It is worth noting in this situation how spiritually abusive and manipulative the ‘man of God’ at the top is. Does not this sound like the C3 Church is a cult when you have ‘pastors’ like this?

… At one point in my life, my then husband and I were having enormous difficulties.  We had separated  AGAIN temporarily (as we did every so often after he walked out on us following a particularly bad violent episode). He was extremely abusive and the children and I were under constant threat.  “Pastor” Gary Dench knew of the abuse, and as I have told you, he told me my husband “would not find it necessary to beat me if I learned how to be a submissive wife”.

At one point, though separated, my husband and I both attended a “Marriage Seminar” run by a visiting  American preacher.  It was run over several nights.  At the  end of the seminar a Christian Marriage Manual was offered for sale so people  would have something to take home that they could use as a reference in a continuing attempt to improve their marriage.

I had been very impressed by the Seminar (as had my husband, surprisingly).  We both agreed that we would like to purchase the Manual.  We were NOT well off, had five children, and were counting our pennies every week.  As a relatively new Christian and not knowing the “protocol”, we approached  “Pastor” Gary Dench on the last night and told him we would like to purchase  a copy of the Manual but were unable to afford it and asked him if it would be alright to use our Tithe money to purchase it instead of putting it into ‘Dench’s dish” that week.  (Of course I didn’t say “Dench’s dish” at the time – that’s just an expression I use now that  I know him better.)

Dench was infuriated!  He told us that it certainly would NOT be okay and that our Tithe’s MUST be paid as usual into his Christian City Church coffers.  We were very disappointed but we “obeyed”!

At the time Dench knew of the abuse in our marriage (and as it turns out, the rape and molestation of my children) and was more interested in making sure his own finances were boosted than in our family receiving assistance. We never bought the Manual.

I look back now and wonder how intelligent people such as ourselves (my husband was a police officer and I had been the recipient of an International Scholarship and was an Undergraduate in Law) could be so manipulated……… How?????

I will tell you how ……. we had both been raised as Catholics and were once again  being hit over the head with a club that had “G.O.D.” written on it.  There is no greater manipulator than those who USE GOD and the FEAR of Him to control others.

I feel shame when I think of the way I submitted to my church leaders in an attempt to please God.  I hope God can forgive me.

—-

(recalling this episode has just brought me to tears again………….)

We wish to thank this victim for sharing her story.

It is about time the church started noticing how atrocious the behaviour of C3 Church truly is. If you have had any similar experience at a C3 Church – please share your story.