SCHISMS, SECTS, AND BREAKAWAY GROUPS

JUMP TO SECTION:

2022: South Grove Church fails to leave ⇣
2024: Isaiah Church first church to disassociate ⇣
2024: Vine Church becomes "independent, local church" ⇣
- Audio of lead pastor Casey Raymer ⇣
2024: North Pines Church "ends affiliation" ⇣

PUBLIC RECORD OF ORGANIZATIONAL CHANGES AND OFFSHOOTS

Some churches have reacted to ongoing public concern about their operations by splitting into smaller sects and removing information about their history with The Network from their websites. To promote transparency, this page monitors these developments since 2021 and provides documentation on how these breakaway groups have acknowledged abuse claims, responded to our Call to Action, and shown transparency throughout the process.

We invite these groups to email [email protected] with updated bylaws and other documentation which demonstrate their commitment to reform.

2022: SOUTH GROVE CHURCH FAILS TO LEAVE THE NETWORK AFTER LEAD PASTOR OVERRIDES BOARD MEMBERS

After Steve Morgan's 1987 arrest for Aggravated Criminal Sodomy became widely known, the elders of South Grove Church in Athens, Georgia, noted "what appeared to be troubling inconsistencies" between the internal story shared by Network leaders and reports emerging from court documents, former members, and Morgan's former overseers within the Vineyard association.

Lead Pastor Bobby Malicoat along with non-staff board members Jason R. and Gabe W. sent a letter to the Network Leadership Team urging an investigation over whether Morgan had shown a pattern of untruthfulness. Their request for an investigation was denied, and the non-staff board members believed South Grove would dissociate from The Network.

Malicoat reversed his stance after returning from a lead pastor's retreat which was presided over by Steve Morgan. South Grove Church remained in The Network, and all board members except for Malicoat resigned.

READ FIRST PERSON ACCOUNTS AND OTHER LINKED DOCUMENTATION →

2024: ISAIAH CHURCH BECOMES FIRST CHURCH TO “DISASSOCIATE” FROM NETWORK

On August 31, 2024, the Board of Overseers at Isaiah Church in Madison, Wisconsin, posted a statement on their website announcing their decision to “formally disassociate” from The Network. The statement cited "concerns surrounding leadership theology, church governance, and past decisions with network leadership."

Isaiah's statement did not address any of the allegations that had surfaced over the previous three years. It made no mention of supporting the Call to Action signed by 19 former Network leaders and hundreds of others. Furthermore, Lead Pastor Stephen Putbrese and Isaiah's board failed to acknowledge the ongoing patterns of concerning behavior reported by former members of their church and other Network churches. No specific actions or policies were proposed to ensure the ongoing safety and well-being of Network attendees, members, staff, and pastors. When contacted by The Roys Report for comment, Putbrese declined to respond.

READ ARTICLE ON THE ROYS REPORT →

Statement posted to Isaiah Church's website on August 31, 2024

FULL TEXT OF ISAIAH CHURCH'S STATEMENT

The Isaiah Church Board of Overseers has made the decision to formally disassociate from the network of churches we have previously belonged to. This decision has been made with as much prudence, patience, and prayer as possible. During the last two years, the Isaiah Church Board has made multiple attempts and efforts to address issues and resolve concerns surrounding leadership theology, church governance, and past decisions with network leadership. However, these conversations and formal attempts have not yielded the changes that would be necessary for us to move forward. It has come to the point that we believe we have exhausted all avenues and withdrawing from the network is the appropriate action for Isaiah Church due to our biblical convictions.

We have many dear friends and acquaintances in numerous network churches and do not believe the problems we’ve expressed are spread equally across each individual church. We are grateful for the many godly men and women who we know are in humble obedience to Jesus across the network, especially to Vine Church in Carbondale who sacrificed to plant Isaiah Church. We pray that all will seek biblical truth and wisdom as they move forward, and only wish the best for all.

2024: VINE CHURCH POSTS THAT IT WILL BE AN “INDEPENDENT, LOCAL CHURCH”

On September 8, 2024, Vine Church in Carbondale, Illinois, posted a statement to their website announcing they had ended their "affiliation" with The Network. The statement asserted that they had changed their "biblical convictions regarding the leadership and governance of the local church." Vine also erased key information from their website, including Steve Morgan's pivotal role in founding and leading the church from 1996 - 2004, as well as details about the 13 churches Vine had planted while serving as the flagship of The Network.

North Pines Church in Kalamazoo (Portage), Michigan, simultaneously posted a comparable public statement.

Like Isaiah Church's previous announcement, Vine's statement did not address any of the allegations that had surfaced over the previous three years. It made no mention of supporting the Call to Action signed by 19 former Network leaders and hundreds of others. Furthermore, Lead Pastor Casey Raymer and Vine's board failed to acknowledge the ongoing patterns of concerning behavior reported by former members of their church and other Network churches. No specific actions or policies were proposed to ensure the ongoing safety and well-being of Network attendees, members, staff, and pastors.

FULL TEXT OF VINE CHURCH'S STATEMENT

Vine Church is now an independent, local church led by a plurality of elders under the authority of God’s word. We were previously part of a network of churches, however, our biblical convictions regarding the leadership and governance of the local church have changed in such a way that our elders unanimously agree no longer allows us continue our affiliation.

AUDIO OF LEAD PASTOR CASEY RAYMER ANNOUNCING THE DECISION

"THERE IS NO HUMAN AUTHORITY OVER THE LOCAL CHURCH." - CASEY RAYMER, VINE CHURCH

At an internal meeting on September 8, 2024, lead pastor Casey Raymer announced that Vine Church was exiting The Network, explaining that internal Bible studies led him and his pastoral staff to conclude the church must operate without external authority (50m 40s, line 626), guided by a “plurality of elders” who would be “somehow selected by God” (30m, line 366). He claimed the move reaffirmed a longstanding practice (30m 15s, line 376), but later contradicted himself by labeling it a “significant departure” from previous methods (1h 0m 25s, line 739).

While Raymer does not name Steve Morgan directly, his lengthy repudiation of the Apostle’s role in modern times seems unmistakably aimed at Morgan, whom other Network pastors have endorsed for his “Apostolic” authority. Raymer’s other remarks on leadership reiterate familiar Network teachings, such as his statement that following leaders is “joy for the leader and an advantage to the follower” (57m 12s, line 698), an idea echoed in Steve Morgan’s 2011 teaching, which describes it as "delightful” when “leaders are leading and followers are following.” Raymer also suggests that congregants who are “confused about what it actually means to follow their leader” could cause pastors to overstep (55m 52s, line 686).

Raymer did not repudiate his 2022 defense of Morgan, which included misinformation about Morgan’s 1987 arrest and praise for the “culture of transparency” that Morgan fostered, nor did he address the letter distributed on his behalf which dismissed allegations of spiritual abuse as “unbiblical, unproductive, and harmful to Jesus' church.”

2024: NORTH PINES CHURCH POSTS THAT IT WILL “END AFFILIATION” WITH THE NETWORK

On September 8, 2024, North Pines Church in Kalamazoo (Portage), Michigan, posted a statement on their website announcing they had ended their "affiliation" with The Network. The statement cited "oversight and leadership of the local church" as their reasons for disaffiliation. Vine Church in Carbondale, Illinois simultaneously posted a comparable statement.

Like Isaiah Church and Vine Church's announcements, North Pine's statement did not address any of the allegations that had surfaced over the previous three years. It made no mention of supporting the Call to Action signed by 19 former Network leaders and hundreds of others. Furthermore, Lead Pastor Nick Sellers and North Pine's board failed to acknowledge the ongoing patterns of concerning behavior reported by former members of their church and other Network churches. No specific actions or policies were proposed to ensure the ongoing safety and well-being of North Pines attendees, members, staff, and pastors.

READ ARTICLE ON THE ROYS REPORT →

FULL TEXT OF NORTH PINE CHURCH'S STATEMENT

Our Board of Overseers has unanimously decided to end our affiliation with our prior church network.

As we’ve been in process internally, we’ve consulted with external theologians and pastors, and this has put us on an increasingly divergent path regarding oversight and leadership of the local church, as well as the applications that follow.

Going forward, we are operating as an independent local church governed by a plurality of overseers under the authority of the Bible.