Justin Bieber and Hailey are under test for their friendship with former Hillsong pastor Carl Lentz.
Lentz has reflected on the breakdown of his once-close friendship with the couple, revealing how his infidelity scandal affected their relationship and led to an unexpected move.
In their new book, Overcoming Infidelity: 10 Conversations to Help You Heal the Hurt, Carl, 47, and his wife, Laura Lentz, 48, shared details about the difficult period following his dismissal from Hillsong Church in 2020 over what the church described as “moral failure.”
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According to Laura, the family had been considering relocating to Brooklyn for several months.
During that time, Justin, now 32, and Hailey, 29, generously allowed Carl, Laura, and their three children to stay at their home while they explored potential living arrangements.
The couple had reportedly offered them the opportunity to “take [their] time exploring where [they] might live” and “use their place as long as needed.”
However, everything changed when Carl’s infidelity became public in November 2020. Laura recalled that someone from Justin’s team contacted them with an unexpected message.
“Somebody on Justin’s team [called] to say we needed to be out of his and Hailey’s apartment in the next 24 hours,” she wrote. “We hastily packed our things and loaded them into a rented U-Haul.”
Carl described the sudden departure as a “kick to the ribs” while he was already struggling with the consequences of losing his position at Hillsong.
“I deserved to be kicked to the curb, but I felt Laura and the kids were just innocent bystanders suffering once again for my sins,” he admitted.
Looking back, Carl acknowledged that his actions also placed Justin in a difficult position, dragging him and Hailey into unwanted public attention.
He said the scandal “exploded” his “close” friendship with Justin, creating a “publicity nightmare they never asked for.”
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Earlier in 2023, Carl also talked about the struggles his relationship went through after his infidelity.
