Dear Carl Lentz,
Is it (Ever) Okay for Former Ministry Leaders to Re-Assume Roles of Leadership and Influence?
“I followed you when I was younger and now here I am doing it again”…it was a comment that felt like a gut punch. The person who made the comment had a private profile and their picture didn’t offer the clarity to see who it was that was behind the account. I could tell by the people who we had in common though that it was a former student of mine from when I was a youth director.
I opted, instead, to send this mystery person a DM, letting them know that I was open to talk and apologized for the harm I had, clearly, caused them. I told them, also, that their healing was independent of forgiving me and that they certainly didn’t need to follow me. That was years ago; they never wrote me back and that’s ok. I’ve thought of them often though and sincerely hope they are doing well.
I was first approached by one of the youth pastors, Tray (not his real name), to work as his assistant when I was 19. I was worried that I was running out of time to find a husband and part of the appeal to the job was that I would be in a prime position to find someone with all the spiritual leaders I would be surrounded by. My natural skillset and abilities were perfect for the role I was in and eventually I received more responsibilities, titles, and attention. Despite Tray being married, I was his right-hand woman, which meant I had a lot of power.
It also meant that when I crashed, I lost a lot. And a lot of other people felt it. I was hurt and had hurt others.
Carl Lentz is back in the news this week—formerly disgraced pastor of Hillsong Church who was found to have been having an affair and has multiple allegations of abuse against him. His fall from his throne was far—he was a “pastor” to the celebrities with many big names a part of his congregation; he often made headlines for his fashion and body over his sermon.
I could get into the weeds with his story—but there are many podcasts and documentaries that have dug into that already. So if you want to know more, you can watch one on Hulu or another one on Amazon.
This isn’t the first time that Carl Lentz has popped back in the news since he was found to be having an affair. He popped back up when more allegations came out. He popped back up when various documentaries came out—especially when he was interviewed for them. And then again when he was asked back into a position of leadership at a church in Oklahoma not too long ago. Now he’s back in the news because he’s starting a podcast. But he’s not back…because the old him is gone…it’s the new Carl.
As I watched the clip, read the articles about it, and heard what people were saying, it brought to mind a question that I have thought about a lot—a conversation I’ve had a lot too, albeit in private: should people who have been in paid ministry positions be allowed to assume roles of leadership and/or influence in survivor spaces?