Carl Lentz was fired from Hillsong Church in 2020 after admitting to multiple affairs and facing wider allegations about his leadership, and since then he’s been in the spotlight for both the scandal and his more recent “redemption” media and podcast appearances.

What happened with Carl Lentz?

Quick Scoop

Carl Lentz was the high‑profile lead pastor of Hillsong NYC, known for his celebrity connections (including Justin Bieber) and big social media presence.

In November 2020, Hillsong’s global leader Brian Houston announced that Lentz had been fired for “leadership issues and breaches of trust, plus a recent revelation of moral failures.”

Shortly after, Lentz publicly admitted to being unfaithful to his wife, calling it an adulterous affair that violated his role as a pastor and husband.

In later interviews, he acknowledged that the affair that brought him down was “not an isolated incident” and that he had more than one affair, though he declined to give a number.

There were also further, more serious accusations: a former nanny and staff member alleged manipulation, abuse of power, and sexual abuse over several years, which Lentz has denied.

At the same time, some former staff and church members said he was emotionally abusive, manipulative, and narcissistic in his leadership style.

Key timeline

  1. Pre‑2020 – Rise at Hillsong NYC
    • Lentz helped plant and lead Hillsong NYC, becoming one of the most recognizable pastors in America, especially among younger Christians and celebrities.
 * He was often described as a “celebrity pastor,” combining high‑energy preaching, fashion‑forward style, and a strong online persona.
  1. November 2020 – Firing and first affair confession
    • Hillsong announced his dismissal, citing leadership problems, breaches of trust, and moral failures.
 * Lentz admitted to an adulterous affair and apologized publicly to his wife, family, and church.
  1. 2021–2023 – New allegations and documentary
    • Former nanny Leona Kimes accused him of manipulation, control, bullying, abuse of power, and sexual abuse, saying it took place while she worked in their home; Lentz later admitted to an extramarital relationship with her but disputes the “abuse” framing.
 * Internal reviews and media reports described broader patterns of emotional abuse and unhealthy culture around him.

 * In the 2023 FX/Hulu documentary _The Secrets of Hillsong_ , Lentz admitted to an Adderall addiction and to having had an extramarital affair with Kimes, while also talking about his personal and spiritual collapse.
  1. 2024–2025 – “Comeback” interviews and podcast
    • In 2024, he and his wife Laura did high‑profile interviews (including with ABC’s “Nightline” and People) about the scandal, their marriage, and his mental health and childhood trauma.
 * He disclosed that he went to rehab, talked in therapy for the first time about being molested as a child, and linked this trauma to unhealthy sexual behavior and addictions.

 * Lentz launched a podcast, _Lights On with Carl Lentz_ , promising to “turn the lights on” about what happened, his infidelity, and their journey of healing.

 * Commentators noted that he admitted to more than one affair and broader leadership failings, while critics felt the story still centered heavily on him rather than on those harmed.

 * Reports in 2025 describe him living away from New York, focusing on family, and saying he does not miss institutional church, even while still talking about faith and redemption publicly.

What are the main issues people talk about?

  • Infidelity and multiple affairs
    • His initial confession focused on one affair, but later he admitted there were multiple.
* This raised questions about honesty, transparency, and the length of the hidden behavior.
  • Abuse of power and church culture
    • Allegations from the former nanny and some staffers frame his behavior as a pattern of power imbalance and emotional or sexual abuse, not just “mutual” affairs.
* Independent reviews of Hillsong referenced emotional abuse and manipulation tied to his leadership style.
  • Celebrity pastor model
    • The scandal became a wider commentary on “celebrity Christianity” – pastors becoming brand ambassadors with fame, money, and access to celebrities, which can breed secrecy and lack of accountability.
* Forum and social-media discussions often point to his story as a warning about charisma without character.
  • Redemption vs. platform
    • Supporters say his openness about addiction, trauma, and failure shows genuine repentance and offers hope to others struggling.
* Critics argue that returning to public platforms (podcasts, media, speaking) can feel premature or self‑serving, especially while some alleged victims feel unheard.

* Many online threads wrestle with the question: “Can someone like this ever be restored to ministry, and what would that even look like?”

Mini viewpoints from forums and commentary

“I rejoice for redemption. But this should have been a story about Jesus, not a human‑centric comeback arc.”

“The pattern wasn’t just one bad choice, it was a whole system that let him act like a star instead of a shepherd.”

“I’m glad he’s talking about trauma and mental health, but I still don’t know if the people he hurt have truly been centered in the story.”

In many Reddit and Christian forums, you’ll see three broad camps:

  • Those who emphasize forgiveness and second chances, especially for his family’s sake.
  • Those who focus on accountability and believe he should never again hold formal church leadership.
  • Those who are conflicted, seeing some genuine contrition but still wary of the spotlight and narrative control.

Where things stand now (latest news flavor)

  • Lentz is no longer a Hillsong pastor and has not returned to leading a church like before.
  • He and Laura have spoken publicly about almost divorcing, years of separation in practice, and reconciling after a long and difficult process; she has said she formally forgave him in late 2023.
  • They’ve moved away from New York and are trying to live at a slower pace, with Lentz saying he doesn’t miss “church” as an institution, even while still talking about faith and God.
  • His podcast and media interviews have essentially become his new platform, where he frames his story around honesty, recovery, and learning from failure.

Quick HTML table of core facts

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Aspect Details
Who is Carl Lentz? Former lead pastor of Hillsong NYC, known as a high-profile “celebrity pastor.”
What happened? Fired in November 2020 for leadership issues, breaches of trust, and moral failures; admitted to extramarital affairs.
Serious allegations Accusations of manipulation, abuse of power, emotional abuse, and sexual abuse by a former nanny and others; he denies some characterizations but admits extramarital relationship and broader failures.
Personal struggles Has spoken about addiction (including Adderall and sex), mental health issues, and childhood sexual abuse revealed in therapy.
Now Living away from NYC, focusing on family and healing, hosting a podcast (*Lights On with Carl Lentz*), giving media interviews about his fall and recovery.
**TL;DR:** Carl Lentz went from being one of the most famous pastors in the world to being fired by Hillsong after multiple affairs and serious allegations about abuse of power and unhealthy leadership, and he’s now in a long, very public process of rebuilding his life, marriage, and image through interviews and a new podcast.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.