Headed “Christian Congress for Traditional Values”
From Premier:
A well known Pentecostal church leader has resigned after admitting he’s had an affair.
Bishop Michael Reid was the head of Peniel Church and school in Essex.
…In a statement Bishop Reid said:
“It is with great sorrow and regret that I have resigned from the church board and have stepped down from official duties. I confess that I have sinned by committing adultery. I recognize that I have failed in my duties and acted in a way that harmed the Church. I take full responsibility for my actions and so I resigned. I apologize to my wife and family and all of you whose trust I have betrayed and ask for your forgiveness and prayers.”
The websites of Michael Reid Ministries and of his Christian Congress for Traditional Values are both currently down, replaced by a brief contacts page.
Outside Northern Ireland, British evangelicalism tends to be politically centrist and wary of authoritarian leaders. However, Michael Reid and his Peniel Church in Brentwood, Essex, are an exception. Reid – a former policeman – is more like a US “Christian Right” figure, and for the past few years he has campaigned for “traditional morality”, arguing with figures such as gay-rights activist Peter Thatchell and protesting against Jerry Springer: The Opera. One 2000 Guardian report has further details:
…gays are “filthy perverts”; Muslims, Hindus and Buddhists are variously described in videoed sermons as “vile” and “foul heathens”. Christians who do not work, Reid said in one recording, should be allowed to starve. He believes in capital punishment, and he would pull the trigger himself; lethal injection is too good for them, he says in one church video.
Reid has also been controversial for other reasons: ex-members of his church have complained of authoritarianism (although be careful: he’s been known to sue over the “cult” label), and in the 1990s his church tried to derail a critical Channel 4 documentary through a bizarre scheme which involved hiring an actor to approach the documentary-makers with the story that he (the actor) was an intelligence agent and that the programme should not be made for reasons of national security (I blogged on this here). A few years after that, there was further bad publicity when members of the church were accused of joining the local Conservative Party en masse in order to back the local MP, Eric Pickles, against rivals in the party (Pickles is a former Tory centrist “wet” who moved to the right during the 1980s).
Thanks to Google Books, we’re able to see these pictures from Reid’s book Faith: It’s God Given (2002):
Interesting friends, and 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.
UPDATE: MediaWatchWatch recalls the work of the CCTV:
The CCTV has been providing us here at MWW with pleasingly whacky Christian fodder since its inception in March 2005. But they really showed their hateful side with their Gay Aim: Abolish the Family campaign which included posters and a video.
UPDATE 2: Ex-members speak out here.
UPDATE 3: Charismatice leader Colin Dye distances himself from Reid.
(Thank you to Michael Reid Miseries for the tip-off, and to MediaWatchWatch for the top picture)
Filed under: Uncategorized
[...] It hosts a number of discussion forums, including one devoted to Bishop Michael Reid (see yesterday). There various members and ex-members of his church have been having their say over the past few [...]
[...] Comments Bishop Michael Reid Resigns over Sex Scandal « Bartholomew’s Notes on Religion on Michael Reid: Peniel Ex-Members Speak OutBishop Michael Reid Resigns over Sex [...]
The BBC are covering the Michael Reid story at bbc.co.uk/blogs/ni
he is bishop of a pentecostal church in England. T
he latest is Mike Reid is back but there is an injunction against him attending any of Peniel grounds and the school pending an investigation. Currently he has been suspended from all duties.
Its all very well focusing on Michael Reid but we are also forgetting the woman here. Sheila Graziano is a strong minded fiesty scottish girl who knows her own mind. She is no unassuming impressionable school girl. SHe knew exactly what she was doing during the 8 years. All she need have done after the first ’slip up’ would have been to resign from working as his PA to avoid being around him too much. But no she chose to continue as his PA and be subjected to his desires. Sheila is a fighter, an achiever who knows exactly what she wants out of a situation. While I am happy to forgive her and accept her, my question is what is she doing coming to Peniel Church and attending the school grounds without anything as much as an apology to the Church? Sheila was/is an ordained Pastor. She took pastoral care lessons for our children in the school, she preached at church. The music team and choir all respected her and held in high esteem what she said because of her position. But she like Mike Reid HAS ALSO abused our trust in her as a church. My view and many others I’ve spoken to is she needs to apologise to the church PUBLICLY. If she cannot do that then at least write a statement which is to be read out on her behalf to the whole church. That to me shows remorse. She cannot just swan in and out as though nothing has happened. No, she too is to blame for what happened. Mr Reid did not continously rape her for 8 years otherwise she should have reported to police all those years ago. We need an apology from you Mrs Graziano. Sorry.
I’m confused. He is “bishop”, of what? Is this an Anglican Church, or Roman Catholic or what is it. First I’ve heard of it but I’m an American.
Im totally angry. I was ready to forgive and forget but the fact that this affair has been going for 10 (NOT 8) years. Also, He used scripture to keep this lady in his sexual webb. I am deeply deeply hurt and upset. He can never stand as spiritual leader again, never. The church board needs to resign and start the whole thing over again. I am stopping my tithes until I see a new Trust board. We were told what to think, who to talk to, who to ostracize, our minds were controlled and yet he claimed it was not heavy shepherding – well it jolly well was!!!!
It is very sad to see the harm and the pain that this man’s ministry has caused. There are many testimonies by reliable witnesses to the shameful treatment they suffered as a result of Michael Reid’s malign influence. I have written about the decline and fall of Michael Reid Ministries on my blog http://johlibaptist.blogspot.com/
[...] with the American Christian Right, or somewhere like “Bishop” Michael Reid’s Peniel Church. That does not, however, appear to be the case (not that that would justify a campaign of [...]
is it not easy to try to destroy a ministry? my question is simple to whom does it benefits?God or the devil? if it benefiting the devil we surely must ask ourselve this simple question…Is it truth? Is it a setting up? it seems to me the mediatic thing of that have been so big that i question the reality of the fact…or facts…
Maybe we should try to ask God what to do and the answers would be 1)if the story is truth…forgiveness and love, wich is the base of our Christian religion
2) if it false, is ourself to repent I do thing it is wise to be knowing the real story.
seven times the just falls and seven times hes rises…and the bible teaches us that the wicked enjoys in the righteous fall.
Please don t judge me on my writing, I m French…and i know some may say he can write.
God bless you