What Im still confused about, is WHY Christian stations are still broadcasting SEARCHLIGHT podcasts on their stations. The rock band that usually played raucous hymns to start services was missing. The sage continues in the country in which we used to serve, which really does have a serious problem with abuse of children and women. Also, all sins are not the same. He takes in the homeless, he ministers to prostitutes and in the prison. Applegate didnt enact any discipline against Courson, according to Gray. If true, the allegations would be disappointing as any would be against a pastor or local church. He quit the cocaine and strippers, began training as a preacher, met his wife Diane, and moved to South Florida. With his tale of drug addiction and strip clubs, the newly redeemed Coy was a perfect fit for Calvary's edgier message. They ended up locked in dueling lawsuits, with the pastor accusing Calvary's leaders of skimming profits and the Smiths charging that he used his influence running the radio stations to pressure women into sex. And somewhere along the line, Coy slipped right back into his old life. By 1986, his church had outgrown the funeral parlor and attracted about 1,200 regulars to an Oakland Park chapel. It does work when it covers all the bases. Its like they read the same exact same script. But in 1981, his life changed forever thanks to an epic holiday hangover and his brother Jim, who'd already found religion. Im so sad that another church leader is brought down. This year, Calvary has been hit by even more sexual abuse claims. He received probation before judgment, but he is not allowed in the banking industry the remainder of his life. In 2011, The Lord provided our current location at 603 S. Valencia Avenue in Brea. I have not forgiven Jon or Garnet Page or the Elders for the way handled that. Ben Courson, pastor of an Oregon megachurch, recently stepped down amid allegations of sexual abuse and misconduct. . Payne had taken his case against Fort Lauderdale Police Maj. Eric Brogna to the Broward County State Attorney's Office, but prosecutors declined to press charges. Call the cops. In 2009, Calvary of Albuquerque was listed as one of the 15 largest churches in America, with an average weekend attendance of 13,000. An evil man sows strife:gossips separates the best of friends Make a one-time donation today for as little as $1. Jon is still teaching about Gods Word but is Jon still GODS man to preach to us anymore? The evil world sees it all and shakes their head is astonishment & well-deserved disgust. Our pastor, he committed sexual immorality, habitually, through pornography. But Jon Courson. Your a true Non believer. Skip Heitzig (born 1955) is the American founder and senior pastor of Calvary Church, a Calvary Chapel fellowship located in Albuquerque, New Mexico. She'd never even told her family about the crimes. There were ample cases to make that point. The failure is a failure of discipleship. The revelations come at a sensitive moment for Calvary's national network of about 1,800 churches, which have been riven by legal infighting and dogged by claims that bad pastors have been allowed to run amok. Encore - Catalina/Ensenada Cruise. The only cure is Christlike character. His daughter has filed suit alleging elder abuse and neglect when Smith. When Smith discovered a grace-based Gospel, she was excited and started talking about it at church. Dr. John Munro, senior pastor of Calvary Church in Charlotte, North Carolina, will return to church this coming Sunday, weeks after he was placed on paid leave for alleged violation of the employee handbook, a complaint that a third-party investigation did not find support for. I think that the important thing is to remember that NO ONE is without sin. Calvary was among the first churches in the nation to air podcasts, stream services online, and simulcast sermons at satellite campuses (the church had opened campuses in Plantation and Boca). He shows us because He loves us and His heart is grieved when He sees His blood bought sheep especially His precious daughters dearest to His heart in the blood filled mouths of the wolves ! The battle is not yours but Gods. . And it was devastating to many of us. In January, two families claimed their sons were dismissed because of medical conditions. Church government which allows for the pastor to appoint his successor often leads to this kind of situation. I laugh now, but back then it was no laughing matter. Coy rented space for his church from a funeral parlor in Oakland Park and made ends meet by selling shoes while his wife worked as a waitress. The New Jersey-based folk-rock band Driftwood is still a few hours from taking the stage, and a handful of early arrivals sip beer and laugh over the canned blues soundtrack. As any church that claims to be Christian, the Bible is the governing policy in EVERY situation. His church started with just 25 members in a Costa Mesa lot in 1965, but by the mid-2000s, it had grown to include hundreds of affiliated chapels around the nation and internationally plus a lucrative array of radio stations. The Roys Report seeks to foster thoughtful and respectful dialogue. He taught how societal trends lined up with scripture and prophesies of the end times, he discussed how new technologies might play a role or be heading toward those prophesies, but I never heard anything that didnt pan out and would require any apology. Calvary Chapel's Tangled Web Scandals A pastor killed in Albuquerque belonged to an association of evangelical churches that critics allege stands behind its pastors when they're accused of. Do these pastors take a class at seminary on how best to gaslight congregants and misuse scriptures to cover their sins?? He has gone on to be successful in another business. sunday. Somehow it lacks the signs of divine leading, IMHO. As reported previously on The Roys Report, two former Applegate elders say that earlier this summer, Stroble covered up multiple allegations of sexual misconduct by Ben Courson. . But then, in April 2014, he resigned in disgrace after admitting to multiple affairs and a pornography addiction. Why do we, especially Christians, treat anyone like they are guilty before all the facts are presented and proven guilty or innocent? Bob Coy founded Calvary Chapel Fort Lauderdale and turned it into a 25,000-member powerhouse before resigning in disgrace. It began when the girl was just 4 years old. "If you're angry or you're disillusioned or you're fearful, if you embarrass yourself or you disappoint yourself he can take all the mess and turn it into something beautiful.". Coy's flock, which had followed him for decades as the church became Florida's largest, was devastated. Smith was among the first pastors to make a startling discovery: Many of the hippies and disaffected youth who'd come for the Summer of Love had realized psychedelic drugs and the Grateful Dead weren't filling the holes in their lives. This confusing and eclectic system of beliefs threatened to destroy the Church in its infancy. I find USA lead preachers/teaherssure do have A LOT of time on their hands. But Newnham says the pastor still has more to answer for especially because his sources say Coy has been trying to mobilize investors to start a new church. Though I eventually left it did not make me bitter. In 2005, Coy's church rented out Dolphin Stadium on Easter Sunday and drew more than 20,000 people. Yet, Gray told The Roys Report that Applegate refused to discipline Courson, and instead kept his sin private. The leaders also said they had prayed against the spirit of sensuality that had descended on the church, Gray said, and believed this would take care of the problem. To reflect our new location, Calvary officially changed its name from "Calvary Church of Placentia" to "Calvary Community Church of Brea." After a 10-year capital campaign, we completed construction on our new Worship Center in March of 2021. The Roys Report reached out to Heater for further comment, but he didnt respond. for a job at Calvary Chapel Marin, a 160-member church that . He never hid who he was," says Tina Rivera-John, who began attending Calvary in the mid-'90s when she was 12 years old. Police say Thomas has admitted to the abuse (though his criminal trial is pending). Coy has never been criminally charged, and if there were other cases of sexual harassment or abuse in the decades he ran Calvary Chapel Fort Lauderdale, neither the church nor cops have revealed them. His popularity soared. Smith even launched a music label and began fusing Evangelical faith with electric guitars and drum kits. Recent Sermons. That same year, the church found itself in a bizarre scandal centered on a lucrative, 400-station radio network and its head, Idaho-based Pastor Mike Kestler. The Roys Report has reached out to the woman who reportedly had an inappropriate relationship with Courson through her daughter, but the woman declined our request for an interview. In the marketplace. Even though these didnt pan out, Coughlin said Courson wouldnt apologize. This is not true in my 20+ years of following Jons teaching; I never heard him set dates or claim to be making a prophesy. John 3:16-17. There were no innocent parties during the 80s incident. Any kind of suffering, any kind of personal conflictthats the rug we slipped it under, because we would do anything for the expansion of the Gospel.. He was punished by being followed around by the youth pastor , which was humilating . Coy wouldn't be charged over her allegations. In Coy's case, Bailey made a relatively unusual ruling: All financial documents would be kept secret. Give a gift of $30 or more to The Roys Report this month, and you will receive a copy of Jesus v. Evangelicals: A Biblical Critique of a Wayward Movement by Constantine Campbell. Coy opened it to the Gospel of John, and by the time he hit 3:16 "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life" he said he was weeping uncontrollably. Thats how these guys operate, Coughilin said. "We had a big party at the casino girls, cocaine, alcohol, the whole thing. Pastor Jon has taught me so, so much and he is a big part of my life even though I live too far away to go to church there. 1 Corinthians 11:19 For there must be also heresies among you, that they which are approved may be made manifest among you. I was up against a senior pastor, 9 associate pastors, 39 elders and a church membership of nearly 5000. Cherry-picking and twisting scripture will lead you far away! I felt like I was a daughter of the church, she said. To critics such as Newnham, there's only one reason to fight for a ruling like that: to hide from churchgoers the amount of cash the church gave Coy to go away. Dr. Tejado W. Hanchell, Senior Pastor of Mount Calvary Holy Church of Winston-Salem, North Carolina, is one of many ministers to use Scandal as an object lesson. John 8:7. Now, 53 people have joined a Facebook group Smith started, called Applegate Christian Survivors. The case reeks of political favoritism. Im so confused. In January 2016, he and Diane filed for divorce in Broward County. He's accused of molesting at least ten children aged 13 to 16 over several years, victimizing members of the youth group he led after taking them back to his apartment. He had a staff of 13. The in-depth reporting of Jon Coursons sin and the umbilical handling of it decades ago is to give the context of the unbiblical way the sin of Jons son, Ben, is being handled now. (Judge Bailey didn't respond to messages from New Times to comment on this story.). He would regularly "finger and fondle her" genitals, make her touch his penis, and "dirty talk" to her. Why? The Bible warns that gossiping and slandering is also a sin. But the case soon stalled. The Daily News has similarly reported issues with Applegates buildings, including building without permits, building on a neighbors property, and the alteration of a floodplain. ! READ that again. In the May 2 episode, "A Woman . That lent itself to a very youthful, crazy, wild lifestyle. Long before his epic fall from grace, the pastor used his own struggles with sex and drugs to preach that anyone could find redemption in Jesus. We were doing it for Jesus, she said. I'll never forget that meeting.". Genesis 4:7, Numbers 32:23. "Religious leaders have a tremendous amount of power over their flock," says Scott Thumma, a professor of sociology of religion at Hartford Seminary who has studied the Calvary movement. Tracked down at the bar on a recent weeknight, the well-dressed ex-pastor looks no different from the days when he preached to thousands of followers. Well God bless you anyway. To donate, click here. Their lawsuit was dismissed this past July. Heater also warned his congregation against division and warned that God would come against anyone who would come against His church.. Jon was very much loved and respected, maybe too much so. I wanted everyone to know and they did. It does occur in smaller churches, again where church government invests most of the decision making with just the pastor who chooses his own successor. "Typically, how it goes in these cases is you have a violator in the church, but the leaders will have this notion that if he repents, he's forgiven, and then we don't have to talk about it any more," says Leander James, who specializes in church child abuse cases. But the work came with a cost: a bout of shingles at 19. Please join us on a Sunday morning for gatherings at 8:30 & 11 AM with Pastor Brian Brodersen. Courson retired in 2020, but still maintains a radio ministry called Searchlight. "I had been invited to his house for Christmas dinner and I skipped it," Coy told Stetzer. "He's contacted many former associates to try to get funding. Not all mega churches have this church government. Unlike many Protestant churches, which set up powerful boards of elders to oversee ministers, Calvary used a management style Smith called the "Moses method. It is what has destroyed a number of innocent families and missionaries. So, we did. "I took a polygraph." Julie metoo, disdain for patriarchy, leader of Misandry, part of the cancel culture at its finest. Many members expressed disappointment, encouragement, and hope on the church's Facebook page. When a blitzed, 26-year-old Coy went to see his brother the next day, Jim threw a Bible at him and told him to read it. Keep in touch with Julie and get updates in your inbox! Sunday Services. According to Western seminary adjunct professor Guy Gray, Applegate leaders knew of an inappropriate romantic relationship between Jon Courson and a female staff member in the 1980s. Our Lord militates against scandal, and even ties a curse to those who promote . An officer noted the information and called the victim, who was then a teenager. On Campus 8:30:00 AM Kids' Church Available. Courson, who was mentored by Calvary Chapel founder Chuck Smith, founded Applegate Christian Fellowship in the late 1970s. Its more than defining what improper relationships are . And we know our enemy Satan accuses every single one of Gods children every second of every day before before the throne of our Almighty Merciful God. Hes worth at least 6 million so his ministry has blessed at least him and his family. They would all be too busy saying bad things about me but brother Jon taught me how to live for the Lord and I cant thank him enough for that! Jon Courson rubbed me the wrong way. its horrendously embarrassing, whether people immersed in christian culture feel it or not. Im sure if one of these elders had the courage to confront either Ben or Jon, as it is instructed in Gods Word. Bob Coy, who founded the Calvary Chapel in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., in 1985, stepped down after admitting to adultery and watching porn. My family is in splinters, still, after all these years. "We are not led by a board of elders.". It was an ordinary . Joshua Jordan, a longtime Applegate member and pastor for five years, said church staff often werent told how ministries were doing, where the finances went, or even who the elders were. In 1996, the church paid $21 million for a 75-acre campus just east of Florida's Turnpike off Cyprus Creek Road, where Coy often dipped into politics to guide his massive flock. They dont tolerate such things in their alliances with people. Would you consider making a tax-deductible donation to help our journalists continue to report the truth and restore the church? Yet Trimmer said she had walked in on Courson kissing and embracing the woman in the church office. christians tolerate all kinds of rotten behavior, being too timid and afraid to take a stand on anything (except abortion and homosexuality). The family of Pastor Chuck Smith is embroiled in a legal battle over control his Calvary Chapel Costa Mesa megachurch. Reminds me of Eli the Priest and his 2 Sons. SANTA ANA The Rev. If anyone knew of all of my failures they would not think a thing about brother Jon and what he did or didnt do. Then a few years later the pastor apologised because it came out that it was never my son. Jr High Service Available. It is beneath them to betray their relationship commitments, to lie, to take advantage of other human beings, and to exploit others and systems for selfish gain. The pastor, John Munro, is a friend. Tim Elfrink November 14, 2017 8:00AM. But for Gods grace the males in our family would all be dead, not sure about my daughter and me. I think part of it is a misunderstanding and misapplication of grace, and an end-justifies-the-means happy-go-lucky attitude. Also, any comments with profanity, name-calling, and/or a nasty tone will be deleted. His idea was a huge hit, one of the first in a wave that has become known as the Jesus movement. "Our former pastor was caught in sin," Lowe said April 16, according to the Sun Sentinel. Idle hands are the devils workshop:idle lips are his mouthpiece Who of you has a spotless history? Brodersen, the senior pastor of Calvary Chapel Costa Mesa, says the pastors of the Calvary Chapel Association saw founder Smith as their common bond. Becoming apprentices to Jesus. We see this is the third article this month youve found worth reading. I had a problem with his divorce and how it was handled at the congregation, then I was a little concerned with some of his teachings and I finally left when Ben preached his support of BLM and the protesting, which when brought up in an email to Ben I was ignored. The Roys Report reached out to Jon Courson, Ben Courson, and Applegate for comment, but no one responded. The call came from California. ", "Moses was the leader appointed by God," Smith told Christianity Today in 2007. When the scandal broke his wife was promoting KPs wife there on the big island. "Scandal" is a word often heard used in recent months by U.S. bishops regarding the best ways to provide pastoral care and communicate authentic church teaching to pro-choice politicians who . In 2003, John Flores, a pastor at Smith's flagship in Costa Mesa, was arrested for having sex with the 15-year-old daughter of another pastor. "That whole approach always ends up hiding pedophiles.". It is not for us or me to slander someone or judge them. (P)eople are getting hurt in the process and the church deserves something better, he said. The church grew to include as many as 7,000 members, but due to COVID and the recent scandal currently has an attendance of a few hundred, former elder Paul Sandu said. Coy's preaching career ended, but his sex scandal was far from the first for Calvary. Every single control out into place according to the Bible, failed from the top to the bottom. Learning to live my life in the way Jesus would if He was me. Coy aligned his fledgling church with Calvary Chapel, a movement started in Southern California in the 1960s by Chuck Smith, a laid-back West Coaster who wore Hawaiian shirts while he preached a fire-and-brimstone, old-school religion. His attorneys, meanwhile, persuaded a judge with deep Republican ties to seal the ex-pastor's divorce file to protect Calvary Chapel Fort Lauderdale from scrutiny. But he declines to share the results of the test, which he says was not done for the police. Its to get all parties to forget or minimize the incident. The only side that we should take is the side of the Lord (*as the angel told Joshua in Joshua 5:13-14). This is the WORST tool Ive ever seen for the church to useunless, of course, you happen to be Satan. In my opinion, if he did this [to one victim], it's just a question of how many others are out there. (The cases were settled out of court.). It didnt matter if a guy didnt believe in Amun, Marduk, or Apollo, and it didnt matter if he was a total creep. Get the latest updates in news, food, music and culture, and receive special offers direct to your inbox. There's no question he wants back in the game," Newnham says. Shortly after resigning, the disgraced pastor moved to Chattanooga, Tennessee, where Calvary Chapel has another affiliate church. Grays church, which at the time had ministry connections to Applegate, disassociated with Applegate because of Applegates response. Our accuser was the wolf in sheeps clothingabusing her own daughter and pointing at those who truly loved her. It was Calvary Church, perhaps the most prominent church in town, with a massive cathedral-like building on a major thoroughfare. The fallen pastors and leaders include famous men like Ted Haggard, one of many anti-gay activitists caught being gay, and Tony Alamo, who was sentenced to 175 years in prison for pedophilia and marrying an eight-year-old girl. During the whole time I was a lightning rod. I took a lot of heat and it was absolutely exhausting. A major red flag in one of his messages was excessive self praise of his own preaching, followed by and thats why youre here. If you are 50+, join us September 18-22 for a Royal Caribbean Cruise! A jury awarded the family $360,000 but ruled Calvary wasn't culpable. Coy then moved to an even more debauched scene: Las Vegas. Get new articles and breaking news delivered to your inbox. Unlike the Christian view that the . "When Chuck Smith died, there was nothing left to hold back all the competing factions," church critic Michael Newnham says. Ive been in similar heartbreaking discussions. Two years later, a Calvary Chapel in Laguna Beach fired its pastor for adultery and embezzlement but Smith quickly rehired him to preach at the nearby Costa Mesa church. In late 2013, Chuck Smith died at the age of 86 after battling lung cancer. Jon remained unrepentant and the elders defended him entirely. He had invited KP Yohannan, the billion dollar conman, to his church where I saw him. Find a Gathering. It's unclear how seriously they took the claim of the teenager whom New Times is not naming in accordance with our policy on reporting on victims of sexual abuse who said Coy had forced her to have sex even when she was only 4 years old. In a ruling . Without a comprehensive policy in place a church is basically sending the message that what one has to report is not welcome. In 2006, gubernatorial candidates Charlie Crist and Tom Gallagher personally pleaded for Coy's endorsement, though he declined. Calvary Chapel has always had to balance accountability with the independence and authority granted to pastors under the "Moses model" of congregational leadership the movement controversially. But two weeks after his surprise resignation, Assistant Pastor Chet Lowe filled Coy's followers in on what had happened. Applegate culture and sermons tended to be works-based mixed with a lot of end-time prophecies, she said. Huge crowds hung on his every word. That doesnt mean that there isnt forgiveness and some other ministry opportunity, but they cant be pastors. We always heard the lines that basically inferred that this is just a character attack on our family, on the Coursons, so we must be doing something right, Jordan said. christian culture produces people who are more concerned about their own sinlessness & advancing the gospel than they are about taking a stand on right and wrong and the consequences that bring harm to others. On a Sunday evening in April 2014, thousands packed into Calvary Chapel's sanctuary, a cavernous space that looks more like a midsize city's convention center than a church. The department assigned the case to Det. 6 Dana Hills. "They do what they feel is right based on the evidence they have.". In one case, victims claimed the church knowingly moved a pedophile to another city without warning parents. It didnt make any difference if its right or wrong, its what Jon says, said Ken Skeen, a former deacon and elder, who was at Applegate from 1989 to 1999. That kind of policy includes reporting procedures. After all these are just allegations at this point. Even his mentor Chuck Smith of Calvary Chapel in Costa Mesa, CA defended JonI saw the letter Chuck wrote to my dad castigated my dad for trying to get Jon to repent and change his ways. And to add an element of surprise- Im an atheist. In 2007, Christianity Today spoke to numerous Calvary pastors across the country. There was a wide range of responses to Channel 9's Church Transparency Survey. Great! Give a gift of $30 or more to The Roys Report this month, and you will receive a copy of Jesus v. Evangelicals: A Biblical Critique of a Wayward Movement by Constantine Campbell. In a 2007 CT interview, one pastor said of Calvary Chapel, "The Titanic has hit the iceberg. Please call Kimberly (800.414.1531, ext. Many people have tried to confront Jon to bring about repentance and change. Coy is friendly and voluble, but his lively green eyes suddenly brim with tears when he's asked about the sexual assault claims. But they never did.. I pray we can all ask ourselves, what would Jesus do. Id be ashamed to publish such he said she said. Pastors should have real jobs and then preach on the weekend or a midweek study. Note; if your church leaders are incorporating Hillsong music in worship , RUN for the leaders are blind ! The recent think Robert Schuler Crystal Cathedral, helped pioneer the mega church movement (along with the church growth) methodology. I was a victim of sexual abuse in my own church. 197K views 3 years ago People within the Calvary Chapel movement are trying to destroy this video. People like Jon and his son Ben will come and go, but Jesus is forever. After graduating, he found a career in the entertainment industry. I got counseling in the end and made the church pay for it. Were there other abuse claims against Coy during the nearly three decades he controlled Calvary Chapel Fort Lauderdale? I however think that accuracy and honesty is more important than feelings based statements. As his star rose and his congregation grew into the tens of thousands, the Sun Sentinel solicited weekly faith columns written by Coy. We all thought is Jon can fall, we all can. Its the new trend of 100% allegations must be all be believed (even if it destroys an innocent life), because all (100%) of women tell the truth and women cannot lie. All in that original group were expelled from the church. The doctrine is Christ focused and Bible based and is sound. Thank you Cindy for reminding us of those words and I have to add, let him without sin throw the first stone. The Voice of God is not to the wolves and hirelings but rather to the sheep ! I think youre overlooking the fact that Scripture gives very specific qualifications for elders/pastors. In another, he called adultery "the ultimate betrayal of trust in human relationship" and cautioned that "repentance is not just being sorry that you were caught.". (Liberty University via . His name is Bob Claycamp. (Flores was eventually convicted of sex with the minor.). around New Years; I appreciated those teaching a lot; however, Jon did not teach a works based salvation in any way for the 20 + years I was under his teaching it was always by the grace of God. Hes a saint. Sin is sin in Gods Word. In the huge sanctuary, a ten-piece band including four guitarists, a drummer surrounded by glass sound walls, and two keyboardists rocked out in front of a laser display that wouldn't be out of place on a Justin Bieber tour. A misunderstanding and misapplication of grace, and moved to an even more debauched scene: Vegas... `` finger and fondle her '' genitals, make her touch his penis, an... Gray told the Roys Report that Applegate refused to discipline Courson, Ben,! And strippers, began training as a preacher, met his wife Diane, and to. Preacher, met his wife was promoting KPs wife there on the big island elder! 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