Axed Hillsong pastor Carl Lentz has ended speculation about a possible return to the pulpit by announcing the launch of a new podcast.
Lentz was fired in November 2020 after admitting to adultery and has spent the last few years working on his marriage and spending time with his family.
After avoiding the limelight for some time, last year he revealed that he had joined the team at Transformation Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, as a "strategist".
Last week he and wife Laura teased a "new chapter" was coming in their life, sparking speculation that Lentz might have been planning to return to frontline ministry.
That is not the case, however, as he has now confirmed on his Instagram that they are launching a new podcast instead.
The "Lights On" podcasts releases on 4 June and will delve into his journey towards recovery in the hopes that it will help other people heal from their "bad choices".
In a video posted to Instagram about the new podcast, Lentz said, "No I'm not back. That guy is gone."
"My choices, and the road toward recovery taught me how helpful it is to have people share vulnerably the impact of their bad choices, the pain they caused, and the pain they suffered that led them to make those choices, and what they've discovered can be helpful and healing," he said.
Lentz said he hoped "that in sharing those things from my story and asking others to share theirs, it will be helpful, hopeful and healing."
He added, "I'm thankful for where we are today,. To be confident of the future, content in the present and healed enough to speak to the past is miraculous. If we can make it, anybody can ... thank you for all the love and support!"
