Scandals have lately surrounded ARC-affiliated churches and even the ARC itself, arguably North America's biggest church planting organization. In 2018, Celebration Church's total revenue for the year was valued at a reported $13,639,193 by the ECFA,[4] and their total assets were valued at a reported $44,213,694. The filingincluded broad denials of wrongdoing by the Weemses, who launched the church in 1998. However, we hope you will support our work with your prayers and financial gifts. They pushed out many of the older, spiritually mature folks because they felt threatened and knew they would be exposed. The Weemses also said theyve been threatened with arrest if they enter church property. The Regency Park church will be a closer option for them. Nichols says cases like these usually are resolved before they end up going to trial. The News4JAX I-TEAM looked into what Celebration Church received in PPP money, which was distributed to help businesses amid the COVID-19 pandemic. And He will say to them in that day if judgment! Give a gift of $30 or more to The Roys Report this month, and you will receive Escaping the Maze of Spiritual Abuse by Dr. Lisa Oakley and Justin Humphreys. Hi. The Jacksonville-based church will lease almost 40,000 square feet of space adjacent to and behind Books-A . Attorney Gene Nichols, whose not affiliated with the case, reviewed the document. Many of those older folks, like me, gave years of our lives to help grow that church, only to be pushed aside. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. Tim Timberlake was named Weems successor to lead the nearly 12,000-member church. To view a group that you are a part of, sign in to your My Celebration Account and click the My Groups button below. Weems has filed suit against the church claiming he was illegally removed from leadership, but Timberlake has assured the church that he will continue to lead with integrity, godly character, love, honor, and excellence.. They feel most alive when they are pouring back into others, and they seek to glorify God through their lives and . $645,281 owed by Honey Lake Farms Inc. and guarantor Stovall Weems (loan and credit card accounts, plus interest, late charges and attorneys fees), $50,867 owed by Weems Group LLC (credit card No. The complaint was time-stamped Saturday morning but only added to the Duval County online court docket after Tuesdays hearing was canceled. The founders of Jacksonville's Celebration Church are suing the church, its trustees and a lawyer for defamation as fallout spreads from a legal fight sparked by Stovall Weems' suspension. Celebration Church is no longer listed as a member of ARC, either. They appear to be nothing but a footnote written in sand and long forgotten. Tim Timberlake has been leading Celebration Church since last year. I think this is wrong. In addition to financial compensation, the complaint asks for court action "prohibiting the publication or republication of the defamatory narrative and statements.". [1] and is led by Senior Pastors Tim and Jen Timberlake. Its a shame because at the start, they had the right concept, but absolute power and money corrupt absolutely. You can email the site owner to let them know you were blocked. Asked for comment on the new filing, Wedekind said Tuesday he was looking into how that should be handled. The motion outlines four areas of concern: A spokesperson for the Weemses told the News4JAX I-TEAM that no PPP funds went to Honey Lake Farms LLC. COURT DOCUMENT: Read the complaint filed by First Citizens Bank. There are certain allegations regarding what I can best characterize as spiritual abuse.. Apostolic oversight of the senior pastor is entrusted to church overseers, the suit arguesnot the trustees. The couple want to allow for a full and thorough investigation of any and all wrongdoing involving the churchs board of trustees, present and former officers, employees, and other parties and organizations that contributed to the dispute, said a suit filed last month by the Weemses attorney, Christopher J. Greene. Pastor Drew King, chief business officer of Celebration Church, said the church will open in the summer. The Church is based in Jacksonville, Florida with other regional and international locations. Improper use of more than $1 million in federal Paycheck Protection Program loan monies. Weems has filed suit against the church claiming he was illegally removed from leadership, but Timberlake has assured the church that he will , continue to lead with integrity, godly character, love, honor, and excellence., Evangelical Council for Financial Accountability (ECFA), God is Queer, Duke Divinity Students Proclaim. The founders of the 12,000-member Celebration Church are suing the Jacksonville megachurch's hand-picked trustees to avoid being ousted over claims of financial irregularities. READ: Stovall and Kerri Weems injunction. According to Lambert, the church spends about $5 million per year (37% of the church budget) to maintain the church's properties. The motion to dismissalso asserted that more than $1 million the church received as a loan through the federal Paycheck Protection Program was used to fund a Weems-managed entity and to invest in a digital currency system. The 2021 PPP funds were completely used up by the Churchs payroll. Too many are yes men and by the time they see something, they realize it shouldve been nipped a while back. He also said the Timberlakes had effectively been functioning as lead pastors for about a year by the time the transition became official. These are fiefdoms and not churches. King said Full Source owns the building next door. No PPP funds went to Honey Lake Farms, LLC. When Is A Bible Translation Not A Bible Translation? The Weemses are accused of spiritually abusing church staff members, Wedekind said. Celebration Churchcontinues to stand by the validity and authenticity of the board investigation, he said. The 71-page filing said Stovall and Kerri Weems and . Copyright 2023 News4JAX.com is managed by Graham Digital and published by Graham Media Group, a division of Graham Holdings. Therefore, the Church purchased the home from The Weems Group at the $1.3 million price. The investigation is largely focused on two different aspects of the Weems leadership, said Lee D. Wedekind III, a partner in the law firm Nelson Mullins. He did not say how many staff members are alleged victims. Get new articles and breaking news delivered to your inbox. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. Four months later, in June 2021, property records show Celebration Church purchased the home from Weems Group, LLC for $1,286,900. Toll free: (866) 364-9980, Gospel for Asia Files for Creditor Protection, MINISTRY SPOTLIGHT: Way Media Inc. (WayFM). YOUTH. We see this is the third article this month youve found worth reading. These are they that Peter says were born for hell before they were conceived ! One part of the investigation concerns financial transactions made between January and June 2021, when there were no board meetings conducted, Wedekind said. I have first hand knowledge of the spiritual abuse within this organization. ", Celebration Church (Courtesy of the Florida Times-Union), Celebration is praying for a resolution for all parties involved, a statement from the church said. Please send all questions about groups to info@celebration.org. When a ministry encounters failureor even worse, scandalits difficulties can almost always be traced to a breakdown in governance, ECFA says in explaining Standard Two. The first violation, of Standard Two, concerns organizational governance and states that Every organization shall be governed by a responsible board of not less than five individuals, a majority of whom shall be independent, who shall meet at least semiannually to establish policy and review its accomplishments.. In February, after Stovall Weems was suspended, the Weemses filed suit against Celebration Church, alleging the church retaliated against them for reporting financial misconduct. They also said the crypto investment was for a retirement fund for church employees, and wasnt made with PPP funds. In the days following that action, Stovall Weems removed one of the trustees and tried to remove two others, court filings show. We reject the utterly baseless and false allegations made against us. No One Knows. The Weemses filed a lawsuit for injunctive relief against Celebration Church. The couples suit says the church was billed $18,000 per month as rent for a home Cormier owned that was being renovated and wasnt habitable. But we also look forward to serving the entire community who may not be familiar with Celebration yet, King said. Fisher Koppenhafer Architecture and Interior Design is the architect. Also, any comments with profanity, name-calling, and/or a nasty tone will be deleted. During that same four-month period, the median sales price for a Jacksonville-area single-family home rose 17 percent, to $330,000, according to the Northeast Florida Association of Realtors. . Wednesday afternoon, he said by email that the new complaint was very disappointing and a distraction from the churchs ministry. We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. Celebration Church, a megachurch in Jacksonville, Florida, has had its membership in the Evangelical Council for Financial Accountability (ECFA) terminated for violating two of its standards. Venus and Jupiter are going in for a nighttime kiss, He proposed 60 years ago, then broke her heart. Childcare options vary per group. The celebration.org site shows that Celebration Churchs main campus is at 9555 RG Skinner Parkway, in the Baymeadows area. Pastors Stovall and Kerri never intended to receive any money from this investment. It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website. Since . Looking for a one-stop-shop of all the upcoming events happening here at Celebration? The Weemses denied misusing the PPP funds and the other alleged financial missteps in an extensive statement to News4JAX. Celebration is praying for a resolution for all parties involved, and is confident in Gods plan for the church and that ultimately the truth will prevail. But according to a court filing by Celebration Church, the Weemses are spiritually and financially abusive predators who acted like they owned the church and could do with it what they wanted.. Honey Lake Farms, LLC (which is different than the non-profit Honey Lake Farms, Inc.) is a for profit entity that was formed on the advice of the Churchs attorneys at Holland and Knight. The Roys Report has not been able to get any comments on the record about why AWKNG TV folded. Hobby Lobby moved to Parkway Shops in River City Marketplace in 2015 and also opened a store at The Strand at Town Center. Celebration Church Jacksonville Scandal. From hangouts to bible studies, large format to small groups, meeting out at a coffee shop or in somebody's home we have a place for every person that walks through the doors of Celebration Church to connect in community and build lasting relationships with others. Full Source is an e-commerce company that sells office, safety, industrial, janitorial and maintenance supplies as well as discount apparel. The church should not have been funding renovations to a home that was owned by Kevin and not by the church, the lawsuit adds. Peters words are so true! ), Sky 4 photo of Stovall and Kerri Weems' home, Any and all meeting minutes, agenda, and board resolutions, and any drafts thereof, of Board of Trustees meetings held between January 1, 2017 through present, Any and all documents relating to Pastor Stovall and Kerris compensation packages from 2017 through the present, including but not limited to written agreements and records of payment from the Church to them, Any and all documents relating to the churchs 2021 purchase of the parsonage from an entity controlled by Pastor Stovall as alleged on page 9 of the Motion To Dismiss. They created a cult like following of the pastor, who absolutely designed the organization to operate in that manner. Its other Northeast Florida campuses are in Westside-Orange Park, Julington Creek and Amelia Island. Even then, $5 million is still not enough to adequately maintain the campus, he said. JACKSONVILLE, Fla. Pastor Stovall Weems, one of the founders of Celebration Church, has resigned. In her spare time, she enjoys reading, gardening, and coaching high school extemporaneous speaking and debate. After the initial lawsuit drew public attention, the church released a report that claimed Weems had been committing fraud, [and] unjustly enriching himself at the expense of the church., The new complaint says the report was bogus and that Weems and his wife are trying now to clear their names and expose how the seditionists now in control [of] Celebration Church maliciously and unjustifiably ruined Plaintiffs ability to work in their chosen profession.. Celebration Church is a global, multi-site church located in Jacksonville, Florida. Missing with ARC (among others) are the requisite qualifications laid out in 1 Tim. The Central Church Offices are open Monday-Thursday from 9am-5pm. Dan Busby, Longest-Serving President of ECFA, Dies at 81. That suggests a long term pattern, so why is that part only coming out in light of the financial issues? Global Senior Pastor Stovall Weems and his wife, Kerri, say in their lawsuit that Weems was wrongly suspended from his post in January after a trustee falsely claimed that Pastor Stovall was improperly manipulating and misdirecting the churchs finances., In reality, the suit argues, Weems had confronted the trustee after discovering fraud on the church and the trustee reacted by feeding the other trustees and senior church members lies and misinformation.. Please include what you were doing when this page came up and the Cloudflare Ray ID found at the bottom of this page. We believe true life change happens in the context of community and we welcome everyone to experience this together, no matter what church you call your home! If you need help with WJXTs or WCWJ's FCC public inspection file, call (904) 393-9801. Previous coverage: Bank sues Celebration Church founders for $716,000 in business debts, credit card bills, Church founder leaves: Celebration Church founder Stovall Weems quits, vows to 'continue our ministry elsewhere', 'At stake is control of the church': Celebration Church, founder Stovall Weems embroiled in legal dispute. From hangouts to bible studies, meeting out at a coffee shop or in someones home we have a place for every person that walks through the doors of Celebration Church to connect in community and build lasting relationships with others. The Weemses also said theyve been threatened with arrest if they come onto church property. The action you just performed triggered the security solution. Other pastors dont spend much time looking after other pastors; it is the board and leadership that witnesses this every week. A civil court hearing on the case between the Weemses and Celebration Church is scheduled for May 31. ECFA Standard Four relates to a ministrys use of resources and compliance with laws. The church argued that the couples suit presents the latest chapter in a campaign of deception, manipulation, distraction, and abuse of power by Stovall and Kerri Weems against Celebration.. In January, Celebration Churchs trustees noticed several large financial transactions by the Weemses and asked for an investigation into potentially improper financial practices, the churchs court filing states. Opinion: What is Revivaland is it Happening at Asbury? A spokeswoman for Weems said the pastor wouldnt have any comment and that the court filing speaks for itself., said a scurrilous narrative and false and defamatory statements, represented former Alaska Gov. The church paid just under $1.3 million for the home on Black Hammock Island in June 2021, about 50 percent more than Weems company paid for the home in February 2021, according to property records. These cookies do not store any personal information. That was nearly completed when the lawsuit was filed, the statement said. In 2021, Stovall Weems transitioned out of the Senior Pastor role and into a Founding Pastor role. It said trustees "were fully aware thatPastor Weems had not engaged in any misconduct" but "agreed with Cormier's seditious plot to banish" the pastor. Founders of the 12,000-member Celebration Church in Jacksonville, Florida, Stovall Weems and his wife, Kerri, have filed a lawsuit seeking an injunction that would force the megachurch to recognize Weems as their chief executive officer and settle dueling claims of financial fraud involving hundreds of thousands of dollars. Give me my job and salary back, even if you hate me? The Weemses sued Celebration Church the month after the church launched its investigation. Stovall Weems dismissed the trustee in January over the alleged misconduct, according to the Weemses lawsuit. Cormier said by email Tuesday that the claims against him are baseless. Kim Roberts is a freelance writer who holds a Juris Doctorate from Baylor University. Groups that do have childcare options will have that listed in their groups description. To donate, click here. The church was affiliated with the ARC as recently as last year. We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. Great! Anyway, just wanted to encourage you that what you did for the Lord there is lasting. Connection and life change may take time and can be found in open, honest conversations. Look up! $700,000 in improper billing by the trustee; misuse of more than $1 million from the federal governments pandemic-era Paycheck Protection Program; and a 50-percent markup over four months on the price of a home a Weems company sold the church as a parsonage. This is serious 2nd degree and 3rd degrees [sic] criminal felony behavior, added the email, which said the message was notice to Cormier of me dismissing you immediately from the trustees. Weems resigned from the megachurch in April, but a lawsuit he and his wife, Kerri, filed in Februaryis still active. This website is using a security service to protect itself from online attacks. Celebration Church members have a right to know what is happening in their church and we have a right to be treated fairly.. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. Copyright 2023 News4JAX.com is managed by Graham Digital and published by Graham Media Group, a division of Graham Holdings. Copyright 2022 by WJXT News4Jax - All rights reserved. This article has been corrected to accurately describe the churchs relationship with ARC. Sarah Palin, Bank sues Celebration Church founders for $716,000 in business debts, credit card bills, Celebration Church founder Stovall Weems quits, vows to 'continue our ministry elsewhere', Celebration Church, founder Stovall Weems embroiled in legal dispute, committing fraud, [and] unjustly enriching himself at the expense of the church., Your California Privacy Rights/Privacy Policy.
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