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https://www.828ministries.com/articles/Carl-Lentz-is-Back-in-the-Christianity-230514-309.html

May 14, 2023

Carl Lentz is Back in the Apostate Church Providing Vision - What Could Go Wrong?

By Anthony Wade

The rehabilitation of the image of the husk of Carl Lentz continues...

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The purpose driven apostate church industrial complex protects its own because proven cash cows are difficult to find. Carl Lentz was just such a cash cow. Rumors of his abusive leadership style preceded his firing for years. The affair with his babysitter managed to be kept relatively secret. Then came the more public affair and soon revelations were approaching avalanche status and Brian Houston's hand was forced into firing Lentz. Now it is two years later and the powers that be want Lentz to be slowly brought back into the mix. Just like Mark Driscoll was eased back in by Robert Morris and Brian Houston, after he apologized to Joel Osteen, we see Lentz's return being facilitated by Pastor Michael Todd. Transformation Church in Oklahoma is perfectly remote for the former pastor of NYC. Of course, Lentz is claiming his role in providing strategic leadership is not ministry but we all know it is the entre'e back into fold that will lead one day soon to his return to the pulpit. Let us reason once more together beloved through the article linked above.

"From going through one of the most publicly covered and intensely scrutinized downfalls a preacher can endure, Carl Lentz is now sharing the devil has not won in the battle for his life. While many carry feelings of derision and distrust toward Lentz for his moral failings, the Bible gives clear instruction on how to handle a brother or sister who has repented of past sins. In a post on Instagram, Lentz shared an update on where he was in his and his family's faith walk:" - Charisma News

A preacher can endure? Let's get something straight from the start. Carl Lentz is not the victim here. He is not the hero of this story. He is the perp. Carl Lentz seduced the babysitter for his children and had sex with her on the bed he shared with his wife and that was not even the affair that took him down! The problem of course existed well before that in Lentz not being qualified for the office he held because the theology he taught was false. This keeps getting lost in the shuffle but Carl Lentz was a false teacher. He was the definition of the purpose driven cult of personality pastor. Why do you think so many celebrities gravitated to him? Lentz's pastor was Brian Houston! How disgraced are you when Brian Houston fires you? The author here keeps trying to paint Lentz in as favorable a light as possible. The reality is that most do not have "feelings" about Lentz one way or the other but certainly not derision or distrust. Now, let us deal with how to treat a brother or sister who has repented. We are absolutely to welcome them back into the family of God with open arms and stronger accountability. This Charisma News article is not advocating for a restoration of Lentz's walk. It is an excuse to allow him back into ministry. I pray that Lentz is genuine regarding his repentance. I wish no one suffer eternal damnation. He is however, completely disqualified from ministry.

'"For the last 3 years my entire focus has been fighting for my wife and my kids, my family has been my only priority. In order to do that, seeking sobriety and healing had to run parallel with those goals. Honestly nothing else mattered. None of the noise, the lies, none of the half-truths that were said about me or us, mattered. All I wanted was to prove to my wife and kids that I could show up for them like I had never done before. Although we have a long way to go, with a lot of work, a lot of honesty and a lot of prayer, we have found ourselves in a beautiful, happy and deliberately honest place. So much so that we not only celebrated our 20th wedding anniversary on May 5th, but we got to do that in the purest way. Unfortunately, that came through a lot of humiliation, embarrassment and heartache."' - Charisma News

Listen beloved. This entire paragraph is ruined by the inference that some of what has been reported is either lies or half-truths. This is typical for what guilty people do. What are the lies Carl? What are the half-truths? What is just noise Carl? Just noise? So, is it other people's fault that you are a serial adulterer, preached a false gospel, and were abusive in ministry? This is why it is difficult to accept your flowery language about fighting for your family and being in a better place if you are still not accepting responsibility for your own actions. I pray the fluffy talk is true Carl but until you actually own up to your sin, it is hard to believe you have repented of it.

'As reported by the Christian Post, "The letter comes in the wake of a two-minute teaser released by FX Networks on April 27, promoting a new docuseries set to premiere this month called 'The Secrets of Hillsong.'" The upcoming documentary was also addressed in the public letter by Lentz: "Part of the healing from that heartache led us to the decision to be a part of a documentary that we do not control, that we don't have any say in and that we haven't even seen yet. We'll see it when the world does. We were not interested in blame-shifting or responsibility deflection, we focus on my mistakes and the context for what transpired. I can honestly tell you that when you get to a place of honesty and freedom in your life, when you've gone through hell and you realize God is still with you... It is so freeing. It's the freedom I wish for all of the many people that I know that are called by God and wrestle with secrets and the feeling of not being worthy. Trust me it led me to some dark places."' - Charisma News

This all sounds good. I certainly hope for the sake of his walk with Christ that this is not just public relations. It must be incredibly difficult to go from literally being on top of the world to being a pariah. I do not minimize that at all. I am just reminding everyone these were his choices. The bible says pastors are held to a higher standard because of their listeners. How many people had their faith shipwrecked because of Carl Lentz? Do they not matter? Is the only thing we are concerned about here is Lentz? Look, repent, work on your marriage, appear in a documentary but stay away from the church. The damage has already been wrought.

'Lentz made headlines when it was announced that he had taken a position with Pastor Michael Todd's Transformation Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma. While many were quick to decry the decision for a church to hire Lentz in any position, as was stated by Transformation from the beginning, Lentz reiterated that as his and his family's healing process continues, he is not a ministry leader at Transformation Church, but in the role of a strategist that can still serve the church in the spiritual covering of a Christian environment. "Even though I'm at an amazing church that loves and supports us, I'm no longer in ministry. I'm not preaching, not overseeing people, my role is to help give perspective and insight where I can. I can also say that what gives me joy and hope is knowing that what I have been through, what I have made it past can help so many others. I can do that in so many different ways, inside and outside the church. I'm not the first man to be in this situation and I won't be the last, but I can promise you I'll be the guy standing with his arms open wide for anyone who's been on this path of addiction and destruction. I can say I understand it and my relationship with Jesus in a way that I couldn't from the pulpit. Repentance and life change are proven over time with consistent choices and that's a road I look forward to."' - Charisma News

Please. People who monitor the church parking lot consider themselves in ministry! It is amazing Lentz can say with a straight face that providing strategic guidance for an apostate mega church is somehow NOT being in ministry. Ridiculous. Realize here that Lentz has settled in another false church. Pastor Todd recently came under criticism for his twerking, sexualized play he put on for Easter! Included in this play was a secular song from someone named Ke$ha with the following lyrics:

Let's make the most of the night like we're gonna die young

Let's make the most of the night like we're gonna die

Young hunks, taking shots

Stripping down to dirty socks

Music up, gettin' hot

Kiss me, give me all you've got

It's pretty obvious that you've got a crush (you know)

That magic in your pants, it's making me blush (for sure)

Once again, this was on Resurrection Sunday. To make matters far worse, Todd declared 500 people were saved through this absurd insult to God. So obviously Michael Todd has no idea what the gospel is let alone how to run God's church but don't worry! Now he has Carl Lentz to strategically guide him. What could possibly go wrong?

"As Charisma News previously reported, Transformation Church's Executive Pastor of Operations, Tammy McQuarters, says the church's goal is to have Lentz "help others experience restoration. "We gladly welcome Carl Lentz to our Transformation Church staff, helping TC with strategy as we continue to move forward in our vast vision," McQuarters told Religion News Service via email. "After two years of Carl being in his own discovery and healing process, he has shown readiness to use his God-given gifts toward the local church again," McQuarters says. "We believe in Carl, his marriage, his skill set and his restoration. "We pray that Carl, Laura and their family experience not only their own restoration, but help others experience restoration by using their triumphs and failures to create resources for the body of Christ at large. We believe that this is part of what it looks like for the church to be the church," she added." - Charisma News

No. This is the opposite of what the church is supposed to look like. The church should be concerned with the sheep, not the wolves who have devoured them. Look, if you want to provide assistance for Lentz to truly repent in his walk, fine but to bring him back into ministry is just wrong. McQuarters keeps making this to be about Carl Lentz. It has nothing to do with Lentz. It has to do with his victims. If a local church wanted to welcome him back into the fold as a congregant, that would be biblical, as long as he doesn't return to ministry. What this looks like is the church protecting its own, at the expense of the sheep.

"Lentz and his family are on a long road of recovery that many have walked before them, and their path has a spotlight on them that few understand. Yet if Lentz's words are true regarding repentance and life changes, then according to the unerring Word of God, he is cleansed from his past discretions and has obtained the merciful forgiveness of God (Prov. 28:13; 1 John 1:9)."

Yes, because this is all about Carl Lentz and how to get him back into ministry as quickly and sneakily as possible? Why? Because he is a proven moneymaker. He has the purpose driven skill set. Check back in a year and see if he is not preaching on some level. Maybe in a couple of years he will lead their next church expansion. If he is truly penitent, then he is cleansed from his own unrighteousness and thank God for that. No one is wishing for Carl Lentz to not repent. He just needs to realize for the good of the church that he was once a prince of, that he is no longer qualified to serve as a coffee boy, let alone a strategic advisor. Meanwhile no one speaks up for the trail of bloody bodies left in his wake. How many thousands if not millions of people will be directly affected spiritually by Hillsong, Brian Houston and Carl Lentz? I do not need to know the long road of recovery he claims to have walked. That is his business due to his choices. I am glad he has managed to maintain his marriage. But ministry? Tell your story walking. Mark and avoid Carl Lentz, Michael Todd, Hillsong and TC. Mark and avoid the whole lot of them. Ke$ha too.

Reverend Anthony Wade - May 12, 2023



Authors Bio:
Credentialed Minister of the Gospel for the Assemblies of God. Owner and founder of 828 ministries. Vice President for Goodwill Industries. Always remember that in all things God works for the good of those who love Him and are called according to His purpose.

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