Is C1 Network the new GCX?

Welcome to De-Commissioned, a place for former members of the Great Commission movement (aka GCM, GCC, GCAC, GCI, the Blitz) to discuss problems they've experienced in the association's practices and theology.

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[Janet Easson Martin]

“The purpose of the Dream Weekends is to:
Delight in the Lord and discern true heart’s desires
Reveal what is blocking us from receiving all God wants to give us
Experience new freedom from things that are getting in the way”

Couldn’t help but think of the following post when I read the “advertising” for C1 Network’s Dream Weekend (above). So many claims “GCx leaders” seem to offer lately are the polar opposite of what we have repeatedly seen and heard, firsthand and on this forum. It’s as if they are whitewashing their real persona against claims found here.


The Holy Spirit kept calling out to me through the verses in bold below when I was in GCx. He repeatedly told me through them there was a person or group of people that were putting an obstruction between me and Christ. Blocking me from pure and simple devotion to Him. God is jealous for me to be loyal to Him first and foremost.

But, because of the mind controlling methods of persuasion to be loyal to GCx at any cost, I was blinded to the reality that GCx and its teachings and practices were the very culprit. Though they claimed to be closer to “biblical truth”; in actuality they were much further away from it than sound teaching churches. Whether they realized or not, many of their teachings were doctrines of demons BECAUSE they severed us from our lordship and dependence on Christ. They instead puffed up men in their own righteousness.

You who are trying to be justified by the law have been severed from Christ;
you have fallen away from grace. . . .

You were running so well. Who has obstructed you from obeying the truth?
Such persuasion does not come from the One who calls you.
A little leaven works through the whole batch of dough.

Galatians 5:4,7-9

[Huldah]

First, a disclaimer: godly leaders are a gift from God and a true blessing. I hope there's no disputing about that.

However, are they meant to be the focus of the church? Are they central to reaching the world for Christ, as the C! website claims?

I belong to a small rural church where the membership is mostly elderly and retired, although we do have a large community outreach to children with our AWANA and VBS ministries. At present, we're without a pastor, since ours decided to accept a job in a different state. Also, the couple who were most active in administration and the music ministry will be out of town for a number of months to come. There's a retired pastor filling in for the Sunday morning services, but for the most part, we're officially leaderless. So how are we doing?

When I look around at our leaderless little church, I see people taking the initiative, pitching in to do whatever is needed, with goodwill and no fanfare. With no pastor, we're still holding services, maintaining the clean-up roster, preparing the communion, and organizing the potlucks and the prayer chain. The musically skilled among us are coordinating among themselves to choose hymns and play for the service. The teachers are gearing up for VBS. As individuals, we're networking both among ourselves and with believers from other churches to provide meals to the sick. We're very much looking forward to having a pastor of our own again, but in the meantime, we just keep on serving God and each other the best we can without one. And so far it looks like everyone is doing a very good job.

I realize the dynamic may be different in a larger church. My point is that "leaders" guide, teach, direct, and inspire, but they're only part of the church. Leaders are "given to equip His people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up..." (Ephesians 4:11,12). There's nothing in the New Testament that says that followers are given so that a leader can realize his "dreams."

[Janet Easson Martin]

Wow, Huldah, that is really cool how the people at your church are led by God to do the good works he has called them to without your pastor there. VBS and AWANA can be such a good experience for children, especially when they see the love in the lay leaders eyes and hear the tenderness in their voices as they unfold God’s TRULY good news. I’m very impressed that your church offers both of these given it’s “older” demographics. (I’m in that senior group now.) It takes much sacrifice of time and work to do them both, but it is well worth the effort for the children, especially in our current culture.

There is something bonding about working on a project/program together when people don’t feel “mastered” or “exploited.” I love when multiple people are each free to use their own gifts to create their “vision” (by how God is leading them) together with others doing the same to make up the unique whole. The outcome is SO exciting and satisfying.

Your church operation fulfills the biblical call to be a body working together and honoring each other’s interests and that of the whole, not one person dictating the “ministry.” As most of us know, Scripture says:

For by the grace given me I say to every one of you:
Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought,
but rather think of yourself with sober judgment,
in accordance with the faith God has distributed to each of you.
For just as each of us has one body with many members,
and these members do not all have the same function,
so in Christ we, though many, form one body,
and each member belongs to all the others. We have different gifts,
according to the grace given to each of us.

Romans 12:3-6a


Honor one another above yourselves. ...
Share with the Lord’s people who are in need.

Romans 12:10,13


Do not be proud, but be willing to associate
with people of low position. Do not be conceited.

Romans 12:16


Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good.

1 Corinthians 12:7


Just as a body, though one, has many parts, but all its many parts form one body,
so it is with Christ. ... Even so the body is not made up of one part but of many.

1 Corinthians 12:12,14

Thank you, Huldah, for sharing how a healthy church operates. I agree that we do NOT exist to bring the leaders dreams to fulfillment, but for God “in whom we live and move and have our being” (Acts 17:28).

[LostCreature3]

A few months ago, it appears that they started a new "Guide" program with their C1 App: https://c1network.org/guide-initiative/

I recognize half of the currently listed guides as men (and, surprisingly, woman) who previously held leadership positions in GCX (Chris Biang, Rob Gerber, etc.).

They say they aren't coaches or even mentors, but it definitely is concerning (but again, not surprising) that they are available to help members, "get unstuck."

[Janet Easson Martin]

Thank you so much for informing us, LostCreature!!  I agree. This is very concerning.

Well, for at least one of the guides —this a laughingstock!!!  The “pastor” who Scout (former member) and others went to for help regarding continued sexual advances & sexual inquiries toward young single females. He did not take godly action as an honorable shepherd (looking out for the sheep) would do. He is one of these supposed “guides”.

Not to mention, the unfaithfulness to God and many members in not appropriately dealing with widespread and dangerous spiritual abuse. Other “guides” here are leaders from this abusive GCx culture. Some of these people obviously are not approved by anyone outside this GCx culture who seemed to cover for MD’s very inappropriate speech and behavior (according to reports on this site) for decades!!! They must not be vetted by knowledgeable Christian counselors.

Why in the world should healthy or any other Christians who “are stuck” go to leaders who been steeped in the pit of, and taught a spiritually abusive “Christian” culture? Some of these leaders have counseled people with very toxic guidance. Life altering and destructive “counsel.” Please read the witnesses’ stories on this site.


Taken From the C1 Network website LostCreature highlighted above:

“We believe that healthy leaders ask for guidance, prayer and experience from others.

The C1 Network has brought together a team of “Guides” to help give you feedback, prayer and thoughts in areas of ministry where you might be stuck. These guides are competent, mature men and women of FAITH, who have led ministries, churches and seen a wide variety of fruit.

They are guides, NOT long-term coaches or life mentors. The simple goal is to help you get unstuck. You can find their information and how to contact them in the C1 APP under the tab “C1 Guides” in the Teaming section. The two videos explain everything perfectly in less than 4 minutes!

We are excited about this initiative and pray that God will help build healthy leaders so we may reach our world together.”

[Janet Easson Martin]

From http://gccweb.org/about/faq/ under Question #12, "Who leads the Great Commission Churches association?":

"As for the GCC national organization, the Executive Committee is John Hopler (Administrative Director), Rick Whitney and Dave Bovenmyer. The other board members are Doug Brown, Matt Gordon, Brent Knox, Chris Martin, Robbie McAlister and Tom Short (GCC board)."

Not surprisingly, the 10th member of this national board appeared to be removed from the list after a former member went public regarding sexually inappropriate speech and action charges against him. Former members have stated on this site reports of this leader’s very inappropriate “pastoring” for decades. As communicated previously on this site, no action was apparent by the National GCC Board, supposedly acting as shepherds over the nationwide group.

So, three of those among that board are also listed as ‘competent, mature, and fruitful Guides’ on C1 Network’s new Guide Initiative Program. They have actually led churches (in the GCx Organization) known to practice extreme authoritarianism, punishing disloyalty to the group, intrusive involvement in members lives, separatism and isolation from family and friends, and bullying or shaming their members into submission. Again, this site gives witness to the National leaders not truly pursuing genuine and faithful eradication of these spiritually abusive patterns.

Furthermore, the fact that there is a need for this site is evidence of this group’s long-standing HISTORY of abuse from national to local (with a few exceptions). Most of the people who report here have been emotionally and spiritually wounded by this culture of unbiblical pressure to be loyal to it’s own empire, rather than the Kingdom of God.

Please be careful about putting yourself under the guidance of any leader who doesn’t feel it’s wrong to indoctrinate others into a very unhealthy “church” culture. Based on evidence of vast spiritual abuse among the GCx churches I would not describe these leaders as competent for spiritual guidance. Only God knows the fruit they truly bear. This group’s fruit (in the long haul) has too often been —sour.