New Smith Family Lawsuits
Janette Manderson Smith has hired the law firm of famed attorney Gloria Allred and filed an amended lawsuit against Brian Brodersen and Calvary Chapel Costa Mesa.
Brodersen has filed an anti SLAPP suit in response.
The next court date is June 25th
Sigh.
That rapture thing would have prevented all of this but noooooo 😉
G,
Now that was funny… 🙂
thx
I’m just so over that whole dynasty.
Exploring spirituality that isn’t personality driven, more the much aligned so-called (by those who maintain that CCCM was raised up in “these end times”) “dead churches” with their rich liturgy, contemplative, grounded in history, not dependent on who pops up in the pulpit for a homily. Just their focus on Jesus…
Court date is June 25th? I believe that was Chuck’s birthday…… a sad way to ‘celebrate’ the man’s life and legacy, imperfect as it may have been. Nevertheless, for my two cents, he was greatly used by the Holy Spirit to draw many to Jesus…. I’m one of them and for that, I honor the man.
I think you mean Gloria Allred. Sad to say I initiated that connection years ago. 🙁
Lori,
Thank you for the correction…I’m whacked already this week. 🙂
None of these lawsuits bother me at all – it’s what sinful people do. However, the fact that they have great wealth laying around to sue over I find troubling.
It id so horribly ugly. So very sad.
Is this the new normal in the church? This and other recent events. I’m so angry and let down. I understand we are all human but who do you trust these days? It’s like a never ending tidal wave of scandal and I imagine so much more that’s not been revealed. And I’m no better than the worst of them.
There are some good parts to Chuck Smith’s legacy. This is most certainly not one of them. So sad.
How is the CCCM body doing? I’m surprised with all the actions taken right as Pastor Chuck passed on, that they were able to be civil long enough to hold the funeral.
Lori,
Last I heard it was doing well.
I’ll probably write something up when I am fully recovered and the kid stays out of the ER… 🙂
This really has nothing to do with Chuck Smith … at least any longer. People could have just as easily decided to love one another and do what is right.
On the other side, folks may say, well if Chuck had done this or if Chuck had done that it would not make any different. Bad people do bad things and would still work the system and sue people.
It’s time to let Chuck rest in peace and not even bring him up in these conversations. This is 100% the problem of and about other people.
I agree, MLD.
MLD, so are you recommending that Michael take the Chuck Smith photo down in this article and replace it with Brian Broderson, Glory Allred and Janette Manderson Smith for the new faces?
Andrew – not suggesting anything. just that people cannot be allowed to place their faults / sin at the feet of others.
You know what I find amusing? In the CCCM/Brodersen counter-suit, right on the first page, it lists Brodersen’s name first spelled with the “e” (Brodersen) and then the next paragraph where it is used it’s spelled with the “o” (Broderson). The guy’s own lawyer’s aren’t sure how to spell his name! What hope is there for the rest of us?? 😉 😉
As for the suit’s themselves, this is just utterly sad, though from an outside perspective it seems like it’s been Janette driving the bus on this stuff all along. But maybe that’s not fair – I don’t know.
Oh my mistake, in actually reading a little farther in the suit, I see that it was Janette that spelled Brodersen’s name wrong and they were just repeating that designation. Not quite as funny now. lol
Money is the root of all evil…
Money is not the root of all evil, its the love of it.
Glad I left Calvary Chapel 7 years ago.The money I gave.. comes down to this…….
Having just completed studies on the genesis of the Jesus People Movement this case interests me. The nephew of Chuck Smith wrote a doctoral thesis defending the processes called the “routinization of charisma” whereby the succeeding generations live off the charisms of an anointed founder by turning them into cash generating, job producing forms. These generations do not have the anointing of the founder but they capture their momentum and perpetuate a movement via these routinized forms.
Thus, out of a charismatic moment comes, books, music, institutions, traditions that can be captured and utilized for jobs, and all sorts of outcomes that are “good” for people.
The thesis made a case for this kind of thing, but it wasn’t a legal case… that is, it overlooked these litigious outcomes. Chuck Smith loved the book of revelation. I do not think he anticipated the feast of the carnivorous birds working out this way.
@24: Fascinating stuff, BD. Now that you mention it, I can see that pattern of “routinization of charisma” in many ministries and movements. From many past movements, lasting institutions have endured for generations: denominations, K-12 schools, hospitals, mission organizations, colleges, seminaries, programs like Sunday School, and so on.
I wonder what will end up lasting from the Jesus People Movement? I ask that honestly, since so many of them abhorred denominations and other structured forms. I see some shaky associations like CC, some para-church organizations, and a few mission organizations. What “good” will be passed on to the next generation? How will that compare to movements from further back in our history?
BD,
The nephew of Chuck Smith is off if that is what he teaches and believes. Even hearing the snippet of it is ridiculous.
Its still God’s church
Lonnie Frisbee I remember saying in his thesis one night. CC is moving on the momentum of the past. So in other words the current growth is synthetic but mechanical and seeks its “filling” off of nostalgia, instead of the Holy Spirit who is blessed forever more.
“And for what? For a little bit of money. There’s more to life than a little money, you know. Don’tcha know that? And here ya are, and it’s a beautiful day. Well. I just don’t understand it.”
Kay should be taken care of.
Who owns what of Chucks sermons…..no one should….but there’s too much money at stake to be that naïve.
It all comes down to this, we as a nation have and are living in sin. We have exploited God’s grace and pushed the envelope so far. Nationwide same sex marriages, legalize drug use, alcohol, pornography, idolization of athletes, all the while throwing money in the coffers every week to make ourselves justify our sin.
We should be on our knees thanking God for His grace and patience and forgiveness and stop stabbing each other in the backs.
If we are Christian we should use those attributes to those around us, show love, mercy, kindness, forgiveness, compassion.
May God forgive us all and lead us out of Babylon someday and back to the promised land He has for us.
We have such freedom in this country to live lives of love, mercy, kindness, forgiveness & compassion, I believe that God will hold us accountable for the freedom we’ve been bestowed.
anti-slapp Denied..
What is the status…. anybody?
I just stumbled upon the article.