Carl Lentz, former pastor and co-founder of Hillsong Church in New York City, was forced to leave Hillsong in 2020 due to an affair. His actions were further put in the spotlight in 2021, when his children's former nanny accused him of sexual abuse that allegedly occured from 2011 to 2017.
Recently, the news broke that he had joined up with megachurch pastor Michael Todd, raising the eyebrows of many concerned about Lentz's moral failures and disqualification from ministry.
Here are details from his scandal at Hillsong:
Lentz was fired from his post at Hillsong NYC in November 2020 over "leadership issues" and moral failures, including being unfaithful to his wife with multiple women including a staff member at Hillsong NYC. Details from an internal investigation shared with The Christian Post in 2022 that was conducted on behalf of Hillsong Church by the New York City law firm Zukerman Gore Brandeis & Crossman, LLP, alleged, among other things, that he manipulated some former staff and volunteers so badly it caused them to suffer mental illness.
In an open letter posted on his Instagram, however, Lentz says he is NOT in ministry and is purely just a consultant for Mike Todd's megachurch.
I'm not preaching, not overseeing people, my role is to help give perspective and insight where I can.
He's on staff at the megachurch but he thinks he's qualified to be there because he's not technically a pastor.
("Technically" doesn't work with Almighty God, who dwells in unapproachable light.)
It's been three years since the Hillsong scandal. During that time, Lentz has reportedly focused on restoring the relationship with his family. But given other controversies at Mike Todd's church recently, some are concerned about Lentz's influence.
This is all in the lead-up to an FX docuseries about Lentz and the abuses under his watch at Hillsong.
I pray that Lentz is truly repentant and not simply seeking a comeback to fame and fortune (the Bible is clear that those who malign God in such a way will suffer the worst fate imaginable); however, this is not someone I would ever let near a position of leadership in a congregation ever again.
