On Nov. 5, Tate confessed his "inappropriate" text messaging, which his wife discovered, to the congregation, that meets at Monrovia High. He also said that the church is a "great place to worship, but not a great place to work," that it was chaotic and hurtful. He said he takes full responsibility for that, and asked forgiveness from the congregation and staff. Audio of the message is here.
A letter from the church's governing board (here) says that a "comprehensive" restoration plan which will "include clear support, as well as appropriate accountability measures and benchmarks" for Tate will roll out over the coming year. The details were not given. It adds that Tate and his wife, LaRosa, will begin regularly attending services again starting November 26.
The board letter also noted that the church governing structure needs to be fixed. "This structure needs to be reset based on extensive Board self-examination and critique, as well as congregational input. Fellowship’s organizational and governance structures need to be altered for the health of the church going forward. We anticipate a number of significant changes taking place that we will share with you in the near future."
Finally, the letter says the board has reviewed all "questions, allegations, and issues brought to our attention [in a letter and text from some members of the staff and congregation], and, where relevant, discussed these with Albert, with staff, and with congregants." The messages are here and here.
- Brad Haugaard
I am an ex wordhipper of Fellowsip Monrovia. I vehemently disagree with Albert Tate being allowed to go into the pulpit as soon as January 2024. Albert supposedly began his texting during the first of the year. He failed to be totally transparent.
ReplyDeleteAlbert knows he has abused leadership, staff, and members. There contues to be a cover up and and stone walling.
Letters of concern have been ignored and unanswered. I have no faith in Albert or the Board. I believe the only reason that Albert is being allowed back into the pulpit is to stop the spiritual hemorrhaging. The Church fails to be the light of the world. The world knows the Church cast only darkness.
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Totally agree. Albert has absolutely no business being in the pulpit in January. His path to restoration has not been explained to the congregation, more than 1/2 of the board do not attend Fellowship, and none of the other issues including misuse of funds, mistreatment of staff, NDA’s given to former employees, the hemorrhaging of staff, have been explained to the congregation. How can we sit beneath a pastor who will not even tell us what is really going on and what the plan is to fix it???
ReplyDeleteAMEN! This is a massive coverup and the board members are playing a large role in perpetuating the abuse and lies. NDAs in a church is the biggest red flag of a deceitful leader
DeleteActually. the congregation can easily vote on how they feel by not coming on Sundays and not giving this church their money. Very simple.
ReplyDeleteWhy is the Monrovia Unified School District subsidizing this church by giving it more or less free use of the high school theater and making its employees work overtime all weekend to support it? They even have a person on the district’s payroll whose primary job is to support this church. Doesn’t seem right. Can other churches get that deal? Probably not!
ReplyDeleteThey spend thousands renting the high school, it ain’t free and ain’t cheap.
DeleteNo surprise here, when a church which is a business (the business of saving souls) hides its financial statements it’s obviously not a true Christian church. It’s sad Monrovia Fellowship Albert Tate has become just another statistic of greed, power and abuse! I attended volunteered and gave alot because that’s what is asked and required. Along when asked to give more when the new plant church of Pasadena was presented. Only to be Totally dismissed during Covid and my son being at home not able to go to church or school became very depressed contemplating suicide. I reached out to church therapist, Alberts pa, youth pastor and got it will be ok. Biggest disappointment of my church life!! So it’s no surprise that MF is in this implosion many great people have come and gone. My opinion find new board made of members hire interim senior pastor have Albert disclose how much he has been overpaid and have him give back enough to make up for negative in current budget. And if he really wants to come back do some therapy and beg for forgiveness. I Hope and pray that MF with God’s will can make a comeback from this all to common challenge that churches face.
ReplyDeleteThe deep question here goes beyond Pastor Tate... was this a sudden change in character or has this always been present? The church, to me, has always been sustained by staff who make it all happen with a senior pastor who enjoys traveling and his growing "influence" from LA, to CA, to the USA. The amount of staff who have left over the life of FM is astounding. The amount of staff and congregation who have left who used ot be close friends of Albert who no longer even speak with him - this is his legacy. Not a pastor who built people and sent them out - but a pastor who used people and burned them out. How many pastors have left FM to never pastor again? All that is happening right now is the public story of what has always been has surfaced. Mark my words, Monrovia is too small of a town for Albert to "start over" here.
ReplyDeletewe all know that no one on the board will see any of this - no one lives in Monrovia on the board... including Albert.
ReplyDeleteHello. My name is Kenneth E. Roberson, Sr. and I posted a comment on 10-23-23 following Mr. Haugaard’s first article about Senior Pastor Tate.
ReplyDeleteOn 11-2-23, Fellowship’s Board issued a letter and, during the 9 a.m., 11-5-23 Sunday service, Pastor Tate made various comments. I have reviewed the letter and comments, and conclude (1) there is evidence that the Board and Pastor Tate have been purposely ambiguous when using the terms “limited and inappropriate texting” and “inappropriate text messaging,” respectively, to describe his improper texts, (2) there is a Biblical principle that once a Scripturally-authorized determination has been made that a church’s leader has sinned, open disclosure of the sin is warranted with specificity, not ambiguity, as to what the sin was, and neither the Board nor Pastor Tate are honoring that principle, (3) the Apostle Paul told Timothy at 1 Tim. 5:20 concerning elders that sin, “rebuke before all, that others also may fear,” and this implies specificity, not ambiguity, when identifying what the sin was; however, although the Board has impliedly determined that Pastor Tate sinned, it has not complied with 1 Tim. 5:20, (4) it is unclear whether the Board members are “elders” or, therefore, Scripturally authorized to implement 1 Tim. 5:20 as to Pastor Tate or any other Fellowship leader in the first place, and (5) the 11-2 Board Letter suggests a Board “rush to approve” Pastor Tate’s return to preach and lead the staff in January 2024. The 11-2 Board Letter, a video of the above Sunday service, and my 11-17-23 comments to Fellowship about both, and related matters, may be found at https://kerobersonsrltrtofellowshipchurch.blogspot.com/.