Why We Can’t Stop Talking about Hillsong's Celebrity Pastors

Quick to Listen

Christianity Today

Religion, Christianity, Religion & Spirituality

4.3 • 622 Ratings

🗓️ 25 November 2020

⏱️ 60 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

Transcribed highlights of the show can be found in our episode summaries. At the beginning of this month, Hillsong NYC pastor Carl Lentz was fired. A day after the news went public, he posted a picture of his family on Instagram admitting he was unfaithful in his marriage. Both before and after the news, Lentz made headlines across Christian and secular media for his popularity and successful ministry—as well as the “hipster” pastor look he popularized. When Lentz co-founded Hillsong NYC with Joel Houston in 2010, the church drew lines around the block and caught the eye of A-list celebrities, none more famous than Justin Bieber. Lentz, who became famous for his wire-rimmed glasses, plunging V-necks, and designer sneakers, himself became subject of a number of profiles, including this 2015 GQ feature from Taffy Brodesser-Akner: “The music! The lights! The crowds!” begins an incredulous woman narrating a CNN segment on Hillsong NYC . “It looks like a rock concert.” The chyron reads “Hipster preacher smashes stereotypes.” They call Pastor Carl a hipster. Carl says he doesn’t know what that means, and he wears a motorcycle jacket when he says this.Pastor Joel is unwilling to acknowledge that there’s something going on here. Yes, he tells me, sure, he likes clothes. But that’s the end of it. I should ask Pastor Carl about the clothes, he tells me. What Pastor Carl does, he says—that’s intentional, and then he laughs. This week on Quick to Listen, we wanted to discuss the attention around a new generation of fashion-forward pastors. What does it reveal about ministry? But what does our fascination with this aesthetic reveal more broadly about the American and Western church? Anthropologist Katherine Ajibade, formerly a researcher with the British think tank Theos, joins CT’s Morgan Lee and Kate Shellnutt. What is Quick to Listen? Read more Rate Quick to Listen on Apple Podcasts Follow the podcast on Twitter Follow our hosts on Twitter: Morgan Lee and Kate Shellnutt Follow Katherine Ajibade on Twitter Music by Sweeps Quick to Listen is produced by Morgan Lee and Matt Linder The transcript is edited by Bunmi Ishola Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Transcript

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0:00.0	This episode is brought to you in part by The Apologetics Guy Show, the podcast that helps you find clear answers to tough questions about Christianity.
0:11.1	Learn to explain your faith with courage and compassion.
0:14.5	Join Moody Bible Institute professor Dr. Mikhail del Rosario at Apologeticsky.com.
0:26.6	At the beginning of this month, Hillssong New York City pastor Carl Lentz was fired. A day after the news went public, he posted a picture of his family on Instagram.
0:31.6	When you lead out of an empty place, you make choices that have real and painful consequences, he wrote in his post.
0:38.3	I was unfaithful in my marriage, the most important relationship in my life, and held accountable for
0:42.7	that. His failure is on me and me alone, and I take full responsibility for my actions.
0:49.1	In 2010, Lentz co-founded Hillsong, New York with Joel Houston. The church drew lines around the block and caught the eye of A-less celebrities, none more
0:57.6	famous than Justin Bieber.
0:59.7	Lentz, who also became famous for his wire-rimmed glasses, plunging v-necks, and designer sneakers,
1:05.4	himself became the subject of a number of profiles.
1:08.5	I'm going to read you an excerpt from a GQ piece that was published
1:12.4	by journalist Taffy Brodesser Ackner. The music, the lights, the crowds, begins an incredulous
1:18.9	woman narrating a CNN segment on Hillsong, New York City. It looks like a rock concert. The
1:24.4	Chiron reads, Hipster Preacher smashes stereotypesereotypes. They call Pastor Carl a hipster.
1:29.1	Carl says he doesn't know what that means, and he wears a motorcycle jacket when he says this.
1:33.5	Pastor Joel, Houston, the co-pastor at Hillsong, New York City, and the son of Hillsong founder
1:37.8	Brian Houston, is unwilling to acknowledge that there's something going on here.
1:41.9	Yes, he tells me, sure, he likes clothes, but that's the end of it.
1:45.8	I should ask Pastor Carl about the clothes, he tells me.
1:48.7	What Pastor Carl does, he says, that's intentional.
1:51.5	And then he laughs.
	...

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