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Learn about Next Steps to connect to the opportunities available at . Do I have a long way to go? I mean it. Lentz became Hillsongs shining star, skyrocketing to such fame that he rubbed elbows with the likes of Bieber and Oprah Winfrey. From what little I know (I went to COTH for 2.5 years and one of their conferences with Maxwell), they are close to each other from what they say. He said he asked them what they thought he should be saying. The Roys Report also looked into the financial arrangement between ARC and its church planting pastors. So why are a few likes on social media becoming such a defining moment for this, Freelance Journalist. What does a guy have to do to be unqualified for ministry these days? Honestly, its understandable to me. Church of the Highlands Exposed Part 1 of 2 18,048 views Sep 10, 2018 87 Dislike Share Save Right Divider 2.56K subscribers CORRECTION: I called the pastor "Bill Hybels." That is incorrect. Use of and/or registration on any portion of this site constitutes acceptance of our User Agreement, Privacy Policy and Cookie Statement, and Your Privacy Choices and Rights (each updated 1/26/2023). The social media controversy over Hodges resulted in the Birmingham Housing Authority and Birmingham Board of Education taking action against him, the church and the health clinic the church started. This debacle, however, apparently has not deterred COTH from further pastoral restoration efforts. Our Oxford location meets at the Oxford Civic Center. Sign: It is a privilege to be on this stage thank you God for choosing me. No, he took that amount as revenue. Some church planting assessments Ive seen practically invite narcissistic leadership. I have often wondered if he was talking about ARC. The Roys Report tried to confirm with Neece whether ARCs Lead Team donates $2.8 million per year to ARC, but did not receive a response by time of publication. Opinion: What is Revivaland is it Happening at Asbury? Chris Hodges is founder and leader of Church of the Highlands. When Houston was looking to expand into America, charismatic young pastor Lentz, now 43, came to his attention in 2010. In the words of the prophets Emerson, Lake, and Palmer: I had this album I think it was in high school and that was a loooong time ago. Chris remains the senior pastor and Chancellor of Highlands College, a ministry training school that has trained and launched hundreds of students into full-time ministry careers all over the world. My favorite people like my favorite people, Hodges said in response. The Micahn Carter debacle is not the only scandal thats resulted from COTH and ARCs restoration efforts. If you look at that it will be abundantly clear that we value every person. Chris said he invited a guest speaker to speak this past Sunday because he had been busy training 41 pastors this past week, the post stated. I truly believe were going to see lasting change.. Unity is not uniformity. Micahn. America, Im crying out to you, learn, lament, and lets get each others backs again, Hodges said. Massive Nerd. In both cases, the offending pastors allegedly had a history of sexual misconduct. The focus isnt on exalting Christ from that statement, ex. Through the months that we were seeing each other, I started to realize that it was always his way or no way. In 2019, after a period of restoration, Hodges returned to the pulpit at Freedom House Church, an ARC member church in Charlotte, North Carolina. We believe the result is eternal as good leadership grows churches. : http://thewartburgwatch.com/2017/01/16/did-you-hear-the-weird-story-about-pastor-david-pursifulls-resignation-from-the-arcs-building-church/, The Wartburg Watch: Building the ARC An Overview of this Church Planting Network: http://thewartburgwatch.com/2014/11/05/building-the-arc-an-overview-of-this-church-planting-network/, The Wartburg Watch: ARCs Robert Morris: Paul Preached Under the Influence: http://thewartburgwatch.com/2014/12/01/arcs-robert-morris-paul-preached-under-the-influence/, The Wartburg Watch: Personal Experiences with ARCs LifeWay Church of Milwaukee, Wisconsin: http://thewartburgwatch.com/2015/06/26/personal-experiences-with-arcs-lifeway-church-of-milwaukee-wisconsin/, The Wartburg Watch: Dino Rizzo, Stovall Weems, and Steven Furtick: Banking on the ARC? Hodges and his [..] band of professional pastors are the upper echelon of the church. It's all one COTH and each location has a video screen that broadcasts Hodges' sermons. In the case of Rizzos inappropriate relationship, we dont know all the facts, much less the truth. They can blame Carl, and not the culture in the church, she says. When Hayes and a then-boyfriend had sex and confessed their slip-up to Lentz, she recalled their exchange: Carl asked, Did you use protection? I interrupted, Yes, of course. And his next response was, Huh. Id just rather catch that on the front end.. a GrowLeader event that we know will be transformative in the way you lead. But according to the documentary, Lentzs behavior was not an anomaly within the larger organization. Whether that holds or not, the timelines here suggest that the pastors are being declared restored long before one could actually get a good handle on how they are repentant of their sins, and long before one could see if the steps theyve taken are adequate to prevent remission. If so, then a rehabilitation process makes no sense, because the person was not qualified for the pastorate in the first place. May Jesus be Exalted. 1 Peter 4:11 challenges those who speak to speak as it were the very words of God.. This is the newest thing on my desk. Through fresh and practical content, you can read any of our recommended best-selling books, listen to our monthly podcast, or attend a GrowLeader event that we know will be transformative in the way you lead. Buy newspaper front pages, posters and more. Larrry Stockstill is Pastor Chris' longtime friend and mentor, and currently serves as teaching pastor at Bethany Church. If you want to love somebody, the best way to love somebody is to love the people they love, Chris Hodges added. Theres no evidence given that restoring pastors is lucrative. GrowLeader is devoted to sharing ideas, tools and resources that will help grow your leadership. We see this is the third article this month youve found worth reading. I think it would be better if the pastor sold insurance or used cars in the future.and not lead the church of Jesus Christ. Highlands College is a biblical higher education institution that exists to supply the Church with leaders of competence, character, and spiritual maturity, holistically trained to lead lives of eternal impact by fulfilling the Great Commission. The lawsuit alleges that other victims reported similar misconduct by the same pastor to the church and Rizzo as early as 2016. That said, the two lawsuits against ARC or Rizzo involve pastors sent by ARC, which has a nearly $12 million budget. Many of the comments indicate circumstantial evidence or possible scenarios. Chris has a deep passion for developing leaders and planting life-giving churches. What was about three-a-year feels like its about three-a-month right now . Get Directions. Ranin Karim, 35, alleges she had a five-month-long affair with Lentz that eventually led to Hillsong ousting him in 2020, as she exclusively told The Post in November 2020. Live Webcast; Apps; Podcast; Power of a Focused Life Power of a Focused Life by Mark Pettus Feb 1, 2023. The Roys Report reached out to Grow Leader for more information about the organization and who gets its proceeds, but no one responded. Dipper Pines IRL. I think Gods doing it to America.. The Trustees are members of the congregation who oversee the finances and direct the provision of the facilities needed by the church. Clisby argued that Kirk, who has denounced white nationalism, is well-known to hold views such as white privilege being a myth., White privilege is defined in a number of ways and one definition as highlighted by the University of Dayton is: A right, advantage, or immunity granted to or enjoyed by white persons beyond the common advantage of all others; an exemption in many particular cases from certain burdens or liabilities.. I want to grow. Hes been a friend of our family for a very, very long time, Maxwell said. Which means we cant arrive at the truth. Lee brings inspiration and practical strategies for pastors and business leaders to understand their significant eternal return on investment, or what he calls "e-ROI", that their relationship creates to build the Kingdom of God. A non-denominational church ministry with 21 campuses and reportedly more than 50,000 attendees on a normal week, this church is one that few know about but that plays an integral part in defining public religious life for Alabamans. The prices were insane.. Well then, it was premeditated. I kind of expected a different response from him. Attempting to restore fallen pastors appears to be a passion for COTH Senior Pastor Chris Hodges and Outreach and Missions Pastor Dino Rizzosomeone whose past includes an inappropriate extramarital relationship. Chris is the Senior Pastor of Church of the Highlands, The Overseers serve as Apostolic Elders which are: Rick Bezet, Robert Morris, Tom Mullins, Larry Stockstill and Greg Surratt.Chris states that Robert Morris and Phil Pringle are his mentors.Chris is the Founder and President of the Highlands College.Chris is the Co-Founder of ARC Churches (Association Theres no biblical authority or principle for the specifics of his failure to be shared publicly. One day a group of people, young people, got a little discouraged about, if this is not who we are anymore, then why is that still there? I just knew, OK, they are not on my side, she says. I dont know the background of the pastors enrolling in the Grow Leader training. Great! The apology comes after Birmingham high school English teacher Jasmine Faith Clisby told AL.com that Hodges followed and liked several social media posts by Kirk in the wake of national protests over the killing of 46-year-old African American George Floyd by Minneapolis Police Department officers on Memorial Day. I lost trust that I could not always believe they were properly teaching scripture. The Roys Report reached out to Chris Hodges and COTH for comment about these pastors and the churchs restoration process, but no one responded. But the person training them has a proven history of re-platforming pastors who have morally fallen, and earlier this year said hes in the process of restoring 20 pastors. During that time, Lee committed. . I understand how this has made you feel and I apologize. Minus expenses (cost of sales) we have to calculate the operating surplus then deal with general costs to arrive at a profit. Also, any comments with profanity, name-calling, and/or a nasty tone will be deleted. Michael Hodges (pictured) son of founder and Senior Pastor of the nearly 40,000 member Church of the Highlands in Alabama, Chris Hodges, was recently removed as pastor of the Greystone campus due to a moral failing. To think otherwise is clear evidence the bible isnt the standard of ethics. Oh wait sorry, these are all independent churches doing their own thing and where transparency typically does not exist. They would be calling him f-t and they were spraying water from a hose into his mouth while he was trying to tread water, Laurel alleged. I would love for you to not just look at a microscopic zoom-in but look at the totality of 37 years of ministry and 19 years as a church, Hodges said Sunday in his sermon to his diverse but mostly white Alabama congregation. "I know with each new incident, with this one, Ahmaud Arbery, I think of Atatiana Jefferson, its disgraceful that racism, injustice, bigotry, prejudice, still even exists at all. It is headquartered next to COTHs Greystone Campus in Birmingham, Alabama. He said Courtney Winston, wife of Steven Winston, spoke up. When all of this came out, I was really mad, she says. Chris Hodges is founder and leader of Church of the Highlands. Lee has authored several books: Stay In Your Lane, Pearls of the King, KB Gameplan, and The Family Meeting Guide. He added that ARCs key executive salaries are set by an independent compensation committee and are based on independent compensation data. Pastor Chris, we dont need you to say anything, she said, according to Hodges. This free resource allows you to experience messages on-demand, read the One Year Bible, watch services live online, access information about church events, locations and much more . According to Hodges, many of the pastors within his and Rizzos sphere of influence are experiencing moral failingsand restoring them is what Hodges wants to be known for., Pastor Dino (Rizzo) and I are in the middle of about 20 pastoral moral failures or restorations right now, Hodges announced last spring at Gather 2021a one-day conference, sponsored by the Association of Related Churches (ARC). In a Legacy report to donors in September, COTH announced it is working on a design for The Lodge, a Pastoral Retreat Center . Pastor Chris Hodges. I would be upset if it comes off as me judging him. You state that Restoring and training pastors appears to be a lucrative endeavor However, you only give examples of moneymaking in training pastors. Personally this doesnt seem to me like a safe church to be at. For every person that has been marginalized, rejected or belittled, abused or even afraid because of how God made you, Tammy and I, the Church of the Highlands family, stand with you.. Less than two weeks after The Roys Report (TRR) published an investigation, revealing that Churchome, Judah Smiths celebrity megachurch, had rehired Braylon, An embattled New England megachurch yesterday announced its closing, following an investigation by The Roys Report detailing allegations of yearslong bullying and, In 2019, Braylon Oliver stepped away from pastoring the Downtown campus of Churchome, a so-called celebrity megachurch with campuses in Los Angeles. No One Knows. Would you consider making a tax-deductible donation to help our journalists continue to report the truth and restore the church? In contrast, a sign that might better honor James + a vine-branch analogy perhaps would read, I know that we who teach will be judged with greater strictness; by your help, may I faithfully represent you today. Just a thought (my sign also might need revision ;) ). Nothing different going on in this church if the focus in discouraging the behavior in the first place. One suit accuses ARC of allowing Joshua Mauney, ARCs former national director of church planting, to plant an ARC church in Florida, where he allegedly raped a woman on staff. Overall a waste of time and money. Hodges came under fire when someone noticed he had been following Charlie Kirk, president of Turning Point USA, and liking posts by the controversial conservative commentator. . I just went from sharing something so personal and youre using it to shame me and condemn me.. I know we need to do something. I can relate, Vicki! Create an account to follow your favorite communities and start taking part in conversations. Some arent. But, Later on, I realized it was bullst, Karim says. In January 2021 we launchedGrowLeader in order to better support pastors and leaders in their desire to personally grow in leadership so their churches can reach more people and make a greater impact. BTW, I left COTH, because when I opened my Bible, I could not always confirm what Pastor Chris was saying. Through fresh and practical content, you can. Bethany Church ran a "youth initiative training program" called 220i from 2005 to 2013 in which African American and LGBTQIA+ interns were tortured by their church leaders. A summary of Michaels address to the church was not immediately available when The Christian Post reached out to Freedom House on Tuesday and representatives said they did not record it. Much of whats reported in this article is fact. However, questions remain concerning the true nature of Rizzos misconduct and his honesty and transparency throughout this process. ARC President Greg Surratt denies the charges. He suggested taking the same approach to racism as the Berlin Wall. Hes influenced our church. Grow, now called Highlands Resources,continues to provide resources to over 16,500 churches globally at no cost. While there is no minimum amount to become a part of the ARC Family, there are partnership requirements to participate in some of ARCs benefits., ARC receives nearly $12 million in annual cash donations, according to the Evangelical Council for Financial Accountability. Church of the Highlands exists to help people Know God, Find Freedom, Discover their Purpose, and Make a Difference. For the past 12 weeks, the Church of the Highlands has held online worship services without Sunday morning in-person group gatherings. Former Hillsong College student Yolandi Bosch says, If you were a church that was open and trusting, why would you get your members to sign an NDA? All rights reserved (About Us). Theyre wondering, where do you really stand? PASTOR: Scott T. McCurdy ADDRESS: 6621 Hunter Rd., Harrison, TN 37341 . The church has also scrubbed all references to him from their website. If, however, he has any hopes of being restored, he should be transparent about the sin, and then prove himself faithful over time so trust can be restored. While I don't dispute they could have done what the article alleges, if you met Gume, there's a strong chance you would try drown him too. It looked almost insurmountable to tear the whole thing down. Clericalism only Clergy (Priests, Monks, Nuns, Ministers, Pastors, Worship Leaders, Full-Time Professional Christians) matter before God; Laity (everyone else) can all go to hell. Also does not the restoring of pastors typically happen at a higher denominational level.? They did their part, until all of us brought it down., Hodges said he has a piece of the Berlin wall that he had put in a box in 2001 and stored in his attic. But as I read farther, I could see that there are serious concerns not over the concept of helping to restore a fallen brother or sister, but of cover-ups of abuse, sordid financial gain from the ministry, and some sense that high-profile ministers are in a special class above lesser believers and have special right to their high positions. A non-denominational church ministry with 21 campuses and reportedly more than 50,000 attendees on a normal week . Hope youll give us another try and check out some other articles. Chuck DeGroats When Narcissism Comes to Church is very helpful. Church of the Highlands, founded in 2001 in a rented space at Mountain Brook High School, has spiraled out of Birminghams suburbs to become the largest church in Alabama. Hillsong originated in Australia in 1983, founded by Houston, who grew up in dad Frank Houstons Sydney-based Pentecostal church. I find it difficult to call a sin that demands execution in the Torah a moral failing. Highlands Auburn East Campus is located a short distance from Interstate 85 in a facility on Samford Avenue in Auburn. It strikes me that perhaps some churchesIm wondering if megachurches are a key demographicare more likely to attract those with overly exuberant sexual behavior or even narcissistic personality disorder. More or less, does the pastoral hiring process express the qualifications of 1 Timothy and Titus, or is it more heavily weighted towards personal attractiveness and magnetismand thus many churches find out the hard way that theyve selected pastors who are bad boys. I think some saw something on social media that questioned my character. Church Of The Highlands. someone noticed he had been following Charlie Kirk, president of Turning Point USA, and liking posts by the controversial conservative commentator. Two years ago, controversial longtime Alabama pastor the Rev. 500 years ago, wasnt Clericalism one of the Reformers BIG beefs about Romish Popery? David, I confined my reporting to facts that are substantiated, and stated what is known and what isnt. Give a gift of $30 or more to The Roys Report this month, and you will receive Escaping the Maze of Spiritual Abuse by Dr. Lisa Oakley and Justin Humphreys. VickiBlue. Anna Crenshaw, a preachers daughter who was studying at Hillsong College in 2016, appears in the doc to describe an instance in which she alleges that she was assaulted by a Hillsong staffer, who groped her at a house party in front of other people. Be quick to listen, slow to speak.. . I remember I would go to leaders meetings, and he would hammer in our heads, Do not have sex before marriage. He was aggressive about it., Meanwhile, the staffer claims, I had a friend Carl tried to sleep with her. Turning Point USAwas founded by Kirk, 26, as a national student movement dedicated to identifying, organizing, and empowering young people to promote the principles of free markets and limited government. I love doing that. Post reporter Hannah Frishberg is featured in the documentary. Keep in touch with Julie and get updates in your inbox! That hoodie at the time was on the resale market for $10[,000] to $15,000. The church can help the nation change, he said. Learn More I know God is disciplining me, breaking me. Common criminal sexual predators are put on a list and neighborhoods they move to are warned about them. : https://evangelicaldarkweb.org/2020/03/30/is-chris-hodges-a-false-teacher/, Russell Hinson Church of the Highlands bloodless gospel: https://churchofthehighlandsbloodlessgospel.com/, 9Marks 4 Reflections after Listening to 18 Hours of Sermons in Americas Biggest Churches: https://www.9marks.org/article/4-reflections-after-listening-to-18-hours-of-sermons-in-americas-biggest-churches/, Disrupting Giants Chris Hodges: http://disruptinggiants.blogspot.com/, The Wartburg Watch Where Have All the Flowers Gone? He continues to serve these churches and leaders through making all of Highlands Resources available at no cost. On an FAQ page for pastors at ARCs website, it says, We ask you to make ARC a part of your regular missions giving. Restoring and training pastors appears to be a lucrative endeavor for Hodges and others close to him. Join thousands of others to get the FREEDOM POST newsletter for free, sent twice a week from The Christian Post. While I may not be able to tear the whole thing down, I plan on doing my section of it, Hodges said. The Roys Report seeks to foster thoughtful and respectful dialogue. Thats fine. Messages; Current Message; First Wednesday. Community Rules apply to all content you upload or otherwise submit to this site. But when they questioned her about it, Crenshaw says, It fel[t] like an interrogation.. You tempted my father. (Brian Houston has denied he said the abuse was Sengstocks fault.). YouTubes privacy policy is available here and YouTubes terms of service is available here. Neece said ARCs non-officer board members are not paid. She reported the incident to church leadership in December 2018. Amy Spreeman Association of Related Churches: Time to get off the ARC: https://bereanresearch.org/association-of-related-churches-time-to-get-off-the-arc/, Chris Rosebrough Che Ahn Modern-Day (Restoration of) Apostles: http://www.piratechristian.com/fightingforthefaith/2019/1/if-im-a-butterfly-why-am-i-still-crawling, Chris Rosebrough Che Ahn Who Are the Apostles: http://www.piratechristian.com/fightingforthefaith/2018/7/live-fearless, Chris Rosebrough Chris Hodges: Do You Love Me? Cookie Settings/Do Not Sell My Personal Information. I am not the same Chris Hodges I was two weeks ago, Hodges said. ARC CFO Derek Neece told The Roys Report that about 24% of ARCs cash donationsabout $2.8 million annuallygoes toward ARC salaries. Later, Karim learned that Lentz was married, and she asked if something was wrong with his relationship. Providing online services in a cautious way that doesnt lead to mass gatherings of people in accordance with the HO's guidelines is not at all a bad thing. In July, COTH broke ties with Micahn Carter, a COTH pastor who had come to the church in 2019 for restoration. , a ministry training school that has trained and launched hundreds of students into full-time ministry careers all over the world. He co-founded ARC (Association of Related Churches), which has launched hundreds of churches across the United States and world. . It was his birthday. But restoring a fallen pastor after a year at a new congregation that doesnt even know him is nuts. "Hillsong: A Megachurch Exposed" premieres March 24 on Discovery+ and dives into the jaw-dropping history of the trendy church and its many scandals. Church Website Design by . I found something troubling," Clisby told AL.com. In my church (Romish Popery), Clericalism is recognized as a Heresy. To donate. He let it slip to me about the intern from Oklahoma working on a video series with him. Chris states that Robert Morris and Phil Pringle are his mentors. (For $10,000, pastors can bring their spouses.). Genuine repentance, heartfelt apologies, meaningful restitution, and long-term accountability should follow [add reporting to law enforcement in cases of sexual abuse, financial embezzlement, or other criminal behaviors], not glittering poolside dinners. I simply reported the facts I know. Church of the Highlands (COTH)a 43,000-member megachurch in Alabama, which recently sparked controversy for trying to rehabilitate a pastor accused of sexual assaultis building a $4.5-million lodge to "restore" pastors. It just makes you very angry that the same thing you were shamed with is the same thing that [he did]. If the leader wants to keep what he did private, thats fine. Stay connected with Highlands wherever you go! This story has been shared 132,431 times. Jaclyn Hayes, a former Wave Church volunteer, describes in the series how Lentz talked about sexual purity, the importance of fathers controlling their daughters, and his rules for dating such as a mandate that a couple should not even kiss for their first year together, and never have sex before marriage. When Pastor Chris Hodges heard a commission from the Lord in 2011 to help 1,000 churches break the 1,000 attendance barrier, he founded Grow with the mission to help equip church leaders. Give a gift of $30 or more to The Roys Report this month, and you will receive a copy of "Escaping the Maze of Spiritual Abuse" by Dr. Lisa Oakley and Justin Humphreys. Unless youre hiding something.. ARCs website states that all of its overhead and administrative expenses are covered by the generosity of the ARC Lead Team, which allows 100% of your giving to fund new church plants through ARC.. As for wanting transparency regarding what happened with Dino . As allegations of sexual abuse against a former pastor took hold on social media, the Church of the Highlands has cut ties with the accused minister they had agreed to help rehabilitate. By rejecting non-essential cookies, Reddit may still use certain cookies to ensure the proper functionality of our platform. We are protected by Trustees. Hodges now serves as special projects director at Highlands College, a COTH-affiliated school on its Greystone campus. Chris has a deep passion for developing leaders and planting life-giving churches. Michael reportedly spoke at the Lake Norman campus of the church while his father spoke at the main campus. They were definitely checking for mix-ups or errors. The Lord upholds all who fall and lifts up all who are bowed down.. ", White supremacy or any supremacy other than Christ, is of the devil, he said. What's next for the megachurch? Get new articles and breaking news delivered to your inbox. Christ Health Center, which was founded by the church, had to stop doing free testing for COVID-19 that it had been doing at public housing communities in Birmingham. Larry Stockstill, who took over from his father as pastor of Bethany World Prayer Center in Baton Rouge, told AL.com that Chris Hodges had asked me to take charge of the process of bringing discipline and long-term restoration to Michael..