1) Do you feel your district takes complaints of abuse seriously?

2) When district leaders violate trust and REPORT to pastors and other people the names and stories that victims gave—stories that were promised would be kept in strict confidence—what do you think should be done?

3) When Trask’s office refuses to even allow evidence of massive theft—is it any wonder why the denomination rots with corruption?

I am glad the guy is gone. In fact, his leaving is eerily close to the time I wrote and demanded action.

4) Do you feel the AG’s policy on pressing charges against pastors in consistent? I have heard of situations where charges were pressed for minor crimes and yet when one pastor stole upwards of one million dollars no charges were filed!!! The District refused to press charges, secretly gave the pastor years to pay it back and THREATENED to throw people out of the denomination who were pressing for charges to be filed.

5) Do you think one man stepping down is going to change anything? The AG still loves to claim that brother shouldn’t sue brother….but those gorilla lawyers sure come in handy to harass victims into silence now don’t they?!

I don’t intend to argue about the beliefs of the Assemblies of God, as I vowed when I became a UPCI minister that I would not bash any Pentecostal churches that believe differently than our alliance of Pentecostal churches, including the UPCI. I just leave the salvation plan to Acts 2:38-39 and some others linking back to it, no more or less.

You know, we’d have a hard time trying to find a replacement if Kenneth Haney either resigned for personal/health reasons or if he died. Neither of our assistant superintendents have said they would be ready to take the reins if a Haney resignation was inevitable.

I just pray for the new leadership.

this link.

One should not be easly offended, proud or puffed up upon reading blog. It is not my intent to offend anyone. My comments here are nothing more than a mixture of facts and opinion.

Now, I have found that hastily given opinions are like rear ends, everyone has one, some stink worse than others. However, everyone is entitled to have one…just the way we were created you understand. God forbid that we not consider all, but when we consider, let us consider them with truth. For it is with truth that we are set free.

The use of the word “aspersions,” sent me to the dictionary. To tell you the truth, I thought it had to do with Baptism but, not being sure, I had to look that word up! My dictionary reads, aspersion: 1) “an oblique assault on a person’s reputation” 2) “a sprinkling with Holy water.” Well, certainly one would not suspect a problem with “a sprinkling with Holy water.” If the word “aspersions,” refered to “an oblique assault on a person’s reputation” then I must say. My facts and opinion base is very straight and nothing intended to be “oblique” about it. And, my facts and opinion base is not to be misconstrued to be an “assault.” A person’s “reputation” is the general opinion held by people about the merits of demerits of that person. Man’s reputation can speak for its self based on his walk in life. That walk should be as Christ like as possible in truth and light. In truth and light there is no fear of condimnation.

In my comment, “Great “directorship” but wayyyyyy short on leadership (force feeding is not scriptural)!” I thought I may have paid the man a complement but all Brian seemed to get was the term, “force fed.” His term and my comment could not be better defined than in Brian’s final paragraph where he writes, “You can’t just come in here, cast blanket aspersions at a leader, and not back up your claims.”

In closing I can only say, I’m already on the Hwy so have it your way. No one on anyone’s “team” wants to really see my back up.

Onward Christian Soldier!

Have a blessed day.
“Former” A/G member of 28 years.

I sat under Dr. Garrison’s pastoral leadership for 15 years. My dad served as a deacon for many years on the board while Bro. Garrison was pastor and has nothing but good to say about him.

Garrison was a great pastor and leader. One of the tributes to his leadership is the team he brought together that continues to lead the church to new heights 6 years after he was elected to district leadership.

I don’t know what you’re talking about with your “force feeding” comment.

You can’t just come in here, cast blanket aspersions at a leader, and not back up your claims.

Enjoyed reading ALL comments on your site and conclude with…Onward Christian Soldier!

Have a blessed day.
“Former” A/G member of 28 years.

I was here when District Superintendent Saied Adour, a loyal minister of 47 years, driven out of his office and the AG denomination due to the illegal and immoral actions of Thomas Trask – something Trask still refuses to address. No one dared challenge the actions of the General Superintendent even though he clearly violated the Constitution and Bylaws of the General Counsel and the New York District.

When did pastors become fearful of losing their positions in the AG if they questioned the action of their elected leadership? When did the AG become a hierarchy? When did the church cease belonging to the people and become the property of the leadership. These leaders are culpable for covering sin as are pastors for loyalty to denomination rather than Christ. And let’s not forget the laity (ourselves) for allowing it to continue.

The A/G says it is a cooperative fellowship, different from a denomination. That is not our current reality. That is history. “Cooperative fellowship” used to mean we all agreed on the “16 Fundamentals” so we could cooperate and share our resources in each sovereign churches. Sure, the District was there for administration and got involved in case of problems, but nothing like the centralization (and abuse) of power we are seeing today. Look at the New York District, Duane Durst, Trask’s involvement, and the silent leadership of the presbytery. and you see a denomination engeaged in spiritual abuse and intimidation of its ministers and members.

In the A/G church I last attended, the pastor began preparing the Yearly Business Report and had questions about the finances brought to him by little old ladies in the church. This pastor began serving the church in September 2004 and began asking for the financial reports through January 2005. Each month repeated oddly evasive answers concerning finances from an illegal board. The pastor had been asked to come to the church because it had plateaued long ago and was in serious decline (22 attendees in a 400 seat building). Attendees were never asked to become members before he arrived and when he did offer new member classes and all its privledges, the classes filled up immediatly and membership rose dramatically. After the pastor had been there about 4 or 5 months the church was showing very positive signs. Tithes dramatically increased as did attendance. There were dedications, baptisms, banquets, and new memberships which the church had not seen in 5-10 year history.

All positive signs, and everyone except these illegal board members were pleased with the direction of the church. Prior to the new classes, they were the only members and the only ones who could vote on anything and everything.

People who attended faithfully for literally 30 – 40, years who never became a member because of church politics became member during the pastor’s time of service in 2004-2005. One man, a pillar of the community and instrumental in actually building the church with his own finances said it all when he announced he had not respected a man enough during the last 16 years prior to the new pastor. Until 2004, he had never considered membership.

When financial questions came up, the pastor went to the Board. This “Board” was not even legal “Board” according to church constitution and by-laws AND the state of NY. These men were ineligible per Constitution and By-laws and blocked everything from opening up the financial records to the congregation. When the congregation and pastor investigated further, they were threatened and harassed.

The pastor served his flock, preaching, teaching, praying, visiting, encouraging while the “board” continued to write checks to one another from a church account. The pastor was threatened with violence during this tense time, someone broke his home, his wife’s brakes failed when she was driving her car, and his tires came off while he was driving his child to school. Then the pastor’s wife’s tire were slashed.

With the church people thriving and reflecting and rejoicing on Resurrection Sunday, we all heard one of those men verbally abuse our pastor once again and attempted to physically attack him. There were no answers why except the speculation about the finances of the church.

The District knew the man threatened the pastor and knew about the odd happenings. When I say the District, I mean Duane Durst and Mearle Grossglass. Initially the men threatening the pastor had a meeting with the District officials and were told by Durst they were indeed ineligible to be on the “Board” according to the constitution and bylaws of the church.

Our church was so relieved. A legal election was held and 12 legitimate “Board” members were elected. Immedially the illegal “Board” removed the ballots, declared it invalid, and delcated themselves the board. They then changed the church locks and the newly elected board members were told they were not on the board – that was that.

Then District Superintendent Duane Durst involved himself. Without informing the pastor he began his involvement and advisement with the illegal two man board. Outrageous! Instead of handling the suspected corruption of the church by illegal board members, Durst censured the new pastor for bringing the suspected financial improprieties it to his attention. Then he attempted many illegal activities himself. Besides advising the board members behind the pastor and newly elected leaders backs, he attempted to take the pulpit of their sovereign AG church. He declared he would come to preach at the church – without invitation and continued to correspond with the illegal board advising them. This further empowered the illegal board and heightened the weekly abuse levied against him and the parishioners.

They changed the locks on the doors and refused admittence not only to the pastor, but to parishoners who were elected to leadership.

When the pastor wouldn’t “play ball” with the district or the illegal board, he was offered a $15,000 bribe, a so called “severance package” if he would resign and go away. When he wouldn’t do it, the same illegal board which threw out the votes of the new leadership and locked the doors called for a meeting to throw out the pastor. Then they refused entrance to the dozens of members who supported the pastor into the meeting. Twelve people, eight of whom were family of the divisive illegal board, voted the pastor out and called it a legal meeting.

So did Duane Durst. To my understanding, it all happened under his advisement.

When the pastor objected to such outrageous action and lack of accountability of his district leadership, his ordination was revoked.

If you google “Ray Barnett” and “Saied Adour” you will see the same thing happened to them in the same year. Durst and Trak are in all three of these incidents.

Looks like policy, not isolated events.

Maybe if it happened to one minister, it could be a mistake, but two? Then three? How many other districts have experienced the same thing and we don’t know about it because it hasn’t happened to us, or because ministers take the payoff, or because of intimidation?

I have seen the documents where District leaders perjured themselves under oath in writing. And to my understanding, all of this was repeatedly brought to the attention of Thomas Trask, Woods, and Bridges. All of them replied it was a “district matter” and threw the pastor under the bus.

Integrity? Character? Honesty? Please…

It happened to three ministers in the New York district, all with the same response from Springfield. Trask had a hand in removing Saied Adour and placing Durst in office, then Durst did the same thing to two others. L

Looks like policy to me.

Trask has never addressed his involvement, and now excuses himself from these illegal and harmful activities with his resignation. No explaination, no accountability to the people. Nothing.

That is unacceptable. It is not accountability. It is spiritual abuse and the AG is looking more and more like a cult. I have never set foot in another AG church upon coming face to face with the true face of its leadership and how they treat ministers who put everything on the line for those they serve.

This phobia that the young men will not be heard, or that the older generation is out of touch, is not warrented, but is the cry of every generation.

As a younger guy (41), I don’t take my cues for my ministry from Springfield anyway. Do what God has called you to do, the way that you feel you should do it, and the fruit of your ministry will be the deciding factor of God’s touch on your life and ministry, not the General Supt.

I sent you an e-mail…if you didn’t get it, contact me…and I’ll resend.