Due to the nature of emerging scandals and the CHC court case, it has been hard to keep up to date with information from the C3 Asheville scandal. We hope to keep alerting readers to the fascinating insights to this disturbing C3 scandal, analysing its history and future direction.
Last year we had Barn Sweetman (son of C3 Church Americas Overseer Dean Sweetman) comment on our blog. He naturally defended his dad Dean Sweetman over the way he handled the C3 Asheville scandal. What we were not expecting was a C3 leader informing Barn what actually happened inside the C3 Asheville mess. The C3 leader’s response is worth reading again. Before reading their response, we thought it was important looking at what Barn Sweetman wrote first.
Barn Sweetman wrote to the “lynch mob” C3 Church Watch:
Hi everyone,
My name is Barn Sweetman. Dean and Jill Sweetman are my parents. There’s probably 3,000 things I could say to argue against some of the ridiculous things that have been said on this blog, but it honestly makes me feel nauseous just thinking about it. Seriously, I challenge you to think about this for a second. Imagine your parents, hopefully some of the greatest heroes that were in your life, being verbally abused like this. Picture it in your mind for a few seconds.
Now imagine being 8 years old, living with your family that had next to nothing and then being sent to move from Sydney, all the way to Atlanta to plant a church. Now imagine over the next 18 years watching your parents, move heaven and earth, to try and build healthy, amazing, and powerful churches that actually change lives. Let me reiterate that… that actually CHANGE lives.
Then all of a sudden, they start getting verbally attacked by a lynch mob who literally have nothing better to do than to destroy everything that your parents put blood, sweat, and tears into.
It’s just shocking. The lack of compassion and grace that gets tossed around this blog is just sickening. You’ve literally created a breeding ground of doubt, fear, and hatred with the soul purpose of tearing down the church. You are literally contributing to the destruction of the image of Christianity. Congratulations.
And the best part about it? From what I’ve seen, most of you are Christians. Most of you flippin’ believe in the power of the cross and that it actually changes lives. Yet you choose to criticize the ones that actually carry the burden and spread the gospel. If you actually understood the amount of pressure and faith it takes to build just 1 church, I guarantee you, you would be disgusted with yourself right now. Disgusted.
I’ll finish my rant on this note. I’m sure you all had some reason to point fingers at your church or C3 for something that hurt you. Grow up, forgive the people that have wronged you and move on. The church will ALWAYS be built by imperfect people and if you can’t accept that, go read John 8:7. The goal is to spread the Gospel… not destroy it.
Think about it.
Source: Barn Sweetman, C3 Asheville Scandal – The Wolf & The Ostrich (Part 8), C3 Church Watch, https://c3churchwatch.com/2013/11/29/c3-asheville-scandal-the-wolf-the-ostrich-part-8/#comment-11718, February 16, 2014 at 4:22 am.
Dave wrote,
Hello Barn Sweetman,
First off let me commend you for honoring your parents. I also want to say although I’m sure I don’t completely understand how it must feel, I’m sure it hurts to see what you feel as your parents being attacked occurring on this blog.
That being said I want to present a bit of the other side to you. I think a lot of people are venting at your Dad Dean because they are in fact hurt. Hurt by Nick Dimitris and hurt by his handling of this situation. He is in fact in a position where he is supposed to provide help and “oversight” in situations like these. I’m going to present to you a few facts about his handling of the Asheville church and you can decide for yourself if you can see why some people might be hurt at his handling of this situation.
But before I do let me tell you how I know this and why I am qualified to speak to the situation: I went to C3 Asheville, I was a leader in fact I even lead certain aspects of the church. I have been apart of a few church plants now so I do understand how hard planting a church can be. I’ve also been involved in the “Spirit Filled” church most of my life and I was apart of the C3 movement for many years. I had high hopes as did many others for a good local church in Asheville, I served and gave to try to help in seeing a community of believers established in Asheville. I like many others eventually wised up to Nick Dimitris and went to your Dad and practically begged for help and I was turned away and told if I couldn’t support leadership I needed to leave. So that is what I did….
Now for a few facts on your Dad’s handling of the situation in Asheville:
1. From the time that the scandal of Nick Dimitris’s court case broke in the news Dean never set his feet on the ground in Asheville. NOT ONCE. He sent others(more on this shortly) but never came once to observe things for himself, to ask questions, to seek out the truth, heck possibly even to make sure all the members were okay and being cared for, maybe even pray with some folks…. I would certainly think that a matter this big would require quite a bit more attention and emphasis than he gave it. We are talking about people’s lives afterall and if what turned out to be true(according to United States Justice system)was true then the implications would be devastating to a church.
2. He did however send Steve Hickson who recommended Nick be immediately placed on Hiatus from a leadership role in the church.-This was ignored as were all of Steve’s requests on how the matter be handled.
He later sent Phil Beuchler who said and I paraphrase-”Nick is not fit by the definition the Bible provides us to be a leader”-This was also ignored as well.
3. Dean was approached by several members of staff and pastors at C3 Asheville asking for Nick to be sat and for help in this situation- They were ignored and I can’t remember the exact tally but at least 7 staff left because of this. A worship leader, a young adults pastor and a youth pastor all were gone within months. There are NO original staff left.
4. Dean also saw 2 sets of boards/elders resign because after their pleading for Nick to be sat his response was to stick with Nick.
5. The church went from over 200 people to less than 40 without 1 visit from Dean.
6. He allowed a man who had plead guilty in a bank fraud investigation serve and lead a church for over 2 years as the paper wrote article after article. How was the church supposed to grow when people think the pastor is a crook?
7. He never removed Nick(a convicted felon-that’s what you are when you plead guilty) until after he was sentenced to a year in jail. Even then I think he just said okay you’re not a part of C3 anymore but left the church still running..still no visit…Where is the care for the people involved in his actions???
8. He has never to my knowledge called and asked for forgiveness to any of the people who were involved in and hurt by C3 Asheville.
Barn, when I look at your Dad’s actions in this situation I can’t see any care for the people involved. I can’t see any humility(not listening to staff and pastors some he had known for years, not listening to seasoned elders in the body, not listening to peers-Steve Hickson, Phil Beauchler, not listening to boards he helped appoint, not listening to members and founding members). I can’t see that he cared at all about this situation truthfully and that’s what hurts. These people involved are sons and fathers and mothers and daughters themselves after all and they are a part of the body of Christ. You think it’s hard to plant a church….Try giving your all into a church plant and watching it fall to pieces and the body scattered because “oversight” is sticking Nick, not just once but time and time again, fallout after fallout. That’s what about 200 people just experienced and there is a lot of pain. Some have left the faith. Do you realize that? SOME PEOPLE HAVE LEFT THE FAITH because of this situation. Still many others are completely disillusioned and don’t know what to do. This situation has been DEVASTATING. I spoke with your Dad on the phone and I expressed these concerns and I couldn’t hear that he cared at all and that hurt. I don’t say these things to hurt you or your Dad but you need to know the other side to the story and he needs to be reminded of this until he turns to God in repentance.
Source: David, C3 Asheville Scandal – The Wolf & The Ostrich (Part 8), C3 Church Watch, https://c3churchwatch.com/2013/11/29/c3-asheville-scandal-the-wolf-the-ostrich-part-8/#comment-11819, Submitted on 2014/02/19 at 5:44 am.
What was Barn Sweetman’s response?
David don’t think that I don’t have a clue on what’s going on. I actually went up 3 times and helped with worship during the whole situation because they were running out of worship leaders. Each time I went up and watched has the congregation dwindled. It’s a very sad situation. But imagine the strength that could have come out of that church after the trial was over (guilty or not guilty) b/c people stood by in unity.
Responding to Berean’s comment “@ David – I hope Barn is able to absorb what you had to say, and come to a place of maturity accepting that sometimes fathers are not perfect and unfortunately not qualified to pastor.If anyone should step down, or stood down, at this time it should be Dean Sweetman. He has demonstrated by his behaviour that he is not qualified biblically.” https://c3churchwatch.com/2013/11/29/c3-asheville-scandal-the-wolf-the-ostrich-part-8/#comment-11824
Barn continues:
Really @Berean? I’m not naive. I know that the whole situation could have been handled differently. But you’re saying that he should step down because you think he didn’t handle a crisis in 1 church out of the 30ish he looks after? Really??? Your lust for vengeance and justice far out ways your thirst for grace. You’ve thrown the first stone without even looking at yourself. Have a little grace. Dad is by far not perfect, but if we build churches based on your standards, there wouldn’t be many standing. Once again, building churches is really hard b/c you’re dealing with people that are imperfect and have problems. Even the pastors. See some flippin’ reason before making ridiculous claims like that.
Source: Barn Sweetman, C3 Asheville Scandal – The Wolf & The Ostrich (Part 8), C3 Church Watch, https://c3churchwatch.com/2013/11/29/c3-asheville-scandal-the-wolf-the-ostrich-part-8/#comment-11843, February 19, 2014 at 2:45 pm.
In other words it is important for Dean Sweetman and C3 to keep convicted Nick Dimitris as a C3 Pastor “(guilty or not guilty)” because it is more important Christians need to stand in unity. Is this appropriate pastoral oversight by the “C3 Church Americas Overseer” Dean Sweetman?
C3 Church Watch 
“The lack of compassion and grace that gets tossed around this blog is just sickening.”
No no no. What’s sickening is the predatory behaviour of the C3 church in trying to get as much money out of people as possible, all while promoting the “founder” of the church as some kind of prophet. I’m sure Barn’s parents have profited handsomely from this, and judging by Barn’s “tithe app” he’s doing his best to get a price of the pie for himself as well. Nepotism is not a problem for C3 so I’m sure he’ll have plenty of opportunities to make money as well.
I’m not surprised Barn is going to defend his parents, but he’s obviously not smart enough to realise this blog isn’t the problem. In fact, rather than being a “lynch mob” it’s holding some of the rubbish that comes out of places like C3 to account. If C3 pastors stopped doing things like twisting scripture there would be no blog.
While Barn feels pretty sorry for himself about being removed from Sydney as an 8 year old to the the US (wow, so much hardship right there) his lack of compassion for the many people who suffered under C3 is galling, particularly in light of the accusations he’s throwing at this blog. Perhaps Barn should speak to some people other than his parents, although judging from his email reply to “Dave” I doubt he really wants to hear about anyone else – the truth hurts…
No one know or cares about me and my wife: We were the elephants in the room; ignored and unnoticed from C3 oversight. Barn; we have known Nick for over 20 years. You and you dad are wrong. You still don’t know even half of the story of C3 Asheville. We are seasoned pastors and have ministered in many countries in an Apostolic role for almost 40 years.
if you want the “Paul Harvey” version respond!
MY COMMENT
This is just a biblical remainder to all those people who think of, and consider themselves to be “leaders” “pastors”. Read and study the whole Bible and follow Our Lord and God Jesus Christ.
FROM THE BIBLE
But Jesus Called them to[Him] and said to them, You know that those who are recognized as governing and are supposed to rule the Gentiles (the nations) lord it over them [ruling with absolute power, holding them in subjection], and their great men exercise authority and dominion over them.
But this is not to be so among you; instead, however desires to be great among you must be your servant.
And whoever wishes to be most important and first in rank among you must be slave of all.
For even the Son of Man came not to have service rendered to Him, but to serve, and to give His life as a ransom for (“instead of) many.
MY COMMENT
It is a shame that some of these so called “leaders” “pastors” definitely love money (mammon) and power than Jesus.
FROM THE BIBLE
No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will stand by and be devoted to the one and despise and be against the other. You cannot serve God and mammon (deceitful riches, money, possessions, or whatever is trusted in).
MY COMMENT
For you; “leader” pastor”; you think and provably believe you have been justified and there is no more condemnation for you, that is the true word, but your deeds (actions) are already condemning you.
FROM THE BIBLE
Then He will say to those at His left hand, Begone from Me, you cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels!
For I was hungry and you gave Me no food, I was thirsty and you gave Me nothing to drink,
I was a stranger and you did not welcome Me and entertain Me, I was sick and in prison and you did not visit Me with help and ministering care.
MY COMMENT
Poverty; is a prison, it exists because the oppression and exploitation of a human being by another whose gods are: pride, arrogance, selfishness and any type of greediness.
FROM THE BIBLE
Then they also [in their turn] will answer, Lord, when did we see You hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and did not minister to You?
And He will reply to them, solemnly I declare to you, in so far as you failed to do it for the least [in the estimation of men] of these, you failed to do it for Me
Then they will go away into eternal punishment, but those who are just and upright and in right standing with God into eternal life.
MY COMMENT
The whole word of God, THE BIBLE, is not just Malachi 3:10, as many of you “leaders “pastors” believe.
Dean Sweetman and Phil Pringle and Kong Hee and all the others they’re involved with, are what I would have to call (to coin a new term here): “career Christians”.
It’s just a job to them so they can remain employed,
Jim Styles
It is bad enough to have a scam become a scandal and rock the local church, but worse again when oversight leadership decides not to buy into the situation and take the necessary steps to correct the error and/or rebuke the sin.
“Against an elder receive not an accusation, but before two or three witnesses. Them that sin rebuke before all, that others also may fear.” (1 Timothy 5:19, 20)
The Biblical injunction is placed here in scripture to protect Godly leaders against false and/or frivolous charges, and in serious cases, protect the flock from erring leadership.
If Dean Sweetmen sent 2 or 3 of his peers to check out the Ashville situation, and then ignored their reports for months on end, then perhaps Sweetman should have been removed himself. Biblically speaking, he had his “three witnesses” but he allowed a leader/elder to continue in known, open sin for months on end, and to continue to continue in ministry, and at the same time, and by default bring down upon Nick Dimitris, the full wrath of the powers that be:
“Let every soul be subject unto the higher powers. For there is no power but of God: the powers that be are ordained of God. Whosoever therefore resisteth the power, resisteth the ordinance of God: and they that resist shall receive to themselves damnation.” (Romans 13:1, 2)
(This passage is about the departmental structure of human government – courts, cops, parliament/congress and the administration of human affairs through various government departments and agencies… it is not a reference to church leaders!!!)
This is why the Holy Spirit, through Paul, gave both sets of instructions. If Dimitris had a healthy fear (respect) for law and order, he wouldn’t be sitting in a jail cell today. If Dean Sweetman had acted decisively and had removed Dimitris promptly after receiving credible, reliable reports, he would not be facing ridicule over there, or over here.
It seems grossly irresponsible to have delayed any decision in this matter until after “pastor disastor” had been jailed,and a whole congregation of almost 200 people had been forced to follow their consciences and leave, not to mention the devastation that such fallout always brings.
This was a no-brainer folks, so it begs the question – where was Dean Sweetman at when he couldn’t see the forest for the trees…???
I just had another look at this and wanted to make one more point:
You have to understand that Nick Dimitris deceived everyone… including Dad
Again, err nope! I’m pretty sure this blog was all over Nick Dimitris while Dean was busy ignoring advice to dump him form his position, and indeed defending him!
I would have thought Barn, that instead of trying to trash C3CW you would actually recognise that C3CW were the ones waving the warning flags while “everyone else” was busy being deceived. Really you should apologise and say “thanks”, and maybe next time when Dad’s busy getting deceived, he’ll listen.
As for Jill’s PHD, you know the answer to that one. You know fully well if she is trying to misrepresent where she was awarded it, and, given that other than a solitary response from Dean (“Trinity University”) the question has been completely ignored, it remains highly suspicious.
If my suspicions are wrong, I’m happy to hold my hand up and apologise, admit I got it wrong and do what I can to make it better. But if my suspicions are right (and I have done some research), then you need to ask yourself whether that kind of behaviour is what God expects from his “leaders”. If it’s not, what’s the excuse for that vanity project? Why misrepresent the institution other than the fact C3CW might look into it and expose it as another Diploma Mill?
Unfortunately the C3 Asheville Scandal isn’t the only example of C3 ignoring church members concerns and have supported their Church pastors who shall we say have not conducted themselves in an inappropriate way as so called church leaders. It seems to be happening often these days.
Please email us any more information on these issues. For a long time, C3 has hidden many of their scandals and many people have had no platform to air the hurts c3 has caused them. People do now.
correction I should have said “have not conducted themselves in an appropriate way as so called church leaders” my dyslexia kicked in previously sorry folks.
“Now imagine […] living with your family that had next to nothing and then being sent to move from Sydney, all the way to Atlanta to plant a church.”
Barn, I’m a little confused here; maybe you can help me out.
We know that only the best of the best at C3 would be considered for such an important international role as “Executive Regional Overseers for C3 Americas” (wow, that sounds *so* impressive, almost like a real job! No wonder your mum needed to get a “Doctorate” from “Trinity”, eh?)
We also know that Phil Pringle and all his money-minded mates consider that the acid test of someone’s spiritual state is whether or not they “tithe”, because they have said as much.
So to be appointed as a C3 leader, Dean would have to be “tithing” faithfully, isn’t that right? And according to what Phil Pringle has claimed, anyone who tithes will be be financially blessed. So your family would have been giving generously to Phil Pringle on a regular basis, and, according to that “Apostle’s” doctrine, should therefore have been swimming in money (thirty, sixty, hundredfold, and all that).
But you state that your family “had next to nothing” – are you really trying to suggest that “tithing” doesn’t work as Phil Pringle claims, Barn? Because I’m sure he would be very upset to hear that you were making him out to be a liar – you could get your parents into *big* trouble.
Perhaps you would like to clarify this matter for our readers?
“You have to understand that Nick Dimitris deceived everyone… including Dad.”
Actually Barn, if you had been following the story, you would know that Nick Dimitris did *not* deceive:
1) Steve Hickson.
2) Phil Beuchler.
3) Several members of staff and pastors at C3 Asheville (at least seven staff, a worship leader, a young adults pastor, and a youth pastor).
4) Two sets of boards/elders.
5) Over one hundred and sixty people who left the church.
6) The law enforcement authorities and the judicial system of the United States of America.
So, far from what you claim, Barn, it appears that those who were taken in by Dimitris were actually in the minority. And how was it, Barn, that your dad was deceived at all? As a C3 pastor, isn’t he meant to be filled to overflowing with the Holy Spirit? Shouldn’t he be wise and discerning? Why is it that he didn’t get any revelation from God concerning this situation? Did he even bother to pray about it? Did he block his ears when God spoke to him because he didn’t get the answer he wanted?
C3 pastors are always huffing and puffing about how close to God they are; they make themselves out to be “anointed”, and a cut above everyone else, but it’s clear that this is a load of absolute nonsense. Dean has proved woefully incapable of fulfilling his role, although the fault is not his alone – blame can also be apportioned to Phil Pringle for appointing Dean to a position for which he is manifestly unfit, and also for failing in his duty of care to exercise responsible oversight over those below him in the gnostic ranks of C3 “leadership”.
“But [Berean is] saying that [Dean Sweetman] should step down because [she thinks] he didn’t handle a crisis in 1 church out of the 30ish he looks after?”
So do you own a Bible, Barn? Perhaps you should acquaint yourself with the parable of the lost sheep.
“I honestly think [Dean] could have handled this way better.”
And so you yourself admit that your father was at best incompetent, and that, at worst, he abrogated his responsibilities through willful ignorance and turning a blind eye to what was clear as day to everyone else who was even remotely connected to this disgraceful affair.
Gold, Barn, absolute gold – and a wonderful insight into the C3 movement in general.