Yahoo Finance Hillsong Church Founder Brian Houston Speaks Out on Carl Lentz’s 'Narcissistic Behavior' After Firing
Shareif Ziyadat/WireImage Carl Lentz
Hillsong Church founder, Brian Houston, is speaking out six months after former celebrity pastor Carl Lentz was fired.
In November, Lentz was fired from Hillsong and later admitted to being unfaithful to his wife, Laura, whom he married in 2003 and with whom he shares three children.
During an interview with Today published on the publication's site Tuesday that will air on the show Wednesday, Houston said he is bothered "to a degree" by those who would describe Lentz as being "aloof" or "removed" from the ministry.
Houston told the outlet, "Carl was Carl. He's a unique character. There's a lot of things I miss about Carl."
"But having said that, there were leadership issues that I believe included lying, included what I would call narcissistic behavior," he continued.
PEOPLE was unable to reach Lentz for comment.
Houston admitted he had "many" conversations with Lentz over the years in relation to the concerns.
Slaven Vlasic/Getty Images Carl Lentz
Since 2010, Lentz had been a pastor at the New York location of Hillsong after launching the church's first U.S. location with Joel Houston, according to Religion News Service, which was the first to report the news of his firing in November.
When asked if he should have gotten involved with the church's leaders before Lentz firing, Houston said the Hillsong would learn from the experience.
"I think there's a lot of things I should've known earlier," he told Today, "and hopefully, moving forward, we'll make sure we have far better systems in place and better accountability."
In December, a source told PEOPLE Lentz planned to enter "treatment at an outpatient facility that specializes in depression, anxiety and pastoral burnout."
Earlier this month, Laura spoke out for the first time since her husband's cheating scandal.
Laura posted to Instagram on May 5 for the first time since October, on the day that the couple celebrated 18 years of marriage.
RELATED VIDEO: Hillsong Founder Says Carl Lentz Had Multiple 'Significant' Affairs in Leaked Audio: Report
"There are many symbolic meanings to these amazing trees," she wrote. "A few that have resonated with me during this season of my life: they are strong, can weather the biggest storms, they always grow upwards. Freedom, righteousness, reward, resurrection just to name a few…"
"Trolls are cowards, SOME 'Christians' are anything but kind, gracious, or loving…but that won't stop me from growing upwards & getting stronger," she added. "I have learnt a lot about myself over the past few months. Now more than ever I know the kindness of God, His grace, forgiveness & strength."
