Disgraced, former Hillsong Pastor Carl Lentz and his wife Laura Lentz posted a cryptic video on Instagram today, prompting speculation online that Lentz may be returning to ministry June 4.
The 18-second video features sounds of the city, a thunderstorm, and fire, along with images of a subway, Carl and Laura Lentz, a burning bush, and storm clouds. One of the images is of the Clinton-Washington subway station in New York City.
The video ends with a black screen with the date—06.04.
The Roys Report (TRR) reached out to the Lentzes, asking for clarification, but neither one responded.
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Lentz, a celebrity pastor with a half-million followers on Instagram known for his close relationship with Justin Bieber, was fired from Hillsong New York City in 2020 for “moral failures.”
It later came out that he had a five-month-long affair with a New York City designer, Ranin Karim.
Lentz also admitted to years-long sexual misconduct with Leona Kimes, his former nanny who served with her husband, Josh Kimes, as pastors of Hillsong Boston.
In a 2021 article, Kimes wrote that during her time working for the Lentz’s, she was “subjected to manipulation, control, bullying, abuse of power, and sexual abuse.”
However, in the docuseries, The Secrets of Hillsong, Lentz called what happened with Kimes “an inappropriate relationship,” adding that “any notion of abuse is categorically false.”
Yet experts on abuse agree that adult clergy sexual abuse is “any sexualized behavior” by a religious leader “toward a person under his or her spiritual care.” Because of the imbalance of power, “there can be no mutual consent to a romantic or sexual relationship.”
Lentz has also been accused of spending church money to fund his lavish lifestyle, and of fostering a toxic work culture where volunteers were abused and pastors were treated like royalty.
Despite this, Transformation Church, a megachurch in Tulsa, Oklahoma, pastored by controversial Pastor Michael Todd, hired Lentz last year.
And an associate campus pastor at Transformation Church, William Heckenbach, shared the Lentzes’ video on his Instagram story, with the text, “SOME OF MY FAVORITE PEOPLE! CAN’T WAIT!”
Similarly, Rohn Starling, a content strategist at Transformation Church, also shared the Lentz’s video on his story.
Most of the comments on the Lentz’s Instagram post, which garnered more than 5,500 likes in just two hours, are positive, as well.
One person commented, “I GENUINELY HOPE, it’s what I think it is!!! The Body needs you! Let’s go!”
Another wrote, “Praying for it now and for God to use your marriage, ministry, story, and gifts powerfully.”
Someone else suggested the video is referring to Transformation Church NYC.
But not all the comments were positive.
One asked, “(W)hy the Clarion call? Why the splash and dazzle. (sic) God draws near to the humble and resists the proud.”
Another posted, “Smh. You are not the event. You are not the main character. You aren’t a brand.”
And still another wrote, “Carl ruined his marriage by cheating and @lauralentz should never be okday with this and @carllentz has always been a fake he (sic) hasn’t changed.”
*This story has been updated.
Julie Roys is a veteran investigative reporter and founder of The Roys Report. She also previously hosted a national talk show on the Moody Radio Network, called Up for Debate, and has worked as a TV reporter for a CBS affiliate. Her articles have appeared in numerous periodicals.
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14 Responses
Assuming that he is being platformed again, that honestly took about two years longer than I thought it would. Lentz is a brand that sells! Lord Jesus please help us, we are so lost.
Why does this sort of thing keep happening – pastors sinning, have a little break and then back to ministry to carry on as before?!
How do people accept it and allow it to happen as well?! Why are some people quick to celebrate something like this?!
It’s really worrying and seems to keep happening. Makes me wonder if they are even Christian in the first place or culturally Christian but love the power and authority and realise they can use it in this setting…
Because they still have the personality traits that made them immensely popular with their supporters and fans. People miss their content (to borrow an online term) when they’re gone.
People have often invested years, even decades in supporting and enjoying their pastors, even if it’s from afar, and Christianity has that message of human frailty and forgiveness built into its core which can readily be used to excuse and forgive the bad behavior without question.
I’ve been reading the comments on Mike Winger’s videos exposing (yet again) Benny Hinn’s countless sins and even after 40 years of lies and fraud there are many who dismiss his failings, saying nobody’s perfect. They love him and are willfully blind to the fact that he is a conman.
Two problems that “Christians” who are in no ways actual disciples of Jesus have:
1) Complete lack of fear of God. They worship a very different one to the One I do.
2) Idolatry: they prefer a god that has charisma that they can see to the One whom is actually humble that they cannot.
We’ve learned nothing
Combination of lack of skills to do anything other than pastor and narcissism.
Indeed, as the last paragraph says, Carl Lentz has always been a fake. He really hasn’t changed. But there will always be a crowd that craves unrepentant fakes who tickle their ears.
“Most of the comments on the Lentz’s Instagram post, which garnered more than 5,500 likes in just two hours, are positive, as well.”
Kohelet (Eccl) 7:5 “it is better to hear rebuke of the wise than to listen to song of fools”.
Correction: most of Lentz post garnered 5,500 songs of fools in just 2 hours. LOL.
When will these (insert opposite of wise) people learn that the number of man’s likes and shares and “positive comments” are inversely proportional to YHVH’s and HIS angelic beings and all the heavenly hosts likes and shares. LOL.
What point is it when you have million likes from people, but the creator of the universe, whom you will have to answer to, whom is the ultimate judge, whom decides your eternity gives you a thumbs down, dislikes all your comments and finds your comments irritating; and HIS angelic hosts views your posts with disdain. LOL.
Clowns and Goats commenting, liking and sharing fellow clowns and goats content. Not exactly high grade quality stuff here, move along.
American Christianity, its purveyors and its customers are a total catastrophic joke. What a caricature they have made the cause of our LORD. A proper roadkill, the lot of them. Dead men and women walking about.
Because American church culture has become prime soil for sociopaths and narcissists. A life of humble faithfulness of a believer eventuating into obscurity is such a foreign concept to Western “Christian” thought and culture. I know this isn’t across the board. I know there are small humble churches and families serving their King, but this is what the majority of this generation of believers are seeing and being discipled into. That hype, large followings and platforms are the measure of spirituality and success. We humbly pray, Lord, convict them and convict us. Come purify your Bride!
Celebrity charisma and celebrity worship are addicting. Happens in most churches, but it takes leaving the systems and manipulation to have eyes opened. Blind wolves leading blind sheep on the weekly. American Christianity is shallow and full of myth and brainwashing.
Due to the fact that we have a free market system of religion in the U.S. some churches and pastors (Mostly independent) can make up their own rules. Often times this can be a bad thing.
That’s the case in every democratic country I know of, too eg. the UK, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, Sweden, Germany, France and other Western European countries.
This Carl Lentz situation is why I presently have a love/hate relationship with the local church. I love the idea of the local church but I hate what currently exists.
God help me.
God help us
THE MINISTRY always gets the last word, dontcha see?
I’m all for restoring a brother back to the fold, as long as there’s genuine fear of the Lord repentance. But in a pastor capacity for Carl Lenz, no. Hopefully he can used this time for healing and growth for himself, and his family