Yes, sir. Join thousands of others to get the FREEDOM POST newsletter for free, sent twice a week from The Christian Post. . Watch. A Baptist church in Harrison, Tennessee. Youre a true mentor, youre a dear friend. Michael reportedly spoke at the Lake Norman campus of the church while his father spoke at the main campus. Church of the Highlands controversy: What's next for the megachurch Hes been a friend of our family for a very, very long time, Maxwell said. Chris Hodges is founder and leader of Church of the Highlands. He needs to be Habilitated in the first place, and over a period of years, so hes not a novice. The Micahn Carter debacle is not the only scandal thats resulted from COTH and ARCs restoration efforts. BTW, I left COTH, because when I opened my Bible, I could not always confirm what Pastor Chris was saying. Well then, it was premeditated. I kind of expected a different response from him. But in 2012, Rizzo took a sabbatical from the church, citing spiritual, physical, and emotional exhaustion. Two months later, he resigned, saying he and his wife felt God moving them into a new season.. I understand how this has made you feel and I apologize. He said, Ive never done this before, theres nothing wrong with my relationship but you have everything I want in a woman. This was very odd, she says. In both cases, the offending pastors allegedly had a history of sexual misconduct. Church Website Design by . 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. Which means we cant arrive at the truth. We are protected by Trustees. The Roys Report reached out to Grow Leader for more information about the organization and who gets its proceeds, but no one responded. When corporate CEOs fail they are fired and given a golden parachute and then hired by another company to be their CEO. Seems like the bar is pretty low. 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. Campuses | Church of the Highlands Campuses Service Times Services are live streamed on Sundays at 8:00 am, 9:45 am, 11:30 am and on First Wednesday at 6:30 pm. This story has been shared 122,601 times. Auburn East Campus 2001 East Samford Avenue Auburn, Alabama 36830 Get Directions Weekend Services Sunday Cookie Notice And that number is..dont know. "I understand how this has made you feel and I apologize. 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. "It was a cult mentality, said Gume Laurel, 34, who took part in 220i in 2007 and 2008. A former Wave Church staffer, who appears in the documentary anonymously due to having signed a nondisclosure agreement, says on-screen, I was at Wave for a few years before Carl left. Auburn East | Campuses | Church of the Highlands : 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? When all of this came out, I was really mad, she says. If you live in the Auburn area, you and your family will feel right at home at Highlands Auburn. Create an account to follow your favorite communities and start taking part in conversations. Oxford | Campuses | Church of the Highlands Oxford About Events Campus Staff Oxford Our Oxford location meets at the Oxford Civic Center. Sharing life through community is part of our design, but meaningful relationships arent always easy to find. They were definitely checking for mix-ups or errors. Overall a waste of time and money. A historic first: Vietnam allows Franklin Graham to hold evangelism event with 300 churches, Teen who had breasts removed says health system lacks 'standards of care', School district rejects student-teachers from Arizona Christian University, Its smut: Kid reads sexually graphic book he got from school library to school board members, Ukraine war exposes weaknesses in Russia and the West, ChatGPT, consciousness and the human mind, Michael Hodges, Son of Megachurch Founder, Removed as Pastor Due to Moral Failing, Megachurch Pastor Chris Hodges: Church Is Not Just for Christians, Megachurch Pastor Les Hughey Admits 'Sinning' After 4 Women Accuse Him of Back Rubs, Sex, Birmingham Pastor Slams Local Megachurch as Racist, Tells Blacks to Get Out of White Churches. No One Knows. So why are a few likes on social media becoming such a defining moment for this, Freelance Journalist. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Thanks for contacting us. 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. The brothers grandfather founded the megachurch in the familys living room in 1963, and it has since grown to over 8,000 members across five Louisiana campuses, making it among the largest megachurches in the US. "Now they want to plant a white church in a black neighborhood under the umbrella of supposedly to fight crime? During that time, Lee committed. Im asking you to do your section of it, he said. 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. In 2001 Chris Hodges founded Church of the Highlands, now known as one of the largest churches in the U.S. with over 60,000 members and 23 campuses. 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. Chris has a deep passion for developing leaders and planting life-giving churches. Michael Hodges, son of Alabama megachurch founder, returns to public His brother who is a member of the Freedom House congregation spoke at the South End campus. He was later found to be using church funds to put her up in a $1,500 per month apartment he also had a key to for easy access. Also, any comments with profanity, name-calling, and/or a nasty tone will be deleted. My favorite people like my favorite people, Hodges said in response. 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. I am not the same Chris Hodges I was two weeks ago, Hodges said. 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? 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 This has led to reverence for him that makes him a very influential speaker in what is primarily a prosperity gospel church (God rewards good works with physical blessings). Two years ago, controversial longtime Alabama pastor the Rev. So he made a quick $307,500-$410,000. So he made a quick $307,500-$410,000., Chris said he invited a guest speaker to speak this past Sunday because he had been busy with training 41 pastors this past week. Help keep The Christian Post free for everyone by making a one-time donation today. a GrowLeader event that we know will be transformative in the way you lead. The Stockstill family still runs Bethany Church in Baton Rouge, LA as well as their other campuses. 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. Ralph Northam with two men wearing blackface and a KKK costume with the caption Progressive Leftist Ralph Northam in the 1980s.. 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. Theres no biblical authority or principle for the specifics of his failure to be shared publicly. 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. Why do they call Church of The Highlands a cult? : r/Birmingham - reddit Reddit and its partners use cookies and similar technologies to provide you with a better experience. Paul waited something like 14 years, no? Houston, who is not interviewed in the documentary, has since pleaded not guilty to concealing his fathers child sexual abuse when New South Wales police brought charges against him in August 2021. But restoring a fallen pastor after a year at a new congregation that doesnt even know him is nuts. 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. He seemed to come up with his points first, then filled in the scripture. Were here to help because we believe in you! And it doesnt seem to meet the letter or spirit of the qualifications outlined in Scripture. 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. All rights reserved (About Us). We live in a society that wants instant feedback. Michael Hodges, son Chris Hodges, founder and senior pastor of the nearly 40,000-member Church of the Highlands in Alabama, returned to the pulpit this month in what appears to be his first public engagement since he was removed as pastor of the churchs Greystone campus for a moral failing just over a year ago. Why Chris Hodges Was Not Actually Cancelled Over Turning Point Your tax-deductible gift helps our journalists report the truth and hold Christian leaders and organizations accountable. I truly believe were going to see lasting change.. If the leader wants to keep what he did private, thats fine. The church has also scrubbed all references to him from their website. Massive Nerd. What he failed to tell everyone is his RoundTable cost $7500 for the Pastor or $10,000 if they bring their spouse. PASTOR: Scott T. McCurdy ADDRESS: 6621 Hunter Rd., Harrison, TN 37341 . So, its quite possible some of the pastors involved in the Grow Leader course have checkered pasts. https://www.churchofthehighlands.com/about/leadership. I find that sign to be pretty self-centered. This year, two lawsuits have been filed against ARC or its Executive Director Dino Rizzo for negligence or cover-up in sexual harassment or abuse cases involving ARC pastors. Larry Stockstill is also on the board of Overseers at Church of the Highlands and Bethany Church is currently a member of ARC Churches, overseen by Church of the Highlands. Highlands Auburn East Campus is located a short distance from Interstate 85 in a facility on Samford Avenue in Auburn. Youre only embedding their narcissistic crowns with more jewels. Prior to being appointed the Greystone campus pastor, Michael had been on Church of the Highlands staff since 2015, serving in capacities such as director of ministry partnership and placement, and member of the Highlands College Team, which teaches students at the churchs ministry training program, AL.com said. *All services are in Central Time Zone unless otherwise specified. They don't plant new churches and function as a denomination. Restoration of relationship and ministry requires full disclosure and an acceptance of responsibility. I think Gods doing it to America.. According to Karim, over the course of their affair, Lentz cried in front of her, which she took as a sign of his vulnerability. 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. It is a culture of protect the brand at all costs, Elle Hardy, author of Beyond Belief: How Pentecostal Christianity Is Taking Over the World, says in the documentary. Rizzo has a history of sexual misconduct himself. Unless youre hiding something.. On Reddit, a post to an account called Allabout COTHa group with 1.3K members discussing alleged financial and spiritual abuse at COTHnoted that the event netted hundreds of thousands of dollars. Community Rules apply to all content you upload or otherwise submit to this site. However, questions remain concerning the true nature of Rizzos misconduct and his honesty and transparency throughout this process. ", White supremacy or any supremacy other than Christ, is of the devil, he said. Recently, Grow Leader sponsored a Round Table in which 41 pastors participated, according to social media postings and comments Hodges made during a COTH service. 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. Connection Card:. You cant really get all that God has until something is stripped from you, until youre humbled, tested and disciplined, Hodges said. There is no speculation or reporting of second-hand information in the article. . We see this is the third article this month youve found worth reading. 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 controversy erupted after Pastor Chris Hodges liked social media posts by Charlie Kirk of Turning Point USA, a high school and college campus organization sometimes considered controversial for its political stances. So he made a quick $307,500-$410,000.? the Birmingham Housing Authority and Birmingham Board of Education taking action against him, the church and the health clinic the church started. Whats disturbing about this article is that the facts arent known. He co-founded ARC (Association of Related Churches), which has launched hundreds of churches across the United States and world. No, he took that amount as revenue. Ensure justice for those who are being crushed.. Chris said he invited a guest speaker to speak this past Sunday because he had been busy with training 41 pastors this past week. Further, to suggest or imply his restoration was ineffective or unbiblical is speculation at best and judgment at worst. The lawsuit alleges that other victims reported similar misconduct by the same pastor to the church and Rizzo as early as 2016. (JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address). Through fresh and practical content, you can. Chris is the Founder and President of the, Chris is the Founder of a coaching network called, Chris is the Secretary of the Board and on the Advisory Board of. Join thousands of others to get the FREEDOM POST newsletter for free, sent twice a week from The Christian Post. Your pastor today has not only invited me to speak but two of my other sons, the one that lives here and one that lives with us in Birmingham, are speaking at the other two locations, he continued. Honestly, its understandable to me. By rejecting non-essential cookies, Reddit may still use certain cookies to ensure the proper functionality of our platform. 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.. And we shouldnt. But when they questioned her about it, Crenshaw says, It fel[t] like an interrogation.. We dont have to be alike. Former Pastor Accused of Rape Resigns from Churchome After TRR Investigation; Church Official Makes False Claims, Embattled Next Level Church Closes as More Demand Investigation & Audit, Judah Smiths Celebrity Megachurch Hires Man Accused of Rape Over Alleged Victims Objections, Eden Village Ministry Aims to End Homelessness Through Tiny Home Communities, Gateway Seminary to Fund Short-Term Mission Trips for All Students, Vineyard Pastor Resigns, Wont Cooperate With Probe Into Sons Alleged Misconduct, Why Businessman Peter Chung Matters for the Future of The Kings College. We just needed you to feel it. (For $10,000, pastors can bring their spouses.). . 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. The fact that it doesnt meet the demands for disclosure from The Roys Report or its readers doesnt mean it wasnt biblical or effective. Do you think Chris Hodges is setting himself to take over when John Maxwell is no longer able to do conferences? He suggested taking the same approach to racism as the Berlin Wall. In Alabama, the Church of the Highlands is kind of a big deal. A historic first: Vietnam allows Franklin Graham to hold evangelism event with 300 churches, Teen who had breasts removed says health system lacks 'standards of care', School district rejects student-teachers from Arizona Christian University, Its smut: Kid reads sexually graphic book he got from school library to school board members, Ukraine war exposes weaknesses in Russia and the West, ChatGPT, consciousness and the human mind, A post shared by Chris Hodges (@pastorchrishodges), Church delivers powerful protest over George Floyds killing with hymns, Gospel, Minn. megachurch pastors offer biblical response to George Floyds death, 4 reasons the race riots do far more harm than good. That hoodie at the time was on the resale market for $10[,000] to $15,000. . 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. Tammy and her family were missionaries in Germany, Hodges said. I started to pull back and say, I dont want this anymore, leave me alone. But, the more you say no to him, the more he keeps coming back., Karim describes her relationship with Lentz as the most toxic thing Ive ever had to deal with. 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. Were here to help because we believe in you! Cookie Settings/Do Not Sell My Personal Information. Many of the comments indicate circumstantial evidence or possible scenarios. 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. Our Leadership | About | Church of the Highlands Theres no evidence given that restoring pastors is lucrative. Lentz told Hayes and her then-boyfriend to stop seeing each other, and they did, to their mutual heartbreak. But factspartial, circumstantial, second-handarent synonymous with truth. What does a guy have to do to be unqualified for ministry these days? David, I confined my reporting to facts that are substantiated, and stated what is known and what isnt. Chris Hodges is founder and leader of Church of the Highlands. In Step One you'll discover more about our beliefs, leadership, church government, membership, how we handle money, and how we intentionally organize our church. I want you to know that I believe it makes God angry and it makes us angry too. . The sign also caught my attention. Hodges now serves as special projects director at Highlands College, a COTH-affiliated school on its Greystone campus. To waste money setting up a place for people to go to restore is outrageous. Chris and his wife, Tammy, have five children and 8 grandchildren and live in Birmingham, Alabama where they still root for the LSU Tigers. Hes been a mentor to me, a friend to me, golfing partner. I lost trust that I could not always believe they were properly teaching scripture. 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..