The image was everywhere for years. You probably remember it: a tattooed, leather-jacket-clad pastor side-by-side with the world’s biggest pop star. It wasn't just a casual celebrity sighting. Justin Bieber and Carl Lentz weren't just "church buddies"—they were practically family. Lentz was the man who famously baptized Bieber in an NBA player's bathtub in the middle of the night. He was the guy who helped Bieber navigate a messy, public breakdown when the singer was at his absolute lowest.
Then, everything vanished.
If you look at their social media today, the silence is deafening. No more courtside seats at Knicks games. No more "bro-trip" selfies. The fallout between Justin Bieber and Carl Lentz wasn't just a quiet drift; it was a total severance that coincided with one of the biggest scandals in modern megachurch history.
The Bathtub Baptism and the "Hypepriest" Era
To understand why people still care about this duo, you have to look back at 2014. Justin was struggling. Hard. He was dealing with the fallout of legal issues, a volatile public image, and a deep sense of isolation. Enter Carl Lentz, the lead pastor of Hillsong NYC.
Lentz didn't look like a pastor. He wore Saint Laurent. He hung out with Jay-Z. He was dubbed the "Hypepriest."
When Bieber reached out for help, Lentz didn't just give him a book of scriptures. He moved Justin into his own home. For several weeks, Bieber lived with Carl, his wife Laura, and their kids. He did an informal "detox" from the Hollywood machine while interning for the church.
The bond was intense.
👉 See also: Michael Joseph Jackson Jr: What Most People Get Wrong About Prince
"I love that man. He’s a brother. He’s family," Lentz told GQ back in 2015.
For a while, it worked. Bieber’s Purpose era was defined by this spiritual pivot. He started talking about grace and forgiveness. He cancelled his world tour in 2017 because he was "exhausted" and needed to protect his soul—a move many credited to Lentz’s influence.
The Firing That Changed Everything
The turning point came in November 2020. The world was already weird because of the pandemic, and then the headline dropped: Carl Lentz was fired from Hillsong.
The reasons given were "leadership issues" and "moral failures." Shortly after, Lentz admitted on Instagram that he had been unfaithful in his marriage. A woman named Ranin Karim, an NYC designer, soon came forward to detail a months-long affair.
The fallout was nuclear.
While Bieber never released a formal "breakup" statement, his actions spoke for him. He unfollowed Lentz. Hailey Bieber did the same. Suddenly, the man who had officiated their private courthouse wedding and served as a spiritual father was persona non grata.
✨ Don't miss: Emma Thompson and Family: What Most People Get Wrong About Her Modern Tribe
Where Do They Stand in 2026?
Honestly, the distance between them seems permanent. Justin has moved on to other spiritual mentors, specifically Judah Smith of Churchome. In late 2025 and early 2026, Justin has been vocal about his "Jesus journey" being about a personal relationship rather than a specific church building or a specific celebrity leader.
He’s 31 now. He’s a father. The "Bieber and Lentz" era feels like a lifetime ago.
Lentz, on the other hand, has been on a long road to what he calls "restoration." He’s currently working in a non-pastoral role at Transformation Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma. He launched a podcast called Lights On where he’s finally talking about the wreckage.
In a recent 2025 episode, Lentz touched on the pain of losing friendships. While he didn't name Justin explicitly, it was clear. He admitted that when you fail as publicly as he did, you can't expect everyone to stay. You lose the right to be in their circle.
Why the Relationship Really Cracked
It wasn't just the cheating.
Sources close to the singer have hinted over the years that Justin felt "betrayed" on a deeper level. When you give someone total access to your life and soul, and they turn out to be living a double life, the foundation doesn't just crack—it dissolves.
🔗 Read more: How Old Is Breanna Nix? What the American Idol Star Is Doing Now
Bieber was trying to get clean and stay honest. Finding out his mentor was doing the opposite was a massive blow to his trust.
The Evolution of Celebrity Faith
The saga of Justin Bieber and Carl Lentz actually taught the industry a lot. It exposed the "Celebrity Pastor" culture for what it often is: a dangerous pedestal.
- Accountability Matters: Even the guy at the top needs someone to tell them "no."
- Boundaries Are Essential: Living with your pastor might sound like a great "rehab" idea, but it blurs lines that should probably stay clear.
- Faith Survives People: Justin is still very religious. He just doesn't need a "cool" pastor to validate it anymore.
Moving Forward: Actionable Insights
If you’ve followed this story because you’re navigating your own disappointment with a mentor or a leader, there are a few things to take away:
- Audit Your Influences: It’s okay to admire a leader, but never make them the sole source of your personal values. People are flawed; principles aren't.
- Watch for "Performance" Faith: If a relationship is based more on how it looks on Instagram than how it feels in private, it’s probably shallow.
- Allow for Seasons: Some people are meant to be in your life for a specific "rescue" season. Once that season is over, it’s okay to walk away, especially if the relationship becomes toxic.
Justin Bieber seems to have found a quieter, more stable version of himself in 2026. He’s posting about Romans 12 and the power of forgiveness, but he’s doing it from a distance. He’s learned that you can forgive someone without letting them back into your house.
The "Hypepriest" and the Pop Star might never share a stage again, but the lessons from their rise and fall are still very much alive.