After Adultery Exposed Bishop Charismatic Michael Reid Leaves British Church BUT KEEPS ARIZONA “MINISTRY”
Posted by Job on April 16, 2008
From Religion News Blog. With his reputation for charismatic sermons, Bishop Michael Reid held sway over a huge congregation on subjects including the virtues of fidelity and family values.
The 64-year-old came to national prominence in 2005 when he spearheaded a campaign against the BBC’s broadcast of the musical Jerry Springer: The Opera. But his Pentecostal church in Brentwood, Essex – one of two ministries he runs with a collective turnover of millions – has been left in disarray after it emerged the married father of three did not practise what he preached.
His flock were left in shock on Saturday after he admitted he had “sinned by committing adultery” and was quitting after more than three decades of service. His wife of 36 years, Ruth, is standing by him and is understood to have accompanied him abroad to his other ministry, in the American state of Arizona.
This is despite the revelations about the eight-year affair (meaning while he hypocritically protested the Springer special he was committing adultery) and rumours she caught her husband with his lover at the £600,000 (about $1.2 million dollars) family home in Brentwood.
Scandal: Sheila Graziano, the 49-year-old mother of two who is the choirmistress (choir director) at Bishop Reid’s church, is believed to be ‘the other woman’
The other woman is believed to be 49-year-old married mother-of-two Sheila Graziano, who worked alongside Bishop Reid as music director at the Peniel Church in Brentwood.
There was no answer yesterday at her £300,000 ($500,000) 1930s semi-detached house a mile from the church.
In a statement to his congregation, Bishop Reid said: “I confess that I have sinned by committing adultery. I recognise that I have failed in my duties and acted in a way that harmed the church. “I apologise to my wife and family and all of you whose trust I have betrayed and ask for your forgiveness and prayers.”
His conduct has caused widespread shock among churchgoers. “I am deeply, deeply stunned,” said one. “Bishop Reid was a guiding light for everyone here.” Another said: “I understand his wife has forgiven him – and we should all follow her lead – but I am very disappointed at his conduct.”
Michael Reid, a former Metropolitan police officer turned insurance salesman, was made a bishop by the International Communion of Charismatic Churches in Nigeria in 1995. He has been head of the Peniel Church for 32 years and had an 800-strong congregation at Michael Reid Ministries.
The organisation also runs a school with around 170 pupils aged two to 19 and a college in Brentwood, as well as a TV ministry. It has been mired in controversy in recent years, amid claims of miracle cures and an allegation – strongly denied – that two young children were beaten by Peniel members. Six members won libel damages in 2003 after a Brentwood councillor described it as a cult and a danger.
A church spokesman said yesterday: “Bishop Reid and his wife are very much together, she has stood by him. “He really does feel great sorrow and great regret and he tried to reassure us the church would go on, the church family would go on.” The Reverend Peter Linnecar, who has taken over from Bishop Reid, said: “He has recognised his sin and taken full responsibility for his actions and resigned.
“We believe the gospel of Jesus Christ and that our God is a God of love, forgiveness and restoration from all sin.”
walter said
All the websites associated with Michael Reid Ministries were taken down this weekend, and an announcement was made to Peniel Church members that Michael Reid’s resignation had been accepted by the church’s governing body. Pastor Peter Linnecar has already taken over the leadership of the church. BBC UK
Reid’s admission is another blow to the International Communion of Charismatic Churches; former presiding Bishop Earl Paulk was last year engulfed in numerous sex scandals, including allegations of sexual abuse. Richard Roberts, meanwhile, was recently forced to resign from the presidency of Oral Roberts University over claims of financial mismanagement. Reid himself has long-standing links with Oral Roberts and ORU who face money laundering allegations
Oral Roberts University (ORU), its related ministries and former top administrators were at the center of a new controversy in February when a former senior accountant for the school alleged in a revised lawsuit that more than $1 billion was funneled through “unrestricted” accounts at the university and possibly, through negligence, to benefit regents. (DIDN’T RICHARD ROBERTS SPEAK AT A FAMOUS CULT CHURCH IN TORONTO WHO ARE ALSO FRIENDS OF BENNY HINN?
ORU, Oral Roberts Ministries (ORM), Oral Roberts Evangelistic Association (OREA), Richard and Lindsay Roberts, and the board of former business regents were named in the suit, which was originally filed in November after the former accountant lost his job. “It appears that many of the former board members were actual participants in the funneling of money through the university for their own eventual personal use,” former ORU accountant Trent Huddleston alleged.
The lawsuit claimed the university acted as a “corporate veil” so that funds could be “improperly and arbitrarily co-mingled” with the finances of ORM and OREA. As Octobers 8, 2007 Rev. John C. Hagee, Rev. Marilyn Hickey, Rev. Benny Hinn, Rev. Kenneth Copeland, Rev. Creflo A, Dollar, Rev. Jesse G. Duplantis, Rev George Pearson (brother in law of Kenneth Copeland), Rev. Jerry Savelle, Rev. Karl Strader, and Rev, Bill Scheer were on on the board of Regents of ORU. Some regents who are being investigated by Senator Grassley including Benny Hinn and Creflo Dollar resigned recently from the board
CHECK OUT “The False Prophets” Oral and Richard Roberts “http://cnt10c.tripod.com/or.htm
John Kaniecki said
Greetings,
When one of these ministers gets up there and repents before they get caught, then I will believe they are sincere.
We are all human beings and we are all sinners, that is straight from scripture. But we are not all hypocrites! And this is just what we know. What else lurks in the closets of these people?
But God will work good out of it, I am certain.
Love,
John
Job said
John Kaniecki:
I agree 100%. What is galling is how his congregants did the usual thing, saying “We support our pastor.” Whatever happened to supporting GOD and the BIBLE? Also, if these people really cared about and loved their pastor in a Godly fashion according to the Bible, they would want him to show genuine repentance lest he perish. And that is what I liked about Ted Haggard’s former church: they demanded that Haggard leave the ministry entirely. Haggard did not want to hear that, so he left.
John said
I have written about the decline and fall of Michael Reid Ministries on my blog http://johlibaptist.blogspot.com/
I have also posted comments on the Reachout Trust discussion forum under “Other Groups” on the “Bishop Michael Reid” thread.
Please see http://www.reachouttrust.org
John, Essex, England
Douglas K. Adu-Boahen said
This guy is in my backyard, so to speak!!! No wonder he ain’t on the TV no more. It’s worrying that a man who made such a song and dance [importance as it was...] on the Springer issue WAS IN ADULTERY! It’s sad – real sad
Freedom said
The spokesperson of peniel needs to know that she is defending a man who willfully assited a known child sex offender to escape conviction after the parents of the child complained. The offender was sent to another congregation in the US who were not informed of the sex offense committed in the UK.
Marianne said
I am amazed that you keep up with so many ministries that are problematic. Many of them I have not even heard about, like this one. I guess I do not watch enough TV.
I wonder with all this discussion, what can those do who have these complaints about untrue ministries?
Do we just sit around and talk, or is there more that can be done, to reclaim the church for Christ?
marianne
http://heavenawaits.wordpress.com/
Marianne said
sigh. I cannot type…
I wonder with all this discussion,
what can be done (by those do who have these complaints) about untrue ministries,
so that corrective action is accomplished?
Job said
Marianne:
Some of these ministries I watched on TV. Others I learned about from studying websites similar to mine like http://sliceoflaodicea.com and http://pulpit-pimps.org. And others are names given to me by various people that they wish for me to research and discuss.
Well, about the “reclaim the church for Jesus Christ” … truthfully Jesus Christ will not allow anyone to take His sheep out of His Hand! So, we do not have to reclaim that Jesus Christ already own. But some of Christ’s sheep are deceived, and our job is to warn, educate, and encourage them. It was on http://sliceoflaodicea.com that I learned that TD Jakes was oneness, and it was through a couple of televangelists that I learned that the Crouch family (TBN) were wicked and that the prosperity doctrine was wrong. So as members of the Body of Christ, we are to do our job, and our job is to speak out. If we are speaking the words of the Bible, it will go out and do what God intends it. And it does accomplish corrective action.
Some people have websites that are exclusively dedicated to exposing false preachers and doctrines. Some have websites that are exclusively dedicated to teaching correct doctrine, and some of those also recommend preachers. Others more or less do a mix. Really, going after false preachers is only a small part of what I do on this website, which was originally intended to be about spiritual warfare, spiritual deliverance, faith healing, prophecy, exhorting people to bold action in these areas, etc. but I got away from it and started talking more about theology. (It was in the course of looking for some more spiritual warfare type of things, to try to get back into what the site was originally about, that I found your website and linked to one of your articles.) I dealt with false preachers because it is a part of spiritual warfare: the Bible makes it clear that false preachers deal in evil spirits! What does the Bible call false doctrines? Devils’ doctrines! But unfortunately, even though only a small percentage of this website is dedicated to false preachers, it is those articles that draw the vast majority of the traffic, most of whom never see the other material on the site and as a result gain a distorted view of this site’s purpose, which is to honor Jesus Christ and tell people of Him. That fact troubles me greatly, but hey, what can I do?
Yes, more can be done. But the primary thing in my opinion should not be fighting battles with people who are members of churches, profess to be Christians, and will come up with 999 excuses why they do not have to obey what the Bible says. With those folk, you just tell them the truth and move on. If they are truly saved, the Holy Spirit will vex and grieve them; God will chasten, correct and rebuke them. So, the focus of the “more than needs to be done” is preaching the gospel to the lost. That really is what the apostles spent most of their time doing. We do not get that picture from the New Testament – save perhaps for Acts – because with the exception of Acts and the gospels, the New Testament is occasional letters written to churches to deal with local situations. Our primary activity should not be contending with prideful people and their hard hearts and stiff necks, but rather finding people whose hearts are open to the true gospel. I actually did intend for this website to be heavily evangelistic, and that is why I spend so much time commenting on secular topics and use so many tags and categories.
But ultimately, you are correct, websites can never replace person to person evangelism. That is an area that I admit that I have to do a much better job.
John Kaniecki said
Marianne,
Hi hope you are well.
When Baranabas and Paul had their dispute over Mark they both went their seperate ways. Yet each continued to do the work of the Lord. Do not diminish what this blog does in any way. As I understand it two of the main bloggers Job and IC were once a part of these ministries that this site attempts to expose.
Obviously these ministries suck in a lot of gullable people. If this wasn’t true the ‘false’ preachers couldn’t afford mansions and private jet planes. I don’t watch them on tv but if I go to the Christian book store I see their books up and down the shelves.
Let me tell you a story about myself. When I was seventeen I started thinking about God. I was raised Catholic but had never read the Bible. So one night after my parents were sleeping I snook quietly to the book case and snatched the Catholic Bible that had laid there undisturbed for years. Being totally ignorant I opened the Book to any chapter. Unfortunately for me I turned to the Apocrypha and started reading the stord of Daniel and the Dragon of Bel. (Read it if you have the time.) It is a story that was really stupid. It is amazing I read the entire chapter. I put the Bible back on the shelf with the conclusion “Man this book is really dumb”. If only as three years later I had turned to the book of Mathew and started reading there.
So what happens when somebody is flipping through the channels late at night feeling bored. And then they turn on one of these ‘false’ ministers. The same thing that happened to me, they come to the wrong conclusion about Christianity. I was talking to my old boss about God and his conclusion was that all churches were just out to get money! So he conviently dismissed God.
There are many parts of the Body and each has a different role. Perhaps exposing false preachers isn’t yours. But do not pass judgement for this service done on behalf of the Lord. After all we all must face God individually alone.
Besides the topics on the blog will cross over into many other areas. Job is very open and allows all sorts of opinions to be presented. It is truly a forum to exchange ideas and to learn about those who are different than yourself.
Love,
John
Marianne said
John and Job,
I am personally reclusive, so many times, I do not come across the information you do. Sometimes, it is just God and me all day. Peaceful.
I do recognize the “oneness” thing when it is mentioned. I naively spent time in a church like that, then noticed they said really weird things that were not in the bible. I really liked everyone, but I still left.
Their idea is since they do not understand the Godhead, it must be a heresy. So they actually think you guys are the heretics.
Another reason all this false doctrine stuff concerns me is that I normally work with unbelievers. They are really nasty and will attack me for what they see on TV. Sigh… I try to explain I do not approve of that, then they point out all the people that support it. This makes me look like I am part of it, but I am not.
Fortunately, once, after getting savagely attacked at work, and after I repeatedly replied that I loved the other person back, the unbeliever made an incredible comment. He said, you sure do not act like other Christians I know. You are really different. You are actually not too bad.
Relief….I explained that I try to be the way Jesus wants me, not the way man wants me.
After that, it was kind of cute sometimes. I work with students. They were listening (of course).
So when they heard me telling the verbally abusive guy that I loved him back, they all chirped in, we love you too.!! He then responded…Ok I love you too. Now get back to work…!! There was another student that said “Jesus loves you!” The guy was flustered, but good natured about it by then.
The students liked to watch me get attacked, to see what I would say. Then they would join in like a bunch of little parrots. So I guess we can all have an influence. Sometimes I take a lot of beatings since I work primarily with atheists.
I keep hoping the atheists were the only mission field for me, since they were so rough. Then my heart extended to the Jews. I figured that was more than enough.
Then lately, I have felt inclined to go into issues that would explain jesus as the son of God to not just jews, but muslims as well. That and my theory that the antichrist is a muslim. Trying to expose Islam draws creatures out of the woodwork. That has made the water heat up rather quickly. But I continue on, and pray for wisdom as I go.
bishop Gilson said
God bless, i m amazed to see how Christian don t understand the very essence of our believe…Forgiveness. Seven time the righteuous man fall and the good news he rises.
Bishop michael Reid had a sin like many of us, sure he was praching with his sin, sure it was hipocritical, sure it was ungodly, but who is without sin through the first stone, greed, jalousy, gossip, witchcraf, adultery, lies, unfaithfulness, false accusations, violence…the list goes on, are they not all sins? show me one who is without sin? flesh is week but the spirit is well disposed.I don t condemn, i m sade, i don t judge, i pray for him, his family, his church.
Please stop to empaphise sin and win souls and Christianity will have it s revival in our Great Britain far from God. stop to kill the weak but help them and we will have a strong army.
I repeat I’m not amongs the friends of Bishop reid, but I m his brother, he did a fall, I believe in the prodigal son story.
God bless http://www.bishopgilson.com
Simon Icke said
This experience should serve as a warning to Christians everywhere not to have a blind faith in any person(s) or denomination claiming to be have the real truth. I urge all Christians to check out the blogs below and read some of the witness accounts of first hand experiences. It is quite frightening that people can be so easily be led ( manipulated) in this way without questioning something they seem to have known was not quite right.
So readers if you have an open mind, read these blogs below; it a warning to all vulnerable and weak minded Christians who follow a particular person(s) or denomination or sect with a blind submissive faith.
http://www.christian-witness.org/archives/cetf1998/peniel.html
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-558365/Bishop-preached-family-values-finally-admits-I-adulterer.html
http://www.reachouttrust.org/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?f=12&t=2036&st=0&sk=t&sd=a&start=30
http://www.thisistotalessex.co.uk/news/BRENTWOOD-Bishop-Reid-s-500k-pay-offer/article-349088-detail/article.html
Just like Hitler led millions to do his bidding without question it seems even in these days people can be so easily led without using their intelligence or commonsense; even when they know deep down something is not right. Never be frightened to question what you don’t feel at ease with. And if people don’t listen to you, have the courage to walk away.
cyn said
i dont condemn him,as christ takes over,,,
Simon Icke said
When a person puts themselves on a self righteous pedestal and openly condems others; like gays for example, and that person is in in a postition of Christian leadership, and perhaps led many into false Christian ideas, like shunning people for example. They shouldn’t be surprised if they come in for critcism when they are found wanting themselves. (people in glass houses shouldn’t throw stones or take the plank out of your own eye before you can see clearly to take the speck of dirt out of your brothers eye both come to mind) However, that is not the point I was trying to make. All Christians should learn from this lesson ,i.e. not to put their faith in any one man or woman or one denomination or sect to such a degree that their personal faith in God depends on that person or denomination or church. We should all have a direct relationship with God through the scriptures and be led by the Holy Spirit. Also to listen to many different people both within the Christian Church and outside and take a broad view of life. But also to have the discernment and courage to stand up and be counted or walk away if you feel something is wrong. Knowing you are equal before God as the person who is perhaps putting themselves above you.
I personally judge no one, as I know I am a sinner who is only saved by the Grace of God. Therefore, I don’t take a self righteous stance nor do I go around condemming others in public.
Devon said
Simon I strongly agree with you…I find it heartbreaking that so many Christians do put their faith in a person or ministry..
One thing I always tell new and old Christians, please do not put anyone on a pedestal….I have people I really enjoy listening to and even support, but I put no faith in them…if they fall, they will not take me down with them..
Christ is our Rock and He will never fall and will NEVER let us down….
Blessings
Dev
bishop Gilson said
I completely agree with you…It is important to be strongly attached to the Lord and not on man.It is also important to be balanced and to follow some shepperds, a sheep without shepperd must be ready for attacks from wolves. How to recognised a shepperd? 1) someone leading you unto path of righteousness 2)someone giving food to help you to go further 3)someone who tells you to attach to the Lord…to day the teaching are politicals, financials, based on the cult of personality…let us come back to the Bible and than we will find real leaders (real leaders needs to be followed) Moses,Joshua…Where are they today?
we need both those ministry back in the church the ministry of the law and the ministry of the grace.
God bless