Dominick, I just came across your reporting in this past week. Thank you. I'm from the Wenatchee Valley and went to the Free Methodist Church in the late 90s, a knew both of the McPherson boys, vaguely, and many of the other leaders at GCC. I even bopped around on a mission trip to Ukraine with the group. As I've gotten older and can look back on my time the Free Methodist congregation with some clarity and distance, I'm not surprised to see the turn GCC has made. I kept an eye on it in the early days because of their Acts 29 affiliation, my first red flag as I live a few blocks from a now former Mars Hill and know of some abusive and non-biblical counseling and doctrine from everyone's favorite best-seller list juicing pastor and his leadership.
What a nightmare it was walking in my neighborhood seeing armed guards. One of the many benefits of the fall of Mars Hill was the peace restored to my rather diverse neighborhood (we also have a mosque and Catholic church within walking distance). I remember once I asked Mars Hill (via social media) why they had armed guards, and the assured me it was because of the risk of being Christian in an ungodly world--they needed to protect their children due to the amount of hate in the world. I can't imagine being a GCC neighbor, among other horrors of being involved with them in any way. My heart breaks a little for my former friends living under this hateful doctrine and leadership.
Thank you for reading, and for sharing some memories and your perspective. I have been speaking with others who knew the McPherson boys back at the Free Methodist Church and would love to do an interview with you as well if possible. It can be on or off the record. I'll email you.
Dominick, I just came across your reporting in this past week. Thank you. I'm from the Wenatchee Valley and went to the Free Methodist Church in the late 90s, a knew both of the McPherson boys, vaguely, and many of the other leaders at GCC. I even bopped around on a mission trip to Ukraine with the group. As I've gotten older and can look back on my time the Free Methodist congregation with some clarity and distance, I'm not surprised to see the turn GCC has made. I kept an eye on it in the early days because of their Acts 29 affiliation, my first red flag as I live a few blocks from a now former Mars Hill and know of some abusive and non-biblical counseling and doctrine from everyone's favorite best-seller list juicing pastor and his leadership.
What a nightmare it was walking in my neighborhood seeing armed guards. One of the many benefits of the fall of Mars Hill was the peace restored to my rather diverse neighborhood (we also have a mosque and Catholic church within walking distance). I remember once I asked Mars Hill (via social media) why they had armed guards, and the assured me it was because of the risk of being Christian in an ungodly world--they needed to protect their children due to the amount of hate in the world. I can't imagine being a GCC neighbor, among other horrors of being involved with them in any way. My heart breaks a little for my former friends living under this hateful doctrine and leadership.
Keep up the good work.
Thank you for reading, and for sharing some memories and your perspective. I have been speaking with others who knew the McPherson boys back at the Free Methodist Church and would love to do an interview with you as well if possible. It can be on or off the record. I'll email you.