1 /5 Jen Anderson: haven’t written a review yet because I dont want to be mean or unforgiving. But I do want to be honest about this church because our salvation is very serious, and I almost lost mine here.
At first glance this church is amazing. But having been a member there during the most difficult time in my life, I really experienced the inner workings of this place, and it was not a good experience. It wasn’t a family like they claim, nor was it safe, supportive, healthy or anything a church needs to be. In fact my experience was so painful that I couldn’t heal because every move I made forward, they pushed me back two.
I have been a Christian for 20 years and every other church I attended loved me, I’ve never had any issues. But here, it was so confusing to me. I was lied about, gossiped about and called names by the pastors and other staff. I was also denied access to the head pastor repeatedly, even though I begged to see him in the presence of my mother and his wife, not ever alone. They seemed to find new ways to hurt me every week, and I was so confused. My own mother couldn’t stand to watch it and left the church before I did, because of how I was treated.
For about 2 years I was trying so so hard to prove myself to these pastors and church people - just so they would give me love and support, and help me at my lowest, but nothing I did was good enough to earn those things. Freedom’s answer to healing is for you to try harder, be better, attend more classes, dress nicer and put your hair up to be taken seriously. It’s all about you and doing it on your own. So I was doing everything they said, following their instructions and being obedient - I wasn’t perfect but I was trying my best for the hurt person I was. All I wanted was to be loved in the most basic ways, isn’t that what we all want in a church? So when your best isn’t enough, then what? The experience completely 100% broke me, and I walked away from Freedom, from all humans outside my family, and almost walked away from God.
Now this part isn’t a reflection on Freedom church only - But I have to think God allowed that all to happen to me so that I would finally leave the Protestant church and become Orthodox. I was also way too naive and trusting of people before this, so my personality has been forever changed. But I think those are good things, so like I said, I think God allowed this painful experience to happen to me. I dont think all of the people or staff at Freedom are mean, or hurt me on purpose, some did for sure. But I mean, hurt people always hurt people.. It was just confusing for me with all the preaching of how that place is a loving family because I was apparently not a part of it.
Its hard to write this without giving too much detail, just be careful if you are thinking about going to Freedom, shiny pretty things aren’t always good as they seem. If you are looking for a fun social club this could be the perfect place for you, as long as you stay in your sunday squeaky clean persona everyday of the week.
