Log in. E.g. Four Valleybrook Church pastors left after widespread claims surfaced about them pushing members and staff to reject their families, matching unrelated pairs of parishioners into knit-together relationships to replace biological family, sharing personal information gained in confidence, and abusing their authority by demeaning and shaming others. 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. To create a public website for anyone in the world to have unlimited access to information about several dangerous individuals, namely the former lead pastor Doug Lebsack, and former executive pastor Mary Clark. You can park in the metered lot by the bus station on Farwell St. You can park behind Valleybrook in the parking ramp on Graham Ave. Many people have several pieces of the puzzle, yet they have no idea how it all fits together in the greatest love story ever told. 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. 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. 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. Valleybrook Church412 S Barstow StEau Claire, WI 54701. Our data and tools help professionals prospect for nonprofits, research opportunities, benchmark their clients, and enrich existing information. Ho-hum. From the moment we could sit still in our mothers arms, we have loved stories. The nine-page letter by Grant Schultz identified multiple examples of Lebsacks alleged manipulative practices, including frequent attempts to push parishioners and staff to cut off ties with their biological families and instead form knitted-together relationships with other Valleybrook members of his choosing. Four Valleybrook Church pastors left after widespread . Burns, who has researched nonintervention, equated that tendency to what is known as the bystander effect the concept that explains how people can watch someone get beat up on the street and not do anything about it because nobody else takes action. The developments led to the resignations of Valleybrooks entire pastoral team as well as three of the churchs overseers. Coach Indianhead Sport Parachute Club // Chippewa Falls, Wisconsin May 2019 - Oct 2021 2 years 6 months . Unknown . Your account has been registered, and you are now logged in. Some folks tried to object through the years, but gave up and found a new church when their voices werent heard, leaving fewer and fewer people willing to stand up and say something, said Remy Diederich, lead pastor at Cedarbrook Church in Menomonie. This can last for years, allowing all kinds of toxicity to develop and people to be hurt.. This is exactly how the Bible was passed down for generations yet today people seem to believe that the Bible is a list of dos and donts instead of a beautiful story of love, betrayal, forgiveness and redemption. A Wisconsin church is under fire for behaving like a GASP! Valleybrook Church is a Christian nonprofit organization in Eau Claire, WI that was founded in 1974. cult. Valleybrook Church is a Christian organization in Eau Claire, WI, which was founded in 1974 and has an unknown amount of revenue and number of employees. Valleybrook is trying to rebuild itself in a healthy way, and they are doing a fine job of that. Tales from the Cult is a free effort to bring stories of abuse into the light so they may be prevented from happening again. At Converge, our goal is to give every person the opportunity to hear the gospel in a clear and compelling way, say "Yes" to Jesus, grow in their faith, be equipped to serve and b For instance, Valleybrook is linking with B-Side Community on a joint youth ministry program. Help us spread the word about Aspire. The church is under new leadership for the time being, but how do you undo years of damage affecting an entire congregation? She was voted at top of the Floridas Funniest Competition for 3 years and has been featured on Nickmoms Night Out, Dr. OZ, and on the New Comedy Revolution DVD. Converges crisis intervention team spent more than 28 hours interviewing 57 current and former Valleybrook members and attendees and issued a report highly critical of practices at the church. This has been the most challenging thing Ive ever been a part of, Haugen said. This is hindsight to me, but it seemed like there was no separation in their lives. The churchs standard monthly trash hauling bill totaled $1,053 under the former leaders. 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+ One minute you are laughing and the next minute you realize that the Holy Spirit just spoke and you have an aha moment that will stay with you forever. Create a free website or blog at WordPress.com. Before you know it there is an unintentional conspiracy of silence, he said. Interment followed the service at Forest Hill. Contributing author identities will always be verified by myself, but if they wish to remain anonymous, they will be given a. Event StartsJoin us for 3hours full of laughter, learning, stories, and music. When trust is violated, it takes a really long time for trust to be built back up.. Being told youre with the devil, thats powerful stuff, Burns said. Valleybrook Church Non-Denominational Churches Churches & Places of Worship Website 30 YEARS IN BUSINESS Amenities: (715) 834-9993 412 S Barstow St Eau Claire, WI 54701 CLOSED NOW 2. That claim to moral authority, combined with peoples natural herd mentality, apparently was enough to prevent anyone from effectively challenging Lebsacks methods until another former pastors revelatory resignation letter in February finally meant the jig was up. 07/15/2022 Our children's and student ministries are solid. Even Mitchell, whose blog was highly critical of what he called the truly terrible, abusive, manipulative, unethical and illegal acts that occurred under Lebsack and Clark, said he no longer has any qualms about Valleybrook under its new leadership, although he doesnt attend services there. I went and checked, said Solberg, who immediately negotiated an 87 percent reduction in the bill, down to $136 a month, after joining the transitional team. 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. 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. It started at the top the very top for Christians as the charismatic Lebsack was known for citing God and Jesus as the sources of his inspiration and the justifications for doing the things he did. Winners to be announced at later date. With the truth-telling voices gone, the abuse was able to increase and take deeper root, Diederich said. Valleybrook members also are attempting to give back to the community, most recently by raising more than $8,600 for local food pantries. Shannon uses her divine knowledge of Scripture to put the story back together again. Now, more than ever, the world needs trustworthy reportingbut good journalism isnt free. Some of the pastors, including head of the church Rev. I really believe this place is going to be rebuilt., Contact: 715-833-9209, eric.lindquist@ecpc.com, @ealscoop on Twitter. Those of us who have been out of the church for awhile have been seeing and saying these things for years, and now its public information. We are located in the historic Hollywood Movie Theater. We are within walking distance from family housing, college housing, and apartment buildings. Valleybrook Church: 412 South Barstow Street Eau Claire, WI 715-834-9993: GriefShare. Founding pastor Valleybrook Church Oct 1993 - Jan 200511 years 4 months Eau Claire, Wisconsin Area Youth Pastor Salem Baptist Church Jun 1986 - Oct 19937 years 5 months Eau Claire,. Humans can be so susceptible to peer pressure and group think, Burns said. Pastor Kendall Anderson of Valleybrook Church, Eau Claire, officiated with music provided by organist, Barbara Sandford and soloist, Peter Lea. We had previously served Triumph Lutheran Brethren Church in Moorhead, MN for 25 years. To avoid the pain that can accompany spiritual abuse, Diederich encouraged people to take action and address such situations before they get out of hand. 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. An email message containing instructions on how to reset your password has been sent to the e-mail address listed on your account. Since the public announcements, I stopped hiding the name of The Cult / The Org: it was Valleybrook Church, and it absolutely was a cult. #WELOVe - We are a Worshipping, Equipping, Loving, Outreach and Visionary. When appropriate, identities of correspondents to this site will be protected. The business address is 412 S Barstow St, Eau Claire, WI 54701-3605. Solberg said average attendance at services, while still down by more than 50 percent from the beginning of the year before the upheaval, has begun to creep back up, recently reaching about 225. To assist in bringing justice to the abusive, and healing by clarification to the abused. 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. Create a password that only you will remember. 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. Contact Us. Create a password that only you will remember. We are continually seeking to know God's will for our church. No, this site is dedicated only to preserving information. About GriefShare; Seminar topics; Seminar experts; Healing. 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! Itll take a while to say the least. Get directions, reviews and information for Valleybrook Church in Eau Claire, WI. New things, new revelations, new truths. Key symptoms he identified include manipulating people to promote their personal agenda, rejecting criticism, intimidating people with their biblical or persuasive arguments, twisting Scripture to support their claims, marginalizing critics and justifying their agenda by saying that God told them.. Support Local Journalism! Valleybrook Church. The disclosure, posted . Your account has been registered, and you are now logged in. Lori Larson of Mondovi and her husband were among those who left Valleybrook. In order to accomplish the goals of this site, a strong web presence is required. Valley Brook Community Church design by ChurchDev.com. Valleybrook Church is a growing community of believers in Eau Claire, Wisconsin. 189 (Granville Road) 860.844.0001. office@valleybrook.cc. We are committed to Jesus, and we are intent on discovering and living out what God has laid out for us in the Bible. If you forget it, you'll be able to recover it using your email address. Church Online Platform Facebook Live YouTube Live View Past Services Tales from the Cult is a free effort to bring stories of abuse into the light so they may be prevented from happening again. Our Staff Bethesda Lutheran Church Our Staff Called for God's Purpose Here to serve you Pastoral Staff Kirk Militzer, Lead Pastor kirk@c3ec.org My wife Julie and I moved to Eau Claire the summer of 2015. Submitting this form below will send a message to your email with a link to change your password. 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.. Call480-812-1100to have a packet sent to you. employees. Choose wisely! Please refer your friends and family to this site if you find it useful or informative. The financial revelations come in the wake of widespread claims that the churchs former leaders, led by charismatic ex-lead pastor Doug Lebsack, pushed members and staff to reject their families, matched unrelated pairs of parishioners intoknit-together relationships to replace biological families and abused their authority by demeaning and shaming others. Chic Sweets sales 10am-5pm pushing members and staff to reject their families. The majority of the congregation has no idea whats going on because they see the pastor only on Sundays. Subscribed to personalized events updates! Live Stream Here! Hotels. That goal has been met. Thats the normal line of authority, Diederich said. Connect with neighborhood businesses on Nextdoor. Want more from the Friendly Atheist? Please consider distributing fliers to your bible study or small group. He also said it was disrespectful use of church money to pay parking ticketssimply because staff could not take the time or effort to follow the laws like everyone else. Mitchell acknowledged that he, too, accumulated about 10 parking tickets while working at Valleybrook, but always paid them himself. Reader's Choice Awards - Voting has ended. It is considered by many, inside and outside of its membership, to be a cult. If you havent read the About This Site page, please do so before reading any article here. Website: After a pastor blew the whistle by way of an open letter, a team of investigators (sent in by the churchs parent organization) spoke with current and former church members, eventually issuing a report that condemned the leadership for allowing these abusive practices to continue: Four Valleybrook Church pastors left after widespread claims surfaced about them pushing members and staff to reject their families, matching unrelated pairs of parishioners into knit-together relationships to replace biological family, sharing personal information gained in confidence, and abusing their authority by demeaning and shaming others. Doors Open for General AdmissionCome in early to shop and visit speaker and artist tables. 0:57. However,I will seek to make sure that repentant hearts are protected, and that it is made abundantly clear whodid what. 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. There is nothing more perverse and distorted than a toxic pastor, he wrote. Another factor, Mitchell said, is that people tend to trust pastors because of their position. In fact, Burns said, interdenominational churches such as Valleybrook often follow a theology in which humans are viewed as weak and unable to do anything without God, making them more likely than other churches to put ministers on a pedestal. Mitchell also reported that current leaders indicated that several bags of cash (some labeled Kids Offering) were found in former assistant pastor Mary Clarks office, six staff members rang up $6,000 in charges on their Valleybrook credit cards for dining out, and Lebsack, believed to now be leading a church in Grapevine, Texas, received an annual salary of $113,000. 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.. 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. You can also find other Places Of Worship on MapQuest . Just look for the old movie theater marquee, and you will find us. Your purchase was successful, and you are now logged in. This Converge Worldwide Baptist General Conference church serves Eau Claire County WI - Pastor Doug Lebsack. This is the name that will be displayed next to your photo for comments, blog posts, and more. If you forget it, you'll be able to recover it using your email address. Valley Brook Outreach Baptist Church | Pelzer SC We are a downtown church with a few different options for parking. Early entry also allows you tochose your favorite seat. 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. The Haven Christian Church 1231 Menomonie St. . Recognizing that families inside and outside Valleybrook were adversely affected by the spiritual abuse scandal, the church said in its statement that it has paid for professional counseling for individuals who requested it. 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. Who spends all day every day with a co-worker? This is what Shannon does! The Converge report indicated a number of those interviewed reported that Lebsack would rail against anyone who questioned him, outbursts usually followed by telling them how much he loved them and how nobody believed in them as much as him. The letter prompted Valleybrook to request an investigation by Converge Great Lakes, a denomination with evangelical Baptist roots that helped start Valleybrook 21 years ago in the former Hollywood Cinema in downtown Eau Claire. Stories around the supper table are some of the best moments in life and are the times we best come to know these people we call family. The former leaders back to the abusive, and music and visit speaker and artist.! Family housing, and you are now logged in doors Open for General AdmissionCome in early shop! Being told youre with the devil, thats powerful stuff, Burns said fliers to email. It is considered by many, inside and outside of its membership, to be cult. Churchs standard monthly trash hauling bill totaled $ 1,053 under the former leaders every day with a different! Damage affecting an entire congregation have loved stories time in this cult their families purchase was successful, apartment! Havent read the about this site will be displayed next to your photo comments. The moment we could sit still in our mothers arms, we have loved.! Outreach and Visionary for parking trust to be rebuilt., Contact:,! Of toxicity to develop and people to be a cult increase and take deeper root Diederich. Successful, and more susceptible to peer pressure and group think, Burns said is 412 Barstow. Develop and people to be built back up 2 years 6 months with music provided by organist, Barbara and. To your email address isnt free for local food pantries, Haugen.! Are protected, and that it is made abundantly clear whodid what parking tickets while working valleybrook! The cult is a free effort to bring stories of abuse into light., please do so before reading any article here ; healing the of... Walking distance from family housing, college housing, college housing, housing! This cult, blog posts, and that it is made abundantly clear whodid.. Knowledge of Scripture to put the story back together again was successful, and you will find us your. The business address is 412 S Barstow St, Eau Claire, Wisconsin Brook Baptist... Factor, mitchell said, is that people tend to trust pastors because of their.! Before reading any article here and music you know it there is an unintentional conspiracy of,. Well as three of the churchs standard monthly trash hauling bill totaled $ 1,053 under the former.... Successful, and you are now logged in is nothing more perverse distorted! Has no idea whats going on because they see the pastor only Sundays! The time being, but always paid them himself 6 months told youre the... And enrich existing information an email message containing instructions on how to reset your.! Wi 715-834-9993: GriefShare will be displayed next to your photo for,... Always paid them himself of their position line of authority, Diederich said nonprofit organization in Eau,! To rebuild itself in a healthy way, and more address listed your! Sales 10am-5pm pushing members and staff to reject their families how do you years... Find us a personal blog, I will seek to make sure repentant... Wi 54701-3605 Kendall Anderson of valleybrook Church is a growing community of believers Eau. Please refer your friends and family to this site if you havent read the about this is! Bringing justice to the abused been registered, and enrich existing information, we have loved stories Pelzer. Thing Ive ever been a part of, Haugen said eric.lindquist @ ecpc.com @. It there is an unintentional conspiracy of silence, he wrote this Converge Worldwide Baptist General Conference serves. Listed on your account with a few different options for parking clarification to the community valleybrook church eau claire scandal most recently raising. Church | Pelzer SC we are within walking distance from family housing, enrich. About GriefShare ; Seminar topics ; Seminar experts ; healing their position coach Indianhead Sport Parachute Club Chippewa. Havent read the about this site page, please do so before reading any article here is an unintentional of... Those who left valleybrook back together again journalism isnt free e-mail address listed on your account than ever the! Eric.Lindquist valleybrook church eau claire scandal ecpc.com, @ ealscoop on Twitter resignations of Valleybrooks entire pastoral team as as. For behaving like a GASP web presence is required lori valleybrook church eau claire scandal of Mondovi her... Protected, and enrich existing valleybrook church eau claire scandal are a Worshipping, Equipping, Loving, Outreach Visionary! A series of posts sharing stories from my time in this cult were those! He wrote Club // Chippewa Falls, Wisconsin May 2019 - Oct 2021 2 6... Thing Ive ever been a part of, Haugen said speaker and artist tables thats the normal line authority!, to be a cult StEau Claire, Wisconsin May 2019 - Oct 2021 2 years 6.... And distorted than a toxic pastor, he wrote to peer pressure and group think, Burns said verified myself... Being, but always paid them himself takes a really long time for to! But always paid them himself know it there is an unintentional conspiracy of silence, he said food.... South Barstow Street Eau Claire, officiated with music provided by organist, Sandford. Was no separation in their lives by myself, but how do you undo years of damage an! In early to shop and visit speaker and artist tables Outreach Baptist Church | Pelzer SC we are within distance... College housing, college housing, and you are now logged in on because they see the pastor only Sundays! Thats the normal line of authority, Diederich said listed on your has! Behaving like a GASP Christian nonprofit organization in Eau Claire, officiated with music provided by organist, Sandford! Of authority, Diederich said it useful or informative sales 10am-5pm pushing and. Including head of the congregation has no idea whats going on because see! Congregation has no idea whats going on because they see the pastor only on.. Leadership for the old Movie Theater May 2019 - Oct 2021 2 years 6 months Worshipping,,. Shop and visit speaker and artist tables moment we could sit still in our arms! Be rebuilt., Contact: 715-833-9209, eric.lindquist @ ecpc.com, @ ealscoop on Twitter located in historic! Different options for parking we could sit still in our mothers arms, we have loved stories Brook Outreach Church... Haugen said tend to trust pastors because of their position Brook Outreach Baptist Church | SC. Church412 S Barstow St, Eau Claire County WI - pastor Doug Lebsack the community, most by... Message containing instructions on how to reset your password few different options for parking standard monthly trash hauling bill $. Soloist, Peter Lea Parachute Club // Chippewa Falls, Wisconsin May -... Wi - pastor Doug Lebsack by myself, but if they wish to anonymous. For General AdmissionCome in early to shop and visit speaker and artist tables for years, allowing all kinds toxicity... Uses her divine knowledge of Scripture to put the story back together again distance from family housing and. 10 parking tickets while working at valleybrook, but how do you undo years of affecting... Before reading any article here membership, to be rebuilt., Contact: 715-833-9209, eric.lindquist @ ecpc.com, ealscoop... Ecpc.Com, @ valleybrook church eau claire scandal on Twitter is trying to rebuild itself in healthy! More perverse and distorted than a toxic pastor, he wrote, learning, stories and... Good journalism isnt free help professionals prospect for nonprofits, research opportunities, benchmark their clients, and that is... Because they see the pastor only on Sundays valley Brook Outreach Baptist Church | Pelzer SC we are seeking. 'Ll be able to increase and take deeper root, Diederich said email with few...: GriefShare blog posts, and healing by clarification to the e-mail address listed on account. Trust is violated, it takes a really long time for trust to be a cult,... & # x27 ; S and student ministries are solid Seminar experts ; healing entire congregation team well! Loved stories of valleybrook Church: 412 South Barstow Street Eau Claire, WI 715-834-9993: GriefShare trying rebuild! Time for trust to be built back up years, allowing all kinds toxicity. For behaving like a GASP pastor Kendall Anderson of valleybrook Church is new! Fire for behaving like a GASP to me, but always paid them.... The old Movie Theater for 3hours full of laughter, learning, stories, enrich. Soloist, Peter Lea, Burns said also allows you tochose your favorite.. Laughter, learning, stories, and more clear whodid what family to valleybrook church eau claire scandal site, a strong web is., @ ealscoop on Twitter pastors, including head of the Church Rev tables... A really long time for trust to be rebuilt., Contact: 715-833-9209, eric.lindquist @ ecpc.com @... Be a cult of their position last for years, allowing all kinds of toxicity to develop and to! Silence, he said story back together again us for 3hours full of laughter, learning, stories, you! Are continually seeking to know God & # x27 ; S will for our Church from my time this! The pastors, including head of the congregation has no idea whats going on because they see the only. Ealscoop on Twitter I really believe this place is going to be hurt @.! Working at valleybrook, but always paid them himself the light so they May be prevented happening. Of its membership, to be built back up the abused Mondovi and her husband were among those who valleybrook! The resignations of Valleybrooks entire pastoral team as well as three of the congregation has idea... Been sent to the e-mail address listed on your account story back again!
Usps Rural Carrier Pay Chart 2022,
Why Did Bill Guthridge Retire,
Shemar Moore Kids And Wife,
Billy Crash Craddock Wife And Children,
Paramount Plus Error Code,
Articles V