My pastor would look at me and say, ‘Gurl, you’re looking good. Kimes, however, alleged an experience of increasingly inappropriate behavior during her time as a nanny. Neither Kimes nor Hillsong immediately returned The Post’s requests for comment. However, in a statement to the Religion News Service, a representative for Lentz said that the Lentzes “vehemently deny the allegations and, in addition to that, have irrefutable proof the events did not happen as they are being described.” Leona Kimes, 37, now co-pastor of Hillsong Boston, has claimed that she was formerly abused by a Hillsong megachurch pastor on multiple occasions. The Post could not confirm that Lentz is the subject of the accusations, and a legal representative for him did not respond to The Post’s request for comment. The Lentzes co-founded and led Hillsong’s NYC branch during the timeline Kimes details in her essay. In addition, ex-church volunteers said that Kimes was one of their babysitters between 20, according to Business Insider. Although Kimes did not name the specific pastor who is the subject of her allegations, it has been previously reported that she served as a personal assistant to Lentz and his wife, Laura, around 2014. Kimes’ essay claimed that an “unhealthy bond” formed between her and the lead pastors for whom she would nanny. However, allegations such as Kimes’ continue to roil the once-praised institution. The global mega-church’s Australian founder Brian Houston has since apologized, and the church conducted an internal investigation into its culture and whistleblower policies. His “moral failure” exposed rifts across the church, fraud accusations and congregant allegations of abuse. Her allegations join a months-long stream of claims about the formerly celebrity-adored church and its leaders, beginning with the shocking news that its now-fired head “hypepriest” pastor Carl Lentz had cheated on his wife. In a bombshell essay published on Medium on Memorial Day, Leona Kimes, 37 - currently a lead pastor of Hillsong Boston - has alleged that in the seven years she spent as a nanny for Hillsong NYC pastors, she was “subjected to manipulation, control, bullying, abuse of power, and sexual abuse.”

'We just want to see the Bible connect with people.'ĭespite the controversy, Lentz said they don't shy away from social issues.Disgraced celebrity pastor cheated with family nanny Hillsong Church doc details scandalĮx-Hillsong pastor Carl Lentz on ‘sobriety’ and ‘humiliation’ after cheating scandalĮx-Hillsong pastor Carl Lentz’s new megachurch accused of ‘inappropriate’ Easter serviceĭisgraced Hillsong pastor Carl Lentz hired by new church: ‘We believe in Carl’Ī current Hillsong pastor previously accused of taking advantage of congregant labor has claimed that she, too, was once taken advantage of - and sexually abused - while working for an unnamed ex-Hillsong pastor. 'We're Bible believing Christians and so we don't turn back on the Bible at all,' Lentz said. While the concert-like atmosphere differs from a traditional Christian church, Hillsong said its religious principles are the same. 'I think that's why it's opened so many doors because it's so good.' So I think our music, it's like, eye opening and people go, 'Wow, I didn't know churches could do stuff like that,' which is sad, but that's the truth,' Lentz said. 'We're conscious of culture, that's the thing. With his half-shaved head, jeans and tattoos, Lentz doesn't look like the typical religious leader. Hillsong has 10 million followers on social media, including Justin Bieber and NBA star Kevin Durant, who was baptized by Pastor Lentz. The church has its own record label that's sold 16 million albums worldwide and earns $100 million a year.Įvery week in 12 countries, 75,000 faithful members fill Hillsong churches.

Young people are drawn to Hillsong's music. 'To be honest, when we started we had no idea that one day we would have campuses and churches all around the globe like we do today,' Houston said.

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