When former Hillsong NYC pastor Carl Lentz announced that he was launching a new podcast with his wife Laura this month, a lot of people had one question: Is this his first step back back into public ministry?
Lentz answers that question head-on in the latest episode of The RELEVANT Podcast.
“I did ministry most of my adult life,” Lentz said. “I don’t miss doing church. I can’t imagine us doing a church at all.”
Lentz was fired from his position at Hillsong NYC in November 2020, citing “leadership issues and breaches of trust, plus a recent revelation of moral failures” as reasons for his termination.
“I ran a church and it went bad at the last chapter,” Lentz admitted. “The whole picture of Hillsong, New York City [was] amazing. I’m proud of it. But I’m also really aware that there’s a part in there that’s painful that had to do with my leadership. I don’t take that lightly.
“I’m not going to rush some of the repair jobs that I need to take,” he continued. “I didn’t get there overnight, so it’s not going to get healed overnight. But I’m not starting any church.
“If God shows up and an angel drops on my doorstep and knocks with blueprints, I’m still going to say, bring another angel.”
Over the last four years, Lentz has stayed away from the pulpit — working regular desk jobs and consulting public speakers — jobs he said he’s really enjoyed.
“I don’t miss the ministry headaches at all,” he said. “My real answer to that question [if he’s eventually starting a church] is it’s not even in the conversation. And I know people are skeptical of that — cool. I don’t expect you to come back around. But I can tell you right now, if people are waiting for me to come back and do a church, you’re going to be waiting a long time.”
You can hear our full, hour-long conversation with Lentz — which covers everything from what led to his downfall, to his approach to healing over the last four years, to his family and more — on the latest episode of The RELEVANT Podcast.
