It can be difficult for people to see a well-known leader or authority figure as a potential perpetrator of abuse,said Rachael Denhollander,a lawyer and advocate for victims of sexual abusewho was the first victim to publicly accuse Larry Nassar, a former doctor for USA Gymnastics, ofsexualabuse in 2016. But in the middle of the hustle and bustle of your pathetic groveling, I hope you find Jesus. Actually, God did show the truth, they just choose to ignore it. Well, coincidentally Cornerstone is not a cult. As I said before, I posted this stuff online precisely because it wasnt available anywhere else, and people considering joining his church had a right to get all sides of the argument. Pitts recurring issues with liquor, sex and false teaching do not meet the standards. So, my friends, Im not going to be here anymore. However, Mr. Smith said that he did receive confirmation in writing from Dr. Forgac that he and Mr. Pitts talked, though hes not sure how many times. In an interviewwith Buffalos WKBW-TV in March, Wayne Aarum told reporters he'd like to knowthe identities of thewomenwhoare accusing him ofimpropriety. You should read one of his books Julie. Thats still no excuse to do what he did. Im beginning to feel like Im back in High School here. Thanks for your review. Pitts' response was that in line with the purchase, all programs were being evaluated, and those wanting to remain on the air were welcome to reapply. So I. Maybe I wouldnt have listened anyway, who knows. And thats what Ive been doing just like everyone else. He validated my life., In aApril 28 emailto the USA TODAY NETWORK, WayneAarum acknowledged that his conversationswithyouth group membersat The Chapel, meant to help them navigate their adolescent struggles, could have sometimes hurt (them) because of the listeners personal situation, he said." God loves you regardless of where you go to church. Pastor Pitts pled guilty to trespassing. There are many (legal) ways to structure things where you can take the burden of insurance off the church. That didnt seem right. As I said, Google didnt turn up any notice of said difficulties. [26], International Communion of Charismatic Churches, "Cornerstone's pastor elevated to higher rank", "Rev. And others here. Its simple so many of the main money makers are so riddled with sin, they form a club and perform at each others conferences. All of these memories were in the cloud of deception that Wayne had manufactured through a careful grooming process.. if it is true it will happen again. One of those happen to be Do not take the Lords name in vain. So, I assure you, I am not imagining anything. I doubt, however, that he likes to advertise his legal difficulties. Georgie Silvarole/USA TODAY Network New York, Shawn Dowd/Rochester Democrat and Chronicle, Your California Privacy Rights/Privacy Policy. Pastor Pitts hired some very fine attorneys and, in the end, all charges except for two criminal trespass misdemeanors were suddenly dropped. Darla: what did you mean by his kids dont defame people for all the world to see? Quite the contrary, I believe he does more harm to the Body of Christ than good. I think you perhaps mean undergraduate degree because Ive never heard of anything called an understudy degree. I thought you were never coming back Julie. The public indecency charge was dropped on January 15, 1998 when Judge Francis Gorman of the Toledo Municipal Court ruled that the statute of limitations had expired for the initial event. Not spreading rumors. What Cornerstone Church is doing, is beautiful and successful. Please consider becoming a digital subscriber. All things are possible if you believe. touchy touchy arent we? Hey, anonymous: I guess no one reads my writing except you, who keeps coming back to my site five times a day to leave anonymous comments calling me gay and asshole. Look at OJ, just because he was aquitted doesnt mean I think he was innocent. In an email to aUSA TODAY NETWORK reporter on April 28, 2021, Aarum said: I have never had any sexual interaction with anyone other than my wife. You may choose to wrap yourself in deception and lies and your bitterness like you obviously have, but you need to keep it to yourself. He must be brushing up on his law. Its your site, do what you want to do. Non relevant to any of this. Nor does that attitude reflect in my posts. No one is going to pray in his name. Patterns of predatory behavior emerged and grew more egregious as time passed. They arent true, and if you want to believe bad about someone, then you will. And as far as the Pitts thing goes, if hes so great, why does everyone feel they need to defend him so strongly. McDonald, a teenagecamp staff memberwho was at the Ranch working a winter churchretreat, sobbed through a confession Aarum had spent hours prying out of her astory of watching porn when she was 13. Oh, looks like I stuck a nerve. Is there an image trying to presented through the leadership to attact young, professionals to the church? You guessed it. Let the mean rest? But in the Delta incident, a man fitting his description was spotted masturbating in front of two boys at a baseball diamond. His parents were raised attending church regularly. God Bless You. How is Charlotte this time of year, anyway? His face, withbrighteyes, asalt-and-pepper goateeand weatheredsmile lines, could easily blend inwith those of otherlikable dads. Anyone that builds a multi-million dollar organization is not stupid, slow, ignorant or any such thing. Maybe you should go to Cornerstone and break your impoverished mindset. We believe they are telling the truth, The Chapel's lead pastor, Jerry Gillis, said in an interview with USA TODAY NETWORK reporters. In afall 2020 letter,Wayne Aarum saidhe was reinstatedas presidentand that Circle Cs independent investigation was complete, andhad found no factual basisfor the allegations against him at that point. But I want justice.. Cattaraugus CountySgt. Another issue involved the two young witnesses, who would have had to appear in court. MinistrySafes investigation, separate from Circle Cs independent investigation, first focused onallegations of abuseat The Chapel youth groupin the 1990s. Georgie Silvarole is the backpack reporter for the USA TODAY Network in New York, covering everything from breaking news to feature pieces. Jakes and Mark Chirona who have both recently had Michael Pitts in to preach. I really cannot imagine anyone as high profile, in the city of Toledo at least, cognoscentely exposing themselves to some kids. [18], On September 18, 1997, Pitts was arrested on charges of exposing himself to passing motorists near Oak Openings Metropark in Swanton, Ohio. The CAC atBestSelf in Buffalo, New York brings together a multidisciplinary group of professionals to address child sexual abusein a child-centered environment. This started a string of court cases that included the discovery of illegal activity and fraud by Mr Miller. Cornerstone Church is a biblically-based church that declares Jesus everywhere and leads believers in a life of resilient faith. I am not attacking Michael, but the truth is the truth. How can anyone in their right mind ignore the Delta arrest? ABOUT US CHURCH APPAREL WATCH NOW GIVE More ABOUT US; CHURCH APPAREL; WATCH NOW; GIVE; ABOUT US . What I dont understand is how these modern Apostles can have all kinds of stuff while there are needs in their church. Nate, you need to get your facts correct. THEY HAVE DAMAGED COUNTLESS PEOPLE AND CONTINUE TO PREY ON VULNERABLE MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY!! On the surface, we know that its the promise of mega money which lures in vultures like Jakes, Long and White. Try reading the 6th chapter of I Timothy that says withdraw thyself from those that preach godliness is a source of gain. I have aquantences, that used to be friends, that I heard started going to his church, and was curious because Ive heard some things about him. Others were less sure. In fact, if you call him Mike hell correct you and ask you to please call him Michael. Similar indecent exposure charges in Wauseon and Toledo were thrown out. Amazing. Do you find yourself not telling them everything because they just wouldnt understand/agree? Getting caps on your teeth is no different. So thats why, on this page, Ive posted a few old articles from my old newspaper. So the people who were victim to the disgusting actions of Pitts, are just supposed to live with it? But then again, dealing with false teachers is never pleasant. You know Matt, if you spent as much time arguing the CAUSE OF CHRIST, instead of the CAUSE OF PASTOR PITTS, maybe more people would be in Heaven someday. Like hello peoplethats 10% to the churchNOT the pastor! Please let this die. Pastor Michael was never conclusively identified at any of the locations of his charges. Im not speaking of an arrest warrant, which is not actually issued by a judge. I find it painstakingly difficult to believe he would post as Mike Pitts on this firum, because he wouldnt Once again, nice try. Though there has been some debate surrounding Pitts ability to get charges against him dismissed on legal technicalities, the Bible has no such leniency for those who claim to be bishops in the Lords church. You have the same response to everything just like I do. Peter, the father of the church, denied Christ 3 times, tried to take off the high priest servents head, David was a murder, Abrham a liar, Simeon a zealot, so on and so on. Ron, being accquited in this country doesnt really mean to much. Lily was a ho, but know she is above pastors, Many camp staffers credit Circle C Ranch as being integral to their personal spiritual growth and the formation of lastingconnections within the area Christian community. I have been to quite a few services and I frequently watch online but I live too far away unfortunatly to attend faithfully. Simple as that. and called and tried over and over to contact the church (it was a service night)to let someone know. Several of these individuals specifically said Aarum didnotfollow a widely known Circle C Ranchpolicyaboutavoiding bodily contact between members of the opposite sex. Bishop Michael Pitts is putting on yet another one of those grand, stratospheric type church conferences which boasts big, money making drawing cards like TD Jakes, Eddie Long and Paula White. Joshua Benton a former staff writer and columnist for The Dallas Morning News wrote about Pitts heretofore slick abilities to avoid the legal noose for his perverted crimes. Hes the only one that will never have his character tainted or be caught doing public perversions. Half their stories are plagiarize and the other half has no facts. Have faith in him and He will move your mountains of impossibility. Thats all besides the point. This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC. What about the scriprute that says God has choosen the poor in this world to be rich in faith. And contentment with Godliness is great gain but those that teach that Godliness is the source of gain you are to withdraw from. Read it in Timothy you simple minded Christian and do what the scripture says to do to those that preach the prosperity message withdraw from them. . Joe Schmoe would be hated in the community and locked up. 97% of travelers recommend this experience. Free speech is great isnt it? Im terrified of God,Schuerholzsaid in the meeting recording. As for why people still worship at his church the good pastor is a charismatic man. We let the media in that Thursday night. Pastor Pitts is annointed, and a lot of people in Northwest Ohio are envious. If you dont feel like you can approach a leader, why not? I was uncomfortable in retrospect looking back on this and wishing I would have done more. Does he use words like rebuke and radical in his messages? (Its in Maumee, a Toledo suburb.) Why dont you do a search to find out what Michael really believes. Add to that Pitts drunk driving conviction and you wonder what is it that attracts these paper mache religious leaders to something like his latest conference called Decree: Heaven on Earth (make sure to look at the url closely). Cornerstone Church is a non-denominational church located in Toledo, Ohio. 19 likes. And if they are out of control spiritually and naturally, where does that leave those following them? Suggested duration 1-2 hours Suggest edits to improve what we show. You people need to pick up a Bible and get a church home, instead of judging someone that is following God will for his life. Detailed Reviews: Reviews order informed by descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as cleanliness, atmosphere, general tips and location information. You are a very good lecturer. In all of those years, much to the shame of its leaders, I have NEVER heard such righteous teaching. The judge also fined Pitts $300 and took away his driver's license indefinitely. I DONT THINK ANYONE IS WILLING TO BOTHER GETTING THE DELTA REPORTTHEY WOULD RATHER BASE THEIR OPINIONS ON RUMORS. Ive been to Cornerstone, have you? In 2009, Ferrante, now a program director at camp during the summers,spoke toWayne Aarum's father, Wes Aarum Sr., abouthis concerns. How are church leaders selected? Men will rise and men will fall but the one I came to preach about is JESUS! He demanded details and full eye contact. If 72 hours pass, and this forum still exists, my attorneys will be issuing your warrant. I dont buy it. Fourthly: 4 hours BEFORE the infamous arrest, a cornerstone member working at the blade was startled to see the headlines OF the ARREST printed BEFORE it ever happened!!! Is that your fruit dropping to the ground? Make An Impact. BTW I happen to know Pastor Michael Pitts didnt go to college. When asked if he had even been confronted about his interactions with teen girls at campbyboard members, Ranch employees or volunteers, Aarum said no family member or Ranchboard memberhad even complained to him regarding his conduct. Sorry, kinda crabby (lol, crabwalk, get it) tonight. Let it go? remember when you write in the sand baby. Data privacy and security practices may vary based on your use, region, and age. He was identified by witnesses along with his automobile. Can you openly talk about your concerns with other members (like the Pitts fiasco I have seen messages about)about issues in the church you dont agree with? so, if you didnt get that, it wasnt at all because she was not outgoing that I thought her snotty at all. A USA TODAY NETWORK investigation found thatAarum, 55,touchedat least 16teenage girls inappropriately, some on multiple occasions, according to their firsthand accounts. I dont believe he did a whole lot., Edward why in the world are you still at Cornerstone when you are so obviously a self-righteous bigot who is against Pastor Pitts? But I know, your not mad in the slightest. On the contrary, he is a manipulative, arrogant man. Its the one incident where an I was out of the country alibi is obviously false. Until members really wake up and ask God to show them the truth, this man will continue to excel. With all of these public sins, why hasnt there been some public contrition from Pitts? We all have evil learking in our members. The Chapel, where Aarums brother Wes Aarum Jr.was a pastor until he resigned in early 2021,is attended by about 5,000 people. Ok, Im tired of arguing about the Pittster. Rest assured that he makes far more from his speaking engagements and book royalties than his salary from cornerstone. PANTAGRAPH FILE PHOTO I have been to Pastor Pitts church and seen him do AWESOME things for the Lord. Please accept my most heartfelt apologies, but Ill keep this up for people who have standards different than yours. Thats the mentality of America that he has found a foundation to preach upon. http://www.dennyradio.com Michael Pitts has a church that is growing AND winning souls for Chirst, he is feeding the hungry, hes building a world class ministry from Toledo Ohio. It detailed the Ranchsdenial of the allegationsand called the data found by theMinistrySafe investigationessentially meaningless.. Im known by the entire Cornerstone congregation.I dont need the trouble or the headache. His next arrest was the very public exposing incident, in which the majority of charges were dropped and Pitts plead guilty to trespassing. Survivors of sexual abuse and domestic violence in New York statecan getconnected withcounseling, legal assistance and crisis help. Julie: I just liked seeing you going back and forth with Dan. During that time, Pitts was the only person in the city of Toledo, let alone Delta, driving a teal blue convertible Saab. But I for one, am not ever going to go to a church where the guy has had so much evidence pointing at him, and putting him in such a bad light. 4 Reviews. Hey, if you want to defend a pastor who is arrogant and manipulativemore power to you. Various allegations have been raised against Senior Pastor Michael Pitts, his wife Kathi Pitts, Eddie Combs (singer in the group Higher Ground), ( of the church), David Huskins (former bishop to Michael Pitts who committed suicide) and others. None agreed to interviews on the record for this story, and they didnot provide additional sources who would be willing to comment on the record. I thought this forum died, if you have a problem with Pastor Michael Pitts, take it the Lord in prayer. Members have reported being propositioned for sexual favors in exchange for money, gifts, and positions/titles/opportunities in the ministry. and Maumee). 48hr left. His car was spotted near where several of the incidents occurred. I wouldnt personally want to go to his church, but I sure do wish people would be more concerned about taking care of pastors and familys of smaller churches, rather than making sure that The Big Guys get the bells and whistles. God doesnt need your money or desire it, he wants your obediance. Share this story. San Antonio's Cornerstone Church recently made headlines late last year by hosting a three-day gathering of far-right conspiracy theorists. [3] It was the first racially integrated church in the region. He also formed deep emotional bonds with these girls,acting as a father figure and maintaining a constant stream of intimacy and adoration, according to the women alleging abuse. They also have issue with the fact that the church building and furnishings are so nice, but imagine how much it would cost in today. I am not interested in legal charges or threats, I only wish that whoever owns this forum would stop this nonsense. There is a difference. All that matters now is that if this things are true is that Pastor Pitts ask for forgivenss and moves on. Cornerstone Church (Maumee) - All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go. It is obvious that the Delta incident did occur. Of course (obviously) these are hypothetical circumstances because no one reads Bentons writing. Your Welcome!! I am not a member of Cornerstone, but my membership is at another church in the city, but I still find it very disgusting that people would rather gossip about a pastor who has struggled, rather than pray for Him and trust God to work things out as only He can. Your hilarious. Pastor Pitts is NO man of Godhe is a sheep in wolves clothing. Hindsight isa ridiculously good teacher.. Unless the church needs it, Pastor Pitts doesns ask us for it. You would think, If I were going to impersonate someone of any stature at all that I would atleast spell things correctly and not say things like I have an understudy degree in law. Some peoples zeal needs redirected because it is more detrimental than it is beneficial. He is a man, after all. The year sincewould be punctuated by texts to McDonalds phone other womentellingher theyd been abused, too. Lucky the Leprechaun. Ill pray for you Matt. Nothing. [8], Pitts was consecrated as a bishop by the International Communion of Charismatic Churches in October 2009 for his oversight of the Cornerstone Global Network, a network of more than 120 churches. For me, it doesnt matter if he did what he has been accused of Just was surprised when she told me who she was! He pleaded no contest to the charge of driving while intoxicated and was sentenced to three days in a DWI program for first-time offenders. In 1995 Bill Gates gave what is considered the single largest charitable donation in history totaling 5 billion. Of those, 21women alleging abuse and 27 individuals offering additional corroborating informationagreed to have their accounts reflected in the final report. I dont care if you continue this forum about me. They asked him what dirt can we create on Pastor Michael Pitts? they wanted to smear him. He finds girls that he likes, and he gets them into a vulnerable position where they tell him everything, McDonald said. If I got fired, who was going to stand in the gap?. So why are you still there if the Bible commands to withdraw from those that preach inerrant doctrine? BTW my name is Dan. Thats a biblical principal. So many things in those cases didnt add up. And Kathy, re: your comment: Just as God saw fit to birth his son the first time through imperfection, he is still using imperfection to bring his Son to this generation. Shoot, while were at it, why dont we just put candles around him and pray in his name. Actually, the Delta incident like you called it was proven to be false just like the other so-called incidents its hard for him to do those things when hes out of the country! Not too long ago, I read something on The Toledo Blades web site about Pastor Michael Pitts of Cornerstone Church. Devan ODierno told the USA Today Network that Wayne Aarum was physically inappropriate with her, including placing his hands on her bottom while hugging her tightly in an empty room, while she was on staff at Circle C Ranch in the 2000s. No. God takes care of His own Lily, I think youd better remember that and to finish that statement you can look to the Bible! The Holy Spirit is still present and active in the life of every believer through fruit and gifts. I really believe Pastor Pitts is sincere and annoited. It took a lot of time and complete separation to finally make the decision to break away and stay away. Okay. And yes, it will all be settled out in the end. In fact, Pastor Pitts is ministering more now than ever. Were talking about the kingdom of God. "In 1995, he was stopped by police after allegedly being spotted masturbating in front of two young boys hitting golf balls at a local baseball diamond.