Carl Lentz’s journey in faith has entered a new phase at Transformation Church.
After serving as a pastor at Hillsong Church, he now functions as a strategist under the guidance of pastors Mike Todd and Natalie Todd.
“For the past two years, Carl has been on a personal journey of discovery and recovery, and he has recently shown a renewed willingness to utilize his God-given abilities in the local church,” stated Tammy McQuarters, the Executive Pastor of Transformation Church.
“He has demonstrated readiness to once again employ his God-given talents in the local church.”
We have confidence in Carl’s ability to mend things and in his marriage and skills as well.
We pray for the restoration of Carl, Laura, and their children, and for their ability to assist others in finding healing by openly sharing their experiences, both positive and negative, with the body of Christ.
We have faith that Carl, Laura, and their children will be fine.
According to reports, Lentz has launched his own consulting and coaching business, with churches as his clients.
Established in 1999 in Tulsa’s historically black Greenwood District, Transformation Church now gathers at the 4,500-seat SpiritBank Event Center in the nearby suburb of Bixby, which the church owns.
In 2019, Transformation Church acquired the arena for $10.5 million as part of its $67 million real estate portfolio in the neighborhood over the previous four years.
In November 2020, Brian Houston, the founding pastor of Hillsong, removed Lentz as the lead pastor of the Hillsong East Coast church in Manhattan, New York, citing “moral failures” as the reason for his removal.
“Issues in leadership and breaches of trust, along with recent revelations of moral failings,” stated Houston as the grounds for Lentz’s dismissal.
Carl Lentz Mentored Celebrities in Their Faith
Carl Lentz, a preacher born in North Carolina, previously served at Hillsong NYC. However, his position was ultimately terminated following allegations of harassment, mistreatment, and sexual misconduct.
The church also terminated Lentz’s wife. Despite the controversy, Lentz has found a new spiritual home at Transformation Church, where he received a warm welcome from the executive pastor, Tammy McQuarters.
Transformation Church, located in Tulsa, is known for its community contributions, including a substantial donation to the victims of the race massacre.
Lentz’s involvement in addressing the allegations or joining Transformation Church remains undisclosed.
Carl Lentz’s Relations with his Fellow Pastors
Lentz admits to having an inappropriate relationship with Kimes, who worked for the family and also served as a co-pastor at Hillsong in Boston.
However, Lentz contends that their intimacy was entirely consensual.
Both parties involved reached agreements, particularly concerning my wife.
Lentz also criticizes Hillsong’s leadership, especially its founder, Brian Houston, a former friend and mentor.
Accusers assert that Brian Houston failed to report his father, Frank Houston’s child sexual abuse.
According to Lentz, “Hillsong’s historical response to scandal has been [action]. Best for the Church’s sake.”
“In most cases, it is to everyone’s advantage to suppress everything. You simply create as much distance as possible between yourself and the problem. We prioritize narratives over the truth, a formula for disaster since ‘the truth won’t vanish just because you try to hide it.’”
The series directed by Stacey Lee delves into the Australian megachurch’s history using Vanity Fair reporting by Alex French and Dan Adler.
Brian Houston resigned from Hillsong last year.
Next month, he will face trial in Australia for alleged cover-ups, misconduct, and financial impropriety.
The trial will feature testimonies from individuals who claim that Frank Houston molested them.
Former members and staff of Hillsong also recount experiences of significant emotional harm caused by the church.
The once-thriving megachurch, which boasted a weekly global attendance of 150,000 in 30 countries, is currently in turmoil.
Several pastors have left, and in the United States, only six of the original 16 locations are still operational.
