Pastor Carl Lentz’s sexual infidelity was reportedly simply one of many causes Hillsong let him go

One of the most notable celebrity scandals of the year was the overthrow of Pastor to the Stars, Carl Lentz, formerly Hillsong Church. Not sure if anyone was shocked? Carl’s drama was actually the second high profile sex scandal of the year for church leaders. I was too lazy this morning at 5 a.m. to remember the names of the people involved in the first, so I just put everything else I remembered into Google:

Google didn’t have to work very hard to spit out Jerry Falwell Jr. and the real story of the situation he and his wife had with Giancarlo Granda. I mean the details of everything down to the name of the third party!

Like I said, Carl Lentz is not the first, and he will not be the last religious leader, to be disgraced over sexual gimmicks. But while we have details about (one of) his extramarital affairs (one for now) and that was the widely accepted reason for his downfall, I believe most people were suspicious that there had to be more. And the New York Times this weekend published an in-depth article not only about Carl’s dismissal, but also about the Hillsong brand and how there were divisions in the organization apart from Carl’s infidelity. It really just seems like the excuse Hillsong management was looking for to get rid of him for cheating on his wife.

“But sexual infidelity was only part of the story. [Brian Houston, the founder of Hillsong] Mr. Lentz’s dismissal also referred to “general narcissistic behavior, manipulation, mistreatment of people” and “breaches of trust in connection with lying and constant lying”.

Basically, Carl Lentz got drunk on his own. He traveled the world and was often absent to actually interact with Hillsong members. In the piece he describes “Fern” and “Fern” describes his physical distance, but also the way in which he interacted with parishioners when he happened to be nearby. Apparently he was expecting special treatment from Church members and volunteers. In an environment where all people are supposed to be equal under God, here was one of the leaders of the Church who actually acted like one God. Or a celebrity.

Hillsong’s problem is celebrity. Not just in Carl’s demeanor, but what is even more complicated is the actual celebrity of his overall image. What the church currently stands for, at least in its public presentation, obviously does not correspond to the values ​​in Scripture – humility, which focuses on the inner rather than the superficial, etc., certainly not a “culture that worships prosperity and at the same time makes volunteers take care of leaders as kings ”.

The tricky part, however, is that Hillsong became so explosively popular, especially because of its celebrity connections and the way it has tailored and marketed itself to a younger demographic that cares about celebrities, fashion, and “cool”.

Getting rid of Carl Lentz doesn’t necessarily solve this dilemma. And if this core dilemma, bigger than Carl Lentz, is not addressed, what is preventing another Carl Lentz from climbing up and falling again?

Speaking of Carl … who can say that he will not be resurrected in any other form?

Check out him on the beach the other day and think about the meaning of life. His abs pop and lock and his hair is properly styled. According to the photo agency, the beach is near the location, which it rents for $ 16,000 per month. Seems like the perfect place to plan your next move.