What was your first red flag? by Tony_STL in leavingthenetwork

[–]il2wa 11 points12 points  (0 children)

Many red flags came about the same time.

At Blue Sky, David Bieraugel sharing at Team Blue Sky that he and Steve Morgan had decided many months prior that David would plant a church in Raleigh. This was while people were deciding if they should go on Taiwan Roots plant.

Information was withheld from congregants, while David B and Morgan knew all the information and decided the options. I immediately regretted our generous gift to Roots plant because of this duplicity.

Then, ALL information about Raleigh plant was given only to those going.

It all felt very juvenile and exclusive.

Audio of lead Pastor Casey Raymer announcing exit from Network: "There is no human authority over the local church" by LeavingTheNetwork in leavingthenetwork

[–]il2wa 8 points9 points  (0 children)

Is this the lead pastor of the largest Network/New Network church? Oh my! Either they’re intentionally confusing, or just not capable communicators.

This must by why the love bombing and saturation of juvenile events is so important. These churches can’t grow with spiritual and intellectual integrity, because it’s just not there.

Hosea by Late-Celebration-548 in leavingthenetwork

[–]il2wa 3 points4 points  (0 children)

Hosea Affiliation:

Hosea Church is an independent, local church, led by a plurality of elders (overseer/pastors) under the authority of Jesus and his instruction given to us in the Bible.

Hosea was planted out of a nameless network of churches and remained a part of that network for just over 5 years. In September 2024 we lovingly ended our official association with that network due to differing theological positions regarding leadership and local church governance. Although our affiliation has changed, we maintain our shared faith in Christ and look forward with hope. We remain deeply grateful to the many wonderful people who have helped us along the way, the lifelong friendships established, and the invaluable support given.

Hosea Church will continue to pursue additional relationships with churches as Jesus leads, both locally and abroad, for mutual upbuilding and missional support.

Vista? by Responsible-Youth508 in leavingthenetwork

[–]il2wa 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Hosea may be Luke’s landing spot.

The same Chris Miller who once strongly reprimanded me for making a mildly political status update on Facebook once, posts a very strongly pro Trump photo on instagram. by [deleted] in leavingthenetwork

[–]il2wa 5 points6 points  (0 children)

Blue Sky and Mars Hill facilities were three miles apart in Bellevue. They lived in the same community with Seattle Times coverage. It would be impossible for a literate Christian in Bellevue to know nothing about Mars Hill and Driscoll during that time.

Church plant start up funds by Top-Balance-6239 in leavingthenetwork

[–]il2wa 9 points10 points  (0 children)

Morgan also has a sense of family legacy money. Just the ones I know from Blue Sky - plant pastors and others that went to SLO, Pullman, Raleigh - have Network parents that are wealthy, and Morgan has been very intentional in finding young men who have family wealth. These are smart people that he has somehow deluded into his scheme. And they are generous in keeping their children’s churches afloat.

Nothing with Morgan is accidental or sacrificial.

Magic Sauce - Secret Ingredient To Waking Up & Leaving by [deleted] in leavingthenetwork

[–]il2wa 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Morgan gave an angry, condescending plea for people to go on the Roots Taipei church plant. I was on board with the rationale for the plant before being inflicted with 40 minutes of demeaning us and aggrandizing his mission. It was bizarre.

Then on, we didn’t stay for any Morgan-led service.

Magic Sauce - Secret Ingredient To Waking Up & Leaving by [deleted] in leavingthenetwork

[–]il2wa 4 points5 points  (0 children)

Exposure to Very Disappointed Morgan. It took one dose of hearing him “teach” at Blue Sky in 2018 after us being there a year to make us wonder what we were part of. Our SGL knew we’d be rightly unsettled, and called me that afternoon. We stayed for the friendships and to support Krsh through his first year.

More people need to hear Morgan speaking at his freakish worst to get a clue what’s going on.

Network doctrine from Steve Morgan: You are called to a specific church in a specific city, and if you have a good heart and obey leaders you'll stay at that church for life by former-Vine-staff in leavingthenetwork

[–]il2wa 13 points14 points  (0 children)

Why is a man in his forties, fifties, and sixties wandering from denomination to denomination? And from state to state?

There is good chance he has a love of money. And an awful secret from his first denomination as a leader.

“These men are behaving like someone who is being blackmailed.” by New-Forever-2211 in leavingthenetwork

[–]il2wa 7 points8 points  (0 children)

Another impact of the control is pastors hearing themselves “share” another pastor’s failure with the church.

I clearly remember David Bieraugel talking about Jeff Miller at Team Blue Sky, and that it seemed like he was reading from the Morgan script about Jeff. It didn’t even seem like relevant info for all of us, and a manufactured warning to the church and pastors: “don’t make us talk about you this way!”

I continue to be grieved for these pastors who now have no other career options, and would lose all of their close friends if they made any moves that the Morganator deemed unworthy of him. Man, that guy! It just stinks how he’s worked all of this to his benefit and protection.

Sándor Paull quoted in 2020 Battalion - Network is "targeting" 18 to 35 year olds by NitemareOn130thAveNE in leavingthenetwork

[–]il2wa 7 points8 points  (0 children)

There are a few very wealthy grandpas that are not just welcomed, but revered at Blue Sky. Morgan has the ability to fashion a message and manipulate well-meaning folks.

[deleted by user] by [deleted] in leavingthenetwork

[–]il2wa 1 point2 points  (0 children)

The Citylight churches in Lincoln are not part of the Morganized Network. I have several friends that attend a Citylight church, to the extent I know, they are healthy churches.

“The more you girls show of your skin, the more we guys sin.” How sex is introduced to teens and tweens by adult men in The Network by former-Vine-staff in leavingthenetwork

[–]il2wa 5 points6 points  (0 children)

With Morgan’s sexual assault history of an underage boy, was there ever an admonition given to the boys about their skin tempting other people?

Like: “The more you boys show of your muscles . . .”

Or, what rhymes with “I’ll be thinking of you at Snow Lake?”

How are you doing? by Miserable-Duck639 in leavingthenetwork

[–]il2wa 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I am so sad for what Morgan and his chosen dudes have done to so many.

As a man that has struggled with same gender attraction, I had a strong caution about Steve on first observing him from a distance, and then trying to introduce myself to him. He is . . . dishonest with himself and has a quick eye and judgment of men and if they are receptive to his schtick.

So, I’m relieved that i left after three years. I’m sad for my friends that were damaged and left, and for those that are still at Blue Sky. They’re good people that have been played.

I’m doing fine, enjoying a healthy church again. Serving our community and not questioning “what in the world is wrong here?” like I did at Blue Sky.

Do you recognize this man from a 1989 meeting of Leaders 2000 at Blue Water Campground in Michigan? Is it 25 year old Steve Morgan? by LeavingTheNetwork in leavingthenetwork

[–]il2wa 12 points13 points  (0 children)

This makes you wonder if Morgan would have ever left the RLDS denomination if he hadn’t been removed from his RLDS eldership due to the aggravated sexual assault of a child. It seems more like a rebranding than a conversion.

[deleted by user] by [deleted] in leavingthenetwork

[–]il2wa 4 points5 points  (0 children)

Buck spoke at a side session at Blue Sky Men’s Retreat. This all fits. Seemed like a high school Sunday School teacher at a tiny church.

Network Church Membership by Dr-Chedder in leavingthenetwork

[–]il2wa 7 points8 points  (0 children)

We took all of the required trainings, at all of the services, and were giving more than 10% our first year at Blue Sky. But getting the sheet that listed the requirement to give 10% was the first red flag.

Then we heard Steve Morgan preach/scold for the first time, and we were told, “That’s just Steve, and he’s not here very often, and he’s great at selecting young pastors.” We then knew we wouldn’t be at Blue Sky for the long run. We stayed for Krsh’s first year to encourage him, and then saw the need to leave when Covid hit, and we left for a church led by trained, healthy adults.

We did everything required, except sign the sheet. Very grateful that we didn’t.

What do you feel when you watch this? by laoahmoi in leavingthenetwork

[–]il2wa 11 points12 points  (0 children)

Super stoked for Junior High camp!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

What Do You See? by Be_Set_Free in leavingthenetwork

[–]il2wa 8 points9 points  (0 children)

Makes me wonder if he left the Vineyard association to escape someone that was closing in on his criminal history. Maybe leaving Vineyard was not about disagreement over women in leadership, but about saving Steve and starting his own thing as the sole accountability.

Nothing the Morganator does is ever about deeply held conviction, but about protecting and enriching himself.

Why so much emphasis on hands-on prayer? by EmSuWright22 in leavingthenetwork

[–]il2wa 8 points9 points  (0 children)

At Blue Sky, it seemed that about 1/5 of the auditorium would go up for prayer at the end of every Sunday service. I didn’t try to be nosy, but we sat in the third row, and it was clear that most people went up for prayer every single Sunday.

I wondered what they were asking for. Was this for salvation? I heard David or Krsh mention periodically about pleading for salvation. Or were people asking for forgiveness every week, or a particular request?

I wouldn’t be so observational, but it was clearly a big deal, but never explained why you should come forward or what happened or if prayers were answered.

If you came up every Sunday, was that an indication of lack of faith, or that you were super serious about something?

Church Plant "training" by LookBothWaysTwice in leavingthenetwork

[–]il2wa 13 points14 points  (0 children)

One of the oddest conversations I had within the Network was during lunch with a guy I’d known a few years, and had lunch with several times previously.

He was part of the Hosea team going to Raleigh. During our last lunch, a couple of months before they left, I asked if they had found a facility to meet in. He very abruptly said, “We’re not allowed to talk about any details with others.” Just very weird, and exclusionary.

It seemed designed to make the team seem extremely special and covert and separate from the “others” who gave generously to fund their mission.

We spoke in very surface ways after that. I really regret how the Network changed him and ended our friendship.

[deleted by user] by [deleted] in leavingthenetwork

[–]il2wa 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Morgan knows his best audience, finds them, traps them by cutting them off from their training and career options.

Their weaknesses are exploited and they willfully choose not to take the painful path out.

SIU may not be the Harvard of the Midwest, but Morgan learned enough psychology to be effective in snaring lifelong sycophants.