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because thats how you transfer your anger and potential bitterness to God, okay? Serve at Your Campus. Cec Sorry for the delay in replying. However, the law firm initiated an investigation that revealed the church allowed Willis access to one-on-one contact with multiple female minors without any supervision, according to Peper. Ive published about ARC and ARC executives who are facing lawsuits for allegedly covering up sexual abuse by ARC pastors. Make excuses for the snakes who live like anti-Christs? Just a thought. When we are in need of it, he disciplines us. When Church administrators interviewed Ms. Lusk about the abuse she suffered at the hands of McCall, Dean Smith, a counselor and employee at the time, confirmed the Church was aware of McCalls assault of minor parishioners, and pointed to a stack of complaints against McCall on his desk. To enjoy our website, you'll need to enable JavaScript in your web browser. WOW. It certainly applies to ARC churches. David was under the Old Covenant, which stresses adherence to Old Testament law, Surratt says. Also, any comments with profanity, name-calling, and/or a nasty tone will be deleted. The easiest way for me to think about your question is to remember how God treats us. After reading this and then listening to Wade Mullens excellent talk about spiritual abuse (thank you, Ms Brown for the heads up), I felt as though more should be said about why wolves find the evangelical community such an inviting target. Seacoast was one of the churches who pioneered the multi-site church technique. Church Events & Meetings at Seacoast Church Login or Register for Account Sign In Username: Password: Keep Me Logged In Login Create Account Reset Account Online Giving FAQ my.seacoast.org Yes. Students are an integral part of the Church. Its possible, Judd said, that Patrick thought while he was looked up to for encouragement and advice, he himself was in need. The church said it notified all parents of students regarding the situation and offered resources along with working with law enforcement. He was fired from the church he and his wife founded in St. Louis, The Journey Church, for what church elders called misconduct. And its insidious, especially when employed by a pastor who twists Scripture to suit his ends. But it offers no support for Mr. Surratt. We universally enjoy music and exclame about things we see. We believe all healthy marriages need to be surrounded with a supportive and thriving community. But Kenneth McCall took advantage of young girls like me, and the Church didnt do anything to prevent it from happening. I would say when youre praying for an enemy who is persecuting you, pray for judgment on them, Surratt said in his sermon. It also comes after I published a podcast with a former ARC pastor revealing the concerning unbiblical underpinnings of ARC, like the Moses model, which ascribes Old Testament prophetic authority to modern-day pastors. Join us for worship. It is so much easier for my wretched flesh not to have to engage with the Bible. And to anyone who doesnt think that Mr. Surratt did an incredible injustice to the Word of God in this message, I would encourage you to take an introductory course on hermeneutics. Surratts teaching, at best obscures and most likely contradicts what Jesus clearly taught. What about sounds processed through the ear that translate into Beethovens 5th or Mozarts operas? . "Just about every time he preached he had people feeling like 'that was for me,'" Surratt said. There are some atheist organizations. Opinion: What is Revivaland is it Happening at Asbury? Greg Surratt, the founding pastor of Seacoast Church, says they have been fighting with not having enough room for several years. Judd shared that due to circumstances, thoughts and pressures, some may feel theres no other way out while its a lie. In order for people in a group to coexist, there have to be rules of a sort. As a former chaplain for the St. Louis Cardinals, he was an avid baseball fan. In his sermon Sunday, Greg Surratt appeared to equate my article last week and online criticism to persecution.. I dont wish for Surratt to be hit by a truck or his fingers to be crushed. (Los Angeles, CA) Attorneys from Greenberg Gross LLP and Jeff Anderson & Associates filed two lawsuits today on behalf of plaintiffs Carrie Denise Dial and Julie Poole Lusk against Kenneth McCall and Seacoast Grace Church, formerly known as North Long Beach Brethren. Patrick's official cause of death has not been released, the church said in a statement, but no foul play is suspected. 5/11/2018. Its not just this pastor, we have so much we can learn from the persecuted Church. Following allegations of years-long bullying and financial misconduct, the lead pastor and executive team of an Association of Related Churches (ARC) megachurch, Everyone was laughing and goading, like it was a jokeuntil it wasnt. The Roys Report has sought comment from Surratt numerous times, but other than one interview last October, Surratt has not replied. 2. It is painfully obvious that this was a defensive attempt to circle the wagons and minimize fallout, while playing the role of the victim. His son posted a video on Facebook today, again claiming to be the victims of slander and false accusation. (Video screengrab / YouTube) Charleston, SC 29403, News tips/online questions: newstips@postandcourier.com, Delivery/subscription questions: subserve@postandcourier.com, var html = new Date().getFullYear(); A parent who does not discipline a child, is not loving them with their actions, no matter how much affection they might feel for them. The window created by AB 218 is a remarkable tool for survivors of childhood sexual assault. And that touches on your next point: whether or not human life has value in and of itself. Student ministry leader arrested for inappropriately touching young girls, police say, 2 dead, 1 deputy injured in Harnett County chase, crash, officials say; chase suspect on the run, Frying Pan Tower hosts fundraiser for all-inclusive paid weekend getaway, CAUGHT ON CAMERA: Woman nearly hit by ceiling panel at subway station, 1 killed when business jet encounters severe turbulence, Reports: Rachael Ray show ending after 17 seasons. Surratt also serves as president of the Association of Related Churches (ARC). According to Little, Willis was immediately placed on leave and barred from campus once an initial report came in, with him being terminated in less than 48 hours after they found he clearly violated the churchs code of conduct. How can one possibly pray for retribution and sincerely forgive at the same time? The role of imprecatory prayers is debated among evangelical scholars. Studying the Bible can be overwhelming at times, especially if you have a learning challenge. Im assuming you dont entertain the concept of intelligent design, but Ill go there anyway. February 23, 2022 8:50 am CST 57 Comments Pastor Greg Surratt, founder of multi-site megachurch Seacoast Church, preaches on persecution during a sermon at their main Charleston, S.C. location on February 20, 2022. Thank you Julie, for exposing spiritual abuse. Lowcountry attorney Mark Peper, who represents some of the victims, said Seacoast Church placed Willis on administrative leave and subsequently terminated him in December 2022 after multiple minors reported being touched inappropriately while attending a youth group. Essentially, the fact that people fail so badly is an indication of Gods non-existence as the ultimate moral code giver. Surratt, having known Patrick previously, was part of the team to help him through his "restoration process." In the past several months, Ive also reported on numerous pastors connected to ARC who have been embroiled in sexual scandals. A special part of every service is Response Time, which gives everyone the chance to consider what God might be asking them to do in response to the worship and message. I have those same issues,' and then they find hope in the midst of it.". Church leadership reports they will continue to ensure all students can worship freely in safe and protected spaces while supporting the victims and their families. Likewise with Jinping or Jung-un. document.getElementById("demo").innerHTML = "© " + html; The collateral spiritual damage doesnt make it in their annual reports, just the same pictures over and over of well produced, well lit, well dressed, well attended worship services. You have permission to edit this article. The story, which appeared on a muckraking Catholic news site called The Pillar and was based on . The latest sex scandal in the Catholic Church alleges that a prominent priest, Monsignor Jeffrey Burrell, used the gay hookup app Grindr to habitually violate his vow of celibacy while serving as general secretary of the U.S. bishops' conference. Well, take that same skill but turn it the other direction. We do not know, and may not ever know or fully understand the reasons behind this tragedy. May their place be deserted. They do not relate to the staff that churned through or got laid off when attendance plummeted, or the droves of regular attendees who stopped growing in their faith or turned away altogether because of the breach of trust. 4. I know Im bouncing between threads here but I gave a succinct explanation for my view of an evolutionarily driven morality on the Locke thread. And as Mullen notes, There is a pattern that accompanies abuse, as if abusers are somehow reading from the same playbook.. Thanks Julie for reporting on these narcissistic leaders to hold them accountable. Knowing that Ken hurt other girls besides me, and knowing that he is working with at-risk youth now, makes me sick. Surratts sermon comes five days after I published an article highlighting an apparent contradiction between Surratts claims about ARCs financial agreements with its member churches and ARC contracts obtained by TRR. We need to express them and seek help or counseling. Last Sunday was the sermon on the 8th and final beatitude, found in Matthew 5:10-12. Id say that people are inherently selfish and driven by the desire to live long enough to pass on our genes. A religious liberty newsletter that is a must-read for people of faith. You clearly do as well. for the wicked to be converted., Jeff Thompson, a former ARC pastor who was featured in my recent podcast on ARC said in response to Surratts sermon: Its become clear that ARC pastors are charismatic public speakers but dont know the Bible. We create environments that value teenagers and help them discover for themselves who Jesus is, and what a relationship with him looks like. Having a moral framework let that happen for more people early in our development. There are times when we believe a lie that my family would be better off without me, commented Greg Surratt. Connect, network, and become part of a group that values spiritual growth while building friendships that will last a lifetime. Seacoast Church Executive Director Margaret Little said the team is heartbroken, calling Willis actions inexcusable and indefensible. 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