He was friendly and charismatic in public, and his 6-foot-3-inch frame commanded a roomwhen he delivered sermons about sin and salvation. However, God loved David not because he was not a sinner, but because had a righteous heart. Even if the girls get closure, theres a good chance that hes going to continue on spiritually manipulatingpeople if none of the truth gets out there.. He. Rather the DA, deputy sherriff or a Sherriff himself. Hes a great man with a past. He is one of the greatest men of God I, or for that matter the world, has ever known. I donot follow him I follow Christ Maybe that is why all of those charges were dropped. Joe Schmoe would be hated in the community and locked up. I value Pastor Michael enough that aside from preaching herasy, there is nothing that will keep me from being blessed by his ministry. It made me think back to when I was working for The Blade a few years ago and Pastor Pitts was in the news quite a bit. Why didnt the church fold? Juliejust an FYIPitts birthday is the end of August. Carolyn McDonald was one of the first women to make the Circle C board aware of her abuse allegations, in the form ofanemailonOct. 6. These girls often hadamix of issues going on in their home lives and a desire to talk at length about their adolescent problems, according to McDonald and other former Ranch staff members. Michael was identified in Delta on the date of the offense and did attend his court approved sex counseling. Maybe youll see. The suit alleges that the potential additional victims are too many to be included as individual plaintiffs in the suit because SGMs leaders have cultivated an environment conducive to and protective of physical and sexual abuse of children., (Note: The lawsuit itself can be readhere, though I cannot emphasize enough how triggering and generally upsetting it is.). hes a big jerk who should mind his business (Oh I guess hes a stereotypical journalist) and leave people alone. Its a vicious cycle of those individuals always feeling inadequate and that they have no faith. MinistrySafelawyer Kimberlee Norris spentmonthsinterviewingdozens ofvictims, witnesses and corroborating sources. Toledo is a very racist, bureaucratic and segregated place that fears the truth and God. and I thank You Lord!!!!!!!!!!!!! And I am a Christian. I walked away from it feeling amazingfeeling likeheddone something monumental, said McDonald, who is now 31. We let the media in that Thursday night. Within a year, however, she said she would go to the police to report heruneaseabout thehabitsshed seen develop betweenWayne Aarum and teenage girls at the camp. I dont need to see the act to know its true. Rembember, we are all sinners. I found each of the women to be credible, saidattorney and founder of MinistrySafeKimberlee Norris, who haspracticed law addressing child sexual abuse for over 30 years. Barnum may have had something to say about the issue. According to Randy Fancher, a board member at the time,Hilliker's recommendations, relayed viaa meeting with board members and later in a thread of emails to board members, were that Aarum resign permanently and be replaced,and that the board be restructured to add more non-family members. He has never done these things, and dont believe the garbage you hear about offerings and services etc etc. Your hilarious. Half their stories are plagiarize and the other half has no facts. Making fun of Pastor Pitts on a billboard in Toledo is not speaking your opinion. Perhaps your level of discernment in much higher than the present leaders of the church, or you have no discernment! Simple as that. He said Im just about ready to say that your not saved if you dont tithe. The Cattaraugus County Sheriffs Office opened aninvestigation into this case in early 2021 after Norris contacted them regarding the allegations, according to police reports. I thought Jesus completed the law and prophets yet you quote it to support your prosperity message. You must be dumb as a stump to miss that one. That could have been anyone to have seen Pastor pantsless. If you are worried about losing your standard of living because disability wont pay what your salary is you can have the church buy you a parsonage and pay for it the church can lease you vehicles. Im an attorney and helped a small church that had a similar situation aka the pastors both were extremely ill. You people need to pick up a Bible and get a church home, instead of judging someone that is following God will for his life. Non relevant to any of this. Check out his books on Amazon.com or in Barnes and Noble. In this instance, your years of experience isnt as valid as youd wish. Quite the contrary, I believe he does more harm to the Body of Christ than good. I would be interested to know. Never. I think not. Its the one incident where an I was out of the country alibi is obviously false. He also formed deep emotional bonds with these girls,acting as a father figure and maintaining a constant stream of intimacy and adoration, according to the women alleging abuse. Mr. Smith said that as part of the negotiation, prosecutors agreed to return to the defense any evidence of Mr. Pittss counseling sessions with Dr. Gregory Forgac, a Toledo psychologist who frequently deals with sex offenders. Sorry, I do buy it. Dear IMpersonator, I trust his teaching. Righteousnees seek the welfare of others more than the welfare of themselves. Updated: 11:03 PM CST January 30, 2020 SAN ANTONIO The brother of a San Antonio megachurch pastor was arrested Wednesday and charged with indecency with a child by contact and continuous . A Roundtable, In Israel, Left and Right Join to Protest New Government Threat to Democracy Whats Striking is Whats Missing, He Gets Us and Sleazy Swift Boat Ads Share a Central Figure Further Evidence of a Right-Wing Bait-and-Switch, The Dreher Affair Highlights the Rights International Networks, Correction: The SBC Does NOT Oppose Womens Ordination Just Women Pastors, Women as Head Pastors Was Final Straw for Southern Baptist Convention Not Scandal, Sexual Abuse, or Dalliance with Dictators, Still Left Behind: What the Endurance of the Left Behind Cinematic Universe Can Tell Us About Conservative Moral Psychology, Espionage Allegations Against Russian Church Raise Religious Freedom Issue in Ukraine, As Tensions Escalate in the Balkans, the West Could Hand Putin a Valuable Weapon, Putins Violent Holy War Rhetoric Made it to the Christian Right Fringe And Theres Reason to Believe itll Go Mainstream, the largest evangelical sex abuse scandal to date. [18], On September 18, 1997, Pitts was arrested on charges of exposing himself to passing motorists near Oak Openings Metropark in Swanton, Ohio. (Its in Maumee, a Toledo suburb.) Does anyone know if this is true? Cornerstone Church is a biblically-based church that declares Jesus everywhere and leads believers in a life of resilient faith. He is just a man. He has dozens and dozens of engagements annually. Im not speaking of an arrest warrant, which is not actually issued by a judge. If you are a resident of another country or region, please select the appropriate version of Tripadvisor for your country or region in the drop-down menu. A buddy of mine used to video tape the services at Cornerstone. LOL, hes out using his Understudy degree!! It reminds me of a movie I saw once about a traveling vampire circus. When I first came on, I was in awe of theAarums, said Smith, referring to Wes Aarum Sr. and his wife, Margaret. And its no wonder, these saying are born out of the doctrine that stems from the selfish foundation on which it was built. Its all about the free exchange of accurate information. The answer, apparently, is 7 months. Aarum maintains that there were no complaints about hisinteractionswith youth group students during his tenure atThe Chapel or in the decade afterward, he said in an April 28 email. Hundreds show up in Port Clinton to honor late Tuskegee airman, Sunday sunshine and milder temperatures ahead of Monday warmup | WTOL 11 Weather. So, my friends, Im not going to be here anymore. Shoot, while were at it, why dont we just put candles around him and pray in his name. So the people who were victim to the disgusting actions of Pitts, are just supposed to live with it? If someone was so concerned about thos so called young witnesses, wouldnt you be more concerned about getting a creep off the streets. They criticize the fact the pastor lives in a nice house, but it was recently reported that the Diocese of Boston is selling the bishops mansion for $90 million dollars, significantly more than Pastor Pitts home, and an Oblate home here in Toledo is going for over $300,000. None agreed to interviews on the record for this story, and they didnot provide additional sources who would be willing to comment on the record. Once again, I agree we are all sinners. I cant make you think differently, nor can you make me. Pettit Rieman has not responded to the USA TODAY NETWORKs multiple requests for comment. I have aquantences, that used to be friends, that I heard started going to his church, and was curious because Ive heard some things about him. It went unchecked. We are all very capable of doing very sinful things. Ferrante said hewouldspeak toWes Aarum Sr.about Wayne Aarumshabitseight or nine more timesbefore leaving his position at Circle C.Wes Aarum Sr. died in March 2020. Id rather have a pastor who is filled with love and compassion.two qualities definitely lacking in Pitts. Its called the 10 Commandments. I think anyone looking up the good pastor should have access to some information about his past, shall we say, issues. Do you know someone connected to The Chapel or Circle C Ranch? Im sure your already looking into these things but hope I helped. But it is idiotic and foolish to make a judgement when you are unaware of a million facts that are never presented to you. Obviously you are much sharper than T.D. Looking at his website, and how everything came to be, he talks more about how this is what he wanted (the ministry) and not enough about what God wanted. Secondly: The majority of the sitings of indecent exposure were DOCUMENTED days of OUT OF THE COUNTRY travel of the pastor. Ive never called you anything close to a prick. Free speech is great isnt it? Despite these efforts to raisethe alarmabout Aarumsbehavior,he remains in his position as president at Circle C Ranch as of spring2021, a role in which he has spentconsiderable time with adolescent staff members. I also think P.T. Sorry! I can tell you for a fact a number of things. WHAT HURTS HIS CREDIBILITY MORE THAN ANYTHING IS THAT HE WAS DRUNK AND WAS DRIVING. His next arrest was the very public exposing incident, in which the majority of charges were dropped and Pitts plead guilty to trespassing. And the image STILL continuesflashy cars, jewelry, fancy dudsetcwhos image is that?? The answer, apparently, is 7 months. It looks like we have some Christian potty mouths in here. Havent you seen the pattern? Michael Pitts NEVER attended court ordered counseling for any crime he was or was not convicted of. Im beginning to feel like Im back in High School here. Its well in excess of 5 million dollars a year. His alleged penchant for public masturbation only became a story after he was facing criminal indictment. The results of that test caused the trooper to take Pitts into custody, and take him to the Highway Patrol Post on Airport Highway. It was almost like I needed that from him, said Poulsen, who now lives inAmherst. Michael Pitts was identified and arrested in Delta, Ohio in 1995 for public indecency and did attend counseling for this arrest. Maumee, OH, United States JUSTICE FOR VICTIMS OF CORNERSTONE CHURCH TOLEDO Numerous people have come forward over the past twenty years alleging sexual abuse, harassment, exploitation, and assault from high ranking ministers at Cornerstone Church. I am a part of the pitts family and reading this has been both hilarious and very very sad. Nor does that attitude reflect in my posts. settle down now. THATS ALL. Dave: All those Biblical types you mention acknowledged theyd done something wrong. 35 years experience public speaking in over 20 nations. Mayor of Toledo, Department of Justice: Investigate Cornerstone Church for Sexual Assault and Abuse, Investigate Cornerstone Church for Sexual Assault and Abuse, http://crabwalk.com/2003/08/pastor-pitts/, https://www.toledoblade.com/local/2000/08/30/Pastor-Pitts-charged-with-drunken-driving/stories/200008300021, https://www.wtol.com/article/news/pastor-pitts-faces-judge/512-e11a9b95-93b0-42b3-8c56-a395a7481a30, https://gcmwatch.wordpress.com/2009/09/04/the-michael-pitts/, https://lifeaftercornerstonetoledo.blogspot.com/2010/09/its-just-me-life-after-toledo-pit-stop.html, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michael_Pitts_(pastor), This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google. GEORGIE SILVAROLE, Tina Yee, NEW YORK STATE TEAM. In 2005, the church filed for a restraining order to halt its attempted sale by then owner, Lamaree Marty Miller. [26], International Communion of Charismatic Churches, "Cornerstone's pastor elevated to higher rank", "Rev. During the event, footage revealed that a crowd in the church's main worship space was chanting, "Let's go Brandon," which is coded language for an expletive directed at . god wont be mocked. This started a string of court cases that included the discovery of illegal activity and fraud by Mr Miller. [8], Pitts was consecrated as a bishop by the International Communion of Charismatic Churches in October 2009 for his oversight of the Cornerstone Global Network, a network of more than 120 churches. email me. Mahaney offered no apology, only the vague self-deprecation and false-humility that are typical of his patter, and the sort of rhetorical back-slapping that one would expect in the boys club of evangelical Christianity. Which I do. Pastor Michael Pitts spent nine days in the Corrections Center of Northwest Ohio after state troopers pulled him over last December. Theres some thoughts to ponder Julie. Patterns of predatory behavior emerged and grew more egregious as time passed.. His car was spotted near where several of the incidents occurred. But unfortunately thats not the case. They lived bored lives and were hungry for entertainment. To invest in and support our ministry, visit http://cornerstonechurch.info/giving to make a. Not too long ago, I read something on The Toledo Blades web site about Pastor Michael Pitts of Cornerstone Church. Pitts' response was that in line with the purchase, all programs were being evaluated, and those wanting to remain on the air were welcome to reapply. For me, it doesnt matter if he did what he has been accused of Another aspect of the story that is seldom told is the fact that the park official who brought the charges against Pastor Pitts was indicted for purgery. And while I appreciate your no-doubt informed thoughts on how the media operate, I might point out in the case of Pastor Pitts, he was charged with more than a dozen crimes by multiple jurisdictions. July 16, 2020 09:07 AM. I DONT THINK ANYONE IS WILLING TO BOTHER GETTING THE DELTA REPORTTHEY WOULD RATHER BASE THEIR OPINIONS ON RUMORS. But he didnt. Aarum declined to do a phone, Zoomor in-person interview. I happened to be attending the service right after Pastor P. had received the DUI. So many things in those cases didnt add up. It's only a matter of time before this mess of a church is shut down for good. During the meeting,Wes Aarum Jr., a Circle C board member and Wayne Aarums brother,called the allegations horrific. Fellow board member Daryl Dekalbexpressed reservations about the process andsaid they couldnt truly respond without Wayne Aarum being present. FRESNO, Calif. (KFSN) -- A downtown Fresno church is celebrating a win in a lawsuit against the state. Well, Im glad someone missed me!! He was out of the country on half of the alleged dates. But despite all the religious grandstanding, court records and media reports show Pitts cant seem to keep his private parts in his pants while he is in public places. Seed, time and harvest. I personally know that this man is SO narcissistic that he had a dental work overhaul done when Cornerstone first came to townbecause he thought his messed up teeth didnt project the proper image!! This info was disclosed via tape recordings to the defense and they were ready to use it. The Apostles in Acts gave everything they had to meet the needs of the members of their churches. Stay Connected. You are right, I notice something about Toledo Area. Why dont you add the other stories like how the church gives away bikes, toys and other items to the inner city kids, all the donations the church makes and the good the church does for the city with programs like Project Breakthrough. if you tell me your name Ill tell you mine! I will not validate thier slander with comment, suffice to say, the gentleman from NJ has a point and it should render this debate over the alleged dealings of one man moot. Eddie Long is trending gay affirming and fancies himself a religious Donald Trump. There have I been flattering enough. I see there is no telling you anythingyou seem to know it all.I am a native of Toledo and I also followed all the articles ( even before joining the church)and if anyone in there right mind read them articles they can see there was no case against himit looked to me like propaganda for those who did not want this church to succeedthis has all become spiritual warfarethese people at this church are not blindedthe church survives but it is Gods willif in fact any of those issues were true the church would faulterbut in fact it is STRONGERone can truly see through what you are trying to presentit will all settle out in the end. In court, when another defendant recognized Pastor Pitts and asked why he was there he said, You know, you dont get through life without taking a few little bumps.. I am poor, but I live in the realm of reality and dont deceive myself into thinking that God wants me rich. But thats the truth. He never gave them any inkling of an idea either, since he wanted to keep the door open for them so he would know what they were up to. What we should concentrate on is the plank in our own eye and not the speck in our neighbors. If you dont feel like you can approach a leader, why not? If youre looking for the truth, I promise you that you will never regret if you choose to leave there. It is used to compel the testimony of witnesses in a trial. Pastor Pitts doesnt need to explain himself here, nor has he ever done so! In theweeks following, over a dozen womengave statements toofficers regarding their experiences with Aarum. A warranted legal documentation requiring a subjects attendance at a hearing. There will be false prophets, and we are never to follow man, but God only. Ive set under Pastor Pitts teachings for over 6 years now and I see him as the Billy Graham of our generation. Whats worse, public masterbation or being a murderer? Numerous people have come forward over the past twenty years alleging sexual abuse, harassment, exploitation, and assault from high ranking ministers at Cornerstone Church. If people want to support Pastor Pitts, so be it. He is frequently in other cities and out of the country and so none of those charges stuck because you sure cant argue with airline info and 3000 people who were listening to you preach in their country that day! And, I am orginally from Cleveland, and the Blade is the worst newspaper in the State. First off, I dont go to his church nor have I ever attended or given him any money. If you have answered yes to any of these questions its time to start questioning your leaders. But there was a significant amount of evidence that many people found quite convincing. You also claimed that Michael Pitts offered no explanations for his actions, but only excuses. Thats a Christians main goal, to do what God wants. You said yourself your poor.What is someone gonna do with your money anyway. Sorry you didnt have a great experience with us. You can share anonymously or with your name. Disgusting! in any way. The statement was withdrawn after it drew widespread criticism. [22], In August 2000, Pitts was charged with a DUI. Reviewed October 12, 2018 . The bible is very clear that its not what we do but what we belive that make us righteous. I thought you were never coming back Julie. Who cares what kind of outward gifts he gives. I was a real prick. Im sure Pastor Pitts isnt the happiest about this forum but you are doing more to defame his charactor by sounding like an idiot. I have questioned if his indescrepencies subtract from the validity of his message.I guess that something you need to ponder upon. And so he handed out the sentence that he did because he knew he was innocent and he hated that fact. [1][3] The church grew rapidly and by the age of 26, Pitts was preaching to over 1,000 weekly members. Is there an image trying to presented through the leadership to attact young, professionals to the church? I do not care about your efforts to attack me, but you all need Jesus. Pastor Pitts claimed complete vindication. I have no doubt that Cornerstone does many wonderful things. Your right, I do know nobody is perfect including myself, michael pitts and you. But then again, dealing with false teachers is never pleasant. I am not a member of Cornerstone, but my membership is at another church in the city, but I still find it very disgusting that people would rather gossip about a pastor who has struggled, rather than pray for Him and trust God to work things out as only He can. Kathy, Im not bitter at all. Toledo Bar Hunt: Holy Toledo, it's a Bar Hunt! I think you would have to agree he is a very sharp and intelligent man. The trooper said he smelled alcohol, and did a field sobriety test. They asked him what dirt can we create on Pastor Michael Pitts? they wanted to smear him. Because if it is. I never saw him in the same light after that dream. Im known by the entire Cornerstone congregation.I dont need the trouble or the headache. Hi Hayden!! (originally the Boston Church of Christ) presents itself to be the one true, radical church with the best teaching, discipling, outreach (Matthew 28.Go and make disciples was preached regularly in a way that the church operated on a type of pyramid marketing schemeyou had to be fruitful or you made to feel (somtimes rebuked)that you werent doing your job as a disciple) I noticed the Cornerstone website to refer to common terms the ICOC used like radical, first principles awesome renewing minds transforming. The witness never actually was indicted for purgery, but maybe, the charges were suddenly dropped because he was going to be???