Faith on Trial podcast: Leaked Hillsong report emerges after former pastor Carl Lentz’s affair

A secret, leaked report into Hillsong reveals stories of “sexual misconduct” and “penis photos”, along with more allegations of rape. Listen to the podcast.

A secret report from lawyers hired by Hillsong reveals that instead of reporting a man to police for sexual assault, it was claimed he was simply given a Bible.

Other allegations of rape were followed up “once or twice” but nothing was done.

A leaked 51-page report, seen by the Faith On Trial podcast, has unearthed claims of “sexual misconduct”, “affairs”, and “penis photos” in the US arm of the church.

Hillsong’s new global pastor Phil Dooley said on Sunday that the church does not have a “rape culture”.

The report alleges there was a “culture of submission” in the church’s New York branch and accused its Australian head office of failing to enforce accountability.

“Ultimately, this culture found expression in the sexual subjugation and abuse of multiple female staff and volunteers, while the hierarchical requirements of secrecy prohibited, or at least inhibited, reporting of such misdeeds,” the report alleged.

“It also appears that when instances of misconduct came to the attention of management, a common response was to attack the victim, by shaming them, refusing to believe them, and by encouraging them to leave the Church.”

The leaked document, compiled by a New York law firm and dated January 11 2021, was commissioned following reports that Hillsong’s celebrity pastor Carl Lentz had multiple consenual affairs.

Former Hillsong NYC Pastor Carl Lentz backstage at the Hillsong Conference being held at Allphones Arena in Sydney. Picture: Toby Zerna

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Mr Lentz left the church in November 2020 and admitted being “unfaithful” to his wife, with founder Brian Houston overseeing his departure.

The Hillsong founder himself stepped down in March 2022 following claims he had sent an inappropriate text message in 2013 and ended up in the wrong hotel room in 2019.

Mr Houston said he resigned because of the leaks about the allegations, which made his position untenable.

The report details how Hillsong in New York handled a woman who reported sexual assault at a party, naming a church member.

Former Hillsong pastor Carl Lentz with his wife Laura. Picture: Instagram

“(The witness) then saw (the accused) at church a month later and was told by (the accused) that he had had one meeting with a pastor and was given a Bible,” the report alleged.

The report also details an “unidentified sexual assault at a party” of someone in a Hillsong connect group.

Ranin Karim who says she had an affair with former Hillsong leader Carl Lentz. Picture: Supplied

“He believes there were “one or two follow ups” with the girl, but nothing after that,” the report said in relation to a witness statement.

Hillsong has been thrown into crisis following claims published in the Faith On Trial podcast, which accused the church of having a “rape culture”.

Independent MP Andrew Wilkie also dumped more than 10,000 Hillsong financial records in Federal Parliament last week.

The documents detail lavish spending, with Mr Wilkie accusing the church of using “private jets like Ubers”.

Mr Dooley told a congregation on Sunday that it was “horrible” to be accused of “having a rape culture”.

“As a senior pastor of Hillsong, I want all women to feel safe in our church and we strongly advocate against violence against women and children,” he said.

“We advocate for you. I have two daughters and of course, I would not want them to be part of a place with this kind of culture.”

New South Wales police has urged anyone with evidence of criminal wrongdoing in Australia to contact police.

The Australian Skills Quality Authority has been seeking details about the teachings at Hillsong’s college.

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Originally published as Faith on Trial podcast: Leaked Hillsong report emerges after former pastor Carl Lentz’s affair