Look at your own lifeask yourself what you are good at and what you love. It turns out former Hillsong Dallas pastor Reed Bogard was accused of raping a junior female staffer who he had an affair with. The following day, he apologized for the tweet. The investigators further explained that it was concerning that Hillsong Church never considered the power imbalance between the two Bogard and his accuser once they were informed about the relationship. Thank you for allowing God to use you to touch the lives of others in our city! I was paid once for one job, Walker said, recalling how Reed Bogart once gave him some $600 as a favor when he needed some cash. Brian Houston categorically denies he had knowledge of this serious allegation when Reed Bogard was selected as the Lead Pastor for Dallas, Hillsong Church said in a statement to CP. Along with the former junior staffer and Bogard, the following individuals were interviewed as part of the internal investigation: a former Hillsong NYC congregant; Shannon Kelly, a former creative director at Hillsong NYC; Amanda and Robert Fergusson, a husband and wife team of Bible teachers and key leaders of Hillsong Church; Jess Bogard, wife of Reed Bogard; Lauren Brooks (sic), a former creative producer at Hillsong NYC; Tolu Badders, chief operating officer and executive pastor at Hillsong Church NYC; Kane Keatinge, Hillsong NYC staff pastor; Carl Lentz, former Hillsong NYC lead pastor who wasfired in November 2020 over leadership issues and moral failures, including being unfaithful to his wife; Laura Lentz and Ben Houston. Were really intentional with the kids about not feeling any pressure as being a pastors kid. We received several complaints regarding Reed Bogards failure to uphold the standards of Hillsong leadership. Bogard did present as aggressive.. I always ask people, What do you love? I believe God places a natural thing in us to where we are inclined to do the things we lovepursuing that will show you what your gifts are. If you would like to donate to this ministry, please click the button above to give. The Bogards resigned less than two months after former Hillsong NYC pastor Carl Lentz was fired last Novemberover leadership issues and moral failures, including being unfaithful to his wife. 'I'm not interested to support an organization that's willing to treat abuse the way I've seen them treat abuse. Bart Barber, Majority of pastors love to preach but few like counseling and discipling believers more: study. and Chelsea Smith with campuses in Seattle and Los Angeles. He laterreleased a statement claiming that he lied about having cancer because he was addicted to pornography. I am grateful that there has been some action made as a result of person after person sharing their negative experience of Hillsong Church, but there needs to be a lot more progress made by Hillsong Church and specifically Brian Houston in light of all of the stories that have come out recently, Jenna Babbitt, a current Dallas resident and former Hillsong NYC congregant, told The Post. The views expressed in the contents above are those of our users and do not necessarily reflect the views of MailOnline. We lucked out. Thats why we originally moved to New York. It's unclear what prompted the woman to claim six years later that Bogard had raped her. This story has been shared 677,807 times. Hillsong Church Senior Pastor Brian Houston of Sydney, Australia speaks at Catalyst Conference in Atlanta, Georgia on Friday, Oct. 7, 2016. We had a mutual friend who thought we would be good together. Hillsong leaders were made aware years earlier of a sexual relationship between the two parties, but an investigation was not conducted by the church at the time. The comments below have not been moderated. Globally, church leaders have faced a number of allegations over the years, from sexual assault to revelations that former celebrity pastor Carl Lentz cheated on his wife of 17 years while other former Hillsong members have compared it to a 'cult'. Mays,the son of the church's head of human resources John Mays, pleaded guilty to 'assault with an act of indecency' in 2019, according to the outlet. Bogard expressed his gratitude toward Brian and Bobbie Houston, the global senior pastors of Hillsong Church, for supporting and trusting him and Jess. Kelly told investigators that even if Bogard did not physically force himself on his accuser she did not have the ability to say no. And we are so excited for Dallas as a new room of Hillsong Church is launching! Right now were in North Dallas High School, and after COVID, were excited to do something in Frisco as well as Downtown Dallas. A family walked to our house, knocked on our door, and asked if my sister or I would want to go to youth group or church with themso I went. Leaders in the church have also faced recent allegations including sexual assault. It was natural for me to want to preach. Lenz was fired in November for having an affair but has put on a united front with wife Laura, who also worked for the church before she too was fired0. Updated April 12, 2021: A few months ago, Pastor Reed Bogard and his wife, Jess, resigned as pastors at Hillsong Dallas. Without discounting the strength of a prosecution case due to the passage of time, it is likely that a jury, evaluating the interplay, would have found that Mr. Bogard acted without obtaining (or, under the circumstances, having any reasonable expectation of being able to obtain) actual consent by Ms. [redacted].. Leonardo DiCaprio, 48, and ex-girlfriend Camila Morrone, 25, still see each other 'ALL THE TIME' because they share custody of their beloved dog Sally, 'I think it's a crime': Brittney Griner slams push to ban trans women from competing against biological women in sport and says 'everyone deserves the right to play', Wimbledon champion Martina Navratilova slams trans swimmer Lia Thomas for saying some use feminism to 'push transphobic beliefs': 'Stop explaining feminism to feminists', 'I should not have to conform to femininity to attend': Non-binary student is BANNED from senior prom for wearing a suit, MAUREEN CALLAHAN: How hateful, smug and sanctimonious! Houston later said the couple, who had served in New York with Lentz . I walked into the Hillsong arena conference, a naive young girlI grabbed my senior pastor and said, I didnt know there were this many Christians in the world! I just decided I wanted to be part of this church for the rest of my life. We suspended him from his pastoral duties as we initiated a review into these incidents, the Houstons wrote, adding that the Bogards decided to resign early in the investigation process, which has since concluded. Ms. [redacted] admits that she complied. Significantly, Ms. [redacted] now discloses that at the time she said, no, I dont think we should do this, investigators said. Grab hold of where you are at right now and see it as your ministry. Investigators noted in the report that: "It is difficult if not impossible to say with certainty whether the initial sexual acts between Mr. Bogard and Ms. [redacted] occurred notwithstanding an express, verbal objection ('No') uttered by Ms. [redacted] in the moment.". Ms. [redacted] and Mr. Bogard then talked about Mr. Bogards frustrations with his upcoming move to California, and how he was unhappy in his marriage, the report said. Once they were in the car, things quickly got out of hand. Bogard's departure from the church is the latest in a string of scandals to have plagued the organization. According to the investigation, Reed Bogard's extramarital relationship with the junior staffer at Hillsong New York occurred from September 2013 through January 2014. Citing investigation participants privacy, the email only vaguely details the pastors as having failed to meet the commitments and standards of Hillsong, before offering a brief apology to those who felt disappointed or hurt.. The details have never been made public until now. A few other Hillsong resignations have followed Lentz, including Darnell Barrett, creative director of Hillsong Church Montclair in New Jersey, as well as Reed and Jess Bogard from Hillsong Dallas, which has since closed. Bogard told her if you dont sign this contract, you dont work here.. I followed the music one Sunday morning and found a church. 'I felt like I could not say anything about the Jason incident because his friend had said not to, insisting that he was a good guy and this was not a normal behavior for him.'. I want to be the first to apologize to those who felt disappointed or hurt, and I pray that God does a swift work in bringing peace and healing.. Hillsong Church has faced controversy recently after Hillsong NYC pastor Carl Lentz was fired on Nov. 4 for what Houston first announced as moral failures. The next day. But Reed and I lead the church togetherwith our arms linked. JUD BOGARD Obituary (1976 - 2022) - Boston, CA - Boston Globe - Legacy.com Susan Greene. Im a big believer in being sent" and not being one of the went." published an apology in which he admitted that he was terminated because he had been unfaithful to his wife. Mr. For clarity, I am part of Churchome.. This, however, was not sufficient for Annas father, Ed Crenshaw. The fact that no Church leader appears to have even considered this issue is a cause for concern," investigators said. Both Bogard and his rape accuser offered varying accounts of their first sexual encounter which happened inside his car on Manhattans Upper East Side after they had a clandestine meeting at a local bar, investigators said. Jennifer Smith, Chief Reporter For Dailymail.Com ChurchLeaders original article written on January 5, 2021 below. Ms. [redacted] now reports that at this point, she said no. Mr. Bogard began to apply his hands to Ms. [redacteds] breasts. But we will NOT be brainwashed, JAN MOIR: Harry's war of grievance against the press is only going to hurt his father ahead of his Coronation, Biden to set up migrant processing centers in Guatemala and Colombia to try and stop an influx of migrants and authorizes Army Reserves to head to the border - with Title 42 ending in just 12 DAYS, 'If he was an NBA player, he'd be home': Family of Texas man awaiting EXECUTION in China say Biden is 'cherry picking' high profile cases - as Ted Cruz calls for him to be freed 10 years after he was jailed on 'bogus' drug charges, Human remains found at a swimming beach on Lake Mead are finally identified as a Las Vegas man who went missing on a fishing trip with his brother in 1998, to uphold the standards of Hillsong leadership.'. In early January of 2021, Pastor Reed Bogard, who helped found Hillsong NYC and Hillsong LA and was up until this point the senior pastor at Hillsong Dallas, released a short, curt, prerecorded message during the January 3 service announcing that he and his "pastrix" wife Jess were resigning. More Hillsong pastors resign amid megachurch's ongoing scandal I have always felt a call to ministry. The investigation was commissioned by Hillsong Global in October 2020, shortly after senior church officials first learned that the former junior staffer alleged that her first act of sexual intercourse with Bogard in his car after a late night out together was non-consensual. Babbitt stated that she was also given a PEX card to pay for the food of the children she cared for but was never asked to explain the purchases. "Thereafter, Mr. Bogard was returned to full Pastoral duties, and was eventually awarded a promotion to Lead Pastor in the newly created Church location in Dallas, Texas," the report adds. Brandon Walker, 28, also worked with the Bogards in Texas. We loved our time with Jess and we know you will too. I felt the Holy Spirit stop me, Dont be the positive policejust sit and empathize. So I responded from that place. Jess and Reed were a byproduct of an unhealthy spiritual environment that reproduces the same type of leader over and over again, added Babbitt, who baby-sat for the Bogards during her years in NYC. He has been criminally charged in Australia over the allegation that he turned a blind eye to his father's abhuse - which he vehemently denies. Bogard, who now works as a director of business development for Keller Williams in Michigan, said he was done with all things Hillsong as well. Leaked Report Faults Hillsong for Promoting Reed Bogard - ChurchLeaders To (rightfully) be more respectful of privacy, I deleted my comment. Just going to church and knowing Him was better than the life I was living. In January, Reed and Jess Bogard, lead pastors of the Dallas location, abruptly resigned during a Sunday morning service. Matched at Yale for plastic surgery residency. Lets believe God for great things ahead.. , updated Former Hillsong Church Pastor Reed Bogard Has Been - Perez Hilton But Gods grace covers it all. God wont take you to the next level until you allow him to use you where youre at. Last April, Hillsong paused its Dallas campus after Pastors Reed and Jess Bogard resigned in January as they were being investigated for leadership failures and accused of overusing church expense cards . The announcement comes as vindication for those who previously spoke out against the Bogards. New Hampshire is crowned beer capital of America and Washington DC has biggest number of winos, official data shows so how boozy is your state ? For the first time, Ms. [redacted] stated that at least in their initial sexual intercourse, Mr. Bogard had raped her., Investigators at Zukerman Gore said while it might be too late for Bogards accuser to seek civil damages against him or the church for what happened to her, a criminal complaint for rape might still be timely, though that would not be expected to implicate the Church itself.. Other former church members have compared it to a cult and detailed incidents of sexual assault. This last season, Ive had to put more time and effort into my family and kids so I havent done as much speaking in church. He also claimed that when money was used on volunteers, it was done manipulatively. It is understood no reimbursement protocols were in place for money spent on the cards. Church leaders were led to believe the relationship was consensual and "consequences to both [parties] were meted out accordingly," investigators revealed. Ive been so broken and God has used me regardless. Another former Hillsong pastor Michael Guglielmucci admitted to faking a cancer diagnosis in 2008 while receiving donations to help pay for his 'treatments,' Vanity Fair reported. When the time is right and we have identified and trained suitable lead pastors, we will consider relaunching.. Houston wrote, Many factors, all amplified by the pandemic have resulted in the difficult decision., Leaving hope for Hillsong Dallas to meet again, Houston wrote, We still have a huge heart and vision for the great state of Texas. Reed Bogard, 38, and his wife, Jess Bogard, 35, the lead pastors of the Australia-based institution's Dallas branch, are stepping away from the once-celebrity-beloved international worship chain after over a decade of employment there. Hillsong board blames anxiety drug, alcohol for landing Brian Houston Trans swimmer Lia Thomas is now telling women what feminism is - and if we protest then we're bigots. Join thousands of others to get the FREEDOM POST newsletter for free, sent twice a week from The Christian Post. My parents divorced when I was 11 and I moved with my dad and my sister to a small back house in a town of 200 people. Stroud end up? Thank you, Jess! Life is meant to be lived. Lets be more unified than ever before, said Houston. I had no money, was a young, grimy little 13-year-old girlbelieving big things for her life. Investigators said Bogard disputed the level of drinking. We are no longer accepting comments on this article. Hillsong pastors 'used worshipper donations to fund wealthy lifestyles We try to create a normal life in the midst of something nobody has ever experienced before. The former junior Hillsong NYC staffer who asked not to be publicly named in this report when contacted by The Christian Post, said she has been trying to move on with her life. Bogard was also painted as a leader at Hillsong NYC who had a reputation for aggression, verbal abuse and unreasonable demands, which witnesses called UnChristian. Investigators said in their interview with him, Mr. When she asked about it, investigators noted: Mr. [redacted] stated that when they got into the car (she in the front passenger seat and Mr. Bogard in the drivers seat), Mr. Bogard leaned across the arm rest and kissed Ms. [redacted]. Jessica is a content editor for ChurchLeaders.com and the producer of The Stetzer ChurchLeaders Podcast. That makes it sadder. Hillsong admittedin December that it knew about 'serious allegations' against the church in 2018 and 'found some were true'. Why Dallas? On Sunday, Reed Bogard announced his and his wife's resignation in a prerecorded message that aired during the church's streaming worship service.a prerecorded message that aired during the church's streaming Early this year, Reed and Jess Bogard abruptly resigned from their positions as lead pastors at Hillsong Church's Dallas location. I think the bill was $600 to $700, Walker recalled. I would ask her questions, convinced I had done a sin that couldnt be forgiven. Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. Hillsong started in Australia in 1983 but has since ballooned to become an international mega church with a cult-like celebrity following. Its not going to happen.. Pastors Reed and Jess Bogard met at Hillsong College, and Reed later established the church that would become Hillsong NYC. She revealed that during the relationship she was sent a new employment contract with a non-disclosure agreement. Carl Lentz and the Trouble at Hillsong | Vanity Fair Theexploitation of free labor while these pastors are making bank is just crazy to me, Babbitt, who spent months working without pay for the Bogards, told the newspaper in January. Mr. Bogards position is interesting because he seems to need to establish that he was too drunk to act responsibly as a way of soothing his conscience, yet he ignores or overlooks the fact that if Ms. [redacted], his subordinate, was similarly impaired, that she would have been incapable of meaningful consent in what happens after they leave the bar, investigators explained. Pop star Justin Bieber, who has attended Hillsong in the past and who was friends with Lentz, has distanced himself from Hillsong after a Dec. 31 report suggested that the star had plans to go into ministry at Hillsong NYC. There can be no doubt that given the extreme power imbalance between the two, as well as the dont say no culture which permeated the New York Church at that time, there was ample opportunity for Mr. Bogard to take advantage of a systemic inability for Ms. [redacted] to have meaningfully consented at the time in question, the report noted. On Sunday (Jan. 3), Reed Bogard announced his and his wife's resignation in a prerecorded message that aired during the church's streaming worship service. I thought, "Surely thats not them" But they had also just gotten a new car. The former Hillsong junior staffer said they stayed at the bar for about 45 minutes, having only one drink each. Now that we got it, I believe we can finally move on.. Ive never met two people who believe in people so much, said Bogard, adding that he believes the best is yet to come for Hillsong Church in general and for Hillsong Dallas in particular. The Houstons said Reed Bogard, who along with his wife allegedly used church funds lavishly, had been suspended from his pastoral duties as complaints that he failed to uphold the standards of Hillsong leadership were being investigated. A former Hillsong member named Jenna Babbitt said that she provided childcare services for some pastors, including Reed and Jess Bogard, who resigned earlier this month from Hillsong Dallas. Lets be more unified than ever before, said Houston. read more. More Hillsong pastors resign amid megachurch's ongoing scandal I felt his arms and hands wrapped around my legs making contact with my inner thigh, butt and crotch,' she wrote in the 2018 statement reviewed by the Christian Post. In addition to helping plant Hillsong Dallas and Hillsong LA, the Bogards helped plant Hillsong NYC while serving alongside recently disgraced pastor Carl Lentz. Volunteers have already accused the church of using them to perform manual labor and fulfill the personal needs of its leadership. But there was another girl who had started to vibe with Reedand I found out she was doing his laundry and making him apple pies. Liked by Jasmine Bogard. They have three amazing boys Judah (11, born in Australia), Lando (7, born in NYC) and Cash (5, born in California) and their greatest desire in life is to build the Church, to help as many people as possible find Jesus, and to live out the message that as imperfect as we are as people, we can still be loved, accepted, and know that we can all come to Jesus as we are. I thought, f I cant have a relationship with You, then I dont want to go to church." Former Los Angeles service pastor Nicole Herman told the Post she was told to 'fill' the cards, adding: 'We had a team count the tithes after every service and they would allocate X amount of money for the PEX cards. We are honest with our church about not being perfectnobody is. I have a very active daily relationship with Jesus. Reed and Jess Bogard met at Hillsong International Leadership College in Australia and later returned to the U.S. to plant the three Hillsong churches with which they have been involved. These complaints included the misuse of worshipers tithes. ', Megan Phalon, left, said the pastors 'bought four-wheeler ATVs' to drive around the city. The church added: 'Many factors, all amplified by the pandemic, have resulted in the difficult decision to pause all operations at Hillsong Dallas for now.'. She made the allegation for the first time in conversations with Hillsong leaders and an investigation was commissioned as a result. Hillsong Dallas pastor Reed Bogard was secretly accused of raping a younger, female staffer who he had an affair with in 2013, it has been revealed. Hillsong East Coast made nearly $13 million in 2019; 88 per cent of that came from 'tithes & offerings.' He was seen soaking up the sun with his wife on Easter Sunday while wearing shorts with a cropped plaid shirt. Bogard was ousted from the church along with his wife last year amid claims they had been misappropriating church donations to fund their lavish lifestyle. Exclusive: Sex abuse allegations by Carl Lentz's former nanny put The report states that the junior staffer "resurfaced the issue" in October 2020, six years after initially confessing to having a consensual relationship. Use what is in your hand to fulfill what is in your heart. There was no indication from the investigation that the rape allegation was reported to law enforcement. Ms. All we ever wanted was acknowledgment of what was happening, Brandon Walker who helped the Bogards start the Dallas branch in 2019 and previously talked about excessive spending told The Post of the email. UPDATE: Brian Houston Announces Dallas Hillsong Closing After Pastors Misuse of Funds, ChurchLeaders original article written on, In addition to helping plant Hillsong Dallas and Hillsong LA, the Bogards helped plant Hillsong NYC while, It has been an incredible ride thus far,, ina prerecorded message prior to Sundays livestreamed sermon, which was delivered by Hillsong pastor, . In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make straight your paths. Proverbs 3:5-6 (ESV). The Houstons said that Reed Bogard had been suspended from 'his pastoral duties' while the church reviewed complaints from members that he failed 'to uphold the standards of Hillsong leadership. Hillsong Church has enormous compassion for the other party involved in this situation. The Houstons examination has now concluded after interviewing members of the church who asked the church not to reveal personal details. It was very disappointing to learn that, while some of you experienced the Bogards as dedicated pastors, many others have experienced leadership that failed to meet the commitments and standards of Hillsong Church, Brian Houston said, in part, at the time. Posts Reels Videos Tagged When Houston and his wife, Bobbie, announced they were pausing the Dallas campus in April 2021, they failed to mention that Bogard, 39, had been accused of rape. One thing I have been thinking about a lot lately is that I want to make decisions now that my future self will be grateful for. It was reported that the Bogards used fundsused to purchase ATVs, expensive meals, designer clothes, and items for their children. Hillsong Church was founded in Sydney in 1983 and has since expanded into a global chain with locations across the United States, UK, and other countries. Hillsong is shutting down its Dallas operations amid a series of scandals that have rocked the Australian-based megachurch, the church announced on Saturday.
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