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STORIES
Stories from those who have left The Network
READ FIRST-HAND EXPERIENCES FROM WITHIN STEVE MORGAN'S NETWORK OF CHURCHES
TO DATE WE HAVE PUBLISHED 28 STORIES AND ARCHIVED 78 ONLINE REVIEWS
The results of the manipulative and abusive leadership practices on the lives of people within The Network have been heartbreaking. We are making this resource available to counter the repeated narrative within these churches that this toxic culture is virtuous, godly, or necessary.
To instead read news articles which reference The Network and are of interest to our community of readers, visit our IN THE NEWS PAGE →
STORIES BY REGION
NOTE: In order to protect our authors' privacy we have identified them by first name and last initial only, unless otherwise noted.
JUMP TO SECTION:
- EASTERN UNITED STATES ⇣
- MIDWESTERN UNITED STATES ⇣
- SOUTHERN UNITED STATES ⇣
- WESTERN UNITED STATES ⇣
- SHARING YOUR STORY ⇣
(Click headline to read a story)
EASTERN UNITED STATES
RACISM IN THE NETWORK →
Urged to support the illusion of a "multi-ethnic" church while being shamed for my ethnicity.
NOT ACCEPTED FOR WHO I AM →
The immense anxiety and pressure to conform leaders placed on me as a single mother left me feeling like my salvation was dependent on the church, not God
FROM ON FIRE FOR GOD TO BURNED OUT AND DEPRESSED →
How I lost myself to living, breathing, and serving a Network church
MY EXPERIENCE AS A COLLEGE SMALL GROUP LEADER AT CEDAR HEIGHTS CHURCH →
A critical review of cultural practices with “The Network,” including how I was told by my pastor that leaving his church to attend a Catholic church was "running away from the Lord"
HOSEA CHURCH ONLINE REVIEWS →
These reviews corroborate the manipulative, abusive, and harmful practices which are documented throughout this site
MIDWESTERN UNITED STATES
ILLINOIS
A CULTURE OF CONTROL →
Reflections on the pressure to conform as a college woman at Vine Church and the stigma surrounding ending a relationship with a registered child sex offender
MANIPULATION BY DESIGN →
A staff member's inside story of how Network leaders introduced controlling practices to gain loyal followers
CHEWED UP AND SPIT OUT →
After I shared the details of my abusive marriage I was removed from small group and treated like I was diseased
WHEN A DEMAND FOR COMPLIANCE CROSSED THE LINE →
After years of weathering red flags, the demands for unity in all things at the start of the Covid-19 pandemic opened our eyes
THE BULLY PULPIT →
How the deliberate, repeated, and unrepentant abuse inflicted on us by the pastors of Foundation Church disqualifies them from leadership
IT'S NOT ME, IT’S YOU →
After 22 years I'm leaving The Network along with all the shame and confusion it gave me. This is my breakup letter.
FINDING FAITH WITHOUT LOSING MYSELF →
How leaders at my first church pressured me to conform entirely to their expectations and urged my husband to make me fall in line
FOUNDATION CHURCH ONLINE REVIEWS →
These reviews corroborate the manipulative, abusive, and harmful practices which are documented throughout this site
VINE CHURCH ONLINE REVIEWS →
These reviews corroborate the manipulative, abusive, and harmful practices which are documented throughout this site
INDIANA
NO EMPATHY →
How I realized High Rock Church was part of a system which willfully neglected those with real needs
TOLERATED, NOT LOVED →
How I came to realize I deserved to be treasured for who I am, not simply tolerated as someone whose faith, age, and physical limitations didn't "fit" the Network mold
BLACKLISTED BECAUSE OF BAPTISM →
How God faithfully protected our family through unbiblical submission demands
CLEAR RIVER CHURCH ONLINE REVIEWS →
These reviews corroborate the manipulative, abusive, and harmful practices which are documented throughout this site
HIGH ROCK CHURCH ONLINE REVIEWS →
These reviews corroborate the manipulative, abusive, and harmful practices which are documented throughout this site
MICHIGAN, MISSOURI, & OHIO
OBEDIENCE AND LOYALTY →
I gave up my degree to pastor one of the first church plants. Even when the church was too broke to pay me, The Network wouldn't let me leave
USED UP THEN DISCARDED →
I experienced a culture of manipulation, control, and isolation while planting Brookfield Church
TRUTH, AND WHY I QUIT MY JOB AS A CULT LEADER →
Former lead pastor of City Lights Church and founder of ClearView Church (now called Foundation) shares why his realizations about his role in The Network prompted him to leave
Note: This story links to Jeff's substack blog. Jeff shares more of his story in our article Biblical Leadership, a refutation of Network teachings
THE CHURCH THAT LEFT TOGETHER →
My story of pushing back against the demotion of women and leaving The Network without leaving City Lights
I “MISSED” GOD’S CALLING →
After prophecies that I'd plant a church didn't come to pass, I joined City Lights' board after we left The Network
BROOKFIELD CHURCH ONLINE REVIEWS →
These reviews corroborate the manipulative, abusive, and harmful practices which are documented throughout this site
NORTH PINES CHURCH ONLINE REVIEWS →
These reviews corroborate the manipulative, abusive, and harmful practices which are documented throughout this site
ANONYMOUS MIDWEST CHURCHES
CALL IT WHAT IT IS: ABUSE →
I gave 10 years of my life as a loyal member in a Network Church. Obedience, control, and conformity gradually shaded the freedom of the Gospel
CHURCH PLANTING AT ANY COST →
How manipulation and abuse were systematically used to grow and multiply our church
SOUTHERN UNITED STATES
CAST OUT →
After years of judgement and rejection I was permanently removed by a pastor from a Sunday service while on the Christland Church plant
DEATH BY A THOUSAND MICROAGGRESSIONS →
Despite claiming to be a "multi-ethnic community," whiteness was always seen as the default and something that needed to be adopted by those who wanted to be accepted in community at Joshua Church
LABELED A SINFUL WOMAN →
The constant pressure to conform to The Network's views on femininity left me with more shame than I started with
DOUBLE STANDARDS FOR GRACE →
I was excommunicated after my divorce while my ex-husband was forgiven and embraced
CHRISTLAND CHURCH ONLINE REVIEWS →
These reviews corroborate the manipulative, abusive, and harmful practices which are documented throughout this site
JOSHUA CHURCH ONLINE REVIEWS →
These reviews corroborate the manipulative, abusive, and harmful practices which are documented throughout this site
VIDA SPRINGS CHURCH ONLINE REVIEWS →
These reviews corroborate the manipulative, abusive, and harmful practices which are documented throughout this site
WESTERN UNITED STATES
SWORN TO SECRECY →
How I was coerced into keeping Steve Morgan's alleged sexual assault a secret for 12 years
MISOGYNY AND CONTROL →
Steve Morgan's disregard for women and dominance over men became unmistakeable when I joined the Seattle church plant
COLLATERAL DAMAGE →
When Summit Creek Church leaders defied public health precautions we voiced our concerns for the vulnerable and were told “the health of the church is more important than following the restrictions”
KICKED OUT FOR SUGGESTING A WOMEN'S MINISTRY →
Offering to fix a problem got us labeled as a problem to be fixed
SPIRITUAL ABUSE AT VISTA CHURCH AND THE NETWORK →
My confession and call to repentance
Note: This story links to notovercome.org
BLUE SKY CHURCH ONLINE REVIEWS →
These reviews corroborate the manipulative, abusive, and harmful practices which are documented throughout this site
HILLS CHURCH ONLINE REVIEWS →
These reviews corroborate the manipulative, abusive, and harmful practices which are documented throughout this site
SUMMIT CREEK CHURCH ONLINE REVIEWS →
These reviews corroborate the manipulative, abusive, and harmful practices which are documented throughout this site
VISTA CHURCH ONLINE REVIEWS →
These reviews corroborate the manipulative, abusive, and harmful practices which are documented throughout this site
WANT TO SHARE YOUR STORY?
We will continue to publish stories until we stop receiving them. There is no “final” deadline for submissions.
Sharing your story can be an emotional process, and making it clear for others to read and follow takes time and patience. We've put together some suggestions to help you write it down.
WHAT HAPPENS AFTER I SUBMIT MY STORY?
Once submitted, we will pair you with someone who can work with you to make your story as clear as possible. Your partner may ask you clarifying questions or suggest grammatical changes. You determine the level of feedback you would like for your story and decide which suggestions to accept or discard.
We will do our utmost to ensure you are comfortable with how your story is published and portrayed. A final preview of your story will be sent to you from a hidden link for you to approve.
REDDIT COMMUNITY
We have been made aware of a relatively unmoderated discussion which has sprung up on Reddit where people are sharing thoughts, impressions, and stories from their time in The Network. This Reddit community has become a place where former members are openly sharing their pain, grief, loneliness, regret, and anger over their time in The Network in raw, uncensored ways along with the context of what happened to them.
This subreddit is in response to but not directly moderated by the contributors of this site. LeavingTheNetwork.org makes no claim on the authenticity of these posts. We offer a link below to this Reddit community as a supplement to the stories we are publishing here.
Visit reddit.com/r/leavingthenetwork →
FURTHER READING:
IN THE NEWS: The following news articles reference The Network and are of interest to our community of readers
HELP OTHERS HEAL
Consider donating to the National Association for Christian Recovery (NACR), a 501.c.3 non-profit whose primary purpose is to help provide resources to recover from abuse (including spiritual abuse) and addiction. Leaving The Network admires the work of NACR but is not associated with their organization.