Glory Christian Fellowship International Pastor Alton Trimble, Judith Trimble, GCFI GCFI Doesnt Care About Their Members!!! Torrance, California
I joined GCFI in November 2004 when I moved to Long Beach to get married. My then fiance praised Pastor Alton Trimble and I fell in love with his no-nonsense teachings of the Word. My husband and I immediately began to tithe weekly and gave to whatever the church 'needed' on the side. In order to be married by Pastor Trimble, we had to attend marriage counseling and have what I call a 'personality slash compatibility' meeting with the Pastor. The forms we filled out was very complex and thorough, and I was eager to have our final meeting so we could actually get married, but one item that should have been a red flag to us was when the Pastor said that I should handle the money matters. Could it have been that on one of the forms we filled out, we disclosed our salaries and I made more money than my husband at the time? Surprise, surprise...
In about half a year, my husband and I had given over $2500 in tithes and money for the infamous 'building fund'. I was very excited about the new building as we had attended many meetings regarding it, so my husband signed a contract stating that we would give at least $3500 during the next year, on top of the $2500 we had already given.
Unfortunately, my husband's ex-wife decided she didn't want to be a mother anymore and my husbands son had to come and live with us. To make a long story short, with legal fees, the loss of my job and the extra mouth to feed, we fell behind on our rent and we were evicted. Of course, I thought that my 'church home' would be able to help out, so we had to fill out paperwork for a $1500 loan. I figured we had been more than stellar church members and since it was for a LOAN, not a handout, the church would have no problem giving us the money. Well, we were flat out DENIED. No explanation why or anything, no sympathy calls, NOTHING. Fortunately, one of the accountants in the main office felt our pain (guilt?) and he gave us $500 out of his own pocket to help us.
But we still attended church regularly and although we did not give even half of much money as before, we still gave some. Then came the meeting regarding the building fund: apparently some money was missing or misappropriated and that was the end for me - we stopped attending. And just recently we found out that Pastor Trimble had been having affairs with some of his female church members. It doesn't surprise me at all - I was tempted to attend this Sunday just to hear what he has to say. But I decided just to pray for him, his congregation and his wife and warn other potential members to STAY AWAY from this megachurch - they are all about money and your spiritual life comes in last place!
2 Updates & Rebuttals
Spiritually Led
Los Angeles,California,
"Our Brothers Keeper"
#3Consumer Suggestion
Fri, July 26, 2013
I am a past member of GCFI. I feel that God led me to this church for a purpose only he had for me. I didn't go to this church to find Human Salvation. I went for the word of my Lord. Of which neither is Paster or Mrs Trimble nor their family members nor any of the other people they may have brought to the pulpit nor any of the ushers, greeters nor members.
I no longer attend this church or any other for that matter for the same reason, he led me there to find my purpose and I did. It wasn't based on demons that may have been attacking the Pastor and his family or other individuals in the church for that matter. We have to remember we are Human and no man that walks this earth including the POPE is/are perfect and without flaws. It has nothing to do with the church it self at all. God has me in another ministry that is allowing me to help more of his children without being in the presence of hypocrits, back stabbers and whoremongers while claiming to walk in Gods name that is evidenced by the congregation not the Pastor and his family.
One of the consistancies that I have noticed in all of the prior complaints is the focus on the MAN and his Family, what they did or didn't do with MONEY, what he did or didn't do with both single and or married women in the church. Where is the critisim of the individuals that chose to listen to the MAN instead of God before dishing out hundreds and thousands of dollars before doing some research and calling on the foundational support of the church (the congregation/members), to come together and mandate what happens with the funds being pumped in and out of this instituation?
Greed is one of the deadly sins we all might not want to admit to having at some point in our lives so what would make you think these people are above being human. Is it right? NO, is it excusable? NO. I would ask, have all of the past Memebers that have filed compliants against this church before leaving, tried to make a difference while they were there. I was there through a lot of these same things and not once did I receive a letter, memo, note or invitation to attend any type of congregational meetings of ALL the church members to put all of these complaints on the table in front of the entire church. If we don't try to help make a change before we walk away for any reason other than having serve Gods purpose who are we to then turn around and try to tear anothers house down with out taking responsibility for our own actions or non- actions concerning that house.
Our first mistake is seeking out a church based on our criteria. Our second mistake is seeing the person behind the pulpit as a man/woman above God where you choose to take everyword that comes out of their mouths as the ultimate true coming from God instead of seeing the entire surrounding as a platform that GOD is using to pronounce his purpose for you. By walking away from a Man & his Family because you felt wronged by something you feel was done to you or your material possessions or sense of intitlement, you could have been walking away from a bigger blessing if you had looked at the very reason the church opens it doors to lost souls. Where exactly do you think those lost souls go. Apparently not far. That's why we have to repent and ask forgiveness moment by moment, hourly, daily. If they just vanished once you are enter the doors of the church, become saved and then a member, Jesus would have had no reason to die for our sins.
Going to church doesn't make us perfect. Becoming a Pastor, Bishop, Pope, Preist or any other Religous figure does not make us neither perfect nor inhuman. It doens't make us better then anyone else within the walls of the church nor outside. It makes us someone in search of salvation and forgiveness for our own sins. It does not give us the right to cast stones and make judgements on others because eventually if you are choosing the churchs you are attending you will soon see the same activity going own behind the scenes if you are amp to get involved with the politics of membership, boards, ushering, etc. and you will be moving on from there as well. Running only delays the problem when you stop it's still there. Why not stand and do something about it if it's a problem for you.
We can't keep going through life blaming the other person for us not asking God "should I be giving more to the church than you know I can give?". Not asking God to show us the truth in the light and how we can help change the darkness of things for the better. If it is your choice to give large amounts or small amounts of money of which you may or may not be able to afford according to your own understanding then you should do so looking for something in return from the Man and you should not be looking for a return from God. Sadly while you are waiting for the Man to deliver you will miss Gods Blessing for you that might not be ment to be receive in monetary form. Give Freely means you give without want. Give Freely means once it leaves your hands you can't dectate how God will or should use it. This is where your faith in God is suppose to over ride you. He may just be using it for a purposeful plan he has for the receiver even though in any one elses eyes it may seem it's being given to a bad cause.
Our personal selfish Greed (not just monetary) causes us to invest in something without researching it through God first. We tend to believe in it because it's put in front of us by a Man wearing Godly clothing and being used as a vessel to spread his word. We place him on high and think he can't do no wrong. We don't want to look at our contribution to not only the down fall of our own situations but this Man's downfall as well. Tithing is not just in the form of money. It can be given in goods, assistance and or what ever God leads us to give. Religous Slavery has taught us that Loving God is all about control and abtaining the end result of Money and Richness through things and when we see someone else (a Pastor & family) getting rich off of what we consider ours we want to get upset. It's not ours to get upset about. Does that make it right? No. But it gives us no authority to cast stones. For the abuser of yur kindness will be repercussions from God. But we have to let God handle it. There's no need for you to allow this man's demons to attack you.
It pains me to see the hateful comments and not one written comment about how anyone tried to bring the entire church together to make a difference. If the Memembership out grew 3 buildings that sounds to me like a lot of voices that could have either closed the church down, or brought about enough voices for change in leadership. Instead you only thought about you and how you felt. In the heat of your hurt you left and tried taking as many memebers as possible with you in hopes of bringing down the Man within God's Temple not his. He is not God however, God has a purpose for him just as he does for you. Guess what you are gone and the Church is still standing with membership great or small. So it seems that you left some members that would rather stay and face what has or is happened over the years. No Rome wasn't built in a day and yes it was eventually built. So where you - it took somewhere between 1 to 9 months and several more years of growth to get you where you are now. Always growing and evolving.
Where is the blame that could and should if necessary be placed on the women both married and/or not that made the decision to have an affair with a married man of the cloth? And the ones that openly tried to break up my relationship. Where is the blame for the husbands of those wives that weren't paying godly attention to their wives were she could feel like she had a right to disrespect her marriage? You see there always at a minimum two sides to every event. It's takes at least two to start and continue any type of relationship. It only takes one to end it. So if we should choose to place blame we need not discriminate against the Pastor and his family. If they had said NO and reported to his wife or some other authority do you really think he would have continued to make his rounds or stick around the church? Each and every member of this church and any other church need to take a very long look in the mirror, open your bible and ask God for truth and understanding and stop seeking your own or some other humans. We need to stop jumping on the banwagon and being followers of Man. That's how we end up falling off daily cliffs. Follow God by way of man and you want be led astray.
Stop trying to tear people down to satisfy your hurt. Look in the mirror. Admit to yourself the things that you have done that are not positive and pluck the thorne out of your own eye. There is more to asking for forgiveness than just asking. You have to act on it as well.
If you are truly listening to God and not the Man/Woman behind the pulpit you would have more time and energy to concentrate on helping your brothers and sisters (which includes the Pastor & his Family), within the walls and outside the walls of any of God's spiritual houses wether the man/woman behind the pulpit is good or evil. We would have more time to help our Pastor & his Family change in the face of the people that are supporting them by the grace and direction of God not by hatred and distrust. How many people do you think can actually trust you? If you can tear someone down while hiding behind a fictious name, who's really the one wearing sheeps clothing. Prayer for someone else should be more than just words without action and just because you pray doesn't mean God is on your schedule to answer.
Don't misunderstand me - Wrong is wrong and there is NO excuse for doing wrong no matter which way we try to spin things. However, forgiving a wrong and taking action to turn that negative to a positive is powerful. I am sorry that people are being hurt throughout the world by people that see greed as a means of wealth while using Religous Slavery to gain it. But as it goes two lefts don't make a right no matter which direction you are traveling. I'm a slave only to God. So my trust is in him first and foremost not any other person on earth including those with religous titles.
Your spiritual life starts and ends with your personal relationship with God. Pastor Trimble nor his family nor your current Pastor, friends and or family can send you to Heaven nor Hell. As a true child of God is it right to watch your brother and/or sister fall and not offer them a hand up and follow that offer by actually pulling them up? God has a solely different purpose and lesson for each of us no matter the platform or setting. If you are truely paying attention to him it will be revealed. After All Prayer without faith and actions means very little and according to the Bible we are suppose to be - "Our Brothers Keeper" aren't we?
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Joe
Austin,Texas,
U.S.A.
WHY DO PEOPLE BOTHER TO ATTEND CHARISMATIC MEGACHURCHES?
#3Consumer Suggestion
Mon, September 27, 2010
YOU COULD HAVE GOTTEN --TANF THEY CALL IT AND EMERGENCY FOOD STAMPS AS WELL AS REDUCED UTILITY BILLS AND WHY SHOULD YOU ALL HAVE TO PAY LEGAL FEES WHEN SHE IS THE ONE WHO DUMPED THE LITTLE BOY?
WITH THE ECONOMY SO BAD, OUR RENT HAS STAYED IN PLACE FOR THREE YEARS. MAYBE YOU ALL SHOULD HAVE GONE AND TALKED WITH YOUR APARTMENT MANAGER AND WORKED SOMETHING OUT. IT IS ALL A MATTER OF GIVE US ENOUGH TIME TO CATCH UP ON THE RENT AND YOU WILL HAVE STEADY MONEY COMING IN VERSUS LOSING MONEY ON AN EMPTY UNIT.
I HOPE THAT YOU ALL FOUND A PLACE TO LIVE THAT YOU COULD AFFORD.
AND IN MOST HOMES, THE COUPLE JOINTLY HANDLES HOW TO SPEND THE MONEY OR THE WIFE HANDLES THE MONEY. WOMEN ARE USUALLY BETTER AT HANDLING MONEY. AND NOTHING UNSCRIPTURAL ABOUT IT. IT IS EVEN IN PROVERBS!
IT SEEMED TO ME THEY WERE ALL ABOUT GIVE, GIVE, GIVE!
JUST LIKE BENNY HINN AND ROBERT TILTON, I KNEW PEOPLE WHO WORKED SECURITY FOR ROBERT TILTON WHEN HE HAD HIS INFAMOUS MEGACHURCH IN FARMERS BRANCH, TEXAS! IF YOU WANT AN EYE-OPENER ON MEGACHURCHES, GO TO TH4E UPPER RIGHT HAND CORNER ON YOUR RIP OFF REPORT PAGE AND TYPE IN THE NAMES OF ROBERT TILTON AND BENNY HINN.
YOU WILL LEARN THAT SADLY IT IS BECOMING MORE AND MORE ABOUT THE MONEY AND LESS AND LESS ABOUT SAVING PEOPLE'S SOULS.
THE ONLY PEOPLE WHO GET "HELPED" IN A MEGACHURCH ARE THE GREEDY CLERGY SCUM WHO HELP THEMSELVES TO THE MONEY AS YOU HAVE SEEN.
MAYBE YOU NEED TO FIND AND FUND ANOTHER SPIRITUAL HOME WITH FEWER LIARS, HYPOCRITES, THIEVES AND CONMEN AND MORE LOVE AND CARING.
THIS HAPPENS TO A LOT OF PEOPLE WHO GET INVOLVED WITH THESE MEGACHURCHES. YOU LEARN THAT CHARITY BEGINS AT HOME. LESSONS LEARNED TAKEAWAY IS THAT YOU HAVE TO PUT YOUR OWN FAMILY FIRST --THEN GIVE AS YOU ARE ABLE.
THEY DON'T GIVE A d**n ABOUT YOU, JUST YOUR MONEY.
THAT PROSPERITY GOSPEL IS EXACTLY THAT -- A SHAM, A SCAM.
GOOD LUCK.
I HOPE THAT YOU CAN MAINTAIN YOUR FAITH IN SPITE OF ENCOUNTERING THE MEGACHURCH FAKES. WHEN THE SCRIPTURE WARNS AGAINST THOSE WHO CAN KILL YOUR SOUL ( AND KILL YOUR FAITH) -- THIS IS EXACTLY WHAT THEY WERE TALKING ABOUT.