SOUTH GROVE CHURCH ONLINE REVIEWS

A collection of online reviews gathered from Google, Yelp, and other social media sites

Lead pastor Bobby Malicoat at South Grove Church (services held in B&B Theatres in Athens, Georgia)

ARCHIVE: 1 ONLINE REVIEW FOR SOUTH GROVE CHURCH IN ATHENS, GEORGIA

BACKGROUND

Network churches heavily control their public image, going to great lengths to control information about their methods and practices. Leaders encourage church members to flood sites like Google Reviews with positive reviews for Network Churches (and, in some cases, for churches other than the one the reviewer attends). This practice of having members leave positive reviews on social media has had the effect of burying legitimate public criticism.

For an in-depth analysis and specific examples of how Network churches encourage leaders and members to flood review sites with positive reviews, read this article on NotOvercome.org.

WHY DO THESE REVIEWS MATTER?

These reviews matter because they corroborate the manipulative, abusive, and harmful practices which are documented throughout this site. We have chosen to surface these reviews because they give further voice to victims and provide additional reassurance to anyone who has experienced abuse within these high control groups that they are not alone.

NOTE: We are not surfacing all negative reviews which have been posted to crowdsourced review sites. Rather, we have selected entries which bear witness to a pattern of the behaviors outlined in our article "8 Signs of a Dysfunctional Church".

WHO WAS THE LEAD PASTOR OF VIDA SPRINGS WHEN THESE REVIEWS WERE WRITTEN?

  • Bobby Malicoat: lead pastor from 2016 - present

CHURCH DETAILS:

 

 

I LEFT IN 2022 BECAUSE OF THE DISHONESTY THAT WAS TOLERATED AND COVERED UP

Source: South Grove Church Google Review, July 2024

Full text of review (view screenshot of full comment):

I love and care deeply about the people of this church. But I encourage anyone searching: choose a different church.

I was the first local, non-staff elder of the church after it was planted in 2019. I was there for its very first service. I have taught on Sunday morning. I have played in the band and served communion here. I led a small group here for years. Before we left, I think that probably every single person in the church (or nearly so) had been over to our home at one point or another. Some even lived with us temporarily. Even as of today in July 2024, I am listed as one of the officers of the church in official filings with the state of Georgia.

I left in 2022 because of dishonesty that was tolerated and covered up in the leadership of the Network to which this church belongs. I have since learned of additional dishonesty from the leader of South Grove, who had been a friend for years. He has failed to share important information and prevailed upon half-truths, both about others and about himself. He has shown impermissible partiality towards his favored individuals in the Network, repeatedly calling them "the best people."

If you search for the terms "Leaving the Network" you can find resources that will reinforce that South Grove and the Network of which it is a part both have considerable problems with dishonesty and partiality from the leadership. At the head of the Network organization is a man who was not forthcoming about his history with serious criminal charges involving an underaged boy, and who was dishonest about matters when his history was shared more broadly. When I questioned whether the leader had been truthful about his history, a different leader in the Network - who is now on the board of overseers of South Grove - accused me of blasphemy. A significant portion of the original team who planted this church departed at the same time that we did, because South Grove's pastor refused to dissociate from this Network.

There are many faithful sisters and brothers who remain part of this church. I treasure friendships with many of them. Just a few weeks ago I shared coffee, lunch, dinner, drinks, and company with many of them. I love and care for them.

Nevertheless, this church lacks biblically qualified leadership, both locally and in the greater hierarchy of its Network.

Please consider going to a different church.

BACK TO STORIES:

STORIES: Read the stories of those who have left and who have consented to share their experiences from their time in Steve Morgan's Network of Churches

BACK

 

 

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.