I am a concerned parent in South Dakota. It has come to my attention that Set free South Dakota has 2 Registered Sex Offenders. One as a Pastor and one as the Scribe/Historian. Check out the site, www.setfreesodak.com
Is there a correlation between sex offenders and Set Free?

I have spoke with one young man who tells of how when he went there to a service, the Pastor said, "we are not one of those lame churches."
Where is the Body of Christ in these kind of statements?
Also, I have been told that if people are objective to this Group, they are labeled, as Satan and that Satan is trying to destroy the Group.

Not everyone who is objectionable to letting kids run around by convicted sex offenders are Satan. Infact, to let kids hang out around them, in my book would be child endangerment.
Does anyone have any other information on this group?

Assuming that you are referring to an offshoot of SetFree, the group run by Phil Aguilar, here are some other discussions from this board...

[board.culteducation.com]

[board.culteducation.com]

From what I know, SetFree is kind of like Calvary Chapel, but with more of an emphasis on teeth-challenged, biker methheads than Calvary, which has its own assortment of fringe characters. Sorry, no offense to bikers, just methhead bikers...

I think Phil Aguilar was at one point a follower of Chuck Smith of Calvary, and I think some of the articles posted in the above threads cover this.

It seems like their philosophy is "It's OK to love Jesus.... and smoke crack... and beat women... it's all good!"

I don't know how true it is, but there is a group of women that are involved in Set Free So. Dakota called Sisters in Service. One guy told me they were not allowed to date outside of the Servants for Christ MC.
Does anyone know of this group also?
Any former members?

I have now heard that Set Free South Dakota's Servants of Christ MC, is going to be doing security at the Lifelight Christian Music Festival in Sioux Falls, during the Labor Day weekend event (2007).
I am not going to this now. I seen them there last year but now that I know a little more about it, I refuse to participate.
This is one of the biggest free christian music events in the United States.
I feel this is a liability for such a nice event. I can't believe Lifelight's people are letting them do security.

After doing some reading on Set Free South Dakota and Pastor Al Peratt, I felt the need to reflect. Pastor Al Peratt, who also started the Servants for Christ MC, South Dakota Chapter, runs the organization. The article I read through and quote comes from the Living Stones News Internet site. You can follow this link to read the article for yourself:

[sioux.livingstonesnews.com]

The drama starts out with Al Peratt (AKA as Nasty Al, by his own admission) being molested at a church. Peratt states, “parents need to be aware.” Later, he becomes involved in the Brotherhood, a biker gang. They wanted Al to kill someone but he did not want to. So, he left town. The FBI paid him a visit and wound up giving him a plea deal and the others wound up doing life, since 1972.

Soon after, he smokes a joint with the dad of a 15-year-old child, named Teresa, and obtained permission for her to move in with him. Nasty Al is a 25 year old grown man at this time. Aren’t there laws to protect children from people like this? It’s as though Teresa is an object to be bartered and later manipulated.

Teresa used to pack the dope for him during a smuggling operation, according to Nasty Al. Nasty goes to prison. Nasty gets out of prison. Nasty continues his known behaviors. Nasty winds up in prison again and then got a federal indictment for racketeering influenced corrupt organization, a gang leader of 150 people. He faced 160 years in prison and somehow wound up getting 5 years while currently incarcerated.

I can’t help but feel that Nasty Al leaves some of the pieces of the puzzle out of the picture.

First, he doesn’t mention if he becomes a witness in any of these legal encounters. Sometimes people tend to leave things out to make themselves appear to be something they aren’t. Was he an informant or not?

Secondly, does he have any remorse for hooking up with a 15-year-old child? Does he feel it is okay for dads to give permission to have their adolescent children/daughters move in with grown men?

Third, it appears manipulation has run rampant in his life. Just because he says it, are we supposed to believe him?
After all, he is Pastor Al…..

Nasty got on his knees in his cell. Big deal, so do lots of other criminals. I can’t help but feel this guy just wants another organization he can control, thus we have Set Free South Dakota and Servants for Christ MC. He appears to have a yearning for being on the edge.

Wake up people.

Minors are not objects to be bartered with and my heart goes out to Teresa, having a dad like that. Her being handed off to Nasty Al would disgust any civilized human being.

I agree with Nasty Al that parents need to be aware, with one exception: Not only from others but from him as well.

I would be very, very careful about this group "Set Free" that sees other churches as being deficient, unspiritual, etc. That's often a sign that the group is cultic. I say this having been involved in some in 30 years of attending various churches. Trust your gut.

I am very familiar with this church. Using grapevine facts and biased opinion you have taken a very good thing and twisted and distorted it into a version that suits your own overzealous needs. Who are you to judge? Does it not say in your bible that your God is the only one to judge? Who do you really think you are. This a group of individuals who put their lives of crime, drug use, and alcoholism behind them, to better themselves. You being a fellow Christian should have nothing but the utmost compassion for these people. I would highly suggest that you take a god long look at the mirror and correct your own sins before you go condemning others for theirs. Does this group hurt you in anyway? Have they personally threatened your well being or the well being of your family. I love the idea behind this church. A church for people who want to be themselves, not mindless robots that transform into the Cleaver family on Sunday. I have looked through your Christian Bible many times, and in their, I found no rule book or blue prints for church. its as long as your heart and mind are in the right place thats all that matters.

See [www.culteducation.com]

"Set Free" under Phil Aguilar has a horrible history.

I have known Pastor Al for 10+ yrs, I am amazed at what he has accomplished in his life after living a life of crime. My wife is a UCC Pastor and is good friends with Al and his wife of 30+ yrs (yes, this is his 15 year old girlfriend). I can't speak for other Set Free churches, but Set Free South Dakota has done a lot more for the community than a lot of traditional churches in the area. I have to admit there are a lot of ex-convicts, even a FEW sex offenders, but a danger to the public is highly exaggerated. The ex-con that is most likely to reoffend is the one living quietly in your neighborhood that isn't involved in anything. To call them teeth challenged meth heads is just being mean, some people need to step out of their box and see the rest of the world. There is no such rule that Sisters in Service can't date outside of the church. Set Free members volunteer their time to keep people safe at Lifeflight and I am grateful for that, I have no problem taking my children to the concert. Nasty Al/Pastor Al definitely has an interesting life story, but who am I to judge where he came form. I respect him and his family for who they are now. There are several things that set this church apart from other churches such as; everyone in church has a smile on their face, they actually enjoy worship, they would give anyone the shirt off of their back. This church walks the walk, does yours? Also, I have no idea who Phil Aguilar is.

Is Pastor Al associated in any way, shape or form with Phil Aguilar?