To whom it may concern:

Please note that "alteredpilot" did not answer questions specifically.

He answered "yes"--but gave no meaningful details.

He referred to "elders"--but never defined their role and how they became elders.

And most tellingly--none of the follow-up questions have been answered.

Quote
rrmoderator
To whom it may concern:

Please note that "alteredpilot" did not answer questions specifically.

He answered "yes"--but gave no meaningful details.

He referred to "elders"--but never defined their role and how they became elders.

And most tellingly--none of the follow-up questions have been answered.

I just get the impression that altered pilot is not what he is claiming to be, I think he is possibly a praise chapel pastor who thinks he can get it over on us. But I agree with the moderator, he did not answer the questions, he skirted them, again fellowship tactics.

Wolves in sheeps clothing,

Jeff Watkins

I invite any praise chapel pastor to come on here and debate the facts, NOW IT MUST BE NOTED: WE ARE NOT DEBATING THE BIBLE, RELIGION OR ANY OF THAT: This whole forum is in regards to:

1. How the PC Fellowship is Operated
2. Allegations of spiritual abuse of powers
3. Accountability in headship and finances
4. Relationship to Potters House and CFM
5. Organizational structure such as boards of directors, elders and accountability

These questions have been asked over and over and still no solid answers, only vagueness and denial.

Maybe the head of the fellowship Larry Neville or Donna Neville could post here and clarify what everyone on this forum wants to know. I have one simple answer for Praise Chapel, ANSWER THE QUESTIONS HONESTLY AND OPENLY.

Jeff Watkins

This phrase came to mind - it was a joke for some of us former praise chapelites: they use you, abuse you, then lose you.

I wish I could that I am posting this just because of sour grapes; but anyone who knows what we know can pretty much stand in agreement. It really is the PC, Neville company slogan. Another slogan that they proudly shout from the pulpit: You should be in church every time the doors are open. Even if your kids have to go to church hungry and sleep or do their homework in the pews so be it. I am not exaggerating.

I have stood in the church lobby during service and watched ushers take roll call on a clip board. I have been in services when they take more than one offering - every now then they would take three. Regular offering, monthly global harvest offering and then if there was a visiting speaker for that service a love offering for that person; eventhough the check has already been cut for them prior to service.

They have had pastor conferences on Cruises. Trips to Israel that only a few elite have the opportunity to go on. 3wk trips to Hawaii, remodeling their homes, new cars. Some of the pastor's wives I've rarely seen in the same outfit twice. I have seen the gold sheets come in from the churchs that have been sent in tithing to the Mother Church.

Larry Neville's daughter preached a women's discipleship and let us know about the details of her master suite being built in her custom home. Her husband Adam Freidrich once preached an entire sermon on Sponge Bob Square Pants but only after showing an entire cartoon episode.

I have known people who were high up in leadership doing everything right (according to PC) become ill and unable to perform and pushed to the wayside. If you lose your job and can no longer pay tithes/offering or become ill the only way you will get any kind of emotional, spiritual or financial support (I'm reaching) is if you are related to one of the leaders. If you aren't you become invisible.

Even now typing this I even think it sounds petty; but its not, this doesn't come close to describing all that I have seen. I am ashamed to admit that seeing all this I stayed. I can't blame anyone but myself.

But now in the sweet light of deliverance - I can warn those young people who have no direction in their lives and are contemplating joining. Be careful what you commit your life to. "Seek ye first the kingdom of God and his righteousness..." Know the Word.

Silentnomore,

You've pretty much nailed it, the bottom line is all that counts in PC, how big is your check book my friend lol.

I am glad to report though that something new is happening in me, because of this forum and the input from folks like you, kinda makes you feel like your not alone, you know what I mean, so thank you for your input, I look forward to your future postings,

Sincerely,

Jeff Watkins

Months before I began posting on this sight I had found it and some others and read posts for hours. It took awhile before I could bring myself to post. Even now its still difficult at times but once I started something inside woke up and now things that I have held back for years are coming back to me.

What I realize now is that there is a huge difference between what I was involved in and the Gospel. These experiences that the others and myself are describing have nothing to with the Lord and the Word but illustrate what happens when you commit your life to a fellowship/company that does what they do in the "name of the Gospel." Unfortunately, though it took some of us years of indoctrination and pain to figure it out and break free.

But now that I have separated I feel free. I have more confidence. I don't doubt myself so much. I am friendlier to people and am willing to be more outgoing. When you go to church and feel 10times worse and never good enough something is wrong. When you are being told every service that you are not giving enough; "robbing God..." ;not involved enough; not doing your part; in the flesh; listening to the enemy..." You can't help but feel lousy all the time and your are always trying to live up to the standards of what is being preached. But to no avail... the feelings of inadequacy weigh on you and you become beat down.

When people are beat down and have no confidence they are ripe for malipulation and dominance. Now what makes these leaders so compelling is that some of them are very likeable, charismatic people who actually believe what they are preaching which also makes it that much easier to be influenced by them. I will say some of them are victims also. I've heard many a pioneer pastor say at conference "if you cut me I bleed Praise Chapel" and this has always been met with a hearty round of applause. Only to disappear when their church didn't succeed. They don't see that living this statement and elevating praise chapel to this place is Idolatry. But that's for another time.

The only way it is possible to succeed in PCCF is follow the rules, mandates and doctrines set up by the fellowship. Oh, and if you are related to someone that always helps too. This also has nothing to do with the Gospel. People are being deceived even the ones that are "following the Program." Are you right with God or the fellowship/the Nevilles?

I said this before - this is no joke - what has been happening here is real. Believe it or not I care about these people; enough to speak the truth. But alot of them (including myself at one time) would call me a betrayer and a backslider. They would say I am bitter and angry and I have allowed satan a foothold. I understand and have to do it anyway. Its ok, because its not about me either - its about the True Gospel. About the Lord who is no respecter of persons and loves us all the same.

Thank you kingmankowboy, ravenbynight, and rrmoderator for your encouragement and compassion - you have helped me immensely.

I was just reading some of the originating posts from Hawk in 2006 again. I'm glad I did because I began to feel I was being "over the top" in regards to my posts. Or posting too much. But I believe thats due to still doubting myself to a degree. One thing I've realized is that its still difficult to receive kindness and encouragement because for so long I have been told I was wrong, overreacting or "in the flesh." If you ever even hinted as to not being with "the program" the ostracizing would begin but it was so subtle to begin with you always think its just you.

Re-reading the originating posts keep my from "doubting" myself.

What I really want to express now is in regards to some of my research that is right out in the open so its not like I am exposing anything. Only putting what's on the web in context with my experiences. On www.praisechaple.com Larry Neville posts an article 10 Steps to Church Mutiplcation - its a breakdown that expresses perfectly how PC views the education and training of their pastors (or the lack thereof), the financial aspect of planting churches and how what they do is different than the Church Growth Movement; in that they are not trying build a "Mega Church" but smaller churches that can reach more people in their own neighborhoods. I had to laugh a little; I don't think he realizes that we are all not the not-so-critically-thinking" sheeple that he thinks we are.

Praise Chapel may not be building a single "Mega Church" but they have and are continuing to build a "Mega Franchise/Conglomerate/Branding" organization. In that the churches pay tithes to the mother church or their mother church (the perameters for this keep changing). What it really is, in my opinion, is a monthly licensing fee to the franchise.

Something else I found is a PDF of a book from 1985 "An Open Door" [home.exetel.com.au] on pg 168 it clearly states that Larry Neville went to work for Wayman Mitchell in Prescott as an assistant. If you go on Larry Nevilles personal page its still lists Wayman Mitchell as the No.2 person who has had made the most impact on his life. From 1985 to 2011 its still there even after the "so called" split. After all the documented abuses of CFM/Potters House.

Also, through the years we would had visiting evangelists preach at church and conferences and I would think to myself - who are these guys and why haven't we heard of them before, where do they come from? Well, when I started reading the above pdf names just started popping out at me they were or from CFM from years back some of the orignating members of Potters House. These men would often "prophesy" over Larry or Donna Neville always a ringing endorsement from the Lord - how great they are or how great they will continue to be. Always the same.

You can't make this stuff up. Its all in black and white for anyone who takes the time to look to see. Now, I can only imagine what some people will say. You have too much time on your hands, whats the big deal, so what - what difference does it make? A few years ago I would have agreed with them. Heck, there's still a part of me even now that says that to myself. But, once again I have to go with my gut and say - this is very relevant.

A huge conflict of interest and double-speak. How can you say you are nothing like something but stay so connected to it and your company model is exactly the same? You can't.

Regarding education and the PCCF bible college. Know who are the main instructors and overseers are? Donna Nevilles mother and step-father and a couple orignally from CFM. I have known this couple for years and have spoke to the wife several times. She does not have a very high regard for the Huntington Park congregation based on conversations I can fairly say almost contempt. Yet, her and her husband travel extensively to other praise chapels as evangelists and instructors I've seen the photos. The people who attend the bible college, in my opinion, are being told alot of what they hear in church does not always line up with the Bible and being told this by Donna Neville's own parents.

When everything is a contradiction something is seriously wrong.

[www.praisechapel.com]

I found this on the internet - pls read pages 10 thru 20.

It really does illustrate what we are talking about.

Also, pls note it does say who wrote it or when.

Deniability?

correction: it does not say who wrote it or when. nowhere does it have anything about a church board, elders or any kind of financial accountability. it is all very vague.

Silientnomore,

Thank you for sharing the pc operations manuel, it is funny in the same breathe of saying it is mandatory to pay tithes to the mother church and global harvest, then the next sentence is voluntary, ha what a joke, and the outline sounds good on paper, but the funny thing is, pc pastors are not following this outline, honesty and integrity from these guys, wow I thought I was reading a script from comedy central stand up. LOL.

Jeff Watkins