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Want New Visitors at Church This Month? How will their financial incentives shape the church? While one can say INC and CAMACOP had a few decades headstart, their strategies are clear ever since. For example, why did this come out only after he died? With corporate consolidation in worship music, more entities are invested in the songs sung on Sunday mornings. Brian Houston of Hillsong church is latest pastor tied to scandal A fall from grace: These pastors resigned, were fired or accused of 'unholy' acts 7 PHOTOS More Stories California banning. Irene, Lana and I decided together that we would share the experience with the Faith Academy community and with the different congregations of Christs Commission Fellowship (CCF). 5. Dixon, who have. Hayden Kho - Wikipedia Always be willing to listen to correction. The Lord is a Giver. Having to say the word rape made me feel so spoiled and ruined. They took my dads cousin, his wife and their young child. The bargain musicians make when they release worship music is that the same impulses that drive ideological boycotts will apply to their music. Twice. That was the most painful thing I have ever had to tell my parents. It is in fellowship within a church community where we should allow ourselves to be accountable to various groups of people like our discipler, discipleship small group, accountability partners, and of course our pastors and church elders who keep watch over our souls and will keep an account (Hebrews 13:17). This organization has connected more than 130k people to churches. 'Unacceptable': Hillsong responds to sexting pastor scandal Even these may forget, but I will not forget you. (Isaiah 49:15). Satan does this by corrupting Godly Men and using their influence. Hebrews 12:1-2 instructs us let us also lay aside every encumbrance and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith Galatians 6:9 encourages us, lets not become discouraged in doing good, for in due time we will reap, if we do not become weary.. Open Table MCC's response to CCF's Pastor Bong Saquing's preaching associating monkeypox with homosexuals. If I wouldnt quote their pastor or allow him to preach in our pulpit, then I wont use the songs their bands write, wrote musician Dan Cogan in a blog post in 2016. Chan plans to work with the elders of his church to come up with more safeguards for future events. Because He loves us and He is good. Leni was also one of the presidential candidates interviewed by Christian Values Movement and CCF was part of . Writing on his blog, he said his faith in the organizations leadership has been shattered. The Send is a stadium conference that has been hosted in cities nationwide since 2011 by The Call, an organization run by charismatic Christian evangelist Lou Engle. ptr Ricky has sent a letter of apology to the CCF leadership & staff for going to the party as BIN LADEN. The Christ Commission Fellowship or the CCF is a thriving church of approximately 30+ outreaches in the Philippines and abroad. The Bible-believing world is severely saddened over the revelations of the sexual misconduct of Ravi Zacharias, the late founder of RZIM. Get our Question of the Week delivered right to your inbox! Some churches had already opted not to include songs by Hillsong (or Bethel or Elevation) because of conflicting beliefs or different approaches of ministry. Along with a mock improvised explosive device, Pastor Sarthou can be seen in the photo wearing the traditional Arabic headdress called akeffiyeh. The Church in Crisis? A Catch-22 for Megachurches My friends and I were very fortunate to be surrounded by people who genuinely cared about our well-being. Pastor JC is probably most recognized for his role with the CCF Village Capital Campaign and discipleship and mentoring of men through Sons of Covenant. Over the years, many things have been said about me that simply are not true. Ohh that's good. She says that while working in . When Christian leaders fall, the damage is tremendous. 6. Daniel Knighton / Getty Images. As I began to move past the initial shock and trauma of having been raped, I was left with an overwhelming sense of loss. The question over whether to keep playing Hillsongs music in worship falls in an interesting place. Zacharias dropped his extortion lawsuit in November 2017, and the parties eventually reached a private settlement. Would you consider partnering with us in our kingdom work by supporting us financially, either as a one-off donation, or a recurring pledge? I wanted to move on and move past what happened to me. 13 Famous Pastors Caught Doing Very Unholy Things - All That's Interesting 4. This is not to excuse, justify, nor condone Ravis actions, but we need to intentionally take a redemptive view of this matter and draw insights that the Lord will want us to learn. Calvary Fellowship Church | A Christ First Church | Downingtown/Exton PA Friday, February 7, 1992, started out like any ordinary school day. God made a beautiful world where people were supposed to be in harmony with Him, with one another, with creation. This is not exhaustive. They actually let him and his family go (which we later realised was another miracle). CCF pastor Urquico, a former drug addict, recalled how attending prayer meetings called Dawn Watch helped him turn his life around. I agree with this comment. The twist, however, is that strapped to his chest was a mock explosive device. He serves as Executive Pastor and is responsible for overseeing the business operations of the CCF organization. At CCF, you'll be greeted and welcomed into a warm, ca . ]. This is never promised in Scriptures.. Why? 2,235,753 people follow this. His love brought me through the valley. No one is beyond sin. Even before the Hillsong news over the past two years, worship leaders in the US had been vetting worship hits on a theological basis. vetting worship hits on a theological basis. The parents and new husband of 30-year-old Eunice . EAST ASIA MOVT COORDINATOR, PAOLO ZAGALA His love also gave me the capacity to forgive. ccf pastor scandal Harry T. Chandler (Assistant Director of Environmental Services), sentenced to 2 years probation and a $33,000 fine Ronald Wilson (Chief Engineer for Environmental Services), sentenced to 13 months imprisonment and a fine of $250,000. Once the scandal broke, he tried to end his life. Twice. But the Lord Not only that, Haggard had allegedly used crystal meth in front of his male lover. Give your family and other accountability partners permission to call your attention should they have any concerns about your behavior. As calmly as I could, I said: Why would I tell them anything when I know you will kill us?. At around six oclock in the evening the doorbell rang, and my dads cousin came in through the gate to deliver five sacks of rice. Biography of Pastor Danny Hodges - Contributing Writer - Learn Religions Thrush finds it understandable that many worship leaders would continue using Hillsong music. Beware of acting like a Pharisee. I knew that it was going to hurt them to hear it, but they had to hear it from me. Published on December 4, 2020 12:47 PM. I saw Irenes backpack torn open with her things scattered on the floor. Our life is a model to both believers and unbelievers. The Executive Pastor of one of the countrys largest Christian churches chose the outfit for their Churchs partys theme,Heroes and Villains.The photo shown here is a screen-capture of a now-deleted post on Instagram by Ickhoy de Leon, another CCF Pastor. Carl Lentz Accused of Repeated Sexual Abuse by Hillsong Pastor This was followed by releases of new singles such as "King Jesus" and "Joy". Atty. But take heart, because I have overcome the world.. Home - California Community Foundation When a megachurch scandal makes headlines, it doesnt usually affect your Sunday morning set list. At times my mind was darkened by sorrow. [1], In 2016, the church was chosen by the Dangerous Drugs Board (a government agency in the Philippines) to offer a spiritual rehabilitation program for drug addicts. From AIM, services moved to Greenbelt in Makati, then to the Conference Room of the Philippine International Convention Center, and then to the PICC Plenary Hall. Accusations of New IFB being a cult were also made by former New IFB preacher Adam Fannin, who left after the Romero scandal in January 2019. We need to be aware of our own mistakes and failures, and confess it to God so that our hearts will not be hardened. METRO EAST 3, CLUSTER HEAD, PASTOR ROY FELIPE Some are momentary afflictions, while others are long-term, even terminal humanly speaking. How can you write this article and criticize this pastor when you also mock the important figures of another religion (Catholics)? Dear CCF Family, It is with heavy hearts that we release this response to the final report of Ravi Zacharias' sexual misconduct. How are Christians to make sense of this news? The men started to converse with me, saying things like: We wouldnt do this if we didnt have to.. I want to borrow once more the words of Joseph in Genesis 50:20, where he said: You intended to harm me, but God intended it all for good.. We pray that their eyes may be fixed on the perfect person of Jesus Christ and not on those who have failed them and caused them unfathomable pain and disillusionment. The post has since been deleted from Furtick's social media channels. My parents had safeguarded my innocence. Avoid being alone with the opposite sex in a private place or room. Several people protested all morning, demanding their voices be heard. Haydn, though a far-flung parallel, is relevant as one example of a composer whose music has transcended its provenance as a product of the patronage of an unjust system or corrupt organization. Top Podcasts In Religion & Spirituality Let us weep with those who weep (Romans 12:15), especially with Ravis family members, ministry colleagues, and of course, the many victims of his sexual misconduct. They felt more comfortable about having my friends over, rather than me being out of the house. Or it came as a longing to return to the innocence of my childhood. Atlanta-area megachurch pastor Creflo Dollar is one in a long line of prominent pastors to face accusations of wrongdoing. The pastor was accused of having affairs with several female members of his congregation. Beware of cynicism and discouragement. Ravi Zacharias' Sexual Misconduct Confirmed By Independent Inside Singapore's City Harvest megachurch scandal - BBC News But I remembered that God has an everlasting love for me a love that was demonstrated at the Cross through His Son, Jesus, when He died for my sins and suffered for my sake. Always look in the mirror first. Welcome! Some may dismiss the expulsion of Hillsongs music as an example of cancel culture, a rush to get rid of historically significant influence on worship culture and songs that have been meaningful and formative for so many. Ravis sin does not invalidate what we learned from him nor from other RZIM leaders and speakers that is consistent with Scripture. Carl Lentz Had Multiple Affairs, Hillsong Founder Says in - People We likewise enjoin all of you in the world-wide CCF movement to pray for comfort and wisdom for Ravis family, the RZIM board and staff, and most of all for Gods immeasurable loving embrace to be upon those who were victims of Ravis misconduct. They may not be famous, but God knows who they are. Praise and Worship Service at CCF Center's Main Auditorium. Let us do our best to have open accountability and discipleship with the people we are close to. By Tessa Wong. A NJ pastor-politician is gunned down, and a community reels He wants to give us hope for the future eternal life, hope for today; peace, and hope for our past a new beginning. But we became each others strong supporters, especially when we felt like others could not understand what we were going through. It is only happening because He has allowed it to. Oklahoma pastor Sam Storms, a past president of the Evangelical Theological Society and council member for The Gospel Coalition, defended singing Hillsong songs in a blog post last summer. 2021 Filipino Freethinkers. She recently gave birth to her sixth child, Caylee, last December. My family and I clung to Romans 8:28: And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to His purpose.. Sin will always be found out. PASTORS & LEADERS, PASTOR JOEY GERONIMO It will be tragic and a waste if we do not try our best to learn from this incident. New Age Thinking Lured Me into Danger. Joy (standing, second from right) is the daughter of Dr Peter Tan-Chi (seated, sixth from right), founder and senior pastor of Christs Commission Fellowship (CCF) in the Philippines, and his wife Deonna. Sometimes, those borders are easy to draw. Ranin Karim, a 34-year-old jewelry . If you are suffering, visit RAINN for more sexual assault resources: https://www.rainn.org/SUBSCRIBE for more! Eli ng Debate ang mga pastors ng CCF (Peter Tan Chi, Bong Saquing And more. Admittedly, my selfish thought was, I hope they shoot me first. I dont know what stopped them from acting on their threat, but suddenly, the men decided to take hostages instead and leave immediately. He endured all this so that His death could bring us eternal life. We must put the corruption and scandal behind us in order to grow and spread our love. The Real Christian Preacher Sex Scandal Is How Many There Are - Daily Beast What is Christs Commission Fellowship? A safe environment is characterized by love, grace, encouragement, and hope. Several radio outlets, including Moody Radio one of the largest Christian networks in the U.S. have dropped RZIM programs. She grew up in a Christian Family full of love and compassion but something heartbreaking happened in her life that tested her faith to the core. It faces calls from within its own ranks to change its name, pay reparations to any victims and oust some top leaders, including Zacharias family members. All photos from instagram.com/joytmendoza. About an hour after, my parents came home from their Bible study in Makati. At first, its like, There is no way this is happening but then it goes to anger, said Katie Thrush, a longtime Hillsong fan, a worship leader, and a survivor of abuse. Is Singapore still a place of hope for strangers and sojourners? CCF has more than 60 satellite churches in the Philippines and over 40 satellites abroad, with over 70,000 weekly worshippers (prior to the Covid crisis). Chan first addressed the question of the prosperity gospel, which refers to teachings that imply that followers of Jesus will be healthy and wealthy. ICP-NCP LIAISON MINISTRY COORDINATOR, MEL SANTOS Youre feasting on a pastor who dressed up like Osama Bin Laden (a specific person who just happened to be an Arab) in (private) party. A movement of Christ-committed followers making Christ-committed followers to honor God. Raped by seven men at 15: Joy Tan-Chi Mendoza on forgiveness and hope They said vile things to me, made me do unimaginable, perverted acts, and eventually tied me up and laid me down by the entrance of the front door. Irene and Lana had arrived at 7pm as planned, with no clue that they were walking into a nightmare. Ravi's widow deserves to stay in that home. 7. FILE - In this March 30, 2016 file photo, Ravi Zacharias, center, speaks during the Society of World Changers induction ceremony at Indiana Wesleyan University in Marion, Ind. No one is above temptation. Lone auxiliary: Bishops' resignations 'a painful process' but 'an A dividing line had been set between my childhood and the balance of my life. Belonging to a church community is vital and important. That being said, I speak in many places where I am not in alignment theologically. You may also have many more unanswered questions. Beware of blaming others for your failure to walk in purity. But the Lord has. The conversation around Hillsong music also runs parallel to considerations around promoting the work of fallen pastors that have emerged in recent years. Rescue came at just the right time. Official Twitter Account of Christ's Commission Fellowship Sunday Worship Services at 10am 12nn 3pm 6pm Landline (02) 8866 9900 [email protected]. Our Worship Is Turning Praise into Secular Profit, How Bethel and Hillsong Took Over Our Worship Sets, After My Dad Died, God Didnt Answer My Anguish, Complete access to articles on ChristianityToday.com, Over 120 years of magazine archives plus full access to all of CTs online archives. When some of you mockingly dressed as catholic bishops in one of your pro-RHA Bill rallies (public). Pastor Timothy Ngwu of Vineyard Ministry of the Holy Trinity was also involved in a very messy scandal. 1,706,805 people like this. My parents pulled me towards them and for the first time that evening, I really cried about the rape. We must assume personal responsibility for our walk. Based in suburban Atlanta, RZIM has operations in about 20 countries and a roster of scores of traveling speakers. We should not reject the teachings in the Psalms and Proverbs simply because of the moral failures of the writers. On May 12, 2013, CCF held its first Sunday worship service at the new CCF Center in Frontera Verde in Pasig, with a 10,000 seating capacity. Creflo Dollar . I will preach in just about any kind of setting if Im given freedom to preach from any passage of scripture.. We are an independent, non-profit organisation that relies on the generosity of our readers, such as yourself, to continue serving the kingdom. Some fans have drawn distinctions between Hillsong Church and Hillsong music. Terry and Judith Crist, former lead pastors of Hillsong Phoenix . Currently, four of the ten most popular worship songs sung in churches have come out of Hillsong (The Goodness of God, What a Beautiful Name, Who You Say I Am, and King Of Kings). I couldnt go back to being the person I was. Most certainly, if and when an accusation or allegation is brought against any member of CCFs leadership team, we will address it with earnestness and objectivity. Always practice PRUDENCE. We wanted to talk about Gods goodness, to thank Him for sparing our lives, and to acknowledge that He spared us for a reason. As 1 Timothy 1:5 puts it, the goal of our instruction is lovefrom a pure heart and agood conscience and a sincerefaith. We need to ask God to reveal to us the things that dishonor him. In the Midst of Infighting, Anti-LGBTQ Church Network's Website and All rights reserved. Is the evangelical view of sex at the root of our sex scandals? Six months after a sex scandal involving New Birth's senior pastor, Bishop Eddie Long, became public, the megachurch no longer packs them in. Steven Furtick Accused of Being a 'False Teacher' After - ChurchLeaders Sheila Wray Gregoire. CCF BEYOND AND INTERNATIONAL CHURCH PLANTING (ICP) PASTORS & LEADERS PASTOR JIM WHELCHEL MISSIONS DIRECTOR PASTOR DANNY PEREZ ICP DIRECTOR PASTOR JOEY GERONIMO ICP-NCP LIAISON MINISTRY COORDINATOR MEL SANTOS ICP LEADERSHIP DEV'T COORDINATOR WILSON GONZALES EAST ASIA MOV'T COORDINATOR PAOLO ZAGALA SOUTHEAST ASIA MOV'T COORDINATOR MUELLER PENG Running back into the house, I was pulled back in through the font door. It is in this light that we encourage you, that if you observe any misconduct or impropriety on the part of our elders, pastors, and leaders or members, to please file a report directly to your Area Pastor or Satellite Pastor, or Dgroup leader. I want to borrow once more the words of Joseph in Genesis 50:20, where he said: 'You intended to harm me, but God intended it all for good.'" The Guardians chief pop critic Alexis Petridis wrote: You cant easily eradicate Jackson from history: too many people have too much of their lives bound up with his music. While I trusted that God had a plan for what happened, I was still confronted by the reality of what had been taken from me. The US megachurch pastor at the centre of an adultery scandal has said he is taking a sabbatical to "spend time with God", after he and a married parishioner were reportedly caught half naked . Scripture reminds us that our struggle is not against flesh and blood (Ephesians 6:12), hence we should be careful not to trample on a fallen fellow soldier, even if in this case many will claim his wounds were self-inflicted. This is good change. You told them, didnt you? The reality is that all of us go through trials and sufferings. Pastor JC has an AA and a BA in Business, is the founder of Sons Of Covenant . But Jesus gave His life, to restore and heal what sin took away, to give us hope. SOUTHEAST ASIA MOVT COORDINATOR, KYLE BARRINGTON Allow your wife/husband access to your cell phones, computer, and social media. (The revised response from CCF leadership as of March 14, 2021). Regardless of how each individual or congregation decides to reckon with Hillsong, the profound spiritual experiences facilitated by its music need not be a source of shame or embarrassment, even if the memories of those experiences are now altered. There is nothing concealed that will not be disclosed or hidden that will not be made known. (Luke 12:2) Sin will always be revealed, whether during our lifetime or after our death; if not in this world, at the final judgment. It might be costly but falling into sin is costlier. Rarely in my life have I had difficulty opening up to my parents, but this was one of those times when I did not know what to say. Franz Joseph Haydnan influential Austrian composer of the 18th centuryworked for an incredibly wealthy prince for 30 years. Joy Tan-Chi Mendoza is the daughter of Pastor Tan-Chi, a senior pastor of Christ Commission Fellowship in the Philippines. He isnt like the people or problems that steal and take away what is precious to us. And perhaps you shouldnt. From Pastors Fenix of CCF: Good day everyone, since the post of Filipino Freethinkers has gone viral I would like to encourage everyone to be loving, prayerful & soberkeeping our emotions in check. The Lord is a Redeemer. To do this, we need to teach that the Christian life is not designed to be lived alone. // March 23, 2019, 12:35 pm, "God's love brought me through the valley His love also gave me the capacity to forgive and the boldness to declare what He has done. I was ashamed. METRO EAST 4, CLUSTER HEAD, CCF SATELLITE PASTORS & LEADERS METRO SOUTH, CCF SATELLITE PASTORS & LEADERS METRO WEST. All ministries belong to the One to whom we all ultimately serve: our Lord Jesus Christ. 1 Timothy 5:19-20 says, 19 Do not receive an accusation against an elder except on the basis of two or three witnesses. Joy Tan-Chi Mendoza Having the hope of eternal life comforted me greatly the night of the rape. From there, Irene made a long distance call to her parents in Macau. Let us keep our eyes focused on Jesus. 20 Those who continue in sin, rebuke in the presence of all, so that the rest also will be fearful of sinning.. ! someone yelled at me. But as successive headlines chronicle revelations of moral failings among Hillsong leadership, accusations of abuse, toxic internal structures, pastors stepping down, and congregations leaving the denomination, some worship leaders are questioning whether the musical fruit of such a ministry belongs in their own churches. But the Lord has other. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. According to Chan, he speaks at events almost every week of the year and said that it is part of his calling in this season of his life. History [ edit] We are severely saddened over the investigation's results, but it would be tragic and a waste if we do not do our best to learn from this incident. Megachurch pastor caught 'half-naked' with employee "We believe the Lord is calling us to move into the. Francis Chan and evangelist Todd White pray at The Send 2019 in Orlando, Florida on Feb. 23, 2019. Bringing lost sheep back to the flock, National Council of Churches in the Philippines, Philippine Council of Evangelical Churches, Iglesia Evangelica Metodista en las Islas Filipinas, United Church of Christ in the Philippines, Christian and Missionary Alliance Churches of the Philippines, Christian Reformed Church in the Philippines, Convention of Philippine Baptist Churches, Pentecostal Missionary Church of Christ (4th Watch), The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Kingdom of Jesus Christ, The Name above Every Name, Bastion of Truth Reformed Churches in the Philippines, Church of the Foursquare Gospel in the Philippines, Philippines General Council of the Assemblies of God, Evangelical Methodist Church in the Philippine Islands, Philippine Benevolent Missionaries Association. Hillsong United performs in concert in March 2022, weeks after Brian Houstons resignation. Infamy and scandal Kho's promising career was interrupted when it was reported that Kho had tried to commit suicide in December 2008. Oh, Joy! my mom said, the tears instantly welling up around her blue eyes. His ministry, preparing to downsize in the wake of a new investigation, expresses regret for "misplaced trust" in a leader who used his esteem to conceal his sexual misconduct. What a tender description of Gods love for us! Perhaps it is all right that his music continues to be heard, so long as it comes with a caveat: that it reminds us great art can be made by terrible people, that talent can be weaponised in the most appalling way, that believing an artist automatically embodies goodness because we like their work is a dreadful mistake that can have awful consequences. The 2019 documentary about Michael Jacksons alleged sexual abuse of minors, Leaving Neverland, stirred fans to reconsider the artist and his musical legacy. The decision to share openly about what happened to the three of us marked the beginning of our journey towards healing. Later on, they met at the Asian Institute of Management for their first Sunday worship service and launched "Christ's Commission Foundation" in August 1984.[1][2]. March 28, 2022 5:25pm. However, several employees have made clear in social media posts and in letters that have been shared publicly that they are dismayed with the leaderships handling of the scandal. It speaks volumes to me and a lot of other people, Thrush said. Another pastor, Manly Perry of Old Path Baptist Church in San Antonio, Texas, posted a video Nov. 19 distancing himself from the New IFB. Many worship leaders agree. RZIM must change its name, remove Ravis material, repent for its many failures, and provide a restorative response to the harm that Ravis victims experienced., In a follow-up post, Weitnauer asked if the board would resign to acknowledge their failure to provide accountability to Ravi Zacharias for more than a decade.. Steven Furtick, the founder and senior pastor of Southern Baptist Church (SBC) Elevation Church in Charlotte, North Carolina, has drawn theological criticism for statements he made in a recent Facebook post. More Hillsong pastors step down following leader's resignation, doc release. After a four-month investigation and years of allegations, a report now details the sexual misconduct and abuse of world-renowned Christian apologist Ravi Zacharias. And the consequences of sin heartache, hardships, problems, pain and multiplied sorrows these are the enemies of hope.