Re: Praise chapel...a cult?
Posted by:
kingmankowboy
()
Date: October 19, 2010 09:10AM
I would like to have part of this conversation. Firstly, I will tell you, I pastored 12 years for Praise Chapel, I was saved in Praise Chapel and wasted most of my youth following a selfish doctrine, of manipulation, control and deceit. I would like to state the facts in regards to Praise Chapel's cultish tendency, which are prominate throughout the fellowship.
In 1979 I got saved in a praise chapel in Arizona. I wound up marrying our pastor's daughter, and was thus initiated into the insanity they still call dicipleship. ( now let me stop right here and say, I believe in the discipleship principle Jesus taught, and not the one the fellowship expouses to). I wasted the years of 1979 thru 1986 in this so called discipleship ( brainwashing) training.
In 1986 I became an associate pastor in praise chapel Orlando Florida, under my same jacked up pastor, (Again I guess misery loves company lol) I spent two years trying to reverse the everday insanity and destruction of his pasotoral ways.
1987 saw me working as an evangelist in the fellowship, preaching in our southern california churches, working out of Mike Nevelle's church. Oh what an experience, when those baby pastors began to share with me their feelings and utter lack of support from their mother churches. ( I use the term mother, liberally, as they do not as much nourish, but more likely abandon once those pastors are sent out).
1988 I chose to go to West Sacramento California and pioneer my first church. I was bound and determined to break the cultish ways of the fellowship and pastor from a place of position, rather than position, ( Which by the way, most praise chapel pastors conduct church management). God blessed and we had a real move by His hand. In 1990 I discovered that my wife while we were in the Kingman Arizona church had several affairs with the leadership of that church. It was also discovered that the kingman church along with our mother churchf ( Mike Nevelle) and the Potter House fellowship had chosen to cover this up, to spare themselves any embarressment, as one of the affairs involved a high profile hand picked man, that the fellowhship was grooming for great things.
Upon learning of the affairs, I contacted everyone involved including my pastor mike nevelle and all persons involved in the affairs. I was told to forget about, as that was business as usual in the fellowship ( Mike Nevelle's words).
I drove to my mother church along with my now ex wife and had a meeting with my pastor in regards to this dishonesty and outright lies. Mike Nevelle's exact words to me and the exent of his counsel to me was " forget about it, it was a long time ago". Needless to say I was devistated and made a decision to leave the pulpet.
1990 I left my church, as I did not feel worthy of the pulpet, not to mention everything I had ever been spritually taught became a lie. I chose to go to Casper Wyoming and try to get a new start pioneering a new church for the fellowship, I thought the change of logistics would make a difference. Upon getting to wyoming with my family, I received a phone call from neville who informed me I was on my own and the fellowship was done with me. ( Sounds like cultish tendencies to me, but you make up your own mind). I worked two jobs long enough to move my family back to california and stay with an Assembly of God Pastor friend of mine, along with my family for a while.
I tried for another couple of years to resolve the problems and issues with my fellowship, but each lie and cover up turned into another. So I finally left the ministry all together in the late 90's and never returned to the pulpet.
In 2003 I lost my daughter my youngest to suicide, which I beleive was a direct result of the trama suffered at the hands of praise chapel fellowship, and 2004 I divorced my wife of 24 years.
Now secondly, in regards to the question of financial responsibility. There is none, the guys talk of sending their gold sheets ( financial reports) to their mother churches, what happens to the money 10% of church income, is unknown, All I know is the pastors in leadership in Praise Chapel live well, driving new cars, eating out all the time and live in big houses. ( You make up your own mind on this).
Mike Nevelle, had a motto he used to tell all of pastors, Him with the gold, makes the rules, ( things that make you go hum).
These are the facts they are undisputed, I have not given spiritual belief's or opinions, only the facts as I know them to be true. By the way, the fellowship does tell you what, how, when and why to think. Just go to one of their harvester homecomings or mother church meetings you will see it for yourself.
And I am not afraid to print my name,
Jeff Watkins
Former Cult member