The creative director of a Hillsong Church in New Jersey has resigned over inappropriate photos sent to a volunteer.
Darnell Barrett, 32, claims the photos were sent to the volunteer by mistake but told the Daily Mail in a statement that he had decided to leave his post at the Montclair campus over "infidelity", which he and his wife are "working through".
"We thought it was best for me to move on. I don't want to get into the details," he told DailyMail.com.
"This was something that was just an honest mistake and I informed my wife as soon as it happened," he added.
The pictures show Barrett shirtless in front of the mirror wearing only white Nike Pro gym tights. The photos, in which his manhood was reportedly visible, were shown in an Instagram story shared with his 'close friends' group in February.
He then texted the volunteer, "Hey! I think I might've added you to my close friends list by accident. I'm so sorry. Trying to figure out how the hell to edit it."
The volunteer has accused Barrett of deliberately trying to "bait" her with the photos.
Barrett has denied this.
"I was not at all trying to lure her. I get that she, within the context of what's happening with Hillsong, that she would draw those conclusions. But I barely know her. That was not my intention," he said.
Hillsong has been hit by a string of scandals since the firing of Hillsong New York pastor Carl Lentz last November for moral failures. This was followed by further claims of inappropriate sexual relationships between Hillsong New York staffers and volunteers.
Just this month, Hillsong Senior Pastor Brian Houston said that operations at its Dallas church would be paused following accusations of lavish spending by former lead pastor Reed Bogard and his wife, Jess.
Former Hillsong College student Anna Crenshaw has also accused a married Hillsong staff administrator of sexually assaulting her.
