Bob Coy, at Liberty University's convocation in 2013. sunday. In 1996, the church paid $21 million for a 75-acre campus just east of Florida's Turnpike off Cyprus Creek Road, where Coy often dipped into politics to guide his massive flock. "My heart is breaking for my Church, my Pastor and his family," wrote Marie L. Harris in a Facebookcomment. Welcome to America.. Jon is no Saint! There was no court system involved and that was ok with me. An officer noted the information and called the victim, who was then a teenager. A copyright claim was filed against this original video by "Skip Heitzig" of Calvary Church. The sexual assault claims, which have never before been divulged, raise new questions about the pastor, his church, and the police who handled the case. Please click here to learn how. In 2005, Coy's church rented out Dolphin Stadium on Easter Sunday and drew more than 20,000 people. Its between Jon and God. More policies and rules will not change our inner character. I went to a Calvary Chapel in Phoenix for 10 years. That whole incident really brought out the crazies too. Without a policy the person hearing might say, Im sure you misunderstood. The revelations come at a sensitive moment for Calvary's national network of about 1,800 churches, which have been riven by legal infighting and dogged by claims that bad pastors have been allowed to run amok. Payne had taken his case against Fort Lauderdale Police Maj. Eric Brogna to the Broward County State Attorney's Office, but prosecutors declined to press charges. Also, like Applegate reportedly handled the recent allegations against Ben Courson, witnesses say church leaders in the 1980s covered up Jon Coursons misconduct, as well. . | (Screenshot: YouTube/Liberty University) Bob Coy, founder of Calvary Chapel Fort Lauderdale in Florida who resigned as senior pastor over moral failings in 2014, has been accused of molesting a girl when she was 4 years old and into her teens. The Roys Report reached out to Jon Courson, Ben Courson, and Applegate for comment, but no one responded. The pastor, John Munro, is a friend. Coy's life story is biblical in scope and obvious in moral lessons. It is my understanding that Joe Stroble resigned. The investigation included multiple follow-up emails, phone calls and in-person visits to the churches approached to . John's Great Commission and a Gospel Rhythm for the Church.mp4. Similarly, another former member, Paul Coughlin, said Jon Courson would make prophecies and predictions, often at New Years Eve. Two years later, her family sued Calvary, alleging leaders should have done more to stop Thomas. Bob Coy founded Calvary Chapel Fort Lauderdale and turned it into a 25,000-member . Leadership was not happy. The founder's son-in-law, Brian Brodersen, left the network of Calvary churches and started his own organization with many of the chapels, including Coy's old church in Fort Lauderdale. Yes, I said affairs my family and others were driven from the church by the elders over addressing the affairs. Dr. Tejado W. Hanchell, Senior Pastor of Mount Calvary Holy Church of Winston-Salem, North Carolina, is one of many ministers to use Scandal as an object lesson. There's no question he wants back in the game," Newnham says. The doctrine is Christ focused and Bible based and is sound. Yes, we might not have a reason to doubt the claims. And a grim-looking assistant pastor, gripping a letter, was walking across the stage. "We loved him because of his realness. We always heard the lines that basically inferred that this is just a character attack on our family, on the Coursons, so we must be doing something right, Jordan said. Pastor Bob had suddenly resigned, the assistant pastor told the stunned crowd. He has gone on to be successful in another business. The call came from California. I was told to leave the church and take other victims with me. Coy opened it to the Gospel of John, and by the time he hit 3:16 "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life" he said he was weeping uncontrollably. But the case soon stalled. To "avoid substantial injury" to Coy's former employer Calvary Chapel according to the court file. "Those men cannot call sin sin," one 20-year veteran of the church complained to the publication. Jon Courson rubbed me the wrong way. Heater also warned his congregation against division and warned that God would come against anyone who would come against His church.. Once, in 2005, his family was asked to move to Mexico to help with a church ministry. And Coy turned out to be a charismatic preacher. That was 35 years ago! Especially your leaders as the Bereans tested the greatest apostle ever lived! So I am not a fan of what is happening and I have lost my home church and fellowship of 20 years. Upon Smith's death, many members had different visions of where the denomination should go. It began when the girl was just 4 years old. This confusing and eclectic system of beliefs threatened to destroy the Church in its infancy. I find USA lead preachers/teaherssure do have A LOT of time on their hands. But that conversation reportedly wasnt welcome. Coy has never been criminally charged, and if there were other cases of sexual harassment or abuse in the decades he ran Calvary Chapel Fort Lauderdale, neither the church nor cops have revealed them. The next year, he raised an insane $103 million in donations the most by a single megachurch to date. Preaching Sundays or Wednesdays, big deal! I wanted everyone to know and they did. Many of the mega church founders are reaching retirement age so we are beginning to see transitions in many of these churches. Coy wouldn't be charged over her allegations. He quit the cocaine and strippers, met his wife, and moved to South Florida to preach. Paul Coughlin, said Jon Courson would make prophecies and predictions, often at New Years Eve. Please join us on a Sunday morning for gatherings at 8:30 & 11 AM with Pastor Brian Brodersen. This is ridiculous. People repent, change, grow. "I was really hurt. I encourage you to listen to this podcast. "I was brought up in a very religious, traditional Midwestern home," he told Ed Stetzer, a Wheaton College professor, in a 2013 interview for a video series. By. "He's contacted many former associates to try to get funding. Pastors and church leadership loving their families and the sheep would be helpful!!!!!! That doesnt mean that there isnt forgiveness and some other ministry opportunity, but they cant be pastors. Let talks about your problems. OMG Jon Courson had an emotional affair in the 1980s!! Their congregation consists of approximately 20,000 members. Shouldnt somebody from the church that I had given my entire life to, shouldnt they have come after me to help? "If you're broken, Jesus will be gentle with you in your anger and disillusionment," Sauder said. There is no sin greater or less than the other, other than blasphemy. We see this is the third article this month youve found worth reading. The next year, Santa Ana police investigated the Costa Mesa chapel after a 12-year-old told a staffer that a pastor had been touching her inappropriately. I demanded a comprehensive policy for that church and I got it. "We learned of this report after it was disclosed and reported to the appropriate authorities," says Michael Miller, a church spokesman. ", "I haven't prayed enough for my Pastor Bob and his family," Beth Graber wrote. Over two decades, Coy had built a small storefront church into Calvary Chapel Fort Lauderdale, a 25,000-member powerhouse that packed Dolphin Stadium for Easter services while Coy hosted everyone from George W. Bush to Benjamin Netanyahu. . Coy's faithful didn't know it, but just over a year after the pastor's resignation for adultery, Coral Springs Police launched their investigation into a far worse allegation. By the end of that harrowing call on August 20, 2015, police knew the accused predator was no ordinary suspect. ", Like Smith, though, Coy used his relaxed persona to sell a deeply conservative brand of Christianity. Expand. Courson, who was mentored by Calvary Chapel founder Chuck Smith, founded Applegate Christian Fellowship in the late 1970s. Joshua Jordan, a longtime Applegate member and pastor for five years, said church staff often werent told how ministries were doing, where the finances went, or even who the elders were. Metric Constructors, a Charlotte general contractor, took the structure from . Passing your pulpit along to your sons seems to have become fairly common in prosperous megachurches over the last 30-40 years. Even in the chemically altered '70s music business, Coy's appetites were too voracious. I think youll find it eye-opening: https://julieroys.com/podcast/untwisting-the-scriptures-wolves-hypocrisy-sin-leveling/. Pastors should have real jobs and then preach on the weekend or a midweek study. 10,000 lies does not make it truth. But last year, the Jordans began raising concerns when Jon Courson promoted Ben to be lead pastor. "That whole approach always ends up hiding pedophiles.". The Catechism of the Catholic Church defines scandal as "an attitude or behavior which leads another to do evil. Last year, around the release of Ben Coursons latest book, Flirting with Darkness: Building Hope in the Face of Depression, Smith started contacting others the church had wounded. Very true. This is what happens when a church institution doesnt have a sexual misconduct policy in place. None of you. Follow the policythe well-trained experts will be able to figure this out, is what you are trained. (Update: The club has now terminated its relationship with Coy and says it had no inkling of the allegations against him.) Broward State Attorney Mike Satz says he was never notified about the investigation. Smith even launched a music label and began fusing Evangelical faith with electric guitars and drum kits. Tracked down at the bar on a recent weeknight, the well-dressed ex-pastor looks no different from the days when he preached to thousands of followers. Cancel culture at its finest. I had come to respect his wisdom and leadership in his church and in the community. He can't be put in a position of power ever again.". The church won't say, though a spokesman says the chapel was "saddened to hear of the allegations." Many people have tried to confront Jon to bring about repentance and change. Gray got involved with the issue in the 80s because the woman left Applegate and began attending Medford Christian Fellowship, where Gray pastored at the time. Whatever happened or didnt happen is none of our business. He had been in hot water in the '90s when multiple women in his church claimed he'd sexually harassed them, but Smith gave him another chance. In a 2007 CT interview, one pastor said of Calvary Chapel, "The Titanic has hit the iceberg. However, that is the key. The governing board of the church is providing counselors and ministers who will help guide him through the process of full repentance, cleansing and restoration.". Congregants need to start pushing back on this foolishness. Try running a dairy farm 24/7 365. The future needs of others was more important than what happened to me and that is what kept me going. I was feeling horrible.". Applegate culture and sermons tended to be works-based mixed with a lot of end-time prophecies, she said. Jon should be ashamed of himself, but I remember him saying Keep your eyes of Jesus, Keep your eyes on God. I had to! Gray and the elder then met separately with the rest of Applegates leaders and told them the womans story, Gray said. Like his mentor Smith, he looked for converts in unusual places. Go and make disciples. Yet Trimmer said she had walked in on Courson kissing and embracing the woman in the church office. Cherry-picking and twisting scripture will lead you far away! the fact of the matter is that my friends and family who are agnostic, atheist, muslim, hindu, and buddhist have higher personal integrity standards for themselves than many christians. Grays church, which at the time had ministry connections to Applegate, disassociated with Applegate because of Applegates response. Documents show that Coral Springs cops sat on the accusations for months before dropping the inquiry without even interviewing Coy. Former staff, deacons, and members of a 2,000-member Texas megachurch associated with the Calvary Chapel movement are accusing the senior pastor there of lies, bullying, manipulation, blacklisting former members, and abuse of power. He's an engaging storyteller "somewhere between Billy Graham and Billy Crystal," the Miami Herald once suggested with an easy laugh and a voice that excitedly rises into high nasal registers. But . She'd never even told her family about the crimes. Please call Kimberly (800.414.1531, ext. They ended up locked in dueling lawsuits, with the pastor accusing Calvary's leaders of skimming profits and the Smiths charging that he used his influence running the radio stations to pressure women into sex. The leaders used Genesis 9 as their guideline? Discipleship. I laugh now, but back then it was no laughing matter. (Flores was eventually convicted of sex with the minor.). Stay up to date with the latest Christian news! The battle is not yours but Gods. I bought it all. The Church, marriages, families, it left all of us reeling. It's still not clear how Coy's sexual indiscretions came to light in 2014. "Typically, how it goes in these cases is you have a violator in the church, but the leaders will have this notion that if he repents, he's forgiven, and then we don't have to talk about it any more," says Leander James, who specializes in church child abuse cases. CalvaryPHX is 1 church in 2 locations. As reported previously on The Roys Report, two former Applegate elders say that earlier this summer, Stroble covered up multiple allegations of sexual misconduct by Ben Courson. Even the great Chuck Smith defended Jon and attacked those trying to bring repentance and healing to a very ugly situation. His son responded, but he never did. The Voice of God is not to the wolves and hirelings but rather to the sheep ! And it was devastating to many of us. Im so sad that another church leader is brought down. and help keep the future of New Times, Use of this website constitutes acceptance of our. The church grew to include as many as 7,000 members, but due to COVID and the recent scandal currently has an attendance of a few hundred, former elder Paul Sandu said. Easy to join in a witch hunt when you dont have to face who youre accusing. It does work when it covers all the bases. "People were really, really hurt," says Colleen Healy, a Broward resident who began following Coy in 1995. Dr. John Munro, senior pastor of Calvary Church in Charlotte, North Carolina, will return to church this coming Sunday, weeks after he was placed on paid leave for alleged violation of the employee handbook, a complaint that a third-party investigation did not find support for. May 01, 2014 at 7:43 am. Then a friend told lies about my husband, my daughter, my son, and eventually me. But they never did.. The amended suit was filed Wednesday morning in Mecklenburg County. "We are not led by a board of elders.". I am not sure what God plan is, but if nothing else he shows us just how flawed people are and that is why we have to live covered by the blood of Jesus. It is what has destroyed a number of innocent families and missionaries. But on February 22 of that year, the case went to Judge Tim Bailey, a member of a powerful conservative family; his father, Patrick, founded the Pompano Beach Republican Club, and both father and son had chaired Broward's Judicial Nominating Commission. Many women have been harmed by the Coursons indiscretions throughout the years and families have been destroyed.. After all these are just allegations at this point. "There were no other allegations," he says. Yet Skeen said the leaders responded that it didnt make any difference because thats what (Jon) wanted. As a result, Skeen quit his involvement with the church. "Everyone was visibly upset," she wrote on Facebook, according to the Christian Post. ! READ that again. And to add an element of surprise- Im an atheist. I was up against a senior pastor, 9 associate pastors, 39 elders and a church membership of nearly 5000. The department assigned the case to Det. Just show up and follow the book and do the rituals and collect the donations. His church started with just 25 members in a Costa Mesa lot in 1965, but by the mid-2000s, it had grown to include hundreds of affiliated chapels around the nation and internationally plus a lucrative array of radio stations. Genesis 4:7, Numbers 32:23. The lawsuit highlights allegations that Calvary Church and child development director Pat Collins discriminated against children with disabilities. Why isnt anyone holding the woman responsible as well? Jeff Payne, a veteran investigator in the usually sleepy, affluent suburb of 120,000. Our accuser was the wolf in sheeps clothingabusing her own daughter and pointing at those who truly loved her. Learning to live my life in the way Jesus would if He was me. Even his mentor Chuck Smith of Calvary Chapel in Costa Mesa, CA defended JonI saw the letter Chuck wrote to my dad castigated my dad for trying to get Jon to repent and change his ways. Remember, Allegations are not truth. Thank you Cindy for reminding us of those words and I have to add, let him without sin throw the first stone. After the announcement, the congregation had a prayer and worship service. Bob Coy founded Calvary Chapel Fort Lauderdale and turned it into a 25,000-member powerhouse before resigning in disgrace. So, we did. "He was just transparent, and he could be very funny as well. The Deep Strangeness of the Catholic Church's Latest Scandal. These abhorrent behaviors are a result of non-discipleship. The pastor is true man of God. I felt like I was a daughter of the church, she said. That case was settled out of court, but the attorney who brought the case says that, in general terms, Smith's habit of forgiving and rehiring pastors who have committed sexual offenses is a recipe for disaster. Bob Coy, who founded the Calvary Chapel in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., in 1985, stepped down after admitting to adultery and watching porn. I was a victim of sexual abuse in my own church. local news and culture, Tim Elfrink That is the point where most abuse reporting falls apart.the person hearing what happened. That same year, the church found itself in a bizarre scandal centered on a lucrative, 400-station radio network and its head, Idaho-based Pastor Mike Kestler. Calvary Chapel started as a non-denominational Christian church founded in 1961 in Costa Mesa, California, which in the wake of a move of the Holy Spirit, grew into an international family of over 1700 churches around the world. He received probation before judgment, but he is not allowed in the banking industry the remainder of his life. There were ample cases to make that point. I have not forgiven Jon or Garnet Page or the Elders for the way handled that. Long before his epic fall from grace, the pastor used his own struggles with sex and drugs to preach that anyone could find redemption in Jesus. What are your secret sins that you think are not as equal to accusations in this article? "If Calvary gives these pastors this much authority and they use and abuse it with no accountability, they have to blame themselves.". Im sure if one of these elders had the courage to confront either Ben or Jon, as it is instructed in Gods Word. Two and a half years ago, I was sitting in a church service at Calvary Chapel Costa Mesa. Smith was among the first pastors to make a startling discovery: Many of the hippies and disaffected youth who'd come for the Summer of Love had realized psychedelic drugs and the Grateful Dead weren't filling the holes in their lives. He ran gay-conversion groups and preached that all nonbelievers would go to Hell. Coy's preaching career ended, but his sex scandal was far from the first for Calvary. Reminds me of Eli the Priest and his 2 Sons. Skeen said he raised concerns in the late 1990s about Applegates building projects, such as the Bus Barna church property that was used to house people for ministry training. This principle certainly does not excuse sin. (Jon Courson) whitewashed the level of involvement and implied it was only a slight indiscretion, but I knew it was not true, Trimmer said. If true, the allegations would be disappointing as any would be against a pastor or local church. But Jon Courson. His name is Bob Claycamp. Coy then moved to an even more debauched scene: Las Vegas. around New Years; I appreciated those teaching a lot; however, Jon did not teach a works based salvation in any way for the 20 + years I was under his teaching it was always by the grace of God. But for Gods grace the males in our family would all be dead, not sure about my daughter and me. Skip Heitzig (born 1955) is the American founder and senior pastor of Calvary Church, a Calvary Chapel fellowship located in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Discipleship. "My job was to make sure that the artists on Capitol Records were happy and entertained when they were in my city. John 8:7. Church government which allows for the pastor to appoint his successor often leads to this kind of situation. "That changes today. I pursued change so that this church (and others in the system) could not ignore or dismiss victims in the future. Two years later, a Calvary Chapel in Laguna Beach fired its pastor for adultery and embezzlement but Smith quickly rehired him to preach at the nearby Costa Mesa church. The evil world sees it all and shakes their head is astonishment & well-deserved disgust. People like Jon and his son Ben will come and go, but Jesus is forever. What youre doing is a classic example of sin-leveling. But after theyd sold most of their belongings, the Jordans were told they werent going after all; Jon Courson was going instead. I wrote him and his son a warning about what was going on. The leader passed the church on to his son and last I knew was planting franchises in England. Hundreds left or found other churches while Calvary scrambled to find a new leader, eventually settling on Pastor Doug Sauder, a less flashy but respected veteran of the organization. It does occur in smaller churches, again where church government invests most of the decision making with just the pastor who chooses his own successor. Coy, who was never charged with a crime, lay low after leaving Calvary but recently turned up at Boca Raton's Funky Biscuit, where he helps manage the club. Shortly after resigning, the disgraced pastor moved to Chattanooga, Tennessee, where Calvary Chapel has another affiliate church. Theres no way of putting 24 people up here, Skeen said he told Applegates leaders. Its more than defining what improper relationships are . To enjoy our website, you'll need to enable JavaScript in your web browser. . 197K views 3 years ago People within the Calvary Chapel movement are trying to destroy this video. "We had a big party at the casino girls, cocaine, alcohol, the whole thing. In this case, a lot of time has passed since the 1980s (roughly 40 years now). Gray said the woman didnt want others to be hurt. So, he arranged a meeting between the woman, himself, another area pastor, and an Applegate elder in which the woman shared her story. Founder of Florida's Biggest Megachurch Accused of Molesting a 4-Year-Old. 838) and use booking ID 88715385. Amid that legal battle, the movement essentially split in half shortly after Smith's death. Who of you has a spotless history? This was also true of an ad for Searchlight: both the promotion and a sample of him speaking. However, the church recently removed Applegate Administrative Pastor Joe Stroble from its website. This is the tip of only one iceberg. The Roys Report reached out to Heater for further comment, but he didnt respond. Applegate didnt enact any discipline against Courson, according to Gray. When she rebuffed him, she said he stalked her and put a "hangman's noose" in front of her house. Thus, Costa Mesa split from the CCA and is now part of the Calvary Chapel Global Network. Get new articles and breaking news delivered to your inbox. Shame on you. It was an ordinary . November 14, 2017 "They do what they feel is right based on the evidence they have.". Heater also warned his congregation against division and warned that God would come against anyone who would come against His church.. Despite the allegations against both Jon and Ben Courson, church pastors havent responded to The Roys Reports multiple requests for comment. In fact, the church had been battling accusations nationwide for years that it empowered predatory pastors while demanding little accountability. Except that it DOES have such a policy. Coy has also been dragged through legal battlefields since his resignation from the church. for a job at Calvary Chapel Marin, a 160-member church that . Instead, the pastors Smith installed in his hundreds of megachurches, which are similar to Calvary Chapel Fort Lauderdale, had nearly unlimited power over budgets, personnel, and message. In his 1973 senior class portrait, his dark hair, parted neatly down the middle, hangs well past his shoulders. Jons son, Ben Courson, was appointed to replace his father at Applegate. (The cases were settled out of court.). When leaders are allowed to abandon the rules and tenants of the organizations they serve (in this case God and The Bible) and their actions are covered up, it is the responsibility of those who know to bring it to light so healthy changes are made or at least to warn future patrons that the organization is rotten at its core. Every single control out into place according to the Bible, failed from the top to the bottom. Yet despite noting illegalities in the building plans, Skeen said he was rebuffed. There was a wide range of responses to Channel 9's Church Transparency Survey. Toward that end, the site requires that people use their full name when commenting. Calvary Church is a non-denominational church in Charlotte, North Carolina. "Our former pastor was caught in sin," Lowe said April 16, according to the Sun Sentinel. At the time, Jordan said he and his wife, Teresa, rolled with it and kept working for the church in other capacities. But the music is still playing." Calvary Chapel is, however, still afloat, and has survived not just . The family of Pastor Chuck Smith is embroiled in a legal battle over control his Calvary Chapel Costa Mesa megachurch. A California judge has ordered San Jose's Calvary Chapel church to pay $1.2 million in fines for defying COVID-19 pandemic restrictions by meeting for worship and not requiring masks. This time, Smith and his son Jeff actually turned on their pastor, pushing him out. In your opinion rather than being a saint I would think youd consider Pastors including Jon a con man. He toured the nation on Evangelical radio and TV shows, hung around with Billy Graham, and published books and CDs. Charles Ward "Chuck" Smith (June 25, 1927 - October 3, 2013) was an American pastor who founded the Calvary Chapel movement. Gray said the woman told him about a months-long relationship with Courson, which involved kissing in the church office and at least one encounter in a hotel room. His daughter has filed suit alleging elder abuse and neglect when Smith. They'd already sold their Coral Springs house about six months after he resigned; the settlement divided their substantial remaining assets including a $330,000 Hillsboro Beach condo he still owns and defined custody of their two children. But he declines to share the results of the test, which he says was not done for the police. In my opinion, if he did this [to one victim], it's just a question of how many others are out there. (My dad was one of the men who went to Guy Gray for help in the Biblical steps of confronting a sinning brother.) 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Would make prophecies and predictions, often at New years Eve the results of church! Loving their families and missionaries judgment, but they cant be pastors in infancy... Were in my city we see this is the third article this month youve found worth reading come respect... A Gospel Rhythm for the way handled that walked in on Courson kissing and embracing the woman the... Inquiry without even interviewing Coy for gatherings at 8:30 & amp ; am... Even the Great Chuck Smith, founded Applegate Christian fellowship in the game, '' he says not... Be able to figure this out, is a non-denominational church in its.! Springs cops sat on the accusations for months before dropping the inquiry even... Suit alleging elder abuse and neglect when Smith founder of Florida & # x27 ; s church Survey. Applegates response of Jesus, Keep your eyes of Jesus, Keep your eyes of,... 2007 CT interview, one pastor said of Calvary church and fellowship of 20.. Courson had an emotional affair in the 1980s ( roughly 40 years now ) of that harrowing on! Of elders. `` is sound i had come to respect his wisdom leadership! It was no laughing matter evidence they have. `` the wolves and hirelings rather. About my husband, my daughter and pointing at those who truly loved her as is. And eventually me Jon ) wanted apart.the person hearing what happened '' Sauder said requires that people their... Amended suit was filed Wednesday morning in Mecklenburg County youre doing is a classic example sin-leveling. Sheep would be against a senior pastor, gripping a letter, was appointed to his! 'S contacted many former associates to try to get funding, she said told! A spokesman says the Chapel was `` saddened to hear of the allegations would be!. About repentance and change it 's still not clear how Coy 's preaching career ended, but i him. Hearing what happened to me and that is what kept me going Chapel Chuck. Less than the other, other than blasphemy the late 1970s even told her family sued Calvary, alleging should... Would think youd consider pastors including Jon a con man ago people within the Calvary Chapel Fort Lauderdale turned. In sin, '' Lowe said April 16, according to the sheep appoint his successor often leads this! The nation on Evangelical radio and TV shows, hung around with Billy Graham, and published and. Moved to Chattanooga, Tennessee, where Calvary Chapel has another affiliate church it didnt make any because! Sauder said policy for that church and i got it this month youve found worth reading pastor Brian....