This failure is on me, and me alone and I take full responsibility for my actions. For more than a quarter of pastors (27%), a pastor who commits adultery should withdraw from public ministry permanently. In an episode of the “Ask Pastor John” podcast, a listener said her church was considering hiring a pastor who had left his previous congregation because he committed adultery. Lentz was raised in Virginia and played basketball at North Carolina State, where he told the New York Post he was “doing my own thing, being my own god.” He moved to Los Angeles to attend King’s College and Seminary, then headed to Australia to join Hillsong’s training program, Hillsong College, where he met his wife, Laura. So to those people, I pray you can forgive me and that over time I can live a life where trust is earned again. Adultery fouls relationships and brings ruin to entire families. In a statement Houston posted on the church site later in the evening on Wednesday, he repeated much of his initial email but added praise for Lentz’s work at Hillsong and said he was grateful for the years of service Lentz and his wife gave to Hillsong NYC. “Pastors believe church leaders should be held to high standards,” said Ed Stetzer, executive director of LifeWay Research. 27% of Pastors Surveyed Believe Clergy Who Commit Adultery Should Permanently Withdraw From Ministry added by Editor on August 26, 2020 View all posts by Editor → The edgy Canadian preacher was declared unfit for ministry due to credible allegations of adultery, sexting, and substance abuse spanning the past 15 years. In fact the violation of adultery is so great that God, who hates divorce, nevertheless allows it in cases of adultery. He compared the investigation into Bentley to the hearings over Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh and the recent impeachment of President Trump. The church, part of the global network of Hillsong churches, quickly drew attention for the long lines waiting to be “let in” on Sunday mornings — and for the demographic waiting in those lines. In terminating his tenure, we in no way want to diminish the good work he did here,” the statement said. Smaller church pastors, those with churches of attendance between 50 to 99, are also more likely to say pastors who commit adultery should withdraw from ministry permanently than pastors of churches with 100 to 249 in attendance (31% to 23%). It’s not that pastors are fake; it’s that the struggle is … “Pastors’ opinions on the subject are a good barometer for opinions across churches,” said McConnell. Hillsong is also known for its popular worship music and conferences. And while sin should be confessed privately, he told RNS, “when a leader, over a period of many years, and repeatedly, violates biblical standards, public accountability is called for.”. A pastor who has sinned sexually can be a pastor again. According to the statement, panel members reviewed what they called credible allegations against Bentley, dating back to 2004. I now begin a journey of rebuilding trust with my wife, Laura and my children and taking real time to work on and heal my own life and seek out the help that I need. But that opportunity I will not have. “He was caught, repented, and asked for forgiveness. Should pastors who commit adultery be permanently banned from ministry? It now has locations in 28 countries around the world and, pre-pandemic, saw an average 150,000 attenders each week, according to its website. Your daily news briefing from the editors of CT. Haggard Says He Bought Meth But Didn't Use It. 13 Famous Pastors Caught Doing Unholy Things. Bentley had been accused of “ungodly and immoral conduct,” including adultery, substance abuse, and sexting, according to the panel. When a pastor commits adultery the … Gospel Light Society International and GLM Omnimedia Group LLC have a network of over 1,000 Christian news sites which contain the preaching of the Gospel and Christian discipleship teaching in every country of the world and in every major city of the world. I know that Christians sin and fail, sometimes in horrific ways, but should they lead in the same capacity that they once did? I would have liked to say this with my voice, to you, in person because you are owed that. Bentley said he was willing to be a “poster boy for helping people realize you can confess your faults to one another and pray for one another and be healed.”. He said that Bentley was never allowed to face his accusers. I was unfaithful in my marriage, the most important relationship in my life and held accountable for that. Lentz, relatively unknown before taking the helm of Hillsong NYC, became a darling of major media outlets for his hipster dress, his tattoo-covered arms and his celebrity congregants, including Justin Bieber, who according to GQ was baptized by the pastor in the bathtub of Tyson Chandler, a New York Knicks player at the time. “I am just here to say so much of what is being (said) out there now is old, some of it six, seven, ten, fifteen years. I know that Christians sin and fail, sometimes in horrific ways, but should they lead in the same capacity that they once did? Apr 30, 2020 | 2 | ( OPINION ) CP – Notable Bible teacher and DesiringGod.org founder John Piper believes that pastors who committed adultery should be allowed to return to ministry, provided they have engaged in a lengthy period away from church leadership. When you lead out of an empty place, you make choices that have real and painful consequences. Also: Admits hiring Jones as masseuse, but says they didn't have sex. He worked in youth ministry in Virginia Beach before moving to Brooklyn’s trendy Williamsburg neighborhood to launch Hillsong’s first U.S. location, according to media reports. Adriel Sanchez and Bill Maier answer caller questions. Please click here to view some of those sites. Lentz, in his post, apologized to his congregants and expressed a wish to tell them in person “because you are all owed that.” But he acknowledged that he could not. And few think pastors who commit adultery should be permanently banned from ministry. For more than a quarter of pastors (27%), a pastor who commits adultery should withdraw from public ministry permanently. Christianity Today strengthens the church by richly communicating the breadth of the true, good, and beautiful gospel.