Christian Rocker Posts Stunning Response to Recent Apostasy of Christian Leaders, Chicago Radio Host & a Former Bodyguard Say James MacDonald Asked Them to Arrange Murders, James MacDonald Took Millions from Harvest & Now Demands Broadcast Ministry, Mancow Airs Shocking Comments By James MacDonald: My Response, Transfers of church funds to new businesses the Weemses were going to manage, The churchs purchase of a parsonage for over $430,000 more than Stovall Weemss company had paid four months earlier when it bought the property, An advance of seven months salary to Stovall Weems and nine months salary to Kerri Weems even though neither one carried out the duties those salaries were for. The spokeswoman said the Weemses never intended to get any money for themselves from that retirement fund. . Thanks Mark, I feel bad for all the other people who got hurt by the church leaders. The Weemses are asking the court to force Celebration Church to reinstate them and give them back pay, along with certain other measures. Venus and Jupiter are going in for a nighttime kiss, He proposed 60 years ago, then broke her heart. But according to a court filing by Celebration Church, the Weemses are spiritually and financially abusive predators who acted like they owned the church and could do with it what they wanted.. The motion outlines four areas of concern: A spokesperson for the Weemses told the News4JAX I-TEAM that no PPP funds went to Honey Lake Farms LLC. Your tax-deductible gift helps our journalists report the truth and hold Christian leaders and organizations accountable. View our Privacy Policy. While the investigation consists mostly of reviewing documents, Wedekind estimates a dozen to 15 people have been interviewed as well. The church argued that the couples suit presents the latest chapter in a campaign of deception, manipulation, distraction, and abuse of power by Stovall and Kerri Weems against Celebration.. The Central Church Offices are open Monday-Thursday from 9am-5pm. Celebration Church said in its motion to dismiss that the board of trustees did not have knowledge of or give authorization to the purchase of property that was designated as church parsonage for the Weemses. Its office and Celebration College are at 10302 Deerwood Park Blvd. Perfectly said. Stovall and Kerri Weems say they are whistleblowers and victims of retaliation by the church they foundedCelebration Church, a multi-site megachurch in Florida formerly part of the Association of Related Churches (ARC). No criminal charges have been filed in this case. Celebration Church filed a motion to dismiss and accused Stovall Weems of financial misconduct, fraud and spiritual abuse. I think this is wrong. Stovall and Kerri Weems are in a legal dispute. [1] and is led by Senior Pastors Tim and Jen Timberlake. The churchs executive pastor, Wayland Wiseman, said in written remarks Tuesday that Celebration has thrived under Timberlake and the church doesnt plan to comment while its investigation continues. JACKSONVILLE, Fla. The founders of the 12,000-member Celebration Church are suing the Jacksonville megachurchs hand-picked trustees to avoid being ousted over claims of financial irregularities. In her spare time, she enjoys reading, gardening, and coaching high school extemporaneous speaking and debate. Global Senior . Please include what you were doing when this page came up and the Cloudflare Ray ID found at the bottom of this page. Their own personal accounts and their own personal monies and any assets that they own personally could become an issue and could be something the bank could go after, he said. The church received $2,153,702 in federal stimulus monies which were later forgiven, data collected by ProPublica shows. Details havent been released about financial arrangements mentioned in the suit, but portions of court filings mention them ominously. Administration of the Churchs PPP funds was controlled by the Churchs CFOs. To find the best group for you, simply click the advanced search tab under the group search bar and complete the filtered search. JACKSONVILLE, Fla. - Celebration Church, one of the biggest churches in the Jacksonville area, on Monday released findings from an internal investigation into its founding pastor, Stovall. I left because the Word was replaced with Michael Heiser teachings. Honestly? According to Lambert, the church spends about $5 million per year (37% of the church budget) to maintain the church's properties. Opinion: What is Revivaland is it Happening at Asbury? 1), $984 owed by Weems Group LLC (credit card No. Now they've finally tied the knot, Soccer's Orlando Pride ditches players' white shorts over period concerns, Rooftop bar and music venue planned for Bay Street, NASA made history by knocking an asteroid off course. This weekend, Stovall Weems, the pastor of Jacksonville's Celebration Churchwhich has a membership of 12,000decided to forgo a sermon in favor of an on-stage interview with his wife Kerri. If you find a group you have signed up for does not feel like the best fit, we encourage you to communicate that with your group leader. It said Honey Lake Farms LLC is different than the nonprofit Honey Lake Farms, Inc. and never had a bank account. Create an account or sign in to your My Celebration Account to sign up! Find more information on upcoming services, workshops, and ministry events. The founders of Celebration Church, one of the largest churches in the Jacksonville area, are in a legal dispute with the church that involves allegations of financial misconduct and fraud. Siebeling is a senior pastor at The Life Church, an ARC-affiliated Tennessee megachurch, and Volk runs his own nonprofit Together For Israel. A civil court hearing is scheduled for May 20. We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. We offer a wide variety of mens, womens, bible/book study, dinner parties, activity-based groups, and more! The difference between the two prices (approx. These are fiefdoms and not churches. Scandals have lately surrounded ARC-affiliated churches and even the ARC itself, arguably North Americas biggest church planting organization. Religious Freedom Updates Join thousands of others to get the FREEDOM POST newsletter for free, sent twice a week from The Christian Post. Celebration is praying for a resolution for all parties involved, the statement said. Any and all documents supporting your allegation that Pastor Stovall made multiple large transfers to new for-profit entities that the Weemses intended to manage going forward including but not limited to bank records and written communications. Copyright 2022 by WJXT News4Jax - All rights reserved. We believe that true life change happens in the context of community. King said Full Source owns the building next door. Who Will Pay for the SBCs Abuse Reforms Over the Long Term? The church paid just under $1.3 million for the home on Black Hammock Island in June 2021, about 50 percent more than Weems company paid for the home in February 2021, according to property records. Familiar minds think alike. He did not say how many staff members are alleged victims. To donate, Volk runs his own nonprofit Together For Israel, Former Pastor Accused of Rape Resigns from Churchome After TRR Investigation; Church Official Makes False Claims, Embattled Next Level Church Closes as More Demand Investigation & Audit, Judah Smiths Celebrity Megachurch Hires Man Accused of Rape Over Alleged Victims Objections, Why Businessman Peter Chung Matters for the Future of The Kings College. "I have and will continue to cooperate with the churchs investigation which has included the collection of documentation" about the claim, Cormier said. The Celebration Church Jacksonville scandal is all about Stovall Weems telling that he met Jesus Christ on Good Friday and was surprised by his personality. The Church is based in Jacksonville, Florida with other regional and international locations. This standard is designed to help organizations obtain and maintain a governing body that enhances an environment of accountability, maximizing excellence in carrying out the Lords work and minimizing susceptibility to structural breakdown., ECFA Standard Four relates to a ministrys use of resources and compliance with laws. Ameris Bank issued a $6.3 million mortgage to Full Source for the property, which records show is a 78,432-square-foot building on almost 2 acres. He also said the Timberlakes had effectively been functioning as lead pastors for about a year by the time the transition became official. . Celebration Youth is our Middle and High School ministry for students. Celebration's headquarters, called. Weems has filed suit against the church claiming he was illegally removed from leadership, but Timberlake has assured the church that he will continue to lead with integrity, godly character, love, honor, and excellence.. The restricted usage of these funds is documented with the Churchs Human Resources department. Sara Brady, spokesperson for Stovall and Kerri Weems. Access to MinistryWatch content is free. From hangouts to bible studies, meeting out at a coffee shop or in someones home we have a place for every person that walks through the doors of Celebration Church to connect in community and build lasting relationships with others. In 2021, Stovall Weems transitioned out of the Senior Pastor role and into a Founding Pastor role. When Is A Bible Translation Not A Bible Translation? Its motion to dismiss states the Constitution doesnt give a secular court the authority to tell a church how to run its affairs. Celebration Church, a megachurch in Jacksonville, Florida, has had its membership in the Evangelical Council for Financial Accountability (ECFA) terminated for violating two of its standards. The church claims the Weemses used PPP monies to fund a business they managed and to buy cryptocurrency. Celebration Church is a member of the Association of Related Churches and aims to lead people to experience a God-First life. A hearing scheduled for Tuesday was canceled but new attorneys for the couple filed an amended complaint that said a scurrilous narrative and false and defamatory statements were circulated to discredit and humiliate them. The founding pastor of Celebration Church, one of the largest churches in Jacksonville, announced Monday hes resigned from his positions amid a legal battle with the churchs trustees. Rizzo is the executive director of ARC and missions pastor at Church of the Highlands, another scandal-plagued ARC church. Toll free: (866) 364-9980, Gospel for Asia Files for Creditor Protection, MINISTRY SPOTLIGHT: Way Media Inc. (WayFM). Fisher Koppenhafer Architecture and Interior Design is the architect. In August 2011, a ceremony was held for its new location, a 7,000 square foot facility on 30 acres near 9A and Baymeadows Road. The city is reviewing a permit application for a $125,000 remodel of the space at 9400 Atlantic Blvd., Nos. Stovall and Kerri Weems, who founded Celebration Church in 1998, filed a lawsuit for injunctive relief against Celebration Church on February 23, alleging a church trustee was improperly billing the church and was setting the scene to oust Stovall Weems from the church he built. To make a donation,click here. No more needs to be said for a House of Hell reserved for. We know that some of this money was used to buy property, potentially as an investment and or something for the church, and you can expect the bank to try to foreclose on that property, he said. Honey Lake Clinic advertises offering a Christ-centered program that practically heals past wounds and equips people with Godly decision-making skills to transform their lives. Its a nonprofit that operates alongside Honey Lake Farms, founded in 2017 as the nonprofit Celebration Care Ministries Inc. and still partially funded by the church. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience. Neither the PPP funds nor the Turncoin investment also had anything to do with Pastor Stovalls salary advance. Pastor Drew King, chief business officer of Celebration Church, said the church will open in the summer. This is serious 2nd degree and 3rd degrees [sic] criminal felony behavior, added the email, which said the message was notice to Cormier of me dismissing you immediately from the trustees. Celebration Church, a megachurch in Jacksonville, Florida, has had its membership in the Evangelical Council for Financial Accountability (ECFA) terminated for violating two of its standards. The Weemses sued Celebration Church the month after the church launched its investigation. Too many are yes men and by the time they see something, they realize it shouldve been nipped a while back. Timberlake spoke at a service in March, assuring the congregation that the church is OK. No criminal charges have been filed in this case. I have first hand knowledge of the spiritual abuse within this organization. Its a shame because at the start, they had the right concept, but absolute power and money corrupt absolutely. Celebration Church is no longer listed as a member of ARC, either. This isnt Apple, Coca-Cola, General Motors, etc.! Peters words are so true! At stake is control of the churchthe essence of a religious controversy into which this court is prohibited from intervening, attorney Lee Wedekind III wrote last week when he asked Aho to dismiss the case. The News4JAX I-TEAM looked into what Celebration Church received in PPP money, which was distributed to help businesses amid the COVID-19 pandemic. The founders of the 12,000-member Celebration Church are suing the Jacksonville megachurch's hand-picked trustees to avoid being ousted over claims of financial irregularities. 0:00 1:22 Celebration Church founder Stovall Weems has resigned from the Jacksonville megachurch "I founded and poured my life into," saying the choice was "absolutely necessary if I am to. Improper use of more than $1 million in federal Paycheck Protection Program loan monies. Recurring negative changes in unrestricted net assets; Inability to meet and pay financial obligations as they become due; Liquid assets insufficient to cover donor restrictions on net assets and unearned income plus provide sufficient funds to meet operational obligations; Total liabilities in excess of total assets; Financial statement disclosures that describe organizational financial challenges; Failure to meet financial health standards imposed by regulatory or other accreditation bodies; A determination by a regulatory or other accreditation body of a violation of law or standards regarding the use of the organizations funds; An audit, review, or compilation report that indicates uncertainty about the organizations ability to continue to operate as a going concern. It was approved for $2,153,702 on April 6, 2020. The I-TEAM talked with a local attorney about what the newest court filing could mean for the Weemses and their businesses. It is a member of the Association of Related Churches. The allegations of spiritual abuse are kind of a head scratcher because that doesnt just happen when you get caught with your hand in the cookie jar. Attorney Gene Nichols, whose not affiliated with the case, reviewed the document. Pastor Stovall and his wife, Kerri Weems, founded the Jacksonville church in 1998. Celebration Church members have a right to know what is happening in their church and we have a right to be treated fairly.. Hi. The Weemses are accused of spiritually abusing church staff members, Wedekind said. Duval County property records show Weems Group, LLC, which is registered to Kerri Weems and managed by Stovall Weems, according to the State of Floridas Division of Corporations, purchased a home on Shellcracker Road in the Black Hammock Island area of Jacksonville for $855,000 in February 2021. A civil court hearing on the case between the Weemses and Celebration Church is scheduled for May 31. We have many groups that meet virtually as well as hybrid groups that meet in-person and virtually. They appear to be nothing but a footnote written in sand and long forgotten. Another one in the never ending line of evangelical power and money seekers that has (and will) left hurt, traumatized, abused people in the wake. The letter from the church board removing him said Weems was being removed for "possible improper financial practices and/or failure to fulfill duties and responsibilities as senior pastor." Celebration Church filed a motion to dismiss the injunction, News4 Jacksonville. Previous coverage: Bank sues Celebration Church founders for $716,000 in business debts, credit card bills, Church founder leaves: Celebration Church founder Stovall Weems quits, vows to 'continue our ministry elsewhere', 'At stake is control of the church': Celebration Church, founder Stovall Weems embroiled in legal dispute. 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