Georgie Silvarole is the backpack reporter for the USA TODAY Network in New York, covering everything from breaking news to feature pieces. He has nothing valuable to offer except false doctrinewhy is that so difficult for you to grasp? . Im also curious why everone at Cornerstone who does tithe isnt rich by now. The divine person, the Holy Spirit, was promised and sent to the early Church for empowerment in Christian living and demonstrations of God's power. (obviously this is paraphrased) Dont be blinded by the charisma of this man. Here you will find a variety of messages from Phil and Meredith Ryburn and the team at Cornerstone C. Members are told to shut up and follow him, and believe me thats what they do. 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. Thats a Christians main goal, to do what God wants. Improve this listing All photos (14) Top ways to experience nearby attractions Self Guided "Detroit's Spirit and History" Solo Walking Tour 4 The fact is that God cammanded us to tithe so thats that. Someone who looks exactly like Michael Pitts stole the pastors car and his personal identification, masturbated in front of two boys, and then blackmailed the pastor for at least two years so the pastor couldnt acknowledge the mixup; or "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. If I got fired, who was going to stand in the gap?. Any attention on his perversion would jeopardize the flow on money which allow him to continue his upper echelon lifestyle. Perhaps you didnt decipher this from my prior postings so let me make myself abundantly clear: I love Pastor Michael Pitts. So if you absolutlet must talk about Mr. Pitts, or any one else for that matter, talk about them on your knees, where it will at the very leat, yeild more results than the assinine remarks and articles you post on your site. Your response shows how ignorant you are. hmmmmmm, woulda never pegged her for a pastors wife, until I was actually told who she was. Your hilarious. I just recieved this email from a friend. Appreciate the feedback. At around noon on Jan. 27, 1975, a two-tone Cadillac pulls up to a vacant house in Irving, Texas. Ive never said I thought he was arrogant or manipulative. He is married to Kathi and they have two children. One can still see what a wonderful teacher he is. A USA TODAY NETWORK investigation found thatAarum, 55,touchedat least 16teenage girls inappropriately, some on multiple occasions, according to their firsthand accounts. I know for a fact that he offered no excuses for his actions. 48hr left. Ferrante would sometimes linger in those secluded locations, awkwardly making conversation, to ensure someone else was present. He was released over the weekend. Defined under legal terminology, (in which I have an understudy degree in law) is most frequently referred to as a subpeona. I wish Id done more, Gillis said. Pastor Pitts claimed complete vindication. Toledo, Ohio. Safety starts with understanding how developers collect and share your data. If youd like, please call our office on 419-725-5000 with suggestions. Cattaraugus CountySgt. 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. no problem Julie if anyone wants to know the TRUTH about Pastor Pitts e-mail me at hockeyjk@yahoo.com lets just say I have an inside connection. Read your Bible, youll see it in there. They choose before they write which way they want it to go and than make things up to slant it in that direction! The more his congregation makes, the more he makesthats reality. 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. MinistrySafes investigation, separate from Circle Cs independent investigation, first focused onallegations of abuseat The Chapel youth groupin the 1990s. But during his tenure at Circle C,Ferchenadmitted that he saw Aarumclosely embrace girls, and that, on multiple occasions, he happened upon Aarum and a girlspeaking together in secluded rooms or spaces. Jason & Josh LOL, I knew you meant MAY, darn typing demons at it again, right? Barnaum or even the great Dr. Suess, Jesus has the first, last and middle words. Jakes and Mark Chirona who have both recently had Michael Pitts in to preach. That has been my point. Jesus completed the law but he didnt disregard it. 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 suggest you read your Bible. It's only a matter of time before this mess of a church is shut down for good. Not someone who looked like Pastor Pitts the good man himself, driving his own car! Nah, not gonna give you my name. The vehicle stood out and was recognizable for its color, make, model, and convertible status. For example, many of the critics are from the Catholic Church. But then again, dealing with false teachers is never pleasant. Numerous people have come forward over the past twenty years alleging sexual abuse, harassment, exploitation, and assault from high ranking ministers at Cornerstone Church. Defined under legal terminology, (in which I have an understudy degree in law) is most frequently referred to as a subpeona. And I frankly dont care who you are. They went on disability because insurance companies have a propensity to make you cancel with premium increases, and viola the government picked up their medical bills. They cared more about others than they did themselves. 97% of travelers recommend this experience. and Maumee). At that point, Carolyn McDonald briefly considered alawsuit, butdropped it after her lawyers saidit wouldbedifficult to bring her most egregiousallegations of abuseto court, because she couldnt remember whether she was 17 or 18 when they occurred. Do you know someone connected to The Chapel or Circle C Ranch? alot of those individuals were other pastors/priests in the city and alot were in a city/government office or political office. Circle C Ranch wouldultimately determinethe initial allegationswere false through its own internal investigation. But I know, your not mad in the slightest. long time member It is obvious that the Delta incident did occur. But then again, dealing with false teachers is never pleasant. Is that your fruit dropping to the ground? 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. This is the official Cornerstone Church YouTube channel. julie: looking at this from a completely nontheistic viewpoint, the fact that Pitts was acquitted should be proof enough, in this country anyway, of his innocence. Until members really wake up and ask God to show them the truth, this man will continue to excel. This terminology is a reflection of the false teachings that it supports. 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. He said, I need you to make sure Wayne isnt touching girls or is alone withthem.In a sick way, I already felt like that was myresponsibility.. 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! 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. But one man represents righteousness and one man represents selfishness. Thats the mentality of America that he has found a foundation to preach upon. P.S. Besides, Ive said repeatedly, (if you care to look), that God will deal with Pitts, and Im really sick to death of the whole thing. I think not. Were always working on improving, thanks for highlighting this for us. In my book Pitts has lots of strikes against him, but God is the one he will ultimately have to answer to. If youre looking for the truth, I promise you that you will never regret if you choose to leave there. You have never heard Pastor Michael say anything like not tithing will send you to hell. Jesus is the only thing that sends you to heaven and not knowing him is the only thing that sends you to hell. I gotta say, Im overwhelmed by the fact that so many Christians would rather gossip about the past and put down and talk trash about a congregation or minister of the gospel. Sights & Landmarks, Churches & Cathedrals. [21] In 1998, Cornerstone Church purchased one of the last gospel radio stations in Toledo. So thats why, on this page, Ive posted a few old articles from my old newspaper. As part of the unusual plea agreement, both prosecution and defense agreed that neither side would be allowed to discuss the reasons for the sudden deal. Eight additional public indecency charges were dropped due to "substantial evidentiary considerations" and Pitts pleaded "no contest" to two charges of criminal trespassing and was sentenced to 60 days in jail. The specific authority in this case would be applied to the owner of this forum. And thats what Ive been doing just like everyone else. No worries though because GOD never sleeps. Nate, you need to get your facts correct. After all thats what they teach isnt it, if you give enough youll get rich? All of these memories were in the cloud of deception that Wayne had manufactured through a careful grooming process.. Charlton wrote here on RD back in March: Thesuit has been filed not only on behalf of the individual plaintiffs [8 at this point], but also on behalf of a much larger class of people allegedly abused as minors in SGM, who do not wish to come forward with their stories. Havent you seen the pattern? Make An Impact. 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 Dont waste your time or money with this church. Immediately following the purchase, several area pastors complained that their shows had been pulled from regular programming. There will be false prophets, and we are never to follow man, but God only. He does great things for lots o people!!! #18 of 19 things to do in Maumee. Do you feel like this? I just move to area when all that stuff was going on, I really didnt understand why. Actually, God did show the truth, they just choose to ignore it. Nobodys perfect, you should know that! Those aernt free. BTW my name is Dan. Galations 6:1. Another aspect of the story that is seldom told is the fact that the park official who brought the charges against Pastor Pitts was indicted for purgery. He resigned from the boardsoon afterward, he said. GEORGIE SILVAROLE, Tina Yee, NEW YORK STATE TEAM. And Mohler has been just as steadfast a friend to Mahaney, using his influence to help promote Mahaneys work in the past with no signs that the lawsuitecaused Mohlers faith in Mahaney to waver on iota. How can God bless Someone if they are living in Sin? I just hold Gods name in high esteem. FIFTHLY:The reason INDEED that the case was dropped was definitely because of purgery. And while I appreciate your no-doubt informed thoughts on how the media operate, I might point out in the case of Pastor Pitts, he was charged with more than a dozen crimes by multiple jurisdictions. One of those happen to be Do not take the Lords name in vain. So, I assure you, I am not imagining anything. (I want to make sure that his lawyers, wherever they may be, see I am making this clear.) Just because you can take a scripure out of context doesnt mean you have Michael Pitts number. You are right, I notice something about Toledo Area. You like talking in circlesyoure not really making a valid point here, especially when you need to bring River Phoenix into it. Read all 4 reviews . Yes I am. hey try posting it one more time I think I missed it. The annointing is bigger than one person, there are many members of Cornerstone that are bless with nice things. A subpoena is what you and your understudy degree are referring to which is: a formal order commanding a person to appear in court under penalty. It dawns on you pretty quickly that this is not appropriate, Smith said. Why are there so many people concerned about Cornerstone, if its not their money that people given to the church? Fourteen womenacross the U.S.shared theirstorieson the record for this report;twoothers declined to share their names publicly but said they experiencedsimilarconduct. Kathy is a very benevolent and kind lady, (shes not outgoing at all) which is probably why you thought she was snotty. But I want justice.. There is a difference. We can no longer afford silence while souls are being sifted like wheat with the help of false teachers. Oh by the way, I attended Cornerstone from 1986 to 2000. This, and only this, is the belief that God accepts as righteous. Thats a biblical principal. [6] In 1998, Cornerstone Church purchased WDMN, an AM radio station in Toledo, and sold it in 2012. I believe this forum has become abandoned. Alas! FRESNO, Calif. (KFSN) -- A downtown Fresno church is celebrating a win in a lawsuit against the state. Ive been a part of the Charasmatic movement for over 20 years and a part of Cornerstone Church for over 10 years. San Antonio's Cornerstone Church recently made headlines late last year by hosting a three-day gathering of far-right conspiracy theorists. Do you think these mega-churches he preaches at aernt paying him? This info was disclosed via tape recordings to the defense and they were ready to use it. Last I checked, being arrogant and manipulative were not by-products of intelligence. So many things in those cases didnt add up. The media exaggerated a lot and the jokes were cruel = but where is Denny Shaeffer, the saved one, now? I dont ever want to give the wrong impression, and be a stumbling block because of misinterpretations of what Ive said. He has dozens and dozens of engagements annually. 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! But, I firmly believed I wasnt in a cult either.when I was involved. Maybe that is why all of those charges were dropped. I noticed they all look young and hip. If he is a complete charlatan like you think, he must have built his church by plain business and marketing sense. If he and his congregation have donated gifts to the inner city children, why not donate a house, car, jewelry and money to MY family who work so hard for the things they are struggling to get instead of lining their pockets with Fools gold? Actually, God did show the truth, they just choose to ignore it. It detailed the Ranchsdenial of the allegationsand called the data found by theMinistrySafe investigationessentially meaningless.. His car was spotted near where several of the incidents occurred. [11], Pitts is the founder of "Heal The World", a registered 501(c)3 non-profit that activities include covering the cost of soup kitchen Thanksgiving meals,[12] collecting Bibles for US soldiers,[13] and partnering with Mercy Ministries. Rest assured, I know Michael Pitts better than you would ever wish to know him. That didnt seem right. Alert: Bishop Michael Pitts and other vipers preparing to strike. Just wanted to throw that in there. I doubt it, however I wouldnt put it past any of pastors at Cornerstone. It went unchecked. Sorry! said Lester Sumrall about the Maumee building, We began holding services in East Toledo at the Historic Eastwood Theater, Cornerstone Harvest Church planted in Lima, OH, We invest 4.2 million dollars in world class facilities for the children's wing and multipurpose facilities at our Maumee Campus, Cornerstone City Church planted in Wayne, MI, We celebrated the consecration of Pastor Michael Pitts to the office of Bishop, We launched Heal The World as an outreach arm of Cornerstone Church, The historic Eastwood Theater was and once again began holding services as the new Eastwood Campus, Cornerstone City Church restructures as our Wayne Campus, Purchased the Summit building in downtown Toledo and began renovations, Cornerstone Harvest Church restructures as our Lima Campus, Cornerstone launches as the Downtown Campus, Phil and Meredith Ryburn installed as Lead Pastors. Jon Schuerholz, executive pastor at Cornerstone Church in Grand Island CarolynMcDonald's childhoodchurch was present, andpushed the board memberstotake action. Let your yes be yes and your no be no. If he didnt do these things, then you have nothing to worry about, right? 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. His face, withbrighteyes, asalt-and-pepper goateeand weatheredsmile lines, could easily blend inwith those of otherlikable dads. Others were less sure. Please E-mail me. We all fall short of Gods laws. In all of those years, much to the shame of its leaders, I have NEVER heard such righteous teaching. 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. . The request was deniedbecause both state and county child abuse reports are confidential. 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. None righteous, no not one. Everyone would stop beign blessed and would probably go to hell, right. Look people, if Pitts WASNT guilty, why did he plea bargain with a sudden deal? I think its disgusting. Everything is just a gray area.. [15], Pitts has partnered with, and hosted annual WOWJAMs, an event started by Stephen and Linda Tavani aimed at reaching poorer communities around the city by utilizing music, games, dances, and prizes. The bible says to bring your tithe into the storehouse and a blessing would be poured out on you. The USA TODAY Network attempted to obtain any relevant reportsfiled on Wayne Aarum fromtheOffice of Children and Family Servicesunder the Freedom of Information Law. Most people who have problems with the Cornerstone are not looking at it from a religious point of view. In an interviewwith Buffalos WKBW-TV in March, Wayne Aarum told reporters he'd like to knowthe identities of thewomenwhoare accusing him ofimpropriety. Cornerstone Church, Maumee, Ohio. Why is it that since he has a big church, hes doing great things? A legal warrant. Also, Im not the one that is acting like this shining beacon of light like you are. Despite these efforts to raisethe alarmabout Aarumsbehavior,he remains in his position as president at Circle C Ranch as of spring2021, a role in which he has spentconsiderable time with adolescent staff members. Vengeanceis the Lords, Ademasaid. The boys told the cops who then pulled over Pastor Pitts! Rembember, we are all sinners. Were talking about the kingdom of God. Hes more focused on speaking to asset owners. The answer, apparently, is 7 months. 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. Pitts has been found guilty ofdriving under the influence once before. After the lawsuit against SGM was dropped, in fact, Mohler and two fellow evangelicals published astatement of supportfor Mahaney, calling him our friend and a vast influence for good. The statement claimed that Mahaney was not charged with any credible, serious, and direct wrongdoing. Thus, they wrote, we, along with many others, refused to step away from C.J. Ive been by their place and its not that much. Josh, is there any way you could post the Police Report from the Delta arrest? whats one more sin I guess if I find you all Ill have to Get prayed over BY Pitts for whiping your asses and getting you fired like Toledos Denny S 92.5 FM your next. This was shortly before the first arrest. 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. It was difficult not to notice this car, nor identify it incorrectly. THEY HAVE DAMAGED COUNTLESS PEOPLE AND CONTINUE TO PREY ON VULNERABLE MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY!! Firstly, many many individuals in the city of Toledo were and have been very unhappy about Michael Pitts once the church started to grow big. His next arrest was the very public exposing incident, in which the majority of charges were dropped and Pitts plead guilty to trespassing. You are the one that needs to pray for discernment! Pastor Michael Pitts spent nine days in the Corrections Center of Northwest Ohio after state troopers pulled him over last December. Over the next 8 years the church invested over $800,000 into the station, eventually purchasing 37% ownership. Does he use words like rebuke and radical in his messages? A different perspective I dont necessarly dismiss the man based on his actions. Marjorie Taylor Greenes Red/Blue National Divorce Looks an Awful Lot Like a Confederate Flag, Can Rage Fuel the Struggle for Justice? The goodness of the Lord affecting all nations is a recurring theme of the Ministry of Cornerstone. HOWEVER, HE OBVIOUSLY HAS SOME PERSONAL ISSUES. Ive seen those same patterns. And since for some reason, you are having a hard time with me, and I dont want to cause you to stumble, Im leaving this forum. How is Charlotte this time of year, anyway? Because, only God can judge use with regard to his will. Joe Ferranterememberscomingupon a group of female counselorson one of his first days on staffat the Ranch when he was15. JUSTICE FOR VICTIMS OF CORNERSTONE CHURCH TOLEDO. I can assure you, Michael Pitts only has one house and no jets. ****There is soooo much more I could tell you about people and facts and craziness, but it would be a book****** He is the founding pastor of Cornerstone Church and oversees the Cornerstone Global Network, a network of over 150 churches throughout the US, Mexico, Argentina, Colombia, South Africa and the UK. Try doing a search on manifest sons of God, or dominion theology or latter rain. Cornerstone Church is located across NW Ohio . She added that the difference between the strict rules for teenagecamp staff membersand the operational freedom thatAarum seemed to have as a senior leaderwasstark;You start to see the dichotomy of how the kids are treated and how Wayne was untouchable as far as what he was allowed to do, she said. (h/t Pulpit Pimps) Pitts is bishop or apostle of the Cornerstone Global Network. I cant make sense of it, said RichFerchen, 52, who worked with Aarum at both The Chapel and the Ranch for decades. Last year, when Pitts appeared for a command performance at Paula Whites church, she declared it was by divine appointment. I did and so did my son and most of his friends. Its apparent because these people cannot govern their own lives, they turn a blind eye and enable Pitts to continue his charade and deception. Getting caps on your teeth is no different. During the meeting,Wes Aarum Jr., a Circle C board member and Wayne Aarums brother,called the allegations horrific. Fellow board member Daryl Dekalbexpressed reservations about the process andsaid they couldnt truly respond without Wayne Aarum being present. FYI: If you post on this forum again pretending to be Michael Pitts, Im going to personally send him an e-mail and then maybe the real Pastors attorneys can issue you a warrant. Just because your poor doesnt mean you should have anything against the message of tithing and blessing. I thank You Lord!! I think we should left God be the judge, because you should be very careful with talking bad about people God calls. To invest in and support our ministry, visit http://cornerstonechurch.info/giving to make a. Appreciate the feedback. Pastor Pitts claimed complete vindication. Theres some thoughts to ponder Julie. Which I do. And just because an organization is growing, doesnt mean that he is doing what God wants of him. 38 people follow this. That is why he was not found guilty of ANY of them. Michael Pitts is an American pastor, preacher, and author. 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. [2], In June 1986, Pitts and his wife Kathi moved to Toledo to start a non-denominational church, which they named Cornerstone Church. Everything Ive read so far, everystoryon Facebook I dont doubt it, he said. You can unsubscribe at any time. Im not trying to critize, just inform you. Why is the church still strong? Id appreciate it, Mr. Josh Benton, if you would get your facts straight and not try to get people to believe what YOU think is true. Simple as that. By joining, or logging in via Facebook, you accept Change.orgs Terms of Service and Privacy Policy. Never. YOU would know that if you knew him or even attended any services. Pastor made no excuses for his actions and apolagized to the congregation. Jennifer Adema,now 42 and living in Salt Lake City, Utah, alleges she wasinappropriatelytouched by Aarum onmissionstrips and at The Chapel in the 1990s. A legal warrant. Hes a great man with a past. The leadership is very secretive, deceptive, and full of greed. I think you certainly have to consider the fact that Pastor Pitts was out of the country on atleast 1 or 2 of the alleged dates he was accused of exposing himself in the park but the delta incident is perplexing me! 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. I went there for half my life. He wasnt drunk. Am I annointed, well, God annointed a donkey to speak in the old testament, so why cant a man that is not perfect (being myself) be used of God. Thank goodness!!! p.s. I happened to be attending the service right after Pastor P. had received the DUI. Former camp staffersand youth group members sayWayneAarum hada reputation for being boththe cool guyand the sensitive, serious type; some had a deep aversion to him. People imperonating others is in fact fraud, but more than this the word of God says, and I quote, touch not mine annointed and do my prophets no harm. He has never done these things, and dont believe the garbage you hear about offerings and services etc etc. Michael Pitts was identified and arrested in Delta, Ohio in 1995 for public indecency and did attend counseling for this arrest. I didnt know that was a relatively new church to this area at the time. Pastor Pitts hired some very fine attorneys and, in the end, all charges except for two criminal trespass misdemeanors were suddenly dropped. I think most people have driven when they probably shouldnt and got out of it scot free (I know I have). In fact, Pastor Pitts is ministering more now than ever. I have to say tooI Love Denny Schafer. A buddy of mine used to video tape the services at Cornerstone. Thanks for your review. Updated: 11:03 PM CST January 30, 2020 SAN ANTONIO The brother of a San Antonio megachurch pastor was arrested Wednesday and charged with indecency with a child by contact and continuous . Isnt it funny how when you type michael pitts into the search field of this site you get links to go and look at his books at Barnesandnoble.com and amazon.com. Dave: All those Biblical types you mention acknowledged theyd done something wrong. Mahaneys former flagship church, Covenant Life, gave an additional $15,000 to SBTS. (Of course, I hadnt to surf in secret and never told anyone at church that I was questioning the church) I felt like I had become so obsessed/convinced that I was in the one, true church that I couldnt leave or I would surely lose my salvation. Like I said, I cant make you think differently, nor can you make me. Where did the pastor go? We pastor a small church, (no, Im not jealous, I wouldnt want a large church, too much stress) and I have an incurable disease. God Bless Pastor Pitts and the whole Cornerstone Family, I myself have benefited greatly from the annointing spirit that overflows beyond the walls of Cornerstone. wow this is a trip! Maybe you should go to Cornerstone and break your impoverished mindset. God Bless You. You know how I feel about no names LOL Big Chickens!! Pastor Michael Pitts spent nine daysin the Corrections Center of Northwest Ohio after state troopers pulled him over last December. He is a man who has guided my learning well. He was consecrated as a bishop by the International Communion of Charismatic Churches in 2009. And, I am orginally from Cleveland, and the Blade is the worst newspaper in the State. Have you ever listened to him? Man leads, but the Holy Spirit will let us know whether or not its the truth that we are being told. We, as Christians ALL have a code of behavior we are to follow. Its funny that redneck Carty Finkbeiner could get less media coverage for all his real crimes.