It's only a matter of time before this mess of a church is shut down for good. Rembember, we are all sinners. I should make it clear that he was never convicted of any of these charges. Joe Schmoe would be hated in the community and locked up. But there was a significant amount of evidence that many people found quite convincing. Ill pray for you Matt. Jun 1986 - Oct 2020 34 years 5 months. The bible is very clear that its not what we do but what we belive that make us righteous. touchy touchy arent we? Do you find yourself not telling them everything because they just wouldnt understand/agree? Others were less sure.. The USA TODAY NETWORKreached out to Wayne Aarum, his son Josh Aarum, andboard members Daryl Dekalb and Wes Aarum Jr.for comment specifictothis matter. Im not speaking of an arrest warrant, which is not actually issued by a judge. Thank you for making that information available to me. Maumee, OH, United States JUSTICE FOR VICTIMS OF CORNERSTONE CHURCH TOLEDO Numerous people have come forward over the past twenty years alleging sexual abuse, harassment, exploitation, and assault from high ranking ministers at Cornerstone Church. I dont mean to give you a hard time but just want to encourage you to seek the truth and remember that your relationship with God, and answering to God is more important than answering to a leader of Cornerstone Did Mark Driscoll Plagiarize the Wrong Person? WHAT HURTS HIS CREDIBILITY MORE THAN ANYTHING IS THAT HE WAS DRUNK AND WAS DRIVING. We, as Christians ALL have a code of behavior we are to follow. Please call 419-725-5000 if youd like to discuss further. Righteous! Thats it! Why dont you make meaningful comments or not make any at all. If youre looking for the truth, I promise you that you will never regret if you choose to leave there. John: To contradict your statement, the following was taken from the article posted in the TOLEDO BLADE on Sunday, November 30, 1997. Wayne Aarum was not present for the meeting. The media exaggerated a lot and the jokes were cruel = but where is Denny Shaeffer, the saved one, now? LASTLY: I am a family member, and I know him well. the blade does not have the final say so in our lives, nor does pitts, P.T. Appreciate the feedback. Patterns of predatory behavior emerged and grew more egregious as time passed.. Cornerstone is impacting the city of Toledo in positive ways no matter what you think. Wheres your god for them? So if you are comforting yourself, I have a stack, well you might have a stack, but if we consider the nature and content of your stack as opposed to his stack, well, your stack looks pretty sorry and pathetic. did ya miss me?? They criticize the fact the pastor lives in a nice house, but it was recently reported that the Diocese of Boston is selling the bishops mansion for $90 million dollars, significantly more than Pastor Pitts home, and an Oblate home here in Toledo is going for over $300,000. Carolyn McDonald alleges Wayne Aarum physically and emotionally abused her, including touching her crotch over her clothes and barging into her bedroom while she was in her underwear, while she was on staff at Circle C Ranch from 2006 to 2008. [9] Pitts has preached at the annual Interdenominational Ministerial Alliance conference several times,[10] as well as in Mexico and at annual meetings in South Africa, Zimbabwe, and Ghana. They arent true, and if you want to believe bad about someone, then you will. It dawns on you pretty quickly that this is not appropriate, Smith said. Keep your money in your pocket, since you have a better use for it. so I dont sweat the small stuff. I have been to Pastor Pitts church and seen him do AWESOME things for the Lord. Because this was a completely separate incident and Pitts did go to counseling for the Delta incident speaks volumes about the criminal case regarding his indecent exposure. Had the authorities had any convincing evidence on him, they would not have dropped all the charges and offered him a trespassing plea, would they? Georgie Silvarole is the backpack reporter for the USA TODAY Network in New York, covering everything from breaking news to feature pieces. 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. It is obvious that the Delta incident did occur. [1][3] The church grew rapidly and by the age of 26, Pitts was preaching to over 1,000 weekly members. His behavior does NOT represent the rest of us. and called and tried over and over to contact the church (it was a service night)to let someone know. In 2009, Ferrante, now a program director at camp during the summers,spoke toWayne Aarum's father, Wes Aarum Sr., abouthis concerns. And just because an organization is growing, doesnt mean that he is doing what God wants of him. So thats why, on this page, Ive posted a few old articles from my old newspaper. Self Guided "Detroit's Spirit and History" Solo Walking Tour, History Along the Maumee: A Self-Guided Driving Tour in Ohio, Private Antique Car Tour of Historic Belle Isle, Toledo Scavenger Hunt: Toledo Perspectives. In my book Pitts has lots of strikes against him, but God is the one he will ultimately have to answer to. and Jesus says I never knew you, you workers of iniquity. Cornerstone launches as the Downtown Campus 2019 Phil and Meredith Ryburn installed as Lead Pastors Privacy Policy Download Our App Careers Contact Us 1520 Reynolds Rd Maumee OH 43537 hello@cornerstone.church 419.725.5000 Copyright 2023, Cornerstone Church. Dear IMpersonator, Im sorry she doesnt fit your stereotypical pastors wife. Then again, how can you objectivly judge Kathy when youve already misjudged her husband? Officials did not press charges after Pastor Pitts agreed to seek counseling with a psychologist who sees sex offenders, they said. Sarah Taddeo is an Enterprise reporter for USA Today Network's in New York, covering consumer affairs and statewide news. I have questioned if his indescrepencies subtract from the validity of his message.I guess that something you need to ponder upon. Cmon, how stupid would he have to be? This number is based on the percentage of all Tripadvisor reviews for this product that have a bubble rating of 4 or higher. Not to mention the fact that if Pitts really was provably in another country on April 18, 1995, one might think he could bring that up to Delta police at the time not mention it to the media two years later, after hes already served his court-appointed sex counseling. Michael Pitts will, Im sure, be more than happy to tell them about the good things Cornerstone does. Do you have any idea what the tithes and offerings are for a 4,000 member church? So the people who were victim to the disgusting actions of Pitts, are just supposed to live with it? I pray that my family and friends who still attend wake up and see the false teachings this man is heaping on the City of Toledo. Lucky the Leprechaun. Man leads, but the Holy Spirit will let us know whether or not its the truth that we are being told. I found each of the women to be credible, saidattorney and founder of MinistrySafeKimberlee Norris, who haspracticed law addressing child sexual abuse for over 30 years. Mike Baker, pastor of Eastview Christian Church leads the church's on-demand Christmas Eve service. They are non-denominational. We had the evidence on him, said Mr. Smith, but we would have had to bring two boys to the edge of hell to bring it out. Glitz and showmanship don't hide their greed. Unfortunately, there is no one to rebuke him sharply, openly and to his face until he repents. Jeffrey Swinger for the USA TODAY NETWORK. Of course, why would he want to speak with someone who doesnt have any money? A urine test confirmed Pitts was legally drunk although he told the court he only drank two glasses of wine. 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. Dave: All those Biblical types you mention acknowledged theyd done something wrong. I really cannot imagine anyone as high profile, in the city of Toledo at least, cognoscentely exposing themselves to some kids. Who cares what kind of outward gifts he gives. LOL, I knew you meant MAY, darn typing demons at it again, right? He finds girls that he likes, and he gets them into a vulnerable position where they tell him everything, McDonald said. Do you think these mega-churches he preaches at aernt paying him? The only people I am giving a hard time in this forum, are the idiots who are pretending to be him! Both clearly violated in this forum. Jakes and Mark Chirona who have both recently had Michael Pitts in to preach. espescially the part which involves frustrating would be impersonators. settle down now. Pastor Pitts has done more to further the kingdom of God and impacted more lives than you could ever hope to. Well, I Googled Pastor Pitts, and I was surprised to find that there was no mention anywhere on the Internet of his alleged indiscretions. I am sincerly praying for all of you and I hope you all find a piece inside that would release you to the Word of God instead of wasted HOURS on the internet. Theywerebetting on which new campers Wayne Aarum might pay special attention to, he said. Non relevant to any of this. Just because Denny Schafer has a way to speak his opinion in public doesnt make him a bad guy. I dont foresee that happening. Thats the childish statement. The developer provided this information and may update it over time. But, according to the Bible, he does preach on tithing and giving. If there werent significant mammon being waved in their face, they simply wouldnt show. Hes a great man with a past. Everyone says they always turn you down though, and you have to fight. I agree with Lily on the things that she compares with the Bible. If you open up your heart and ask God to reveal to you the truth, He will. LOL, hes out using his Understudy degree!! By joining, or logging in via Facebook, you accept Change.orgs Terms of Service and Privacy Policy. You are a very good lecturer. A legal warrant. Also, Enron made some wonderful donations to charity. I believe it was MLK that said the most segregated day in America is Sunday. I have a hard time believing Pastor Pitts would have done those things and continue to minister. You dont need Pitts approval or covering. I respect that you feel you are not in a cult. Contact Sarah at STADDEO@Gannett.com. . I personally was really impressed with how Pastor handled the service. They asked him what dirt can we create on Pastor Michael Pitts? they wanted to smear him. In the months following, additional charges from other locations were added. All of these memories were in the cloud of deception that Wayne had manufactured through a careful grooming process.. You are the one that needs to pray for discernment! So I dont care that I am gossiping, besides Im not a pastors wife therefore I am also not bound by this imaginary code of behavior. You can reach her on Twitter @gsilvarole or by email at gsilvarole@gannett.com. All Im doing here is making sure that people who are interested in the church have full access to information about it. Pitts, Wife Included Among Power Shifters", "Growing strong: Four local churches where the congregations are rising to the heavens", "Diversity a goal of local congregations", "Pastors Lament Loss of Access to WDMN-AM", "Cornerstone Church and its leader are the real deal", "Bishop Pitts: New period of awakening is coming to California", "Spiritual revival event showcases talented teens", "Pr Jessica shares her testimony in Ghana", "Toledo charity lost its leader but not her spirit", "Churches equip U.S. soldiers with over 5000 Bibles", "Cornerstone Toledo Youth Visit Mercy Ministries Today", "Local church to sponsor benefit for city's needy", "Cornerstone pastor writes 2 books on handling crises", "Metropark ranger in Pitts case suspended", "Low-power Toledo TV station produces a high-stakes drama", "Toledo Area Pastor Released from Jail after Serving Nine Days", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Michael_Pitts_(pastor)&oldid=1125867950, This page was last edited on 6 December 2022, at 08:34. MinistrySafelawyer Kimberlee Norris spentmonthsinterviewingdozens ofvictims, witnesses and corroborating sources. Well, Im glad someone missed me!! I have attended Cornerstone since 1995 and without a doubt, the relationships, benefits of life and strength of my walk with God are all directly related to my involvement with this church. Men are to point to Jesusthe Holy Spirit leads and guides us into all truth. One can still see what a wonderful teacher he is. There is no demonstration of true Godly love at Cornerstone, just a lot of judgmental attitudes and self-righteousness. Ive seen those same patterns. And I am a Christian. According to Randy Fancher, a board member at the time,Hilliker's recommendations, relayed viaa meeting with board members and later in a thread of emails to board members, were that Aarum resign permanently and be replaced,and that the board be restructured to add more non-family members. In multiple letters and meetingsover the past year,The Chapel pastors haveimploredthe board ofCircle C Ranchtohear and consider the womens allegations. Hes completely unapproachable and has set up his organization so that the congregation worships him and not Jesus. I used to attend Cornerstone from the very beginning on Douglas through the the exposing incident. A warrant is: a writ issued usually by a judge or magistrate which commands an otherwise illegal act and affords the person executing the writ protection from damages if the act is performed. But I believe that people who give no grace to others better hope they dont ever need any. This forum is for talking about the subject at hand. She was 15, and he told her she was amazing. HMMM, Ill be praying for the no name people on here. Since his last name is not pitts, they didnt know he was related to him. Mahaneys former flagship church, Covenant Life, gave an additional $15,000 to SBTS. Go Denny!! After this false start at rehabilitating Mahaneys image, Mohlers appearance alongside Mahaney at a small leadership conference feels like an attempt to test the waters for Mahaneys return. At least as of a few years ago, he was living in a half-million-dollar home on 30 acres, wearing designer duds, and driving a Cadillac. 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. (The Pitts camp claims the officials are lying.) Why is it that since he has a big church, hes doing great things? and I thank You Lord!!!!!!!!!!!!! I would still really like to see the Delta Report. than to poke my nose in the buisness of one man. The results of that test caused the trooper to take Pitts into custody, and take him to the Highway Patrol Post on Airport Highway. Pastor Implicated in Sex Abuse Scandal is Back, Conservative Mag: Glenn Greenwald Hates America. Righteousnees seek the welfare of others more than the welfare of themselves. Wes Aarum Jr. did not return requests for comment. He does great things for lots o people!!! Survivors of sexual abuse and domestic violence in New York statecan getconnected withcounseling, legal assistance and crisis help. This is the foundation of Pitts message to his congregation. Jason & Josh Scandal and sin mark the head conference speakers: Jakes charges 50k for speaking engagements and has been in and out of the homosexual controversies for years now. You are praising Denny Schafer? He is one of the greatest men of God I, or for that matter the world, has ever known. It was difficult not to notice this car, nor identify it incorrectly. 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? So many things in those cases didnt add up. you go girl!! The CAC atBestSelf in Buffalo, New York brings together a multidisciplinary group of professionals to address child sexual abusein a child-centered environment. oh, and kat? Not only has Mahaney praised Mohler, hedonatedover $100,000 to Southern Baptist Theological Seminary. Not someone who looked like Pastor Pitts the good man himself, driving his own car! Carolyn McDonald recalls the latewinter night in 2007 when, she says, Aarum pinned her 17-year-old body to a church pew inside the Circle C Ranch camps onsite chapel. The Holy Spirit is our abiding comforter and helper, and leads us in declaring Jesus. In 1997, he faced eight counts of public indecency and seven counts of criminal trespass, linked to a series of incidents in which a man matching Pastor Pitts description was reported exposing himself to people in places like a local park and a Wal-Mart parking lot. If 72 hours pass, and this forum still exists, my attorneys will be issuing your warrant. A comment from subversive Christian bloggerJulie Anne Smithwhom I spoke to about a month ago was sadly prescient: As long as a pastor has the right theology, their behavior, no matter how bad it is, can be covered up.. 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. And Kathy, re: your comment: You mentioned that Pastor and his family live in a home that costs 1/2 millions of dollars. Cornerstone is aggressivly moving the kingdom forward, why dont you check out one of their live services online? He stands up for God every day while in the secular world. Rather the DA, deputy sherriff or a Sherriff himself. Theres some thoughts to ponder Julie. He was consecrated as a bishop by the International Communion of Charismatic Churches in 2009. Let me make something clear, you dont know anything about my character.