We have been covering the paedophile scandal cover-up of Phil Pringle of C3 Church. If people tuned in to 2SM radio this morning, they would have learnt that this scandal also found it’s way into the Hillsong movement.
This morning, Grant Goldman from 2SM radio publicly challenged Scott Morrison’s associations with cult leader Brian Houston of Hillsong. Goldman also introduced the serious issues behind Hillsong by introducing cult leader Phil Pringle and his C3 movement into the mix, highlighting the fact that both men have covered up paedophilia in their church’s. Goldman focused on Kerrie Ferguson’s story as well.
You can read Kerrie Ferguson’s ongoing story here in how this was covered up:
Scott Morrison attends ShireLIVE and has close ties with the better-known Hillsong community. Brian Houston is one of Morrison’s mentors and we have a personal email claiming that Scott Morrison has boasted that his mentor is Brian Houston.
If you don’t know how to navigate what surfaced from the Royal Commission regarding Houston covering up his father’s crimes, please read the below link:
TRANSCRIPT: Grant Goldman to Scott Morrison, Monday 21 September 2015.
“On August 24th, less than a month ago, I had something to say about Scott Morrison, I stated that in 2007 Morrison as State Director of the Liberal Party was the beneficiary of a totally unfounded and unjustified smear campaign against a man by the name of Michael Towke, the telecommunications engineer who had been preselected by the Liberal Party for the seat of Cook. The effect of that smear campaign was that Morrison, who in contesting the preselection, had received less than one tenth of the votes won by Towke. But Morrison was able to gain the Liberal endorsement as the Member for Cook.
In recent days supporters of Tony Abbott have suspected the loyalty and sincerity of Scott Morrison who appears to have been rewarded for his failure to defend the then Prime Minister against the Turnbull attack. In his Maiden Speech to the Federal Parliament on 14 February 2008, Scott Morrison made favourable mention of Pastor Brian Houston who operates the Hillsong religious organisation.
So who is Pastor Brian Houston, the mentor to Scott Morrison? Is he?
This is the fellow who told a Royal Commission that he had no legal or moral obligation to the victims of sexual abuse perpetrated by his predecessor in the leadership of Hillsong, his father Frank Houston. In October 2014 the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Abuse was told by a witness known as AHA that when he was seven years only, Pastor Frank Houston would come to his room, lie on him, fondle him and masturbate him. When Brian Houston found out that in 1999 that his father was a pederast taking advantage of a young boy, he failed to tell the Police. Instead, Brian Houston and committee of the Assemblies of God suspended Frank Houston’s preaching credentials, for just two years.
It gets worse. I have in my hand as I write a copy of testimony given to the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Abuse by a lady named Kerri. I shall put this document on my website. Kerri told the commission the tragic story of how her son was raped by the man she had married. Her son reported the crime to two Pastors, Gary Dench and Ian Treacy. They did not tell the police. They did not tell the victim’s mother. They admonished the victim, telling him he was partly to blame.
After Kerri learned from her son what had happened, she told the Police and also asked for help from the Head Pastor of the Christian City Church, Phil Pringle who provided no assistance. Pringle had suspended Dench, not because Dench had concealed a crime against a child, but because Dench’s wife had won a prize in the lottery.
Later Kerri asked for help from Pastor Brian Houston of Hillsong Church knowing him to be a close friend of Pastor Phil Pringle. I’ll quote what Kerri told the commission:
“I related our circumstances to Brian Houston who became very irritated, told me he did not believe that such a thing had happened, turned his back on me and walked away.”
That is Brian Houston, who I understand with his wife Bobbie still calls the shots at Hillsong.
I am inviting Scott Morrison to come on my program and repudiate Pastor Brian Houston. I want Scott Morrison to express disgust at a Christian Leader who fails to report the sexual abuse of a child. I want Scott Morrison to express disgust at a Christian Leader who turns his back on member of his own congregation, a mother whose son has been betrayed by other pastors in the network, who refused to report to police that that boy had been raped, and instead told the boy he was partly to blame.
If you agree with me, back me up. If you disagree, prove me wrong.”
Phil Pringle and his cohorts continue to refuse to deal with issues that occured in the C3 Parramatta scandal 25 years ago. We are talking about two men that covered up pedophilia in the C3 Church movement.
The two pastors put into C3 leadership that showed lack of pastoral care, wisdom and responsibility in the C3 Penrith scandal are STILL in leadership positions today.
These pastors are Gary Dench and Ian Treacy.
Before reading on, we encourage viewers to read what we have covered on the C3 Penrith scandal so far. In this article we wish to publish an open letter that alleges that Pringle was informed of this sexual misconduct and did nothing about it. Nor did he deal with the C3 pastors in relation to the trials.
It happened in 1985, during a time when abusive husband (Steve Dent ) was abusing Kerri Ferguson and her children. C3 Pastors Gary Dench and Ian Treacy were sanctioning Dent’s behaviour by telling Ferguson that she must be a “rebellious wife” or her husband would have no need to bash her.
Now keep in mind, this was the time that C3 Ps Dench and C3 Ps Treacy also had knowledge of Steve’s physical abuse.
Kerri Ferguson was exhausted looking after 5 children, working two full-time jobs, and being constantly beaten by her husband. Her husband had left her temporarily as he did for days at a time, or even weeks, while he sulked.
One morning in C3 Church, C3 Pastor Gary Dench anounced that there was to be a church Camp coming up. He subsequently approached Kerri and told her that she was to attend. Kerri tried to plead her way out of it. However, Dench was furious and COMMANDED that she attend. She insisted her way over the matter and finally told him that she couldn’t possibly afford it. Dench told Mrs Ferguson that the church would foot the bill for my family.
On the Saturday night the congregation gathered for a session in the camp hall. Dench had kept telling Ferguson that she must attend, so she did.
The guest speaker was PASTOR FERGUS MCINTYRE (Christian City Church, Maroubra branch).She did not know about this guest speaker until the night Dench announced it and “Fergie” appeared on stage.
McIntyre began by giving a sort of “testimony” regarding the fact that he had always had trouble stringing two words together. But since he was “saved” and called by God to become a Pastor, he experienced a miracle whereby when he spoke now and gave messages as a public speaker, he was able to speak coherently and fluently. He put it all down to God. He began to preach his message. After a few minutes he stopped in his tracks and pointed to Mrs Ferguson.
“I see this lady here!”
He identified her as he pointed out the things she was wearing so that everyone would look at her.
And claiming to get a direct revelation from God, Fergus McIntyre “prophesied” over Mrs Ferguson. We have managed to obtain audio of the prophecy and have transcribed it accordingly.
I see – yah, with- uh- I see God coming along and-and blowing on a lot of things that you’ve been thinking. And- and uh, you’ve- I can see- the type of person- uh- and Gods honours you and God blesses you and God- God loves you.
Uh, but God’s saying to you, “I want you to hold loosely to some of the things that you’ve held tightly to, and you’re gonna see the- some of the promises of God that you’ve asked God for. They’re going to come to pass, not according to how your mind would see it come to pass. I see you’re a person that, uh, would analytically work things out and-and have a hold, uhhhhh, you’d just weigh things up and you’d hold things in your mind in how it might happen.
God’s saying, “I’m gonna do some things for you, but a- don’t be surprised if it comes- if he comes in the back door to do them- comes in another way. He’s like- it’s like you like to have- it’s like in your mind you’ve always been used to things happening to how your mind would think.
But God’s saying, “I’m working on a lot of the areas of your life, a lot of these things that, uh, that you’ve been concerned about”and He’s been concerned about and God’s saying, “I’m not going to come and do it the way that you want- that you would think me do it, I’m gonna come in another doorway and do it. I’ll come and- because I can’t be held by any fixed concept- I can’t be held by-” God’s bigger than all that, you see.
But God’s coming to say- to say that He’s- He’s- He’s doing things now. And He’s setting in order and He’s arranging things and He’s- and He’s healing and He’s wanting you to- and I can see Him doing a tremendous deep healing work in your own spirit. But He wants you to let go of all the things that have hurt you, all the things, all the people that have hurt you- all the situations that have been built up against you.
God’s saying, “Let it all go and I’ll come in and I’ll start and I’ll-” He already is!
But He’ll go a lot faster because He’s having to work on you and work on the situation at the same time. But if you just let everything go and hold loosely to the issues, the Spirit of God’s saying, “I can fix all those things up – Bam! Yes. [CROWD APPLAUDS] Yes. Hold loosely! Hold loosely! Hold loosely! Hold loosely to things.” The Spirit of God would say, “Hold loosely! Don’t, don’t hang on to things too tight. Don’t hold on to things too tight. Let it go. The Spirit of God’s gonna do those things. Hallelujah… yes…yes… hallelujah!”
Source: Fergus McIntyre.
REVIEW OF THE PROPHECY
“Let loose” of reason?
Our personal opinion on the matter was that the entire show that involved Mrs Kerri Ferguson was to prophetically manipulate her into silence, a technique we have seen at C3 Church Oxford Falls used numerous times and a technique that Singaporeans have observed Phil Pringle use on it’s members at Kong Hee’s City Harvest Church.
This continual type of false prophetic manipulation runs rampant in C3. Prophecy that tells people to not use their brains when dealing with difficult circumstances. And this is a form of mind control and behavioural control used on C3 members.
Notice how Fergus McIntyre made observed Mrs Ferguson’s ability to “analytically work things”, “weigh things up” and “hold things in [her] mind in how it might happen”. McIntyre said that both he and God wants her to “hold loosely to some of the things that you’ve held tightly to.”
Is this scriptural?
When God speaks through his prophets, he doesn’t tell his people to abandon their minds to God but to REASON with God:
“Learn to do good; Seek justice, Reprove the ruthless, Defend the orphan, Plead for the widow. Come now, let us reason together, says the LORD: though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red like crimson, they shall become like wool.” Isaiah 1:18
Don’t forget that God also teaches that the most important command is to “love the LORD your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind.”
Knowing right from wrong is practice discernment, which is what God teaches Christians to do. So why would God in this prophecy tell Mrs Ferguson that she needs to “let loose” of her gift of discernment? God even said to Israel that he would send false prophets among them to point out those who were his and held to his commandments. Paul said something similar in the New Testament.
Does this sound like God or Satan?
Fergie said,
“… God’s saying, “I’m not going to come and do it the way that you want- that you would think me do it, I’m gonna come in another doorway and do it. I’ll come and- because I can’t be held by any fixed concept- I can’t be held by-” God’s bigger than all that, you see.”
God does not do things in secret. He gives his people plenty of warning and time before he accomplishes the things he wants done. In fact, in the New Testament, Jesus instituted biblical repentance and church institutional response to certain sins. (See Matthew 18:15-20.) However, the scriptures teach us that Satan’s nature is subtle (Genesis 3:1) who operates illegally outside of the legal boundaries established by God. Consider how Jesus portrays the false leaders in his day in John 10:
“”Very truly I tell you Pharisees, anyone who does not enter the sheep pen by the gate, but climbs in by some other way, is a thief and a robber.” John 10:1-2 (NIV)
If men of authority did “not enter the sheep pen by the gate, but [climbed] in by some other way,” and Jesus condemned them for it, is not Fergus McIntyre turning God into a hypocrite by claiming God said, “God’s saying, “I’m gonna do some things for you, but… don’t be surprised … if he comes in the back door to do them- comes in another way?”
God is a God of order and justice. He has made his church and those in it to live orderly and just lives that glorify Him. So why is McIntyre saying that God is “not going to come and do it the way that you want” to Kerri Ferguson?
All this woman wanted was justice. Why would God suggest otherwise?
A false spirit speaking through a false prophet
Another thing that proves that this is a false prophecy is when Fergus claimed God said, “… I can’t be held by any fixed concept- I can’t be held by-“. The Hindu deity is limitless. However, Christianity and Judaeism have always known that God is limited and bound. For instance, scriptures teach us that “God cannot lie” (Titus 1:2).
God is not held by our fixed concepts. This is because he has GIVEN us His Word. He tells us who He is and how He does things when we read His Word. No wonder McIntyre trailed off speaking on behalf of God and ended with “God’s bigger than all that you see”.
This is mysticism. He is shrowding his victim in doubt through mystical means to throw her off the biblical compass. When one becomes a Christian, they will often sing they were “once blind but now I see”. McIntyre is suggesting to Ferguson that she cannot see even though she in Christ. He is causing her to not believe in God by saying this and is hoodwinking her into believing his false words.
Prophetic incostinstency…
Furthermore, McItntyre says,
“But He wants you to let go of all the things that have hurt you, all the things, all the people that have hurt you- all the situations that have been built up against you.
God’s saying, “Let it all go and I’ll come in and I’ll start and I’ll-” He already is!”
This god is idle. It cannot do anything UNLESS you do something first. When you compare this to the God of scripture, Christ acted first before we ever did. This god of McIntyre was calling Ferguson to do something first before it could do something. It was asking her to do the impossible. It would have left her in despair unless she moves first.
This ‘god’ is not loving nor gracious. If you followed it, it would keep you bound and despairing in your hurt and pain.
This god is also a liar (or otherwise McIntyre is).
Fergus said,
“But God’s coming to say- to say that He’s- He’s- He’s doing things now. And He’s setting in order and He’s arranging things and He’s- and He’s healing and He’s wanting you to- and I can see Him doing a tremendous deep healing work in your own spirit.”
So God is “doing things now” even though it couldn’t because Kerri Ferguson had to take the first step?
But wait!
McIntyre said he saw God doing a “tremendous deep healing work in [her] own spirit”. How? Aren’t God hands tied until Kerri did something?
Whenever the word “but” is used in or after a sentence, it is usually said to counter that which was said before. Go read the prophecy and observe how many times this ‘god’ cannot figure itself out. It’s somewhat amusing! Not to mention that this “God” is unable to make Fergus McIntyre speak properly says it all really.
Was this prophecy to Mrs Ferguson a set up?
The clue in the transcript that indicates to us that Fergus received knowledge from C3 Pastor Gary Dench about Mrs Ferguson’s affairs is in his ‘uhs’. Whenever he says something that articulates Mrs Ferguson well, he seems to say ‘uh’.
A prophet of God wouldn’t hesitate would he? To us that indicates he doesn’t know how to deal with this conflict of interest within himself. McIntyre appeared nervous and hesitant in his prophecy, thus all the “uh” commentary.
This statement also needs to be examined:
“But He wants you to let go of all the things that have hurt you, all the things, all the people that have hurt you- all the situations that have been built up against you.”
This could have been a vague stab in the dark but McIntyre did summarise in this one sentence on behalf of ‘God’, Fersuson’s circumstances. This is proof to us that Dench informed McIntyre of Mrs Ferguson’s circumstance. It really sounds as though it came out at this point of the “prophecy”. Of course Dench and Fergie would want God to say to Kerri “let it all go”!
What he articulated for Mrs Ferguson to let go of at this instance is the very thing that should undermine this prophecy. Did Jesus say “let it all go” when a ‘brother’ sinned against us? NO! We “let it all go” when they repent. If not, take witnesses. If that doesn’t work, take it before the church. If Jesus didn’t teach us to “let it go”, why should we believe this prophecy? Especially when it was a C3 pastor that abused his pastoral office?
So to summarise what the ‘Spirit of God’ was saying to Mrs Ferguson, “Hold loosely to things”, is that biblical? It sounds like the C3 Church “prophecy” would want her to “hold loosely to” the bible so that she doesn’t question C3 church, her pastor, Fergus McIntyre and anyone else entangled in their web of lies.
We will be covering two scandals at C3 Marion in this article.
SCANDAL 1
This first article will be looking at an important conversation on our C3 SCANDALS page.
As you start browsing the C3 Scandals page, a few commentors have raise an issue about an alleged scandal down at C3 Church Marion. We have received fragments of this situation all over our site. (If anyone can provide a thorough explanation of the situation, please email us at c3churchwatch@hotmail.com.)
Before looking at the situation, we thought it would be smart to look at a C3 Marion “Church” defender upholding the integrity of C3 Marion and their “Pastor” Jude,
“We are a C3 church and we don’t judge our success by how many people we have coming. All those people that come and go don’t understand our vision and they are critical and jealous of Pastor Jude’s ministry. He is wise and has helped many be better Christians teaching them about being in church every week, bringing an offering and submitting to godly leadership. It doesn’t matter we only have 60-70 people but what’s in our hearts. Without Pastor Jude our church wouldn’t even be there.”
In defending C3 and Jude, we asked the C3 member what the gospel is. Here are their comments:
I rebuke your comments and think you all need to repent and ask God to forgive you.C3 is not old fashioned at all. It does preach the true gospel and that includes Pastor Jude Blaney. Many people at our church are comitted to the gospel, are sticking at the church and that doesn’t mean we are a cult – just are committed to the gospel.
The Gospel is living your best life now… not in heaven but here on earth. C3 Marion is an awesome church and Pastor Jude Blaney is an awesome pastor who is taking the church to higher and higher and higher levels. All my friends from the church who seen this site criticising us are more determined to stick with pastor Jude no matter what. We don’t care what you say. People who say we are finished because we are having to sell the church building don’t know Pastor Jude and don’t know us. Watch this space!
Where did you think Pastor Jude and “Marty” got this eternally damning gospel from? We’ll give you a clue.
There is nothing more scandalous than getting involved in a place that presents itself as a Christian church but sends its members to hell. Another commentor offered their observations on “Pastor” Jude.
I was a member of C3 Marion for quite a while and am still in contact with many people I made friends with there. It hasn’t grown at all over the 13 years Jude Blaney has been in control despite lots of words from Blaney himself about how “switched on and relevant” he is. I left because his preaching was really weak and not relevant to me. Most of CCC seem to be in a time-warp – old fashioned teaching that’s got very little of the true gospel – its just a string of meaningless platitudes. Its not the gospel – its a hard program of religious works. Many people that attend are people like Marty – you’d have to describe them as simple and vulnerable to religious control and manipulation.
It is true for “Anon” to say, has “old fashioned teaching that’s got very little of the true gospel”. This is the Christian gospel:
“Now, brothers and sisters, I want to remind you of the gospel I preached to you, which you received and on which you have taken your stand. By this gospel you are saved, if you hold firmly to the word I preached to you. Otherwise, you have believed in vain.
For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures, and that he appeared to Cephas, and then to the Twelve.” 1 Corinthians 15:1-5
If you attend C3 Marion and think “the Gospel is living your best life now”, then you need to leave your church, cling to Christ and His cross and repent of your sins so you may be spared from God’s coming wrath.
SCANDAL 2
On topic of “your best life now”, Trevor Russell found his “best life now” by becoming a C3 pastor and living a life of immoral pleasure. This second scandal can also be followed on the same page:
“What about CcC Marion in Adelaide who are refusing to pay compensation for a number of young men abused by convicted paedophile Pastor Trevor Russell. Pastor Jude Blayney, the cults present leader is desperately fighting to keep control of a diminishing congregation with diminishing financial resources. Speculation surrounds when fight will turn to flight for Blaney.”
Source: Champ145, C3 Scandals, C3ChurchWatch, http://c3churchwatch.com/c3-scandals/#comment-7503, August 1, 2013 at 2:39 pm. (Accessed 22/05/2014.)
Another witness followed up with this:
C3 Marion announced to its people in October 2013 that it has settled out of court for $500,000 for the paedophilia victims..History of C3: Jude Blaney kicked out Peter Vacca (the founder of Bethesda Movement when he was sick) and then turned the church in to C3. All the property built up by Peter Vacca and goodwilled members is now under Blaney’s control. C3 announced they are liquidating their property to pay the settlement and debts massed by Blaney over the years for African “mission trips” where the pastors stayed in luxuary hotels and went white-water rafting on their days off, leased cars, wages and long-service leave. Seriously days-off…. I bet David Livingston didn’t have “days-off” when in Africa. Blaney has turned a once mighty church into a big belly flop. with just 60-70 adults attending the biggest service.I’m not happy with the way this has all turned out.
Source: Nathan Digeaux, C3 Scandals, C3ChurchWatch, https://c3churchwatch.com/c3-scandals/#comment-9696, November 20, 2013 at 2:38 am. (Accessed 22/05/2014.)
Nathan later said,
What about C3 Marion scandal in the side part so more people know about the mess in Adelaide Jude Blaney has created? Its not just about Phil Pringel – its the incompetant “pastors” he has let become a part of the franchise. I wonder how much $ will go missing when the liquidation happens – some will go to Pringle probably.
Source: Nathan Digeaux, C3 Scandals, C3ChurchWatch, https://c3churchwatch.com/c3-scandals/#comment-9696, November 20, 2013 at 2:48 am. (Accessed 22/05/2014.)
A third witness piped in:
“I WILL NEVER NEVER BE ABLE TO FORGIVE TREVOR RUSSELL FOR THE IMPACT HE HAS HAD ON MY LIFE AND THE LIFE OF MY HUSBAND WHO SUFFERED AT HIS HANDS.”
Source: Maria Claire, C3 Scandals, C3ChurchWatch, https://c3churchwatch.com/c3-scandals/#comment-15442, April 29, 2014 at 1:50 pm. (Accessed 22/05/2014.)
So what happened?
Here are some news articles that have covered this issue. It frustrates us how C3 always denies any responsibility for their actions.
Paedophile confesses to molesting 5 more boys
A convicted paedophile has confessed in the South Australian Supreme Court to molesting five teenage boys up to 30 years ago.
Trevor John Russell, 57, of Stansbury has already pleaded guilty to sexually abusing four teenage boys at church camps in the early 1980s.
But the case took a new turn today, when Russell confessed to abusing five other boys in the 1970s and ’80s.
Prosecutor Karen Ingleton said one of those victims had agreed to let the judge take his case into account when sentencing Russell.
But Ms Ingleton asked the judge not to include the other four new victims in her sentence, to give the men the opportunity to have their day in court.
She said some of the victims could not be contacted, while others were still coming to terms with the sudden confession.
CHURCH elders allowed a paedophile pastor and youth leader to ply his evil trade by failing to act on repeated warnings over his “inappropriate behaviour” with young boys, court documents claim.
Trevor John Russell is serving a nine-year sentence for molesting boys while a pastor at Christian City Church Marion – which has denied that it owes the victims any compensation.
Three men, now in their early 40s, have launched a civil claim against the church over the abuse they suffered at the hands of Russell at church-run youth camps in the Flinders Ranges in the late 1970s and early 1980s when they were aged 12 and 13.
In their District Court statement of claim, the men say three female church members had complained to senior church staff that Russell was “a pervert” who had behaved inappropriately towards young boys.
The victims all claim to have suffered ongoing psychological and psychiatric problems because of their childhood abuse, including post traumatic stress disorder.
The church denies it was responsible or liable for the actions of Russell.
The civil case has been adjourned for a further hearing in March next year.
C3 Church Watch 