fellowship memphis pastor diesgary sasser wife
When I heard that my friend died, my immediate thought was, Evangelicals were an accomplice to his death.. IMO, this toes the line, especially since you show no proof of Loritts wanting to silence anybody. Your tax-deductible gift helps our journalists report the truth and hold Christian leaders and organizations accountable. DEATHS. Dealing with the topic on hand, it is wrong for Bryan Loritts (BL) to blame bloggers and Evangelicals as accomplice to his death. It would be similar to me blaming Darrin Patricks (DP) hunting partner as an accomplice in his death; putting DP in that situation and providing the firearms. I think it is fair understanding to hear Loritts telling all these white bloggers to sit down and shut up about predators in the pulpit. This tragedy is unfortunately being exacerbated by people taking sides and digging up dirt on one another. And no matter what side ANYONE is on, my spidey senses go off when there is deflection or whataboutism instead of addressing the proposed issue or question head on. This year, the female hospitality directors chose to order nice, new dish towels with room fragrances wrapped in them with a card attached to be offered as gifts on Mother's Day. It should be obvious and expected that men have accountability if they pursue a calling to ministry, especially ministry leadership. The most frustrating thing is that we ALL carry each others burdens. She was 67 years old. There were several on the leadership board who were aware, and two on the leadership board were also seeing women who werent their current wivesit was so sad and wrong, but it had become the pattern of that church. Another alleged victim, who was 15 when she was recorded, said her family left Fellowship when they found out what lengths the church went to cover (Trotters crimes) up and keep it quiet., At that time, August 2016, Fellowship Memphis and Downtown Church issued a joint statement, claiming that the individuals victimized in 2010 were all adults and that none of the victims chose to press charges., However, about two weeks later, Loritts tweeted that Trotter had recorded a family member of his and claimed, We did immediately report to police and DCS.. Why is that the only sin people can be called out for? Announcements Here: https://fe. Im grieved, DL Moody would be rolling in his grave if it werent for resurrection. Help keep The Christian Post free for everyone by making a one-time donation today. How about a pastors own wife? Loritts stands accused of serious misconduct for which he has never offered a credible response. You imply, without any factual basis, that all bloggers just want to get attention by disparaging pastors. A snake amid a brood of other vipers leveraging Gods authority in order to make themselves rich and famous. Luke. Granted, the white church in America has many maladies. . Rather, it should be a humble calling. Keep in touch with Julie and get updates in your inbox! Luke MacDonald is the son of James MacDonald, the disgraced former pastor of Harvest Bible Chapel. Wilson, who co-founded the mental health . The church is listed under a registry of Southern Baptist churches and was founded in 2013 by Vaughan. The last person in the world who should be patting him on the back and saying others should emulate him should be a Christian pastor. Who sets these rules? Both Patterson and Springer were on staff at the church, according to a church representative, but the church hasnt released details of their roles. He complained about a bloggerpossibly Wartburg Watchwho had written about Darrin Patricks death and had linked to an article questioning whether leaders are getting restored too quickly. that it was not intended to be. No way, Im over Moody- might as well be a cult of money grabbers. It is our understanding that none of the victims at that time chose to press charges," it noted. Last week, Patrick died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound, but the church has not indicated whether his death was an accident or suicide. That is exacerbated when that someone is of a different race, as race does color how we perceive or experience others AND how others perceive or experience us. Jarrid Wilson, an associate pastor at Harvest Christian Fellowship in Riverside, California, died by suicide on Monday, September 9, at 30 years old. This initial post is lacking; other posters agree and actually provide better context than Ms Roys. That may be because you never said up front that you dont fire sinning pastors. Greear called Loritts "one of the most gifted pastors and preachers in the United States" during the announcement.. As one of the church's executive pastors, Loritts will oversee . Toward that end, the site requires that people use their full name when commenting. Hes spouting nonsense to garner sympathy. Im thankful to God for the way you do your homework and the care with which you provide detail and documentation. Return to homepage. That might be true, and it might not be true. When you are accusing someone of something, the burden of proof is on you to have enough evidence. The gross commercialization and shiny productions masquerading as Christianity has turned me off. Kennon Vaughan, Harvest Church's lead pastor, was breathing on his own and able to communicate some through writing, the church said. Doesnt mean I agree with or support Lorrits at all. 0:57 Beni Johnson, co-senior pastor of Redding-based megachurch Bethel Church and wife of Pastor Bill Johnson, died on Wednesday after a lengthy battle with cancer. But the church did not report Trotter to authorities. If any crime is committed, it needs to be reported to the police. Pastor Ed Young, the founder and senior pastor of the Fellowship Church in Dallas, Texas, announced on Tuesday that his firstborn daughter LeeBeth Young suddenly passed away on Sunday, Jan. 18. Timothy Russell, 62, was Second Presbyterian Church's pastor to middle . Ravi Zacharias, an evangelist and author who became an important voice for Christians by making a rational argument for the existence of God and vigorously defending the faith . I served in one of these institutions for 30 years, attended conferences put on by many of these institutions that are often in the headlines today. "Our church is still in the Acts 29 network, but I rolled off the board in July because my term was up," said Bryson, reiterating a similar statement provided to CP by Acts 29. Let not many of you become teachers, my brothers, for you know that we will incur a stricter judgment (James 3:1). I will say that black victims of crime do find themselves less likely to be believed, and often find themselves defending why they didnt deserve to have it happen to them. Church Office: 68 South Prescott Suite #301 Memphis, TN 38111 | (901) 458-8899 | Join our email list, Call to Faith, Week Eight: A Heart Yielded to the LORD, Call to Faith: Week Seven Doing Difficult Things, Call to Faith: Week Six The Take of Two Battles Part One: Ai, 68 South Prescott Suite #301 Memphis, TN 38111. Whatever your race, age, background, or story. My former pastor had the strangest Facebook post about this, too. And, I thank you for commenting as you did, because it shows (I hope) that you are trying to make heads or tails of the whole sordid scourge of predators in the pulpit and how the church should respond. 1 Tim. But, some things are not about race. who claim to speak with the authority of God are graceless, and just as abusive as many of those they condemn for being the same. Should we? One of the alleged victims, who was only 16 at the time of the recording, told The Commercial Appeal that Fellowships leaders discouraged her parents from going public. He is survived by his wife, Kalen; sons Chuck and Jon; daughter, Jennie; and four . He was a resident of Memphis, according to the Texas Department of Public Safety. From 2003 to 2015, Loritts was senior pastor at Fellowship Memphis Church, where his brother-in-law, Rick Trotter, served as worship director. Lets assume for a second that holding fallen pastors accountable and maintaining qualifications for ministry is a sin. Dr. Johnny C. Bachus died on Tuesday, his family told WREG. God is full of grace and mercy but he is also a just God. More than 100,000 churches across 66 denominations began holding 'weigh . Now I dont agree (or even fully understand) with Loritts, but I am speaking on what I have seen growing up in the black church. Its a bunch of assumptions, opinions, biases, and circumstances strung together to try to make a statement about someone elses intentions. Strongly believing that God's Word applies to everyday needs, his communication is biblical, practical and easy to understand. Some of the men killed or injured in a Texas plane crash Tuesday were involved for years in Christian ministries in Memphis. He blatantly lied about going to the police. I have not found one that fits the Christian community and shepherding model of the NT, and I havent found one that doesnt make me so uneasy that I can worship. The main question I have on if Patrick was shown grace is about if he was able to move on without his past being thrown up in his face all the time. He seems to assume that as long as a particular sin has been forgiven and a process of restoration has taken place, the person may resume their former roles of spiritual leadership. So I wonder why Loritts is spouting such nonsense. If there are qualifications it follows that a leader who has a major failing in any of these items has disqualified himself from leadership in the church. The issue is if that one voice has enough evidence to be considered. @JulieRoys Thank you for your response. Bryson dismissed that allegation however as a complete misrepresentation of his church. Your statement [the victim] that 'dish rags' were given out as an act of hostility towards women and families is a complete misinterpretation of the truth. Thirdly, having said that, many on social media, blogs, etc. We have two campuses located in East Memphis & Germantown. I am a black woman who has had extensive experience serving and worshipping in black churches, white churches, and mixed churches, and I CAN say that the culture is very different. Yes, there is grace, forgiveness and restoration to the Church for any repentant sinner, but there is not necessarily restoration to ministry. In a statement shared via social media, Pastor Young said LeeBeth, 34, died Sunday night. The man is a 50 year old gang member who endorses smoking drugs and paraded several women around on their hands and knees on leashes. He was 30, according to Religion News Service. Join thousands of others to get the FREEDOM POST newsletter for free, sent twice a week from The Christian Post. All rights reserved. Some food for you to think about, too. B Loritts is a total clown. 3,919 Followers, 2,111 Following, 1,129 Posts - See Instagram photos and videos from Fellowship Memphis | Church (@fellowshipmemphis) When confronted, Trotter did not deny the charges and was thereby terminated," said the official statement from the church on Aug. 11. Report all physical and sexual abuse. She also failed to point out that Lorrits was the last person in possession of Trotters recordings which took place at the Lorrits home, Trotters home and the church. Plane Crash Complicates HBO Max Documentary on Diet-Inspired Church The finishing touches were being put on a critical series examining Remnant Fellowship Church. He worked at Central Church as a student ministries director, was one of the founding pastors of Grace Evangelical and served as executive pastor of Fellowship Memphis before joining Downline Ministries in 2011. They told all the women that they had consulted an officer and attorney and if we pressed charges it would ruin Rick Trotter's life and the video would be played in court," she continued. He was a resident of. Memphis police charged a 15-year-old boy with first-degree murder, among other violent crimes, and a 16-year-old with theft of property between $2,500 and $10,000. I believe 1 Timothy chapter 3 is clear about the conduct of men serving in ministry leadership. (Speaking generally, not on Loritts): You may not see the role race is playing in a persons argument, so I encourage you to ask why they brought it up or how it plays into their perspective and experience rather than dismissing it altogether because YOU dont see its relevance. He has no right to call out the speck in someone elses eye. So was Patricks restoration. A Texas native, he spent most of his life in Memphis after attending Mid-America Baptist Theological Seminary and receiving his Master of Divinity in 1986, according to an archived biography at Harvest Church's website. I dont go to these establishments anymore. One of the victims also accused Loritts of destroying evidence of Trotters crimes. I reached out to Loritts multiple times, asking for an explanation, but he did not respond. See more 135 20 comments 9 shares Any church, regardless of racial composition, that restores paraphiliac or deceitful or criminal-against-person church-staff members back into ministry occupations, is suffering from many maladies: Pride, vulgarity, and negligence, to name some. Also, any comments with profanity, name-calling, and/or a nasty tone will be deleted. Concerning the Fight Club, Bryson said: "The Fight Club was a men's breakfast Bible study that focused on helping men learn the Bible.". So in 2016, Downtown Church reported Trotter to police. I dont know if Darrin Patrick committed any crimes but if he did , they need to be reported. Rant over we need to cut it straight. Love Fellowship Ministries I think advocating for justice for victims of clergy predators and supporting victims of crimes committed by church ministers is not about race. Lorrits told the parents of a babysitter (a minor at the time) that he took it (Trotters recordings) home and didnt know where it was now. I might add that this only added insult to injury for the victims. The family is asking that donations be sent to Harvest Church in lieu of flowers. (Scroll earlier and you can see for yourself what I said wrote in my comment on May 14 at 3:05 pm). 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. Im so over evangelical church- covering up aggregious crimes, obviously sins- but are crimes no less than any other place where innocents are taken advantage of. We know that BL failed as a Pastor, author, speaker and brother to his SISTER Heather by protecting RT and allowing him to continue his sinful behavior. What is going on in the church?! Forgiveness and general restoration is not the issue. Truth has no need to hide. Heres what we know about the victims of the plane crash: Vaughan, 45, is the founder of Downline Ministries in Memphis, which he established in 2006. Im getting really discouraged as we learn of one after another spiritual leaders who fail and fall. Today, we see that dream become a reality, evidenced by having a strong reputation for being racially, socio-economically, and generationally diverse . According to his LinkedIn profile, he was a graduate of the University of Memphis. They do not cover up crimes, nor do they set up systems where crimes are easily committed due to a lack of oversight and a refusal to publicly call out leaders who sin. Our culture of (sometimes questionable) tolerance can lead to a misuse of what is called grace in failing to distinguish between spiritual restoration and what is advisable in terms of public service going forward. What about being qualified for ministry? Police say Rev. I know he took too many hits, some he brought on but most were unkind and ungodly. Lets talk about it. It is such a privilege to pastor a church so loving, so authentic, and so deeply committed to Gods Word and the Great Commission, and I stand in awe at the work God is doing in and through Harvest to make disciples in our community and to the ends of the Earth, he wrote in the biography. How is it honoring to ones wife (let alone the church) if a pastor is habitually lusting after other women during their spare time? We will miss him every day but know that he is waiting for us in Heaven and we will see him again, Springers sister Lindsay Springer Rose posted on Facebook. "It is with great sorrow that we regretfully inform you of the passing of our beloved pastor and apostle David T. Demola, who went home to be with Jesus earlier today, Tuesday, Feb. 27, 2018," the church posted on Facebook. M H I think youve missed the main point of this article, although you did pick up on one supporting point and mistook it for the main point. If you are not in ministry, know this, it is endlessly rough and deeply painful. Looks to me that if anyone is out of pocket it would be Bryan Loritts. Application Process Join us online on Youtube. Wake up and do the right thing! I would hope that those that were offended would please let us know and work with us in the future to ensure gifts are chosen that they support," Bryson added. I see this in both the Christian and secular world: giving an offender another chance (so we can morally grandstand about giving them another chance), but making sure that the offender (and everyone around them) NEVER forgets the mistake that was made, and using that mistake to discredit any progress and/or actions that the offender takes that we disagree with. Regardless, is the state of white and black churches in America in any way relevant to Loritts justification for downplaying victimseven those in his own family!and advocating the graceful restoration of criminal perpetrators right back into the milieu out of which they chose their victims and perpetrated their crimes? In 2016, several alleged victims of Lorittss brother-in-law, Rick Trotter, accused Loritts of pressuring them not to report Trotters sex crimes against them. 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