watermark church ex members

I received some emails from former Watermark Church members who wanted to tell their stories, but were hesitant to share too much online, for fear of repercussions, or as I refer to it, fair game. I often wonder if complicit Christians are becoming one of the most effective tools to the mis representation of Jesus teachings in todays world. Just a thought here Nueva inadvertently lays out some data which is interesting. In *Michaels case, he disclosed to his community group a business opportunity that he was considering. While it might seem like a moot point to most of us to someone who has been indoctrinated in this system, when they finally gain the courage to leave, these are very real fears. This process is called ' Community Formation ' (formerly GroupLink). THEN they are required to provide a copy of every worksheet to each member of theircommunity group! Once your account is created, you'll be logged-in to this account. This is a side-effect of the mega-church model. Yes, membership is biblical, but Ive also never felt uncomfortable with anything mentioned here, nor do I share all my secrets with the church. But not everyone wants that, and for those people there are lots of other churches that offer community groups, small groups, life groups, etc. Volunteer (Current Employee) - Ashford, AL - September 18, 2019 Once you've signed your life over to them, you must either form your own community group or go through the process of being placed in one. He couldnt understand why NOT struggling with things, like habitually viewing pornography, was suddenly a problem? So in summary, Watermark isnt a cult because they follow Jesus better than anyone, are more radical about it than anyone else, and if thats what a cult is, oh well, I guess were a Jesus cult! Over the years weve been asked, If I do not live locally/near a Watermark campus can I still become a Member? Because we are passionate about the local church, we believe that you will be best shepherded by the leadership of a local church where you can be all in by serving, actively participating in community, and gathering weekly to corporately worship in an area near you. Join us for worship on Sunday at 9 AM, 11:15 AM, and 5 PM. Equalities minister Maria Miller . This is what happens to some people at Watermark Church. I assured those who wanted to speak out with their stories that I would not identify them or use any details in my post that could be used to identify them. If you got the impression I was disingenuous or was minimizing someones hurt please forgive me. Watermark Community Church. Its sad to see how the church moved in the direction of being more cult like. There were other things that *Michael experienced or noted while he attended Watermark. toyota mr2 ferrari body kit for sale. You stated that Moneywise is a separate program within Watermark Church, which is true, but the documentation that I provided is from the Community Core Values curriculum, and the Moneywise program is embedded into the core values, which members of the CG are required to follow. Small groups you were required to attend. It was an attempted blindside, but *Michael knew the real reason behind the meeting, which is why he chose to go in the first place. *Michael already knew beforehand that they were using members to make this person feel excluded, rejected and punished for not falling in line with what Watermark Church wanted him to do. that would be a better fit. I will never forget the screams of desperation and loss I felt as a young Christian woman. Those who love control and achievement thrive very well there = works. The wolf is destructive to the souls of the wayward through its non Christ like behaviors. This sounds so much like the Boston Church of Christ that I attended about 20 years agoit was part of the group out of Gainesville FL. No where BEFORE or AFTER Matthew 6:3-4 or II Corinthians 9:2 is any further context given that would justify their belief that a Christian should expose their financial portfolio to a room full of people. Were here to help you find that. I've never heard of them, but after googling it I've seen some pretty worrying things about it. And some community groups are less intense. You can read more about it on his website, Freedom of Mind. Well, I dont have an agenda, per se. Also, they believe that if you arent a member of a local church, you are essentially a rebel, dismembered from the body, exiled from the kingdom and an orphan of the faith. If the leaders deem you unworthy of their support due to pride or sin struggle reasons, they will absolutely unequivocally unabashedly and with zero conscience or compassion, write you off. So you either choose to remain by completing the 4b questionnaire or you are no longer a member, [] a greatexample of unsafe community groups which verge on cults. Church Abuse, Watermark Church Posted on: September 30, 2019 March 26, 2021. Every person stated it is out of fear of repercussions that they have done this. What happens if someone doesnt want to share about their finances? For more information in regard to serving outside of Watermark, please email externalfocus@watermark.org. Im thankful you have experienced the controlling, entrapment, and triangulating side of WM. This church sounds exhausting and prideful. He was then the most arrogant and disrespectful person imaginable. Community Core Value #2: Pursue deep relationships with one another, based on love and acceptance. When we see these inconsistencies should we pay attention that this may in fact be a wolf in sheeps clothing? If you dont fill out the form you can leave easy if your just quiet. First of all, Ryan did NOTHING to answer the actual concerns about WHY Watermark is sometimes labeled a cult he went straight into defense-mode. To complete this step, do the following: Find a serving opportunity at Watermark or within the Dallas community Step 4 Connect Spiritual authority is the result of Gods power shown through spiritual gifts and deep experiences with God. At the end of each section in Session #4 Giving, community groupmembers are required to fill out financial worksheets in regards to their finances: income, debt & giving. How do you know Todd pays that? If you were not From Highland Park or University Park Todd Had no use for you. There are people who are genuinely afraid to withdraw their membership for fear of being put under church discipline, pressure from the community group to conform, and outright harassment. At least that was how I understood what he said. Case in point this comment left on my post The Aftermath: Stories from Former Watermark Church Members: What Im curious to know is if Watermark Church lead pastor Todd Wagner has to provide his detailed financial information to a community group? (Cult red flag): When I began attending WM I volunteered regularly with homeless, reached out to help others, believed in people etc. The level of absurdity is a bit high here Im a member, not once have I been asked to fork out my money, not once have I been forced to makeRead more . Do they have to confer with a community group & get approval before they buy a car, a house, or even take a vacation? Todd was my counselor at Kanakuk Camps for a summer. My challenge to Susan is to give citations for the quotes she gives. 4. First, #3 Offer and receive biblical counsel in ALL areas of life. A pastor or elder does not automatically have spiritual authority due to his position in a church. Every argument you put forth seems to be based on your subjective opinion based on your speculation, assumption, and judgement.. Watermark encourages people to confess their sins to one another and to admonish faithfully but thats because thats what the Bible tells us to do as believers.. Unsure why he is getting criticized for living in a house that is experiencing uber appreciation b/c of the school district it resides in. Marvin Walker (left), the pastor of Watermark South Dallas, laughs with the neighborhood panel after church member Micheal Sneed (right) remembers he should have been talking about his views about the church, but gave a 10-minute testimony of his life growing up in South Dallas at the rezoning community meeting on Monday, Nov. 7, 2022. Considering thatRead more , Dave It is disingenuous to minimize someone elses experience just because you did not witness it yourself. Grace is a term often used at WM, although I found it either seldom accurately exercised or forgotten completely behind their right to execute Matthew 18 because we all know punishing people draws them back toRead more , Thank you for your comment. Like Scientology, once they know these things, they can use them against you. I would be ok disclosing financial information to my community group. Learn how the Old Testament foretold the events of Easter. Streaming Sunday 9 and 11:15 AM I cannot imagine that Jesus, given all options, would choose to live among the wealthiest citizens in the most landscaped, luxurious part of the city. This is where the system breaks down at the core. Watermark Churchs membership process first requires that you sign themembership covenant, which oddly enough, you can do online. Except when you leave Watermark Church. In the video below, its quite clear that Watermark Church, while maintaining traditional Christian doctrine, is operating in a many ways like a cult. A study of the Grand Haven area and surrounding communities revealed that around 60% of people were not regularly connected to a church community. Thats not the goal at Watermark Church, however. My experience at WM did not destroy my faith. I jokingly said Maybe theyre from Watermark (referring toRead more , Jan, emotional abuse and demeaning relationships are somewhat of a watermark of of how they care for the people who become involved. The distraction, or sheeps clothing, is material earthly help whichRead more , Whatever you think Anna; however, my 12 year tenure at WM and being in 4 CGs during that time and having NEVER been asked for financial info speaks for itself. It is not as simple as walking away. 3. I have however heard Todd Wagner say from the pulpit if youre not comfortable giving here thats ok, please give somewhere meaningful to you. Glad I never did. Kids Church is a large group time of worship and simple Bible activities for children from Pre-K to 5 th grade. We believe authentic relationships lead to spiritual transformation. Groucho Marx. He became heavily involved in all aspects of the community group, but soon discovered that sharing time became an issue for him, like it was for *Susan. Want to join our team? I verified it. I dont consider the one couple in my CG that reviewed my expenses so they could advocate for me as abuse. Their defense, interestingly enough, is that anyone who thinks Watermark Church is a cult is the one with a problem, and Ryan gave 4 reasons why (these are direct quotes): Ryan then challenges the students to ask the following 3 questions when asked if Watermark Church is a cult: Instead of actually addressing why Watermark is being repeatedly labeled as a cult, these students are being further indoctrinated to ignore those concerns and place the blame for them on those who would question the organization. University Park has the advantage though of a much lower tax rate for obvious reasons. . Children will be dismissed to Kids Church after the offering time of the 9:00 am service. Then its meeting with your group every week, camping trips, coffee with the girls (or guys), bible studies. He walked with an air of superiority that was disgusting. It took a tremendous amount of courage for this person to come forward and tell their story, for fear of reactions like yours. Any stories out there other than the one in the news? former board member of . I find it so interesting that Watermark Church has had to repeatedly defend itself against being labeled a cult. Its like a social experiment. IfRead more , Adding to people in good standing who have zero knowledge of any discipline issues also fear leaving due to verifiable stories where watermark members have harassed and stalked people for leaving in cases where the person leaving has come to realize the place at its core is Not what is represented on its surface and middle layers. Unless you were present for every worship service, bible study & community group meeting (including the all-female group that Susan was a member of), you cannot say that what she heard, wasnt said and that what she was asked to do, wasnt asked of her. Through our membership covenant, members commit to pursue what we call (for ease of remembering) the 4Bs: 1. Ive heard many stories about their type of conversion therapy. In these community groups you are enmeshing your entire life into the church. If you have not yet heard from your host and have completed Membership Class Part I, please contact the Believe Team. In this photo provided by the North Korean government, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, front center on stage, attends a meeting of the ruling Workers' Party at its headquarters in Pyongyang . My husband and I were watching a movie the other night, the 1993 classic The Firm, based on a novel by John Grisham. *Michael knew he was done with Watermark Church when he was invited to another blindside meeting by a Watermark Church staff member. If youre short on time, start at 27 minutes when the speakers starts explaining why people think Watermark is a cult. If you dont want to share your story you dont have to. Just to name a few. leamington news accident. He found my blog while researching the similarities between Scientology and Watermark Church. If you are going to judge Watermark, its leaders and programs, then I would encourage you to do so in the context of Scripture, especially the New Testament, including the gospels and the epistles that talk about church order, and yes, even discipline. In my next post Ill share another story from another former-Watermark member. Harassed by members at work amongst other things. They get caught up in the whirlwind before they discover the truth. "We are fully convinced that . He told me several times that my failure to participate has limited him from being involved in a community group, blah blah blah. Tim loves to preach, loves people, and loves to watch Indiana basketball and Colts football! Email: pastoraloffice@watermark.org Statement From Watermark Community Church Recently, one of our former members posted a letter he received from some close friends and the leadership of our church informing him that his membership status had been removed. It turns the church into a big business and its marquee names into celebrities with huge swaying power. Watermark has a leadership problemRead more , Watermark is very transparent about finances.

Prestonwood Baptist also made the list (top 20) and its nowhere near a cult.

. I have first hand experience with a senior pastor doing exactly this and teaching younger families how to properly budget and cost of having kids. Its how relationships are formed and accountability is established or thats what they want you to think. A very sad reality for many. Todd Wagner 'resigned' (read my post about that here) and now appears to be starting a new church. Also Im not a WM member or past member but I too was a Target by their members for speaking out against his influence in the public schools in LH. The reason I go to pride is because often times pride does not allow the person to admit they are incorrect or unable to identify theRead more , Having attended Watermarks Dallas campus for over 12 years, my attendance came to an abrupt end when I was unfortunate enough to notice their leaderships aggressive handling of the broken and wayward, as well as experience the lack of compassion and even humanity toward the victim of anothers sin. Not every word from a person in a pulpit will always be perfect considering that they are imperfect humans and will admit it. Then there is the whole LakeRead more . Take Your Power Back we all know many invested their heart and lives into this place, only to be punished and abused when their performance was not up to the public image WM wanted society to perceive of their organization. Find a serving opportunity at Watermark or within the Dallas community. Must have a discipleship partner that you shared every thing with and they would change them if they felt you were not growing or open. Just checking out the church and looking at the background info the house has tripled in value since the Wagners bought it 20 years ago hardly a 7 figure home when purchased. If your circumstances prevent you from being able to attend class in person, please contact us. Part of Membership at Watermark is participating in regular, gospel-centered service. The Bible says in Hebrews 4:13, Nothing in all creation is hidden from Gods sight. And, there was zero pressure from church leadership to do so. I was blessed to attend Kanakuk for years and years. This a perfect example of why you cannot place implicit trust in a group of people just because you are in a community group at a church. Im in a similar similar situation. You tuned right into what most, including myself, ignored because we were too distracted by the perceived success and engaging teaching styles. on The Aftermath: Stories from Former Watermark Church Members, Youth Volunteer at The Village Church Confesses to Sexual Abuse of Minors. Crazy cycle, right? Tim Yates Pastor Tim, his wife, Dawn, moved to Bellefonte after almost 20 years as missionaries in Africa and Australia. By then, it was too late. It became an ongoing issue which caused him to be singled out more and more for not being authentic. Watermark, a fast-growing nondenominational church in northeast Dallas, says the case involves accusations of adultery, a wife who wanted to save her marriage, a husband who sat on a board of a national Christian organization, and another woman who works for another church. he was reprimanded for not giving more to the church. When I was 17, I started attending church regularly with my boyfriend (now husband) in high school, and we would go to Sunday School. I have NEVER been asked to, let alone forced, to disclose financial information. SERVICIO DOMINICAL EN ESPAOL 11:15 AM. Confession, of course! We did one a week, so this stretch over several weeks. As I detailed in *Susans story, if you are unable to find a group of people to form a CG, you must go through a multi-week process to be placed in a group. I just write about the truth. If you chose not to participate, you will be singled out and you will be admonished. Thats not to say that churches shouldnt be inviting and friendly they should if the goal is to guide you into a fellowship of believers that have a common goal of worshipping the Lord in Spirit and in truth, take part in the breaking of bread (communion) and offering support and love in a community setting. I can see and understand why ex members might be scared. Been a member for over 9 years and have never experienced the things many of you are talking about. No longer fulfill the requirements of membership (whatever that means). The fourth and last step in Watermarks Membership process is joining a community group. If someone doesnt respond initially, it could become a warning, or even a loving rebuke or strong correction (1 Thessalonians 5:14a, 2 Timothy 4:2)., In *Michaels case, he was admonished by his community group when he was invited out to dinner (not knowing the reason why) then blindsided when he was told that he was in trouble for not attending community group often enoughwhich brings me to #6 (and the reason for *Michaels decline in CG attendance), #6: Engage intentionally with our communities and the world to make disciples. Streaming Sunday 9 and 11:15 AM Amy Smith of the blog Watchkeep has documented her experience there, and it bears much of the hallmarks of a cult. I thought about visiting there. People are insecure, confused, listen to gossip,Read more . Now he confesses to sin himself , sin ofRead more , I knew Todd when he was an associate pastor at Northwest Bible Church. I highly recommend that you watch the video, because if you watch it with just the tiniest bit of scrutiny, you will notice Todd Wagner work some word-magic here. There might be some VERY unsafe people grouped up, causing some serious damage, all in the name of community. After you have completed Membership Class Part I, you will be assigned a host who will listen to your story of grace. Perhaps more focused prayer from true believers to individually and collectively speak truth and take a stand for Jesus examples in the Bible will goRead more . This process is called ' Community Formation ' (formerly GroupLink). At this link, you will find lots of information about how their community groups operate. Per Todd Wagner I was not the right person or the right fit or whatever he thought. According to the membership covenant, a member is not free to leave the church, but must formally withdraw membership under one of three acceptable circumstances: 1. Keith During Ian Keith's time as a Hillsong member from late 2011 to early 2015, he. In fact, the staff member tried to instill fear in *Michael over the situation, as to further drive home his agenda. I have nothing to hide, and sharingRead more , As an ex-Watermark member (8 years), and former CG leader (6 years), I can say unequivocally that I had no problem sharing my financial information with my guys. Gotcha. These are filled out by each community group member, then copies made and provided to all of the other members. Watermark Church is purportedly a nondenominational church in Dallas. It is Not referenced as a legal tool which may be weaponized against anyone they desire to control or experiment on. I haveRead more , Two anecdotes: Through a friend I learned of a professional counselor making note of how many Watermark clients she had who were women who felt emotionally abused and demeaned by their husbands. Consult on the . Ive been at Watermark for 7 years and experienced people in my community group leaving the church; there are NO such requirements or stipulations that prevent you from leaving the group or the church entirely. watermark church ex members. Watermark might want the groups to be run a certain way, but that doesnt mean the group has to follow the rules. Dallas, TX 75251, In Person Sunday 9 AM, 11:15 AM, and 5 PM Under the veil of confession, it was all about him. Recently, one of our former members here at Watermark Community Church shared communication he received from his close friends and church leaders informing him that his membership status had . I can attest, when they claim no member of WM will ever go homeless, is a complete and total lie. Those who love control and achievement thrive very well there. Its a huge red flag to me about Todds character and understanding of God. Even now, her parents (who worship there) refuse to talk to her or visit her children, simply because she was dutiful enough to report on the pedophile acts of a man who used to work at Prestonwood. On any device & OS. On the April 8, 2019 episode of WordsfromWags, a website that features videos from Watermark Church senior pastor Todd Wagner addressing various issues, the topic of the day was Is Watermark Church a Cult? Feb 2022 - Present1 year 2 months. Each community group member has the right to call you out on something, anytime, whether you like it or not. So unless this person gave away 7 more $1.5 million homes, they would not be taxed on any of those gifts ever. I admit I also used to automatically discredit stories Like this one when I heard them. This was the same concept as we moved on to adult Sunday school. This is really happening, in a very large mega-church in Dallas, TX. On the cult thing: LIsten to this longer presentation from a high school ministry event. Do whatever you want with a Meet the TeamCentral Atlantic Conference United Church . According to Watermark Church, if you arent spilling your guts every single week, you arent living authentically. Just the congregationhmmmmmm.. Box 4666, Ventura, CA 93007 Request a Quote: bridal boutiques in brooklyn CSDA Santa Barbara County Chapter's General Contractor of the Year 2014! What bothered me about Todd is that he chooses to live in Highland Park even though the church is not physically in Highland Park (not even close). I appreciate it! Then you pressure them, of course! Throw money at him; the car, the house, after a couple of years your kids are in private school, youre used to the good lifethen they tell you. Astonished by the revelation that his new employer represents the mob, he asks FBI agent Moyle, Who in the firm knows? to which he responds, Every partner knows.. *Michael was in a Community Group of men that he discovered were not particularly disciplined, dependable or trustworthy, yet he was expected to do life with them and be completely authentic. Watermark Community Church is a nondenominational evangelical megachurch based in Dallas, Texas . He began to consider that he was in a cult. I dont know if I am over-reacting when Todd made a off the cuff remark about taking his wife some where last week where she could be warm. I have never met so many people using the term spiritual abuse asRead more , Concern, Who are you to judge!? We love you, church. The information he shared in the group was leaked, and he was pressured by other church members outside of his community group regarding that business opportunity. If you want to be more like Jesus, you have to do it OUR way! They have about 11,000 attendees and have invested heavily in expensive buildings in and around the Dallas area. Watermark Advisors Mergers & Acquisitions Internship. In this meeting he was advised not to associate with another church member. Susan felt it was ironic that I had made a comparison between Scientology and Watermark Church, because she said those same comparisons helped her realize that she was not in a healthy church. At least that was my experienceRead more , The house referenced in the post belongs to the correct Todd Wagner. Post author: Post published: June 29, 2022; Post category: pronounce macon lugny; You are way off base. After surviving the mental mind games; requirements which forced your focus onto WM (over Gods children as a whole); moved from a small/community group dialogue of what can we do to serve Gods children and one another to a focus on everyones sins/short comings; and focus on surviving their destructive behaviors under theRead more . The reason: He's gay and in a relationship. SERVICIO DOMINICAL EN ESPAOL 11:15 AM. Hes not the pastor of Watermark. Were big on community. Most Christian churches have. But you are in too deep. Izael, Thank you for your comment. I automatically defended the leaders and staff, and also automatically discredited the victims with pre determined notions the victim was not telling the whole story. On Facebook, he posted a letter from Watermark, an evangelical church in Dallas. on The Aftermath: Stories From Former Watermark Members Part II, The Aftermath: Stories from Former Watermark Church Members, Outsourced: How Watermark Community Church Fails in Caring for Its Members, The Spin Cycle Watermark Community Church Members Unlikely to Ever Know the Truth Behind Resignations, Before You Sign: What You Need to Know About Membership Covenants, Making the Cut What Does It REALLY Take to Become a Member at Watermark Community Church. Even though the CG leaders (or even the members of the group) promise not to disclose any of this information, no one is legally obligated to maintain confidentiality. If you dont want to be a member at Watermark you dont have to be.Read more , There is a difference between positional authority and spiritual authority. It has forced many people to move or go into hiding. *Michael was beginning to feel that there was a great deal of hypocrisy going on, given that he was constantly being called out as not living authentically for being a nice guy, while at the same time he was the one trying to organize serving opportunities to which no one was willing to participate. We are excited for what God has in store for us in 2022 and beyond, and we are so honored to be on this journey with you. I share with my community and the groups of people I trust, who have helped guide me into some better decision making. Ill also go into more detail about how Watermark Church does resemble a cult, and how some of their teachings are harmful and potentially abusive. Positional authority deals with executing responsibilities within an organization, like a general in an army, the president of bank, or the pastor of a church. Wow I am impressed. Definitely good intuition to be concerned for your daughter. Pastor Todd Wagner - it seems all is not well at Watermark Church. Wed encourage you to pray that God uses biblical community to make you more like Jesus. Watermark Community Core Values. I was told I was not allowed to talk poorly about WM leadership and was heavily pressured to say WM leadership didnt do anything wrong. Watermark Church has 6 core values for Community Groups: Community Core Value #1: Devote ourselves daily to a personal relationship with Jesus. It also lists Fellowship Church and Village Church in its top 10 on cults (Village likely is, Fellowship is more of a personality cult centered around Ed), strangely Gateway Church isnt listed (and several people think it may be more of a personality cult than Watermark or Village). It all starts out with the love-bombing (just like what happened in the movie, The Firm), which is a tactic commonly attributed to narcissists who draw in their victims with lofty promises and over-the-top love & affection.

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