March 7, 2022
I’ve been reading up on the Association of Related Churches lately.
It’s one of America’s largest church planting organizations. I didn’t realize organizations like this existed, but it makes total sense that they do. Basically, when you decide you want to start a church in some random city, you call up the ARC and they give you a tested template to follow to make sure your church is as identical to others as possible.
But also in my reading, I’ve come to the conclusion that the ARC should change their motto to: “Plant Churches, Get Laid.”
Because while reading about the ARC, I’ve also been reading about numerous scandals that have been coming to light recently within the churches that have been planted using this organization.
Let’s explore a few:
Jeremy Foster of Hope City Church in Houston, Texas
Jeremy Foster, lead pastor of Hope City Church in Houston, resigned after admitting to having an affair.
In an unusual twist on such a common story, it seems Foster came forward with this on his own volition without having to be caught first.
If you want to know more about this story, you can read this.
Tavner Smith of Venue Church in Chattanooga, Tennessee
In November 2021, a handful of members of Venue Church in Chattanooga, Tennessee made an unannounced visit to the home of their pastor, Tavner Smith. There, they caught him alone with a female church employee. She was wearing a towel and he was in his boxers. Smith quickly explained that they had spilled food on their clothes.
Smith had recently separated from and divorced his wife in early 2021 after 15 years of marriage.
In December 2021, a video was posted online of Smith kissing the same woman from the “spilled food” incident in a restaurant.
After these incidents, several long-time employees of Venue Church resigned.
Shortly after, Tavner Smith posted on Instagram saying he’d take a one-month sabbatical and then return to preaching. After returning right on time, he did, in fact, admit to the congregation that he’d had an “inappropriate relationship” but did not give any other details. As of this writing, it seems further details will be sparse or, more likely, non existent.
An ex-staff member of Venue Church has said the church has, “zero elders or accountability” so it seems this is one major reason why Smith is able to continue on given the evidence of sexual misconduct.
If you want to know more about this story, you can read this and this.
Micahn Carter of Together Church in Yakima, Washington and Church of the Highlands in Birmingham, Alabama
In 2019, Micahn Carter resigned as pastor from Together Church in Yakima, Washington. At the time, there wasn’t a clear reason given for his resignation.
He then transferred over to Church in the Highlands in Birmingham, Alabama. He resigned from there in July 2021 after a former secretary accused him of raping her in 2019. It would seem this incident was the reason he’d left Together Church.
Carter had been brought to Church of the Highlands for a period of “supervised ministry” so he could be restored to full-time ministry, but it seems like that was unable to continue given the event from 2019 that came to light.
If you want to know more about this story, you can read this.
How Does It All Fit Together?
There are more stories that I have not listed here, and given the clear pattern, there are sure to be plenty more instances of pastoral sexual misconduct to come. But what the hell is going on?
Perhaps it all has something to do with a man named Dino Rizzo.
Rizzo is one of the executive directors of the Association of Related Churches and formerly was the lead pastor at Healing Place, a megachurch in Baton Rouge. He resigned after being caught having an “inappropriate relationship.” Rizzo then joined Church of the Highlands in Alabama for a year of “supervised ministry” that then led to restoration to normal ministry—as had been the intended plan for Micahn Carter, mentioned above. Could it be that after Rizzo’s restoration at COTH, he felt compelled to offer similar pervert pastors the same opportunity, regardless of how terrible their actions were?
Now, it seems Dino Rizzo is in hot water again. He’s involved in two different lawsuits involving ARC member churches and alleged sexual misconduct and subsequent cover ups that happened at these churches. It’s all a big tangled mess, and you can read more about it here.
The writer of the linked article above came to the same conclusion as I did: there seems to be a pattern of sexual misconduct among pastors of ARC churches, who are then either covered up for, not punished, or sent around to other churches for “healing.”
What’s frightening to me is that these cases I’ve listened here—and the ones that are discussed in the linked article—are probably not the only instances of these things happening. These are probably the only ones that have come to light thus far. Meaning this behavior is likely happening a lot more frequently and the offending pastors just haven’t been caught yet.
I’ll be keeping my eye on these developments. To me, it seems the ARC is a giant network of sexual harm that seems too large to stop without some sort of greater awareness or effort being deployed.
ARC has planted over 1000 churches. I planted one of those churches. I would guess the moral failure rate of pastors is probably the same in evangelical circles. I would also guess most of the leaders in ARC churches love God and love people. I think it’s unfortunate you have lumped all of ARC in the same moral failure bucket. As far as Pastor Dino is concerned, his failure in Louisianna has been dealt with appropriately and he was repentant. As far as pending litigation, no one knows the whole story yet. The Bible instructs us to be slow to speak, which I believe is appropriate for this season. I do not know Pastor Dino personally, but he has always been generous and kind in limited interactions.
You may have issues with the theological framework of ARC, which is fair game for criticism. Please refrain from inferring ARC is a cesspool of unchecked immorality. It is not accurate or fair to your brothers and sisters in Christ.
God Bless!
I understand that it’ll be difficult for you to view this situation objectively.
Appropriately based on whose standards? He doesn’t seem to have learned a thing, hence the lawsuit.
Dino Rizzo was slow to speak, and it’s for that reason he’s gotten in trouble for covering up and failing to report harm.
Those are your words, but I like them. I’ll likely quote you in my inevitable follow-up article. There’s a clear pattern happening here, and that’s the reason why ARC has developed this reputation.
Arc’s theology, structure, and church’s is the re-marketed Shepherding Movement. I believe Dino, Domingue, Mills, Stermer, Hodges, etc., knew exactly what they were doing when this was in its’ infancy.
@jeremy ARC is a cesspool of unchecked power tripping men. The reason they are unchecked is because they all are in competition with each other to create the biggest church within the organization. On top of that, they’re unchecked because they all answer to each other. The “accountability” that is in place is amongst one another. Chris Hodges (the one who founded ARC) alongside Dino Rizzo covered up his own SON having inappropriate relations with another woman besides his own wife. He went on “sabbatical” just like these other men and then a month later was placed back on the pulpit. People like you are why these large abusive churches just keep getting away with the sick abusive behavior that exploits the very congregation that gives them their platforms. Stop placing these men on pedestals. If you want to be more like Jesus call the garbage out and flip tables in the church like Jesus because his bride is being abused by these sick men that use the name of Jesus to do it.
Just one correction: Chris Hodges son was not having relations with a woman other than his wife, he was having relations with another man. He was not placed back in the pulpit as you said but, he was reinstated to a staff position of “special projects” for Chris. But, I don’t think he was actually ever removed from payroll. They have different rules for thee than for “me”. These churches and men do not represent our Lord and Savior. They serve themselves in the name of Jesus thus, taking the name of the Lord in vain. Monetizing the gospel for their gain.
What’s wrong with getting a little pussy? What Commandment did he break? What should be the consequence?
6th Commandment. Google it.
Jeremy Foster was caught in the act by his wife on the 27th of Dec. Afterwards he called his oversight and confessed. Jen was asked to go along with this and in a fog at her darkest moment she said yes. If you really want a story look into how the wives and kids of pastors who fall and don’t want restoration are treated.
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