Redemption or Reckless
Did Transformation Church Jump the Gun with Carl Lentz?
I’m not trying to be gimmicky or grab eyeballs. I just really want those in our ReLeader community to wrestle with current and hard topics that directly correlate to this topic of ReLeadership.
This is a topic that is not exclusive to the ministry but applies to all industries. First of all, let’s establish the storyline for those who might have been hiding under a rock for the last 3 years.
Carl Lentz was no ordinary pastor; he was a spiritual rockstar nestled in the heart of New York, leading Hillsong Church and shepherding a flock that included celebs like Justin Bieber, appearing on shows like The View, and even an interview with Oprah Winfrey. But in November 2020, his star-studded ministry hit a brick wall when his secret affair went public. Booted by Hillsong and faced with shattered trust from his followers, Lentz found himself in a world of hurt.
If you need more backstory, go here. (I know Wikipedia is not a scholarly source, but this is no scholarly post, so…)
These past few years, we all assume he has been on his own healing journey, trying to rebuild the shattered pieces of his marriage. There have been a few documentaries about the rise and fall of Carl Lentz, including the latest 4 part docuseries released by FX and Vanity Fair entitled, “The Secrets of Hillsong.”
Like many nuclear bombs in the world of moral failures, the explosion occurs, and everyone experiences whiplash, then the world moves on with their lives. However, the one who dropped the nuke, and those left to clean up the rubble from it try to find some way to get back on track.
Most of the time, in the public eye, they are discarded and forgotten. That is until they reappear on the scene for their “come back.”
The same is true with Carl Lentz. Everyone moved on, never to think of Carl again. That is until March 28, 2023, when Religion News Service reported that Lentz would be joining the staff of Transformation Church, a nondenominational megachurch in Tulsa, Oklahoma, led by pastor Michael Todd. His title was described as a “strategist.”
Transformation released a statement saying, "After two years of Carl being in his own discovery and healing process, he has shown readiness to use his God-given gifts towards the local church again. We believe in Carl, his marriage, his skill set, and his restoration.”
What do you think about that? Is it too soon? Is that the right platform for his comeback? Who has mentored him and restored him back to ministry? Who is the person who has stood up to say, “I have been with Carl through the process, and here’s why he is ready to step back into ministry.” You have opinions, don’t you? Well, that’s what the comment section is for. Have at it.
My Raw and Real Opinion:
Yes, I have an opinion. And yes I will share it. But not for the masses to read. I’m not going to let anyone copy and paste what I say out of context. I will share my opinion, but only for those who are in my “ReLeader Circle of Trust.” For those…read on.