Laura Lentz
| Laura Lentz | |
|---|---|
| Born | 1979[1] Australia[2] |
| Occupation | evangelist |
| Known for | fired for her pastor-husband's infidelity |
Laura Lentz is a conservative Christian pastor, married to high-profile pastor Carl Lentz.[3] The pair were fired from the Hillsong ministry in early November 2020. Her husband was fired for "moral failures" after it became known he had engaged in extramarital affairs. The reasons for Laura Lentz dismissal were not made public.
More senior leaders of the church asserted that Lentz had earlier affairs.[1]
The pair met in Australia, in 2000, and were married in 2003.[2] Laura and Carl had three children.[1]
When the cheating scandal broke The Sun noted that Laura had explained in a May 2020 interview the ways she provided her husband certain freedoms - like retiring to play video-games.[4] She explained that at least she would know he was at home, when he retired to play video games - when he could be engaged in worse activities.
Laura spoke out on the scandal, on May 5, 2021, the 18th anniversary of their marriage.[5][1]
On May 31, 2021, Leona Kimes, who had been employed in the Lentz home from 2011 to 2017, described experiencing an escalating pattern of disturbing sexual harrassment from Carl, that ultimately led to Laura telling her she needed to repent, and then firing her.[6][7][8][9][8][10] On June 2, 2021, representatives for Laura and Carl denied Kimes claims.[11]
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 Wife of disgraced Hillsong pastor Carl Lentz criticizes ‘trolls’, those who ‘abandoned’ us for the anniversary, France 24, 2021-05-06. Retrieved on 2021-08-26. “The 42-year-old, who has three children with her husband, spoke to ‘trolls’ and people who ‘abandoned’ us as she returned to social media on the occasion of the 18th wedding anniversary of the couple.”
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 Chiara Fiorillo. QUEEN OF THE HILL Who is Hillsong pastor Carl Lentz’s wife Laura?, The Sun, 2020-11-05. Retrieved on 2021-08-26. “Carl Lentz's wife Laura is an Australian pastor known for her work within Hillsong. She graduated from Hillsong Leadership College in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.”
- ↑ Hillsong Church Pastor Carl Lentz’s Wife, Laura, Was Also Reportedly Fired, Glamour magazine, 2020-11-11.
- ↑ Rebecca Lewis. FAMOUS LAST WORDS Pastor Carl Lentz’s wife claimed she felt ‘security’ in marriage and gave him ‘freedom’ as he was ‘secretly cheating’, The Sun, 2020-11-11. Retrieved on 2021-08-26. “In May, Laura Lentz shared a video with fellow pastor Chelsea Smith, and the pair discussed the importance of keeping your indivduality during marriage with Laura claiming that she knew 'a lot of wives struggle with this.'”
- ↑ Rachel DeSantis. Ex-Hillsong Pastor Carl Lentz's Wife Laura Breaks Silence on Sex Scandal on Wedding Anniversary: Carl Lentz was fired from Hillsong in November, and later admitted to cheating on his wife, whom he married in 2003 and with whom he shares three children, People magazine, 2021-05-05. Retrieved on 2021-08-26. “Laura posted to Instagram on Wednesday for the first time since October, breaking her silence on the day that the couple is celebrating 18 years of marriage.”
- ↑ Alyssa Morin. Fired Hillsong Pastor Carl Lentz Denies Former Nanny's Sexual Abuse Claims, E Online, 2021-06-01. Retrieved on 2021-10-21. “On Monday, May 31, Kimes published an essay titled "Writing My Voice Back" on Medium, in which she made accusations against the former Hillsong pastor. Although Kimes didn't identify Lentz by name in her story, she confirmed her accusations were about him in a statement to Religion News Service.”
- ↑ Roxanne Stone. Exclusive: Sex abuse allegations by Carl Lentz’s former nanny put spotlight on Hillsong culture, Daily Religion News, 2021-05-31. Retrieved on 2021-10-21. “In a statement published on Medium on Monday, Kimes, now a co-pastor of Hillsong’s Boston location, claimed Lentz abused her sexually on multiple occasions. 'I was physically violated by his unwanted and repeated sexual touching of my intimate areas. I froze. Every time, I froze,' Kimes said in her statement.”
- ↑ 8.0 8.1 Hannah Frishberg. Hillsong pastor accuses unnamed leader of bullying, sexual abuse, ‘boob job’ offer, New York Post, 2021-06-01. Retrieved on 2021-10-21. “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.'”
- ↑ Leona Kimes. Writing My Voice Back, Medium, 2021-05-31. Retrieved on 2021-10-21. “A decade ago, my husband Josh and I Ieft our lives in Australia to set off across the world and help build Hillsong NYC. When we joined the team, I couldn’t have been more excited. My role wasn’t up-front nor on the platform. I was the nanny for the lead pastors. I served their family in that role for seven years before moving to Hillsong Boston, where I have served as a pastor alongside my husband.”
- ↑ Lydia Wang. A Hillsong Pastor Revealed The Culture Of Sexual Abuse & Exploitation At The Megachurch, Refinery 29, 2021-06-01. Retrieved on 2021-10-21. “Now, Leona Kimes, a pastor at Hillsong Boston, is coming forward about the abuse, bullying, and exploitation she faced while working for a Hillsong New York pastor.”
- ↑ Alyssa Morin. Fired Hillsong Pastor Carl Lentz Denies Former Nanny's Sexual Abuse Claims, NBC Boston, 2021-06-02. Retrieved on 2021-10-21. “Following Kimes' claims, a legal rep for Lentz and his wife, Laura Lentz, told Religion News Service they both 'vehemently deny the allegations and, in addition to that, have irrefutable proof the events did not happen as they are being described.'”