On Oct. 22, a staff member at the church office in Manhattan found intimate text messages on Mr. Lentzs work computer. Be a miracle, to everyone, every day, everywhere. We have sadly been dealing with two complaints made against Pastor Brian over the last 10 years, the churchs global board said. We exist to glorify God through They wanted to protect the founder of Hillsong. "This is the devil calling the devil the devil," said Carson. Mr. Lentz, for his part, appears to be moving on. The church seemed to go out of its way to cultivate a hierarchy of coolness. Instead of old hymns and dry sermons on Sunday morning, Hillsong and the churches like it offer a slick concert punctuated by a message that often sounds more like a self-help seminar. On Thursday, Lentz apologized for cheating on his wife and letting down those who looked to him for spiritual leadership. Our pastors understand that a healthy church has mature lay leaders who are empowered and equipped for a ministry of leadership and service. ), Ed drew a parallel between his daughter's experience and what happened with Lentz, calling them "closely connected" because "when [church leaders] obviously have desire to protect themselves more than help the victim, then that becomes problematic. Like so many other churches, Hillsong NYC has been meeting online since March. ), Lakers vs. Warriors: What scouts expect in playoff series, Ed Sheeran blasts music expert for criminal testimony in Marvin Gaye copyright trial, Roman Polanski and the woman he pleaded guilty to raping pose together 45 years later, Paul Stanley of KISS dives into debate over transgender acceptance versus kids transitioning, Has the Justin Timberlake Its Gonna Be May meme passed its expiration date? This resulted in him knocking on the door of a hotel room that was not his, entering this room and spending time with the female occupant.. Inside the Always Online, All-Consuming World of Twin Flames Universe Rudy Giulianis Daughter, Caroline, on How to Accept That Trump Lost Carl Lentz, Ranin Karim, and Hillsongs Unfurling Scandal Billie Eilish Shares How She Spent the Pandemic in Latest Time Capsule The Queen Says Goodbye to Her Beloved Dorgi, Vulcan Barack Obama on His Book, the Election, and What Actually Makes America Great How We Unmasked the Hollywood Con Queen Suspect From the Archive: Her Most Loyal Subjects, a History of the Queens Kennels Not a subscriber? One of those men was Brett Sengstock, who declined to participate in the series due to ongoing legal proceedings, but whose story prompted a 2014 investigation by the Australian Royal Commission into Institution Responses to Child Sexual Abuse. They have two small boys and have been serving Hillside Church since 2014. But they are being revisited as part of the investigation initiated after Mr. Lentzs departure. (Aghajanian did not return PEOPLE's request for comment. Lanford Beard has been with PEOPLE since 2015. He described Hillsong East Coast as pioneers and fighters who had built Hillsongs presence in America from scratch. Pastor Doug obtained his Masters of Divinity degree from Gateway Seminary and obtained his BA degree in Philosophy and Religion from San Francisco State University. He often sported a Rolex, too. All three hours of Hillsong: A Megachurch Exposed can now be streamed on discovery+. Why is Frank McCourt really pushing it? And a sense that for all the celebrity surrounding the church, its soul was harder to find. And when you want to transform society, you want to transform it in your own image.". He pleaded not guilty on all charges. At that point, the college told Anna she would need to file a report with local police, she claimed in the docuseries. His public profile climbed as the cool church pastor hobnobbed in recent years with celebrities including Bieber, Selena Gomez, Vanessa Hudgens, Austin Butler, Nick Jonas, Kevin Durant, Chris Pratt, Katherine Schwarzenegger, Bono, Hailee Steinfeld and various Kardashians and Jenners, among others. When that does not happen, a change needs to be made and has been made in this case to ensure that standard is upheld.. Hillside Community Church Calendar . ", Former Hillsong Sydney member Tanya Levin affirmed, "Music is a really huge department because it's so critical to [the church's power of] hypnosis. Matthew has a passion for teaching God's word with an expository fashion. No pastor of a big church can have personal relationships with every parishioner. "They want you to believe Brian Houston is doing this all for God and the Kingdom. By 2010, Hillsong was opening its first church in the United States, and Mr. Lentz and his wife, Laura, moved from Virginia to New York to help Joel Houston lead it. 12319 Hwy. Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information, A full body orgasm at the L.A. Phil? (Brian "absolutely 100%" denied that during his testimony before the Royal Commission.). An Australian commission found in 2015 that he had failed to inform the police about child sexual abuse accusations against his own father, another prominent pastor in Australia. Lentzs departure was announced by the church Wednesday. All churches rely to some degree on volunteer labor to function. A culture that worshiped wealth, while making volunteers cater to leaders as royalty. Skip to content. Watch Live Past Sermons UPCOMING EVENTS 146 Mont Belvieu, Tx 77535. The churchs bands have won a Grammy. Lanford previously worked at Entertainment Weekly, NBC News and Ralph Lauren, to name a few. When that does not happen, a change needs to be made and has been made in this case to ensure that standard is upheld. Lentz, Houston, and Hillsong did not immediately return PEOPLE's requests for comment. In his statement to The Times, Mr. Houston described the dismissal as the culmination of long-simmering frustration with Mr. Lentzs leadership. David Shoebridge, a member of the New South Wales Parliament's Legislative Council, spoke to Frank's "deeply, deeply troubling background," including allegations of abuse going back to his days with the Assemblies of God (a precursor to Hillsong) in his native New Zealand. The volunteer had been enlisted to drive partiers home in the wee hours of the morning, but had not been invited to enjoy the party himself. Thank you for your grace and kindness especially in this season, as you have done so much to protect and love us through this. The investigation by the integrity unit appointed by the global board found that the conduct was of serious concern, it said. This action was not taken lightly and was done in the best interests of everyone, including Pastor Carl, Hillsong founder Brian Houston said in a statement obtained by People. A charismatic pastor helped build a megachurch favored by star athletes and entertainers until some temptations became too much to resist. "It exacerbated the trauma, and they want to cover that up now. Currently he is a part of the pastoral staff at Hillside LA and also founder of the non-profit Project Prodigal. Episode 1 traced the roots of the modern Hillsong Church to New Zealand, where Frank Houston began his ministry. Recalled former Hillsong L.A. volunteer Craig Carson, "You should see that line on a Sunday morning. A reserved seating section for V.I.P.s appeared at the front of the church, and then expanded to take up multiple rows. Thanks in part to Mr. Lentzs high profile, Hillsongs New York branch appeared to thrive. At a time when many Americans have abandoned regular churchgoing, Hillsong attracts thousands of young churchgoers through soaring music and upbeat preaching. Those four locations became known as Hillsong East Coast, and the Lentzes were in charge of all of them. Trinity Foundation private investigator Barry Bowen, who specializes in investigating religious organizations, said Hillsong's organization raises many red flags, including its use of limited liability companies to shield its assets from litigation. The relationship ended, but the repercussions of it a digital paper trail allegedly left by Lentz on his work computer would be professionally, and personally, devastating. Pastor Matthew and his wife Mariah serve together at Hillside as a "worship and Word" tag team. "It was always like, 'Be careful, man,'" remembered Lagata. We are a Soul Winning, Christ-centered, Bible believing ministry. Hillside Church is part of the Organizations industry, and located in New York, United States. Soon, volunteers began to question the celebrity-focused nature of services, including a VIP section that everyday worshipers were forbidden to enter. The music is completely weaponized for whatever the church's needs are, as well as financial, which is the aim of the game is to get the money out of the people.". Who We Are; . Anna called the tweet "victim-shaming," and Ed thought it was "atrocious to refer to a previous victimization as a way of diminishing the impact of her current situation." Eventually this stuff is gonna catch up with you. This story has been shared 387,646 times. What happened to her felt like the opposite of the Gospel and like a cover-up, Ms. Zurasky said. Once Anna's report was lodged in May 2019, Jason was charged with assault with an act of indecency, the docuseries explained. About HILLSIDE LA We exist to love Jesus, love our neighbors and do God's work. Carl Lentz, a so-called pastor to the stars who baptized singer Justin Bieber in 2014, was fired Wednesday by Hillsong Church for reasons including what the megachurch . Although she had not witnessed any incidents herself, she and her co-leader felt an obligation to report it to staff leaders. star Kevin Durant showing up at Sunday services. That it honors the church, and that it honors God. He holds a degree from Capital Bible College. 25 likes. ", She continued, "The toxicity at Hillsong seems to clearly come from the top down. We are thankful for a legacy of godly leadership at Hillside Church. He seemed to disappear for months at a time, appearing onstage at church only intermittently. Stephen McCurtis, 68, admitted kissing the girl on the mouth, according to sheriff's . ", (According to producers, Carl Lentz and Brian Houston have not responded to requests for comment regarding allegations in the docuseries. Brian Houston, the founder of Hillsong Church, is opening up about the scandals most notably popular pastor Carl Lentz's affair and subsequent firing that have recently plagued the global. Womens Wear Daily described Mr. Lentzs uniform as a Saint Laurent leather jacket, ripped jeans and a low-cut T-shirt. He gives great sermons, and really feeds the soul, and brings you closer to God. ", But Zhenya believes that "church leadership needs to take responsibility for their decisions and for their mistakes. 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. Melyssa Zurasky, a volunteer who helped lead regular meetings of congregants for a year, said she heard rumors about Mr. Lentzs inappropriate behavior with women in 2017. It's just very, very messed up. A week and a half after the messages were found, he was fired. So to those people, I pray you can forgive me and that over time I can live a life where trust is earned again.. Thank you! Associate Pastor Tim serves as our Associate Pastor where his major responsibilities include Life Groups, Adult Bible Fellowship Classes (ABFs), overseeing our Women's Ministry leadership team, overseeing our Young at Heart (YAH) senior's ministry, in addition to a variety of other responsibilities. And you can't help but reflect on the history of Frank Houston in that regard. ", Shoebridge added, "The records of Hillsong show that [Brian Houston] and the governing council of Hillsong were very much aware and indeed discussed and debated the fact that Brett Sengstock had come forward and disclosed the abuse by Frank Houston. But Mr. Lentz both loomed large and was rarely present. A USC graduate, she joined the Los Angeles Times in 2003 and has 30 years of journalism experience in Southern California. The pastor and the pop star were inseparable, the gossip site reported. On Wednesday, Religion News Service first revealed the scandal via an email to members of megachurch Hillsong regarding his dismissal. If that doesnt get you to church nothing will, the site concluded. Mr. Houstons father was accused in the late 1990s of sexually abusing a young boy decades earlier. It is something they take really seriously. But Anna gleaned no satisfaction from seeing Lentz get publicly crucified because, she claimed, her own victimization had been minimized and then weaponized against her. at Talbot Seminary and his Th.M at Fuller Theological Seminary. In his Instagram post, Lentz admitted he had cheated on his wife, Laura. Two of the megachurchs lead pastors from their Dallas branch, Reed Bogard and his wife Jess Bogard, made an announcement during their Sunday sermon, saying, We just really feel that its time to transition off of our staff and take some time to remain healthy, get healthy, and to really see what this next season holds for us. For more than a decade, the couple, who first met at Hillsong International Leadership College, had served in various staff roles at the church across three of its American branches, but they said the experience has really taken a bit of a toll on Jess and I, on our family. They gave no further explanation for their sudden departure. Paparazzi have photographed Mr. Lentz riding his bicycle, taking an evening stroll with his family and meditating shirtless on the beach. I think so many of my sources have placed the blame squarely on Brian Houston for just creating this poisonous culture.". I would have liked to say this with my voice, to you, in person because you are owed that. When you lead out of an empty place, you make choices that have real and painful consequences, he wrote. If youre a celebrity, youre more important; if youve done something to make you famous, or if youre rich, youre more important.. "For a good many years, Brian Houston has proven to be successful in terms of systemic cover-up," said Shoebridge, "but then thankfully we had the Royal Commission, and they really lifted the lid on exactly what went on in Hillsong. Mr. Lentz seemed to surround himself with people primarily concerned with protecting his reputation. He kept the brand above board, he kept moving forward, he kept planting churches in new countries and new spaces coming to the U.S., having colleges. It was largely business as usual on the network after its historic defamation suit with Dominion Voting Systems, which will not be seeing any on-air apologies, came to an abrupt end. Looking back on this experience, I do believe that it is the beginning of a brainwashing process. ", The statement continued, "Brian Houston claims that leadership looked into the allegations against Carl at the time and found no evidence to substantiate them. BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KGET) The pastor of Maricopa Community Church has been charged with a felony stemming from allegations he inappropriately touched and kissed a 12-year-old girl while giving her a driving lesson. Fox News Mostly Avoids Airing How It Paid Out $787 Million For Spreading Election Lies. Hillside Church Welcome Home Plan a Visit Contact Us. For the past 18 years, Pastor Doug has held ministry leadership positions in youth and worship. Witnesses offer conflicting accounts, Sophie Turner accidentally posts video of her and Joe Jonas kid: An honest mistake, Backless Bad Bunny, bedazzled Lil Nas X and more: The best fashion of Met Gala 2023, Justin Bieber admits to doing pretty heavy drugs in emotional Instagram post, hobnobbed in recent years with celebrities, Models and climate activists hit the streets to protest the star-studded 2023 Met Gala, Gordon Lightfoot, mournful Canadian singer-songwriter, dies at 84, Tim Bachman, founding guitarist of Bachman-Turner Overdrive, dies at 71, Matthew Lawrence says his agency dropped him after he refused to strip for director. Hillside Church - Lifesong, Brea, California. Amid Hillsong Churchs numerous ongoing scandals, the singer went on social media to continue distancing himself from his former place of worship and correct some false tabloid narratives about his career trajectory. "Instead of refurbishing your grandma's old hymns, it's something new and shiny. If you or someone you know has been sexually assaulted, please contact the National Sexual Assault Hotline at 1-800-656-HOPE (4673) or go to rainn.org. Biebers public disavowal of his former congregation comes as even more high-profile pastors exit Hillsong. Check-In Give Events Livestream More. 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., Mr. Houston, who is also the global churchs senior pastor, said in a statement that our heart and care is for our church in Hillsong East Coast and we are saddened that a lot of people are hurting., I want to make it very clear that celebrity culture is not a core value of Hillsong Church, he continued. Reese Witherspoon Cites Irreconcilable Differences in Divorce Filing. So to those people, I pray you can forgive me and that over time I can live a life where trust is earned again. Nov. 5, 2020 2:38 PM PT. (Houston deleted the tweet and apologized to Ed, who deemed it disingenuous. Mr. Lentz, who was raised in Virginia Beach, spent years looking for his calling. A day after it was revealed that celebrity pastor Carl Lentz was fired from star-studded Hillsong for "leadership issues and breaches of. When you lead out of an empty place, you make choices that have real and painful consequences. Below, read some of the bombshell claims made by former Hillsong churchgoers and employees, not only against the organization but also specifically founder Brian Houston, in the docuseries. Stars Pastor David is a born again ex-Prodigal (Gang member/Addict) who is dedicated to serving God and fellow man. ", Hillsong addressed the program, telling the docuseries it was intended "to gauge suitability and preparedness to undertake a vocation with high moral and professional standards. Finally, in October 2018, then church pastor and President Kennedy filed papers to transfer the property to Hillside Church of CMA. The. 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. 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. Hillsong confirmed the existence of this letter to Vanity Fair, adding that after a three-month inquiry into the claims, it learned that some of the allegations were true.. 2023 Cond Nast. Hillsong: A Megachurch Exposed TV Series 2022 TV-14 2h 58m IMDb RATING 6.6 /10 628 YOUR RATING Rate Play trailer 2:00 2 Videos 5 Photos Documentary Features several ex-members of the church who share harrowing allegations of the trauma, abuse, homophobia and financial and labor exploitation that created a culture of chaos at Hillsong. On Sundays, a team of congregants working as volunteers prevented anyone without the right badge from wandering backstage, and only a few had clearance to enter the green room stocked with a lavish catering spread and changes of clothes to fit Mr. Lentzs increasingly particular tastes. Original reporting and incisive analysis, direct from the Guardian every morning, 2023 Guardian News & Media Limited or its affiliated companies. More About Us. "And for 40 years, people have been cast aside. A diverse congregation, the church ministers to all ages and backgrounds, but especially to families, singles and students. I knew people who came to church not because they were Christians but because they thought Carl was hot, said Heather McClanahan, who worked for the church in 2014 and 2015. They have two small boys and have been serving Hillside Church since 2014. They were significant. But sexual infidelity was only one piece of the story. The pair undertook a five-month affair after meeting in a park one Friday in May 2019, she claimed. If anything, it is cooler than everyday life, with celebrities like the actor and singer Selena Gomez and the N.B.A. The founding pastors, Brian and Bobbie Houston, took Lentzs termination as a church hypepriest personally, with Brian writing in his email, While I have no doubt in my heart that this is the right course of action, I must mention Bobbies and my personal sadness, as we have known Laura her entire life and Carl for well over 20 years.. Soon the queue of worshipers stretched around the block to get into Hillsong's weekly booking at the Irving Plaza concert space. It's part of a strategy," said Boz Tchividjian, an attorney advocate for abuse survivors. Hillside Church is an exciting, contemporary ministry. View All Locations Online Rancho Cucamonga Office Hours 5354 Haven Avenue Rancho Cucamonga, CA 91737 8:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. Monday - Thursday (909) 980-2191 info@hillsidechurches.com Prayer Messages Events / Calendar Blog '", "I do believe that is also a control thing," said Krawczyk. Check your email to verify your subscription. Flush with royalties totaling a reported $100 million per year, Brian pursued aggressive expansion for Hillsong throughout the '90s and early 2000s while also cultivating its growing network of colleges, annual conferences and more. put the NYC branch he oversaw under investigation, a 2018 letter from high-level volunteers. He received his early schooling in Christian and Public Schools in Texas. Anna was a student at Hillsong College in the fall of 2018 when she alleges that Jason Mays a married Hillsong staff administrator and the son of human resources head John Mays sexually assaulted her, drunkenly groping and kissing her without her consent at a party. Yet if a person on staff assaults a student, it's looked at differently? Pastor Sam is often found on campus casually hanging out in his flip flops, laughing really loud and fellowshipping with everyone. "You'd be exhausted, you'd be tired, people would have panic attacks in the break rooms, and everyone would just look at each other and [repeat Brian Houston's mantra du jour:] 'Wow, do you believe we get to do this?' According to Sengstock's testimony, when Sengstock reached Brian, he said, "You know, it's all of your fault that this happened you tempted my father." However you can be assured that this decision was made in order to honor God and pastorally care for you, our East Coast family, Pastor Carl and his family, Houston wrote. Pastor Tim and Shari have been in ministry for over 30 years. Pastor Art loves giving back to his community and helping our unhoused neighbors in El Sereno and Northeast Los Angeles. I think people like him are just very intuitive of where they can go to prey.". "It's just this whole method of minimizing a criminal, traumatic act. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Thanks for contacting us. 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. The 23-year-old singer left the tour because he rededicated his life to Christ thanks to a pastor named Carl Lentz, leader of the New York City branch of the global megachurch Hillsong. Beliefs Core Values Baptism Leadership Our mission is to love God as we lead people When leaked audio of Hillsong leadership's conversations about Lentz's "narcissistic behavior" and his firing hit YouTube, it raised eyebrows among some members of the church and media, according to the docuseries.
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