Kirby discussed his PreachersNSneakers Instagram account and referenced posts he made cataloging the expensive footwear and apparel Lentz could be seen wearing in his own Instagram posts and in public appearances, including one sweater with a resale value of $10-15k.
Kirby explained that he was merely pointing out a trend that he found alarming. Pastors seemed to be turning spiritual leadership into a money-making venture, and Kirby wanted to publicly question the merits of such a church model. At the time, Kirby received considerable pushback from those who loved the celebrity pastors whom Kirby was critiquing.
Lentz eventually reached out to Kirby personally. In a series of conversations, Lentz expressed that he didn’t agree with what Kirby was doing but indicated that he understood why people might be concerned. After those conversations, Kirby admitted that he began to feel conflicted about his Instagram account, given how personable Lentz had been with him.
After striking up a friendship with Justin Bieber, Lentz became a nationally known figure. Lentz famously baptized Bieber in NBA star Tyson Chandler’s bathtub. Hillsong NYC quickly became something of a hub for celebrities, which undoubtedly contributed to skyrocketing attendance.
One interviewee suggested that Lentz’s relationship with Bieber was less of an organic result of ministry and more a strategic acquisition to gain cultural influence and celebrity status. Admittedly, the interviewee said that his take on the situation was rather cynical, but he felt it was nonetheless valid.
Lentz’s relationship with Bieber became so high profile that an image of the two together even became the subject of conversation on the Joe Rogan Podcast. In the now famous photo, Lentz can be seen shirtless with a pair of low waisted shorts. In reference to the image, Rogan said, “Jesus does not want you dressing like that,” and suggested that men only dress that way when they “want to get laid.”
A number of former attendees of the church remarked about the “VIP section” that was reserved for celebrities and influencers. One former security worker for the church said that services felt like a concert, particularly with regard to the way Lentz made his entrance each week, arriving in a limo with an entourage and security team. A number of interviewees characterized Lentz as a narcissist.
Carl Lentz’s Downfall
The documentary indicated that the seeds of Lentz’s downfall were sown long before he even came to New York. Before launching Hillsong NYC, Lentz was the young adults pastor at Wave Church in Virginia Beach, VA. Two former members of that group characterized Lentz’s personality as charming but his teaching about dating and relationships as “controlling.”
One recounted a time when she and her boyfriend had premarital sex. When they confessed the one-time encounter to Lentz, he removed them from their volunteer roles and forbade them from speaking to one another for a period of six months.
A former Wave Church staff member said that Lentz “hammered” purity culture into the heads of team members. The former staff member said she thought at the time that Lentz’s emphasis on sexual purity was indicative of a struggle he had himself. She also said that Lentz tried to sleep with a friend of hers while he was the young adults pastor there. Lentz was already married at the time.
Then came Lentz’s affair while serving as pastor of Hillsong NYC. As someone who had preached directly about sexual purity on multiple occasions, the documentary called the revelation of his personal conduct “literally the definition of a hypocrite.”
Ranin Karim, with whom Lentz had the affair, described how she and Lentz met at a park after Lentz approached her, complimenting her on her appearance and eventually getting her phone number. Lentz refused to give her his last name. Nevertheless, Karim did some internet sleuthing and was able to put together who he was.
