The Secrets and techniques of Hillsong, FX’s buzzy new documentary, lifts the curtain on decades-long misconduct on the megachurch as soon as identified for its tremendous well-known congregants — and the four-part collection options the primary interviews with Carl and Laura Lentz since their very public ouster three years in the past.
Carl, often called the “celeb pastor,” was the face of Hillsong New York, credited with making Christianity “cool” for a brand new era. He was identified for his smooth type (even GQ-profile worthy), hip sermons and, after all, being BFFs with Justin Bieber. However in 2020, Carl’s world got here crashing down when he was abruptly fired for “ethical failures.” It wasn’t simply the previous pastor’s extramarital affairs that garnered headlines. Hillsong, billed as a progressive church, was essentially very conservative rooted in beliefs from its evangelist founder, Brian Houston. Within the documentary, ex-congregants accuse folks on the prime of racism, sexual abuse, homophobia and volunteer exploitation.
Because it seems, ethical failures throughout the group return generations. Secrets and techniques of Hillsong director Stacey Lee tells Yahoo Leisure the scandal with its popular culture hook is finally a “important and essential” story that must be instructed.
“I believe it is a story of our time,” she says. “It is a story not simply of faith, however the place we’re culturally.”
Lee asks, “Why are we keen to place idols up on a pedestal after which we’re shocked once they fall?”
The explanation most individuals learn about Hillsong might be due to Carl, and the primary episode units up the attract of its star pastor: “It felt like he was preaching simply to me and it was life-changing,” one former member declares. Lee says she deliberately needed to indicate “how magnetic and unimaginable Carl was as a speaker.” Simply as evangelical church buildings within the ’80s and ’90s relied on televisions to disseminate their messages, Hillsong, which originated in Australia, tapped into social media.
“Instagram enabled this picture of church — notably a pastor who’s younger, hip, good wanting, sporting a leather-based jacket — just like the antithesis of church. It simply was the right fodder for Instagram and in contrast to TVs, Instagram is rapid and it is international,” Lee explains. (Each Instagram and Hillsong New York launched in 2010.) “Hillsong had all these fascinating type of aspects… they might have this ironic hip progressive tone of voice that ran counter to this very conservative type of church that lots of people had type of grown up with.”
Hillsong’s reputation erupted as influencer tradition took off. At its top in 2015, there have been 30 Hillsong places around the globe producing $100 million, largely untaxed. Hillsong had a median international attendance of 150,000 folks weekly in 30 international locations. As for the celeb issue, Lee thinks Hillsong particularly appealed to stars who usually felt “remoted” or “alone” with fame. Hillsong additionally had a secret weapon.
“I believe Carl himself was crucial,” she explains. “Such as you can not underestimate the ability of him as a public speaker… how he introduced himself was a star in his personal proper. So, he was buying and selling in circles the place different celebrities is perhaps. He type of grew to become a magnet, not only for celebrities that had been in search of one thing and a neighborhood to assist help their life, but in addition as a result of he was one too.”
Hailey Bieber, Selena Gomez, Kourtney Kardashian, Kendall and Kylie Jenner are only a few large names who attended companies. However Hillsong was most synonymous with Justin as he regularly spoke about his shut bond with Carl. In 2014, the pop star moved in with Letnzs amid a private disaster the place he detoxed at their residence. In 2017, when Bieber abruptly canceled the rest of a live performance tour, he leaned on the Lentzs. The “Holy” singer even interned at Hillsong whereas he refocused on his non secular religion. It was reported Carl and Justin had a falling out in 2018, so it is not too shocking that the singer declined to take part within the docuseries.
“We definitely reached out to [former celebrity members] and I believe you may type of perceive why they did not wish to speak with regard to this as a result of they, too, felt like they had been victims as effectively, you realize?” Lee tells Yahoo. “[Justin] so publicly was affiliated with Carl and I believe there is a sense personally for, you realize, anybody whose positioned loads of belief publicly in somebody — when that particular person falls I do not assume it could actually essentially mirror positively by yourself choices for being related to them.”
Getting Carl and Laura to take part on digicam took “months,” Lee says. After the scandal, the Lentzs primarily disappeared. Within the present, viewers study they relocated to Sarasota, Fla. with their three kids. Carl just lately revealed on Instagram he and Laura celebrated their twentieth marriage ceremony anniversary. (“For the final 3 years my total focus has been preventing for my spouse and my youngsters,” Lentz wrote in a prolonged publish. “With a purpose to do this, in search of sobriety and therapeutic needed to run parallel with these objectives.”)
When Lee signed on to direct the mission, she says she made it clear to Carl “that this wasn’t simply going to be [a documentary] about how you feel, what are you to date, you realize, spill the beans. It was additionally him answering some very regarding and troubling claims that had been made in opposition to him. That was very clear from the onset.”
In Secrets and techniques of Hillsong, Carl admits to dishonest on Laura a number of instances. He reveals he had a dependency on Adderall. One in every of his extramarital relationships was with married Hillsong member Leona Kimes, who additionally labored as their nanny. Kimes accused him of emotional manipulation and sexual abuse, the latter of which he flatly denies.
“I’m liable for permitting an inappropriate relationship to develop in my home with somebody who labored for us. Any notion of abuse is categorically false. There have been mutual grownup choices made by two individuals who lied profusely, primarily to my spouse,” Carl says within the second episode, however admits there was an off-balance energy dynamic between them. After the scandal erupted three years in the past, Carl says he “thought of vacating the planet.”
“The objective of this documentary is fact,” Lee continues. “Hillsong was unimaginable on the PR facade for therefore lengthy. It wasn’t till Carl fell that there was this primary chink within the armor with which to look at the church with this barely extra important eye.”
In 2022, Hillsong founder Brian Houston, a mentor of Carl’s, resigned after an inner investigation discovered he had breached the church’s code of conduct by behaving inappropriately towards two ladies. Months earlier, Brian stepped away and was criminally charged for allegedly masking up allegations that his late father, pastor Frank Houston, sexually abused a younger boy. The documentary investigates additional allegations of sexual abuse in opposition to Frank a long time prior. (Brian pleaded not responsible and a verdict is predicted in June.) Further legal fees in opposition to Brian are anticipated associated to Hillsong’s alleged monetary malfeasance. Hillsong’s tax exemption standing in Australia is in jeopardy.
Hillsong’s reputation is by no means what it was within the top of Carl’s period. As of March 2023, solely six out of 16 Hillsong places stay within the U.S. Hillsong New York solely has round 500 congregates every week, in keeping with the docuseries.
Brian denied repeated requests to be interviewed in The Secrets and techniques of Hillsong. Other than Carl and Laura, the collection options poignant conversations with many previous congregants who converse in regards to the discrimination and disappointment they confronted and the way that reckoned with their religion.
“When folks fall or they aren’t held accountable to the identical requirements that the remainder of us are, it is extremely problematic. And much more so in a church, which is meant to be a protected place, a spot of refuge, a spot the place if you’re in hassle, you may flip to for assist. And I believe a lot of what we noticed inside this church establishment is that was twisted,” Lee says.
“For anybody watching this, it is actually about having the ability to perceive and maybe have your eyes broad open as you stroll into any of those conditions. What are you part of? And why are you there? As a result of if that comes from a spot of spirituality and neighborhood and the folks that you’re a a part of are reflecting that, then that is nice,” she provides. “However there’s additionally clearly numerous circumstances at this cut-off date, Hillsong included, the place finally you come considering it is a church and it is a protected place, and it is discovered to be one thing very, very completely different.”
The Secrets and techniques of Hillsong premieres Thursday, Might 19 at on 10 p.m. on FX.
