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Apostolic Faith Church of Portland, Oregon in Portland,OR 97206-7660
5601 SE Duke Street, Portland, OR

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What people say about Apostolic Faith Church of Portland, Oregon

  • The Apostolic Faith Church is, as an organization, corrupt and abusive. I was a closeted queer teenager when I sat in a pew in one of the Wisconsin churches when the pastor said that if America wanted to honor God then, as a country, the US should "get rid of the gays" and then began alluding to violence. Whoever you are reading about this church, don't go. You are worth so much more as a person

  • I will start off by saying I attended this church from the time of my birth until about age 35. I grew up in the Portland Oregon church which is the international headquarters but was also a member of several of the branches churches ( smaller AF churches that are part of the same organization)

    Throughout my time as a member, I was physically and mentally abused by leadership. The first time I experienced physical abuse was around 11 or 12 years old. One of the ministers whipped me with a belt in the bathroom. Physical abuse was encouraged by the leadership ( spare the rod, spoil the child).

    They expected the members to measure up to their expectations or they would gaslight them and reinforce how we were backsliders on the way to hell. Others experienced sexual abuse and it was covered up by the leadership. Eventually the church settled out of court on at least two separate times for sexual abuse.

    They claim to teach Biblical truth yet have standards that are not Biblical. A few examples; woman were taught not to wear makeup, jewelery or pants and referred to those who did as Jezebels. The church taught that the Bible did not allow females to wear pants because they were not to dress like men. It looks as if this standard may have been relaxed, as I see pictures of AF females wearing jeans. When couples marry in the church they use wedding watches instead of rings. Again, Jewelry is discouraged and at one point was considered sinful ( not sure what the current view is). Watches are allowed , because they serve the purpose of telling time. If one does not measure up to the organizations standards you will not be allowed to be involved in any type of ministry. You are also expected to pay tithes and not doing so will disqualify you from any type of service. I was once told I could not be an usher because the pastor had not received my tiths.
    As a kid growing up in the church, leadership told us that televisions were of the devil and to not have them in our homes. Years later as more people left the church, we found out that some of the ministers owned TV's but his them in a closet when guests came over.

    Divorce is highly discouraged and under no circumstances can a member be divorced and remarried ( even though there are biblical exceptions). I had a friend who's wife left him for another man. As a result my friend had to file bankruptcy ( which is a big no no as well). Instead of receiving love and support, the ministers lectured and gaslight him. They blamed him for his wife leaving. I am sure that is exactly how Jesus would have treated him?

    There were several ministers who would reprimand boys for wearing jeans to church instead of a suite or dress pants. They were publically shamed in front of others.

    Does this church sound like a Bible believing Church that you want to attend?

  • Pace.
    Suntem majoritatea membrilor bisericii din Sanpetru-German. 
    In urma mesajelor trimise catre dumneavoastra, timp de o luna a fost liniște, dar de 2 saptamani au inceput din nou sa se creeze abuzuri in plina biserica.
    Noul nostru conducator, pus de fratele Macovei, este Draghici Ion. De 2 saptamani, acesta ne amenința si ne scoate afara din biserica pe motivul ca ne-am rugat intre 40 si 20 minute.

    Prima duminica ne-a ridicat in picioare si ne-a spus ca aici se incheie programul (la ora 11 A.M.), dar seara doua ore ne-a pus sa ne rugam intruna. Ieri, ne-am rugat 20 minute la prima rugaciune, iar la 9:30 A. M. s-a ridicat in picioare si a spus sa intre Dumnezeu cu noi la judecata si ne-a spus ca nu suntem membrii si sa iesim afară. La acea ora, ne-a trimis acasa nervos fara a incerca sa motiveze alegerea făcută.
    Noi am gasit scris in Biblie: Biserica este o casa de rugaciune, rugati-va neîncetat, vegheati in vederea rugaciunii.

    Dupa aceste abuzuri, Ion Draghici a hotarat impreuna cu fratele Macovei inchiderea bisericii pe o perioada nedeterminata de timp.
    Fratele Macovei nu a fost de față, nu stie toata situatia decat de la familia Draghici, nu a facut cercetari amanuntite, ne-a-a scris ca tot noi suntem vinovati si Dumnezeu ne va trage la raspundere pentru ce am facut.

    Dupa ce am aflat ca Ion Draghici se intoarce din Belgia pentru a lua aceasta functie, ne-am gandit sa il ajutam cu un loc de munca in constructii pe perioada verii avand in vedere ca are multi copiii. Ne-am purtat frumos cu el si inainte si dupa obtinerea acestei poziții, dar acest bine l-a rasplatit cu rău. 

    Familia Voicu are un baiat cu autism de 17 ani care este nelipsit de la adunare, iar aseara cerea intruna sa mearga la adunare, dar adunarea era închisă.

    Desi a inchis biserica pe seama rugaciunilor lungi, seara a chemat 2 familii la el acasa la rugaciune, instigand ura si dezbinarea intre frați.

    Va atașam dovezile faptului ca membrii bisericii sustin faptul ca ei ne acuza pentru rugaciune fara sa le fi facut ceva si va aratam si mesajele trimise de fratele Macovei.

    Va rugam sa luati masuri pentru redeschiderea adunarii si va rugam sa nu mai permiteți astfel de abuzuri asupra credinciosilor din biserica. Dorim sa avem o casa de rugaciune unde sa ne rugam si am dori sa se ia masuri impotriva dezbinarii si urii care se promoveaza intre frati.

    Asteptam raspunsul dumneavoastră.
    (Încercăm sa traducem și în engleza doar ca o facem cu google translate și nu știm cât la 100 traduce corect..)

    Peace. We are the majority of the members of the church in Sanpetru-German. Following the messages sent to you, it was quiet for a month, but for 2 weeks they started to create abuses in the church again. Our new leader, appointed by Macovei's brother, is Draghici Ion. For 2 weeks, he has been threatening us and taking us out of the church on the grounds that we have been praying for 40 to 20 minutes. On the first Sunday he got us up and told us that the program ended here (at 11 A.M.), but in the evening for two hours he made us pray together. Yesterday, we prayed for 20 minutes at the first prayer, and at 9:30 A. M. got to his feet and told God to come in with us to court and told us that we are not members and to go out. At that time, he sent us home nervously without trying to justify his choice. We found it written in the Bible: The church is a house of prayer, pray unceasingly, watch for prayer.

    After these abuses, Ion Draghici decided together with Macovei's brother to close the church for an indefinite period of time. Macovei's brother was not present, he does not know the whole situation except from the Draghici family, he did not do detailed research, he wrote to us that we are also guilty and God will hold us responsible for what we did. After finding out that Ion Draghici is returning from Belgium to take up this position, we thought of helping him with a job in construction during the summer, considering that he has many children. We treated him well before and after this position, but this good rewarded him badly. The Voicu family has a 17-year-old boy with autism who is not present at the meeting, and last night he was constantly asking to go to the meeting, but the meeting was closed.

    Although he closed the church due to long prayers, in the evening he called 2 families to his home for prayer, instigating hatred and division between brothers. We attach the evidence that the members of the church claim that they accuse us of praying without doing anything to them and we also show you the messages sent by Macovei's brother. Please take steps to reopen the congregation, and please do not allow such abuses against the faithful in the church. We want to have a house of prayer where we can pray and we want to take action against the division and hatred that is promoted between brothers. We are waiting for your answer.