Filed: June 10, 2015 – Defendant: Pastor Carson Culp
Opening Statement
Members of the jury, this case illustrates how compromise, politics, and misplaced loyalties erode leadership from within. After nine years at Southridge and a lifetime of service, I entered Christ Community Church with hope. What I encountered instead was betrayal – not only from old enemies like Andrew Thompson (Case #2) but from a pastor who lacked the courage to lead.
Exhibit A: The Invitation
In 2014, Pastor Tim Albrecht of Open Arms Mission invited me to help launch Celebrate Recovery in Welland. I was already leading worship at Redeemed Lives (The Barn) and was asked to take on leadership roles in both ministries. By 2015, these programs were thriving. It felt like the most meaningful season of my life.
During this time, Pastor Carson Culp of Christ Community Church attended Celebrate Recovery. One evening, he asked me to serve as interim worship leader while he went on sabbatical. It was a nine-week assignment, and I accepted.
Exhibit B: Growth and Vision
Christ Community was small – about 15 people. By the end of my nine weeks, attendance had tripled, swelling to 45 as families from Celebrate Recovery and Redeemed Lives joined. Carson offered me the permanent position, with a shared vision: modernize worship, grow the church, lighten his workload.
But resistance came swiftly. Older members of the congregation pushed back. They wanted archaic hymns. And Carson’s wife became a weekly source of complaint, objecting to keys, songs, and style – while refusing to attend training or engage the Worship 101 manual.
Exhibit C: The Cracks Widen
Carson caved under pressure. He asked me to reintroduce traditional hymns, driving away newer families like Frank and Debbie Lapointe, who left in frustration. The vision we once shared collapsed. The church shrank again.
Exhibit D: Andrew Thompson Returns (See Case #2)
Then Andrew Thompson reappeared. Out of nowhere, he contacted Carson with accusations: that I favored one ministry over another, that I was a confidentiality risk. He requested a private meeting with Carson – without me present. Despite knowing this violated ethics, Carson agreed.
Two weeks earlier, Andrew had stood in Redeemed Lives, praising me publicly as “a man of integrity.” His duplicity was obvious. Yet Carson entertained him anyway.
Exhibit E: The Second Meeting and the Bribe
Despite my pleas, Carson met with Andrew a second time. The stress triggered a severe PTSD flashback. Afterward, Andrew “donated” a soundboard to Christ Community – a political gesture dressed as generosity. The church already had excellent equipment, but Carson accepted the gift.
Exhibit F: The Final Straw
When I pressed Carson for transparency, it became clear the accusations were ugly. Instead of standing by his own convictions, Carson chose diplomacy over truth. Between his wife’s interference and his willingness to entertain Andrew’s political schemes, my trust was destroyed. I resigned, heartbroken, plagued by flashbacks, and disillusioned beyond repair.
Closing Argument
How is Carson’s behavior different from Andrew’s? One was openly manipulative, the other quietly complicit. Both betrayed the trust of the people they were called to serve.
When politics and diplomacy outweigh shepherding, leadership is corrupted. When love cannot rise above ordinary human behavior, there is no evidence of divine power.
Verdict
- Pastor Carson failed to uphold his own vision.
- He allowed Andrew Thompson – a proven manipulator – to dictate terms.
- He abandoned courage for compromise.
Final Word
The case of Christ Community Church was not a single betrayal but the cumulative breaking point. It revealed the fatal flaw in church leadership everywhere I served: fear of conflict, preference for politics, and loyalty to power over truth.
This was not Christlike shepherding. This was capitulation.