Have you or your kids been to Soul Survivor?

[Coffeeandcards]

You might want to read this if so:
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2023/04/12/mike-pilavachi-soul-survivor-charity-watchdog/

The Telegraph have printed an article saying the C of E have found MP is guilty of spiritual abuse. I can’t read it but Twitter has just got going.

Here we are: https://t.co/6oqgeShDXE

Thank you @FluffyCat17 for linking to that article.

You have been really brave @PrimitivePerson with bringing that - well done. (It sounds patronising writing that out but I do really mean it).

Yes. Thank you @FluffyCat17
I'm feeling very sad and angry!

Yes, thank you for posting the article.

It says there is to be an 'independent review' but not what that will entail.
"Now this stage of the process is over Soul Survivor Watford has commissioned an independent review to be led by Fiona Scolding KC. This is separate and independent of the internal Church of England investigation, with a full report to be published at the end."
The survivors were calling for an independent investigation from the start.

The internal CofE investigation was announced on 2 April, some five months ago.
This decision of a an 'internal review' seems far too late.

Hopefully the 'internal review' will cover that and what should have happened to progress an external investigation, in a timely way, without the contamination of evidence.

Soul survivor Watford have put this on their website https://www.soulsurvivorwatford.co.uk/latestupdates

Wow. That is good they've admitted it
I dont see how other leaders aren't complicit though?!

That was a surprisingly strong statement from SS wasn’t it? Thanks for all the latest links.

Surely the people who ignored the victims who came forward years ago must be investigated? And those involved in finances? Those who arranged funding some of the boys to travel with MP but charge others.

I agree that others must have allowed MPs behaviour. They are still investigating the senior leader Andy Croft and Bishop Graham Cray
I guess, although others in leadership should have addressed MPs behaviour, they will have also been treated to his manipulative abuse and at least some of them had started out as MPs protégés which will have made it difficult for them to stand up to him or maybe even identify the abuse.

I'm not making excuses for them. They still have to face up to their part in it but I do have some sympathy for what it might have been like for them.

Have we discussed Croyden Vineyards statement? I can't remember if we have on this thread?

I was quite impressed they'd made that statement.(Although too much religious language in it now I've left that world ;) )

https://t.co/dKaLslfozL

It has all been substantiated.

What was their statement? Can you link to it?

https://croydonvineyard.org.uk/cv-leaders/statement-on-mike-pilavachi

Here. I had some bad experiences in the vineyard (but a good while ago now. I feel old!) And think their set up is v vulnerable to "god appointed leaders in charge/be loyal to the leaders." Also think their accountability is superficial... God told us we should... wasnt uncommon.

Anyway that aside that's why it surprised me. Tbh I didn't read every word but got the gist...

And the loyalty thing was spot on.

I just couldn't remember if it had been done before and wasn't going to loon through 40 pages!

@PrimitivePerson I am sorry that you are likely to have a tough time emotionally as that investigation gets going. Be kind to yourself. I tried to post last night separately to my post about the MP press release but found my username wouldn’t work on the phone 🤔I think I heard GC talk at youth events in the late 80s but only remember his name. Take care x

Oh my goodness, I was out for the evening and missed the news.

That CofE statement is…wow…horrific, sad and shocking. They are really clear about the findings and quite right too.

Also relieved in some ways, because I was beginning to lose faith that it would happen.

Wow. The statement from Croydon Vineyard is brilliantly written. Excellent content.

The Croydon Vineyard statement was published some three months ago (God Loves Women timeline refers to it on 8 June).
It was pretty apparent by that time with all the first hand accounts in national newspapers and on social media, all describing the same behavior patterns.

I find it disappointing that it has taken the Church of England internal investigation so long to acknowledge what has been in the public domain since 30 April/1 May, so for over four months. Had it not been in the public domain I do wonder what the findings would have been.

There is a good statement for the Evangelical Alliance, available at https://twitter.com/GavCalver/status/1699743102557180239?s=20 (thanks to God Loves Women timeline).

The statement from a branch of New Frontiers I don't fully understand, available at https://www.relationalmission.org/news/2023/9/7/statement (thanks again to God Loves Women timeline).
This states:
"Mike Pilavachi has been a friend to Relational Mission and we found his ministry to our leaders helpful but were unaware of the longstanding concerns about some of his behaviours."
What does this mean?
Are they admitting they knew there was a problem with Mike P and gave him a platform anyway? In which case, at least they are being honest.
Or is this just a poor choice of words?

My mistake, I've re-read it and it says 'unaware' rather than 'aware'.

The New Frontiers statement is being called out on Twitter. It doesn't call what happened abuse. I think I agree with those who are concerned about this. NF has worked so very closely with MP on so many occasions They need to have a very clear acknowledgement of what happened and I'm not sure they have managed this. They have been slow to make any comments and I am concerned that they haven't fully understood what has happened or how to prevent similar happening in other settings.

New Frontiers, Terry Virgo’s church, has a former youth worker involved in a court case for abusing young boys.
Available at: https://www.brightonandhovenews.org/2023/08/15/hove-church-youth-leader-charged-with-abusing-four-boys/

NF had a very hierarchical model like vineyard so even less checks and balances than the C of E.

I'm more convinced than ever that the whole thing is rotten.

Terry Virgo publicly endorsing Mike P on social media around 14 July, and the problem that New Frontiers International have with women being in leadership, do not assist with reaching a different conclusion.

On Vineyard, it will be interesting to see whether Vineyard UK & Ireland now make a statement as they were quite closely linked to Mike P.
Christopher Lane, founding pastor and former senior pastor of St Albans Vineyard was a trustee of Soul Survivor Watford until he retired recently, friends with Mike P (obviously), made similar public statements endorsing Mike P as Terry Virgo around 14th July, and trained with Mike at Chorleywood.

Nothing from Elim Pentecostal.🤔

Quick question: would people like a second thread, or perhaps PrimitivePerson’s thread can be that?