This story comes from Star Magazine, which will cause many people to immediately roll their eyes and say “nope, don’t believe it.” But sometimes I like to talk about Star stories because they *feel* true. This is one of those cases. I’ve been wondering for weeks now if any media outlet was going to run any kind of examination or deeper dive into Justin Bieber and Hailey Baldwin’s associations with Hillsong Church. Hillsong is the latest “celebrity church” in LA, and the pastor who runs it, Carl Lentz, has made Bieber’s life, career and redemption one of his personal causes. Tons of celebrities and athletes and Instagram models are associated with Hillsong. Every time you read an interview with a 20-something “model” and she’s talking about going to Bible study, just know that she’s probably a Hillsong devotee. Hailey Baldwin is like that – she’s been going to Hillsong for years. And Star claims that Hillsong and Carl Lentz basically encouraged Hailey and Justin’s engagement from the beginning.
Hillsong Church was actually the one pushing Justin Bieber, 24, to propose to Hailey Baldwin after rekindling their romance just last month.
“The church leaders are determined to increase membership, and what could be better promotion than Justin getting engaged? He went from a spiraling druggie who slept with hundreds of women on tour to a Christian family man – all thanks to Hillsong!” details the insider close to the controversial megachurch and its charismatic pastor Carl Lentz.
“After Justin broke up with Selena Gomez again in May, Carl pushed Justin to get back together with Hailey; she’s a devoted Hillsong member and the ideal choice for a wife.”
Slavish obedient to Svengali Carl, Justin took the suggestion as gospel and popped the question to Hailey, 21, whom he’d dated – and callously dumped – back in 2016. But Carl’s motives are less about filling Justin’s heart and more about lining his own pockets!
“Carl has the idea to have Hailey and Justin lead commitment workshops for other celebs and rich members – and of course, split the profits with Hillsong! Without Carl, this engagement wouldn’t have happened!”
[From Star Magazine, print edition]
I doubt that Lentz sees Justin and Hailey’s engagement as some opportunity to sell commitment workshops. I think it’s more sinister than that, quite honestly. I think Bieber has gone all-in with Lentz and Lentz is controlling huge parts of Justin’s personal life and career decisions now. I think Lentz wants Bieber and Baldwin to marry because Lentz knows he can control both of them and yes, profit from them. We’ll see.
Photos courtesy of Backgrid.
