It is considered by many, inside and outside of its membership, to be a cult. Peers. We see something wrong, but we think everyone else seems to think its OK, so it must be me.. Attached here is the report that Converge1 wrote about Valleybrook Church, following two days of intensive interviews with anyone who had a story to share relevant to Valleybrook Church. With just enough truth, and just enough fruit, to make us focus on the good, and distract us from the growing darkness, wrote Schultz, a pastor at Valleybrook for seven years who expressed regret he did not act on his misgivings sooner. Now, more than ever, the world needs trustworthy reportingbut good journalism isnt free. Valleybrook Church 412 S Barstow Street, Eau Claire #HeIsRisen #JesusisAlive #ValleybrookChurch #EasterCelebration We wanted to be fully transparent.. The congregation lost that route.. Four Valleybrook Church pastors left after widespread . So much abuse has been allowed to happen because people have been overly cautious.. Other Chippewa Valley churches have been supportive through this difficult time, he said, with some even offering to partner in joint ventures. Now, more than ever, the world needs trustworthy reportingbut good journalism isnt free. Valleybrook Offices411 S Barstow StEau Claire, WI 54701. Directions. Weve worked hard to put in place a high level of internal controls, said interim lead pastor Tim Haugen, adding that the church has no plans to pursue legal action related to the financial review. Being told youre with the devil, thats powerful stuff, Burns said. Doug Lebsack, resigned because they say the final report didnt tell the full story and, it seems, because they didnt want to be around when it was read to the congregation. Interment followed the service at Forest Hill. The Real Faces of Human Trafficking, a video production by Fierce Freedom, Valleybrook Auditorium (Hollywood Theatre), 412 S Barstow St, Eau Claire Learn why human trafficking continues. Valleybrook Church, based in Eau Claire, Wisconsin, is under fire for what a former leader is calling "abusive practices [that] were inappropriate and pushing the church away from God." Friendly Atheist. Submitting this form below will send a message to your email with a link to change your password. Former Valleybrook staff member Matthew Mitchell said he believes tolerance of the abusive practices can be traced to how Lebsack coached parishioners and employees to believe criticism and questioning were bad. Get Directions. Live Stream Here! From Boston Jaime ended up in Seattle where she was a worship leader for several years and began writing her own worship songs. New procedures call for bank statements to be reconciled on a monthly basis, reimbursement requests to be accompanied by receipts, two nonpastoral signatures on all Valleybrook checks and payment of cellphone data overages and parking tickets to be the responsibility of staff members who incur them. There was not much in them. Please refer your friends and family to this site if you find it useful or informative. Our data and tools help professionals prospect for nonprofits, research opportunities, benchmark their clients, and enrich existing information. If We Applied Anti-Vaxxer "Logic" to Other Areas, It Might Sound Like This, "The way republican politics are going these days, that means the winner is worse than ", "It would have been more convincing if he used then rather than than. If you havent read the About This Site page, please do so before reading any article here. Help us spread the word about Aspire. Find Best Western Hotels & Resorts nearby Sponsored. There is not now, and will never be, a fee to access this site. 160 Granville Road*. For instance, Valleybrook is linking with B-Side Community on a joint youth ministry program. If you forget it, you'll be able to recover it using your email address. There is nothing more perverse and distorted than a toxic pastor, he wrote. 501(c)(3) Num. Valleybrook Church, 412 S Barstow St,Eau Claire,WI,United States, Eau Claire, United States Event Location & Nearby Stays: Host or Publisher Valleybrook Church Tags: Kids in Eau Claire Art in Eau Claire It's more fun with friends. Valleybrook Church, 412 S Barstow St, Eau Claire, United States. He indicated certain characteristics often are present in such church leaders. Your account has been registered, and you are now logged in. Read More. Expect stories like this to increase. You can also find other Places Of Worship on MapQuest . With rumors about financial misconduct running rampant in the congregation in the wake of the spiritual abuse allegations, Valleybrooks transitional leadership team hired the accounting firm Wipfli to conduct an audit of the churchs books and then reported those findings to the congregation. Not only did former Valleybrook staff members cite this practice, but Charlene Burns, chairwoman of UW-Eau Claires philosophy and religious studies department, said she heard multiple examples while listening to just one segment of a recording of one of Lebsacks old sermons. Invalid password or account does not exist. Valleybrook is located in the heart of downtown Eau Claire. Valleybrook was/is affiliated through Great Lakes Baptist Conference, which was renamed to Converge. Phone Number: (715) 834-9993. In order to accomplish the goals of this site, a strong web presence is required. Valleybrook Church412 S Barstow StEau Claire, WI 54701. Coffee. Nonprofits; Nonprofits by category; Nonprofits by location . Valleybrook is trying to rebuild itself in a healthy way, and they are doing a fine job of that. This is where you will meet with a pastor, go to Imitate Middle School & High School, find The Living Room, find The Loft, and pick up Imitate Kids after the Sunday service. Reader's Choice Awards - Voting has ended. I used to be a staff member of that church. Since the Leader-Telegram first reported about the scandal last weekend including a story about Bob and Jody Hagedorn of rural Cadott, who believe their 32-year-old son, Nate, was brainwashed by Lebsack into rejecting his family and even allowing himself to be adopted by Lebsack dozens of people have contacted the newspaper or posted comments on Facebook confirming that they too observed the unethical practices or had relatives at Valleybrook who were pressured to sever ties with family. With the truth-telling voices gone, the abuse was able to increase and take deeper root, Diederich said. Though they were sad to leave after thinking theyd found their church home, Larson said, they observed several things that sent up red flags, including constant drama and crying in sermons. Your purchase was successful, and you are now logged in. In addition, the shift to more extreme ideas was gradual enough that many people in the church didnt see it, Mitchell said. Itll take a while to say the least. Jaime came to know the Lord at 21 while studying music at Berklee College of Music in Boston. Shopping. 189 (Granville Road) 860.844.0001. office@valleybrook.cc. There has been lots of healing and many encouraging developments.. Now hes claiming to have a direct channel to Jesus, so hes already set you up to be in real spiritual trouble if you question anything, Burns said. Still, Diederich, who recently blogged about what he called toxic pastors, said he was shocked so many people could allow the tactics to go on for so long. Since the public announcements, I stopped hiding the name of The Cult / The Org: it was Valleybrook Church, and it absolutely was a cult. Thats the normal line of authority, Diederich said. Please consider distributing fliers to your bible study or small group. Welcome To Valley Brook Community Church Hello! We are continually seeking to know God's will for our church. Create a password that only you will remember. Valleybrook Church 412 S. Barstow St. Eau Claire, WI 54701 Call 480-812-1100 for information Pricing General Admission $25 (plus fee) General Admission ($30 at the door) BUY TICKETS VIP $35 (plus fee) Early Admission for preferred seating Q&A with the speakers and artists BUY TICKETS Group Tickets $20 for group of 10+ Your e-mail address will be used to confirm your account. Valleybrook guys hanging out at an Eau Claire Express. We won't share it with anyone else. 412 South Barstow St Sign up for our e-newsletter! God completely changed her life and it is her greatest desire to see people encounter Jesus in a real way. Thats the disgusting part to me.. A downtown Eau Claire church is picking up the pieces after a scandal that tested the faith of the congregation and led to the resignations of the entire pastoral team amid allegations of spiritual abuse.. In the wake of startling allegations of spiritual abuse by former pastors at Valleybrook Church, one question keeps coming up over and over again: How could the conduct continue as long as it did? Subscribed to personalized events updates! Valleybrook Church is child organization, under the parent exemption from. There is a clear and widespread pattern of spiritual abuse led by the former lead pastor, embraced by the former co-lead pastor, the former teaching pastor and the current executive pastor, the report says. Mitchell suggested in his blog that all the credit card interest and late fees when there was money available to make payments on time should be consideredmismanagement of godly resources and would be cause for firing in the business world. We are Valley Brook Community Church, a non-denominational fellowship in Columbia, Maryland (Howard County) with an emphasis on a genuine connection with God through Jesus Christ. To view our latest e-Edition click the image on the left. 7:00 PM SHOW6:30 PM GA DOORS OPEN6:00 PM VIP DOORS OPEN. The letter went on to say many of Lebsacks teachings came from what he claimed were direct revelations from God, and then the pastors would twist Scripture to fit the theology. Bethesda Lutheran Church: 123 W. Hamilton Ave. Eau Claire, WI Tuesdays at 9:00 am Jan 17, 2023 - Apr 11, 2023 Saving Grace Lutheran Church: Saving Grace Lutheran Church (New Location) . Call our office to order group tickets with no processing fee at 480-812-1100. While it has been a challenging year for Valleybrook Church, it has also been incredible to see Gods hand as we navigate forward, the church said in a statement sent Friday to the Leader-Telegram. A Memorial Service will be at 11 a.m. Thursday, Aug. 25, 2011, at Valleybrook Church, Eau Claire with Pastor Grant Schultz, Pastor Mary Clark, and two members of Steve's family officiating.. An email message containing instructions on how to reset your password has been sent to the e-mail address listed on your account. Shannon uses her divine knowledge of Scripture to put the story back together again. The investigation results, presented recently to church members, contained details about seemingly irresponsible management of parishioners money, including that former Valleybrook leaders disbursed tens of thousands of dollars less than the pledged amount to mission organizations, spent thousands of dollars on credit card late fees and parking tickets, and failed to pay thousands of dollars in federal taxes. Lori Larson of Mondovi and her husband were among those who left Valleybrook. Valley Brook Outreach Baptist Church | Pelzer SC Website. The developments led to the resignations of Valleybrooks entire pastoral team as well as three of the churchs overseers. The letter indicated Schultz resigned when it became clear to him that the abusive practices were inappropriate and pushing the church away from God. To view our latest e-Edition click the image on the left. Please support us by making a contribution. Some people here still feel like theyre living under a shadow left by people who are no longer here, but we really want it to be a new day, a fresh start, Haugen said. In February of 2015, an enormous exodus took place from a church in downtown Eau Claire. This has been the most challenging thing Ive ever been a part of, Haugen said. No, this site is dedicated only to preserving information. Choose wisely! The Hollywood sign above the marquee will also be relit as part of the project to replace more than 1,100 bulbs at the outside entrance to Valleybrook Church in the 400 block of South Barstow Street in downtown Eau Claire. LeaderTelegram 374 subscribers Jody and Bob Hagedorn watched as their son Nate, a married 32-year-old with 4 children, became involved at Valleybrook Church in Eau Claire and rose to a. Mitchells Tales from the Cult blog series has exploded in popularity since the allegations emerged. As the Leader-Telegram first reported in April, the team, which interviewed 57 current and former Valleybrook members and attendees, alleged in its final report that Valleybrooks pastoral staff used their positions and authority to cultivate dysfunctional trust, manipulate people and violate the code of ministerial ethics. condemned the leadership for allowing these abusive practices to continue. A Wisconsin church is under fire for behaving like a GASP! As painful as this all has been, Haugen said,I think that in many ways the church structurally is so much better situated right now than it was before.. That goal has been met. 6,802 were here. Clark indicated there is another side to the financial story but said she didnt think it was her place to comment becausethose things werent decided by me. In April, Clark also questioned the veracity of some of the findings in the Converge Great Lakes report. Lebsack didnt respond to questions from a reporter, but hes believed to be in Texas right now. She then moved to Nashville, TN where she still calls home and continues to travel throughout the US and internationally leading people in worship, singing songs of hope and sharing a message of finding your value and purpose in Christ. Coach Indianhead Sport Parachute Club // Chippewa Falls, Wisconsin May 2019 - Oct 2021 2 years 6 months . Maybe parishioners stepping away from church would go a long way toward fixing the problem. See the real faces. The Bridge Church, Eau Claire 1210 E. Clairemont Ave. Salem Baptist Eau Claire 2514 Golf Road . Share with friends Discover More Events in Eau Claire Sat Jan 28 2023 at 11:00 am Divine Guidance with Kim That included paying for five pickups a week from a pair of large trash receptacles. 412 S Barstow St Eau Claire, WI 54701 United States MAP IT Service Times (715) 834-9993 Pastor Doug Lebsack About Valleybrook Church Valleybrook Church is a Baptist church in Eau Claire Wisconsin. A lack of oversight and former lead pastor Doug Lebsack's claims of receiving direct messages from God are among the reasons cited for a recent scandal at Valleybrook Church in downtown Eau Claire that prompted the entire pastoral team to resign amid allegations of spiritual abuse. This is what Shannon does! Watch Livestream | Valley Brook Community Church Watch Livestream Watch & Resources Watch Livestream Watch Past Services Podcast News & Reminders Weekly Email Other Resources Watch Live Sundays | 10:00 AM We livestream on the following platforms; click on links to watch! (715) 559-6943. 715.834.9993 Stay tuned for details, Northwood grad credits active shooter training preparing him for Michigan ordeal. 07/15/2022 Staff photo by Dan Reiland Doug Lebsack Charlene Burns Likewise, Lebsack was able to manipulate the churchs overseers and facilitate the departures of assistant pastors who dared question his methods and messages, said Mitchell, who has written about the events at Valleybrook in a series of blogs titled Tales from the Cult., Ideally, the overseers would have stopped that, but many of them were in Dougs back pocket too, Mitchell said. The church also has contracted with an outside bookkeeper to process payroll and payables, Solberg said. The church is under new leadership for the time being, but how do you undo years of damage affecting an entire congregation? Just look for the old movie theater marquee, and you will find us. Valleybrook members also are attempting to give back to the community, most recently by raising more than $8,600 for local food pantries. The Haven Christian Church 1231 Menomonie St. . Previously on a personal blog, I ran a series of posts sharing stories from my time in this cult. Former Valleybrook Church employee Matthew Mitchell says he believes the former lead pastors efforts to muzzle dissent contributed to a climate that allowed spiritual abuse to take place at the downtown Eau Claire church. Some of that money for family members service appears to have been reimbursed, he reported. Its immediately evident she has a passion to see people know how much God loves them and a desire to see that reality change their livesbecause it has changed hers. Humans can be so susceptible to peer pressure and group think, Burns said. Grocery. Much of our heritage is learned through the passing down of stories. North Granby, CT 06060. Event StartsJoin us for 3hours full of laughter, learning, stories, and music. If youre on a mobile device, the site menu is at the very top of the page, indicated by three horizontal bars. Valleybrook Church is part of the Organizations industry, and located in Wisconsin, United States. Michelles talent has taken her around the world, but her southern roots still remain strong. Go. Various people from the church have been public, but always offering their own viewpoint - the LT article is the first I know of to attempt an unbiased overview, for whatever value the word "unbiased" has for anyone. This is hindsight to me, but it seemed like there was no separation in their lives. Between 2008 and 2014, $6,488 in church money was used to pay parking tickets. Just look for the old movie theater marquee, and you will find us. Who spends all day every day with a co-worker? We are a downtown church with a few different options for parking. Plenty of Halloween fun for both wizards and muggles alike. ", Report Claims Evangelical Church Leaders in Wisconsin Exhibited Cultlike and Abusive Behavior. Eau Claire is located in the beautiful state of Wisconsin. Valleybrook Church is a Religious Organizations, Religious Institutions, and Organizations company located in Eau Claire, Wisconsin with $1.00 Million in revenue and 6 employees. Attend, Share & Influence! She has an amazing way of connecting the pieces while sharing some of the funniest yet applicable personal stories you have ever heard. Indeed, the Hagedorns revealed that before Nate cut ties with them 18 months ago he told them he spent 12 hours a day with Lebsack after the former lead pastor indicated God wanted the two of them to be knitted together. Please link to this site on your own sites if you are willing, please share links to stories and media on Facebook. Let's pray together to end the cycle of human trafficking and exploitation: Valleybrook 410 Cafe, 410 S Barstow St, Eau Claire 6:30-7:45 pm. Consider this, then, a history book of a time not long gone, and a warning to any organization that employs or affiliates with the former lead pastor of the church. A Wisconsin church is under fire for behaving like a GASP! I really believe this place is going to be rebuilt., Contact: 715-833-9209, eric.lindquist@ecpc.com, @ealscoop on Twitter. Order 10 or more to qualify as a group! There is not now, and will never be, a fee to access this site. Out at an Eau Claire time being, but hes believed to be staff. Valleybrook church pastors left after widespread i used to be rebuilt.,:... Believed to be fully transparent to see people encounter Jesus in a real way ended in... Previously on a mobile device, the site menu is at the very top of the findings in the of. 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