Pastor Carl Lentz Admits to Infidelity in Heartbreaking Confession after Hillsong Church Firing
On Wednesday, November 4, 2020, the Hillsong Church announced that they asked Pastor Carl Lentz to step down from his leadership position. The pastor has since admitted that he had been unfaithful to his wife.
Pastor Carl Lentz has been married to his wife, Laura for seventeen long years. However, this week, the Hillsong Church, where the pastor has a leadership role, let him go for "moral failures."
A day after he was asked to step down, he took to Instagram to confess that he’d been unfaithful to his wife. Lentz used to be quite close to stars like Justin Bieber, whom he was a spiritual adviser.
Laura and Carl Lentz at the "Hillsong - Let Hope Rise" premiere on September 13, 2016, in Los Angeles, California | Photo: Charley Gallay/Pure Flix/Getty Images
In a lengthy post, the pastor revealed how it had been an honor for him to lead the megachurch. He acknowledged how his position required him to live in a way that honors the church and God.
Lentz confessed that failing to follow the mandate led to changes needing to be made. He explained how his stepping down was the change that needed to happen so that the church standard is upheld.
The pastor admitted that he’d failed to protect his own spirit and to reach out for the help that had been at his disposal. Lentz then openly confessed that he’d been unfaithful in his marriage and took accountability stating:
“This failure is on me, and me alone and I take full responsibility for my actions.”
Revealing what the next step was for his relationship, the father of three children shared how he was now working on rebuilding the trust in his marriage. He also revealed how he was working on the trust with his children too.
Carl Lentz thanked the two pastors for their kindness and grace especially right now during this trying time.
The pastor shared how he was also going to get help for himself. He then apologized for breaking the trust of the people they loved serving and acknowledged how his confession could be hard and confusing for people to hear.
Lentz revealed how he wished he could tell the people this truth face to face. However, he went on to share that he prayed his followers could forgive him in time and that one day they would trust him again.
The famous pastor also thanked fellow pastors Bobbie and Brian [Houston] for allowing them to lead the church. He thanked the two men for their kindness and grace especially right now during this trying time.
The star noted how he and his family didn’t know what the future had in store for them but vowed to “walk into it together very hopeful and grateful for the grace of God.” Lentz’s post included a family photo that featured his wife and children.
The pastor has been with the Hillsong Church since 2010. He was the lead pastor of Hillsong New York City, the local branch of the global megachurch that has Sunday services at Montclair's Wellmont Theater.