21, it was reported that Discovery+ is moving forward with a three-episode . He left school and eventually made his way to Hillsong College in Sydney. An avid sports fan, Houston loved Lentzs basketball stories and his aptitude for name-dropping while telling them. The Lentzes arrived in New York City in 2010 from Virginia Beach, Virginia, Carls hometown. In September 2016, Jones emailed Lentz asking that Hillsong address some of the things that bothered her about the church: its racial disparity, cliques, cronyism, overworked volunteers. Meet Laura Lentz, Carl Lentz's Wife - TheList.com The pastor, a former real estate broker, is the developer Abram Shnays son-in-law. Hillsong, like many of its peers, recommends its congregants tithe 10 percent of their earnings. We need a solid foundation for a fresh start and new beginning, he said. Carl Lentz is a former Hillsong pastor who was previously involved in an adultery scandal. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our User Agreement and Privacy Policy and Cookie Statement and Your California Privacy Rights. Strobe lights and stage smoke filled the church lobby. In 1989, Brian Houston made a trip to the United States, where he met with pastors preaching the so-called prosperity gospel. My turning point came one night after church at Serendipity, when one of my friends said to me, I just wanna meet Carl, I just wanna touch his coat.. Gossip blogs noted the shots were the first time Lentz had been spotted in public since entering rehab. But I can point you to a person that never will.. He encourages the youth to always work for the benefit of the economy. They changed their cell phone numbers, updating only a select few friends, according to one. Hillsong Church founder Brian Houston said former pastor Carl Lentz had leadership issues that included lying and narcissistic behavior in an exclusive interview with "Today." Houston sat . Wife of ex-Hillsong pastor Carl Lentz is suffering 'PTSD' - New York Post (Protestia) Pastor John MacArthur of Grace Community Church in Sun Valley, California, called out deceased and disgraced renown apologist Ravi Zacharias and disgraced ex-Hillsong Pastor Carl Lentz during a January 17th sermon. A few months after Lentz was fired and the megachurchs scandals cascaded, John Termini confirmed his departure. Early on, Hillsong derived its largely working-class and left-wing ethos from the Assemblies of God Pentecostal tradition Frank Houston had worked in, Bullock told The Sydney Morning Herald. Open main entertainment navigation Entertainment This broker sells houses and God, too. In November, Houston announced an investigation of the Hillsong East Coast locations that Lentz led, and in February, he said the investigation was complete, though the results were not publicly disclosed. The volunteer said that leadership already knew about Lentzs actions from previous reports but failed to act. to the churchs spokesperson. Scott Morrison, prime minister of Australia, has described Houston as a mentor and suffered a minor scandal in 2019 after the White House denied his attempt to bring Houston to a state dinner. HILLSONG CHURCH IS A SNAKE PIT OF OPEN DEMONIC ACTIVITY AS IT'S REVEALED THEIR NY PASTOR CARL LENTZ AND STAFFERS RAN IT LIKE THE PLAYBOY MANSION by Geoffrey Grider for Now The End Begins The whistleblowers also claimed that Hillsong Church which has been rocked by recent revelations that its former leader, Carl Lentz, had multiple tawdry affairs was "a breeding ground for unchecked . Neither Hillsong nor Lentz immediately returned The Post's request for comment. In 2015, Brian Houston forced its director Josh Canfield to step down from his post after Canfield discussed his identity as a gay Hillsong congregant on CBSs Survivor. The $16,000 a month rent on the house has reportedly been paid for by one of the only friends that have stood by him throughout this ordeal: Tyler Perry. Kimes later confirmed that her statement was about Lentz. I was told that if his reputation was ruined, Kimes wrote, my reputation would be too. Later, Kimes said, Laura told her she should repent and dismissed her from her household duties, and Kimes and her husband moved to Boston to lead its Hillsong church. Back in New York, they tried going to services again; their best friends were and still are part of the church. Carl Lentz has not publicly addressed his firing yet. Leaked report reveals details of moral failures by Hillsong's Carl Lentz By signing up you agree to our User Agreement and Privacy Policy & Cookie Statement. Lentz, who resides in Florida with his family, apparently wants to begin a career in entertainment Most likely, the Discovery+ documentary will show more about his affair with Ranin Karim In June 2021, the family's former nanny said that Lentz had sexually abused her I was crushed, Jones says. He never actually interacts with the people he ministers to., Although we have had very strong leadership in other countries, it is important to note that this tremendous growth has contributed to a lack of supporting infrastructure and oversight in the United States, Brian Houston said in a statement. My counselor encouraged me to report the assault instead of letting Jason just ignore it, she says. Celeb Pastor Carl Lentz Says His Family Is Together After "Challenging Road" Two years after Carl Lentz was fired from Hillsong megachurch for "moral failures," the former pastor proved he. More Hillsong Pastors Resign as Justin Bieber Confirms He's Left the The Bogards said their 15 years with Hillsong had taken a toll. Pastors Reed and Jess Bogard met at Hillsong College, and Reed later established the church that would become Hillsong NYC. The creative element, especially in New York, is incredible.. (Lentz declined to comment for this story.). The church attracted A-list celebrities like Justin Bieber. Carl has his impressive views towards god and abortion towards young pastors. Disgraced Hillsong pastor Carl Lentz and his wife have broken their silence about his scandalous affairs in a new documentary about the secret church. ), The circumstances surrounding Williams exile from Hillsong eventually reached another volunteer. In the wake of these allegations and the revelation of his affairs, Lentz's wife, Laura, has stood by him and has been open about her own struggles with mental . Carl Lentz pastors Hillsong Church NYC, a thriving Christian congregation with locations in Manhattan and New Jersey. Another Hillsong pastor named Leona Kimes ran Lauras life while enlisting a former Hillsong College student to look after her own daughter for $150 a week. The presence of Lauras wedding ring also registered as significant. The material on this site may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, cached or otherwise used, except with the prior written permission of Cond Nast. June 23, 2021. Former congregants have described Termini as not only an integral player in Lentzs kingdomthey employ some of the same emotive style in their sermonsbut an avid protector of it. He landed a new gig. Cover Story: The Charming Billie Eilish Kobe Bryants Tragic Flight, One Year Later How the PGA Polished Off Donald Trump Could the Monarchy Go Over a Cliff After Queen Elizabeth Dies? 36 Essential Items for Recreating Iconic Billie Eilish Nail Moments Inside 2021s Celebrity-Gossip Renaissance What Will Melania Trumps Legacy Be? From the Archive: The Brant Brothers Quest to Conquer Manhattan Not a subscriber? Lentzs affair with Ranin Karim led to his dismissal from the church. When its time for the service to begin, he sits in a special section, surrounded by his people, the staffer says. Kimes said that she twice discussed the alleged abuse with the Lentzes. Keatinge removed William from his connect group. When a cheating scandal blew up the pastors life, some Hillsong congregants were left to question their relationship with a church that cultivated its own kind of fameand the double standards that often came with it. A royal commission in Australia found in 2015 that Brian Houston failed to notify authorities about the allegations upon learning of them. She wrote in her statement that I was physically violated by his unwanted and repeated sexual touching of my intimate areas. In September 2022, Laura shared a relationship update. But now, he wants to milk the clout and attention he is currently getting by going into the entertainment industry. She said churchgoers were told, "You have to be together for a full year before you get your first kiss." Additionally, Carl demanded that they "don't say 'I love you' until you propose." Tweet. Brian Houston, the churchs global senior pastor who founded Hillsong in Australia, publicly distanced himself from Lentz and announced an investigation of the East Coast outposts. Hillsong congregants and insiders expressed skepticism about its integrity. By Dan. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our User Agreement and Privacy Policy and Cookie Statement and Your California Privacy Rights. Carl Lentz's Wife Laura Breaks Silence After Hillsong Sex Scandal - People In his last year of school, Lentz interned for Houston, washing his car and picking up his dry cleaning. Wed, 05 May 2021. Whats happening with the payment I was promised? Brett Sengstock, who was allegedly abused between ages 7 and 12, asked the younger Houston. And then he leaves. Where is Carl Lentz now? It is also a multimedia conglomerate that produces documentaries, books, and chart-topping musical acts. Lentzs famous followers included Justin and Hailey Bieber. Keatinge, she said, called her unfit for leadership. (Keatinge told the paper he did not recall saying this.) Other people at the house, occupied with video games, didnt notice as Mays moved closer to Crenshaw and put his hand on her inner thigh. In 2017, a New York connect group leader caught word of some troubling claims. A flurry of Twitter flare-ups and Slack spats involving. Though a volunteer, William ran a connect group populated by members who were fiercely devoted to him. (The New York Post first reported the letters existence. Having recently sold their home in Montclair, New Jersey, the Lentz family moved to a grand Spanish-style home with a terra-cotta roof and ocean views in Manhattan Beach, California. The organization is led by pastor, author, and popular YouTuber Michael Todd. After the celebrity-friendly megachurch Hillsong fired embattled pastor Carl Lentz in November, his initial replacement as the head of the churchs East Coast locations was executive pastor John Termini. In reckoning with its demons, Hillsong will be forced to move away from Keatinge prompted her to tell her story. Carl Lentz Says His Family Is 'Together' After He Was Unfaithful - People Where is Carl Lentz now? Latest 2022 Info! - Unleashing The Latest In In the wake of Lentzs departure, Hillsong has experienced unprecedented turnover of staffers, including several notable pastors who worked closely with him in New York City. New York Post. Everyone Knows It Now. Exclusive Excerpt: An Icy Death at the Bottom of the World Lolita, Blake Bailey, and Me Kate Middleton and the Future of the Monarchy The Occasional Terror of Dating in the Digital Age The 13 Best Face Oils for Healthy, Balanced Skin From the Archive: Tinder and the Dawn of the Dating Apocalypse Sign up for the Royal Watch newsletter to receive all the chatter from Kensington Palace and beyond. Wracked with guilt and confusion, Abreu opened up to a youth pastor and social worker. His elevated status made me feel like he had all the power, and I had no voice.. Crenshaw says the church notified Mays three months after her first report and took no action for two months after that. Mayss wife had just had a baby, and he told his lawyer that Crenshaw went out of her way to be around his family. Since. However, controversy followed him in May 2021 when Leona Kimes, who worked as a nanny at the Lentz home for over seven years, claimedthat Carl subjected her to "bullying, abuse of power, and sexual abuse." He responded, in part, Im not sure if you realize this either: cliquism, [cronyism], overworking volunteersthese are subjective social constructs.. Disgraced Hillsong pastor Carl Lentz' 'mistress' shares secret videos Kimes said in her statement that Lentz repeatedly physically violated her, including on two occasions, in a movie theater and while she was driving, with one or more of his children present. After joining Hillsong as head pastor of the New York outpost in 2010, Lentz quickly became the churchs most recognizable face. I felt his arms and hands wrapped around my legs making contact with my inner thigh, butt and crotch. She tried to make her way to the door, but Mays wouldnt let go. reported in February, Kimes paid a former Hillsong College student $150 a week to look after her own daughter. Before Termini became Lentzs interim replacement at Hillsong, he held jobs as the churchs head of global real estate and director of business development. A 2009 Virginian-Pilot report noted that the service, Soul Central, kicked off at 8 p.m., just as happy hours wound down. Brian Houston was not informed of these claims prior to the events of late 2020.). Also pictured were Terminis brother Joe and Joes wife, the star professional surfer Kelia Moniz. According to a 2011 interview with Lentz in The Christian Post, as early 20-something students, Lentz and the younger Houston fantasized about someday teaming up to establish a Hillsong church in New York. Chief among them was Justin Bieber, whom Lentz baptized, and whose association with the pastor became the subject of scores of tabloid stories. Pics emerge of disgraced, disheveled ex-Hillsong pastor Carl Lentz's house After her 15-year-old daughter said on social media in 2016 that she identifies as bisexual, Austen and her family, including her two younger sons, found themselves excluded from events. We value each member of our team, especially volunteers.. When I stood up, Jason grabbed me, putting his hand between my legs and his head on my stomach and began kissing my stomach, Crenshaw later wrote in a statement. They joined a pool club and hosted cookouts with plenty to drink. She often shares her mental health struggles amid the scandals and allegations regarding her husband. Aghajanian asked Crenshaw to repeat her statement twice more. At the school, Lentz made fast friends with Brian Houstons son Joel. The writers bccd the Houstons. The letters authors accused a former Hillsong intern under Keatinge of multiple inappropriate sexual relationships with several female leaders and volunteers in church and said he was verbally, emotionally, and according to one woman, physically abusive in his relationships with these women. (A Hillsong spokesperson said the former intern was asked to leave the church after leadership found out about his behavior. I now begin a journey of rebuilding trust with my wife, . Although she did not mention. Joness supervisor was pastor Kane Keatinge, a longtime friend of Lentz and Joel Houstons from Australia who had moved to New York. Brian Houston founded the church that would become Hillsong in Australia in 1983. Then he goes onstage. Before his recent downfall, Lentzs visible friendships with celebrities helped propel him to fame beyond Hillsongs walls. In her statement Kimes wrote that, prior to becoming a pastor in Boston, she worked in the Lentz home. (A church spokesperson acknowledged the accusation and said: This claim was investigated thoroughly by senior Hillsong East Coast staff and internal legal counsel, but remained unsubstantiated claims only, lacking evidence or proof. The first two rows at church were reserved every week for VIPs and close friends. The ex-president is expected to enter a plea of not guilty later today, after having his fingerprints and possibly his mug shot taken. While the source suggested that Termini had grown tired of Hillsongs controversies, the pastor struck a more sanguine tone when reached by text message. We will have to reevaluate if youre fit for leadership positions, she recalled Keatinge replying. (In my opinion theyre just looking for dirt on Carl, says one. By Andrew White/The New York Times/Redux. Hillsong Church founder Brian Houston talks firing pastor Carl Lentz Lower overhead means higher profits. Keatinge also brought two affidavits, William says, asserting that he had lied. ), In a statement on Hillsongs website, the Houstons said they heard about Kimess allegations in the course of the East Coast investigation. With the tabloids feasting on his humiliation, Lentzs new P.R. Crenshaw learned Mays had a wife, and she felt overwhelmed by guilt and traumatic memories. Celeb Pastor Carl Lentz Says His Family Is Together After "Challenging CARL Lentz' "mistress" appeared in the trailer for Discovery's forthcoming docuseries, Hillsong: A Megachurch Exposed, showing videos he sent during their affair. Those guys were dicking down! says a former Hillsong volunteer who spent time at the building. Youre Mary Jones! Jones recalls him saying. He frequently responded to her social media posts and invited her to staff meetings and special events. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our User Agreement and Privacy Policy and Cookie Statement and Your California Privacy Rights. Carl Lentz. The Grammy-winning group Hillsong Worship, one of the churchs three musical acts, recently broke the record for a Hillsong streaming debut in the U.S. Hillsong founder Brian Houston fired Lentz over what he said were moral failuresincluding, most explosively, Lentzs cheatingand has claimed in public statements and a recent interview on the Today show that Lentzs behavior was an aberration for the church.
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