Justin Bieber Clarifies Hillsong Church Involvement Weeks After Ex-Pastor Carl Lentz's Firing

KEY POINTS

Justin Bieber clarified that he is a member of Churchome and is no longer involved with Hillsong Church
The singer also denied rumors that he is studying to become a minister for Hillsong Church
The rumors surfaced after the firing of his one-time spiritual adviser Carl Lentz from the megachurch in November

Justin Bieber is setting the record straight after rumors swirled that he was studying to become a Hillsong Church pastor following his one-time spiritual adviser Carl Lentz's firing.

The Canadian crooner, 26, took to Instagram Stories Monday to address speculations over his involvement with Hillsong Church. Bieber shared a Page Six article claiming that he was reportedly studying in order to become a minister of the Christian church.

"I'm not studying to be a minister or anything even close to that. Have no desire for that. This is fake news,” the 26-year-old wrote in all caps, adding that his church is Churchome and not Hillsong.

"Church is not a place. We are the church. We don't need a building to connect with god,” Bieber shared in another post, before writing, “God is with us wherever we are."

Bieber has been open about attending the Christian congregation led by Judah and Chelsea Smith. The nondenominational church's famous members also include Selena Gomez, Kourtney Kardashian and Ciara and Russell Wilson, Marie Claire reported.

Bieber’s clarification comes two months after Lentz, who reportedly baptized him, was fired from Hillsong Church in November due to alleged “moral failures.” The two were close, so much so that reports claimed the ex-pastor permitted the singer to move in with his family before their alleged fallout in 2018, Us Weekly noted.

After it was revealed that Lentz cheated on his wife of 17 years, Laura, Bieber’s wife, Hailey Baldwin Bieber, unfollowed the former pastor on Instagram. Following the decision of the megachurch to fire him, the disgraced pastor took to social media to admit to his wrongdoings.

“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,” Lentz captioned a photo of his family.

Despite the cheating controversy, his wife reportedly stood by him and they spent Thanksgiving together as a family with their three children. As to how the family has been handling the aftermath of the issue, a friend told People, “They are taking it day by day.”

Lentz and his wife are said to be attending therapy sessions to fix their marriage and rebuild trust in each other.