Hillsong Church Pastor Carl Lentz Was Fired: Here’s Everything We Know About the Scandal

Hillsong Church pastor Carl Lentz, who rose to public prominence thanks to A-list celebrity churchgoers like Justin Bieber, has been terminated from his position.

Pastor Carl, as he is often referred to, was the leader of Hillsong NYC, the East Coast branch of the popular mega-church. Founder Brian Houston announced the news on Wednesday, November 5.

“Today Hillsong Church East Coast advised our congregation that we have terminated the employment of Pastor Carl Lentz,” he said in a statement, per People. “This action was not taken lightly and was done in the best interests of everyone, including Pastor Carl.” The reason? “Ongoing discussions in relation to leadership issues and breaches of trust, plus a recent revelation of moral failures.” Houston did not go into detail about what those “moral failures” are, exactly.

“While I have no doubt that this is the right course of action, I must mention Bobbie’s and my personal sadness, as we have known Laura [Lentz’s wife] her entire life and Carl for well over 20 years,” Houston continued. “We thank Pastors Carl and Laura for the way they have served faithfully and sacrificially since the start of Hillsong NYC and for contributing so significantly to the countless lives that have been transformed for Jesus Christ through this ministry. They have a heart for people and we are confident that after a time of rest and restoration, God will use Carl in another way outside of Hillsong Church. In terminating his tenure, we in no way want to diminish the good work he did here.”

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In case you’re not super familiar with Hillsong, here’s everything you need to know.

What is Hillsong, exactly?

Hillsong was originally founded in Sydney, Australia, in 1983 by Brian and Bobbie Houston but now exists in 28 countries and, according to its website, has an average global attendance of 150,000 people per week.

“Hillsong is a church that believes in Jesus, a church that loves God and people,” the site also reads. Their mission statement reads, “To reach and influence the world by building a large Christ-centered, Bible-based church, changing mindsets and empowering people to lead and impact in every sphere of life.”

Hillsong church services are known for their music and almost concert-like atmosphere. They’ve even produced and released multiple albums over the years.

Which celebrities have attended Hillsong services in the past?

Justin and Hailey Bieber, Vanessa Hudgens, Chris Pratt, Nick Jonas, Selena Gomez, Kylie and Kendall Jenner, Kourtney Kardashian, NBA superstar Kevin Durant, and Bono have all reportedly gone to services at the church, per People, though that’s not to say they are all official members of the congregation.

“People say we cater to celebrities,” Pastor Carl told GQ in 2015. “And I say, Yes, we do. Celebrities deserve a relationship with God. Celebrities deserve a place to pray.”

What’s the deal with Justin Bieber and Pastor Carl Lentz?

The singer and Pastor Carl were once very close. At one point in 2014, Bieber moved in with Lentz and his family (which is discussed in the GQ profile as well). “This boy is 21. He’s in a horribly toxic world,” Lentz told the magazine at the time. “He is trying to do his best to figure this out. He has never been anybody but who he has professed to be, which is a work in progress.”

Bieber was baptized by Lentz in NBA player Tyson Chandler’s bathtub in the middle of the night (true story!), and the pastor was his close spiritual advisor. He also reportedly counseled Bieber and ex-girlfriend Selena Gomez during their relationship. “They don’t want to repeat the same patterns as before,” a source told People in 2017. “They’ve clearly had issues in the past, so they’re receiving some guidance from Carl.”

In 2018, TMZ reported that Bieber and Lentz had a falling out, though they said he and now wife Hailey were still attending Hillsong at the time. Bieber has not commented on the termination of Lentz from Hillsong.

How does Carl Lentz feel about leaving?

Lentz broke his silence on the news Thursday afternoon, November 5. Read his full statement, below:

“Our time at HillsongNYC has come to an end. This is a hard ending to what has been the most amazing, impacting, and special chapter of our lives. Leading this church has been an honor in every sense of the word, and it is impossible to articulate how much we have loved and will always love the amazing people in this church. When you accept the calling of being a pastor, you must live in such a way that it honors the mandate. That it honors the church, and that it honors God. When that does not happen, a change needs to be made and has been made in this case to ensure that standard is upheld. Laura and I and our amazing children have given all that we have to serve and build this church, and over the years I did not do an adequate job of protecting my own spirit, refilling my own soul, and reaching out for the readily available help that is available. When you lead out of an empty place, you make choices that have real and painful consequences.

“I was unfaithful in my marriage, the most important relationship in my life, and held accountable for that. This failure is on me, and me alone, and I take full responsibility for my actions. I now begin a journey of rebuilding trust with my wife, Laura, and my children and taking real time to work on and heal my own life and seek out the help that I need. I am deeply sorry for breaking the trust of many people who we have loved serving and understand that this news can be very hard and confusing for people to hear and process. I would have liked to say this with my voice, to you, in person because you are owed that. But that opportunity I will not have. So to those people, I pray you can forgive me and that over time I can live a life where trust is earned again. To our pastors Brian and Bobbie, thank you for allowing us to lead, allowing us to thrive and giving us room to have a voice that you have never stifled or tried to silence. Thank you for your grace and kindness especially in this season, as you have done so much to protect and love us through this. We, the Lentz family, don’t know what this next chapter will look like, but we will walk into it together very hopeful and grateful for the grace of God.”

What does Carl&aposs wife, Laura, have to say about the scandal?

Laura Lentz has not spoken publicly, but The Sun reports she was also fired from her role at Hillsong—and she is, indeed, no longer listed on the church&aposs website.

“Laura was fired at the same time as Carl,” their source said. "She, of course, seemed devastated as this was just the cherry on top of this whole ordeal for her. If a married couple both work at the church and one of them is terminated, they both will be fired immediately. That was their reasoning for having to also get rid of Laura for Carl&aposs mistakes.”

This post may be updated as new information becomes available.

Originally Appeared on Glamour