towards this more toll rat tone, this is completely against that sort of theme. >> all right, nick. thanks so much. >> you bet. hello again, everyone. i'm fredericka whitfield. it would have been incomprehensible to consciously leave an american behind. the words of u.s. secretary of state john kerry. speaking for the first time on the firestorm over the swap of army sergeant bowe bergdahl for five taliban leaders. kerry sat down for an exclusive interview with cnn this weekend. and she asked a question on the minds of many americans, how closely will the five released taliban prisoners be watched? >> we are told that these five can roam around the country. pretty vague on what those restrictions and monitoring are. i mean, tell me about that. on a scale of one to ten, ten

being the most confident, how confident are you that the qataris able to keep a close eye on these guys? >> they're not the only ones. >> u.s. is monitoring? >> i'm just saying they're not the only ones keeping an eye on them and confidence in the requirements and we have the ability to do things. i'm not -- >> what kind of things? >> i'm not -- i'm not telling you that they don't have some ability to go back and get involved but they have an ability to get killed doing that. i don't think anybody should doubt the capacity of the -- >> killing them? >> no one could doubt the capacity of america to protect americans. the president said he'll do whatever's necessary to protect the united states of america so these guys pick a fight with us in the future or now or at any time. enormous risk and we have proven what we're capable of doing with al qaeda. let me just finish.

with al qaeda, the core al qaeda, in west pakistan, afghanistan. >> some people say bowe bergdahl is being swift boated. did he serve with honor and distinction as national security -- >> there's plenty of time, there's plenty of time for people to sort through what happened, what didn't happen. i don't know all the facts of -- >> sounds like you're not sure. >> that's not what i'm saying. what i'm saying is there's plenty of time for people to sort through that. what i know today is what the president of the united states knows. that it would have been offensive and incomprehensible to consciously leave an american behind, no matter what, to leave an american behind in the hands of people who had torture him, cut off his head, do any number of things and choose to do that. that's the other side of this equation. i don't think anybody would think that's the appropriate thing to do. and, you know, it seems to me we

have an ability, we know we have the ability to be able to deal with people who want to threaten americans or threaten the americans and if that's what they go back on the word to do or the qataris don't enforce what they have done, we have any number of avenues available to us to be able to deal with that. >> reaction to secretary kerry's comments swift and criticism from not just republicans but even some democrats. but has the bergdahl ordeal become the latest issue being used for political advantage. earlier i asked ryan liza about that. >> the first thing to say is whenever you have a sort of combination of obama making a decision and partisan politics, these things, obama making a controversial decision, filtered through a partisan lens and see republicans who are generally favorably disposed to getting bergdahl back and reassessing that and you see, you know, you

see the white house which has -- on the record saying it would never negotiate with terrorists defending something it changed its mind on and put their partisan shirt on and looked at this. and that's -- you know, look. there's no doubt there are legitimate questions of the law, whether the white house violated the law. i think congress is well within their rights to look into that. well within their rights to question whether five taliban commanders were worth the price for bergdahl. i think what is just out of bounds and sort of sorry sight is people going after, one, this soldier personally and dredging up a lot of information that just is not verifiable. and two, going after his poor family who after all did not make this decision to bring him back. >> ryan lizza. for five years, bowe bergdahl's parents feared for their son's life and now may have reason to fear for their own.

a fbi special agent informing cnn this weekend they're working to investigate threats against bob and jamie bergdahl. carl penhall is in germany where bowe bergdahl is still being treated. when's the latest on the threats against his parents and how bowe bergdahl is doing and if he knows about this firestorm? >> reporter: well, that is really just the latest twist in a story that's got so many levels, hasn't it, fredericka? what the fbi official said that, yes, they are taking very seriously these threats against bergdahl's family. we understand that there are multiple threats. we don't know exactly how many. and that so far the fbi hasn't been telling us where those threats have come from. but looking at this from the outside, it really does seem to be a reflection of an american society that sent its young men to war without really understanding the psychological problems that could be under,

about the physical dangers they would be under and once the american public realized it's not black and white but shades of gray and looking at bowe bergdahl as a lightning rod instead of really questioning, you know, what was going on, his platoon at the time. we know that his platoon poor discipline. we know that there was a poor chain of command in place at the time and we also know that when he was captured then also there was a question mark of really the political and the military way forward, the mission statement in afghanistan but, no, it's much easier to blame bowe bergdahl and then seen the threats against his family, as well. but as far as bowe bergdahl's health, we know that every morning psychologists and physicians say is today the day to send bowe bergdahl back to the u.s. to continue his treatment? so far, those physicians, the medical team, has said, no, he's not ready right now.

but what we are hearing via "the new york times" citing an unnamed pentagon official is that he doesn't have any life threatening physical ailments. really a skin problem because of exposure to the elements, a gum problem because perhaps he didn't have the right nutrition. but very worrying on the psychological front from this "the new york times" source that bergdahl may have been kept for weeks at a time in total darkness. in a cage. that for his attempts to escape. about 160 pounds now.eighing - that for a 5'9" guy is a pretty good weight and also talking to his medical team, getting involved in his care program. he is, of course, insisting that they still call him private first class rather than the sergeant rank that he was elevated to. he very much still wants to be seen as one of the grunts, fredericka. >> because he was elevated to sergeant while he was in captivity and he's saying, you know what? private first class when i was taken and still private first

class. carl penhall, thank you so much. all right. this breaking story following out of las vegas now police say multiple people have been shot. officials say it happened in the 300 block of north knellis boulevard. that east of downtown area. no more details given. investigators say people are injured and asking people to avoid that area. just east of downtown. we'll bring you, of course, more details as they become available there in las vegas. and to the racetrack we will also go. california chrome, didn't make the kind of history his owners thought he might. what happened that even made the owner call some of the other owners cowards? [ girl ] my mom, she makes underwater fans that are powered by the moon. ♪

she can print amazing things, right from her computer. [ whirring ] [ train whistle blows ] she makes trains that are friends with trees. ♪ my mom works at ge. ♪ with lobster! don't miss our first ever lobster toppers event! 4 delicious entrees topped with sweet, succulent maine lobster starting at just $15.99! like savory new wood-grilled shrimp

topped with maine lobster in a citrus hollandaise... or the new ultimate: lobster-topped lobster -- 3 split maine lobster tails topped with maine lobster in a creamy white wine sauce! four choices, for a limited time, starting at just $15.99! everything's better with lobster! come in now, and sea food differently.

it was supposed to be history in the making for california chrome. at least that's what plenty of folks were betting on. after winning the kentucky derby and preakness, high hopes that he would run away with it at the belmont stakes but he just couldn't pull it off. cnn's richard roth looks at the rice and why california chrome's owner is fuming mad. >> reporter: steve coburn, coowner of california chrome, in a good mood moments before the belmont stakes waving his hat to the fans but minutes later refused to wave the surrender flag as california chrome was fourth, missing out on the elusive triple crown. the california factory worker blasted other owners of horses who did not run in the first two legs of the triple run. the kentucky derby and preakness being rested for the belmont to take down california chrome. >> this is a coward's way out in my opinion. a coward's way out. >> reporter: critics called the comments sour grapes.

he didn't back down sunday morning. >> the people, they nominate the horses for the triple crown and means three. triple, three. and then they hold out two and then come back and run one. that would be like me 6'2", like me at 6'2" playing basketball with a kid in a wheelchair. >> reporter: but the triple crown is won only 11 times and that test of endurance winning three races of different distances in five weeks is why it's horse racing's greatest achievement. coburn's 77-year-old trainer more generous. >> the horse is not cowards and the people aren't cowards. you know what i mean? i think it was out of text myself. but hey. he was at the heat of the moment. you know what i mean? and don't forget. he's a fairly new owner. you know what i mean? sometimes your emotions get in front of you. >> reporter: coburn went to the barn to check on california chrome with an ailing hoof. the owner still sounded in pain. >> if there's ever a chance that

we have another horse that has earned his way to the kentucky derby, we'll run at kentucky and then the hell with the rest of them. >> reporter: california chrome is off to california. his owner will follow. but not singing new york, new york on takeoff. richard roth, cnn, new york. and the pope leads a rare prayer meeting today. bringing together key israeli and palestinian leaders but will it help bring peace to the region? but first, here's today's cnn hero. >> as a child, i ran from the killing squads three times. even now, i still dream that i'm running. our entire little town was burned. to nothing. my mother and father were killed in the mass graves. i sometimes think it would have been better if i had died with

them. i cry at night. your letters are for me like medicine. >> these are the last survivors of the holocaust in eastern europe. and they're out there today elderly, alone, suffering. they don't have extended family. life is so hard in these places. they don't have anything. i saw it with my own eyes and i knew that no one was helping them. so i wanted to reach out and help them. we provide them with direct and continuous financial aid for food, heat and medication and shelter. okay? stay healthy and write to me. and we let them know they've not been forgotten. his wife is paralyzed. he is so not well. we get stacks and stacks of letters every week. mostly in russian. we start to answer them immediately and sending money. we are now helping 2,000 people in 8 countries. >> the money is life saving. but the connection, the letters,

the communication, equally life saving. >> i'm going to come back and see you. we can really write a more hopeful final chapter to the holocaust this time one of kindness and compassion. what they finally deserve at the end of their lives. (vo) after 50 years of designing cars for crash survival, subaru has developed our most revolutionary feature yet. a car that can see trouble... ...and stop itself to avoid it. when the insurance institute for highway safety tested front crash prevention nobody beat subaru models with eyesight. not honda. not ford or any other brand. subaru eyesight. an extra set of eyes, every time you drive. listen up, thunder dragons, it's time to get a hotel. hey, razor. check this out. we can save big with priceline express deals. hey you know what man, these guys aint no dragons.

they're cool. these deals are legit. yeah, we're cool. she's cool. we're cool. priceline express deals are totally legit. check this, thousands of people book them everyday and score killer deals. now, priceline is piling on even more savings with its summer sale. so grab your giant beach towel and enter code summer14. look at me enjoying the deals.

will there be lessening tensions in ukraine? a fall on the horizon of russia and the west? russian relations was a topic cnn discussed with the u.s. secretary of state kerry in an exclusive interview this weekend. >> seems like president putin met with a bunch of leaders, including president obama, over in normandy. it seems as if there's a time now for the tension to go down and for things to move forward. is that true? >> well, look. we are all very hopeful. i mean, i'm glad the president had a chance to meet briefly in the context of the luncheon with president putin and with president poroschenko. i had an opportunity to meet with foreign minister lavrov and

angela merkel. i think drawing from all of those conversations there's a sense of some steps that could be taken in order to try to dees deescalate. they have to take certain steps to make it possible. even as we are discussing these possibilities, there is too much violence in the east and ukraine. there's still russian support coming across the border. >> is there a danger here to see an insurgence sy, that extremists come in, you have seen it happen in iraq, in libya, in syria. and these extremists could come in and threaten even the united states interests. >> well, there is a danger that there are already extremists coming in. i think it's very important and i believe russia has an ability to be able to have an impact on this if we get the right ingredients moving. you know, the russians have to

make fundamental decisions. we are not naive about it. we know exactly what their input is and we know what has to be done. we want to provide the framework within which russia can make those choices. we do not see this as a zero sum gum battle between us and them over who gets crew yan or whether ukraine is aligned or not aligned. we want ukraine to be a bridge between east and west and trading between all of them without this kind of struggle but we want it to have its sovereignty respected. we want the people of ukraine to be able to choose the future of cray yan, not russia, not the united states. >> exclusive conversation with secretary kerry there. a very unique prayer meeting just wrapped up at the vat condition. the pope hosted a prayer for peace and presidents of israel and palestinian authority with him. they had a joint peace prayer a short time ago and read invocations for peace in the region.

i want to bring in delia gallagher. can you tell us more about what happened during that ceremony today and so meaningful? >> reporter: fredericka, this was a first at the vatican. first, not because it was an interreligious prayer ceremony but because it's the first time two politicians have been protagonists at a prayer service along with the pope. of course, the vatican has said they want to down play any political side to today's event. they said they wanted it to be a pause from political negotiations. but at the same time, in both the talks of president perez and president abbas, there were political undercurrents, naturally. both of them mentioning, for example, the importance of jerusalem to their people. that is one of the contentious issues in negotiations. but the pope bringing them back to the call for courage in his talks. he said he hopes this marks the beginning of a new journey.

and i think that that is something we are beginning to see in pope francis in the efforts at diplomacy, this kind of new way that we has, not to bring everybody around the table and hammer out the details, but to suggest that there can be a friendly way under this umbrella of peace to remind people that religion can be a maker of peace and a bringer of peace and not something which causes decision. some of the highlights, fredericka, of course, the beautiful service conducted both in arabic, in hebrew, in italian and various languages representing the three religions and embrace between the two presidents and probably most importantly, a chance to meet privately afterwards with the hope after the ceremony, fredericka. >> delia gallagher, thank you so much, in rome. all right. while everyone hopes and prays for tracy morgan's speedy recovery, a criminal

investigation is now under way into the crash that left him critically hurt. who investigators have charged, next. but first, more than a million and a half american children may end up homeless this year. a charity of covenant house is making an impact in their lives. >> as a teen, that reece peters felt like she was trapped in a cycle of poverty and neglect. >> my mom was emotionally and verbally abusive. it was just like i'm always sorry but i don't know what i'm sorry for. i got engaged with this guy which i thought was the love of my life. >> dropped out of high school senior year and ran away with him spending eight months on the streets of new york city. >> you don't know who's who out there. eating out of garbage. i started to dabbling in drugs because i have to numb myself. >> peters knew something had to change. she dumped her boyfriend and found refuge here. >> this is where the magic happens. >> covenant house gives homeless youth a place to live across the

u.s., canada and latin america. >> covenant house is part of a movement to help kids dream big dreams and achieve those dreams. we're all about giving kids the skills that they need and we want them to build for themselves that very fulfilling love filled home that's their destiny. >> peters is on her way of achieving that. she's training to be a nursing assistant to get the ged and go to college. she's eastbound reconnected with her mom. >> i feel revitalized. it is just like i got me back.

our "name your price" tool helps -- jamie, you've got a little something on the back of your shoe, there. [alarm beeping] price tag. danger: price tag alert. oh, hey, guys. price tag alert. is this normal? well, progressive's a price tag free zone. we let you tell us what you want to pay, and we help you find options to fit your budget. where are they taking him? i don't know. this seems excessive! decontamination's in progress. i don't want to tell you guys your job, but... policies without the price tags. now, that's progressive.

comedian tracy morgan remains in critical condition today, a day after a deadly multivehicle crash in new jersey. police say the chain reaction crash started when a tractor trailer rear ended morgan's limo bus and that truck driver is facing charges. alexandra field is following the story from new york. when's the latest on the invest and his condition? >> reporter: yeah, fred, talking about serious charges because there ice a serious accident. we know that tracy morgan is in

critical condition. as for the driver who's alleged to have caused the accident, he has surrendered to police and made attempts to reach his attorney. we haven't been successful yet but the driver's employer, walmart, is speaking out. >> i'm tracy morgan. >> do you have anything on your person that say that is? >> how about my face? that's on my person. >> reporter: actor comedian tracy morgan and two others in critical condition. his friend james mcnair the comedian known as jimmy mc ki killed after the sprinter bus flips over. >> devastated. we're devastated. james, i love you. >> great comedian, great writer. but very giving. >> reporter: a walmart truck driver faces serious charges for causing the six-vehicle wreck. one count of death by auto, four counts of assault by auto. new jerseys say roper failed to see traffic slow down and the

last minute he tried to veer but slammed into the limo bus around 1:00 saturday morning. >> two prak or the trailers involved. comedian actor tracy morgan was involved. he is in intensive care. >> reporter: the national transportation safety board is also investigating the accident. their focus on commercial limousine and commercial trucking safety. walmart president bill simon says the company is profoundly sorry in a statement that continues, quote, if it's determined that our truck caused the accident, walmart will take full responsibility. we will do what's right for the family of the victim and the survivors in the days and weeks ahead. ♪ morgan came to fame on "saturday night live" later starring with tina fey in "30 rock." here he is before the accident saturday night performing at a casino in dover, delaware. the pictures of the packed house

posted on facebook by fellow comedian arty. his opening act. a final shot shows the bus just before both men board it. tracy morgan's friends and family have been by his side at the hospital in new brunn bruns. also two other passengers in critical condition in the hospital from the bus. >> keep us posted. thank you. the author of the wildly popular "game of thrones" series has an offer for his fans. he'll write you into the story but there's a catch. how could you win that prize? next. ♪ [ girl ] my mom, she makes underwater fans that are powered by the moon.

♪ she can print amazing things, right from her computer. [ whirring ] [ train whistle blows ] she makes trains that are friends with trees. ♪ my mom works at ge. ♪ my mom works at ge. be a sound sleeper, or...l you a mouth breather? well, put on a breathe right strip and instantly open your nose up to 38% more

than allergy medicines alone. so you can breathe and sleep. shut your mouth and sleep right. breathe right. you know that dream... on my count. the one where you step up and save the day? make it happen. (crowd) oh no... introducing verizon xlte. hey guys, i got it right here! we've doubled our 4g lte bandwidth in cities coast to coast. so take on more. with xlte. for best results, use verizon. hello! i'm a kid. and us kids have an important message for our grown ups. three grams daily of beta-glucan... a soluable fiber from whole grain oat foods like cheerios can help lower cholesterol. and where can you find beta-glucan? in oats. and, they're yummy!

i'm going back to being a kid now. thank you! say "hi" rudy. [ barks ] [ chuckles ] i'd do anything to keep this guy happy and healthy. that's why i'm so excited about these new milk-bone brushing chews. whoa, i'm not the only one. it's a brilliant new way to take care of his teeth. clinically proven as effective as brushing. ok, here you go. have you ever seen a dog brush his own teeth? the twist and nub design cleans all the way down to the gum line, even reaching the back teeth. they taste like a treat, but they clean like a toothbrush. nothing says you care like a milk-bone brushing chew. [ barks ] that's keeping you from the healthcare you deserve. at humana, we believe if healthcare changes, if it becomes simpler... if frustration and paperwork decrease... if grandparents get to live at home instead of in a home... the gap begins to close. so let's simplify things. let's close the gap between people and care.

♪ could be enticing. how would you like to be a character in the "game of thrones" books? and then have the distinction of getting killed off. followers of the series know the important or most popular characters are often the one that is are eliminated when least expected. the author george r.r. martin is promising that fate for a lucky donor giving $20,000 to charity, writing in a man and a woman named after the donors and then come up with a particularly grizzly death. for fans of the books and the hit hbo show, that is the chance of a lifetime. and those fans are everywhere. just this week, hbo said "game

of thrones" is the most popular series in the history with an average of 18.4 million viewers an episode. extraordinary. i'm joined now by sarah ri card, the tv editor for the rolten tomatoes website. sarah, what is it about the show that has viewers and readers so obse obsessed? >> i think one of the reasons people are so obsessed with "game of thrones" because it's a cultural phenomenon and if you're not a part of it you have the fear of missing out and just go on social media and see every hash tag about game of thrones. it's also g.o.t. and become a sunday night event watching so you kind of have to be a part of it. >> it is appointment viewing. folks even if they have the chance to do on-demand know they want to be there at 9:00 when it comes on. "game of thrones" is most

watched hbo show in hbo history now but the viewership numbers are also right up there with shows on regular nonpremium networks. is that very surprising for a paid network? >> i think it is surprising because you have to as you say you have to pay to have access to it but there's definitely this part of people that want to have a say in the conversation and it is a good show. i mean, rotten tomatoes, we track how the critics are reviewing the show, and this season, season 4, on the tomato meter is 98% certified fresh. >> oh my gosh. >> yeah. 98% of the critics and we poll critics from all the top sources all over the country, "washington post," "l.a. times" all saying it's a terrific show. >> wow. >> something happens every week that keeps that momentum going and -- >> lots of surprises all the

time, right? >> so many surprises. >> yeah. >> and so many cliff hangers so you really want to tune in the next week because the last week leaves you wanting to see what happens. >> a lot of takers on the challenge to get written into his book and be able to help raise money for a charity. now talk about another tv show. if we can call it that that's got a huge following, "orange is the new black." season released friday on netflix. are we looking at a real behavioral change in the way people are watching television? and how they are, you know, finding an affinity for certain shows? >> definitely. and netflix which put out season 2 of "orange is the new black" on friday night at midnight, i was watching it in the green room on my phone. i'm on episode 7. they have done studies and they are finding that their tv watchers use the service netflix

are binging shows, watching two to three, at least two to three episodes in a single sitting. plowing through a whole season in a week. so -- >> wow. >> people are getting the batches of seasons and house of cards and arrested development and they're encouraging people to binge watch and funny on social media and you follow "orange is the new black" to see encouraging people to have binge parties and tweet photos of the binging and people are doing it and just saw today people are saying, okay, i'm finished. now what do i do? >> a new marketing tool and phenomenal. sarah ricard, thanks so much with rotten tomatoes. appreciate it. all right. for many of us, sunday means church. but does your church look like this? or act like this? ♪

it's a little different here in new york. we'll explain. woman: this is not exactly what i expected. man: definitely more murdery than the reviews said. captain obvious: this is a creepy room. man: oh hey, captain obvious. captain obvious: you should have used hotels.com. their genuine guest reviews are written by guests who have genuinely stayed there. instead of people who lie on the internet. son: look, a finger. captain: that's unsettling. man: you think? captain: all the time. except when i sleep. which i would not do here.

hotels.com would have mentioned the finger. i got more advice than i knew what to do with. what i needed was information i could trust on how to take care of me and my baby. luckily, unitedhealthcare has a simple program that helps moms stay on track with their doctors and get the right care and guidance-before and after the baby is born. simple is good right now. (anncr vo) innovations that work for you.

that's health in numbers. unitedhealthcare.

every sunday in manhattan you will find thousands upon thousands of 20 and 30-somethings lined up to go to church but this isn't grandma's service. poppy harlow explains how this church is all about rock n roll. ♪ >> reporter: the music. the lights. the crowds. it looks like a rock concert. and the lines around the block are enough to make any nightclub envious. but this, this is church. and some new yorkers can't seem to get enough of their unlikely pastor. carl lentz.

>> i will not say though i walk through the valley of the shadow of death i take a look at my life, i realize it's sudden death. >> reporter: with the leather and body ink, he looks more like a rock star than the pastor of a pent coastal church. >> the lord is my shepherd and i lack nothing. >> reporter: this 35-year-old basketball fanatic, a walk-on at nc state calling himself the unofficial chaplain for the new york knicks is a pastor. the lead pastor of a church. hill song nyc. >> you ran from church your whole life you didn't like the organization, we meet in a club and not going to sing the songs you're used to and preach a message you think you'll hear. >> you take issue when people call this religion. >> i do. you can be religious about being a car thief, religious criminal. but we have a relationship with god. >> i will dwell in the house of the lord forever.

come on, somebody. that is worth a pentecostal shoutdown. >> reporter: this is the australian branch of hill song boasting 75,000 me believes in 12 countries. lentz and wife laura started hill song nyc three years ago after meeting at a bible college in sidney. >> i said jesus, i need to give this a shot with you in charge. >> we try to create a home for people. ♪ it's not for everyone. that's okay. that's the great diversity and the beauty of the house of god, the church. ♪ >> reporter: on an average sunday, some 6,000 followers pour in over the day's five services. >> you just leave, like, filled with the holy spirit. >> you don't feel judged at all walking in.

>> when i came here, i found what i was looking for. i found god. >> reporter: found god? >> simple and plain. his presence here is phenomenal. >> reporter: the church baptisms carried out here in a time square hotel swimming pool. >> i feel amazing. i feel new. >> this narrow gate to jesus, some people are rolling right by it. >> reporter: watch lentz preach and see his veins pop out of his neck. his intensity silences the entire congregation. >> jesus is here. >> reporter: whether or not you agree with his message, there's no denying lentz is magnetic. >> you cannot find hope. this has to be your moment to let me say let me try the chief shepherd that never failed anybody. >> reporter: is carl the next ryan houston, the next joel 0steen? >> could well be. moses is already praising.

>> reporter: brian houston founded hillsong 30 years ago in australia with his wife bobby. are you concerned that people are coming for them more than for the message? >> not really. we have seen the same response all over the world. people lining up for church in london, capetown, stockholm and paris. carl, of course, attractive, magnetic guy. the tattoos are a problem. >> you don't like the tattoos? >> they're okay. they're okay. >> they're stickers. like i say. they're great. thanks, bobby, for bringing that up. >> walk down this runway. bucket list. >> reporter: he seems to revel in the spotlight. but lentz would prefer you focus on his preaching rather than his wardrobe. he says he's been blocked from visiting inmates because prison staff thought he looked more like a criminal than a cleric. >> it's so funny when people make comments about the way we look, almost like it's -- they don't mean to be judgmental but

it's like i say what should we look like? you're implying there's an outfit to wear to bring peace to you. the whole point of our faith to come exactly as you are. jesus loves you. he died and rose again so you could have life. >> you have to admit that the way you dress, the tattoos, the way you look -- >> that's the point. >> gets people talking and is that a bad thing? >> no. you wonder why you're calling a hipster church. >> you don't even know. >> do you own a mirror? >> no. first of all, let me explain what a hipster is someone that lives in brooklyn. >> yeah. >> who has a much better beard. >> where do you live? >> brooklyn. >> reporter: while they draw crowds, it draws skeptics. >> any time a church gets people in the door it's a good thing but the problem and the questions i have is, if we're getting them in under the guise of a cool experience or a cool club type experience, is that going to sustain them? >> reporter: brett mccracken is author of "hipster christianity:

when church and cool collide." >> whenever a pastor or a celebrity pastor is the draw, it's a distraction from gentlemen sus and that should be the draw. >> your bible works midweek. >> i don't know that the big lights and sound and music and style of a church is going to transform a young person's life in the long run. >> reporter: some might say it's christianity light. is that fair? >> i don't know what they mean by that. they try to say everything from shallow teaching to emotional music, i don't buy any of it. >> even when your bank account says zero, we have jesus. we will be all right. no fear. >> i heard the other critical bent of, like, well if you have a lot of people coming you must be doing something wrong and which is a -- the weirdest concept in history but wherever jesus went there were throngs of people trying to get to him. >> reporter: and throngs of people tried just to get in to hillsong. >> our goal is not to turn some cultish thinking into new york

city like come to the church and change you. that's an arrogant premise. >> have people said that to you, this is cultish? >> for sure. >> yeah. >> yeah. >> yeah? >> preposterous allegation in history. >> can you see where it's coming from? >> people uneducated of a cult. a cult is when i tell you what to think and if you think any different you're grone. that's a cult. we preach the opposite. actually you should question what i preach. look it up in your own bible. >> getting american youth to read a bible is more and more difficult. a 2012 pew study found one third of american adults under 30 have no religious affiliation. a big jump from past generations. >> your church is filled with young people. i say, know, it's not. we have some. >> are you criticizing the traditional typical what we're -- we picture as church? >> not criticizing it. just calling it what it is. >> christianity should be about unbridled, contagious joy.

religion hijacked the fundamental ingredient of our faith. >> all right. next, there's more. poppy harlow digs deeper into hillsong church. pastor lentz talks about the stance on controversial issues like same-sex marriage. with centurylink as your trusted partner, our visionary cloud infrastructure and global broadband network free you to focus on what matters. with custom communications solutions and responsive, dedicated support, we constantly evolve to meet your needs. every day of the week. centurylink® your link to what's next. [ girl ] my mom, she makes underwater fans that are powered by the moon. ♪ she can print amazing things, right from her computer. [ whirring ]

[ train whistle blows ] she makes trains that are friends with trees. ♪ my mom works at ge. ♪ and you want to get an mba. but going back to school is hard. because you work. now capella university offers a revolutionary new way to get your degree. it's called flexpath, and it's the most direct path, leveraging what you've learned on the job and focusing on what you need to know. so you can get a degree at your pace and graduate at the speed of you. flexpath from capella university. learn about all of our programs at capella.edu.

that corporate trial by fire when every slacker gets his due. and yet, there's someone around the office who hasn't had a performance review in a while. someone whose poor performance is slowing down the entire organization.

i'm looking at you phone company dsl. check your speed. see how fast your internet can be. switch now and add voice and tv for $34.90. comcast business built for business. about 6,000 people go to the services in new york called hillsong churchnyc. poppy harlow caught up with the pastor who isn't your ord gary chur ordinary church leader. >> reporter: hillsong church is drawing in the crowds and making big money. one reason? their christian rock band with 14 million albums sold according to church founder brian houston. some news reports have pegged

the church's worth at $50 million to $100 million. are those numbers, right? >> it would be in the ballpark. tiny compared with the catholic church, of course. >> make out a check to hillsong church. >> reporter: credit cards accepted. tithing encouraged. some people might look and say, well, they live in a very cool neighborhood. nice place. on the river. you know? that's not what i equate church with. >> going down that road you cannot be poor enough for some people. you can drive that car but not that car. we are never going to cater to that mind-set of people trying to tell us how to live. >> reporter: as pastor lentz's star rises a host of celebrities gathered around him. do you care about celebrities in your congregation. >> from the nameless to the famous. the church should have celebrities we believe because we're trying to reach everybody. that's a goal. >> reporter: there's justin bieber who tweeted i broke down today after one of lentz's sermons and bap sized nba mega star kevin durant.

>> i came out of the water, i felt different. >> reporter: we wanted the know where he falls on social issues and politics. >> jesus transcends politics so whether i'm right wing, left wing, democrat, republican -- >> reporter: will you tell us? >> no. that wouldn't be any fun. some christians say you can't be a democrat and follow jesus. that really bugs me. >> reporter: some of the positions are clearer than others. don't get drunk. no sex before marriage. are gay men and women welcome in the church? >> absolutely. we have a lot of gay men and women in our church and i pray we always do. >> it's not our place to tell anyone how they should live. it's -- that's their journey. >> reporter: every article i have read about you guys says he declined to discuss gay marriage. >> yeah. it's a misquote because i do discuss it. just not the way people want me to. when it comes to homosexuality i refuse to let another human being or a media moment dictate

how we approach it. jesus was in the thick of an era when homosexuality was wildly prevalent and i'm waiting for someone to show me the quote where jesus addressed it on the record in front of people. you won't find it because he never did. >> reporter: but people are finding hillsong. some 3,000 just turned up for one of the church's first events in los angeles. >> hillsong l.a. on its way. >> funny thing of hillsong, music or churches is we seem to do well where other people struggle. >> reporter: so will we not see you in the bible belt? >> i don't feel that's where we're called to be. >> reporter: lentz said he doesn't dream of a mega church or a televangelist. >> success is not having a big church. a big portfolio. a lot of money. nice cars. prosperity for us is simply knowing jesus and having the right to repent from a sinful life and cling to that cross every day. >> thank you, guys, for waiting.

we didn't expect to be at capacity already, of course. >> reporter: he is refining church for some. >> whether you like it or not, god has never failed and not going to start with you. whether you like it or not, you need to hear it. he is going to lead you into something better. >> all right. thanks so much to poppy harlow. next hour of cnn newsroom begins right now with poppy harlow in new york. hi there, everyone. you are in the cnn newsroom. breaking news. beginning with this. i'm poppy harlow in for don lemon. learning details from the taliban about bowe bergdahl's time in captivity. we have new information in just a few moments. but first, this. breaking news, a deadly attack o