Carl Lentz, who was fired from Hillsong NYC last month for breach of trust and moral failure, is seeking help as he takes the necessary steps toward restoration.
The 42-year-old former pastor has sought treatment at an outpatient facility that deals with issues like depression, pastoral burnout, and anxiety, a source told Page Six on Tuesday.
The source added that Lentz's family is behind him as he works on his recovery.
"Carl wants to be better for his family and is dedicated to doing the work. His family is supporting him and hopes their privacy will be respected on this journey," the source said.
"He has no ill will towards the church and recognizes that they needed to take some course of action to address his missteps," the source added.
In early November, Hillsong founder Brian Houston announced to the Hillsong East Coast staff and members that Lentz was terminated because of breaches of trust, leadership issues, and moral failure. Houston said the decision was not an easy one to make, but he was convinced it was the right thing to do for everyone.
Shortly after Houston's announcement, Lentz posted a lengthy Instagram post where he confirmed he was leaving Hillsong NYC and publicly confessed that he had been unfaithful to his wife.
"This failure is on me, and me alone and I take full responsibility for my actions," Lentz wrote. He added that he was "deeply sorry for breaking the trust of many people."
A few days after Lentz's admission of moral failure, a woman named Ranin came forward claiming she was the one with whom the former pastor had an affair. The 34-year-old New York designer said she didn't know at first that he was married or that he was a pastor, as he introduced himself as a sports agent.
Some people who used to work as staff of Hillsong NYC said they knew Lentz had been "sleeping around." They reportedly attempted to address the issue, but the church let them go and accused them of spreading gossip.
A previous report from Page Six said Lentz and his wife have undergone "intense counseling" as they work on their marriage and spend time with their three children. The report, citing an anonymous source, said Lentz is "committed to rebuilding trust and fixing his marriage" and had never considered leaving his wife.
Last week, a leaked audio recording of a Nov. 19 meeting involving Houston and church executives revealed Lentz have had "more than one affair."
"It was more than one affair, they were significant. And at least some bad moral behavior had gone back historically, but not necessarily those affairs," Houston was recorded as saying, according to the Daily Mail.
Besides talking about Lentz's extramarital issues, Houston also discussed other concerns about the former pastor, such as his being "narcissistic" and his manipulation and mistreatment of people. Houston also said Lentz was "constantly lying."
Houston explained it was difficult to have a direct conversation with Lentz because Lentz was "always defensive" and tended to deflect blame on other people "as though they're the ones with the problem."
The meeting also discussed how Hillsong can care for Lentz, his wife, and their three children now that he is no longer a part of the church staff. The purpose of this is to provide them "the help they need, and to help them through this difficult process, to work on their marriage."
