Toxicity Of The Beechboro Potter's House Leadership
Carlo Rokobuta <>
Thu, Nov 15, 2018, 1:14 AM
to TPayneNM, gsm, mitchell, me, garybradyperth
Hi Pastor Payne,
I am writing in regards to our conversation last week when I let you know that my wife Courtney had left the Beechboro Church and that I was stepping down from my ministry as Worship Leader where I have served for the last 7 years.
On reflection, I realise that I was not clear to you about my own position. I allowed you to think that it was my wife’s decision to leave based on her feelings towards your leadership and while I did tell you that I was in agreement with her leaving I did not tell you that her reasons were the same as my own.
The reason I was not clear on my stance was because I honestly did not want to be demonized by you and have my reputation and testimony tainted. It was also because I wanted to keep attending the church to keep the door open with the only fellowship I have ever known. However, during our conversation you repeatedly directed me towards questioning my wife’s motives and questioning my own headship as leader of my family. I want to make it very clear that the decision for her to leave was mine, and we had decided that for the meantime I would attend the Beechboro church. However, due to our conversation and having a few days to process it, I have now decided that as the leader of my home I will be taking our family to another church.
As you know, both my wife and I have grown up in the Potters House. Both of our fathers were pastoring before we were born, and both of our families have spent many years overseas as missionaries. I want to make it very clear that we love the Potters House, and we believe wholeheartedly in our vision. This has not changed in any way, but the fact is we both believe that under your leadership it is simply not the Potters House we knew growing up. It is extremely sad that we feel we have to leave the church, but we are no longer able to grow and flourish as Christians under your ministry.
Since you have taken over the Beechboro church we believe that you have gradually created an abnormal atmosphere that thrives in control, manipulation and spiritual oppression. The way you have treated good, godly people in the church, the way you speak to good, godly people in the church and the way you micro-manage ministries in the church leaves people fearful and intimidated by you. I have many good, long-time friends in the church who have shared with me countless stories of being mistreated and have many of the same concerns. It is a shame that so many of us are so fearful of the consequences of speaking up that more people are not able to do what I am doing right now. In addition, the way women are treated in the church is not right. We believe that you do not really care about them nor place much worth on them. When I came to you on the weekend and asked you if you had noticed that my wife had not been attending the church on Wednesday nights for over a year, and Sunday nights for a few months – you said you had not noticed. That in itself speaks volumes that you would only care about my ministry and not care to ask me if my wife was okay, or that you even noticed for that matter.
Over the past few years, many others who have not agreed with you and your ministry have chosen to leave the church and I feel that is now the same for us. You said to me that the will of God has an address; and through prayer and seeking God afresh, I believe that it is no longer at Beechboro for my family and I. I will always value and love our fellowship and we will always call it our church home. I pray that one day we are able to come back.
I hope that you can understand me emailing you and not coming to see you, as I did not want to start an argument or cause unnecessary discussions.
Thu, Nov 15, 2018, 1:14 AM
to TPayneNM, gsm, mitchell, me, garybradyperth
Hi Pastor Payne,
I am writing in regards to our conversation last week when I let you know that my wife Courtney had left the Beechboro Church and that I was stepping down from my ministry as Worship Leader where I have served for the last 7 years.
On reflection, I realise that I was not clear to you about my own position. I allowed you to think that it was my wife’s decision to leave based on her feelings towards your leadership and while I did tell you that I was in agreement with her leaving I did not tell you that her reasons were the same as my own.
The reason I was not clear on my stance was because I honestly did not want to be demonized by you and have my reputation and testimony tainted. It was also because I wanted to keep attending the church to keep the door open with the only fellowship I have ever known. However, during our conversation you repeatedly directed me towards questioning my wife’s motives and questioning my own headship as leader of my family. I want to make it very clear that the decision for her to leave was mine, and we had decided that for the meantime I would attend the Beechboro church. However, due to our conversation and having a few days to process it, I have now decided that as the leader of my home I will be taking our family to another church.
As you know, both my wife and I have grown up in the Potters House. Both of our fathers were pastoring before we were born, and both of our families have spent many years overseas as missionaries. I want to make it very clear that we love the Potters House, and we believe wholeheartedly in our vision. This has not changed in any way, but the fact is we both believe that under your leadership it is simply not the Potters House we knew growing up. It is extremely sad that we feel we have to leave the church, but we are no longer able to grow and flourish as Christians under your ministry.
Since you have taken over the Beechboro church we believe that you have gradually created an abnormal atmosphere that thrives in control, manipulation and spiritual oppression. The way you have treated good, godly people in the church, the way you speak to good, godly people in the church and the way you micro-manage ministries in the church leaves people fearful and intimidated by you. I have many good, long-time friends in the church who have shared with me countless stories of being mistreated and have many of the same concerns. It is a shame that so many of us are so fearful of the consequences of speaking up that more people are not able to do what I am doing right now. In addition, the way women are treated in the church is not right. We believe that you do not really care about them nor place much worth on them. When I came to you on the weekend and asked you if you had noticed that my wife had not been attending the church on Wednesday nights for over a year, and Sunday nights for a few months – you said you had not noticed. That in itself speaks volumes that you would only care about my ministry and not care to ask me if my wife was okay, or that you even noticed for that matter.
Over the past few years, many others who have not agreed with you and your ministry have chosen to leave the church and I feel that is now the same for us. You said to me that the will of God has an address; and through prayer and seeking God afresh, I believe that it is no longer at Beechboro for my family and I. I will always value and love our fellowship and we will always call it our church home. I pray that one day we are able to come back.
I hope that you can understand me emailing you and not coming to see you, as I did not want to start an argument or cause unnecessary discussions.
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