Carl Lentz Alleged Lover Ranin Speaks Out

Photo: Toby Zerna/Newspix/Getty Images.

New details are emerging about the scandal that rocked the celebrity Christian community involving the sudden firing of celebrity pastor Carl Lentz last week, and they’re coming straight from the woman who allegedly had a romantic relationship with the faith leader.

On November 4, Hillsong megachurch founder Brian Houston sent out a shocking email to the church’s community, informing the global congregation that Lentz had been released from his position as head pastor of the popular New York City location. The reason for firing was stated as “moral failure,” but Lentz himself confirmed that he was released because he cheated on his wife (who was also released from her position).

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"When you lead out of an empty place, you make choices that have real and painful consequences," the pastor wrote on social media. "I was unfaithful in my marriage, the most important relationship in my life and held accountable for that."

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Our time at HillsongNYC has come to an end. This is a hard ending to what has been the most amazing, impacting and special chapter of our lives. Leading this church has been an honor in every sense of the word and it is impossible to articulate how much we have loved and will always love the amazing people in this church. When you accept the calling of being a pastor, you must live in such a way that it honors the mandate. That it honors the church, and that it honors God. When that does not happen, a change needs to be made and has been made in this case to ensure that standard is upheld. Laura and I and our amazing children have given all that we have to serve and build this church and over the years I did not do an adequate job of protecting my own spirit, refilling my own soul and reaching out for the readily available help that is available. When you lead out of an empty place, you make choices that have real and painful consequences. I was unfaithful in my marriage, the most important relationship in my life and held accountable for that. This failure is on me, and me alone and I take full responsibility for my actions. I now begin a journey of rebuilding trust with my wife, Laura and my children and taking real time to work on and heal my own life and seek out the help that I need. I am deeply sorry for breaking the trust of many people who we have loved serving and understand that this news can be very hard and confusing for people to hear and process. I would have liked to say this with my voice, to you, in person because you are owed that. But that opportunity I will not have. So to those people, I pray you can forgive me and that over time I can live a life where trust is earned again. To our pastors Brian and Bobbie, thank you for allowing us to lead, allowing us to thrive and giving us room to have a voice that you have never stifled or tried to silence. Thank you for your grace and kindness especially in this season, as you have done so much to protect and love us through this. We, the Lentz family, don’t know what this next chapter will look like, but we will walk into it together very hopeful and grateful for the grace of God..

A post shared by Carl Lentz (@carllentz) on Nov 5, 2020 at 12:12pm PST

Today, the New York Post shared an interview with a woman who alleges that she recently dated Lentz. Ranin, a NYC-based fashion designer, told the outlet that she and the former pastor had maintained an intimate romantic relationship throughout the coronavirus pandemic. Their first encounter allegedly took place at Williamsburg’s Domino Park.

"I thought, he’s single, he’s a good-looking man, why not?” Ranin told the New York Post, sharing that Lentz later revealed that he was married.

The pair reportedly began to grow closer, bonding over tequila during their weekly visits. Ranin says the relationship, which spanned the course of five months, only ended for good after Lentz shared his official statement last week. Even when his wife first discovered evidence of the affair by way of text messages saved on his iCloud account — "He’s not really a good cheater," Ranin said of the pastor — and after he was fired by Hillsong, she claims the pair still continued to stay in contact.

"People like [Lentz] shouldn’t preach," Ranin concluded. "He’s a professional narcissist [who] lies too much."

Refinery29 has reached out to Lentz for comment, but he has not responded.

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