Posted on 03/10/2020 7:29:52 AM PDT by Gamecock
Pastor Victor Couzens of the Inspirational Bible Church in Cincinnati, Ohio is starring in a real-life episode of Greenleaf. His megachurch is facing foreclosure after having dwindled from 5,000 members to just 200, cheating accusations and criminal charges.
The Cincinnati Enquirer reported Thursday that the Inspirational Baptist Church went into foreclosure two weeks ago, owing $4.6 million. Furthermore, the almost 60,000-square-foot building is listed for sale. In a phone interview with the newspaper, the 43-year-old pastor would not directly address the financial well-being of his covenant.
“Much of this is in-house stuff that I don’t have anything to say about publicly. But the people that are part of our ministry and, of course, the church as a whole will be fully abreast on this and will be made aware of the plan to remedy this,” Couzens said.
Couzens’ personal issues have also caused his church embarrassment. Bishop Paul S. Morton apologized for the multiple affairs Couzens had in 2018, according to the Christian Post. Those relationships, including one, are still a thorn in the pastor’s side.
Andrea Garrison, 31, alleged that she was in a years-long relationship with him. The two lived in Miami and Paris with the intention of settling down. However, to her shock, he was planning to put a ring on it with someone else.
“He had me give up my whole entire life to find out that it was a lie. He had me quit my job, put in my two-week notice, all of that,” the Bronx model told The Enquirer. “I have been around his kids, I have been around his mother, his father, I have done the laundry in the house.”
Garrison claimed he threatened her after going public in a Facebook Live post through texts, messages, and possible blackmail. Couzens allegedly had an explicit video that he would go public with if she didn’t recant her accusations. It resulted in a telecommunications harassment charge in October 2018 with the New York Police Department.
Couzens was scheduled for a court appearance Friday for a pretrial hearing in Hamilton Municipal Court. Next month, a jury trial on the first-degree misdemeanor is set. He denied any wrongdoing, insisting there was no crime in looking for a First Lady.
“I don’t regret trying to find a wife, and I don’t regret ending relationships with people that I know aren’t going to be good for me in the long run,” he said. “I don’t regret trying to figure out who is going to be the best life partner for me. It’s called dating.”
He also denied using money on his dating life.
“I have never in my life used the church’s money to fund any part of my personal life; under no circumstances,” he said.
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“His megachurch” as used in the context of the article, as if it were the pastor’s, sums up the likely problem.
One thing I learned about fraud from the insurance industry - teachers and preachers are the most likely professions to commit insurance fraud.
Followed by Police and Fire.
Funny how working in regulatory capacities engenders contempt for regulation.
This is simply an American adaptation of the age-old African “big man” tradition.
Those lemmings have just heard there’s a stockpile of Purell at the bottom of the hole. TP too!
Wait. 5000 members is a “mega church?
Well at least he’s facing consequences and being prosecuted, rather than being shipped off to Megachurchland by the Megachurch hierarchy to evade prosecution. So, it could be worse.
Well pastor, it sure was big of her to quit her job and move for you.
“Bishop Paul S. Morton apologized for the multiple affairs Couzens had...”
Yeah, I don’t think that’s how apologies work.
“He had me quit my job, put in my two-week notice, all of that,” the Bronx model told The Enquirer
What kind of “model” has to give two week’s notice?
I think everyone in general has contempt for regulation, but maybe those professions tend to make people think they have a better chance of getting away with flouting them.
Sure, if you cram them all into one building with a jumbotron.
Yup.
Starts at 2,000.
It’s probably “model,” not model.
Mega means millions. 2000 or 5000 should be a Kilo Church.
Yes. What was your belief of the definition?
"The term megachurch generally refers to any Protestant (see below regarding very large Catholic churches) Christian congregation with a sustained average weekly attendance of 2000 persons or more in its worship services, counting all adults and children at all its worship locations.
"The average megachurch has weekly attendance of 3696 persons."
http://hirr.hartsem.edu/megachurch/definition.html
Another site with size definitions: http://www.usachurches.org/church-sizes.htm
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