Leaked Documents From Megachurch Show ‘USER MANUAL’ For Interacting With Pastor
C3 Church Global, formerly Christian City Church International, is a charismatic movement founded by false prophets Phil Pringle and Christine Pringle. Now comprising over 500 churches, they’re known for their hip ethos, preaching the prosperity gospel, aggressive proselytizing and inviting new people to church, and their propensity to focus on tithing in exchange for blessings and miracles.
Notably, their Toronto location is run by Pastor Sam Pickens, who is the subject of an alleged leaked internal memo released by c3churchwatch. (note, the blue edits are not ours or c3wc) The missive contains a “User Manual’ for dealing and interacting with Pickens, and it’s more narcissistic than even Steven Furtick’s infamous ‘The Code’ coloring book.
The memo kicks off with a pledge of fealty to the pastor.
OUR LEADER-“We work for him (Pickens) “
I AM HERE TO SERVE MY LEADER. SO THE KEY TO MY SUCCESS IN THE ORGANIZATION IS MY ABILITY TO WORK IN THE WAY MY LEADER WANTS ME TO, EVEN IF IT IS NOT MY PREFERENCE.
It offers a “How to present new ideas to Pastor Pickens” with the guidelines saying: “When making a suggestion, do not add any adjectives” in order to “allow the team to decide what kind of idea it is.”
If another pastor or leader disagrees with the pastor on a matter, it instructs the dissident to broach it with him in a very specific way:
If you truly disagree with me, present it in a Question rather than a statement. ie. “Have you thought about?” rather than, “That’s not right.”
He outlines what sort of meetings he likes to have and how long to expect responses from him (half a day for phone calls, one day for emails), then explains that if any of his pastors or staff want to be promoted, they need to be “Teachable and Loyal” because “nothing else gets you promoted faster.” He also promises that if you make his wife’s life hard, he will make your life hard.
He closes it out with a “Phrases that don’t need to be said,” which include:
“I’ll do my best.
If you feel the need to say that, you’re probably leaving room to not do your best.
If you actually did your BEST, it would be evident and you would not have the need to say so.
“Sorry I’m late”
If you have reasons for dropping the ball they just sound like excuses. And giving excuses is pushing the blame off you. Maturity assumes responsibility.
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This reminds me of my fundamental Baptist pastor growing up. Thankfully, he never thought to create a manual…
Not only does this sound cult like it is right in the playbook of a narcissist. We opened the door to Satan 100% over 30 years ago with all the “seeker sensitive” garbage and look where we are. I was thinking last night after finishing the book of Deuteronomy that if we had continued to teach and instill in our children who God is and his Word (as we were told to do), we wouldn’t need programs like AWANA and we wouldn’t have people 40 years and younger so screwed up as we do. Just as the Israelites went after other gods and apostasy after the death of Joshua and the next generation came up with no knowledge of who God is and his Word and laws so have we done. We are in the EXACT same place as they were because we stopped teaching it to our children.
I’ve seen cults that were more circumspect.
There also seemed to be a distinct absence of activity that is honoring to God ….
Waiting for them to start offering merch a la an MLM …
Sorry, this doesn’t sound like a church, it sounds like rules for interacting with a celebrity.