Hillsong Church will not be making further public comments on this matter.
Although originally announced via email to the staff and members of Hillsong East Coast, the announcement was leaked to the broader public via Twitter on Wednesday afternoon. A screenshot of the email sent to congregants was shared by Andrew Beck. It’s unclear whether Beck’s images capture the email in its entirety, although some of the wording is the same that was used in the announcement that appeared on Hillsong’s website later on Wednesday evening.
Lentz helped plant the Hillsong congregation in New York City with Houston’s son, Joel Houston, in 2010. Lentz is known for his hip wardrobe and celebrity congregants, which occasionally include Justin Bieber and his wife, Hailey.
Originally from Virginia, Lentz attended King’s College and Seminary in Los Angeles before traveling to Australia to train at Hillsong College. Lentz met his wife, Laura, an Australian native, while attending Hillsong College.
As of this article’s publishing, Lentz has not made a public comment about the announcement.
