On Wednesday (September 14), former Hillsong East Coast pastor Carl Lentz made his first Instagram post since November 2020, when it was revealed that he had been involved in an extramarital affair and had stepped down from his role as pastor.
Since Lentz’s departure from Hillsong, the story of his affair has been featured in a Discovery+ docuseries following the various scandals of the Australian-based megachurch. The series, titled “Hillsong: A Megachurch Exposed,” characterized Lentz’s rise to prominence and eventual fall from grace as marked by an abusive and controlling leadership style.
Lentz was also later accused of having a sexually abusive relationship with a woman who worked as a nanny in Lentz’s home.
“I’ve had concerns and many conversations over the years with Carl,” said Brian Houston, then global senior pastor of Hillsong, at the time of Lentz’s departure. “I think there’s a lot of things I should’ve known earlier, and hopefully, moving forward, we’ll make sure we have far better systems in place and better accountability.”
Houston also characterized Lentz as prone to “narcissistic behavior.”
RELATED: ‘Hillsong: A Megachurch Exposed’ Paints Brian Houston as a Man Bent on World Domination
Mere days before the Discovery+ docuseries was released in March 2021, Houston himself resigned as senior pastor of Hillsong amid scandals involving sexual impropriety and substance abuse.
It was recently revealed in a lawsuit brought against the church by a former employee that Hillsong has also been accused of mishandling funds and misleading donors.
“It’s been a challenging road but we are alive, we are at peace and thanks to the grace of God we are TOGETHER,” Lentz wrote in his Instagram post, which featured four black and white photographs of him and his family.
“Not sure what the future holds for us, but we do know that we face it as a family and for that I am so thankful,” Lentz continued. “My deepest thanks to our friends and family that have shown us such unconditional love and grace when we have desperately needed it. Forever grateful…we are hopeful about what is ahead!”
RELATED: Laura Lentz, Wife of Former Hillsong Pastor Carl Lentz, Shares Her Experiences With Anxiety, PTSD
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