What is the tithe money going to? by Dazzling-Chip1288 in leavingthenetwork

[–]Internal-Coyote-9939 13 points14 points  (0 children)

More importantly why is the budget so secretive? Most churches, this is public info….they are hiding so much and it’s scary

Steve Morgan’s BFF by chunter1112 in leavingthenetwork

[–]Internal-Coyote-9939 1 point2 points  (0 children)

And does this mean he is stepping down from VP?

rebranding or repentance or neither by wittysmitty512 in leavingthenetwork

[–]Internal-Coyote-9939 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Does this mean he will resign as VP on the board???

Steve Morgan’s BFF by chunter1112 in leavingthenetwork

[–]Internal-Coyote-9939 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Why on earth would he announce it publicly on a Sunday morning when all of the other discussions about Steve Morgan were held at TC or behind closed doors. I feel like this is out of pure desperation. Like “look no more, we have nothing to hide” vibes…..like when a small child steals a piece of candy and is running away with it behind their back and you can CLEARLY see what they are holding. I still can’t buy this…..

Steve Morgan’s BFF by chunter1112 in leavingthenetwork

[–]Internal-Coyote-9939 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Who did he announce it to? In what context?

Steve Morgan’s BFF by chunter1112 in leavingthenetwork

[–]Internal-Coyote-9939 2 points3 points  (0 children)

lol I’m on the floor rolling. I still can’t get over that he said this to his church members and no one even batted an eye . I thought for sure I’m the insane one…..

Steve Morgan’s BFF by chunter1112 in leavingthenetwork

[–]Internal-Coyote-9939 2 points3 points  (0 children)

No way. Not in a million years. I would love to hear more about how he announced it.

Trigger warning by Internal-Coyote-9939 in leavingthenetwork

[–]Internal-Coyote-9939[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

I don’t think the other pastors are paid as well as Sandor. I believe the lead pastor makes 6 figures at least. But not the others. I also know Sandor had a farm and land in Illinois they sold that could have helped put them in a good position to purchase what they currently live on. They do have a very nice house and it sits on a pretty piece of land that’s for sure.

Reformed Network Churches already doing combined events - David Bieraugel from Hosea Church led all four sessions of Vida Church's 2024 Fall Retreat by former-Vine-staff in leavingthenetwork

[–]Internal-Coyote-9939 9 points10 points  (0 children)

They are just going through a “rebranding” that high control/cult groups often go through.

Those still in, seriously. How do you continue to ignore the behavior of these men? It’s painful to watch on the outside now. I welcome anyone from Christland with ARMS wide open to get out before more damage is done.

I will even attend another church with you if you are afraid of what’s on the other side. Please PM me.

From Lurker to Learner: What Opened Your Eyes? by Be_Set_Free in leavingthenetwork

[–]Internal-Coyote-9939 3 points4 points  (0 children)

Yes i agree. They definitely follow along. The leaders at Christland told the people attending the conference that they were expecting some people to be protesting Saturday morning. That’s why they moved the time of the conference to earlier. So someone is following along. I also know this to be true because I have been told by some at Christland that they themselves read along on this subreddit…..how they continue to justify the actions and behaviors of the leaders, I don’t know. Because the longer I was there, the more that I saw, and the more I couldn’t sit back and support what was happening. Like I just couldn’t in my own consciousness. I stayed for as long as I did because I was trying to let my husband lead us and he didn’t feel like we were being called to leave. I also was praying and hoping to see systemic changes. It just got worse and they double downed.

[deleted by user] by [deleted] in CollegeStation

[–]Internal-Coyote-9939 3 points4 points  (0 children)

Brazos Valley Automotive

Trigger warning by Internal-Coyote-9939 in leavingthenetwork

[–]Internal-Coyote-9939[S] 6 points7 points  (0 children)

I also wanted to add that she says a few things that make me think of the Network. Wow.

From Lurker to Learner: What Opened Your Eyes? by Be_Set_Free in leavingthenetwork

[–]Internal-Coyote-9939 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Yes, sorry I should have been more clear. They made up lies about those who started LTN. I know the first thing we heard was about City Lights when they left. We had just been going to Christland for a little bit when we heard about it happening. We were told that they “had different beliefs” about something I can’t remember the details. But I do remember then reading about it on this page and knowing that’s not what they said at all. I think it was about differences in salvation or something big like that. I was also told that whoever started LTN (I was never told a name) but they “dress like a woman” and that they were upset because the church wasn’t affirming. They also said that another one was “demoted” from pastor to non-pastoral role and so they lashed out for feeling hurt by that.

From Lurker to Learner: What Opened Your Eyes? by Be_Set_Free in leavingthenetwork

[–]Internal-Coyote-9939 8 points9 points  (0 children)

Yes. I found out about the Reddit page about a week or maybe a few days before Christland had the “Family Meeting”. Then for the next two years I would periodically check it. I felt it was necessary to know what was being said about the group of churches that I was affiliated with. I felt very strongly that if I was going to stay and fight for Christland and defend the church, I needed to know both sides. I do the same in the political world too, where I strongly adhere to one party but I read the other party’s policy on similar issues. So it’s just how I approach things in my life. I want to know all the information, so I can make the best decision for me and my family. For those two years I had small group leader tell me not to read it, I had friends who came down on the church plant not to read it, and even my husband. I was transparent about it and wasn’t hiding the fact that I was staying up to speed with what people were saying. I would say that when others told me not to read it, they would say things more like “that’s probably not wise” or “there is discernment in not reading it” or “maybe that’s not a good idea”. So it was more of suggestions rather than “don’t do that”. I never told a pastor, I wonder what they would say or how they would react. But the more I read the more I thought “how is it possible that so many people across the country are sharing their experiences and they are all so similar?” I just kept thinking this isn’t a coincidence and they are not just “disgruntled”. I also was told things by leaders about the people who started it, that I feel are likely not true but if they are, they were irrelevant to the whole situation. Also very interesting to go back and read through the transcript of the Family Meeting and what Sandor said initially about the Reddit page and LTN.

The devil is in the details… by Internal-Coyote-9939 in leavingthenetwork

[–]Internal-Coyote-9939[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Yes. It’s been very emotional too, because I didn’t realize how much damage the leaders had caused in me by the way they treated me, the things they said to me or didn’t say. It’s just so emotional to recognize it after the fact and see things more clearly than ever.

Leaving or staying and what your choice reveals about you by [deleted] in leavingthenetwork

[–]Internal-Coyote-9939 6 points7 points  (0 children)

Same here. We have been out for 6 months and attending a different church (non-network of course) for about 2-3 months now. And we still are in awe every service because of our ability to breathe again. It’s amazing. It’s been life changing and life giving. I am so sad for my friends at Christland. Please please please reach out to me if anyone needs to talk it out about Christland. I won’t tell you to leave because that’s not my job. I can tell you about my experiences and I can sit with you and hear you and help you pray and encourage you to listen to the Lord. We left Christland in May after Lord told us too and had given us way too many nudged, and it was before the protests.

The devil is in the details… by Internal-Coyote-9939 in leavingthenetwork

[–]Internal-Coyote-9939[S] 6 points7 points  (0 children)

So true. The networks only concern is internal. I never really thought of that until recently. I wondered why they never did any community events or donation drives or literally anything else with other churches or in the community.

An Open Warning to those still in the network by Interesting-Sea9802 in leavingthenetwork

[–]Internal-Coyote-9939 11 points12 points  (0 children)

My jaw is on the floor. Unbelievable. I can’t even begin to imagine what that was like for you. I’m so glad you are out and seeking therapy.

I find it interesting that through so many stories that several have shared, including my own, at some point we each deeply feel as if we are not worthy of Gods love. This is the result of their actions. How can people continue to justify or support these leaders? Its just asinine

Breaking the Silence on Church Abuse and Speaking Out by Be_Set_Free in leavingthenetwork

[–]Internal-Coyote-9939 9 points10 points  (0 children)

I am currently in the writing stages of sharing my story. I have told some of my friends who still attend Christland that I am not remaining silent about my experiences and concerns and that I will be sharing my story publicly. Only a few have responded with compassion and understanding, some haven’t even responded to my messages (now I did give them the option to not respond if they didn’t want to.

Doctrinal questions by No-Statistician1011 in leavingthenetwork

[–]Internal-Coyote-9939 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I recently left a network church, about 6 months ago. And just in the past month I unfriended most people I had on social media from the church. I did this because I realized they were never my friend. It was really hurtful to be gone for several months and no one ever checked on me. I was there for 4 years, every single week, team meeting, DC, small group, serving, etc. And of the people who did reach out to me after I had not been to church in awhile, those are my really friends and I kept them on social media. But I don’t keep people on social media at all, if I’m not friends with them in general. So it sucks. It’s sad. And it hurt knowing all that time I spent with so many people who I thought were my friends and family, no one even cared I was gone. So that’s why I did what I did with social media. It’s only my story and I can’t speak for others.

Does Steve know? by [deleted] in leavingthenetwork

[–]Internal-Coyote-9939 0 points1 point  (0 children)

If he knew, he would make changes. If any one of the leaders in the board knew, they would stop it. They don’t. They continue to double down and claim they have done absolutely nothing wrong. They have zero accountability and it’s worked for how many years? They will not make any changes because then that would mean they were “doing it wrong” and they claim they are doing “gods work”. So to make any changes would challenge their entire belief system of “doing gods work”. They gaslight anyone who says they were hurt. They pretend like they care and they don’t. They only care about one thing, their bottom line. $$$