No one is immune to it. Because of his own experiences, Merritt encourages pastors to see counselors. Many Gospel Outreach members live in the suburban-style homes along St. James Place. "It's very comfortable, very comfortable here," said volunteer Phil Resendez of West St. Paul. After that, girls were not allowed to play paintball. Follow Samuel Smith on Twitter: @IamSamSmith. So neither he who plants nor he who waters is anything, but only God who gives the growth. He wrote letters of regret to victims and church members, and set up a $30,000 trust fund to help . "They come into a church, there's a lobby, there's a caf, there's a bookstoreIt feels like a movie theater almost where you have comfortable seats. John Alexander | Message 4 of 127. I know a lot of other girls had health issues when they were there that subsided when they left. Former members also allege that elders and other adults regularly discouraged and dismissed reports of physical and sexual abuse of minors, allowing the abuse to continue and spread to others. Expectations to wear multiple hats were strict, high, and unattainable due to limited support and undermining from multiple managers. Therefore, He is ultimately the only one we should ever look to for spiritual sustenance, though we recognize He uses undershepherds. So the key is never to get close to that line. The father is the ultimate authority. Sometimes I would have to make up a sin, like, Ive been really hating my brother or Ive been thinking about sex and thats bad.. And if you allow yourself to get close to a certain line, your emotions override your intellect, Merritt said. Pat Anderson is a big tent Republican. It messed with our immune systems, the stress and the amount of sleep we were getting it just wasnt good for your body.. Months after announcing his plans to retire, the 63-year-old Merritt officially stepped down as Eagle Brooks senior pastor on his March 1 birthday, giving way to longtime teaching pastor Jason Strand to assume his position. Seeing Spirits // Does God really fight for me? We were expected to stay in the kitchen. Maybe he has a specific bride in mind. I lived VERY close to there at the time. She was told that Sczepanski had a talk with Todd and warned him not to do anything like that again or else Sczepanski would be legally obligated to report him. Up to 40,000 people attend Eagle Brook services in a given week. He dug a little deeper and got to the real issues of where my anger was coming from and my unwillingness to forgive people and those kinds of things.. Unfortunately, the cons are many. Watching. There were these ingrained gender roles. Education Bethel University Psychology. I don't mean that they should be entertained, because I think God's word is the most compelling thing on the planet, but so often we take God's word and we just bore people with it and to me that's sinful," Merritt said. Servants through whom you believed, as the Lord assigned to each. "I felt like I belonged, I felt instantly loved, I felt cared for.". One case that all seven of the former Gospel Outreach members talked about involved a boy who, as a teenager, allegedly molested a number of young girls. Celeste Villareal was nine when, in 1997, she, her mom and stepfather joined Gospel Outreach after moving to Eureka from Mexico, where theyd been doing missionary work. 2023 Lost Coast Communications Contact: news@lostcoastoutpost.com. He was very physically abusive and my parents would tell me it was my fault because I was antagonizing him, she said. I wasnt doing well, he admitted. According to himself he was just a servant through whom they had believed. Kids wetting the bed way too old, kids with speech impediments past when they should. I was losing hair, including eyelashes, she said. Some readers may be unfamiliar with Chuck, but many will know that he is the longtime radio preacher for the radio program Insight for Living. She said it took her a while to be ready for that. Its an abrupt stop from a life that I have lived for 30 plus years. Wed be encouraged to brag about the spankings we got, Villareal said. She initially didnt tell her parents or anyone else about it. I don't think the congregation was aware of all the backstory. Looking back she thinks that this containment, this narrowing of the world into a hermetic and rigidly controlled society, is as damaging as anything else at Gospel Outreach. Eagle Brook Church Overview 60 Reviews 32 Jobs 25 Salaries 4 Interviews 9 Benefits 9 Photos 18 Diversity Follow + Add a Review Employee Review See All Reviews ( 60) 2.0 Former Employee, more than 1 year A bittersweet experience in ministry due to poor leadership and negative environment. Eagle Brook is great for people scratching the surface of Christianity, and really, getting people to hear the Word is a good thing. DeSoto said his older brothers disaffection began with typical teenage angst and questioning. With engaging music, great kids and students services, and the personal teaching style of Pastor Gene Appel, we're a place where you can . Perhaps the most unconventional part is the way the sermon, or message, is delivered. History [ edit] Regularly, our sources said, one student would be singled out for some infraction, such as having a bad attitude or failing to recite the Ten Commandments, and be made to confess and repent. So, we've created . We are open with our plans, and the cost it will take to accomplish them, because they are God-sized plans, and every time weve opened a new building, its been because God has been a part of it. She and others said the phrase often employed to reinforce this lesson is come under. Anyone showing signs of independent thought would be told to come under their leader, be it a babysitter, a soprano coach or an elder. Abigail Mandville no longer cuts herself, and shes feeling better about the world and her place in it. and State College Blvd. We also sent emails and left voice messages asking to speak with church leadership for this story but got no response. Long hours with little respect for time away from full time ministry. Cupholders? . Eagle Brook's approach to church has Minnesotans showing up in droves, and senior pastor Bob Merritt says it's partly because Eagle Brook tries to make the church experience less weird. I think there may have been issues down the road for the church as if often the case when well-known pastors leave). I had an associate who basically wanted my job and he didnt get chosen. Thats not what this is. Its got to line up with my giftings. Eventually someone cries and then we can go to choir practice., Myself and other former cult members jokingly say, Remember when theyd lock us in a room until we made another kid cry? he said. She told me if I just put my head down and come under, if I became virtuous, then the Lord would give me a husband to take me away from all the abuse.. I mean, its molestation., DeSoto had heard about Todds crimes and said the cycle of abuse expanded. Its just a cycle of abuse.. Now that the Democrats are in control and are pushing for legalization of same-sex marriage, not a word of criticism appears about their not giving the real fiscal issues first priority. You dont think of a cult as something you see every day you think of it as, like, sister wives and all that, she said. Ill still do certain things like constantly worrying if everyone else around you is okay. Jason Strand | Message 24 of 127. "It's not a suit-and-tie place.". You feel like you're truly connecting with people and sharing your faith. Eagle Brook is now the largest church in Minnesota, with more than 22,000 people attending services each weekend and 48,000 attending on Christmas. Chauvin said that when she turned 16 she was told that it was time for her to be done with school, so she took the high school proficiency exam. When youre told that college is evil and you dont have any transcripts, so much prevents you from doing things, she said. I dont know; that was my coping mechanism.. There was also a huge emphasis on music. Allow this non-statistician to hazard a guess myamateur interpretation of the data tells me that the mature people were primarily there forJesus, not Chuck, and they stayed and kept giving. I just dropped my head in my hands and started crying. My gifting is teaching. Although it was unusual when compared to her traditional faith experiences, she loved the music and energy. And we never talked about it again., Sarah blames the church culture more than her own parents. And they unloaded. Eagle Brook . They would push you for honesty but if you werent giving them what they wanted you had to make it up, Mandville said. Abigail said Gospel Outreachs instruction used similar tactics. What was the story? One church with multiple locations in the Midwest. Were just trying to reach people for Jesus Christ so that they can see their lives change as they begin to follow him. Gospel Outreach of Eureka. His dad would then talk to the elders, and if the elders approved theyd quiz [the young man] to make sure he could support a family, buy a house and a car, that he had money in the bank, etc. After [these meetings], church families would go up to Lighthouse Ranch, and thered be just hours of us kids doing whatever we wanted, she said. It can ruin you, Merritt said. Every weekday at 7 a.m. they hold a mens meeting where they pray, drink coffee and discuss various matters, sometimes rendering binding decisions on issues ranging from child discipline to marriage approvals. Each one is around 30 minutes. I mean, its molestation.. [10]. Abigail Mandville, Esthers younger sister, said instruction both in school and out was more about indoctrination than education. That probably saved me, saved my career. Our history [classes] relied a lot on the Bible, Villareal said. Church greeter Shelley Stelton has a more common backstory. Why bring this up? That situation developed into [some of] those young kids, the victims, reenacting those experiences with other very young children, he said. It is affiliated with Converge. "So we try to reduce the weird factor.". Villareal and Esther Mandville were also enlisted to teach at age 15 or 16. But if lying is your pattern, its most certainly hurting your relationshipswith the people in your life and with God. Resendez is one of more than 20,000 people who finds weekly comfort at Eagle Brook. We're not allowed to have a female or male drive in a car alone together if one or the other is married. Im hoping if someone is having doubts and they know about this article, Im hoping they can get some clarity, she said. *Empowered by God to reach others for Christ* Embarrassingly to admit, I was horrified, Chauvin said. . 1 Corinthians 3:4-7 (ESV). Suggested duration 1-2 hours We never really got much science or literature. It does not award high school diplomas or offer special education. A lifelong addict, he says he's found faith and sobriety. [7] In 2020, Jason Strand became the senior pastor of the church. Hes very loving but Im always waiting for him to hit me or berate me. If the elders decided he qualified, theyd recommend someone to him for marriage, she said. This time, lets talk about arrogance. In this strange way it pushed you to be part of the community 24/7. He was definitely a major reason, she said. It messed with your immune systems, the stress and the amount of sleep we were getting it just wasnt good for your body., As a teenager, Sarah was prone to illness and infections, which she later attributed to stress. Theyre not telling you you cant say no, but I guess I would say its frowned upon, Sarah said. "The kids loved it too," she said. "Most of my adult life I had not attended church except for maybe on the holidays," she said. 25K views, 519 likes, 239 loves, 381 comments, 197 shares, Facebook Watch Videos from Eagle Brook Church: You are watching today's LIVE service, broadcasting from Lino Lakes, MN. There is a real grieving thats going on in my own spirit.. As she grew older she tried harder to fit in and make people happy. Thanks to donors, they built it debt free. Chauvin started college at age 30 and is now in the nursing program. In late March, the church opened its newest campus in Anoka. The more immature people on the other hand they were followers of a celebrity pastorand werent giving anything anyway. We never had a consistent science class. Eagle Brook is now the largest church in Minnesota, with more than 22,000 people attending services each weekend and 48,000 attending on Christmas. I remember looking around the room going, Were all depressed and just not talking about it., All of us were just constantly sick. If you do something well, thats God working through you. Trusted by 5,200 companies and developers. I definitely suffered from sleep deprivation and insomnia, Esther Mandville said. Jason Strand is the new pastor of Eagle Brook, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Eagle_Brook_Church&oldid=1135337933, Evangelical megachurches in the United States, Short description is different from Wikidata, Minnesota articles missing geocoordinate data, Articles missing coordinates without coordinates on Wikidata, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, This page was last edited on 24 January 2023, at 01:50. In the morning youre doing math and language, basic subjects. The building sits at the back of a large parking lot down a dead-end street originally called Holy Spirit Lane. Jutting off Harris near Redwood Acres, the short road is now named St. James Place, though people familiar with the church even some of its members refer to it as the cult-de-sac. The suburban-style tract homes lining St. James Place are filled almost exclusively with members of the church. He wrote a book on leadership, but he may be even more famous for the person he followed in pastoral ministry. Pastor Bob Merritt of the multi-campus Eagle Brook Church in Minnesota. Her dad followed her and tried to order her to come back home with him but she resisted, with support from her friends family. Almost all their money ($53million 2020-2021) goes back into the church, not back to the community. However, they wound up talking more about the church itself with the enthusiasm of people whove been waiting to tell their stories. She chose the woman whod been her regular teacher during much of her education, a stern and sometimes cruel woman the same one whod written on Villareals arm and mocked how she dressed but one who seemed capable of getting her way. Asked what she hopes for in telling her story, she just wants the kids still inside to have more information. Youre in constant fear of being ostracized because the community is honestly all you know.. I am not surprised that Pat Anderson has come out supporting same-sex marriage (Feb. 27). Paulsums up thissectionwith a not-to-be-forgotten truth: it is God who gives the growth, whether in an individuals spiritual life, or in a churchs statistics. I would cut my legs, just places nobody would see higher up on my thighs. My stepdad makes me do my chores naked and youre asking me if this is sexual? Gospel Outreach School is registered with the California Department of Education as a nondenominational religious private school offering first through 10th grades. Services are Sat at 4 and 6 and Sun 9 & 11. Most of us have. The phrase theyd use is, Dont uncover your fathers nakedness, Chauvin said. Hes doing the work; were just trying to keep up. The Church Just Wants To Get Big. Put this image on your website to promote the show -, Report inappropriate content or request to remove this page. The church was founded in 1948 as a house Bible study group called the First Baptist Church led by Sam and Ethel Hane in White Bear Lake, Minnesota. Well never sell your personal information. Notably, Guatemalan dictator Gen. Efrain Rios Montt became a convert and, following a 1982 military coup in that country, he employed Gospel Outreach in the notorious rural pacification program known as beans and bullets. Church members supplied food, medicine and clothing to local residents before Montts forces came in and razed their villages, killing hundreds of indigenous Mayans and rendering survivors wards of the government. That was one of those things that was swept very much under the rug. I just had a couple of really discerning board members who saw it. On Easter Sunday, Eagle Brook broke an all-time attendance record, with more than 51,000 people showing up at services, and 10,200 people watching online. David Sczepanski, the pastor and sole school administrator, was brought in. Eventually, we spoke at length with seven former members of the church, all of whom felt it was important for the larger community to know what goes on there. Most of these allegations concern incidents from many years ago that were not reported to law enforcement or child welfare services, making them impossible to corroborate via official records. Back in the day when Christian radio stations played James Dobsons Focus on the Family and other talk programs (along with a smattering ofChristian Contemporary Musicby Amy Grant, Michael W. Smith and Carmen, et. Eagle Brook Church will be going into the River City Church building on Hennepin . They left and financiallythe church didnt feela thing (All this is initial. The former members of Gospel Outreach said talking to people from outside the church was discouraged, and so virtually all social interactions, including work, school and family, occurred within the group. A lot of times, God doesnt show us what is ahead. "I think it's a sin for people to come into a church and be bored," he said. " Below youll find some suicide-prevention resources: Advertising supports our journalism. Soon -- thanks to $5 million in donations -- they'll stream live to the world on Sundays. Have you ever lost sleep over a heated disagreement or harsh words? As punishment for shaming him, Noah curses Hams offspring to a life of slavery. He worked out an agreement with Strand that he will always be available to offer advice but will not do so in an encroaching manner. Specialties: Eastside is a non-denominational church serving the communities of Anaheim, Bellflower, and La Habra, California, as well as Park Rapids, Minnesota. al. Eventually she decided she needed to get out. Therefore, I apologize for what Wednesdays front page article may have communicated about our church. She described her stepfather as excessively controlling and emotionally volatile, often having all-out screaming arguments with her mom and regularly spanking Villareal for such transgressions as getting an answer wrong in her multiplication tables. I should be in the office, interacting with my colleagues and thinking about the message and getting busy with writing that. Eventually, she said, one of the dads recognized that she was suffering a rare thing to acknowledge at Gospel Outreach, Villareal said and asked what was wrong. [3] In 1995, the church was renamed Eagle Brook Church. Which, I believe, is why it is so popular- nobody asking you where you were last Sunday, no committees and such to dodge, etc. Her dad apparently felt otherwise. Thank you for helping to keep the podcast database up to date. I have to say, It wasnt you; it was me. Its hard to work through those things., Robinson said it took her a while to realize the full extent of how Gospel Outreach affected her. So far all I have is nobody else remembers it. Wed all be in the classroom early before school, listening to Bastille or some other emo music. We love the church. Merritt said that counseling not only saved his career but also saved his marriage. No church Id want to attend or be associated with. Sounds like something your grumpy neighbor struggles with, right? Additionally, Eagle Brook staff are not allowed to have lunch alone with somebody of the opposite sex if one person is married. Because he was a minor when the alleged abuse took place and has not been convicted of the crimes, well call him Todd (not his real name). Merritt said that even though he is feeling a sense of loss from his retirement, he felt the timing was right. Any success weve experienced has little to do with us, and everything to do with the grace of God. Robinson and others said that eventually Todd wound up admitting to at least some of the crimes hed been accused of, but his only punishment was that he wouldnt be allowed to marry anybody in the church. Jesus asked the people around him some tough questions while he was on earth. More drastically, the number of Minnesotans who say they don't believe in God has tripled in the past decade. "We've tried to eliminate all the barriers," Merritt said. I started making changes in my behavior., But eight years after that, the church board said I still had some cracks and wanted me to go back and see the counselor. I couldnt believe it. At Gospel Outreach, an all-male group of elders sits atop the hierarchy. The last time I was there, Robinson said, he was teaching the kids Sunday school.. He says it's music people can relate to, and relatability is what Merritt, who's been at the church since 1991, is all about. In addition to being the senior pastor of Eagle Brook, Merritt also taught at Bethel Seminary. The mother of one of the victims caught him when he was pushing her daughter on a swing, she said. Regardless, according to Robinson, Todd did go on to abuse other girls and she was one of his victims. Two to three days a week that would happen.. But what about you? I felt like the thing I told her was. Weekly church attendance was 25,340 people in 2022. As for Todd, hes still a regular member of the church. As soon as I left, everything got better. Bitterness. The circle meetings usually end up with everyone fiercely berating one person, trying to get them to break and give themselves over, like breaking a horse, Chauvin said. I taught for the next three years. There was this sort of false positivity you have to maintain all the time, which can be taxing.. My teacher from agegrades five through 12 would laugh at us and berate us, Villareal said. Back in May, two former members of Gospel Outreach of Eureka, a church that grew out of the Christian hippie commune at Lighthouse Ranch, contacted the Outpost to report a COVID-19 outbreak among the congregation. Reported to multiple ministry heads and managers with some incredibly unpleasant, borderline abusive, managers. He never put that kind of pressure on me. Weekly church attendance was 25,340 people in 2022. Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window), Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window), Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window), Click to email a link to a friend (Opens in new window), Click to share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window), Click to share on Pinterest (Opens in new window), Click to share on Tumblr (Opens in new window), Submit to Stumbleupon (Opens in new window), Leonid Bershidsky: Its not Ukraines peace for our time moment, Peter St. Onge: Thwarting the push to make inflation permanent, Letters: Ask those most affected by school violence what they fear, what to do. Dale is the pastor who in 1993 followed Chuck Swindoll as Senior Pastorat Fullerton Evangelical Free Church. So over 50,000 people are watching us and listening to us every week. He says he brings students to services so they can see what's attractive about it. So, what keeps people in it for the long haul? Learning that I was brainwashed my whole life was interesting, she said with a bit of a laugh. Villareal agreed self-expression was discouraged. What did you hear about it? But her just-now-stated position against a foundational Republican Party platform and principle lacks integrity. What happens on the weekend is not always lived out in the office and meetings with upper management and leadership. I left/escaped from there when I was 19, she wrote. If it is the first time you login, a new account will be created automatically. Chauvin and Sarah recounted how their own stories of abuse were met with dismissive attitudes and religious slogans. In his messages, Merritt often speaks of his past personal struggles. "If I can add some humor around that, people are in their seats [nodding their heads, saying] 'yup, yup, that's me.'". I taught pre-algebra.