Considering the findings of the TVC investigation and consistent with the leave of absence from preaching and teaching that the Village Church has placed Matt on, the Acts 29 Board has asked Matt to step aside from Acts 29 speaking engagements during this time," it said. Help us continue to be a voice for truth in the media by supporting CBN News for as little as $1. Please open it and confirm your subscription. The first incident occurred approximately a decade ago according to the church and involved inappropriate text messages from Pastor Brian to a member of staff, which subsequently resulted in the staff member resigning., Hillsong claimed that at the time of the incident Houston was under the influence of sleeping tablets, upon which he had developed a dependence.. Then, when more allegations came out shortly afterwards, Mike Baker asked Caleb to resign. We were neglected. 2023 The Christian Broadcasting Network, Inc., A nonprofit 501 (c)(3) Charitable Organization. His book, "The Purpose Driven Church: Every Church Is Big in God's Eyes" is said to have encouraged pastors to lead a healthy and purposeful church. Houston was charged last August with concealing child sex abuse by his late father, Frank Houston, an allegation he strenuously denied. Evangelical radio host and blogger, Erick-Woods Erickson, said Chandler and his church modeled what should be done. Following this discovery, Houston "agreed to take specific action including stepping down from leadership for a period. Houston pleaded not guilty to the cover-up allegations in October 2021 and faces a trial later this year. Submitted by escamp on August 31, 2015 - 3:04pm. And rather than tell the truth, ECC leaders told the church that Caleb Baker had left voluntarily, Yarbrough alleged. Why is he up there announcing itand intentionally being allowed to put forth his own narrative? ", "He is the man you hope he is," she continues. 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. Stay up to date with what you want to know. We were made to feel that we were overreacting that we werent good Christians because of the things we were questioning.. Great! This resulted in him knocking on the door of a hotel room that was not his, entering this room and spending time with the female occupant, the church said. A Texas megachurch pastor is taking a leave of absence afterhis church learned of frequent messages between him and a woman who is not his wife. We also worked closely with Pastor Brian to ensure he received professional help to eliminate his dependency on this medication, and this was achieved successfully, Hillsongs statement said. Popular Ukrainian band Antytila asks Ed Sheeran to perform 11-year-old reads aloud from 'pornographic' book he checked out from library at school board meeting, Mike McCarthy shreds ex-Cowboys coordinator after firing, Influencer refuses to switch business class seats so family can sit together, Family raises 250-pound 'dog' for 2 years then realizes it's a bear, 2023 Billboard Women in Music Awards: Lana Del Ray, Kim Petras, & more, RHOA star Drew Sidora accuses ex Ralph Pittman of cheating, mental abuse, Original Gone With The Wind script reveals secret war over slavery, cut scenes, Kanye West and 'wife' Bianca Censori look surprisingly happy on dinner date. A lead pastor for Hillsong megachurch has stepped down mere hours before the premiere of a docuseries about the institutions recent scandals. Mike Glenn, senior pastor of Brentwood Baptist Church a prominent multi-site Southern Baptist congregation with about 12,000 members made the announcement on Sunday during a service and a video released the same day. The Sydney Morning Herald reports documents filed with the Australian Securities & Investments Commission (ASIC) reveal Houston resigned his positions with the church a little more than a week and a half after he was charged by the New South Wales Police Force for allegedly covering up information about his father's child sexual abuse offenses. While the messages were not romantic or sexual in nature, the frequency and familiarity of the messages crossed a line. Stay informed with the latest from CBN News delivered to your inbox. READ:Eric Metaxas Radio Show Banned From YouTube For Violating Community Standards. When the woman confronted Chandler, he thought he did nothing wrong, but he self-reported it to his church's leadership. "Irrespective of the circumstances around this, we can all agree that Brian and Bobbie have served God faithfully over many decades and that their ministry has resulted in millions of people across the world being impacted by the power, grace, and love of Jesus Christ. I was actually thinking just that when I watched it," he tweeted. One son, Mikey, has a credibly alleged history of domestic abuse where the abused wife was ignored when seeking help from the mother-in-law and was further removed from church ministry when she called her husband out for his behavior. Get new articles and breaking news delivered to your inbox. Something is definitely wrong, so where do we begin? Thats why we view every news story through the lens of faith. I have yet to see a victim allowed to do that in a church. Whatever, I guess a megachurch of that nature could well afford even a six figure sum in compensation, however much the megachurch and megaclergy of that nature might begrudge even a cent of it. Then and now the Elders believe that for the health of our church, a third-party involvement is necessary to adequately address allegations. 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. Daten ber Ihr Gert und Ihre Internetverbindung, wie Ihre IP-Adresse, Browsing- und Suchaktivitten bei der Nutzung von Yahoo Websites und -Apps. 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. Christian Rocker Posts Stunning Response to Recent Apostasy of Christian Leaders, Chicago Radio Host & a Former Bodyguard Say James MacDonald Asked Them to Arrange Murders, James MacDonald Took Millions from Harvest & Now Demands Broadcast Ministry, Mancow Airs Shocking Comments By James MacDonald: My Response. The full story isn't told. Two elders at the pastors megachurch have also We are committed to delivering quality independent Christian journalism you can trust. Natalie Neysa Alund covers trending news for USA TODAY. "Why was he allowed to control the narrative? We are committed to delivering quality independent Christian journalism you can trust. Brian Houston, the founder of Australian megachurch Hillsong, stepped down from his role as global senior pastor amid an internal investigation into allegations of misconduct towards two women, the church announced on Wednesday. Meanwhile, the global church planting network, Acts 29, where Chandler served as president and chairman, also asked him to step down from speaking engagements. The Arizona megachurchCentral Christian Church (CCC), which has five locations in the Phoenix area announced the termination of Lead Student Pastor and Associate Preaching Pastor Caleb Baker at a church service posted on Feb. 13. Alsoon Aug. 1, The Village Church announcedon its websitethat it hadsettled a 2019 lawsuitalleging that one of its former children'sministers molested an 11-year-old girl. Image Source: YouTube Screenshot/Saddleback Church, Error: There was an internal error submitting your form. In a video conference shared with the Australian media, Houstons interim replacement Phil Dooley said the church didnt know whether the incident had involved any sexual activity. CNN has not been able to independently verify the video. Hillsong New York Pastor Carl Lentz was fired in 2020 after the church learned that he was engaged in "more than one extramarital affair." Who Will Pay for the SBCs Abuse Reforms Over the Long Term? Pray for him, @KayWarren1, @Saddleback Church, and all their related ministries as they step into this next phase of ministry. According to CCC Lead Pastor Cal Jernigan, Baker had been involved in a six-month-long extramarital relationship with a church employee, and the church had fired both Baker and the employee. My wife knew that, her husband knew that, and yet there were a couple of things that she said that were disorienting to me.. The elders, the statement continues,then commissioned an independent law firm to conduct a review of Chandler'smessaging history across social media platforms, his cellphone and his email. ", His wife Lauren is publicly supporting him during this season, posting a photo of her looking up at him adoringly. Glenn has authored two books and frequently blogs, including guest posts on The Jesus Creed. Two megachurchesone in Arizona and one in Illinoisare being rocked by allegations they allowed a pastor guilty of clergy sexual abuse to re-enter the ministryand offend again. He has not addressed the veracity of the claims against him. Maybe the fault in all of these indiscretions we often hear about doesnt rest on the leaders. The moment it is realized that sh*t could hit the fan and the operation could be in jeopardy, ego kicks in, and damage control goes into action. Smith said that in 2014, she sat with Sara and broke down about the constant abuse I endured at the hands of her son. Smith told TRR that she asked the Bakers for their support in getting their son counseling, but said she needed to live apart from him to be safe. WebBilly Grahams grandson steps down from Florida megachurch after admitting an affair. Reach her at nalund@usatoday.com and follow her on Twitter@nataliealund. Then in July 2022, a former employee notified the elders of an abusive culture in 2016. At that point, the elders brought in a third party for an audit of the church as a workplace. With all of the documentaries, scandals, articles, accusations and the churchs subsequent management of these attacks its become too difficult to lead and grow a young Church in this environment.. No one has said anything, or hinted anything, or pressured me about anything. A Warner Bros. There is no doubt that there is a whole lot going on in [Hillsongs] world, but we just want to say that we are continuing to put our trust and our hope in Jesus., 2023 NYP Holdings, Inc. All Rights Reserved, Hillsong megachurch hit with sexual assault lawsuit by student, Hillsong pastor punched by Carl Lentzs jilted wife quits megachurch, Hillsongs bombshell Carl Lentz report leaked: sex, lies and manipulation, Fallen Hillsong Church boss deeply sorry for boozing, fathers evil. "The fault often lies more with leadership than with congregants," Miller added. Through that process, email communication possibly deemed abusive has been brought to the elders attention, the elders stated. The elders said that before finalizing decisions about the best way forward, ECC leadership removed the Feb. 25th edition of Mike Talks, videotaped talks Mike Baker posted each week. Brian Houston, Australian pastor and co-founder of international megachurch Hillsong, announced on Sunday that he will be stepping down from his pastoral duties for Rebecca Hopkins is a journalist based in Colorado. Keep in touch with Julie and get updates in your inbox! Toward that end, the site requires that people use their full name when commenting. After years of delay, Southern Baptists passed a series of reforms in 2022 aimed at addressing abuse in the nations largest Protestant, A former youth pastor at First Baptist Church (FBC) of Bentonville, Arkansas, has accepted a plea deal for his victimization of children, Several churches deemed not in friendly cooperation with the Southern Baptist Convention (SBC) have responded to action taken by the SBC Executive. Still there today. "The woman who confronted Chandler about Chandler's relationship with the woman's friend was not vilified. ", Multiple statements were released to the Australian press last week regarding alleged sexual misconduct by Houston. Abby Smith, the ex-wife of another one of Mikes sonsMikey Bakerwrote on Facebook that Mikey abused her mentally, emotionally and physically for four years. Very soon thereafter, regrettably, Mike submitted his resignation as the Senior Pastor of Eastview Christian Church, the church stated. Michael Gatlin, who for the past 25 years served as Lead Pastor of The Vineyard Church in Duluth, Minnesota, has resigned, saying, So far, most of the coverage by mainstream news outlets of The Kings Colleges financial woes has oddly focused on Kings past, After years of delay, Southern Baptists passed a series of reforms in 2022 aimed at addressing abuse in the nations largest Protestant, It did not come out by confession; they were discovered, Jernigan told his congregation. Australian authorities said last year that Houston allegedly knew information relating to the sexual abuse of a young male in the 1970s and failed to bring it to the attention of police. He also founded Pastors.com, an online interactive community that provides sermons, forums, and other practice resources for pastors. Houston is the founding pastor of Hillsong, which says it had 150,000 regular church attendees across 30 countries as of February. More than anything these last few years, I have loved working with our campus pastors, said Glenn in the video announcement. As in the old analogy of putting lipstick on a pig , the shade of lipstick matters not. At the end of 2023, I will step down as senior pastor of Brentwood Baptist Church, said Glenn following his Sunday sermon. Yarbrough alleged on her Facebook account last week that Baker engaged in inappropriate sexual relationships with multiple women at ECC in 2016. Jernigan also is asking anyone else at CCC whos been harmed by Caleb to come forward. It was found that Pastor Brian became disoriented after a session at the Hillsong Conference, following the consumption of anti-anxiety medication beyond the prescribed dose, mixed with alcohol. According to Hillsongs Global Board the second complaint was received in 2019 when Houston entered a womans hotel room after a Hillsong conference. The pastor of a prominent Dallas-Fort Worth megachurch said he had an inappropriate online relationship with a woman and will step down from preaching and But it takes a lot of hard work, time, and money to do what we do. The pastor's leave is the latest blow for the church and the Southern Baptist Convention denomination the countrys second-largest faith group, of which the Village Church is a member. statement recorded and shared to the churchs website. Im doing this because no one loves you more than I do, and its just time., Addressing the church, Glenn underlined that no concerns precipitated the change. new! The nascent group plans to build on their history of launching churches, partnering with others, and community outreach. You should receieve a confirmation email shortly. You can help bring hope today! Based on the rest of the article, they are totally culpable in allowing an offender to continue his behavior. Your tax-deductible gift helps our journalists report the truth and hold Christian leaders and organizations accountable. God is everywhereeven in the news. A little over 1,800 congregations disaffiliated from the UMC in 2022, according to a report by UM News, with more than 400 of those congregations in Texas. That look in my eyes? Daniel Chalmers, the North Carolina pastor who was accused of urinating on a woman while she was sleeping during a flight in October, stepped down from his position at a Raleigh church, according to local news reports. "We are strong proponents of brothers and sisters in Christ being friends, but there are boundaries around what's appropriate in these kinds of friendships. "Acts 29 prioritizes personal integrity and holds our leaders to a high standard of conduct. AfghanistanWhere Faith Is a Matter of Life and Death. Stay informed with the latest from CBN News delivered to your inbox. **. Freelance journalist Josh Shepherdwriteson faith, culture, and public policy for several mediaoutlets. Glenn and his wife, Jeannie, have two sons and became grandparents in recent years. Texas megachurch pastor Matt Chandler steps down after DMs with woman 'crossed a line' Natalie Neysa Alund USA TODAY 0:00 0:57 A Texas megachurch "The elders have decided, and I think they're rightthat my inability to see this for what it was revealed something not right, something unhealthy, in me," Chandler said. I, and the other leaders of this church, cannot turn a blind eye to this and act as if this didnt happen or that somehow we didnt know, we didnt find out.. You can help bring hope today! 2023 Cable News Network. ", Although leaders made the decision to have Chandler take a leave of absence, he assured the congregation that he would be their pastor "for another 20 years. Never miss a big news story again. The news of his retirement comes less than a month after Saddleback announced that it ordained three women as pastors, which goes against the traditions of the strictly male leadership within the SBC. ***Please sign up forCBN Newslettersand download theCBN News appto ensure you keep receiving the latest news from a distinctly Christian perspective.***. Christian Rocker Posts Stunning Response to Recent Apostasy of Christian Leaders, Chicago Radio Host & a Former Bodyguard Say James MacDonald Asked Them to Arrange Murders, James MacDonald Took Millions from Harvest & Now Demands Broadcast Ministry, Mancow Airs Shocking Comments By James MacDonald: My Response. We werent good Christians because of the claims against him to take specific action including stepping down from leadership a... 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