Part 9: The gossip

We’ve also had people who have left that church tell us they’ve heard gossip about us. The gist of the gossip is that Geoff and I demanded paid staff positions and when we were refused that we got upset and left. Also that we, of course, just like the other Elders and their wives who left before us, are in sin and that we are Pharisees and have no love and grace. The same story is told over and over about those who were once in leadership, who have since left. You can honestly interchange the names of the individuals, like those paper dress up dolls I used to play with as a kid. The same accusation fits every individual who has left. Isn’t that strange?

Actually, it’s not. It’s a common theme among those who spiritually abuse. They are never wrong and the fault always lies with someone else. If fault needs to be accepted it will be the very least grievous

fault possible in order to deflect from the greater sins that were exposed.

In all of this, with every former Leader I’ve spoken to since we left in May of 2018, there’s this common thread that the Pastor’s wife runs the church and it’s been joked about as the “church of (insert the Pastor’s wife’s name). Tools that she uses to make people comply are false prophecies and gossip spoken over people and about people. I had my own false prophecy of my death and destruction in a text message if I were to leave the church and not submit to their leadership.

The gossip was rampant and flowed out of her mouth like a dripping faucet, flowing into many conversations that I had with her and she seized every opportunity to tell me something about someone else. I was told about affairs of people I’d never met, but knew on facebook, I was told of financial trials, I was even told about sexual preferences of certain leaders in the church. All of it shocked me and made me feel uncomfortable. I wish I would have boldly spoken up and squashed it but I didn’t. My need and want for acceptance won out over my desire to stand in truth. I bring it out now so that people can identify and expose this common thread of gossip and false prophecy. All of it was aimed at promoting her authority and position over others, to make others doubt relationship, and to force loyalty to her alone and all of it, the manipulation and lies, continue to this day with no accountability to anyone.

Some may be wondering why I decided to post all of this. This long, long story, that to some may not seem that bad. There’s many more details that I left out. I focused on my story more than others, although I’ve spoken to many former Leaders and their stories are much the same. The theme is there’s no accountability for any of the Leaders/Elders in that church. If you don’t comply 100% you are gossiped about and forced out. The Pastor’s wife is the head honcho, and if there are ethical issues, the Word of God is set aside, and the agenda is pushed instead and the truth hidden.