REVIEWS FOR WOODLAND CHRISTIAN CHURCH
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Beware: long track record of spiritual abuse
Beware of Woodland Christian Church in Woodland, WA. I am a former member who attended from 2016 to 2023.
* Dispensational baptist church with a Gothardism hangover that also pays lip service to Quiverfull and patriarchy movement.
* Eldership is a "good-ol boys club" with long track record of spiritual abuse. Several "dynasty families" pull the strings in the background and act as sycophants and excusers for the elders.
* Their counseling program is law-centered, not gospel-centered, and serves as a platform for puffing themselves up or projecting their own marital frustrations on counselees.
* Promotes Catholic view of marriage (marriage permanence): any and all divorce is condemned.
* A highly-convenient location is how they keep a steady flow of parishioners despite their high turnover rate.
* On a positive note, the worship team is skilled and offers a mix of modern and old hymns rather than just CCM pablum.
Note: A LARGE number of the five-star reviews for this church are not written by congregants. They're just puff reviews sourced through Scott Lapierre's book ministry and speaking events.
Full review: This church has the highest turnover rate of any church I've ever been to in my life, and I've been to many over the decades. Countless people have been burned here. I was one of them. Will you be next?
This is a church where grace is preached in the pulpits but scolded in the pews. A church where your confession will be used as an opportunity to hold you down, chide you, judge you, compare you, and control you. If you protest, you will be labeled as "lacking zeal" in your repentance. If you're open about your struggles, you will be told that your honesty is merely a "mask for credibility". Meanwhile, the elders' and deacons' own fleshly habits don't reach their man-made threshold of "serious sin", so they get a pass.
This is a church highly concerned about whether you've sufficiently suffered for your sin, or what they perceive to be your sin. How tempted I am to produce the numerous messages I received from the elders and deacons along these lines: the bizarre pronouncements that God is "pouring out" his consequences on me and how "irretrievably broken" my children will be as a result of me wanting to move on from a painful marriage and divorce.
With the approval of the elders, one of the deacons, angered that I resisted his months-long pharisaical badgering, defamed me in front of the congregation AFTER I PEACEABLY LEFT THE CHURCH. Up to this point, not once had the eldership made an accusation against me or implied that I ought to be disciplined. When I resigned, no accusation was made. In fact, Nathan Richardson, months earlier, had acknowledged that the church would accept my resignation!
Several congregants familiar with my divorce knew of the absurdity of the leadership's attempt to publicly shame me, but made little or no effort to confront them. This is a church of milquetoast men who shrug their shoulders at spiritual abuse since it is their childhood church and because such incidents are par for the course with this eldership.
I am not writing this review to vindicate myself. The eldership can continue to slander me and twist the story of my divorce all they want. My reputation at WCC is of no consequence. Moreover, this account of spiritual abuse is not just my personal opinion. At least three other pastors, knowing this church's theology and counseling practices, encouraged me to leave WCC a year before I actually did. Perhaps I should have, but now God has used what I have gone through so that I can warn others.
I believe that all four elders are disqualified for ministry per Titus 1:7. The unnamed deacon is a slanderer, backbiter, and is self-condemned per Titus 3:10-11. None of these men, including their wives, have any business offering counseling. It is my opinion that all of these men should step down from ministry and receive counseling until sufficient repentance and self-reflection has taken place. Best of providence to them.
"My brethren, let not many of you become teachers, knowing that we shall receive a stricter judgment." (James 3:1)
* Dispensational baptist church with a Gothardism hangover that also pays lip service to Quiverfull and patriarchy movement.
* Eldership is a "good-ol boys club" with long track record of spiritual abuse. Several "dynasty families" pull the strings in the background and act as sycophants and excusers for the elders.
* Their counseling program is law-centered, not gospel-centered, and serves as a platform for puffing themselves up or projecting their own marital frustrations on counselees.
* Promotes Catholic view of marriage (marriage permanence): any and all divorce is condemned.
* A highly-convenient location is how they keep a steady flow of parishioners despite their high turnover rate.
* On a positive note, the worship team is skilled and offers a mix of modern and old hymns rather than just CCM pablum.
Note: A LARGE number of the five-star reviews for this church are not written by congregants. They're just puff reviews sourced through Scott Lapierre's book ministry and speaking events.
Full review: This church has the highest turnover rate of any church I've ever been to in my life, and I've been to many over the decades. Countless people have been burned here. I was one of them. Will you be next?
This is a church where grace is preached in the pulpits but scolded in the pews. A church where your confession will be used as an opportunity to hold you down, chide you, judge you, compare you, and control you. If you protest, you will be labeled as "lacking zeal" in your repentance. If you're open about your struggles, you will be told that your honesty is merely a "mask for credibility". Meanwhile, the elders' and deacons' own fleshly habits don't reach their man-made threshold of "serious sin", so they get a pass.
This is a church highly concerned about whether you've sufficiently suffered for your sin, or what they perceive to be your sin. How tempted I am to produce the numerous messages I received from the elders and deacons along these lines: the bizarre pronouncements that God is "pouring out" his consequences on me and how "irretrievably broken" my children will be as a result of me wanting to move on from a painful marriage and divorce.
With the approval of the elders, one of the deacons, angered that I resisted his months-long pharisaical badgering, defamed me in front of the congregation AFTER I PEACEABLY LEFT THE CHURCH. Up to this point, not once had the eldership made an accusation against me or implied that I ought to be disciplined. When I resigned, no accusation was made. In fact, Nathan Richardson, months earlier, had acknowledged that the church would accept my resignation!
Several congregants familiar with my divorce knew of the absurdity of the leadership's attempt to publicly shame me, but made little or no effort to confront them. This is a church of milquetoast men who shrug their shoulders at spiritual abuse since it is their childhood church and because such incidents are par for the course with this eldership.
I am not writing this review to vindicate myself. The eldership can continue to slander me and twist the story of my divorce all they want. My reputation at WCC is of no consequence. Moreover, this account of spiritual abuse is not just my personal opinion. At least three other pastors, knowing this church's theology and counseling practices, encouraged me to leave WCC a year before I actually did. Perhaps I should have, but now God has used what I have gone through so that I can warn others.
I believe that all four elders are disqualified for ministry per Titus 1:7. The unnamed deacon is a slanderer, backbiter, and is self-condemned per Titus 3:10-11. None of these men, including their wives, have any business offering counseling. It is my opinion that all of these men should step down from ministry and receive counseling until sufficient repentance and self-reflection has taken place. Best of providence to them.
"My brethren, let not many of you become teachers, knowing that we shall receive a stricter judgment." (James 3:1)
I see some bitter false accusations.
I see people bashing Woodland Christian church. All my life I really never liked church. I hated school too. If you have left the church and you claim to be a Christian then why aren't you generous, kind, forgiving, loving, helpful, positive, or truthful? You hypothetical wicked false Christians! Have you not read your Bible? Love your enemies. Turn the other cheek? Mom said when you're good you don't have to tell people. They'll know it. I can see from your reviews and comments and bitterness you do not have the holy spirit. You don't know my father but I know yours. Get the behind me and remove the beam from your eye or is it too late? Has the Lord given you over to your sin? Has he hardened your heart? It is fitting you've left the church because you have no business there. It is time to admit you have lost your way you accusers. Repent and beg forgiveness and seek the kingdom. Even a Samaritan had more decency than you by lifting up the weak broken hopeless man. The truth stings a bit but......better you hear it now. Turn from your wicked ways let go of your pride vengeance is mine sayeth the Lord. You don't need to fix or punish the body of well meaning Christian folks. My review of the Woodland Christian Church is simple. It is a gathering of the saints. A few hundred sinners trying to find peace love understanding and sound Bible teaching. If the Bible is the living Word of God how dare you vipers treat the congregation at Woodland Christian this way! Are they not worthy to attend in peace and grow in spirit without your hateful reviews damaging the reputation and spoiling good fruit? I know drug addicts I know perverts I know liars I know you. I know Jesus. Doesn't everyone walk thier own path? Will you discredit every good thing this church does and has done to have your revenge? Did someone there do you so bad that you are willing to give up your salvation over it? You choose hate and unforgiveness over love and salvation? Move on with your life and pick a different group of people to sin against. But just know you are missing out on some great Bible teaching.
Don't fall for the shiny outside; look elsewhere for a church with humble, biblical leaders
Like the Pharisees who Jesus rebuked for focusing on the outside of the cup, this church looks good at first: wholesome, big families, lots of kids, fun activities, and a claimed focus on God's word. At first it seems like you've found such a sweet, simple, hometown church.
The deeper in you get, the more the shine wears off and you start to notice things:
* partiality for certain families (and not others)
* the way the pastor and some of the leaders tear apart people who disagree or bring concerns
* the focus on external behaviors that aren't clear in the Bible (like courtship and homeschooling)
* the way abuse and sin has been hidden by church leaders for their own benefit
* how the pastor uses the pulpit to laser in on issues he wants to address (rather than simply going through the Bible the way they claim)
* the way women are often the ones actually leading their husbands and families in this church
* how the pastor and wife seek to build their own kingdom of selling books, retreats, and seeking fame
* how every few years a huge group of people leave and the leadership tells everyone not to listen to anything they have to say (this has happened for decades)
* how people they use as leaders/deacons end up getting torn down and gossiped about (almost always because those people have actually noticed the things on this list and tried to bring concerns)
Save yourself many years of heartache.
RUN.
Go to a church that has a pastor with the characteristics the Bible prescribes: above reproach, self-controlled, respectable, not argumentative, gentle, not a lover of money, well thought of by outsiders. The current pastor has none of these traits.
Please-- for your family's sake and for the sake of the Gospel- consider these "anonymous" pleas from former members like me. Go to a different church. Avoid this one.
The deeper in you get, the more the shine wears off and you start to notice things:
* partiality for certain families (and not others)
* the way the pastor and some of the leaders tear apart people who disagree or bring concerns
* the focus on external behaviors that aren't clear in the Bible (like courtship and homeschooling)
* the way abuse and sin has been hidden by church leaders for their own benefit
* how the pastor uses the pulpit to laser in on issues he wants to address (rather than simply going through the Bible the way they claim)
* the way women are often the ones actually leading their husbands and families in this church
* how the pastor and wife seek to build their own kingdom of selling books, retreats, and seeking fame
* how every few years a huge group of people leave and the leadership tells everyone not to listen to anything they have to say (this has happened for decades)
* how people they use as leaders/deacons end up getting torn down and gossiped about (almost always because those people have actually noticed the things on this list and tried to bring concerns)
Save yourself many years of heartache.
RUN.
Go to a church that has a pastor with the characteristics the Bible prescribes: above reproach, self-controlled, respectable, not argumentative, gentle, not a lover of money, well thought of by outsiders. The current pastor has none of these traits.
Please-- for your family's sake and for the sake of the Gospel- consider these "anonymous" pleas from former members like me. Go to a different church. Avoid this one.
Hear us when we say, do not go here.
I, like others, do not feel comfortable revealing my identity due to the aggressive and sinful behavior of the leadership at this church. I attended for nearly 6 years and did not know about the goings on until the first time we confronted the leadership on unbiblical preaching. Only then did they show their true face. I was not personally sinned against, but I watched this cult like church destroy every relationship with every congregant that dared question them. Sins are hidden and covered up instead of admonished and brought to light, even to the point of harboring abusive individuals instead of addressing it Biblically or even turning them over to the authorities. Specific individuals in leadership have terrified victims into silence. Hundreds of good, believing people have been exiled, shunned, shamed, and spiritually abused. They pretend like they have clean hands and ask you to contact them to share what they’ve done wrong- they know…. They know exactly how they’ve sinned and have been told by many, many people the err of their ways. My heart breaks for the people who have walked away traumatized and having their trust nothing short of broken. There was a specific family who was forced to leave- one of the most Godly families in the entire church. After they left, someone with a very highly authoritative position in the leadership of this church was calling churches in the area to make sure they didn’t allow this family to become a part of their church. It was spiteful, malicious, and frankly disgusting. This is one of hundreds of examples of the ways this church acts in sin consistently and without repentance. Please be forewarned.
0/10, would not recommend
I grew up in this church and they *were* like family. The leadership banishes people when they bring up their faults (hello, we all have faults, we're sinful humans) and tell the congregation not to associate with those who have walked away after being treated terribly.
There are so many red flags, I'm astonishing I didn't see them sooner.
They've lied straight to the congregation, multiple times. When preaching, they jump around to scriptures that back what they believe (but are taken extremely out of context).
Children are not safe here; biblical marriages are not safe here. So much abuse. So much trauma. The Holy Spirit does not reside here
There are so many red flags, I'm astonishing I didn't see them sooner.
They've lied straight to the congregation, multiple times. When preaching, they jump around to scriptures that back what they believe (but are taken extremely out of context).
Children are not safe here; biblical marriages are not safe here. So much abuse. So much trauma. The Holy Spirit does not reside here
Brood of vipers
I’m glad to see people
Are gaining courage to speak against a spiritually abusive and manipulative church cult. That being said, I cannot let them stand alone. The leadership’s track record of retaliation and trying to destroy opposition leads me to use an alias- and whenever they say “we have no idea what you’re talking about”….oh no my friend, make no mistake. They know. They’ve been told countless times their grievous sins by the myriads of good families who have fled. It’s horrific how they have not only driven away and ostracized godly people who threatened their kingdom with truth but also sought to destroy their reputations and livelihoods. At this point it would seem a lot easier for them to apologize, step down/resign and learn rather than add a millionth layer of lies to the teetering jenga tower, but that would damage the image. And the personal image is what takes precedence, not Jesus Christ. That is why they protect it so fiercely. The church is their business not their love. Their faith is their brand not the cry of their souls. The church culture is a heavily Gothard- influenced legalistic cult in which you can feel very much at home if you have lots of kids, homeschool them all, drive a big van and wear long skirts. As a young woman who matured there, I felt like a heifer at auction whose main goal in life was to be married and have babies- and that is the message heavily taught to women there. It’s an extremely damaging and unbiblical place for women. They have repeatedly told women in unhealthy relationships to just submit, leading to disasters in which they consistently side with the abusers. In the past they have harbored and protected a criminal who posed a current threat to the congregation. I could go on. When me and my family left after years and years and we finally heard the gospel again that first Sunday - we sat and wept openly as the freedom of Christ’s love swept over us and we drank deeply of the gospel we’d been parched for for so long without knowing. Avoid this brood of vipers.
“"Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you clean the outside of the cup and the plate, but inside they are full of greed and self-indulgence. "Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you are like whitewashed tombs, which outwardly appear beautiful, but within are full of dead people's bones and all uncleanness. So you also outwardly appear righteous to others, but within you are full of hypocrisy and lawlessness.”
Matthew 23:25, 27-28
Are gaining courage to speak against a spiritually abusive and manipulative church cult. That being said, I cannot let them stand alone. The leadership’s track record of retaliation and trying to destroy opposition leads me to use an alias- and whenever they say “we have no idea what you’re talking about”….oh no my friend, make no mistake. They know. They’ve been told countless times their grievous sins by the myriads of good families who have fled. It’s horrific how they have not only driven away and ostracized godly people who threatened their kingdom with truth but also sought to destroy their reputations and livelihoods. At this point it would seem a lot easier for them to apologize, step down/resign and learn rather than add a millionth layer of lies to the teetering jenga tower, but that would damage the image. And the personal image is what takes precedence, not Jesus Christ. That is why they protect it so fiercely. The church is their business not their love. Their faith is their brand not the cry of their souls. The church culture is a heavily Gothard- influenced legalistic cult in which you can feel very much at home if you have lots of kids, homeschool them all, drive a big van and wear long skirts. As a young woman who matured there, I felt like a heifer at auction whose main goal in life was to be married and have babies- and that is the message heavily taught to women there. It’s an extremely damaging and unbiblical place for women. They have repeatedly told women in unhealthy relationships to just submit, leading to disasters in which they consistently side with the abusers. In the past they have harbored and protected a criminal who posed a current threat to the congregation. I could go on. When me and my family left after years and years and we finally heard the gospel again that first Sunday - we sat and wept openly as the freedom of Christ’s love swept over us and we drank deeply of the gospel we’d been parched for for so long without knowing. Avoid this brood of vipers.
“"Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you clean the outside of the cup and the plate, but inside they are full of greed and self-indulgence. "Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you are like whitewashed tombs, which outwardly appear beautiful, but within are full of dead people's bones and all uncleanness. So you also outwardly appear righteous to others, but within you are full of hypocrisy and lawlessness.”
Matthew 23:25, 27-28
Abusive leadership. Stay away!
I’m writing this under an anonymous name because the leadership scare me so much. They come after me if they knew who wrote this. They are wicked men who abuse their people over and over and over again. Please stay away. So many people have gone to them and they stiffen their necks and harden their hearts towards the truth and towards God.
I’ve prayed for a long time that God would expose the evil is this church and he is finally giving people a way to do that. God does not bless willfully sinful ungodly men. He’s exposing them.
I’ve prayed for a long time that God would expose the evil is this church and he is finally giving people a way to do that. God does not bless willfully sinful ungodly men. He’s exposing them.
Leadership is faulty
I grew up at this place for my entire life up until the age of 14. This place was one bad apple. The leadership is incredibly manipulative towards women and people in general. The culture of this place is toxic and mentally grueling on you. I speak from experience with growing up at this place for so long. I know for a fact that they have housed physical abuser’s in the church and they didn't believe in turning them into the law for their crimes. So in summing this up, this place is toxic and unsafe for anyone in the world.
No Love
I attended this church from the time I was born until I became an adult at eighteen. In those eighteen years I witnessed a church leadership lie multiple times to it’s congregation about the presence of abusive members, who should have been turned over to the authorities. Give little help to the victims. As well as attack the name of anyone who dared challenge their actions. They lack the one thing a Christian should have above all else, love. For your sake, please, don’t go to this church. For you will not find the love of God there.
Caution
Please be wary, not a healthy church.
We love Woodland Christian Church!
We couldn't ask for a better church to pastor and spiritual family to join. We are very thankful the Lord brought us here!
Pastor's thoughts...
We love Woodland Christian Church, the people, and we couldn't feel more blessed God brought us here!