According to its website, ARC matches dollar-for-dollar the first $50,000 pastors raise for their church plants. 20K views Streamed 2 years ago It's been a week of controversy for the Church of the Highlands. ", On Monday, once again, an unarmed black man died needlessly, as a police officer knelt on George Floyds neck," Hodges said. No One Knows. You cant really get all that God has until something is stripped from you, until youre humbled, tested and disciplined, Hodges said. America, Im crying out to you, learn, lament, and lets get each others backs again, Hodges said. I want you to know that I believe it makes God angry and it makes us angry too. Church of the Highlands is a life-giving church meeting in multiple locations throughout Alabama and West Georgia. Personally this doesnt seem to me like a safe church to be at. I am not the same Chris Hodges I was two weeks ago, Hodges said. Amy Spreeman Association of Related Churches: Time to get off the ARC: https://bereanresearch.org/association-of-related-churches-time-to-get-off-the-arc/, Chris Rosebrough Che Ahn Modern-Day (Restoration of) Apostles: http://www.piratechristian.com/fightingforthefaith/2019/1/if-im-a-butterfly-why-am-i-still-crawling, Chris Rosebrough Che Ahn Who Are the Apostles: http://www.piratechristian.com/fightingforthefaith/2018/7/live-fearless, Chris Rosebrough Chris Hodges: Do You Love Me? Fun fact, I was a participant in the program in one of the early years. the Birmingham Housing Authority and Birmingham Board of Education taking action against him, the church and the health clinic the church started. The church has been referred to as a cult by people who left the program. In both cases, the offending pastors allegedly had a history of sexual misconduct. I want to hear.. We met playing golf. someone noticed he had been following Charlie Kirk, president of Turning Point USA, and liking posts by the controversial conservative commentator. He said the church will work on initiatives and changes to improve race relations and they will be posted on the churchs web site. Use of and/or registration on any portion of this site constitutes acceptance of our User Agreement, Privacy Policy and Cookie Statement, and Your Privacy Choices and Rights (each updated 1/26/2023). Recently, Hodges and Lee Domingue, COTH Legacy Pastor, launched Grow Leader, a for-profit limited liability corporation (LLC) aiming to grow leaders who grow churches and businesses., Grow Leader offers numerous services, including Hodges speaking services and professional coaching and consulting. 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I once served Dino Rizzo, his wife and daughters while working at Ruths Chris Steakhouse just before the scandal broke of him having the extra marital affair. Give a gift of $30 or more to The Roys Report this month, and you will receive a copy of Escaping the Maze of Spiritual Abuse by Dr. Lisa Oakley and Justin Humphreys. When corporate CEOs fail they are fired and given a golden parachute and then hired by another company to be their CEO. Church of the Highlands did not disclose what Michael's "moral failing" was in the fall of 2017 when he was stripped of his leadership responsibilities, but after his father announced his removal, all his social media accounts as well as at least one belonging to his wife, Katie, were disabled. What's next for the megachurch? Hodges came under fire when someone noticed he had been following Charlie Kirk, president of Turning Point USA, and liking posts by the controversial conservative commentator. He said he proposed to his wife, Tammy, in Germany in 1986 when the wall still stood. In Step One you'll discover more about our beliefs, leadership, church government, membership, how we handle money, and how we intentionally organize our church. Stay connected with Highlands wherever you go! First Wednesday . But I can look you in the eye and say I have been tested, stripped, disciplined, broken.. Toward that end, the site requires that people use their full name when commenting. But all was not holy. No, he took that amount as revenue. Chris is the Founder and President of the, Chris is the Founder of a coaching network called, Chris is the Secretary of the Board and on the Advisory Board of. On an FAQ page for pastors at ARCs website, it says, We ask you to make ARC a part of your regular missions giving. Lets protect one another again., He added, Weve got to not let this moment pass us by and act like it didnt happen.. The Roys Report reached out to Chris Hodges and COTH for comment about these pastors and the churchs restoration process, but no one responded. Well then, it was premeditated. I kind of expected a different response from him. IT IS A PRIVILEGE TO BE ON THIS STAGE. ARC President Greg Surratt denies the charges. Information. . Providing online services in a cautious way that doesnt lead to mass gatherings of people in accordance with the HO's guidelines is not at all a bad thing. Our Oxford location meets at the Oxford Civic Center. "It was a cult mentality, said Gume Laurel, 34, who took part in 220i in 2007 and 2008. Black male interns were allegedly segregated on one floor of the dormitory-style living quarters, Laurel claimed, and male interns believed to be gay were reportedly singled out for torment, including being forced to tread water in a pool for hours. The Roys Report tried to confirm with Neece whether ARCs Lead Team donates $2.8 million per year to ARC, but did not receive a response by time of publication. I dont think that there is any sin that God cant forgive, and no brokenness of soul or morals that cant be healed, and that it should be our hope and goal that any fallen brother or sister should experience the fullness of such a work. Further, to suggest or imply his restoration was ineffective or unbiblical is speculation at best and judgment at worst. The same should be done with Dino. Theres no biblical authority or principle for the specifics of his failure to be shared publicly. He claims Brian Houston told him, You know, its your fault all of this happened. Opinion: What is Revivaland is it Happening at Asbury? It is headquartered next to COTHs Greystone Campus in Birmingham, Alabama. I truly believe were going to see lasting change.. When Pastor Chris Hodges heard a commission from the Lord in 2011 to help 1,000 churches break the 1,000 attendance barrier, he founded Grow with the mission to help equip church leaders. The Roys Report reached out to Grow Leader for more information about the organization and who gets its proceeds, but no one responded. Hodges now serves as special projects director at Highlands College, a COTH-affiliated school on its Greystone campus. The Stockstill family still runs Bethany Church in Baton Rouge, LA as well as their other campuses. Ralph Northam with two men wearing blackface and a KKK costume with the caption Progressive Leftist Ralph Northam in the 1980s.. The Trustees are members of the congregation who oversee the finances and direct the provision of the facilities needed by the church. This is an actual piece of it.. I beg everybody to slow down. ARC is one of the largest church planting organizations in the U.S., with about 1,000 member churches. One suit accuses ARC of allowing Joshua Mauney, ARCs former national director of church planting, to plant an ARC church in Florida, where he allegedly raped a woman on staff. Ranin Karim, 35, alleges she had a five-month-long affair with Lentz that eventually led to Hillsong ousting him in 2020, as she exclusively told The Post in November 2020. Church of the Highlands - Huntsville Worship Team (Here I Surrender / Have Your Way) - YouTube Filmed in downtown Huntsville October 2020.Have Your Way (Spotify):. Pastor Michael Hodges and wife Katie on their wedding day June 18, 2016. We are protected by Trustees. White folk have proved they don't want to live next door to us, or be our neighbors, or worship with us," Jordan said in an earlier report. On June 8, the Birmingham Housing Authority voted to ban the Church of the Highlands from providing volunteer services on Housing Authority property. The Micahn Carter debacle is not the only scandal thats resulted from COTH and ARCs restoration efforts. YouTubes privacy policy is available here and YouTubes terms of service is available here. He speaks at conferences worldwide and is a New York Times best selling author of Fresh Air, Four Cups, The Daniel Dilemma, Whats Next?, Out of the Cave and Pray First. Unless youre hiding something.. Chris said he invited a guest speaker to speak this past Sunday because he had been busy with training 41 pastors this past week. As for wanting transparency regarding what happened with Dino . Michael Hodges, son Chris Hodges, founder and senior pastor of the nearly 40,000-member Church of the Highlands in Alabama, returned to the pulpit this month in what appears to be his first public engagement since he was removed as pastor of the churchs Greystone campus for a moral failing just over a year ago. For every person that has been marginalized, rejected or belittled, abused or even afraid because of how God made you, Tammy and I, the Church of the Highlands family, stand with you.. I would love for you to not just look at a microscopic zoom-in but look at the totality of 37 years of ministry and 19 years as a church, Hodges said Sunday in his sermon to his diverse but mostly white Alabama congregation. Chris remains the senior pastor and Chancellor of Highlands College, a ministry training school that has trained and launched hundreds of students into full-time ministry careers all over the world. If I could go back and never meet Carl, I would.. They can blame Carl, and not the culture in the church, she says. Rest and relaxation for overworked clergy members and spouses at a comfortable resort is one ministry. Hes been a mentor to me, a friend to me, golfing partner. Difference between revenue and profit. Give a gift of $30 or more to The Roys Report this month, and you will receive Escaping the Maze of Spiritual Abuse by Dr. Lisa Oakley and Justin Humphreys. Church of the Highlands representatives could not also immediately confirm whether or not Michaels Freedom House engagement was a formal re-introduction to public ministry when contacted by CP. I truly believe the devil is going to be defeated and were going to see not only a healing from a disease, but I dont think our land is ever going to be the same again. Clergy = HIghborn, Laity = Lowborn. First Wednesday Messages. "I cant see into Pastor Chris Hodges heart. Church of the Highlands did not disclose what Michaels moral failing was in the fall of 2017 when he was stripped of his leadership responsibilities, but after his father announced his removal, all his social media accounts as well as at least one belonging to his wife, Katie, were disabled. Profit is what he made. : http://thewartburgwatch.com/2013/11/13/dino-rizzo-stovall-weems-and-steven-furtick-banking-on-the-arc/, The Wartburg Watch: A Closer Look at Pastors in the ARC: http://thewartburgwatch.com/2014/11/07/a-closer-look-at-pastors-in-the-arc/, NAR Watch Israel Sickening, But Hardly Surprising: https://www.narwatchisrael.info/nwi-blog/sickening-but-hardly-suprising, Regional President & CEO Teen Challenge Pacific Northwest, https://bereanresearch.org/association-of-related-churches-time-to-get-off-the-arc/, http://www.piratechristian.com/fightingforthefaith/2019/1/if-im-a-butterfly-why-am-i-still-crawling, http://www.piratechristian.com/fightingforthefaith/2018/7/live-fearless, http://www.piratechristian.com/fightingforthefaith/2019/5/worst-easter-sermon-do-you-love-me, http://www.piratechristian.com/fightingforthefaith/2018/9/jen-hatmaker-preaches-about-inclusion, http://www.piratechristian.com/fightingforthefaith/2018/7/dream-again, http://www.piratechristian.com/fightingforthefaith/2017/11/the-babylon-mentality, http://www.piratechristian.com/fightingforthefaith/2017/8/thumb-and-big-toe-prophecy, http://www.piratechristian.com/fightingforthefaith/2017/4/look-it-in-the-eye-and-step-into-it, http://www.piratechristian.com/fightingforthefaith/2017/1/your-moses-needs-to-die, http://www.piratechristian.com/fightingforthefaith/2014/9/a-tale-of-two-mars-hills, http://www.piratechristian.com/fightingforthefaith/2012/03/19/perry-noble-offers-preaching-advice, https://aspreeman.com/2013/05/30/rick-warrens-top-100-pastors-to-follow-2/, https://evangelicaldarkweb.org/2020/03/30/is-chris-hodges-a-false-teacher/, https://churchofthehighlandsbloodlessgospel.com/, https://www.9marks.org/article/4-reflections-after-listening-to-18-hours-of-sermons-in-americas-biggest-churches/, http://thewartburgwatch.com/2014/11/19/where-have-all-the-flowers-gone-demons-tongues-and-healings-at-chris-hodges-church-of-the-highlands-arc/, http://thewartburgwatch.com/2014/11/17/pastorcentric-looking-at-the-arc-and-robert-morris-thru-chris-hodges-church-of-the-highlands/, http://thewartburgwatch.com/2016/10/31/the-arcs-church-of-the-highlands-prayer-force-leaders-guide-and-analysis/, http://thewartburgwatch.com/2017/01/16/did-you-hear-the-weird-story-about-pastor-david-pursifulls-resignation-from-the-arcs-building-church/, http://thewartburgwatch.com/2014/11/05/building-the-arc-an-overview-of-this-church-planting-network/, http://thewartburgwatch.com/2014/12/01/arcs-robert-morris-paul-preached-under-the-influence/, http://thewartburgwatch.com/2015/06/26/personal-experiences-with-arcs-lifeway-church-of-milwaukee-wisconsin/, http://thewartburgwatch.com/2013/11/13/dino-rizzo-stovall-weems-and-steven-furtick-banking-on-the-arc/, http://thewartburgwatch.com/2014/11/07/a-closer-look-at-pastors-in-the-arc/, https://www.narwatchisrael.info/nwi-blog/sickening-but-hardly-suprising. Hes been a friend of our family for a very, very long time, Maxwell said. Houston, who is not interviewed in the documentary, has since pleaded not guilty to concealing his fathers child sexual abuse when New South Wales police brought charges against him in August 2021. I find it difficult to call a sin that demands execution in the Torah a moral failing. This debacle, however, apparently has not deterred COTH from further pastoral restoration efforts. Its better to get to know the person before you look them up. That was the weirdest answer I had ever heard, she says. But factspartial, circumstantial, second-handarent synonymous with truth. Hodges said he met with the four black campus pastors for the Church of the Highlands this past week. THANK YOU GOD FOR CHOOSING ME. Grow, now called Highlands Resources,continues to provide resources to over 16,500 churches globally at no cost. Location Map. People at the church said he cried all the time onstage. The rumor is that Carl and his wife were going to make their exit from Hillsong, and I think that Brian [Houston] knew his profile was too high and that people would follow him so I think it was just kind of getting rid of him and trying to tarnish his brand, Janice Lagata, a former Hillsong student and volunteer who worked with Hillsong NYC church leadership, speculates in the doc. A former Wave Church staffer, who appears in the documentary anonymously due to having signed a nondisclosure agreement, says on-screen, I was at Wave for a few years before Carl left. Campuses | Church of the Highlands Campuses Service Times Services are live streamed on Sundays at 8:00 am, 9:45 am, 11:30 am and on First Wednesday at 6:30 pm. On Reddit, a post to an account called Allabout COTHa group with 1.3K members discussing alleged financial and spiritual abuse at COTHnoted that the event netted hundreds of thousands of dollars. We live in a society that wants instant feedback. PASTOR: Scott T. McCurdy ADDRESS: 6621 Hunter Rd., Harrison, TN 37341 . Lentz told Hayes and her then-boyfriend to stop seeing each other, and they did, to their mutual heartbreak. You state that Restoring and training pastors appears to be a lucrative endeavor However, you only give examples of moneymaking in training pastors. I remember being in a greenroom at a Church where this clown (Hodges) was bragging about how little he pays lower staff members because people are lined up wanting jobs at COTH. The reason he isnt building a retreat center for victims is because he sees upper level ministers/pastors as more important than your average lowly church attender. I dont take it personally. Clisby argued that Kirk, who has denounced white nationalism, is well-known to hold views such as white privilege being a myth., White privilege is defined in a number of ways and one definition as highlighted by the University of Dayton is: A right, advantage, or immunity granted to or enjoyed by white persons beyond the common advantage of all others; an exemption in many particular cases from certain burdens or liabilities.. Hes influenced churches all over the world.. Thats fine. Later, Karim learned that Lentz was married, and she asked if something was wrong with his relationship. The Roys Report seeks to foster thoughtful and respectful dialogue. The biblical standard for an elder is being above reproach or blameless, so it is very difficultif not impossibleto attain that standard after admitting to impropriety. The brothers grandfather founded the megachurch in the familys living room in 1963, and it has since grown to over 8,000 members across five Louisiana campuses, making it among the largest megachurches in the US. GrowLeader is also committed to generosity by supporting organizations like, who grow churches by helping them reach their. The separation came shortly after Carters former assistant disclosed online that Carter had sexually assaulted her while at Carters previous megachurch in Yakima, Washington. They didnt worry about that. . Ensure justice for those who are being crushed.. If the leader wants to keep what he did private, thats fine. Whether that holds or not, the timelines here suggest that the pastors are being declared restored long before one could actually get a good handle on how they are repentant of their sins, and long before one could see if the steps theyve taken are adequate to prevent remission. Unity is not uniformity. In 2001 Chris Hodges founded Church of the Highlands, now known as one of the largest churches in the U.S. with over 60,000 members and 23 campuses. BTW, I left COTH, because when I opened my Bible, I could not always confirm what Pastor Chris was saying. In my church (Romish Popery), Clericalism is recognized as a Heresy. This story has been shared 122,601 times. And though ARC seems to have a number of challenges and potential mistakes around leaders who fail morally, we still dont have all the facts. Auburn East Campus 2001 East Samford Avenue Auburn, Alabama 36830 Get Directions Weekend Services Sunday to help business leaders live out their legacy by partnering through their local church. Larrry Stockstill is Pastor Chris' longtime friend and mentor, and currently serves as teaching pastor at Bethany Church. Common criminal sexual predators are put on a list and neighborhoods they move to are warned about them. A broken and contrite heart is the pathway to the presence and the anointing of God. The church can help the nation change, he said. I AM an RZ survivor. Restoration of the morally fallen is another entirely, and it must begin with godly sorrow as described in 2 Corinthians 7:10. If so, then a rehabilitation process makes no sense, because the person was not qualified for the pastorate in the first place. Also, any comments with profanity, name-calling, and/or a nasty tone will be deleted. Attempting to restore fallen pastors appears to be a passion for COTH Senior Pastor Chris Hodges and Outreach and Missions Pastor Dino Rizzosomeone whose past includes an inappropriate extramarital relationship. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Thanks for contacting us. , a ministry training school that has trained and launched hundreds of students into full-time ministry careers all over the world. Your pastor today has not only invited me to speak but two of my other sons, the one that lives here and one that lives with us in Birmingham, are speaking at the other two locations, he continued. In the book, DeGroat mentions a church planting organization that he says, Nowhere have I seen the narcissism-shame dynamic more pronounced than among church planters, some of whom have become megachurch pastors. Pastor Chris Hodges responds to social media controversy, The pastor of Alabamas largest church has come under fire for his social media 'likes'. The material on this site may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, cached or otherwise used, except with the prior written permission of Advance Local. 2023 NYP Holdings, Inc. 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In his sermon on Sunday morning, June 14, following two weeks of controversy for his social media activity, Church of the Highlands Pastor Chris Hodges vowed to make progress on race relations. Also on ARCs Lead Team is John Gray, a megachurch pastor whos faced multiple scandals for alleged infidelity. Many of the comments indicate circumstantial evidence or possible scenarios. For the past 12 weeks, the Church of the Highlands has held online worship services without Sunday morning in-person group gatherings. Yes, sir. ixated on Religion, Politics, Media. The controversy erupted after Pastor Chris Hodges liked social media posts by Charlie Kirk of Turning Point USA, a high school and college campus organization sometimes considered controversial for its political stances. They did their part, until all of us brought it down., Hodges said he has a piece of the Berlin wall that he had put in a box in 2001 and stored in his attic. They were garbage to everyone, I'm a CIS white male and they took a whole month out of the program to psychologically torture me. Grow Leader also sponsors two-day Round Tables, where for $7,500 lead pastors and leaders can learn from Hodges and Domingue in an intimate setting. That hoodie at the time was on the resale market for $10[,000] to $15,000. One day a group of people, young people, got a little discouraged about, if this is not who we are anymore, then why is that still there? What he failed to tell everyone is his RoundTable cost $7500 for the Pastor or $10,000 if they bring their spouse. Church of the Highlands exists to help people Know God, Find Freedom, Discover their Purpose, and Make a Difference. 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It makes you feel like your belief system is valid in the modern world, Hardy says, referring to Lentzs cutting-edge haircut, tattoos and clothing, which lured in millennial and Gen Z congregants. | Instagram/Chris Hodges Chris Hodges, founder and leader of Church of the Highlands, one of the largest churches in America, apologized Sunday for liking social media posts of Turning Point USA leader Charlie Kirk that have been criticized as racially insensitive. : http://www.piratechristian.com/fightingforthefaith/2019/5/worst-easter-sermon-do-you-love-me, Chris Rosebrough Church of the Highlands Montage of Subjectivity: http://www.piratechristian.com/fightingforthefaith/2018/9/jen-hatmaker-preaches-about-inclusion, Chris Rosebrough Sermon Review: Dream Again byChris Hodges: http://www.piratechristian.com/fightingforthefaith/2018/7/dream-again, Chris Rosebrough Sermon Review: The Babylon Mentality byChris Hodges: http://www.piratechristian.com/fightingforthefaith/2017/11/the-babylon-mentality, Chris Rosebrough Sermon Review: The Whispers of God byChris Hodges: http://www.piratechristian.com/fightingforthefaith/2017/8/thumb-and-big-toe-prophecy, Chris Rosebrough Sermon Review: Be Assured There is a Purpose and an End byChris Hodges: http://www.piratechristian.com/fightingforthefaith/2017/4/look-it-in-the-eye-and-step-into-it, Chris Rosebrough Sermon Review: Habits byChris Hodges: http://www.piratechristian.com/fightingforthefaith/2017/1/your-moses-needs-to-die, Chris Rosebrough Chris HodgesCasts Vision: http://www.piratechristian.com/fightingforthefaith/2014/9/a-tale-of-two-mars-hills, Chris Rosebrough Sermon Review: Soul-Therapy: Insecurity byChris Hodges, Church by the Highlands: http://www.piratechristian.com/fightingforthefaith/2012/03/19/perry-noble-offers-preaching-advice, Amy Spreeman Rick Warrens Top 100 Pastors toFollow: https://aspreeman.com/2013/05/30/rick-warrens-top-100-pastors-to-follow-2/, Evangelical Dark Web Is Chris Hodges a False Teacher?