Hillsong announces successors to ousted Hillsong NYC pastor Carl Lentz

Chrishan and Danielle Jeyaratnam

Chrishan and Danielle Jeyaratnam have been named as the successors to ousted Hillsong NYC pastor Carl Lentz. 

Lentz was fired last November over "moral failures" and leadership issues. He subsequently admitted he had been unfaithful to his wife. 

The Jeyaratnams were confirmed as his successor during a sermon by senior Hillsong pastor Brian Houston on Sunday.  

The couple, who have four children, are lead pastors of Hillsong's Perth campus in Australia, as well as being the State Oversights for Hillsong's Western Australia and Bali Campuses.

Announcing their appointment, Houston said the Jeyaratnams had been "put through a heavy interviewing process" but that he was "thrilled" about their selection. 

He said God was going to rescue and rebuild the East Coast Church in the US but asked for prayers "because it has been hit hard."

"Certainly most people would know that toward the end of last year, it's been a very challening season at Hillsong in the United States and in particular in the East Coast, in New York ... and we're still working our way through that," he said. 

Their appointment follows the announcement by Hillsong that it has closed an investigation into the NYC campus.

Houston confirmed the end of the independent investigation in an email to the Hillsong East Coast family, in which he cited the "significant ways" that the NYC megachurch had "failed to reflect Hillsong global culture."

The findings will not be released publicly though. 

"Every Hillsong location must honor our commitment to creating a caring and healthy environment for our team, volunteers and members," the email said.

"Under the previous lead pastor, this was not always the case."