Faith Christian Church (And its Offshoots)
Faith Christian Church in Tucson, AZ (http://www.faithchristianchurchtucson.org/)
Grace Christian Church in Fort Collins, CO (http://www.gracechristianchurchfortcollins.org/)
Palmerston North Victory Christian Church in Palmerston North, New Zealand
Cornerstone Christian Church in Tampa, FL (http://www.cornerstonetampa.org/)
Hope Christian Church in Tempe, AZ (http://hope4asu.org/)
New Covenant Christian Church in Albuquerque, NM (http://www.ncccabq.com/)
New Life Christian Church in Flagstaff, AZ (http://www.newlifeflagstaff.org/)
Resurrection Church in Boulder, CO (http://resurrectionchurchboulder.org/)
Comments
Former Members of Faith Christian Church Tucson and its offshoots 
I appreciate this website. I was converted quite radically several years ago at one of the “offshoots”. Keep the website free from slander, and I believe this site has the ability to do great things for people like myself that after many years are still wrestling with the after effects. To all of you that have been touched both wonderfully and yet tragically through this FCC church and it’s offshoots, my heart and prayer goes out to you. Thanks to you all who took the time to bring this website into being. Take care and God bless.
I believe there is a new offshoot at New Mexico State University in Las Cruces.
Yes, the new offshoot is called Living Hope Christian Church and is on the NMSU campus in Las Cruces, NM. Here is their website:
http://www.livinghopelascruces.com/campus-ministry.html
VCC now has a website: http://www.pnvictorychurch.org.nz/
Does anyone know under what title FCC files its tax returns? Many 503’s (not-for-profits) file under different legal titles annually, routinely change their titles legally, before filing with IRS. I would appreciate any info regarding this matter. Thank you.
Anonymous (from June 27),
You could try Faith Christian Church Tucson and Faith Christian Church Campus Ministry Fund.
See Sec.of State Colorado they are a Non Profit Corp.
Grace Christian Church, Inc.
There ID # is 20011002417
Trying to look this up, but Colorado’s website is not coming up with anything or I’m doing it wrong. Has anyone been able to find this info? I can find records on the properties owned by Chris, Jenna and Grace Christian Church on the county website.
Go to the Arizona Corporation Commission web site and type in the name to do a search….
I can only speak for Grace Christian Church as led by Chris Tomlinson and Aaron Brechtel (who is now the pastor at Resurrection Christian Church in Boulder, CO) in Fort Collins, CO on the CSU (Colorado State University) campus. Almost everything on this site describes the way that church operated when I was a member.
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1. Wealth is an indicator of your rightness with God (therefore, you expect the pastors to make decent money, which they attribute to being blessed and to money management)
2. Leaders say they effectively speak and act for God. Therefore any mistrust or critical thinking is seen as rebellion. They will reference that Korah was swallowed by the earth when he rebelled against Moses. One begins to believe even a critical thought is demonic and should be treated as such.
3. You talk about private matters with your bible study leader (aka, spiritual mother or father), not knowing the matters aren’t necessarily private once the leader speaks with their spouse or others on the payroll.
4. Mockery and emotional bullying are valid ‘discipleship’ tools.
5. If you leave the church, even those you thought truly cared about you will never speak to you again, this includes the pastors and almost every member
6. They believe their beliefs are more correct than anyone else’s. This is a necessary conclusion given their theology.
7. The leadership’s biblical interpretations are naive, but appear correct due to their excessive use of specious logic
8. Because everything they do is right in their eyes, they will always defend their actions. “Don’t throw your pearls before swine” might be used as a justification for hiding these details. Since they are ‘right with God’, this is justifiable to them.
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Not everything they do is bad, and I’m sure they’re mostly well-intentioned. But I struggle to justify the damage they do to people’s lives. My primary hope is that the leadership team will change and open themselves up to a wider Christian audience-perhaps stop being so secretive. If that can’t happen, honestly I hope people will stop joining, stop funding them, and start leaving.
I was told recently that home-schooling your children is now a requirement of membership.
I’m curious as to who said that to you. Steve said during a sermon in 2011 that “we strongly advocate homeschooling in this church” and he can make a pretty convincing argument of why kids should be home-schooled. But in the 17 years I was there I never heard him say you HAVE to homeschool to be a member of the church. I don’t think anyone would be kicked out for putting their children in school, but there’s no point in going against the grain when there are plenty of live-giving churches in town that won’t scrutinize you for having your kids in school. Do what’s best for YOUR family. If you’re finding it difficult to fit into the FCC box, move on.
This seems to be entirely true in Tucson
They also preach homophobia, which is not exactly a “God is Love approach”, they prey on student’s insecurities and use dysfunctional labels and fears pervasively, and replace students’ families with their “church family.” They are isolationist in nature.
Nothing in their philosophy suggest that they are Christians. This is a con of the closest sort to the antichrist…
To anonymous August 24, 2013 – I was referring to Grace Christian Church. A former member told me that directly.
You people seriously need to move on. If you had a bad experience with something or someone, forgive them and move on. Don’t lump everything into one and just assume everyone is going to have a bad experience. All you are is bitter. The leaders of these churches aren’t perfect and in 5 years I’ve never heard a single one of them ever claim to be. Quit telling other people your assumptions and opinions about them like it’s gospel truth! So you didn’t get along with some of them, big deal, get over it. And you also need to quit slandering the other churches just because you had a bad experience or didn’t agree with something at the one you attended. Every church, I don’t care where it is, what denomination it is, who their leader is, EVERY SINGLE ONE has people that don’t agree with absolutely everything they do, does that make that church a cult? Absolutely not! Anyone and everyone is welcome to leave at any time if they don’t feel comfortable for whatever reason. It’s the same with these churches, you can leave anytime you want to if you don’t like it. You need to learn the definition of a cult. Are any of the members making out any of the church leaders out to be a god? No they’re not! The truth is, these churches and their leaders put God first in EVERYTHING and teach others to do the same. And when I say everything, I mean EVERYTHING! That includes church, life, finances, home life, etc. God is a part and is involved in EVERY aspect of your life so what is wrong with getting advice or help on any of these things? Absolutely nothing! Am I saying that none of these leaders have ever made any mistakes in the positions they’re in? No I’m not! They are HUMAN! They make mistakes, they’re not infallible. I encourage anyone who is looking at this site not to believe everything that is said on here because most are gross exaggerations of the truth anyway! Go speak with one of these leaders yourself, go check out the church yourself. If you don’t like it, then go to another one that suits you better, but don’t go bashing and slandering them just because you didn’t like it there. These churches and their leaders are doing great things for students on college campuses across the country! For every 1 person on this site that is slandering all of these churches, there are probably 10 others that are so thankful for what these churches have done and are doing in their lives!
I have to agree. I am a father of five kids and run a business in Fort Collins. I see only good coming out of Grace Christian Church. We go to Timberline Church but we are very aware of Grace Christian Church and it’s mission towards the students at CSU. My wife and I have known many of these young student church members over the past several years and I can only say that I wish just a few of the church members in church’s I have been involved in over the past 39 years had the passion that these young believers have for Christ.
You might want to ask the young people if they have given up their families so that they can reap the blessings of their church family. I bet every single one of them comes from a bad family! (NOT REALLY!) Or when was the last time they had a holiday with their parents/siblings? How would you like it if one of your kids told you that you don’t believe in God as you should, and that their real father is Chris Tomlinson? How would you like it if your child told you that you are dysfunctional and that the “pastor” will decide who they marry and when? How would you like it if the pastor offered to have your college girl live with him so that she can take care of his 5 little children? Get educated. You are turning a blind eye to the truth.
Steve Arends,
I am a former member of Grace Christian Church. I understand your point of view because many people who don’t know GCC’s inner workings think it is a great church that produce passionate followers of Christ. My relationship with my Savior was very dysfunctional when I was in GCC because of their teachings. They believe it is based on works. I was told numerous times that they don’t believe that faith and being “saved” is based on works but their actions speak otherwise. I was told that calling my mom after having a bad day was a form of idolatry and not enough faith or dependence in Christ or GCC. I was told that any misfortune (a bad grade, a car accident, family, money problems etc) was God’s judgement because of some sin of mine. I was scolded when my campus minister found out I was getting spiritual counsel from my aunt (who was is a devoted follower of Christ). I asked, “Is there somewhere in the bible where it says that I can’t seek counsel outside of the church I am currently in?” And my campus minister said “No, but this is how this church works.” When I asked why can’t women hold jobs after getting married and having children, or why ALL children have to be homeschooled, or why no one can question the pastor,….I was told “This is just how this church works.”
My mind was filled with judgement when I looked at people. No matter who it was, family or friends or strangers, I was constantly scrutinizing their actions. They call it “discernment” to be able to notice someone sins and call them out on it. I once got a call from my campus minister and she told me that the shirt I wore to a fellowship event was too nice (even though it was admittedly a modest shirt) and that I was in the spirit of seduction and needed to repent. I was near the edge of panic whenever I prayed because I constantly thought I had too many sins that God wouldn’t forgive. The church filled my mind with backsliding and if I didn’t get things right that I would reach the point of no return in God’s eyes.
I ask you, Steve Arends, does this line up with the character of Jesus Christ? His biblical, historical character? Is this the Lord and Savior you have dedicated your life to for 39 years? The Jesus Christ that I have come to know has led me to a peaceful, loving life. So different from the one I lived at GCC.
And, yes, anonymous is right that members are pulled away from their families and friends. I have seen it with my own eyes. If you spend too much time at home or go home for the holidays it is followed by a phone call of ‘where were you?’, ‘why aren’t you making your home with the church?’, etc. Everyone I knew there claimed to have a bad, dysfunctional family. I even claimed the same thing and I don’t have a bad family and never did.
My testimony is not just my warped, bad interpretation of GCC’s teachings. There are so many people who have left GCC and all our stories are remarkably similar and it just keeps getting worst. You see the outside, what they present to the world, but inside is an ugly, ugly place.
You gotta be a member for a few years to see the truth.
Steve, I had a son involved in this church and I can sight many examples of how my son was mislead by the his campus ministers at FCC. You would be shocked at some of the inappropriate comments that were made to my son by these church leaders. You obviously didn’t have a son or daughter involved in FCC. Trust me as a parent that this was not a healthy christian experience for my son or our family.
Steve, I am begging you to do some more research regarding these churches before you applaud them and investigate what they are practicing and doing to vulnerable students who are lost, don’t have many friends or peer groups, who are away from home for the first time and get drawn in by the campus ministers befriending them with a barrage of activities the students believe are innocent and an act of friendship instead of a calculated program of separating them from friends and family to benefit these churches financially and in other ways. The game is to fully control every aspect of their lives and the unsuspecting student thinks it’s all about fun and friends. Before they know it, they are completely entrenched in their church culture, with little or no involvement with people outside their church. I am a parent that has been suffering for years because our family no longer has a relationship with our son who has separated himself from all aspects of our family life. As parents, we should have gotten involved sooner and pulled him out of this church. When my son was first involved with FCC, he told us how many other members he knew didn’t have relationships with their parents and families and how the leaders discouraged involvement with their families. I’m so sad for all the friends and families that have lost their kids to these named churches, but I’m mostly sad for the kids who are involved and don’t even realize what’s going on and how much it has cost them. I pray God shows them a way out. No one loves these kids more than their families.
No, fcc and its satellite churches perpetuate systematic oppression, and I will not be silent and allow you to continue. Your organization hides in the shadows and you know it as well as I do.
You would think you’d be excited about coming out into the light with everything your organization is. Oh well. Ready or not, here we come.
They have the ‘perfect’ rationale that justifies the secrecy for their conscience, and that is ‘don’t throw your pearls before swine’.
Maybe YOU should do the same!
The KNOWINGLY DECEIVE PEOPLE to control them. That is not a mistake, that is evil. They have been told of their errors and they continue to practice false ways. This is everything that the HOLY SCRIPTURES WARNS US NOT TO DO….
Psalm 119:103-105King James Version (KJV)
103 How sweet are thy words unto my taste! yea, sweeter than honey to my mouth!
104 Through thy precepts I get understanding: therefore I hate every false way.
105 Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.
This was typed by a member for sure. I was a part of this Church when I went to CSU. And in the moment it seemed like the best church I’d ever been sort of. But after taking a step back from the organization because my friends and family were worried about me I realized they had been subliminally mind controlling me to believe everything they say as “the word of god” and any thing I thought was true that they dis agreed with they called “thoughts from the flesh” and that they were incorrect. Some great people in that church that have been misled and it is very sad to see because they have blinders on.
Kristen,
I have been a member of GCC for almost a half a decade. I have been to a lot of churches in the past too. Although GCC has been challenging at time and has made mistakes other times I never have been treated like you claim you have been. The leaders have always instilled in me even during my most shameful failures that I am forgiven. I have seen myself make so many mistakes since I’ve been here and the forgiveness factor has only increased. At this place it has been clear to me that my relationship with God is.. well my relationship with God. I was never told that my misfortune was Gods punishment but maybe that God could be showing me something through it. The ministers exalted me several times to get Christian character outside of the church. Now being here as long as I have has also shown me that the church is not perfect. Are they completely gentle all the time? No. Do they give perfect counsel all the time? No. Have I been hurt by people in the church (including ministers). Yes. Do they handle things in a totally different way then I would handle them? HECK YES. But you will find these elements of disappointment in any church, no church is perfect and people want to bring out weak points of the church and then exaggerate the crap out of them so they can be some sort of victim. If your relationship with God is suffering because of what “that pastor did” or what this minister did then you should really find out how to have a better relationship with God. Will I be a GCC forever, probably not! Do I think they are the only great church out there? No I think any church that helps you to learn how to have a relationship with God is a great church. I know they help you do that because my roommates, have experience let downs at this church to yet they were able to move on and still have great times when they were at the church. A good friend of mine just left GCC to get married to a christian girl becuase he felt this was Gods will for his life. All of his friends are still friends with him including me. Chris actually encouraged him to follow the lord to where ever He was taking him. Even if it meant leaving the church. There are much more stories like this this little blog will never feature. GCC is a great place in the inside a lot of my friends will stay there for life some will leave but I know one thing life is happening here. Inside and out all I see is flawed humans running toward the lord.
p.s. and that’s probably why despite peoples bad experience it keeps on growing and growing. People always have somthing to say but whens the last time yall led some body to the Lord or did bible studies with them or watched there life change. I know GCC does this all the time and they have a rather large church (compared to other campus ministries) to prove it. And since when did cults have 300 and 500 members in a cult that anyone could go to and join. and since when does at cult preach Jesus.
What I have said was not exaggerated at all, it was just the tip of the iceberg. I can write pages and pages about what I experienced. Bottom line: the spiritual abuse I experienced in GCC I have never experienced in any other church I’ve been a part of before or since. I wish it wasn’t true but it is. I also would have probably been one of those current members to get on a website like this and bash all the former members while secretly knowing that what they said was true. Also, anonymous, a cult is not categorized by WHAT it believes but HOW it operates. I invite you to read Toxic Churches and The Subtle Power of Spiritual Abuse; it might open your eyes.
So by your metric the Mormon Church is the apple of God’s eye, right? They make you look silly with respect to church growth.
A lot of Christians help others find the Lord, However YOUR church needs to get PAID for it where most all other Christians do it to GLORIFY GOD ONLY!!
Kristen longwell?
You can hear the confusion in your voice. I pray that God leads you away from this Misleading church.
I have a friend that left on good terms. But the truth of what Chris thought of the decision didn’t come out until they left. And guess what? All the “friends” abandoned them.
Hey, this is my post from about 2 years ago. I can tell you one thing about this post, I didn’t know the worst of GCC yet! It really is way worse than I ever though it could be. It’s a bad church that doesn’t just have mistakes but patterns and beliefs. Which is why I left.
Thank you so much for this website. Grace Christian Church destroyed my life and it is good to know that I am not alone!
Me, too. grace christian church ruined my life and this site is helping me to finally heal.
I am saddened that people feel that slander and bitterness helps them to heal. The stories also sadden me, I believe some aspects of what was verbalized to former members in their time there may be accurate, I also believe that these things may have been spoken by people who themselves have a legalistic leaning. What I honesty think about all of this is that what was spoken to some of you may have been wrong, but due to a lack of understanding on the individual’s part, or that what was said, it’s intent, and what you heard, differed. “It’s how this church works” is a clear indication that the person saying this was blindly saying what they thought was the right thing to say, not a truth that they had internalised. Over my 9 years experience in these churches obedience has not been legislated te way people here are saying, but when correction comes we are encouraged to take it, pray about it, and seek what The Lord is saying in a situation. To apply faith to whatever measure we possess, and own it. Disunity in the Body of Christ is never a good thing, you don’t have to operate the same way as other churches (other than by faith in Christ) but you should never EVER slander and seek to publicly shame another church, especially to global media. I hope you find real healing, and not just a means to vent.
My wife and I left Grace Christian Church exactly 2 years ago. I didn’t have my eyes opened until after we stopped going. The catalyst for leaving was the realization that my wife was not thriving and the prospects for her connection and growth were limited. After we left, when we met with other ex-members and they would share their stories with us, I would feel defensive. It wasn’t until after my wife showed me this site and the facebook page that I was able to compare what we had witnessed and experienced with the testimonies and stories here, and begin to truly see. We would both love to connect with other former members who find this sight.
“…with other former members who find this sight/site”… pun retroactively intended.
This website is pure gossip. The Bible sleepy says gossip is sin. Pray, fast and move where God is leadin you. Dust your feet off and forgive, love a s move forward. Stop writting the world about it
FORGIVE 7x7x77…… Has everyone forgotten?
Pray and move on. Jesus didn’t say in life you wouldn’t face struggles, leave friends, churches, be hurt, etc. He said quiet the opposite. ReAd, pray and let God move you where you belong.
But please, no more gossip – you make us all look bad!
There’s a difference between forgiving and sweeping an ongoing problem under the rug, anon. You ever notice that your organization operates in the dark, out of the public eye? What are your ministers and members and members’ poor children so afraid of?
I was there, too. I succumbed to an offshoot because I was lonely and felt like I had nobody to call a friend on my campus, and I was sucked in, micromanaged, cut off from my friends and family, controlled via peer pressure, and beaten down until my identity was what the church wanted. Anyone could see that it wasn’t God moving, it was other exploitative people who saw gains from my losses. Go ahead and call my words gossip, but it’s what I experienced- to say otherwise would be a lie.
Maybe that’s not your experience. That’s fine. People do far worse things than spend their lives in intense organizations to deal with their struggles.
However, if you look in the mirror and see a dead gaze in your eyes, or if you find that you’re scared at the thought of your best friend from childhood wanting to reconnect and meeting your pastor (let’s be honest, they’d be a bit freaked out and you know it), or if you can’t have normal, comfortable conversations with your parents anymore, or just feel even slightly unsettled with the notion that you may just be part of something that’s a little bit messed up, please. For your own sake, consider that you might need a bit of space.
Also, please recognize that if you want that space, you’ll have to fight tooth-and-nail for it. That alone is a problem, in case you didn’t realize.
Anonymous from April 3, 2014
YOU must be one of them getting paid a hefty amount from the church. Has anyone seen this NON profit organizations Finances. SHOCKING!!
However much it is, it seems people view it as a justified “blessing of God” and a confirmation of his sponsorship. The problem with that logic is obvious, but it seems to elude their grasp. That’s the problem when you mix zealotry and inexperience with responsibility over people’s lives.
please post the financial document on this site.
If there is nothing to hide, there is nothing to worry about. Why do you care if you ‘look bad’? Christians were, are, and will always be persecuted.
Anon (from April 8, 2014), your post reminded me of that scene in Princess Bride where the little bald guy keeps saying, “Inconceivable!” Finally, Inigo Montoya turns to him and says, “I do not think it means what you think it means.” Here’s the clip: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F8y-qy9N01I
You should look up the word “slander” in a dictionary. It means to make FALSE statements about someone. How is it slander for people to come on here and share true stories of how they were treated in FCC and its offshoots? It isn’t.
Also, slander isn’t just a one-way street. Why do you assume that slander can only come from people who’ve left toward the “pastors”. Tell you what, go and ask your leaders the “official” story of why I left the church. Then come and ask me my side of the story like the Bible says you should (Prov 18:13). Let’s see who’s slandering whom.
3 years a member of cornerstone Tampa. I left the church after being overworked as a servant and usher. Constantly being told I was immature and filled with demons. Being told I needed more Faith in order to have a Sabbath. Constantly corrected, And feeling watched. Now I’m told I can’t visit the members that are good friends. I can’t even play basketball with the members anymore. I want justice done. It’s hard to forgive and forget 3 years.
I still have a close friend at CCC. He still talks to me and hangs out with me occasionally. Hopefully they don’t ban him from doing this since I am a former member now. I don’t see what they could possibly use as reasoning for not allowing contact with former
Members.
Ah yes, the “you’re full of demons!” routine. Same thing happened to me. GCC is in no way qualified to be involved in young people’s lives the way it is. Actions speak louder than words.
John, I was part of the original team who came out from Tucson to start the church. I was on of the associate pastors. I’ve know Bill and Pete since 1991. We left in 2007 when we woke up to the spiritual abuse going on. Let me know if I can help in any way. Often it helps just talking about the crap you went through and decompressing. My email is jefflisap@yahoo.com.
Hmmm I spent Christmas and Easter this past year with my family and not the church.
You can always ask for a different ministers or simply leave the church.
Ultimately, what is most important is that we are all saved by Christ.
But, since we’re now saved, you truly shouldn’t let man’s actions backslide you from God. Just hold onto a heart for forgiveness and continue in faith following the Savior
This church tore our family apart! My daughter is a member of Hope Christian Church church and we haven’t seen her for a very long time. She has completely cut off ties with us. We noticed a drastic change in her when she joined and suddenly started to shut her family out of her life. Her friends in the church became her family. She gave up everything to be part of this church.
I was asked by another parent who also has a child in one of these churches to reply to you and ask if you would like to speak with her. If so, email me at jefflisap@gmail.com, and I will send you her contact info.
I knew one of these magical pastors before this career. Oh the stories I could tell.
Tell them?
I knew Chris when he wa recruited in Tucson by Faith CC
Has any one here been to new covenant christian church?
I am a graduate student new to Tucson and I desperately need a church. With each week that passes, I feel like I am drifting further away from God and I think it has led to me becoming depressed. I would prefer to attend a church with other students because I have not been able to join any of the cliques in my professional program and as a result, I do not have any close friends. I attended Hope Christian church while at ASU, but I eventually left because I changed my major and moved back home which meant a longer commute to Tempe. I found the church to be pleasant and created a cocoon around individuals. We were encouraged to not spend too much time with non-Christians because “bad company corrupts good character”, but we were never told to only spend time with church members. I was not a fan of the surveys but I guess that was the only way to recruit new members. I also do not have the gift of evangelism, yet I felt pushed towards it. Looking back, I still feel that my experience with the church helped me to stay out of trouble and kept me in high spirits, but I was not as zealous as some of the other members so maybe I was spared from the more aggressive tactics they were subjected to. I enjoyed having a church family and being around people who shared my beliefs.
You could try Catalina Foothills with Pastor Roesler (http://cfcpca.org)
Thank you
You could try Catalina Foothills with Pastor Roesler (http://cfcpca.org)
Has anyone come from resurrection church in boulder?
If anyone here is a former member of Resurrection Church in Boulder near the University of Colorado campus, I’d love to talk with you. I’m a reporter for the Daily Camera newspaper in Boulder. My info: kutas@dailycamera.com and 303-473-1106.
My sister has been a long time member of FCC. She joined while she was a student at the UA after she was approached by a girl named Ginger on the UA campus. I noticed drastic changes in her personality after she became a member of FCC. It began by her distancing herself from me, which was strange because we lived together and did everything together. All of a sudden, she didn’t have time for me and wanted to move in with her fellow FCC friends. So she moved to a house that she told me was owned by Pastor Steve. There were 5 girls living in that house paying $200 a month for rent. At first she would let me visit her, but eventually she stopped allowing me to come over.
Because I desperately wanted to understand her and what she was going through, I attended FCC for a period of 3-4 months. I went every Sunday and even attended a few Saturday prayer sessions and covenant meetings. While I was attending I was told that I needed to distance myself from people who were not of the church because they could lead me down the wrong path. It did not matter that a lot of my friends were Christian. It was the fact that they did not attend FCC that was the problem. Whenever I questioned people in the church, I was told to talk to Pastor Steve. Nobody could ever give me answers and Pastor Steve was always away. In fact, on many occasions my own sister would get confrontational and angry with me because I would question the behavior of the church. I found it odd that the church took in so much money from tithe, yet we were meeting in various school cafeterias. I also found it odd that the church was seen as a family and that those who were not members of the church were not family. My parents will always and forever be my family. The bible and the 5th Commandment clearly state to honor your father and mother. I do not consider pushing them away a form of honor. I am extremely close to my parents and this alarmed me. Then from what was explained to me by my own sister, marriage was pretty much arranged by God who would tell their covenant leader and the Pastor whom they were to marry. If that couple then divorced, they were asked to leave the church. Then when the wife became pregnant, she was to stop working and home school her children. Children were not allowed to socialize with other children outside the church. I prayed a lot and knew that this church was not following the path of God. To me there were so many red flags that I had to leave, even though I knew that by doing so, I would lose my sister to this church and I did.
We had an argument one day because I felt that she was acting weird and I didn’t like the way the church was controlling her. The day after this argument, my sister met me after work to tell me that she was told by her covenant leader that she should stop talking to me because I was not good for her. She listed to them and stopped talking to me, my brother and distanced herself greatly from my parents. She closed her Facebook account and never spoke to any of her old friends again. When I ran into other FCC members that I had met while attending the church, on campus or in town, they would turn away from me and ignore me. It was as if I was being shunned, which I didn’t care about because I knew in my heart that I had done the right thing by leaving. Their actions only confirmed that I made the right choice.
My family still hurts because we feel like one of our family members was taken away. Real Christian churches do not break families apart and seclude you from everyone outside of the church. God would not want the families He formed to be broken the way ours was. I am so grateful that other people are speaking out. I don’t know anything else other than what my family and I have experienced with this church. We all pray for my sister, her husband and their now one year old daughter. This is a very painful situation and my heart goes out to all those who have experienced the same. To students at the UA, please remember that God loves EVERYONE, not just people who attend FCC. Remember that your parents and family love you and want the best for you. If someone wants to separate you from the people that have loved you since before you were born, you should take caution and question their motives.
Karina, thank you for sharing this story. I am so sorry this happened to your family. Would you be willing to allow someone to post this story on the Former Members of FCC Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/pages/Former-Members-of-Faith-Christian-Church-Tucson-and-Its-Offshoots/264869173542893)? It would help people to be able to read your story there. If not, I understand
Same thing happened to my brother.
Check this out:
http://www.collegian.com/2015/05/cult-or-community-questions-about-fort-collins-faith-christian-church-offshoot-grace-christian-church/124483/
I went to Grace Christian Church in Fort Collins for the duration of my time at CSU as an undergraduate student. After graduation I felt led to attend Mines to specialize in my field of study, so I left that church and attended a local church in Golden. Prior to meeting an on campus minister at Grace, I knew very little about the bible and did not have a personal relationship with Christ. Through bible studies, I learned who the bible says God is, why God created us, why our sin separates us from God, and how Jesus made a way. I also learned about repentance and that born again Christians still sin, but we have a new identity and don’t love sin or desire to sin willingly. I made great friends in the Church that I could be open and honest with about my sin. Grace CC showed me that church isn’t for perfect people, church is for people that are driven by Gods love to love others and to serve people. During my four years there, I learned that there was no way any one could possibly be a minister for Chist unless you are driven by love. I have never grown so rapidly in my faith as I did when I was at Grace. I only pray that my little sister who now attends CSU would divide to ditch her party life and get serious about pursuing Christ. And I would feel so assured if I knew she was attending GCC. God bless GCC and every diciple of Christ who’s mission it is to spread the Gospel and to lay down their life for Gods kingdom.
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余裕を持った引っ越し計画を立てておいたら、多少の遅れがあっても気持ちに余裕が持てると思います。違う業者も考えないわけではないですが、やはり慣れている所だと安心感と信頼感があります。これからも、サカイさんのお世話になる予定です。
段ボールは引越し屋が無料でくれることも多数ですので、見積もりを依頼する際に確かめておくとよいでしょう。引越しを行う場合には色々な手続きをしなければいけませんが、仕事をしていると大変なのが市役所でしかできない手続きです。
終わらないままだったらどうしようかと不安がつのりました。結果、友人に三千円を渡して、一肌脱いでもらいました。
Hello! I am an editor with the CU Independent in Boulder, Colorado. We are putting together a two part story (the first part has been published) about the Resurrection Church. I am looking to get into contact mainly with former leaders from any of the branches, but former members would also work too. Please reach out to me if you have any information! I would really appreciate it!
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I was sought after for months by members of the Resurrection Church in Boulder, Co. My girlfriend has helped me escape from them, but I got an odd feeling from them. It’s awkward because there is a member of the church in my ROTC program, and I don’t know what to do.
Don’t sweat it, because as a formal campus niche, they really can’t fault you for choosing your own extracurricular activities. Maybe the lay members are grossly mistaken about their meetup’s stature, in which case you can kindly direct them to Resurrection or their sister groups’ websites.