ADAM SIMMONDS AND TRINITY LIFE CHURCH LEICESTER ONGOING CONCERNS

Adam Simmonds, Northamptonshire's first Police and Crime Commissioner, was elected on 15 November 2012. The events surrounding Simmonds' term as PCC were quite extraordinary to put it mildly. He quickly gained a reputation for cronyism and overspending. In particular, his questionable plan to sell Wootton Hall in Northampton at less than half its value was just one of his bad ideas. Thankfully this decision has finally been reversed by Stephen Mold, Simmonds successor. The BCC reported on the 29th of October that the sale of Northamptonshire Police HQ was cancelled because it "did not represent value for money".

"A report from the office of Northamptonshire PCC Stephen Mold criticised plans by his predecessor Adam Simmonds to sell Wootton Hall.

Mr Simmonds valued the site at £3.45m, but Mr Mold said it had been consistently valued at more than £7m.

The BBC has approached Mr Simmonds, also a Conservative, for a comment.

Mr Simmonds, who was the county's first PCC between 2012 until 2016, argued Wootton Hall was not fit-for-purpose and that selling it would save £40m over 25 years.

  Image caption Stephen Mold (left) revised the sell-off plans of his predecessor Adam Simmonds (right)

The decision to sell the building was signed-off on his final day in office.
'Concerned'

The land was acquired by the Education Funding Agency, with a view to it being used for Wootton Park School - a state-funded free school offering a specialised policing and public service-focused curriculum.

However, the terms of the deal were revised less than a year later by Mr Mold, although a section of the site - previously occupied by flats - was eventually sold for £2.85m to accommodate the school, which opened in 2016.

In a report published by the Office of the PCC, auditor KPMG said Mr Simmonds' plans were not supported by a detailed business case and had not been fully costed.

Mr Mold said he was "concerned" that "the operational impact on policing" from selling Wootton Hall "had not been fully understood or planned for, nor sufficient arrangements put in place for the relocation of police headquarters".

He said: "It was also clear to me that the sale did not represent value-for-money, either for the force or taxpayers."

Mr Mold said a new plan would see the site redeveloped as a joint police and fire headquarters." {1}

Stephen Mold also put an abrupt end to Simmonds' Interfaith Programme, the controversial Northamptonshire Police Office of Faith Based and Community Initiatives (OFBCI). {2}

In 2016 the Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC) investigated claims that Simmonds had breached the Data Protection Act by disclosing "sensitive" information relating to a criminal investigation to third parties between November 7, 2013 and May 1, 2014. {3}The IPCC subsequently passed the findings of its inquiry to The Crown Prosecution Service and Simmonds was charged with breaching the Data Protection Act and misconduct in public office. {4} The jury at Southwark Crown Court failed to reach a verdict after more than 12 hours of deliberations. The CPS later determined it was "not in the public interest to hold a retrial", and Mr Justice Nicholas Green directed a not guilty verdict. {5} Simmonds did not stand for re-election in May of 2016, although he denied the IPCC inquiry was the reason.

Simmonds' term of unrighteousness lasted for 3 years 7 months, during which time there were at least four petitions against him as well as the No-more-Simmonds community on Facebook, {6} and also retired Northamptonshire Police Officer Justin Brown's former website, www.justintelligence.net.

Investigation in to the appointment of Assistant Police & Crime Commissioners in Northamptonshire
https://petition.parliament.uk/archived/petitions/47413
Vote of no confidence in Adam Simmonds PCC for Northamptonshire https://www.change.org/p/police-crime-panel-northamptonshire-vote-of-no-confidence-in-adam-simmonds-pcc-for-northamptonshire
Sack Adam Simmonds - Police and Crime Commissioner for Northamptonshire
https://www.change.org/p/david-cameron-sack-adam-simmonds-police-and-crime-commissioner-for-northamptonshire
Public Inquiry into Wootton Park School & The Northampton Free School Trust
https://www.change.org/p/keith-vaz-mp-chair-of-home-affairs-select-committee-public-inquiry-into-wootton-park-school-the-northampton-free-school-trust

Simmonds' claim to be a "committed Christian" in tatters!

Last but not least, Simmonds' former position as Director and Trustee of Trinity Life Church in Leicester was also very troubling. Open Hands Trust, the so called "compassion charity" of Trinity Life Church in Leicester, were "lucky" enough to receive, a large lottery award of £446626 in 2014. Was it a coincidence that Open Hands' lottery award was granted during Simmonds' position as Director and Trustee of TLC? TLC is a Pentecostal Assemblies of God Church claiming to be "biblical". However I have proved a number of times that TLC's dubious practices as a wannabe megachurch do not represent biblical Christianity at all! Open Hands' lottery grant has enabled TLC to gain a significant foothold over the vulnerable and homeless people of Leicester. This is very concerning considering the recent abuse cases against TLC's partner, the former Jesus Army cult, now Leicester Jesus Centre/Jesus Fellowship, an organisation that Simmonds also had connections with.

Following the publication of my posts concerning Open Hands' lottery award, Simmonds took the unprecedented action of removing two of my posts from Blogger. I believe that this action was illegal for a number of reasons. However, despite considerable efforts to obtain information both from the Police Complaints Commission and Google, I was unable to resolve this issue satisfactorily. After taking advice, I republished these two posts unedited without a further problem! It appears that I was not the only person who suffered from Simmonds censorship:

Justin Brown: "It seems my previous post about censorship by Adam Simmonds has itself been censored by Facebook. I have not been contacted by Facebook explaining the reasons why or who the request to remove the content was from.

Like many other folk I have had comments posted onto the on line version of the Chronicle and Echo removed in relation to Adam Simmonds. I have had no notification as to the reason why despite writing to the editor personally seeking clarification. From my previous FOIA request to the OPCC we know Simmonds office has requested the removal of such comments. I have submitted a new FOIA request to the OPCC seeking answers, along with a request to Facebook asking why posts on this forum are now being censored.

I also note blogs critical of Simmonds posted elsewhere on the web have recently been censored."

Simmonds was once described as "A young man in a hurry", by the Guardian. {7}

In a hurry, no doubt, but his destination is debatable! (Matthew 23:33).

These six things doth the LORD hate: yea, seven are an abomination unto him:
A proud look, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood,
An heart that deviseth wicked imaginations, feet that be swift in running to mischief,
A false witness that speaketh lies, and he that soweth discord among brethren. (Proverbs 6:16-19)

Simmonds now seems to have found a position better suited to his ecumenical inclinations as Head of Logistics at St John the Baptist Church in Leicester (CofE). Disturbingly, he is currently Foundation Governor St John the Baptist Primary School also in Leicester. {8}

I look forward to critiquing Simmonds' book 'Being First' in due course.

Previous posts on this subject: https://bewareofthewolves.blogspot.com/search/label/Adam%20Simmonds%20PCC%20Northampton
https://wordpress.com/view/periloustimesshallcome.wordpress.com

{1} https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-northamptonshire-46020012

{2} https://www.northantstelegraph.co.uk/news/controversial-faith-based-police-office-to-be-wound-down-1-7423881
{3} http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-northamptonshire-36114429
{4} https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-northamptonshire-36114429
{5} https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-northamptonshire-41166956
{6} https://www.facebook.com/No-more-Simmonds-397104093748026/..
{7} https://www.theguardian.com/uk/2013/jan/05/police-commissioner-adam-simmonds
{8} https://uk.linkedin.com/in/simmondsadam

TRINITY LIFE CHURCH LEICESTER: FESTERING ECUMENISM AND APOSTASY!

The Second Beast: Revelation 13:11-18

11Then I saw another beast rising out of the earth. It had two horns like a lamb and it spoke like a dragon. 12It exercises all the authority of the first beast in its presence, and makes the earth and its inhabitants worship the first beast, whose mortal wound was healed. 13It performs great signs, even making fire come down from heaven to earth in front of people, 14and by the signs that it is allowed to work in the presence of the beast it deceives those who dwell on earth, telling them to make an image for the beast that was wounded by the sword and yet lived. 15And it was allowed to give breath to the image of the beast, so that the image of the beast might even speak and might cause those who would not worship the image of the beast to be slain. 16Also it causes all, both small and great, both rich and poor, both free and slave, to be marked on the right hand or the forehead, 17so that no one can buy or sell unless he has the mark, that is, the name of the beast or the number of its name. 18This calls for wisdom: let the one who has understanding calculate the number of the beast, for it is the number of a man, and his number is 666.

If you attend a mainstream church, it is highly unlikely that they will give any in depth teaching from the book of Revelation. The above passage refers to the "second beast", i.e. the harbinger of the first beast, the Antichrist. (Revelation 13:1-11). It is probable that the image of the beast is the “abomination that causes desolation” in the rebuilt third Jerusalem temple. (Daniel 9:27; Matthew 24:15). Historically many theologians recognise that the second beast will be a "religious" figure due to his identification as the false prophet. (Revelation 16:13; 19:20; 20:10). Many antichrists have already come, but the scriptures are specific that there will be a final figure, the Man of Sin. Paul gives this “man of sin” various names, or descriptors, which could only be applicable to an individual human being. (1 John 2:18). The Roman Catholic Church deceptively teach that both Jesus Christ and the sacraments are necessary for salvation. (2 Corinthians 11:4). This is a denial of the gospel that proclaims Jesus Christ alone as the saviour of the world. (Proverbs 30:6; Deuteronomy 4:2; Revelation 22:18). Indeed the RCC do have a form of godliness, but they deny the power of the true gospel. (2 Timothy 3:5). It is critical to recognise that the ecumenical movement being promoted by the RCC is a deceptive shift from the true gospel of Jesus Christ to the false gospel of the coming Antichrist, the coming one world religion and the New World Order. The word "antichrist", from anti and christos, is either one who puts himself in the place of, or is the enemy (opponent) of the Messiah. In fact both these definitions apply to the Antichrist.

Trinity Life Church Leicester

TLC: "We love God, love people and are passionate about Jesus, discipleship, compassion, mission and you." {1} TLC claims to be "all about Jesus", but are they really? They further claim that "the Bible is the Word of God." {2}  

The above statements show TLC to be utter hypocrites. Anyone making such serious professions of faith should shun ALL connection with the ecumenical movement, and yet there are a number of instances where TLC have knowingly partnered with this wicked movement. (2 Corinthians 6:14).

“Why do you call me ‘Lord, Lord,’ and not do what I tell you?" (Luke 6:46).

“If you love me, you will keep my commandments.." (John 14:15).

A Tree and Its Fruit
15“Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing but inwardly are ravenous wolves. 16You will recognize them by their fruits. Are grapes gathered from thornbushes, or figs from thistles? 17So, every healthy tree bears good fruit, but the diseased tree bears bad fruit. 18A healthy tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a diseased tree bear good fruit. 19Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. 20Thus you will recognize them by their fruits.

I Never Knew You
21“Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. 22On that day many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?’ 23And then will I declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.’.’ (Matthew 7:15-23).

Just as many Jewish leaders were not prepared for Jesus' first coming and put obstacles in the way of true faith, many within organised Christendom will not be prepared for His second coming. (Luke 18:8).

TLC is spreading like a cancer throughout Leicestershire via its unbiblical of expansion of satellite churches. (2 Timothy 2:17). They presently have seven campuses; the latest addition, launching in September, will be TLC Birstall. {3} There is no example of a multisite church in the New Testament. The clear scriptural model is that of Paul and Barnabus, whose practice was to plant new churches, to appoint leaders with prayer and fasting, and to release them into the care of the Lord: And when they had appointed elders for them in every church, with prayer and fasting they committed them to the Lord in whom they had believed. (Acts 14:23 cf. 2 Timothy 2:2; Titus 1:5).

Open Hands Trust

The latest example of TLC's descent into ungodliness can be found at their infamous 6 Degrees Coffee House which is the enterprise of the Open Hands Trust. I have written about this subject previously. {4} The Open Hands Trust was established in 2006 by Trinity Life Church. 

Open Hands: "..with a heart to help those most vulnerable and disadvantaged in society, welcoming any in need through the doors of our Compassion Centre and inspiring hope for the future.

Our strap line ‘Compassion in Action’ expresses our belief in being active at all times with compassion, offering hope in every situation through providing food, clothing, furniture, skills training, mentoring, advice and a listening ear. The charity runs the majority of its services out of its Compassion Centre in Highfields (Leicester), which receives over 200 visits each week, but also runs an OFSTED approved preschool in two areas of the city and a thriving and profitable subsidiary company, ‘6 Degrees Coffee House’, in order to support the charity’s good work." {5}

We should bear in mind that the Antichrist will be a great philanthropist. (John 12:4-5). There is of course only one hope for the future. (Ephesians 4:4). Open Hands do not offer the gospel alongside their various charitable works. In fact by their own actions, Open Hands effectively bound the gospel in 2013, due to the contract they entered into with their sponsors, the Big Lottery Fund. (2 Timothy 2:9; 1 Corinthians 9:16). The Big Lottery Fund regulations state: "Crucially, the activities undertaken with lottery money cannot promote religion or belief." {6} I have addressed the ethical implications of TLC's lottery funding in a previous post. {7}

Among the active directors of the Open Hands Trust are David and Susan Hind, the senior leaders of TLC, Brian Niblock, former pastor and now an elder at TLC, and Colin Jewitt, who is a Director of both TLC and Open Hands. {8}

Open Hands partners: Trinity Life Church Leicester, Knighton Free Church, St Wilfrid's Church Kibworth (CofE), New Life Church Fleckney, Leicester Jesus Centre (formerly Jesus Army), KingsGate Community Church Leicester, Living Rock (Midlands), St Christopher's Church Leicester (CofE), Abundant Pentecostal Church Leicester, Avenue Road Community Church Glen Parva and The Oak Centre Braunstone.

I do not know where all the above churches stand regarding their relationship with Jesus Christ and I cannot comment on all of them. However I can speak about what I do know.

• The Church of England is openly and rabidly ecumenical. TLC's ecumenical links clearly continue to fester!
• I attended Knighton Free Church (KFC) for a very brief period of time a few years ago as a last ditch attempt to find true biblical fellowship in an organised church. However, it quickly became apparent that KFC had links with the CofE.. as demonstrated by their occasional guest speakers from St Mary's Church Knighton participation in their services. During my brief time at KFC, their minister, Andrew Upton, introduced the aberrant teachings of Bill Hybels, the now disgraced megachurch pastor, {9} and one of the ignominious signatories of the interfaith response to "A Common Word Between Us and You" (2007). I sent Andrew Upton ten pages of information about this Islamic/Christian document as he appeared to know nothing at all about it! {10} To seal KFC's fate as far as my involvement was concerned, the leader of the home group I attended denied the existence of eternal punishment. I did mention to him that if you deny eternal punishment, then you must also deny eternal salvation, since the same word, αἰώνιος, applies to both situations. (Matthew 25:46). During a very distressing meeting with Andrew Upton and his assistant, they decided that I had the problem! After they recommended the teachings of Calvinist heretic John Piper, it soon became clear to me that it would be sheer madness to remain! (Ephesians 5:11; 2 John 1:9-11). I now strongly suspect that KFC is a Calvinist church.
• Leicester Jesus Centre is the abusive cult formerly known as Jesus Army which has been in the media of late.
• The Oak Centre is the Braunstone branch of TLC.

TLC's idolatry of the Royal Family is completely out of sync with the scriptures! 6 Degrees Coffee House recently celebrated the Royal Wedding. I have nothing personal against Meghan Markle or the Royal Family, but they do not follow biblical Christianity. In God's eyes we are all sinners and I do hope and pray that they will repent and be saved. (Romans 3:23-24). Meghan Markle divorced her first husband, Trevor Engelson, in 2013, on the grounds of irretrievable breakdown. TLC's celebration of this wedding is a significant departure from the biblical principles they have historically defended. In biblical terms, remarriage is absolutely prohibited except by reason of sexual immorality. (Matthew 5:32; 19:9 1 Corinthians 7:9-10 cf. Malachi 2:16). John the Baptist reproved Herod Antipas for his illicit (adulterous) marriage to his brothers wife. (Mark 6:18; Leviticus 18:16, 20:21). For TLC to support such an event gives their approval to divorce and remarriage and it is a slap in the face to Jesus Christ. (James 4:4). Apart from that, the Royal Family are undeniably entrenched in the occult, their "religion" being more akin to Freemasonry than biblical Christianity. Queen Elizabeth II is the Grand Patroness of Freemasonry. Their obvious connection with the Druids and with various secret societies speaks for itself. {11}

I wrote previously that Open Hands' 6 Degrees Coffee House is completely saturated in the number of the beast, 666. (Revelation 13:18). In fact TLC seem unable to shake off this wicked number to this very day. We might have sighed a sigh of relief that TLC have at last changed the three sixes on the front of their building, but nevertheless they cannot resist putting the third six somewhere or other, or multiples thereof in various forms. In fact the very logo itself comprises of six outer sixes and the yin yang coffee beans! This wicked logo is an abomination and the antithesis of Jesus Christ and the scriptures.

It is a well known fact that Satanists use backwards numbers and letters!

How many multiples of 666 are there above?

The fallacy of 6 degrees of separation may be the academic equivalent of an urban myth according to scientists.

Harry..  masonic hidden hand signal - devil's horns.

I am reliably informed that if you visit 6 Degrees Coffee House (I do not recommend it), you would not realise that it has anything to do with Christianity at all. When TLC have finished celebrating ecumenism, false prophets and doctrines, trivia, quiz nights, myths, comedy nights, clothes swish and illicit marriages, perhaps they will give a little time to considering the Word of God! (2 Timothy 3:1-5).

Princess Elizabeth's initiation into the Welsh Druids.

{1} http://trinitylifechurch.org.uk/who-we-are/ 

{2} http://trinitylifechurch.org.uk/jesus/
{3} http://trinitylifechurch.org.uk/who-we-are/
{4} https://bewareofthewolves.blogspot.com/2017/10/the-continual-stream-of-666-emanating.html
{5} https://www.openhandsleicester.org.uk/who-we-are/
{6} http://www.hrballiance.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/9-Big-Lottery-Alice-Grimes.pdf
{7} https://bewareofthewolves.blogspot.com/2014/01/trinity-life-church-leicester-going.html
{8} https://beta.companieshouse.gov.uk/company/05903490/officers
{9} https://www.nytimes.com/2018/08/08/us/willow-creek-church-resignations-bill-hybels.html
{10} https://hubpages.com/religion-philosophy/ELEPHANT-IN-THE-ROOM-WHAT-IS-WRONG-WITH-WILLOW-CREEK-CHURCHBILL-HYBELS
{11} https://bewareofthewolves.blogspot.com/2016/10/trinity-life-church-leicester-and-open.html

FORMER MEMBER OF JESUS ARMY CULT JAILED FOR HISTORIC SEX OFFENCES

A 57-year-old former member of Northamptonshire's Jesus Army has been jailed for historic sex offences dating back to the 1990s.

Former member of the Bugbrooke-based Christian organisation Alan Carter has been handed a three-year sentence for crimes dating back to the early 1990s.

Operation Lifeboat was launched in 2015.

The 57-year-old, who was living in Swansea at the time of his arrest, faced seven charges of indecent assault against a male and a further charge of buggery when he appeared at Northampton Crown Court last Wednesday.

Carter was a member of the Jesus Army at the time of the offences.

The conviction was part of Operation Lifeboat, launched in 2015 to look into historic sex offences at the organisation, founded in the late-1960s by firebrand preacher Noel Stanton.

Detective Chief Inspector Ally White from Northamptonshire Police, said: “I welcome Carter’s conviction and I hope it demonstrates that Northamptonshire Police takes all allegations of abuse seriously, whether recent or historic and that there can be a successful prosecution brought against non-recent offences of this nature.

“The people who have come forward to report historic abuse to us have shown tremendous courage in doing so and we would not have been able to secure convictions like this one if it wasn’t for the information they provided us with - information that has often involved bringing up painful memories.

“The emotional and psychological damage abuse can do to a person can be extensive and often has an impact on them for the whole of their lives.

"I want to remind people that our door is always open – Northamptonshire Police will always investigate allegations of abuse and I encourage people to take the step and report it to us. We can also refer victims of abuse to Voice – a confidential support service.

“If you would like to make a report to us, please call us on 101 or alternatively, you can call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555111.”

Carter's conviction was the third as part of Operation Lifeboat.

Last year, Nigel Perkins, 56, from Cornwall, pleaded guilty to three counts of indecent assault and two counts of gross indecency with a child under the age of 14.

He also received a three-year sentence and was made to sign the sex offender register for life.

By Paul Lynch, Northampton Chronicle. 24th April 2018.

https://www.northamptonchron.co.uk/news/former-member-of-northamptonshire-s-jesus-army-member-jailed-for-historic-sex-offences-1-8473622

AT LEAST 40 PEOPLE PLANNING TO SUE JESUS ARMY OVER HISTORIC ABUSE CLAIMS!

At that time the disciples came to Jesus, saying, “Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?” And calling to him a child, he put him in the midst of them and said, “Truly, I say to you, unless you turn and become like children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. Whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.

“Whoever receives one such child in my name receives me, but whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, it would be better for him to have a great millstone fastened around his neck and to be drowned in the depth of the sea. (Matthew 18:1-6).

As I read the various reports about "alleged" historic abuse at the Jesus Army cult my blood boils. These are the heart-breaking words of former Jesus Army member Philippa Muller yesterday:

 “The abuse wasn’t just sexual, it was physical, it was financial, it was spiritual” she said. “I spent my entire upbringing based on one man’s interpretation of the bible.” {1}

It now appears that at least 40 people are planning to sue Northamptonshire's Jesus Army over historic abuse claims. Thank God that these false leaders are now being exposed. (Ephesians 5:11). I personally hope that these developments signal the end of this wicked cult!

Below is a further report from the Northampton Chronicle and Echo 
By Paul Lynch
Published 18th September 2017:

A top lawyer has called the police investigation into historic abuse at the Jesus Army “half-hearted” amid reports that more than 40 people are now pursuing civil claims against the cult.

In June, the Chron revealed that a number of claims the cult used “rodding” or corporal punishment to discipline children were not pursued by the police because the practice was not illegal in the 1970s and 1980s.

Noel Stanton founded the sect in the 1970s.

However, dozens are now in the process of taking up civil claims against the cult and a bulk of the cases are being handled by two solicitors who specialise in child abuse cases.

David Greenwood, partner for the Yorkshire-based law firm Switalkskis, said he was currently working on legal claims for at least 30 people “who grew up there as children under the Jesus Army regime”.

“They are alleging they were subject to a regime that was restrictive and that was emotionally damaging,” he told the Chron.
“Some also allege they were sexually abused. Most allege that they were physically abused. Not necessarily from their parents but from their supposed guardians,” he said.

New Creation Farm was set up as a working farm in the 1970s to provide income to the growing Jesus Fellowship on the outskirts of Bugbrooke.

“They weren’t allowed toys. They weren’t allowed to engage in competitive activities at school, they weren’t allowed to go out to the cinema like young people did.”
Mr Greenwood, a specialist child abuse lawyer, broadly supported the Chron’s calls for a full, independent inquiry into the Jesus Army. But he said that, as part of his work with the clients, he will be calling on Northamptonshire Police to reopen its investigation into historical abuse there.

He said: “I think we need to establish the level of offending that was taking place there.
“Part of my remit will be to persuade Northamptonshire Police to reopen their investigation into this.”
Operation Lifeboat, he went on to say, was “half-hearted” as dozens of rodding claims were not pursued.
“There is more information coming through every week,” he added. “I believe those people in charge at the Jesus Army need to sit down and work out some sort of compensation scheme for the people who suffered emotional, physical and sexual abuse. There also needs to be compensation for the individuals who tried to leave but were unable to get their assets back.”

Many who joined the Jesus Army handed over homes to support the common purse, but several pursuing legal claims feel they were not adequately recompensed on leaving the organisation, Mr Greenwood said.
Another lawyer, Robert Shaw, a partner at Robson Shaw Solicitors, has taken on more than 10 cases against the Jesus Army, mainly from people who grew up in the communal houses of Northamptonshire.
He says his clients are also claiming they were victims of physical abuse, though neither lawyer has officially issued proceedings against the church as of yet.
Mr Shaw’s clients claim they were subject to a “barbaric regime, which involved corporal punishment for tiny matters,” he said. Some of his clients claim the manner of their punishment was “sexualised”.
“The children were often asked to take their underwear off in order to be beaten,” he added.
Northamptonshire Police launched Operation Lifeboat to look into allegations of historical sexual abuse within the Jesus Army back in 2015.

So far there have been three prosecutions, the most recent being that of Karl Skinner, a former member who was found guilty of three counts of indecent assault on a male and was given a suspended sentence.
Northamptonshire Police declined to comment.
"In response to the Chron’s investigation, spokesman for the Jesus Fellowship, Laurence Cooper, said: “On safeguarding, the Jesus Fellowship church, much like the UK as a whole, is in a very different place now to what it was during the last century. Safeguarding is much higher up the agenda for every organisation in the modern day.
"Our leadership teams are now well trained, and well aware of safeguarding issues. We have a central safeguarding team who are employed to keep our safeguarding efforts on track.
"It’s not like the 70s and 80s, when even big organisations like the BBC had very little in place to guard against these issues.
"Physical punishment, such as was commonly used in school even when I was a boy has been outlawed in the UK and is not practised or condoned by people in the Jesus Fellowship.
"The Jesus Fellowship church opposes illegal physical punishment and we’d report abuse we became aware of to the police immediately.
"People in the church these days profoundly regret that some people were hurt emotionally, spiritually and in other ways in the past. We’re sorry – and this has been expressed on many occasions in public.
"We’re sorry that people feel let down by the church. Sorry that they don’t feel they were cared for. We acknowledge that people feel hurt and pain. My personal hope is that they will - eventually - be able to find some release from this.”

http://www.northamptonchron.co.uk/news/at-least-40-people-planning-to-sue-northamptonshire-s-jesus-army-over-historic-abuse-claims-1-8156433

{1} http://www.northamptonchron.co.uk/news/special-report-alleged-victim-of-historic-abuse-reveals-traumatic-childhood-growing-up-in-jesus-army-1-8155579

JESUS ARMY: SEXUAL, PHYSICAL, FINANCIAL AND SPIRITUAL ABUSE ALLEGATIONS!

The Northampton Chronicle & Echo
By Paul Lynch 18 September 2017

SPECIAL REPORT: Alleged victim of historic abuse reveals traumatic childhood growing up in Jesus Army

Ex Jesus Army member Philippa Muller believes there must be a public inquiry into
allegations of historical abuse at the religious sect. 

A former Jesus Army member who claims to have been molested as a child in the 1980s believes a full public inquiry must be held to give voice to damaged ex-members.

Philippa Muller, who has agreed to waive her right to anonymity to tell her story, spent her early life in Woking, Surrey, with her parents and three siblings, but sold up everything they owned to join Noel Stanton’s Jesus Army movement in the 1980s.

Noel Stanton in the 1980s. The founder of the Jesus Army, who died in 2009, is alleged to have abused members sexually and financially.

The firebrand preacher formed the evangelist movement in 1969 at Bugbrooke Chapel, before expanding it to a series of communal houses, a farm, and later a network of businesses ranging from a bakery to a solicitors’ firm.

Philippa’s family used to go to a free church in their area and her brother was baptised there. But sometime in the mid-1980s her mother and father befriended a couple who were part of a growing Baptist movement in Northamptonshire. They were Jesus Army members seeking out new recruits for the sect and Philppa’s parents, inspired by the idea of a rural community devoted to Christianity, settled to join them. Her father, who worked for the Ministry of Defence, dropped everything and within months they had moved north to live at Bugbrooke.

The family took up residence in a communal house, Shalom, shared by around 15 other people when Philippa was just five.
Her childhood was “idyllic” in a lot of ways at the time, she said, filled with long walks and picnics, a sense of belonging.

Noel Stanton.

“It was free in many senses,” she said. “I remember being allowed to help in lambing season, we had a big a garden that we enjoyed.
“My parents were really good at maintaining a sense of normality as well.”

But the regime operated by head pastor Stanton was strict – and breaking the rules often led to consequences.
She remembers, as a child, drawing underneath the chairs in Bugbrooke chapel during worship and scribbling crude nude drawings on the paper.
When the doodles were discovered, she was hauled into a quiet room with a fireplace – so a community elder could cast demons from her.
“You couldn’t talk about anything to do with your body, it would be seen as indecent to do so, she said. “All the women wore skirts and you weren’t supposed to show your ears, it was seen as sinful.”

Members were also expected to renounce all material possessions under Stanton’s teachings.
Clothing was communal, birthdays were replaced with ‘honouring days’, households were judged in league table type format with the worst performers being ‘visited’ by a ‘fire’ team who would renew zeal for the cause.
Gradually Philippa remembers separating from the outside world and took on the lingo that had developed in the community.
Outsiders were known as ‘worldlings’, those not towing the line were known as ‘backsliders’.
Soon her older sister and brother were moved into different households as the natural family was seen as secondary to the spiritual family, she said.

Her parents were convinced to sell up their home and plough their wealth into a common fund. Discipline made life tough for children, she said - but even tougher for girls. Then, as she moved into her teenage years, the restrictive regime began to take its toll.
“I remember having to ask permission to revise for my GCSE exams, because of the continuous routine of meetings throughout the week. Education was not encouraged, it was seen as the way to material wealth, which was evil.”
Later she went on to study business at Northampton College while trying to fit her revision exam around a seven-day roster of meetings and activities that included a three-hour Sunday worship held by Stanton.
A recording sent to the Chronicle & Echo from a 1990s ITV broadcast saw Stanton preaching about inherent “sin” in the “genitals” at Cornhill Manor, a regular topic of his firebrand sermons.
She believes the leader - who called on members to take a vow of celibacy and has since been the speculation of sexual abuse claims – saw women as a threat to the Godly path of the males in the community. “You could never talk about anything to do with your body with anyone, it would be seen as indecent to do so”, she said. “Women and girls were there to serve only, serve the elders and the men in the community.
“Women had to wear ankle length skirts for modesty and you weren’t even supposed to show your ears, it was seen as sinful.”
“I grew up assuming there was something wrong with me, I could never attain redemption because I was born of Eve, and I cast sin into the world by making Adam eat the apple from the tree of life.
“Where can you go from such a negative starting point?”
It meant that when two teenage boys molested her at a young age, she never reported it. Philippa felt no one would believe her.
“We didn’t have a voice to question,” she added.
When Philippa was still a teenager, she saw something that would change the course of her life.
She saw a fellow Jesus Army being molested by an elder, who was later jailed for the sexual abuse.
During the trial she was ostracised from the community to the extent she had to sit through a sermon by Stanton in which he talked about ridding the sect of ‘liars’.
She knew the sermon was about her.
The ordeal left her with little choice to leave the Jesus Army aged 18 and without a penny to her name.
Philippa, now 38, says her time in the religious sect has left her scarred.
She said: “We helped the needy - bringing the homeless alcoholics and drug addicts back into our homes, with no regard for the safeguarding of our own.
“I remember lying in bed at night and worrying about the drug addicts who were sharing my dormitory bedroom. I was 10 years old.”
“Bad things were done there in an environment that was meant to be Christian and Godly,” she added.
“But those things were allowed to happen because there was no safeguarding in place.
“We operated outside of society.
“We were drawing in people, then encouraging them to behave in a way that was so ungodly.
“There are a lot of damaged people out there that need to be acknowledged.”
Philippa believes an independent public inquiry is the only recourse for others left scarred from their ordeals.
In 2015 a safeguarding report into Jesus Army by the Churches’ Child Protection Advisory Service (CCPAS) looked only at the sect’s current safeguarding practices and did not consider allegations of past abuse.
But Philippa believes that inquiry must be held by an entirely independent body, not a Christian organisation.
“The abuse wasn’t just sexual, it was physical, it was financial, it was spiritual” she said. “I spent my entire upbringing based on one man’s interpretation of the bible.”

http://www.northamptonchron.co.uk/news/special-report-alleged-victim-of-historic-abuse-reveals-traumatic-childhood-growing-up-in-jesus-army-1-8155579

JESUS ARMY CULT LEADERS STEP DOWN

The Northampton Chronicle has today reported the news that Jesus Army cult leaders in Northamptonshire have stepped down after complaints over handling over abuse claims:

"The leaders of a Northampton-based Christian organisation, once branded a ‘cult’, have stepped down while complaints into how historical abuse claims were handled are investigated. The Jesus Army (JA) has confirmed five ‘apostolic’ leaders of the sect, founded in Bugbrooke in 1969, will now be subject to an independent investigation. Mick Haines, the senior pastor and de facto leader of the Jesus Army is among the men to have stepped down from ‘pastoral duties’, a spokesman told the Chron. The other four to face investigation are Mike Farrant, John Campbell, Ian Callard and Huw Lewis, the spokesman confirmed. In 2013, the JA called on ex-members to come forward and reveal instances of past abuse, either sexual, physical, financial or spiritual. Following investigations by ex-members of the fellowship and the Chronicle & Echo, it is now known about 150 claims were made. But the sect, which still has a strong base in Northampton and underwent a safeguarding review in 2015, has confirmed there have been complaints over the way the five men handled the abuse claims.Spokesman Laurence Cooper, said in a statement: “Questions have been raised about the handling of information by the senior leadership of the church, relating to past cases of abuse. “All five people have been involved in the handling of previous cases of abuse in the church. Allegations have been made about the way they handled historic cases. These are unproven allegations, but they do need to be treated seriously and investigated fully. “The five people you mention have agreed to step down immediately from pastoral duties and any leadership authority in the church while an independent investigation of the allegations is undertaken.”“They remain members of the church but they are not in a leadership position at this present time.”Mr Farrant was instrumental in setting up the Jesus Army’s common purse in the 1970s, which still exists in the communes of the organisation today. Mr Campbell, the Jesus Army’s former press officer, was described by Mr Cooper in May as having largely retired from the organisation. In 2013 the Chronicle & Echo reported that he was the leader tasked with collating responses to historical abuse allegations.A member from within the organisation, who did not wish to be named, felt the leadership team was not expecting so many people to come forward with abuse claims in 2013. “They were very taken aback by it. They were quite unprepared,” he said. In 2015, after being handed details of the abuse claims by the JA, Northamptonshire Police launched Operation Lifeboat. The probe, looking into historical sexual abuse at the JA, has led to two prosecutions to date, though a spokesman said more prosecutions were likely.The National Leadership Team (NLT) sits below the apostolic group consisting of the five individuals. Mr Cooper added that there would be no senior pastor in place while the investigation was ongoing.“Once the NLT receives the findings from this independent investigation, they will consult with (Christian safeguarding charity) CCPAS and other outside agencies to decide what steps need to be taken.”Victims groups have, in the past, raised concerns about a Christian-based group’s ability to be independent."
http://www.northamptonchron.co.uk/news/jesus-army-leaders-in-northamptonshire-step-down-after-complaints-over-handling-over-abuse-claims-1-8042088

THE RETICENCE OF MICK HAINES AND OTHER JESUS ARMY LEADERS TO GIVE INTERVIEWS IN THE FACE OF CLAIMS OF PHYSICAL, SEXUAL AND FINANCIAL ABUSE!!!

It is not good to be partial to the wicked or to deprive the righteous of justice. (Proverbs 18:5).

He who justifies the wicked and he who condemns the righteous are both alike an abomination to the LORD. (Proverbs 17:15).

..but Jesus said, “Let the little children come to me and do not hinder them, for to such belongs the kingdom of heaven.” (Matthew 19:14).

Whoever receives one such child in my name receives me, but whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin (stumble), it would be better for him to have a great millstone fastened around his neck and to be drowned in the depth of the sea. (Matthew 18:5-6).

The reticence of the current leader of the Jesus Army, Mick Haines, and other leaders who were part of Noel Stanton's "culture of authority" to give interviews speaks volumes. The saying that evil thrives when good men do nothing is invalid, since to do nothing in the face of evil is wicked. Why did no-one stand up against the monster Noel Stanton during his abusive regime? Was it more comfortable to turn a blind eye and to passively stand by when infants suffered physical abuse and maybe more? I imagine these hypocrites are still making a packet out of the charitable status of the Jesus Army and their free, often disadvantaged, work force! All for the common good of course!!! Woe to those who are responsible for the suffering of these little ones in past times!

A fresh report from the Northampton Chronicle and Echo:

Corporal punishment complaints at Northampton’s Jesus Army were not followed up... because it wasn’t illegal in the 70s and 80s.

Detectives did not pursue a number of claims of physical abuse against a Northampton-based religious sect because ‘corporal punishment’ was not illegal in the 1970s and 1980s.

Jesus Army members contacted the religious organisation between 2013 and 2015 to make allegations of physical abuse perpetrated within the community.

Fresh allegations about the head of the Jesus Army, Noel Stanton, have emerged.

These complaints were passed on to Northamptonshire Police along with a number of allegations of sexual abuse. The force formed operation Lifeboat to look into the sex assault claims, and is understood to be on the verge of making a number of prosecutions.

But the officer that led that investigation – detective chief inspector Ally White - has now confirmed that the force did not pursue a number of allegations of physical abuse, or ‘rodding’. The term is used to describe a form of physical beating using a cane or blunt implement, which would be illegal by today’s standards.

In a statement to the Chron this week, DCI White, said: “We have investigated allegations of physical assault - so-called ‘rodding’– from the 1970s up until the mid-1980s.

Noel Stanton founded the Jesus Army in 1969.

“However, these allegations were made at a time when corporal punishment was still legal in this country and no potential victims have since come forward to pursue a complaint. We have spoken to a lot of people in relation to these allegations.”

DCI White went on to confirm that police were in fact told of a number of abuse allegations some 14 years before Operation Lifeboat was formed, though he did not say why further action was not pursued then.

In its heyday the sect, which many have called a ‘cult’, operated a number of communal houses, often with several families living in them at a time.

Its leader and founder Noel Stanton operated a strict regime, which involved members paying into a communal fund and in some cases taking a vow of celibacy. The Jesus Army battle bus.

The Chronicle & Echo has learned that some of the physical abuse allegations related to a summer school run by the Jesus Army at Cornhill Manor in Pattishall. The purpose of the school was to provide activities for the children in the Jesus Army over the summer holidays.

The news that a number of physical abuse claims were made comes a month after the sect itself revealed claims of physical, sexual and financial abuse were made against the army’s deceased founder Noel Stanton.

In a statement made to an annual meeting, current leader Mick Haines claimed Stanton had operated in an ‘unaccountable position’.

However Mr Haines and senior leaders of the church – known as the apostolic order – have refused interviews with the Chron, even though former teacher Mr Haines has been with the sect since the 1970s. He also played a part in the running of the summer school in Pattishall.

Instead, all responses have been issued by Jesus Army spokesman, Laurence Cooper.

The organisation underwent a safeguarding review in 2015 carried out by another Christian organisation, the CCPAS. Though critics have questioned how thorough that review was, given that its scope was limited to looking at the current practices in place.

A former senior leader told the Chron the current apostolic team had a duty to respond to some of the allegations of historical abuse directly, rather than relying on an anonymous spokesman.

“I would say there is no problem with any of those guys giving interviews,” the source said.“Mick Haines is the most senior leader so of course he should. He may not be aware of all the facts.

“But in terms of the culture of authority, he himself was a part of that.

”A spokesman for the Jesus Army said: “Parents - and people in the church generally- are actively and strongly discouraged from physical violence of any sort. “If we became aware of anyone using physical punishment this would be a matter we would want to refer to social services and/or police.

“We encourage church members to be aware of what’s going on around them, and if they feel that there is a person being mistreated they should speak up.

“They are encouraged to voice any concerns to our safeguarding team, or the Police, or CCPAS.

“We want anyone who has experienced any sort of physical abuse at all to talk to the Police, or CCPAS, or to the Jesus Fellowship’s own safeguarding team, who will offer them every support.”

http://www.northamptonchron.co.uk/news/corporal-punishment-complaints-at-northampton-s-jesus-army-were-not-followed-up-because-it-wasn-t-illegal-in-the-70s-and-80s-1-7998078

Further reading:
Jesus Army sex offender sentenced for string of indecent acts directed at children in Northamptonshire.
http://www.northamptonchron.co.uk/news/jesus-army-sex-offender-sentenced-for-string-of-indecent-acts-directed-at-children-in-northamptonshire-1-7888780