Former Hillsong Pastor Carl Lentz’s Celebrity Fallout: Bieber’s Housing Request, Tyler Perry’s Help—and Questions About His Comeback

Carl Lentz's new marriage book is revealing what happened to his celebrity friendships after his cheating scandal-and drawing criticism over how he is returning to public life.

Slate, the American online magazine covering news, politics, and culture, has published a sharply critical assessment of the former Hillsong NYC pastor's new book with his wife, Laura. In an Instagram post promoting its coverage, the outlet questions whether the couple's account of marital healing also serves as a vehicle for Carl's public comeback.

The book, Overcoming Infidelity: 10 Conversations to Help You Heal the Hurt, was released October 20. It combines the Lentzes' account of rebuilding their marriage with guidance for couples dealing with betrayal. But its revelations about Justin and Hailey Bieber and filmmaker Tyler Perry are attracting attention of their own.

According to Us Weekly's reporting on the memoir, the Lentz family was staying in the Biebers' New York City apartment when Carl's infidelity became public in 2020. Carl recalls receiving a call from Justin's representatives asking the family to leave immediately. That account comes from the Lentzes.

The request represented a painful rupture in a once-close friendship. Carl had been Bieber's spiritual adviser and baptized the singer in 2014. In the memoir, he acknowledges that his own conduct pulled Justin and Hailey into unwanted publicity and damaged their relationship.

Then Perry stepped in with substantial help.

Slate's post describes the filmmaker reportedly covering the family's $16,000 monthly rent in Manhattan Beach, California. The Wall Street Journal separately reported that Perry paid six months of rent. Perry confirmed providing assistance, explaining that he wanted the couple to have space to decide whether to save their marriage.

Those extraordinary circumstances sit at the center of Slate's criticism. The magazine argues that the couple's story of humiliation and recovery remains surrounded by the wealth and celebrity access that helped define Carl's former life.

Its broader concern is about spiritual authority: whether sharing lessons from a personal scandal gives a fallen celebrity pastor a new platform without sufficiently examining the culture that elevated him.

The Lentzes describe their purpose differently. In their book announcement, they said they wanted to share what has helped them rebuild honesty and connection, while emphasizing that recovery remains a lifelong process. They have not presented their marriage as a finished project.

Laura has also said her decision to stay should not become a rule for other betrayed spouses. In a recent interview with RELEVANT, she stressed that she needed evidence of change before remaining in the marriage. Carl acknowledged that help had been available, but he chose secrecy.

The couple is offering readers a story of reconciliation. Slate is questioning what happens when that deeply personal story becomes another public platform-and the celebrity revelations are ensuring that debate gets plenty of attention.