Family Values campaigner resigns after admitting adultery
One of Britain's best-known "traditional values" campaigners has resigned from the leadership of his church in Essex after admitting to an extra-marital affair.
Michael Reid founded Peniel Pentecostal Church more than thirty years ago (though the church was recently renamed "Michael Reid Ministries"). In 1982, he also founded Peniel Academy, a Christian school, and until his resignation operated a satellite TV ministry. He co-presented "What God Can Do for You" with his wife, Ruth. He has served on the Board of Advisors for Oral Roberts University, and recently became a patron of the English Constitutional Convention.
All the websites associated with Michael Reid Ministries were taken down this weekend, and an announcement was made to Peniel Church members that Michael Reid's resignation had been accepted by the church's governing body. Pastor Peter Linnecar has already taken over the leadership of the church.
Mr Reid is a founder member of the Christian Congress for Traditional Values (CCTV), which campaigned last year against the UK's new sexual orientation regulations. You can see him interviewed, below, as part of a protest outside Parliament (hat-tip to Ruth Gledhill of The Times).
Anne, Brown, a spokesperson for Peniel Church, is interviewed about the details of Michael Reid's resignation.
Pastor Reid has made this statement: "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."
Comments
"Bishop" "Dr" Michael Reid's TV programs were entitled "What God Can Do For You". It seems that God was able to do loads for Mr Reid as possible future allegations might well reveal (I have the feeling that if anyone referred to him as 'Mr' he would allow them to think he was a consultant surgeon). Such is the tenor of the man.
I think many people would have more compassion for him if he had shown even a modicum of compassion himself during the time this alleged 8 yr old affair took place. Former members of his church witness to Mr Reid condemning people from the pulpit for their sins - financial, sexual, and others. The irony, and indeed hypocrisy, seems to have sailed over this little man's head.
I can only hope that the traumatised and bruised people in his church get the help they need for the future.
reid has for years vilified people who dare to leave peniel and accused them of all sorts of sexual sin and of being thieves.
The manner in which he describes other people including politicans and many other Chritian leaders is more than offensive.
He cannot deny being accused of being a complete hypocrite.
Please remember that there are a lot of people in the church who have been left shocked, bewildered and feeling totally betrayed.
This is indeed very tragic.
Many questions remain unanswered, including allegations of previous affairs, and ownership of the church multi-million pound assets, which it is rumoured were at one point transferred into Reid's name, despite being financed by donations extorted from members, many not well off.
As the other commentor notes, this revelation is astonishing given the brutal harshness of Reid towards the failings of others.
Hopefully this is the first step in much needed answers coming to the fore about this man's ministry and his treatment of those in his 'care' if it can be called that.
Many families and marriages have been destroyed by this man, who now appears to be reaping what he has sown.
More info...
Rather then judge the man we need to pray for him, his family and the church that the grace of God would abound. That out of this tragic situation the church will recover and continue to grow. That the new Pastor will have the wisdom and support to guide the church through the storms yet to come.
I found this definition of Narcissistic Personality Disorder.
DSM Criteria
A pervasive pattern of grandiosity (in fantasy or behavior), need for admiration, and lack of empathy, beginning by early adulthood and present in a variety of contexts, as indicated by five (or more) of the following:[1]
1. has a grandiose sense of self-importance
2. is preoccupied with fantasies of unlimited success, power, brilliance, beauty, or ideal love
3. believes that he or she is "special" and unique
4. requires excessive admiration
5. has a sense of entitlement
6. is interpersonally exploitative
7. lacks empathy
8. is often envious of others or believes others are envious of him or her
9. shows arrogant, haughty behaviors or attitudes
Michael Reid seems to fulfil many of the criteria. Just a thought!
He condemned other Christian who fasted. I think that would have save him from a bit of lust and arrogance against his fellow ministers.
LEts continue to pray and bear him in prayer.
So sorry to hear about this.Its a bitter blow to their church,and I wonder how many others(Ruth included)knew about this and kept the lid on it.I asked his wife 9 days ago why he wasnt preaching and was told he had a bug.We know Jesus died and rose to forgive us our sins,but in this case I believe Mike has to make a public apology too because of his trusted position.Close shave for me as a new Christian as I nearly trusted him,I guess God was on my side and gave me the forsight to know something wasnt right about him.
as the bible says,
"let him without sin cast the first stone," John Chapter 8 verse 7
we all sin, we all have faults, as Christians we are not perfect, that doesn't give us the right to do wrong, we have to try our best to live right, but in the end we are human beings that live in a fallen world and all need forgiveness, rather than condemn the man we should be praying for him.
God Bless
Christian,
The sad thing is that he is not alone. Ted Haggard, Jim & Tammy Bakker, Kent Hovind - these are just a few of the frauds who have been unmasked over the years. The core problem is this: those who scream the loudest that god is on their side are often the ones who are struggling the hardest against some aspect of their personality that they see (rightly or wrongly) as "wrong". It's a phenomenon known as "transference" - you load your own failings and foibles onto someone or something else, then rail against the scapegoat.
In fact, you might argue that that's the flawed doctrine of atonement right there. The poor old goat (or Jesus) heads off scourged into the wilderness, but nothing is really resolved - it is just a psychological salve. Indeed, such nonsense is explicit in the alleged teachings of Jesus of Nazareth - "If thine eye offend thee, pluck it out" etc. Poor old Origen cut his own nuts off because of this. Sounds like Michael Reid's wife might do it for him.
But your last sentence is a bit harsh - it's not that there was something that "wasn't right about him" - everyone is flawed. The problem is that we have invented this little god who doesn't actually exist, but we use it as a rhetorical device to whack other people over the head. I've noted before that someone once said that in each one of us, there is a "god-shaped hole". The problem is that if you start out with a god-shaped hole, you end up with a hole-shaped god.
ATB,
-A
Reid is of course a Young Earth Creationist, and quite an extreme one at that. He did a series of 3 "What God can do for you" programmes last year with the Rev. Robin Greer (when Greer was with AiG). They were availible on "Godtube" but approval now appears to have been removed by the administrators and you can't view them (they are still there. I wonder if it's to do with the events over the last few days ? :
Greer rattled of the usual YEC claims. Reid stated that evolution (i.e. mainstream science in other words !) was a multi-million pound fraud !
Although I did not like this man mike read and found him to be a self seeking bully, Itruely hope as christians we do not gloat over this very sad situation but indeed pray that this man mike read will come to ealise the serious sin he has committed and find repentance in a loving God and pray that he will also have the fear of God in his heart, this man his family and those many people who once trusted him need our prayers and not our gossip ( which is also sin)
Sorry Carol, I am not prepared to resist the chance to gloat at this. Reid has campaigned against gay people (whom he has called "perverts") and said that gays are trying to destroy family life. He was always wrong about that. Ironically, gays want to FORM families, not break them up. Instead, it is people like Reid who are destroying family life through unfaithfulness. He has been disgraced and those he assaulted have every right to feel some sense of satisfaction at the public nature of his downfall. He brought it on himself.
I go to this church and am happy to forgive etc and maintain the love of christ towards him. However, what has upset me more is that the affair was in fact going for 10 (NOT 8) years. In addition Sheila Graziano wanted to get out of it but Reid used SCRIPTURE to keep her in his sexual web grip. The sin I was ready to forgive, but the use of SCRIPTURE has utterly destroyed any confidences I had in the man as a future leader. He MUST NOT be restored to leadership again Im sorry. He knew exactly what he was doing.
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!!!!
Psa 51:1 To the choirmaster. A Psalm of David, when Nathan the prophet went to him, after he had gone in to Bathsheba. Have mercy on me, O God, according to your steadfast love; according to your abundant mercy blot out my transgressions.
Psa 51:2 Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin!
Psa 51:3 For I know my transgressions, and my sin is ever before me.
Psa 51:4 Against you, you only, have I sinned and done what is evil in your sight, so that you may be justified in your words and blameless in your judgment.
Psa 51:5 Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity, and in sin did my mother conceive me.
Psa 51:6 Behold, you delight in truth in the inward being, and you teach me wisdom in the secret heart.
Psa 51:7 Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean; wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.
Psa 51:8 Let me hear joy and gladness; let the bones that you have broken rejoice.
Psa 51:9 Hide your face from my sins, and blot out all my iniquities.
Psa 51:10 Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me.
Psa 51:11 Cast me not away from your presence, and take not your Holy Spirit from me.
Psa 51:12 Restore to me the joy of your salvation, and uphold me with a willing spirit.
Psa 51:13 Then I will teach transgressors your ways, and sinners will return to you.
Psa 51:14 Deliver me from bloodguiltiness, O God, O God of my salvation, and my tongue will sing aloud of your righteousness.
Psa 51:15 O Lord, open my lips, and my mouth will declare your praise.
Psa 51:16 For you will not delight in sacrifice, or I would give it; you will not be pleased with a burnt offering.
Psa 51:17 The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise.
Psa 51:18 Do good to Zion in your good pleasure; build up the walls of Jerusalem;
Psa 51:19 then will you delight in right sacrifices, in burnt offerings and whole burnt offerings; then bulls will be offered on your altar.
Its Pat Butcher I feel sorry for.
Joh 8:3-11
And the scribes and Pharisees brought unto him a woman taken in adultery; and when they had set her in the midst, They say unto him, Master, this woman was taken in adultery, in the very act. Now Moses in the law commanded us, that such should be stoned: but what sayest thou? This they said, tempting him, that they might have to accuse him. But Jesus stooped down, and with his finger wrote on the ground, as though he heard them not. So when they continued asking him, he lifted up himself, and said unto them, He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone at her. And again he stooped down, and wrote on the ground. And they which heard it, being convicted by their own conscience, went out one by one, beginning at the eldest, even unto the last: and Jesus was left alone, and the woman standing in the midst. When Jesus had lifted up himself, and saw none but the woman, he said unto her, Woman, where are those thine accusers? hath no man condemned thee? She said, No man, Lord. And Jesus said unto her, Neither do I condemn thee: go, and sin no more.
Seems like a fair cop William but
what exactly is your point?
you do a good line in these stories but is it only comic daring for the traditional targets of the liberal left?
or are you fair and consistent?
what about a bit of air time for this one, for the second time?
arguably much more controversial.
PB
very confusing..we all do wrong,but I like many others thought Mr.Reid (who was our spiritual leader) was in close contact with God and indeed communicated regularly with Him,then why didnt God tell him to come clean much earlier(8 years!!!)Perhaps all Christians need to look more closely at who is their human spiritual leader and choose wisely.I do try to use the bible as my guide,but after all it is Gods word as written by man(and what was included or excluded and multi-translated)I guess the guys who scribed it had human weaknesses too,where does that leave me?...a poor struggling Christian trying to do my best in a world of false prophets,I pray that God starts giving me some answers soon.
I forgive those involved their transgressions as I ask mime to be forgiven too.
Pb- stop crying for Gods sake. If William was to go through every Tom Dick and Harry involved in scandals the website would crash. The point here is that this man has made a living out of chastising sinners and lo and behold, he is possibly the biggest sinner in his own church. The link you provide about the Irish poet isnt even closely comparable with this article. You really need to dry your eyes!
It's interesting to watch the YouTube clip of the interview with Reid and the chap from Stonewall by the Times. They discuss the theoretical situation of a gay couple turning up at a christian guesthouse and the dilemna this would cause the owner under the new Sexual Orientation Issues. Reid mentions other possibilities - like an unmarried couple wanting a room etc. One combination he didn't list as sinful was what if a married bishop turns up at the guesthouse with his married choir mistress and demands a room?!
He insists that Christians should be allowed, like him, to practice their beliefs 24/7 without the law telling them they cant.
Forget the restrictions of the law Mr Reid, why not, if you are a christian 24/7, just occupy yourself with the 10 commandments 24/7, among them 'Thou shalt not commit adultery'!
Leave the guest house owner to make his own decisions, leave the government to make the laws, perhaps practice what you yourself preach before parading outside parliament and the TV cameras...!
It's interesting to watch the YouTube clip of the interview with Reid and the chap from Stonewall by the Times. They discuss the theoretical situation of a gay couple turning up at a christian guesthouse and the dilemna this would cause the owner under the new Sexual Orientation Issues. Reid mentions other possibilities - like an unmarried couple wanting a room etc. One combination he didn't list as sinful was what if a married bishop turns up at the guesthouse with his married choir mistress and demands a room?!
He insists that Christians should be allowed, like him, to practice their beliefs 24/7 without the law telling them they cant.
Forget the restrictions of the law Mr Reid, why not, if you are a christian 24/7, just occupy yourself with the 10 commandments 24/7, among them 'Thou shalt not commit adultery'!
Leave the guest house owner to make his own decisions, leave the government to make the laws, perhaps practice what you yourself preach before parading outside parliament and the TV cameras...!
It's interesting to watch the YouTube clip of the interview with Reid and the chap from Stonewall by the Times. They discuss the theoretical situation of a gay couple turning up at a christian guesthouse and the dilemna this would cause the owner under the new Sexual Orientation Issues. Reid mentions other possibilities - like an unmarried couple wanting a room etc. One combination he didn't list as sinful was what if a married bishop turns up at the guesthouse with his married choir mistress and demands a room?!
He insists that Christians should be allowed, like him, to practice their beliefs 24/7 without the law telling them they cant.
Forget the restrictions of the law Mr Reid, why not, if you are a christian 24/7, just occupy yourself with the 10 commandments 24/7, among them 'Thou shalt not commit adultery'!
Leave the guest house owner to make his own decisions, leave the government to make the laws, perhaps practice what you yourself preach before parading outside parliament and the TV cameras...!
Pb,
You think the Cathal O Searacaigh story is more important than Michael Reid's confession of hypocrisy and adultery? Cathal O Searcaigh is not married and has committed no crime. he had sex with some guys over the age of consent and it was all consensual. If he wasn't a famous poet, no one would be even writing about his story.
Michael Reid is a leading evangelist with a TV ministry who has become involved in politics and other public campaigns to attack gay people and to defend what he calls "family values". It now turns out that for ten years he has continued an adulterous affair, breaking the 7th commandment, and has lied about it, breaking the 9th commandment, all along. He has stood on platforms and led rallies attacking others for failing to live up to the standards he himself has been deliberately abusing.
Pb, if you really think the O Searciagh story is more important than the Reid story, you haven't the first clue about how the media works. Even setting the media aside, the difference between these two stories is immense. O Searcaigh is not a TV evangelist profitting from his moral and religious agenda. Sometimes, I'm lost for words when I read what you say on here Pb.
Anyone who has been around Evangelical/Pentecostal/Charismatic forms of the Christian Faith long enough will have seen it all before.A charismatic,'learned' zealous bible teacher who sees himself as a father to his people is in my experience usually dangerous.Folowers are afraid to listen to their own intuitions regarding the leader, thinking the guy has a hotline to God.He may be surrounded by 'elders' or some other form of 2nd tier leadership but they are generally yes men who also fear him until it's too late.They are usually authoritarian in nature and yet can turn on the charm when it is required.The recent 'fall' of such a leader in Northern Ireland shows that Michael Reid is not the only one who believed his own publicity -there are many such 'men of God' out there just one step behind him.A new reformation is needed within trendy Charismatic and Pentecostal groups -away from heirarchy and towards a more Christ like working out of Christian community.I would recommend Frank Viola's book 'Pagan Christianity' as an eye opener as to how we have got to where we are today.