My opinion. [4] In 1995, Pitts moved the Church to Reynolds Road in Maumee, just outside Toledo, with a 2,500-seat facility. Perhaps you didnt decipher this from my prior postings so let me make myself abundantly clear: I love Pastor Michael Pitts. Sorry, kinda crabby (lol, crabwalk, get it) tonight. In afall 2020 letter,Wayne Aarum saidhe was reinstatedas presidentand that Circle Cs independent investigation was complete, andhad found no factual basisfor the allegations against him at that point. Perhaps your level of discernment in much higher than the present leaders of the church, or you have no discernment! [16][17], In December 2015, Pitts released the album Heal The World, containing songs co-written by Pitts and featuring Israel Houghton, Sheryl Brady, The Katinas, Lucia Parker, Linda Green (of Peaches & Herb) and Bryan Popin. When a pastor resigns after his 77-church network is implicated in "the largest evangelical sex abuse scandal to date," how long does it take for him to regain the trust of his colleagues? Never. I dont care who it is, any man who tries that should be prosecuted, so-called holy man whos in in for the money of not. God Bless Pastor Pitts and the whole Cornerstone Family, I myself have benefited greatly from the annointing spirit that overflows beyond the walls of Cornerstone. That should tell people something right there. Pitts is not exempt from sin because hes carries the title of Pastor or Apostle or because he built a multi-million dollar organization. Its the one incident where an I was out of the country alibi is obviously false. You have the same response to everything just like I do. Has your involvement in Cornerstone alienated you from your family? He was out of the country on half of the alleged dates. I wouldnt personally want to go to his church, but I sure do wish people would be more concerned about taking care of pastors and familys of smaller churches, rather than making sure that The Big Guys get the bells and whistles. I have attended Cornerstone since 1995 and without a doubt, the relationships, benefits of life and strength of my walk with God are all directly related to my involvement with this church. Example video title will go here for this video, Sentenced To Death: The murder that unsettled Arkansas. Also a fact I would assume the Pator knows. Well, Im glad someone missed me!! Oh, btw, I met mrs. pitts. Your right, I do know nobody is perfect including myself, michael pitts and you. oh, and kat? So many things in those cases didnt add up. My reference is based upon years of experience. You can share anonymously or with your name. I am doing my best as a servant of God to preach the gospel so that a lost and hurt people may come to know Jesus Christ. There will be false prophets, and we are never to follow man, but God only. 1520 Reynolds Road . They also have issue with the fact that the church building and furnishings are so nice, but imagine how much it would cost in today. It reminds me of a movie I saw once about a traveling vampire circus. (obviously this is paraphrased) Dont be blinded by the charisma of this man. Can you openly talk about your concerns with other members (like the Pitts fiasco I have seen messages about)about issues in the church you dont agree with? I am a member and was when these incidents occured. It is obvious that the Delta incident did occur. He played dumb, Ademasaid. on Mr. Pitts. Theyformedfriendships around their desperation to see their stories taken seriouslyby leaders at the Ranch. I WAS in fact looking for some past info. All Right, all right, I never said I was a shining beacon of light. 2023 www.democratandchronicle.com. Ill have to ask some of my family who still attend if this happened. Matt Hagee Issues Apology After Video Reveals He - ChurchLeaders Why is it that any joe schmoe, who could have done the same things that Pitts did, and have the book thrown at him? Pitts pleaded "no contest,"and Judge Gary Byers found him guilty and sentenced him to 9 days in the Corrections Center of Northwest Ohio in Stryker. Silleman confirmed in May that theSheriffs Office investigation isclosed. All fourdid not respond. Say what you will. In 1997, he faced eight counts of public indecency and seven counts of criminal trespass, linked to a series of incidents in which a man matching Pastor Pitts description was reported exposing himself to people in places like a local park and a Wal-Mart parking lot. Im known by the entire Cornerstone congregation.I dont need the trouble or the headache. Hmmmmm. Mike Baker, pastor of Eastview Christian Church leads the church's on-demand Christmas Eve service. Ive seen those same patterns. FRESNO, Calif. (KFSN) -- A downtown Fresno church is celebrating a win in a lawsuit against the state. They were righteous. Wayne Aarum was not present for the meeting. Are you going to be labeled in some way.such as proud or self-righteous? Around the same time,The Chapel hiredMinistrySafetoformally investigateclaimsofAarums abuse. Watch - sacornerstone.org Let the mean rest? TOLEDO, OH - This will not be easy on the eyes. Leadership at both The Chapel and Circle C Ranch, and also Aarum himself, have beenconfronted withconcerns abouthisconductat least 20 times since 1997, according to excerpts from Aarums employee personnel file at The Chapel, andinterviews with youth group members at The Chapel,Circle C staff and pastors in the Western New York area. Were talking about the kingdom of God. MinistrySafelawyer Kimberlee Norris spentmonthsinterviewingdozens ofvictims, witnesses and corroborating sources. Pitts recurring issues with liquor, sex and false teaching do not meet the standards. Hey, anonymous: I guess no one reads my writing except you, who keeps coming back to my site five times a day to leave anonymous comments calling me gay and asshole. Fourthly: 4 hours BEFORE the infamous arrest, a cornerstone member working at the blade was startled to see the headlines OF the ARREST printed BEFORE it ever happened!!! If youd like, please call our office on 419-725-5000 with suggestions. (Its in Maumee, a Toledo suburb.) David stood for the goodness of God toward his people. I dont expect anyone to understand the blessings in tithing, unless you tithe with a giving heart. remember when you write in the sand baby. The more his congregation makes, the more he makesthats reality. Does this make him righteous? Hi Romesha, You are right, I notice something about Toledo Area. Many ofthose womenwould later spend years in therapyto erase traces of emotional entanglement with him. (For those who havent read up on Pitts, most of the charges he faced were derived from people who saw a man meeting his description masturbating in a public place, like a park or a parking lot. Many former members believe that the church preys on underprivileged minorities, especially in the black and hispanic communities and those with lower socio-economic status. He would kiss their foreheads, or put his forehead to theirs in a close embrace a particular physical encounter thatstaff members at the Ranch would refer toas gettingWayned., Aarum said in a May 7, 2021, email thathe had never touched anyonein a way that was unsuitable orincorrect in the work, situation, location, setting, or circumstances.. It is what a person believes that makes him righteous. Usually it can be issued by a judge or by the lawyer representing the plaintiff or the defendant in a civil trial or by the prosecutor or the defense attorney in a criminal proceeding. I have to say tooI Love Denny Schafer. In 1997, he faced eight counts of public indecency and seven counts of criminal trespass, linked to a series of incidents in which a man matching Pastor Pitts description was reported exposing himself to people in places like a local park and a Wal-Mart parking lot. A USA TODAY NETWORK investigation found thatAarum, 55,touchedat least 16teenage girls inappropriately, some on multiple occasions, according to their firsthand accounts. . The USA TODAY NETWORKs requests for comment from McDonald's lawyers were not returned. PhilR2057, Manager at Cornerstone Church, responded to this review Responded April 8, 2019. How to they do it? For me, it doesnt matter if he did what he has been accused of Jakes and Mark Chirona who have both recently had Michael Pitts in to preach. A urine test confirmed Pitts was legally drunk although he told the court he only drank two glasses of wine. And Mohler has been just as steadfast a friend to Mahaney, using his influence to help promote Mahaneys work in the past with no signs that the lawsuitecaused Mohlers faith in Mahaney to waver on iota. Take Care, Please do ask. For MANY reasons. So God can bless us for it. Did you see him doing the act.. However, Mr. Smith said that he did receive confirmation in writing from Dr. Forgac that he and Mr. Pitts talked, though hes not sure how many times. Pastor Michael Pitts spent nine daysin the Corrections Center of Northwest Ohio after state troopers pulled him over last December. Suppose someone was to lay out all that you, Josh, have done in the past 12 years, Im sure it would be somewhat less than flattering. I just recieved this email from a friend. LOL, I knew you meant MAY, darn typing demons at it again, right? His next arrest was the very public exposing incident, in which the majority of charges were dropped and Pitts plead guilty to trespassing. And others here. He finds girls that he likes, and he gets them into a vulnerable position where they tell him everything, McDonald said. Its simple so many of the main money makers are so riddled with sin, they form a club and perform at each others conferences. This is the man that appeared on the. ABOUT US CHURCH APPAREL WATCH NOW GIVE More ABOUT US; CHURCH APPAREL; WATCH NOW; GIVE; ABOUT US . HMMM, Ill be praying for the no name people on here. It's only a matter of time before this mess of a church is shut down for good. How are offerings handled? Inever meant to make you feel uncomfortable.. He will be judged with the rest of us. When a pastor resigns after his 77-church network is implicated in the largest evangelical sex abuse scandal to date, how long does it take for him to regain the trust of his colleagues? But during his tenure at Circle C,Ferchenadmitted that he saw Aarumclosely embrace girls, and that, on multiple occasions, he happened upon Aarum and a girlspeaking together in secluded rooms or spaces. IT has been alleged by nearly a dozen victims that Matt Rasor has been GROOMING, SEXUALLY ASSAULTING, and DATE RAPING young boys and members of The Cornerstone Church Global Network. Oh by the way, I attended Cornerstone from 1986 to 2000. Cornerstone Church is a biblically-based church that declares Jesus everywhere and leads believers in a life of resilient faith. Several women, including McDonald and Ashley Scibilia, 37, of Grand Island, separately remember him touching their crotches or inner thighs over their clothes while sitting in semi-public areas. I can assure you, Michael Pitts only has one house and no jets. You have never heard Pastor Michael say anything like not tithing will send you to hell. Jesus is the only thing that sends you to heaven and not knowing him is the only thing that sends you to hell. You see, Pastor Michael Pitts was charged with several counts of exposing himself to strangers. Why shouldnt a pastor live comfortable and drive a nice car? Think about it please! Best wishes to you in finding your answers. Attorneys file lawsuits. In 2007 the Church severed all ties with Miller, who later filed bankruptcy and relocated. His wife had their first child the same time and same hospital I had triplets!!! Its the people on here that call themselves Christians, yet put everyone else down for their opinions that give Christians a bad name if you ask me. "In 1995, he was stopped by police after allegedly being spotted masturbating in front of two young boys hitting golf balls at a local baseball diamond. Isensed that I was a part of something very good. If you notice on his website there is no mention of Jesus. Though, there are false prophets that have tried to use God for their own gain, God always expose them in the end. Actually, the Delta incident like you called it was proven to be false just like the other so-called incidents its hard for him to do those things when hes out of the country! I am not attacking Michael, but the truth is the truth. Ive been a part of the Charasmatic movement for over 20 years and a part of Cornerstone Church for over 10 years. Not just the ones called to a pulpit and their families. Eastview Christian Church leaders promise review amid allegations of The people at Cornerstone are blinded to the truth because they worship him. I am a member of Cornerstone and I want to say to Kevin (and whoever else may be wondering) exactly what happened the service after the DUI. What kind of a moron would log into his book that he saw Pastor in a state park on a day when Pastor was out of the country. My Cornerstone. (I want to make sure that his lawyers, wherever they may be, see I am making this clear.) Linda A. Smith, 63, of Holland, Erie County, who worked as Circle Cs business manager between 2005 and2006, said shefelt honoredto be working atthe Ranchwhen she was first hired. [20], Pitts' church invested in TV station WMNT-TV, Channel 48, in Toledo in 1997. I dont care that he wears a diammond ring gifted to him. Of those, 21women alleging abuse and 27 individuals offering additional corroborating informationagreed to have their accounts reflected in the final report. By joining, or logging in via Facebook, you accept Change.orgs Terms of Service and Privacy Policy. I do not care about your efforts to attack me, but you all need Jesus. Go Denny!! May God richly bless you all! So, yes, then when she heard I was a pastors wife, she then said that she was, and told me who she was. 2019. Its so much more damaging than you could realize, especially at such a young age,said Michelle Poulsen, 38, who alleges Aarum initiatedphysically and emotionallyintimatemomentswith her when she was a teenage youth group member at The Chapel. What exactly is the Cornerstone Church Affiliation? Actually, God did show the truth, they just choose to ignore it. Hi there, Note the mispelled words and general language style. Warming up yet? Others were less sure.. Those who didnt fit the type boys and plain-looking or heavier-set girls wereoftenignoredorbrushed off, said Ferrante and McDonald, whom Ferrante said he often saw inone-on-one conversationswith Aarum. In early 2021, The Chapelheld a members-only meeting to sharesome of the findingsand to announce the church wassuspendingall activities and financial ties to Circle C Ranch. Your response shows how ignorant you are. Cornerstone Church is a non-denominational church located in Toledo, Ohio. Another aspect of the story that is seldom told is the fact that the park official who brought the charges against Pastor Pitts was indicted for purgery. His car was spotted near where several of the incidents occurred. Im not arguing with your choice to go there. Yes, all these incidents do subtract from the validity of his message. No. so, if you didnt get that, it wasnt at all because she was not outgoing that I thought her snotty at all. Thats their business. It says that at judgement they will stand before Jesus saying didnt we prophesy in your name, etc. Dear IMpersonator, We believe they are telling the truth, The Chapel's lead pastor, Jerry Gillis, said in an interview with USA TODAY NETWORK reporters. Im down-trodden that we have found a place to BB-Q those who try to serve a living God. The park ranger on the stand lied about seeing Pastor Pitts on a few occasions, (since he had solid alibi of being out of the country preaching and was actually televised on those dates live preaching in those countries)So the judge called up the prosecution and the defense, they went into chambers and they proved purgery. Pastors at The Chapel spent most of last yeararranging orsupportingmeetings between Chapel staff, Aarum orCircle C board members,and the growing number of women alleging Aarums abuse. You know how I feel about no names LOL Big Chickens!! But, the one thing that made me open my eyes to the reality of my church was the internet and a website called reveal. Yep, I think they are one in the same. The developer provided this information and may update it over time. He said in a May 7 email thathe followed Ranch policies, except in emergency cases in which men and women may have to have physical contact. I heard that an offering was taken for him for his birthday, and he said it was not enough, and had the plates passed again. Dear anonymous commenter, He blamed his problems on media monsters. This taught us one thing The media always start with the story they want to portray and then goes and gets information to support it. THATS ALL. #18 of 19 things to do in Maumee. He has dozens and dozens of engagements annually. Do you feel like this? Patterns of predatory behavior emerged and grew more egregious as time passed.. The focus is to keep people intimidated and blinded to the real issues. Ive never called you anything close to a prick. Stay away from this false prophet and his cohorts until they repent. He validated my life., In aApril 28 emailto the USA TODAY NETWORK, WayneAarum acknowledged that his conversationswithyouth group membersat The Chapel, meant to help them navigate their adolescent struggles, could have sometimes hurt (them) because of the listeners personal situation, he said." CJ Mahaney, the founding pastor of Sovereign Grace Ministries (SGM), recentlyspoke at a conference called Conviction to Lead 2013 at an SGM megachurch in Knoxville after a long absence from the public eye. Thirdly: During the beginning of the trial, more than 4 people (women)reported to the police that the individual they saw had an uncanny likeness to michael pitts and they gave a description of a car that was later followed up on and the individual that owned the car DID have a definite likeness to the pastor, as well as a record as long as your arm of indecent exposure and assault!! Jennifer Adema,now 42 and living in Salt Lake City, Utah, alleges she wasinappropriatelytouched by Aarum onmissionstrips and at The Chapel in the 1990s. Michael Pitts NEVER attended court ordered counseling for any crime he was or was not convicted of. Vengeanceis the Lords, Ademasaid. And if you find out if the other was true. From events to our Online Campus you can all the information and resources you need to grow in your faith and connect with others. Shereportedhim at the timetopastors at The Chapel,who eventually met withhimat least four separate times between 1997 and 1998 regarding his physicalhabitswith teenage girls, according to excerpts from Aarumspersonnel fileat The Chapel, provided by email to the USA TODAY NETWORK by Chapel leadership.