![]() ![]() Enter Hillsong NYC, which began operating out of Irving Plaza in 2010 with lines wrapped around the street. Likewise, as much as the docuseries attempts to present certain aspects of Hillsong as anomalous, anyone who spent time in an evangelical, Baptist or Pentecostal church growing up (or is still a part of one) won’t be shocked to hear about the concept of “prosperity gospel” or the way contemporary-sounding music is utilized to lure young congregants-although, the profits Hillsong turns annually from their record label are much more shocking than your average church with a lively choir.Īs the docuseries puts it, Hillsong and its business-minded, male leadership was always hell-bent on global expansion, with North America as a primary market. We see notable faces like Jim and Tammy Faye Bakker along other white men shouting into a camera. The “neo-Pentecostal” megachurch rose to prominence amid a wave of “charismatic” churches with a corporate focus and the rise of televangelism. But first, we’re given an introductory look into the conception of Hillsong and its growth as a global brand, which grew out of Sydney Christian Life Centre-led by Houston’s now-deceased father Frank in the ‘80s. Much of Lentz’s undoing is captured in the series’ second episode, and it makes for some of the most compelling minutes. Bieber publicly distanced himself from Lentz in 2021, migrating with many of his famous peers to copycat establishments like Churchome, the controversial Zoe Church, and Kanye West’s Sunday Services. Then came the pastor’s admission during the pandemic that he cheated on his wife Laura Lentz and had been ousted from the church, along with other damning headlines about Hillsong’s financial records, working conditions, and abuse allegations accumulating online. With his hypebeast fashion, “real talk” method of preaching, and A-list followers including Kevin Durant, Selena Gomez and Chris Pratt, his presentation and leadership style was as fascinating as it was grotesque and off-putting. Since entering the public consciousness and experiencing influencer-level fame, Carl Lentz represented the stereotypical image of the young, “hip” pastor grasping for relevance in the social media age while also raising awareness for the Hillsong youth-oriented brand. It turned out the tattooed fellow wasn’t a security guard or Bieber’s fitness trainer but the senior pastor and co-founder of Hillsong NYC, the Australian megachurch’s first branch in the United States and the latest hotspot for celebrity followers of Christ. Paparazzi photos of the Canadian pop singer strolling around New York and Los Angeles with a jacked, often shirtless Diplo look-alike began to emerge online. We all remember when Justin Bieber found Jesus after some run-ins with the law and pissing in a mop bucket back in the early 2010s. ![]()
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