An Atlanta pastor is tired of hearing of sexual abuse within the denomination he was raised, and he's on a mission to help expose what he believes is a surging problem.
While growing up in a Church of God in Christ (COGIC) congregation, D.L. Foster experienced sexual abuse firsthand when a fellow teenager molested him. The incident—and its ugly aftermath, which included a lack of support from church leaders—caused Foster to spend years living a gay lifestyle. He eventually left this and launched a ministry to individuals wanting to abandon their homosexual lifestyle, yet the pastor soon began hearing more stories of similar abuse within COGIC. In September, Foster launched a Web site, ReportCOGICAbuse.com, to expose what he believes is a growing problem of sexual misconduct among ministers of the 6 million-member denomination.
The pastor is first an elder, and, along with the other elders, the pastor is responsible to do the following: 1) Oversee the church (1 Timothy 3:1). The primary meaning of the word bishop is “overseer.” The general oversight of the ministry and operation of the church is the responsibility of the pastor and the other elders. WE DO NOT OWN THE RIGHTS!!!
'The pattern I saw was to deny that victims existed, to deny that the church had a culpable role in dealing with the situations,' said Foster, who to date has tracked at least 30 cases of sexual abuse. 'In many of the cases, church members went first to their denominational leaders, reported these actions and nothing was done.'
Although COGIC leaders don't deny instances of pastoral abuse, they disagree with Foster's claim that the denomination is doing little to address the issue. Elder Derrick W. Hutchins, chairman of COGIC's General Council of Pastors and Elders, said his denomination does not take allegations of sexual abuse lightly. 'That's the part that I really find offensive,' Hutchins said. 'Because sometimes it's written like all we want to do is save ourselves from liability, we don't really care about people—and that's not true at all. Our first concern is the parishioners, not just pastors. We do not tolerate pastors in the pulpit who are found guilty of these improprieties.'
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COGIC's constitution calls for ministers accused of egregious sexual misconduct such as rape or pedophilia to be immediately suspended while the claims are being investigated, Hutchins said. A pastor-led jurisdictional council investigates other kinds of allegations, such as sexual immorality among consenting adults, before taking action against a pastor. Bishops who don't follow the procedures can themselves be brought up on charges.
“I want to believe that every bishop is committed to carrying out the constitution as it relates to these grievous acts,” Hutchins said. “Anybody who can find where it’s not being carried out and can prove it, I’m sure that charges will be brought against that bishop who did not carry out his responsibility.'
With its influence growing worldwide, COGIC can set an example for addressing clergy abuse, Foster believes: 'If you continue to deny you have a problem for the sake of your image, name and assets, then my fear is what God allowed [COGIC founder] Bishop Mason to build will be destroyed by evil men—and I do not use that term lightly—whose intention is not the integrity of the house of God but rather to cover for their own sins and the sins of others who perhaps know what they've been doing.' [charismamag.com, 10/15/09]
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See an error in this article? Send us a correctionBishop Lawrence Marcellus Wooten, Sr., or Bishop L. M. Wooten, is a COGIC Bishop from Saint Louis, Missouri and a recently elected member of the General Board of the Church of God in Christ. He also currently serves as the Bishop of the Eccleastical Jurisdiction of Eastern Missouri/ Western Illinois and the Pastor of the Williams Temple Church of God in Christ in St. Louis, Missouri.
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BiographyEdit
Bishop Wooten, PhD, DD., a native Saint Louisana, is an alumnus of Saint Louis University and served as an educator and administrator in the public school system for 30 years. In the year 2000, he was appointed as the presiding Bishop of the Eccleastical Jurisdiction of Eastern Missouri/ Western Illinois Church of God In Christ. In 1979 upon the death of Bishop Columbus Williams , Bishop L. M. Wooten, who had been a faithful supporter and had served as 1st Assistant Pastor to Bishop Williams was appointed Pastor of the Williams Temple Church of God in Christ in St. Louis. Bishop Wooten has created a locally renown Neighborhood Outreach Center, two Charter schools and a local Church (another umbrella outreach ministry from Williams Temple) which contains and supports over forty-five(45) outreach ministries.
Bishop Lawrence Wooten is currently married to Evangelist Shirley James Wooten who originally lived in Southampton County, Virginia but moved up to St. Louis after she became engaged to Bishop Wooten.
Election To The General BoardEdit
Bishop Lawrence M. Wooten had already gained national popularity throughout the church when he was chosen by Presiding Bishop Charles E. Blake to serve as a cohost for the 103rd Annual International Holy Convocation in 2010, the first year the International Holy Convocation was held in Saint Louis, Missouri. Bishop Blake chose him 'for his oustanding organizational abilities and his capable leadership and religious intelligence regarding the church and the Bible.'(according to Bishop Blake's address to the COGIC General Assembly) Bishop Wooten then announced he would run for the General Board of the Church of God in Christ in 2011, and began his campaign in early to mid 2012. He was finally elected to the General Board in November by a majority vote from many of the delegates from Illinois, Missouri, Arkansas, Oklahoma, and Kansas. He was installed onto his official position on the General Board in April of 2013.
VideosEdit
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