RUMOR: Justin Bieber’s Former Pastor Targeting Reality Show

Former Pastor Carl Lentz may no longer be associated with star-studded Hillsong Church, but the latest rumor suggests he could be cozying up to celebrities for a different reason soon. Lentz is known primarily for being Justin Bieber’s spiritual advisor, though Bieber distanced himself from their relationship after Lentz was fired from Hillsong in November for “moral failings,” according to a church press release. Lentz has since admitted to having extramarital affairs, via a post on his Instagram.

Lentz and his family recently sold their home in Montclair, New Jersey, and have since moved to Los Angeles, per The New York Times. Lentz has been photographed riding his bike, spending time with his family at the beach, and more in recent weeks.

Now, some are saying that Lentz has moved to Los Angeles for a specific reason: to take his gifts to Hollywood.

Lentz Is Pitching a ‘Faith-Based Netflix Series,’ According to British Tabloid

According to a report by a British tabloid called The Sun, Lentz moved to Los Angeles for a specific reason: to pitch a reality TV series for him to star in. An unnamed source told the tabloid, “[Lentz] wants to use this as an opportunity to advance his career in other ways and become the big star he thinks he is.”

The source said Lentz’s “dream” is to have a “faith-based Netflix series,” adding, “Carl’s also gunning for a reality TV show but has not come close to making that happen yet.”

None of this has been confirmed by Lentz. Per The Sun, another source said that Lentz will “likely also hit the speaking circuit and do some TV stuff after laying low for a while, money and fame are his motivators.”

Leaked Emails & Recordings Are Providing More Information About Lentz’s Time at Hillsong

Audio recordings of a church meeting, as well as leaked emails, are providing a fuller picture regarding what exactly Lentz is accused of and how long senior church members were aware of the accusations.

According to leaked emails obtained by the Daily Mail, senior church members at Hillsong were aware of Lentz’s indiscretions over three years prior to his firing. In one such email, a senior church member who worked as a community group leader in New York emailed an executive for Hillsong’s Boston branch, relaying information he had received from a whistleblower.

Per Daily Mail, the whistleblower claimed Lentz had been involved in “inappropriate sexual behavior” with women in the backstage area of the Megachurch.

Lentz has not acknowledged these specific accusations. In his Instagram post confirming his extramarital affairs, he said,

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.

Lentz added, “I am deeply sorry for breaking the trust of many people who we have loved serving and understand that this news can be very hard and confusing for people to hear and process.”

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