Hillsong Church was astar-studded house of worship, but scandal has overshadowed its charismatic brand of Christianity in recent years. Now a Discovery+ docuseries,Hillsong: A Megachurch Exposed, delves deep into the headlines — including former pastor Carl Lentz.
Once a spiritual confidant ofJustin Bieber,Lentz was ousted from Hillsongin November 2020, ending a 10-year tenure because of what the church described as “moral failures.” Soon he publicly admitted to being unfaithful to his wife Laura, whom he married in 2003 and with whom he shares three children. Amid the fallout, Ranin Karim, a New York woman who said she met Lentz at a Brooklyn park in May 2020,alleged she was his mistress.
“It was the most toxic thing I’ve ever had to deal with,” Karim says in the newly released trailer forHillsong: A Megachurch Exposed, which Discovery+ will stream in three parts.
Lentz and Hillsong did not immediately return PEOPLE’s requests for comment about the docuseries.
“Featuring interviews with Hillsong insiders, megachurch experts and Ranin Karim, the woman whose five-month affair with celebrity senior pastor Carl Lentz led to his downfall, the series will explore the high-profile, star-studded church’s alleged exploitation, abuse and cover-ups,” Discovery+ said in a press release.
Carl Lentz.Slaven Vlasic/Getty Images
“The history of Hillsong is an incredibly compelling story we wanted to explore,” added Howard Lee, President of TLC Streaming and Network Originals. “Hillsong: A Megachurch Exposedwill take viewers on an eye-opening journey that will provide new insights into a controversy that continues to be examined.”
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All three parts ofHillsong: A Megachurch Exposedwill be available on Discovery+ on March 24.
source: people.com
