Rahela and her children on Mother’s Day at JRC just before she was escorted out by uniformed officers. (Facebook Photo)
SPRINGFIELD, MO — It happened on Mother’s Day 2024, to a faithful, loyal church member mom. She was escorted out of James River Church’s north campus by uniformed officers and church security.
Her crime?
Not removing a Facebook post sharing her heartfelt opinion about a recent James River Church controversy.
I wish I were making this up.
Megachurch Megapower
Folks, it’s hard to believe we live in an age where megachurches wield such power and control over their members and staff. Anyone daring to speak out against Pastor John Lindell or his son, David Lindell, the next heir to the throne at the Lindell Kingdom (aka James River Church) is axed.
David Lindell, next in line to the JRC Kingdom
Several staffers have exited stage left, and apparently hush money may be involved, although the CCT hasn’t confirmed those reports.
Prince David
Rahela Petian, a Romanian immigrant and mother of five, openly shared her story on Facebook recently. Her original post that got her banned is also available on her Facebook page. Click here for more. The post reads, “Dear David Lindell, John Lindell and Josh/Laura Longanecker.” Scroll down on her feed for her original post from April 18 about James River Church and the controversy with Pastor Mark Driscoll. Click here for an article about that.
King John
I also have a story about James River Church. Click here for the first of four articles on ChristianCountyTrumpet.com. I was active there on the camera crew from the time they moved into the South Campus building on US 65 and CC in Ozark in 2000 until 2011, when they kicked me out for “spreading false about the leadership, and, in particular, that of Pastor Tim Keene (John Lindell’s father-in-law.)
My letter of dismissal from James River Church
Grant Olson, a friend of mine who attended JRC for 20 years, has also been relentless in pursuing truth and accountability at JRC on social media. Grant pleaded with JRC leadership to hold Pastor John Lindell accountable for lies and coverups, to no avail. Click here for more about Grant.
JRC Pastor John Lindell
Kert Parsley, the executive pastor and a colleague of mine when we attended Evangel College in the 80s, is a brainwashed minion of the Lindell Kingdom Regime. Sad. Here is the letter Kert told me about in September, 2011, banning me from attending services at JRC after 14 years active in membership and ministry.
JRC eats its own. It buys people’s silence and submission. Leaders aren’t allowed to have an opinion outside the wolfpack.
“I’m above reproach as the Lord’s annointed.” —Pastor John Lindell
JRC eats its own. It buys people’s silence and submission. Leaders aren’t allowed to have an opinion outside the wolfpack.
Even my own kids attend there with their mom. It’s not their fault; they need to seek a new church. I have several die hard JRC friends. Those people, some of whom have blocked me on social media, are still in my prayers. The area needs healing and there are many wonderful, Bible preaching churches in the area. I recommend JRC attendees seek God’s wisdom on where to attend elsewhere from now on.
Calling out JRC leaders!
John Lindell, because you and your son David are entrenched in a false narrative, I command you under God to step down from leadership and submit to Godly authority under the Assemblies of God Foundation. If the Assemblies of God Foundation cannot or will not hold you accountable, I urge anyone in the A/G to attend another church where the truth of the Bible is upheld, and leadership is under authority of the board and not the other way around.
