Recently, certain events occurred that Pastor Perry and the Church’s leadership feel the NewSpring Church family needs to know about.
Earlier this year, a critic of the church from the Anderson community created a critical blog site and posted numerous blogs disagreeing with the methods of NewSpring Church and the messages that Pastor Perry has preached, including basic theological doctrine.
In February an employee of the church met with this individual in an attempt to resolve any misunderstandings and listen to his concerns. Since that meeting, the frequency and intensity of the critical blogs have increased.
In the summer of 2009, one NewSpring employee and two volunteers, acting on their own accord and unbeknownst to the Church, began a wholly inappropriate campaign directed at the author of the blog site. None of their actions were known to, or condoned by, the Church or its leadership in any way.
When the Church’s leadership was contacted by the author of the blog site regarding the activities of these three individuals, the Church requested proof substantiating his claims. None was provided. However, he claimed he felt there was a conspiracy by the church’s leadership causing and encouraging this harassment.
When the church later found out that inappropriate activity had taken place by an employee and two volunteers, the employee was immediately terminated and the two volunteers were removed from service to the Church.
Around the same time, a NewSpring executive pastor and his wife adopted a child that, coincidentally, the author of the blog site and his wife were also seeking to adopt. The decision with whom to place the child was made solely by the birth mother and was what she considered to be in the best interest of the child. Adoption is a legal process and it is a matter of public record that the Church was not a party to this adoption nor did the Church attempt to influence its outcome in any way.
On October 31st, the author of the blog site emailed the Church broadly outlining complaints of harassment and interference with his adoption efforts, and asking to meet with a Church representative. On November 17th, counsel for the Church met with the blog site author in an effort to resolve any conflicts he had with Pastor Perry or the Church. In the course of that meeting, the blog site author outlined a detailed list of grievances against the Church and his contention that there was a conspiracy by the Church to interfere with the adoption of a child.
Those grievances also included his belief that the church knowingly and willingly allowed this harassment and even encouraged it.
The blog site author ended the meeting with NewSpring’s counsel with a demand for payment of one and a half million dollars ($1,500,000.00) if he was allowed to share the pulpit with Pastor Perry during the Church’s weekend services or through various other “public options” in order to denounce the Church, its leadership, and its “culture of hatred.” Alternatively, the blog site author demanded payment of three million dollars ($3,000,000.00) from the Church in exchange for him to not reveal his complaints against the Church to the public. The Church, of course, rejected both offers.
NewSpring Church will not be subjected to hollow and exaggerated threats by critics of the Church seeking outrageous sums of money.
The Church is offering ministerial counseling to its former employee and two volunteers and is hopeful that it will, over time, result in their complete repentance and spiritual restoration. Pastor Perry and NewSpring continue to pray for all involved in this unfortunate situation.