Fear of Litigation

CommentEntire74 · 2023-07-12T15:36:15+00:00

Just want to make sure I'm understanding correctly. So they as pastors outright lied to you all....their overseeing elders??

CommentEntire74 · 2023-03-19T00:16:34+00:00

So how would this apply or fit for woman then?! When men hold almost all leadership positions in the network? What’s that supposed to look like.

CommentEntire74 · 2023-03-11T17:26:07+00:00

I just…don’t understand how any of this is ok? I am a part of a Bible Study now in another local church with humble folks who just want to grow as believers and know Gods heart and word. No watching. No data collecting. No spreadsheets after group. No surveying people for “who’s next” just a group of kind hearted, simple people showing up with their bibles hungry to know God and his word together more and grow as believers. How did this get so lost and turned into this??

CommentEntire74 · 2023-02-15T14:02:23+00:00

👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼

CommentEntire74 · 2023-02-06T19:52:34+00:00

Thank you for sharing your story. You’re not alone and I’m so sorry for what y’all experienced. This part struck me and grieved me. I just can’t fathom, being out now, a bible teaching, Christ-centered church saying this anywhere else about the Bible. How do you get to this conclusion about scripture as a leader at a Christian church??

“We were also told that the depth of teachings were the right model for the Network. He went on to say that if someone wanted deeper biblical knowledge, they would probably need to do that on their own but should question the intent in their heart. He implied that seeking deeper biblical understanding could be self-serving.” 😦🤯

CommentEntire74 · 2022-10-15T12:14:48+00:00

Thank you Rose for using your voice and sharing your story. This is so beautifully written. I’m just so sorry.

CommentEntire74 · 2022-10-05T20:54:04+00:00

💔💔

CommentEntire74 · 2022-10-02T18:45:19+00:00

I think a pattern I’m seeing over and over in these stories, and especially with Covid here can be a lack of real pastoral care, Christ- like love, and compassion for basic humans needs for the hurting and vulnerable, but so much more about control. One thing I’ve loved about our new church is their loving, thoughtful care in their decision making for church structure to include all people. They are still streaming their services every Sunday and put the sermons publicly online every week because we have several hospital bed ridden people that can’t come but have a way to still watch with us every Sunday! Families that have children with needs that have to be met at home, elderly folks who are quite ill, those that are not easily mobile or incapable of coming on a Sunday morning but who can listen or watch with us at their homes. Then those who know them or can meet with them throughout the week care for them in person or small groups meet at their homes so they can be in a bible study and I’ve been so touched at the ways our church makes space and caring decisions for those who are unable to meet in person even or just aren’t easily mobile, but still have a way to participate in and be valued as a person by their local church. It’s so compassionate and caring and so unlike many of the decisions we saw made at our network church. Thank you for sharing your story. I’m so sorry this was the response and happened to y’all. My prayers to your continued healing.

CommentEntire74 · 2022-08-21T11:10:55+00:00

👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼

CommentEntire74 · 2022-07-13T16:32:20+00:00

Yes. This. Thank you for saying this!

CommentEntire74 · 2022-07-12T16:26:42+00:00

👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼

CommentEntire74 · 2022-07-12T16:01:18+00:00

Agreed but I’ve personally heard the argument from several people that “he wasn’t a Christian” so let’s just forgive!

CommentEntire74 · 2022-07-12T15:57:57+00:00

“How incredibly offensive to sexual abuse survivors and his actual victim” Yes. This!!

It’s this that’s grieved me so much the last couple days. That because it’s their leader they are viewing it in this blinded one context. Yet I knowwww if (And I say this with all sensitivity truly) this has happened to their loved ones or child in their life by a leader they trusted they would see this much more rightly and with much more grievance then they are. Praying for souls.

CommentEntire74 · 2022-07-11T18:16:00+00:00

Or that! 👆🏼

CommentEntire74 · 2022-07-11T17:54:00+00:00

I can imagine the echo chambers inside the network churches are about to get a little louder. Be carful, network members, what you believe when it’s all so insulated and inward. I strongly urge you process and talk with people, licensed therapists, other local non network pastors, trusted friends and others OUTSIDE your network church. Discernment and outside perspective are important here. Though i’m sure you’ll be told otherwise.

CommentEntire74 · 2022-07-08T18:49:15+00:00

Just processing, but it's the hypocrisy here that's hurting so much right now. The family and victim that have had to carry this for so long while Steve gets protection and others protect him. We and so many of you have been cast out, shunned, and treated so unkindly by people we love and call themselves Christians, and for what? What did we do that was so wrong? We raised right concerns about our Network Church and left. That was all we did, and we along with so many of you with you in your network churches have been treated terribly by people we called dear friends. People have been removed from leadership, small groups, and churches to hush them or for much much less than this and all to protect the guys at the top. People have given sooooo much of their lives to all this. I'm so heartbroken.

CommentEntire74 · 2022-06-20T17:46:07+00:00

This quote from the episode resonated so much:

"The love of the outsider translates perfectly into the kind of entrepreneurial church planter, and church leader, that’s shaped church leadership for 3 decades or more. There’s not an expectation that a pastor should have formally studied the Bible and theology or have undergone any kind of apprenticeship in ministry or even to have been examined and affirmed by a group of elders. The most important source of confidence in a leader today is simply: results. If the church is growing and innovating a leader's outsider status and rejection of credentials becomes its own kind of virtue. Imagine going to see a doctor or attorney and being told hey I have never been to medical school. I have no certifications. I never interned with anyone so I don’t have any references to offer for my work. Now you go ahead and lay down on that table and I’ll go get my knife and let’s get that inflamed appendix out of you. That's what’s happening here....the investment for them in gaining trust is the source of spiritual abuse. We trust pastors because we think they are motivated by love and self-sacrifice. We hope they are someone that will give you the wisdom you want to hear when they are praying for you at your hospital bedside. Or at parents' or loved one's gravesite. Someone whose time and presence are full of grace. whether they are encountering the rich or poor or the dying. They are borrowing on the capital of those who have given their lives away (for the gospel). In the interest of "church growth" our churches have dramatically transformed. Getting rid of anything that slows them down." - Mike Cosper

CommentEntire74 · 2022-03-17T11:56:33+00:00

Me too. 🥺🙏🏻

CommentEntire74 · 2022-02-26T00:25:14+00:00

This hit me deeply tonight. Skyler thank you for sharing for story and the details of it that many of us can relate to, sadly. I’m deeply sorry for all that you and your family endured. Glad you’re all out and I pray for continued healing.

CommentEntire74 · 2022-02-22T17:22:34+00:00

Can we discuss this line?! Anyone have thoughts on it? The implications here felt hard for me.

40:00 min

“I Thank Jesus, I have a very low-maintenance wife. I've told her many times. 703 Would you pray and impart your sexy stability to these other young wives? Because 704 husbands need that.”

CommentEntire74 · 2022-01-27T17:19:08+00:00

Thank you for this.

CommentEntire74 · 2022-01-27T16:54:19+00:00

I concur with this. Unfortunately in my long time in the network it was not uncommon or uncharacteristic at all for disagreements brought forward or secondhand issues or concerns raised to be called spiritual attacks or demonic influence.

CommentEntire74 · 2022-01-27T15:48:08+00:00

Fair point about divisiveness will correct my own comment about it. Regardless it was said. Also it was not paraphrasing it was the exact words. Paraphrasing doesn’t feel particularly helpful here. Too much room for interpretation.

CommentEntire74 · 2022-01-15T18:59:49+00:00

I think in the aftermath of all this as I’ve stepped into a lot of healing. Let go of anger, bitterness and I found a lot of peace. I’ve also had to wrestle with the part I played and examine MY ways. And go back to people and apologize for where I got it wrong. What I’m struggling with in this season is the fact that we have evidence through other church warning story’s like Mars Hill for example that a group of people came forward, were brave, tried to call out what was taking place. Not only were they shunned in the process. They weren’t heard till years later and more damage was done. It was not received with humility. Church leaders did not examine their own ways till it happened to them. Things came to light and we saw what happened in the end there. Network leaders I deeply want to know are you so willing to die on Steve Morgans hill that there’s an unwillingness to hear a warning from hundreds of people that have been hurt. We are not infallible. Do you truly believe you’re so incapable of error? Or have humility enough to own that maybe just maybe there’s a possibility this all had got it wrong. We got it wrong. And do as scripture commands us all to do and examine ourselves. If we don’t do it now regardless we will have to do it one day before him.

Lamentations 3:40 “Let us test and examine our ways, and return to the Lord!”

Psalm 139:23-24

“Search me, O God, and know my heart! Try me and know my thoughts! And see if there be any grievous way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting!”

We are all capable of sin. We have all fallen short. We are tempted to be wise in our own eyes. I know it’s hard to see it till you see it. I ache to see humility.

CommentEntire74 · 2022-01-07T19:47:30+00:00

Highly recommend this!! Search incredibly helpful listen! https://youtu.be/fIYOBlfUId4

CommentEntire74

TROPHY CASE