Calvary Chapel Lawsuit, WhoWouldJesusSue?

BREAKING: Lawsuit between Calvary Chapel Visalia Pastor Bob Grenier and His Step-Son, Alex Grenier, Has Been Dropped

Julie Anne

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Many long-time readers will remember the ongoing lawsuit (nearly 4 years!) between Pastor Bob Grenier of Calvary Chapel Visalia (and his wife, Gayle) against his step-son Alex Grenier (son of Gayle). I have written many articles about this case over the years in support of Alex and consider him as friend.

I am happy to bring you this news which was originally reported on Michael Newnham’s blog, Phoenix Preacher. Michael has given me permission to copy it entirely.

Alex Grenier has informed me this morning that the lawsuit between his step father and mother and himself has been dropped.

No money has changed hands and true forgiveness and reconciliation has taken place.

We would ask that prayers for the whole family go forth as they resolve family issues and learn to love each other again.

 

photo credit: Aidan Jones Handshake via photopin (license)

28 thoughts on “BREAKING: Lawsuit between Calvary Chapel Visalia Pastor Bob Grenier and His Step-Son, Alex Grenier, Has Been Dropped”

  2. That explains why the Calvary Chapel abuse website has been offline. I pray the repentance is real, but it doesn’t solve the systemic rot in the Calvary chapel system as a whole.

    Liked by 2 people

  4. No, Niteowl, it doesn’t solve the systemic rot in the Calvary Chapel franchise. The whole governance system, the Moses Model, in which God only speaks through the pastor, is so wrong.

    Liked by 2 people

  6. JA

    You are right. I had been on that blog.
    You have unaccountable men who use the unbiblical Moses model passed down from the leader, CS to give them power and Lordship over all.
    They own their church. They have no membership ( in this case membership is good only in respect to having open books.)
    You have no idea what the Pastors salary is, or benefits, or what they are buying with church money. They could be purchasing real estate for their own investments.
    It’s so bad, it hurts just discussing it.
    I just deleted a lot more….but Alex opened a blog and allowed others to come on and discuss their own CC experiences. I was grateful and so were others.
    I remember early on over 5 or 6 yrs ago, CS said their are no affiliates and I found many CC websites where it was stated they were an affiliate..
    Anyway, I am thankful for the outcome for Alex. It’s been a long road.

    Liked by 2 people

  8. Julie Anne; Hannah (one and all). Have you read: “Ungodly Fear” by Stephen Parsons; also any of Steve Hassan books on Church/Leadership Abuse? Leader Lies by Matt Wade; Restoring the Kingdom by Andrew Walker (just some new reads).

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  10. That is Alex’s call to make, HUG. Right now, the reconciliation process is still ongoing. It’s probably better to let that happen in privacy first. But I have spoken with Alex and he is going well. He is so happy that this has happened. His relationship with his parents are on the mend and this is truly an answer to prayers.

    Liked by 1 person

  11. THOT
    No I haven’t read those.
    I read ” the subtle power of spiritual abuse” years ago, and that addressed many issues I personally experienced.
    Another book is called ” living in a mega church world” ( I think that’s the correct title)

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  13. May Alex and his family heal. This is truly the best outcome. I also hope that. as soon as it is able to happen, all the people who walked with Alex through this with their prayers and their substance will also get answers. Because it became public and they joined in to help with their hearts open, they are probably wondering about many things. They may even feel shut out or worse, be tempted to feel taken advantage of. Bob’s abuse of many others (as well as the institutional abuse inside of CC) was also discussed freely on his blog and there would be those who wish to know more of how that will be addressed. As part of the fruits of repentance, will they hear Bob address his specific sins?. If that doesn’t happen, it may appear that they are not being told everything. Surely these people have no problem rejoicing with Alex. Please believe me when I say that I do not wish to take from that. If I may, I encourage Alex that there will be no long delay in communicating with, especially, the people who shared some very personal stories of abuse on his blog.. I say this, not to cause any harm, but rather to see the avoidance of confusion or regret happening to those that followed him. That would be so sad. Forgive me if this smacks of impatience. I just want to see this fragile beginning of peace between very wounded parties become permanent and the right thing to happen for all involved. May God be in everything and may He be glorified. God’s very, very best to Alex and the Grenier family. (And you, too, JA, for letting me share my 2 cents 🙂

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  14. Niteowl wrote:

    ” I pray the repentance is real, but it doesn’t solve the systemic rot in the Calvary chapel system as a whole.”

    I survived almost two decades in the Calvary Chapel cult. I bless Providence to be free of it.

    Liked by 3 people

  15. You said it, Muff Potter–“Cult”. I actually got out of a cult-influenced situation and formally landed in CCCM in ’79. (I had come to Christ in ’73 through one of their proselytes.) I was “in” the CC circuit for about 20 years and went through 4 CC’s all told. I came from a poor, immoral place and rejected what I saw. The Gospel was what I was seeking. However, after my arriving in the city and becoming part of the CC network, I found that it was as bad as what I had left. It was worse than a cult because they were given so much by God and squandered it by accepting a flawed man’s frightening vision for pastors. Many of the leaders fed their flesh and became spiritually impotent a long time ago. They committed their abuse and their adulteries under the cover of “orthodoxy” and suppressed any and all dissension by making you think you’re the problem. What better way to get away with their rot? Their leaven lives on in the tragedies perpetrated upon God’s people by Coy, Caldwell and those that have yet to be “outed”. There will be more.

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  21. Glad to hear Alex and his family were able to reconcile. But I’m also praying that his father legitimately repented. Repentance is as much a part of reconciliation as is forgiveness. Also, is Alex’s father getting the accountability he needs? And what about all the other churches that are not? I suppose we won’t have the answers. Agreed it is none of our business with regard to Alex’s family. But Alex kind of made it our business by announcing these things on his site and other places on the internet. And I don’t recall him announcing he was shutting down his site. So I still feel curious about all of this? What assurances is Alex getting about his family growing and changing? We still all love you, in Christ, Alex.

    Liked by 1 person

  22. By the way, Hannah ( surely you remember me from commenting on the CC Abuse site) I am in remission from cancer, now. Thank you for your prayers on my behalf.

    Liked by 1 person

  23. I’m sure it’s a mistake that Alex shut-down the CC abuse blog. All of us are prone to such mistakes due to our emotional weakness. We must be careful to not allow our EMOTIONAL WEAKNESS make us fail from Serving The Kingdom.

    2Samuel 18:5, Now the king (David) had commanded Joab, Abishai, and Ittai, saying, “Deal gently for my sake with the young man Absalom.” And all the people heard when the king gave all the captains orders concerning Absalom.

    19:5-7, Then Joab came into the house to the king (David), and said, “Today you have disgraced all your servants who today have saved your life, the lives of your sons and daughters, the lives of your wives and the lives of your concubines … FOR YOU HAVE DECLARED TODAY THAT YOU REGARD NEITHER PRINCES NOR SERVANTS, for today I perceive that if Absalom had lived and all of us had died today, then it would have pleased you well. Now therefore, arise, go out and speak comfort to your servants. For I swear by the LORD, if you do not go out, not one will stay with you this night. And that will be worse for you than all the evil that has befallen you from your youth until now.”

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  24. The issue is bigger than Grenier Family “love” or reconciliation. The real issue is the systemic False-Love in most Calvary Chapel Leadership. I’m sure it’s a mistake that Alex shut-down the CC abuse blog. All of us are prone to such mistakes during our emotional weakness.

    Liked by 1 person

  25. Taiwo,

    I have had a worry over the people left behind when the CC Abuse blog went dark. I do wonder what will happen to the other genuinely injured parties who posted there based upon the issues you delineate in your second comment–issues that have not gone away. It is the best thing possible that the relationship with Alex’s family is restored–especially if some of his complaints were amplified by his anger. I think it was noble and right that he recanted some things publicly because his accusations were public. In regards to those specific, erroneous accusations, Alex should have cleared Bob’s name–and he did. However, it is not clear what is to be done about other issues raised on that blog and other victims who posted there. It’s possible those issues were covered at the end of Alex’s statements from the pulpit of Bob’s church on Sunday, February 19. We lost streaming capacity shortly before the end of what Alex was saying and have not found a video of it yet. I see no anecdotal evidence that Calvary Chapel leadership has changed or repented or even dealt publicly with the Grenier mess, so I have assumed there was no request from the pulpit by Alex or anyone else to have those issues dealt with on behalf of the other victims who did not embellish their stories and who did post on Alex’s blog. Many of the pastors that spoke at the service are part of the CCA (or were) and needed to be rebuked. My guess is that these senior pastors were all too happy that, by virtue of the reconciliation of Alex and Bob–the spotlight would now be taken off of them (along with the pressure to confront certain truths). These old pastors are now “off the hook”. As another man who has his own blog rightly points out, CC ( as whatever entity you see it), is not looking to reform and never will. That was never an expectation for me personally. I was just happy to see their duplicities and abuse exposed because I was tired of the lying and the false front they were getting away with. I suppose I got that to some degree.

    I think it is all over and Alex is no longer going to address the people who poured their guts out on the CC Abuse blog. Based upon comments there, he should not have been comfortable with the pastors who were giving their self-serving comments on the night of the 19th–but he was. It’s over. We should be happy for a family restored, but for anything else–we’re all under the bus.

    If my remarks are far afield from anything you meant in your comments, I urge you to please explain further. I am genuine and would like to know what you meant by the “emotional weakness” of which you speak.

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  26. Pastor Bob Grenier is Guilty of child abuse and at the very least should spend the rest of his life in jail, this whole corrupt Christian system of I’m sorry please forgive me therefore I shouldn’t be brought to justice for my crimes and sadistic abuses is evil. Justice is demanded and if there is a hell 99.9% of Christians I know are going straight there Pastor Bob Grenier Chuck Smith and all the evil leaders of the churches in America have been corrupted by money greed and failing to institute justice. This is the problem with this country is no matter what evil sick things you do to children you will get away with it and especially if you’re a Christian leader.

    This is why Christianity is such a joke, it’s an abomination to any God.

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  27. Calvary Chapel pastor Mark Forman, Along with other Christians, is guilty of defrauding me a disabled person of $30,000 And causing me to be homeless. He has never denied the charges, nor have any of the guilty parties denied the charges, they simply use the old Christian excuse of well just forgive me and let it go. What kind of twisted sick individual would steal from Disabled person And caused them to be homeless? Pastor Mark Forman North North Coast, Chapel, he’s a wolf in sheep’s clothing. He is a fraud and not a Christian. By your fruit You will know them and pastor Mark Forman’s fruit is stealing from me and causing me to be homeless and financially ruining me. another Christian from his church threatened due punch my face in and crushed my skull And send me to the hospital

    Mark Forman is a thief and thieves are criminals.Mark Forman has broken every Scripture listed below and he has never denied the charges or accusations I’ve laid against him because he knows he is guilty, used Christian manipulation to defraud me of $30,000

    Ezekiel 16:49

    Now this was the sin of your sister Sodom: She and her daughters were arrogant, overfed and unconcerned; they did not help the poor and needy.

    Ezekiel 33:31

    My people come to you, as they usually do, and sit before you to hear your words, but they do not put them into practice. Their mouths speak of love, but their hearts are greedy for unjust gain.

    Isaiah 57:17

    I was enraged by their sinful GREED; I punished them, and hid my face in anger, yet they kept on in their willful ways.

    Isaiah 58:5-14

    “Is not this the kind of fasting I have chosen: to loose the chains of injustice and untie the cords of the yoke, to set the oppressed free and break every yoke? Is it not to share your food with the hungry and to provide the poor wanderer with shelter– when you see the naked, to clothe him?

    Jeremiah 6:13

    For from the least to the greatest of them, everyone is GREEDY for unjust gain; and from prophet to priest, everyone deals falsely.

    Jeremiah 8:10

    Therefore I will give their wives to other men and their fields to new owners. From the least to the greatest, all are GREEDY for gain; prophets and priests alike, all practice deceit.

    Matthew 5:42

    Give to the one who asks you, and do not turn away from the one who wants to borrow from you.

    Matthew 6:24

    No one can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money.

    Mark 7:20-23

    And he said, “What comes out of a person is what defiles him. For from within, out of the heart of man, come evil thoughts, sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery, GREED, wickedness, deceit, sensuality, envy, slander, pride, foolishness. All these evil things come from within, and they defile a person.”

    Luke 6:30

    Give to everyone who asks you, and if anyone takes what belongs to you, do not demand it back.

    Luke 12:33

    Sell your possessions and give to the poor. Provide purses for yourselves that will not wear out, a treasure in heaven that will not be exhausted, where no thief comes near and no moth destroys.

    Titus 1:16

    They claim to know God, but they deny him by their actions.

    James 1:22

    Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says.

    James 2:14-18

    What good is it, my brothers, if a man claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save him? Suppose a brother or sister is without clothes and daily food. If one of you says to him, “Go, I wish you well; keep warm and well fed,” but does nothing about his physical needs, what good is it? In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead. But someone will say, “You have faith; I have deeds.” Show me your faith without deeds, and I will show you my faith by what I do.

    Titus 1:16

    They claim to know God, but by their actions they deny him.

    Ephesians 5:3-5

    For you may be sure of this, that everyone who is sexually immoral or impure, or who is GREEDY (that is, an idolater), has no inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God.

    Galatians 5:19-21

    Now the works of the flesh are evident: sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, divisions, GREED, drunkenness, orgies, and things like these. I warn you, as I warned you before, that those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.

    1 John 3:16-18

    This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers. If anyone has material possessions and sees his brother in need but has no pity on him, how can the love of God be in him? Dear children, let us not love with words or tongue but with actions and in truth.

    Colossians 3:5

    Put to death therefore what is earthly in you: sexual immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and GREED, which is idolatry.

    How many Christians here can honestly say they obey the Above Scriptures? Zero Christians that I know. Every Christian I know just sits His butt in church And says oh I’m a Christian look how wonderful I am, actually no Christians you suck because you don’t even live your faith on a daily basis

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