CNLP 793 | Carl Lentz On Preaching While Having Sex Outside Marriage, How the Pressure of Church Growth Got To Him, And Warning Signs for Other Church Leaders

In this deeply candid and transformative episode of The Carey Nieuwhof Leadership Podcast, Carl Lentz opens up about his journey from a humble upbringing in Virginia to becoming a global church leader at Hillsong New York City, and the internal struggles that ultimately led to his public fall. He reflects on how small habits—like truth omission and emotional avoidance—created a path to moral failure, not through overt rebellion, but through a deep disconnection from his own emotions, grief, shame, and trauma. The immense pressure of rapid church growth, celebrity attention, and unprocessed pain culminated in a private breakdown that destroyed his public life. Yet, Lentz rejects the label of 'disgraced,' emphasizing his identity as a follower of Jesus, a husband, and a father. His recovery, which included rehab and the diagnosis of undiagnosed ADHD and prescription drug addiction, became a journey of relearning how to think, feel, and relate—both to God and others. He shares how healing began not with fixing behavior, but with inner transformation, and how his relationship with Christ deepened only after losing everything. Lentz challenges the modern church’s obsession with 'doing' over 'being,' warning that leadership growth without emotional and spiritual maturity leads to burnout and collapse. He now mentors young leaders, advocating for early training in emotional health, trauma awareness, and identity formation to prevent future crises. His story is one of grace, accountability, and hope—proof that brokenness can become the foundation for deeper wisdom, service, and redemption. The conversation concludes with a powerful reflection on the ripple effects of leadership failure, the importance of radical honesty, and the enduring role of the church as God’s instrument, even in its brokenness.