As news broke last week that Hillsong New York City pastor Carl Lentz had been fired after having an affair, the alleged woman involved has spoken out.
New York woman Ranin, who dos not want to reveal her surname and also states that she is a Muslim, told The Sun that she was not aware that Lentz was a pastor, nor married. The pair reportedly broke up last week.
In an interview with The Sun, she said: “I wasn’t there for just sex, we both found comfort and a deep, special connection with each other. I am very hurt because we both feel the same way about each other.
“He loves me and I love him. It was a love relationship that wasn’t planned. It wasn’t just a fling or just a sexual relationship.”
Lentz was sensationally fired by Hillsong last Wednesday, citing ‘moral failures’, however there had been pressure on the church to reveal what these failures were.
“He told me his name was Carl but that’s it, he wouldn’t tell me his last name,” she continued in the interview, “and he told me that his job was as a sports agent.”
She claimed she told him: “‘I wish I never met you at the park.’ I would tell him I want nothing to do with him but he would keep coming back despite me telling him to leave me alone.
“Every time I said I’m done, he would come back and pursue me. He was always the one who pursued me.”
Lentz used Instagram to address his sacking, stating that he had been unfaithful to his wife, Laura.
“Our time at Hillsong NYC has come to an end,” he said. “This is a hard ending to what has been the most amazing, impacting and special chapter of our lives. 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.
“When you accept the calling of being a pastor, you must live in such a way that it honors the mandate. That it honors the church, and that it honors God. When that does not happen, a change needs to be made and has been made in this case to ensure that standard is upheld. 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.
“When you lead out of an empty place, you make choices that have real and painful consequences. I was unfaithful in my marriage, the most important relationship in my life and held accountable for that. This failure is on me, and me alone and I take full responsibility for my actions. 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.”
In an email to church members, the church’s Global Senior Pastor, Brian Houston, said: “Today Hillsong Church East Coast advised our congregation that we have terminated the employment of Pastor Carl Lentz. This action has been taken following ongoing discussions in relation to leadership issues and breaches of trust, plus a recent revelation of moral failures.
“This action was not taken lightly and was done in the best interests of everyone, including Pastor Carl.
“While I have no doubt that this is the right course of action, I must mention Bobbie’s and my personal sadness, as we have known Laura her entire life and Carl for well over 20 year.
“We thank Pastors Carl and Laura for the way they have served faithfully and sacrificially since the start of Hillsong NYC and for contributing so significantly to the countless lives that have been transformed for Jesus Christ through this ministry.”
Image courtesy Instagram
Danielle Jarvis
Soul Purpose
Matthias Browning
