The churchs leaders and their families have at times seemed to operate under a more fluid set of standards. 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. Logging onto Grindr backstage, Abreu saw a screen dotted with fellow volunteers. A former Hillsong staffer who worked closely with Houston remembers one of his credos regarding Sydney: We need you to catch the culture from here. Houstons preferred personnel hold positions of power throughout the global church. We just really feel that its time to transition off of our staff and take some time to remain healthy, get healthy, and to really see what the next season holds for us, Reed said. in February that Kane Keatinge, an Australian pastor under Lentz who allegedly bullied volunteers, had been suspended pending an investigation, but didnt answer a recent inquiry about his current status. On November 4, Hillsongs global senior pastor and founder, Brian Houston, publicly fired Lentz and his wife of 17 years, Laura, pointing to leadership issues and breaches of trust, plus a recent revelation of moral failures. On Instagram the next day, Carl Lentz paired a photo of his family decked out in formal attire at the Biebers wedding with a confession: When you lead out of an empty place, you make choices that have real and painful consequences. Kimes provided the domestic help with the same clear instructions Hillsong volunteers received: Dont talk to him, dont look at him, dont be in his way., If this occurred, it was extremely inappropriate and not in keeping with the culture or the expectations of Hillsong Church, Brian Houston said in a statement. Hillsong congregants and insiders expressed skepticism about its integrity. Soon after, Harvest Time Church in Greenwich, Connecticut, announced that Blaze and Desiree Robertson, formerly of Hillsong Connecticut, were being considered as its new executive pastors. Get ready to dive into the world of the Hillsong Church. Discovery+ is a streaming service owned and operated by Warner Bros. In 2015, she said, he began making unwanted sexual advances on her. In September 2013, following two years forfeiting shifts at her paying job to serve on the host team, former volunteer Ashley Jones earned a promotion: spearheading the launch of Hillsong NYCs choir. Rupert Murdoch and Ann Lesley Smith Call Off Their Engagement. 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. Amid the turmoil, Termini is now leaving Hillsong too. 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 members of the group were then given a simple choice: William or the church. 2023 Cond Nast. 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. When its time for the service to begin, he sits in a special section, surrounded by his people, the staffer says. a Photo of The Disgraced Pastor with Wild, Long, Curly Hair Appeared Online in March 2022, Despite the fact that He Has Been Keeping a Low Profile Since Then. 2 min read. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our User Agreement and Privacy Policy and Cookie Statement and Your California Privacy Rights. When Elisabeth Finch met Jennifer Beyer in 2019, the two women forged a fiercely loyal friendship, and eventually got married. Chief among them was Justin Bieber, whom Lentz baptized, and whose association with the pastor became the subject of scores of tabloid stories. Since Justin Bieber left the Hillsong megachurch due to Carl Lentz's controversial infidelity, he's found a new space of worship. A church spokesperson said Mays served a 12-month ban from any ministry, was reinstated in his administration role, and occasionally volunteers as a singer. Many noticed that Justin Bieber stayed silent this fall as scandal overwhelmed the church he attends,. Soon after, Hillsongs Connecticut head pastor, Blaze Robertson, and his wife, Desi, materialized as the new executive pastors of Harvest Time Church in Greenwich, in an announcement that made no mention of Hillsong. The pastor is preparing to move to Hawaii, a source familiar with his plans said, where hell start a separate church following the series of scandals at his old place of employment. According to the former Hillsong Sydney employee who worked with Houston, he viewed volunteers not as the called, but as laborers performing difficult, expensive work for free. Tweet. I was crushed, Jones says. (Keatinges email was obtained by V.F.) The message denied only one scandal specifically. In class, Lentz established himself as a brash and discursive presence. I now begin a journey of rebuilding trust with my wife, . Church officials de-rostered her daughter from her weekly volunteer commitments. 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. Brian Houston founded the church that would become Hillsong in Australia in 1983. (A church spokesperson said John Mays was recused from the matter due to his conflict of interest and that it was unaware of any incidents of Houston praising Mays onstage from the time Crenshaws allegations became known. V.F. Brian Houston has denied he said the abuse had been Sengstocks fault. Then In July 2021, they relocated to a $70,000 home south of Tampa, Florida. Our pastoral team will continue to care for Anna as they have been, but we also have an obligation to care for Jason, his wife and family as a church, he wrote in part. February 5, 2023. He phrased it carefully. ), When there are problems in the flock, you bring it to the shepherds, the letters authors wrote. For years, Hillsong experienced rapid growth as it offered itself as a house of worship and community for its young followers seeking what they neededbe that healing, fellowship, or grace. Kimes later confirmed that her statement was about Lentz. Born the youngest of four in Williamsburg, Virginia, he was raised in a Christian household but struggled to connect with the local church concept and religion in general. What do you do when you discover the shepherds are part of the problem? 2018 letter from concerned Hillsong NYC congregants, From the moment Pastor Brian discovered this shocking news, around 20 years ago, the email said, he has always been very open and clear about the circumstances around this, and our church has stood with him and his family.. That felt like a nonanswer. (A church spokesperson said, We are unaware of this situation occurring.). Although Carl has changed a lot in appearance and style. But Lentzs scandal and subsequent departure caused many of its congregants to reevaluate their relationship with the church. Get the latest chatter, from Kensington Palace and beyond, straight to your inbox. As Lentzs celebrity and the churchs profile grew, his congregants developed a tortured relationship with fame. obtained, was sent through a subordinates account: Most of the things you have said here, I know absolutely nothing about. I personally thought it was what I was called by Jesus to do. Jones says she watched the group serve as an outlet for cronyism. ), Still, many Hillsong faithful remain. 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 . Missing the community Hillsong provided, William organized his own prayer meeting. 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. We are now aware of the scope of changes that need to be made and are addressing those immediately., In 2011, with his New York flock outgrowing smaller venues, Lentz began holding services at 1,200-seat Irving Plaza. When God blesses a business person its for Gods own purposes. (A Hillsong spokesperson said financial integrity is a value of the church, that it regularly audits its financial records and expenses, and that no staff member has unrestricted access to church funds.). When reached for comment, Keatinge referred V.F. William doesnt have a sister. The report, commissioned by the Hillsong Global Board, was carried out by the NYC law firm Zukerman Gore Brandeis & Crossman, over a period of less than two months following Lentz's firing in November 2020.The confidential report, titled "Internal Investigation Report Regarding Carl Lentz and Other Matters" was submitted to the Hillsong Global Board on January 11, 2021. One pastor routinely asked Jones to replace singers, who had rehearsed, with celebrities (including, once, Vanessa Hudgens) and potential paramours. 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. Ahead of High Season The New, Sad Irony of the Rift Between Prince William and Prince Harry Caroline Rose Giulianis Unicorn Tale: Three-Way Sex Has Made Me a Better Person A Brief History of Piers Morgans One-Sided TV Feud With Meghan Markle 20 Women-Owned Fashion Brands for Celebrating Womens History Month From the Archive: Meghan Markle, an American Princess. 8 It premieres Friday, May 19 at 10 p.m. on FX with two episodes before the final two air on May 26. The series provides context for the many church scandals, such as allegations of abuse and corruption. Lentz didnt get to know too many of his flock of thousands. EX-MEMBERS of disgraced pastor Carl Lentz's Hillsong Church have spoken out against the organization's stringent dating and sex restrictions. As they were leaving, the man who tried to intervene asked her not to tell anyone what had happened. The upcoming four-part docuseries is based on Vanity Fair's expos of the firing of Carl Lentz from the megachurch after he admitted to having an affair.. FX states that "everything will come to light" in announcing the . The effects of the split between the churchs founder and his most famous acolyte went far beyond the two mens relationship. As Ashley and Mary Jones graduated to become volunteer leaders, they were given their own connect group. At large churches like Hillsong, smaller groups such as these often serve as the elemental links in the greater social chain. My faith in God is now unshaken by the heinous . At age twenty, he discovered his calling and enrolled in . The Lentzes arrived in New York City in 2010 from Virginia Beach, Virginia, Carls hometown. Didn't expect this guy to get a bailout from Madea, did you? They call it the Hillsong hangover, she says. After selling their house in Montclair, New Jersey, Lentz and his wife Laura relocated to . He's 20 and she's 17, but not for long. 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. The creative element, especially in New York, is incredible.. 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. 2:05. There have been no additional concerns, the church said. Abreu crowdfunded a trip to Sydney to start at Hillsong College in 2015 around the time of Josh Canfields Survivor appearance. At the center of the docuseries is Pastor Carl Lentz, the leader of the New York City branch of the church who gained public attention after befriending multiple famous congregants. Carl Lentz is a former Hillsong pastor who was previously involved in an adultery scandal. Lentz allegedly asked her for massages, and Kimes felt that she couldnt decline. Gossip blogs noted the shots were the first time Lentz had been spotted in public since entering rehab. A former volunteer in New York wrote to church leadership in 2017 about allegations of sexual harassment within Hillsong, including Lentzs own alleged inappropriate sexual behavior. Vanity Fair reported in February that the volunteer said he was told by Termini that he needed to defend the church the way that Termini would defend his wife. Also pictured were Terminis brother Joe and Joes wife, the star professional surfer Kelia Moniz. Take the volunteers away from Hillsong and the services absolutely will not run, says the longtime worshipper. Hed interrupt lectures from the back of the room to pose counterarguments at length. 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. Pre-pandemic, the weekly production required about 300 people, although Hillsong NYC operates with a lean paid staff of pastors, back-office workers, and interns who themselves pay up to $4,000 to work at the church. From The Sydney Morning Herald/Getty Images. Watching from her seat, Jones filled with anticipation. Newspix via Getty Images, FILE Karim described her connection with Lentz as one that is "hard to explain in words." She said Lentz's wife found out about the alleged affair in October. Join Vanity Fair to receive full access to VF.com and the complete online archive now. 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. When she reported that a volunteer in the vocal group sent her a sexually threatening text message late one night, the man was simply moved to a different volunteer team. reported in February, Kimes paid a former Hillsong College student $150 a week to look after her own daughter. A Lentz family insider provided People.com with updates: family nights on the beach and Thanksgiving plans. New York Post. Wracked with guilt and confusion, Abreu opened up to a youth pastor and social worker. Houston and Hillsong have falsely claimed that Frank Houston, who retired with a pension, didnt preach after his son learned of the abuse.
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