Gloriavale Trustee Expelled After Criticizing Church Leadership

A Gloriavale leader was expelled after criticizing “ungodly” rules and the lack of accountability of the church leadership.

Zion Pilgrim, a longtime trustee of the religious group, wrote a letter to leader Howard Temple expressing concern about “sexual immorality” and a “preeminence of sin” in the community, Newshub reported.

“We have some serious concerns about some of the fundamental ways of thinking and behaving here that we believe are not in line with the word of God,” the letter said.

“There are also some very worrying fruits that cannot be ignored; the problems of sexual immorality and the preeminence of sin, pride, lack of love.”

Pilgrim criticized the fact that church members often had to agree with what the leaders said, even if it was wrong, and the lack of accountability between the leaders.

Newshub reported that Pilgrim received an ultimatum from church leaders: support the leaders or leave the community.

Consequently, Pilgrim left Gloriavale and moved south to Canterbury with his wife and 12 children.

Last month, former members of the Christian community said those still there were not free to vote for whoever they wanted in the general election.

The problem was described in a list of concerns to The Charities Services by The Gloriavale Leavers Support Trust, with former members saying that those still inside did not have free access to the internet or news sources and were told as a collective who to vote for. .

James Harrison, who left Gloriavale in 2015, said RNZ members did not have free access to the Internet or news sources.

“The group of people who go into town for the weekly shopping trip would bring old newspapers and then some stories would be cut out and put on the bulletin board, but everything we saw was censored.”

Another former member, who did not want to be named, said Gloriavale leaders would choose which politicians would come and speak to the community before the elections.

“They would talk about their policies and what they would do for us. When they left, there would be a discussion, but usually only a couple of leaders spoke,” he said.

The former member said they were even shown the voting papers before going to the voting booth.

“They said to mark here and here in case we forgot the name or what to do when we arrived,” he said.

“I remember standing in line waiting to vote and someone up front turned around and asked who we were voting for.”

The Gloriavale Leavers Support Trust has provided a list of concerns to The Charities Services, whom they want to re-investigate in the community.