Jeff says he was looking for inspiration from someone successful and Jai - a former property developer in his late 30s with a calm and engaging manner - seemed to be just the man. Now, I feel like it's time for a shifting of focus to impacting our community in other ways than just pulpit ministry. "They've committed too much.". She says for people with loved ones inside a cult, "it's like a living death" - partly because attempts to criticise the group often backfire, leaving them unsure how to act. Sign up to receive The Atlanta Black Star Newsletter in your inbox. But these calls weren't what Jeff had signed up for. I also fully comprehend that I must find a job and become financially self-sustaining.. Former mentees say they were encouraged to borrow money to pay for courses. Erin, meanwhile, was berated as a "cynical old witch" when she asked where her money had gone. The series of controversies has caused two members of the board of trustees popular Christian leaders Mensa Otabil and Dag Heward-Mills to resign. WebThey have resigned from Lighthouse and have sued the church for violating their rights Kofi Bentil, who is the lawyer for the six former employees of the church, told The Fourth Estate Their marriage LCI is counterclaiming for the stolen monies and has also reported the matter to the police for investigation. Deloitte has yet to submit its audit report. For the recovery of possession of the official vehicle i.e. Their marriage ended in divorce in 2019. Henderson, who has been a part of the ministry for over 25 years and founded Lighthouse Church and Ministries in 2009, was previously married toFelecia Henderson. Some are however vehemently defending him saying that there is a ploy to bring him down. Enjoy reading our stories? Evangelist Dag Heward-Mills, founder of Lighthouse Chapel International has broken his silence days after six former pastors of his church accused him of violating their rights. All his salaries and allowances were paid by LCI-South Africa and LCI-Madagascar during this period. Logic is gone.". WebSt Ann's in Coppell, Texas, would be near the top, with almost 30,000 registered parishioners in 2013. Members of Lighthouse Chapel have come out to defend Dag Heward-Mills amidst the controversy he currently finds himself in. Before he joined Lighthouse, 30-year-old Anthony Church had struggled with anxiety and depression, suffered a breakdown and attempted suicide. LCI-Burkina Faso claims that while he was heading the LCI-Burkina Faso between 2018 and 2019, he misappropriated to himself the sum of $57,403.21 and that LCI Burkina Faso has given LCI-Ghana a power of attorney to recover the sum from him. says Jeff. Again from June 2018 to December 2019 he was employed by LCI Madagascar. In that tome, Henderson vents all of his pent up adolescent anger saying, I tried to figure out where in the world do you put this pain? But by Gods grace he grew to become the man his father could not be, and also the Pastor his father should have been. Its a book that took more than a decade to write. The Men of God, a bishop, 3 Reverend Ministers and a pastor include Larry Odonkor, Emmanuel Oko Mensah, Edem Kofi Amankwa, Seth Sarpong Duncan, Edward Laryea, and Faith Fiakojo. c. Compensation to cover: some investments plaintiffs made in schools and churches of the LCI, for rental of cars while in the service of LCI and for monies they spent on accommodation while in the employment of LCI. Set up in 2012 by businessman Paul Waugh, it claims to be different from most life coaching groups. Among them are five people with PhDs, two winners of the Margaret Singer Award for cultic studies and three accredited therapists with extensive experience working with ex-cult members. Its website says it now trades as "Lighthouse Global", which promises to share "our 18 year journey from personal development into Christ and the persecution we have suffered along the way". Rents, fuel and transport prices have risen, and about a quarter of the population live below the poverty line, according to the United Nations Development Programme and the Ghana Statistical Service. First Light Church Vandalia JOIN US FOR WORSHIP ON SUNDAY MORNINGS LOCATION Main Building 140 Elva Court Vandalia, OH 45377 GATHERING TIMES Sundays Worship online (www.firstlight.church) or in person. When Jeff returned and announced he was quitting, Paul Waugh bombarded him with messages, some friendly, some hostile, to try to get him to stay. "I was motivated. It meant he could tap into Lighthouse's network of brilliant entrepreneurs - sitting in on their daily meetings and even training to be a mentor himself. He was never an employee of LCI. Six former pastors of the Lighthouse Chapel International, now known as United Denominations, have taken the church to court for being exploited for years whilst working for the church. And for many of them, Paul Waugh's promised high life remains out of reach. His dreams of an NBA contract were snapped in a few seconds during a college basketball game after a career ending injury. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. He also, with the written consent of his biological father called Joseph Anti Duncan, signed the Missionary Consent form on 21st November 2008. And when she did eventually leave, Paul made good on his threats in a YouTube video, where he named Erin. The following year, during the global pandemic, the couple alsoprovided1,000 meals for health workers. There are an estimated 80,000 to 100,000 people working in the field. II. Details are emerging as to how the six former pastors of Lighthouse Chapel International (LCI) allegedly demanded a whopping $12 Million as a settlement from the church. The church, run by Bishop Dag Heward-Mills, also failed to consistently pay their Social Security (SNNIT) contributions throughout the years they laboured for the church, leaving them facing financial ruin as they edge closer to retirement. Often, they were told they would make their money back quickly through networking opportunities, new business ideas or by becoming mentors themselves. When asked why so many people think his group is a cult, he said: "They don't know what a cult is they're slurring us, they're smearing us." Despite ONeals Instagram announcement, it is unclear how long the pair has been an item. "The love of Jesus is greater love because He sacrificed Himself for us. Pretty soon the pair spoke daily, sometime for hours at a time. LCI responded that the only wife of Plaintiff known to LCI is Emmanuella Mensah and she refused to move to either Benin or Burkina Faso with him or join him there. Jeff was told he needed weeks of work to get there and achieve his goals. The organization has partnered with sponsors to give away vouchers to 250 veterans and their families to purchase Thanksgiving dinners. WebAnd yet, Keion has made the proverbial lemonade out of lemons. Not all Christian leaders have supported the presidents plans. It also says people who have given money were investing in themselves and are not entitled to refunds. FACT CHECK: Dave Ramsey Made a Statement About America Online, FACT CHECK: CIA Director Gina Haspel Found Dead, FACT CHECK: Kwik Trip Launches Kwik Strip Gentlemens Clubs, Meet Lukas Van Ness Girlfriend and Cole Kmets Sister, Frankie Kmet, Meet Seattle Kraken LW Tye Kartyes Girlfriend, Monik Pigeau, Meet Commanders DE Chase Youngs Girlfriend, Sophie Piteo, Meet Sacramento Kings SF Harrison Barnes Wife, Brittany Barnes, Meet St. Louis Cardinals Pitcher Ryan Helsleys Wife, Alex Helsley, Meet Boston Celtics Guard Marcus Smarts Fiance, Maisa Hallum, Tynisha Marcel (born 20th Jul 1995), Candis Clements (23rd Dec 2005), Katelyn (18th July 2012). They were also told they were helping to fund Lighthouse's charity work in Africa. However, in recent Unlike many therapists or counsellors, who are trained to help people come to terms with difficult or traumatic pasts, coaches say they focus more on clients' futures. Join thousands of others to get the FREEDOM POST newsletter for free, sent twice a week from The Christian Post. CitiNewsroom.com is Ghana's leading news website that delivers high quality innovative, alternative news that challenges the status quo. Atlanta Black Star is a narrative company. Larry Odonkor, Emmanuel Oko Mensah, Edem Kofi Amankwa, Seth Sarpong Duncan, Edward Laryea, and Faith Fiakojo have sued the church presided over by him saying that their SSNIT contributions were not paid after working for decades. She remained in Ghana and continued in her employment with SSNIT throughout the time the Plaintiff was in Benin and Burkina Faso. ., Henderson appreciated the romantic gesture by writing underneath her comments section that he will cherish ONeals birthday wish the most of the countless congratulatory messages he received. These cookies ensure basic functionalities and security features of the website, anonymously. He continued that the senior clergymen found the demand so outrageous that they abandoned any hope of settling the matter. The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); The Logos Theater, A Disney Alternative, Raised For Such A Time As This, Rev. In that case, LCI says it owes him no liability in respect of her since he did not disclose that woman to LCI. It would also be home to Africas first Bible Museum and Documentation Centre. This has led to criticism from a In January, he made a personal donation of $8,000 towards the construction costs, saying nothing will stop him from fulfilling his pledge to God. That he stole monies he should have used to pay his own SSNIT contributions and taxes. I have two more years that, whatever the case, the national cathedral will be at a very advanced stage before I leave office. Counterclaims Against Faith Makafui Fiakojo: I. LCI claims he illegally took over the LCI church building in Fumbisi after he resigned and the church has sued for recovery of possession. The spiritual coach and commentator revealed that Keion had filed for divorce and the ensuing child custody battle was a bitter one. Paul Waugh - borrowing ideas of a famous American psychiatrist called M Scott Peck - says everyone falls into one of four levels of spiritual development. One of gospel music's leading performers, Earnest Pugh, stepped down from his megachurch position to pursue a new philanthropic initiative. Pugh is also embarking on a 50-city tour as part of his journey to 50 years of life and over 20 years in the gospel music industry. People join a mentoring group, usually looking for a career change or new direction. An order compelling LCI to pay their unpaid SSNIT contributions. Or listen to the podcast through BBC Sounds. 2. "It was a master stroke" replied one of his followers. Another ex-landlord told us he had received about 150 letters from debt collection agencies addressed to people involved in Lighthouse. The church was nurtured from 16 members looking for a temp, to the largest multi-cultural church on the South Side of Hyundai Elantra that he refused to return to LCI-Ghana upon his resignation. With his latest hit, "Trade It All," continuing to climb the Nielsen BDS His new non-profit, Vet Rocks, will set out to assist women combat veterans. Jakes, and like Jakes, he educates his flock on how to be fiscally successful as well as spiritually faithful. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. We have pressing issues, such as lack of funding for the national school feeding programme involving schoolchildren, and our priority as a country is to build a cathedral for God. Lighthouse promises life coaching to help people realise their dreams. Felecias middledaughter, Candis Clements, was born on December 23, 2005. Families, said Lighthouse to Jeff, were narcissistic and controlling. While presenting the 2019 budget to parliament, Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta promised the cathedral would not put undue financial burdens on the state. I was inspired.". Together, they say they worked for years for the church, most at times as pastors heading different branches accross Ghana and other parts of Africa without having been formally employed by the church. This has led them to drag the church to court seeking compensation. For further info visit our website. But coaching in the wrong hands can be dangerous. More than 40 people who have left Lighthouse, or have loved ones in the group, or have been close to its leader, spoke to the BBC for this story. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. One woman who rented a six-bedroom house to Paul Waugh, said she ended up with eight Lighthouse team members living there. Its founder, who grew up in South Africa and tells people he was a multimillionaire by the age of 35, says he has developed a revolutionary approach by fixing people's spiritual wellbeing. He was a volunteer pastor from 2008 to 2018, till he abandoned post as a volunteer pastor without due notice in 2018. She has not commented on her exs alleged relationship with the reality star, but that hasnt dimmed the attention on her. And yet, Keion has made the proverbial lemonade out of lemons. You can also get in touch in the following ways: If you are reading this page and can't see the form you will need to visit the mobile version of the BBC website to submit your question or comment or you can email us at HaveYourSay@bbc.co.uk. Certain decisions can be taken today, and the people around can never understand why those decisions have been made until maybe 10 years after, he told Al Jazeera. One day, Dawn overheard one of Jeff's many supposedly motivational daily calls. LCI has vehemently denied all the allegations and mounted their defense to the suit. WebBefore he joined Lighthouse, 30-year-old Anthony Church had struggled with anxiety and depression, suffered a breakdown and attempted suicide. He had been planning a solo hike to the South Pole, and thought a coach could help him get more disciplined. Fire from generator caused inferno at 3-storey building at Makola - Report, Gomoa: Two separate road crashes leave one dead; others injured, Nhyiraba Kojo still in prison due to inability to satisfy purging condition Lawyer, Dafeamekpor goes to Supreme Court over appointment of NPP EC board members. Functional cookies help to perform certain functionalities like sharing the content of the website on social media platforms, collect feedbacks, and other third-party features. The initiative will commence in Washington, D.C., on Nov. 21, with a string of Thanksgiving festivities that week, including an "Oh Give Thanks" concert featuring an impressive bill of national recording artists. WebUnder a new name, The Lighthouse Church of All Nations. Erin now believes it was to free up more money, which she could then invest in Lighthouse. It was now going global. WebHenderson, who has been a part of the ministry for over 25 years and founded Lighthouse Church and Ministries in 2009, was previously married to Felecia Henderson. And besides, Jeff was told he would make the money back with all the new business opportunities that would surely follow. Against all 6 Plaintiffs for damages for defamation for publishing 3 Articles against the LCI each titled Darkness In A Lighthouse. However, you may visit "Cookie Settings" to provide a controlled consent. The churchs policy and practice, which are well known to the volunteers, is that the church owes no financial obligation to volunteers by way of payment of salaries, social security contributions, taxes or any form of emolument. His insecurities. WebLighthouse, a Pontiac-based nonprofit dedicated to building equitable communities that alleviate poverty, is pursuing plans to redevelop its headquarters at 46156 Woodward Ave. in Pontiac. Level one is a "chaotic, childlike" state - while level four is a conscious and present person, free of constraints and fear. Hillsong Church NYC. Performance cookies are used to understand and analyze the key performance indexes of the website which helps in delivering a better user experience for the visitors. Such upfront massive investments bring in revenue to create employment, and weve integrated the elements that will drive traffic [and revenue] to Ghana..