Tagged: abuse, abuse of faith, abuse of power, Church Finances, Church Too, Financial Abuse, Institutional Betrayal, Spiritual Abuse
- This topic has 7 replies, 5 voices, and was last updated 2 years, 10 months ago by JBranch.
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- December 28, 2021 at 8:13 pm #3623FoundationParticipant
Comments Section, 11/2/16, Written by Sue E. Cruz:
I am very sorry for all that you, your family and so many others have suffered at the hands of the false shepherd, Jim Cymbala. The man continues to have an impeccable reputation, that he does not deserve and it is time for him to be exposed for the greedy, heartless charlatán that he is! God will not be mocked!
Jim Cymbala has also caused great pain and suffering to myself and members of Rock Church, located at 153 E. 63rd Street, New York, NY 10065. You may have read about us or seen us on the news in the past year. A great “friend” and former Pastor at BT, was hired as our Pastor in July 2012. Daniel Iampaglia’s only “claim to fame” was his relationship with the “honorable” Jim Cymbala (I won’t call either of these men pastor, because that would be an abomination before God), and his stint as a BT pastor. Daniel Iampaglia is a false shepherd, a bully, a tyrant, and last, but not least, a thief! We know for a fact that 20+ years ago when he pastored a church in Chicago for two years, he completely wiped out two bank accounts the Church, used Church money to put a down payment on a house, left them penniless and nearly destroyed the Church. A deacon of the Church, that is now an elder, told one of our board members the story and also emailed a letter corroborating the story. Iampaglia finally left when they could no lord ne’er pay his salary. Four years ago, we had the misfortune of having hired this man because we lacked discernment and the will to stand up to our previous Pastor when he insisted that Daniel Iampaglia was God’s choice for us. This man has been an indescribable NIGHTMARE for many of us and we have been in court fighting to prevent him and Jim Cymbala from accomplishing an hostile takeover of our Church (which has considerable assets, including a 10+ million dollar, debt-free property! We have been in a court battle with the Iampaglia and others sent by Jim Cymbala to infiltrate our ranks and take control, since May 2012 after finding out, by chance, that Jim Cymbala is the puppet master, pulling all the strings and paying the legal bills for Iampaglia and the rest of his corrupt cronies!
In October of 2015, we suspected that someone was stealing cash from the Tuesday Night Prayer Meeting offerings, which is dedicated to Missions and is deposited in a separate bank account. I was not shocked to discover that Daniel Iampaglia himself was as the thief, although some of my more trusting brothers and sisters in Christ were very shocked. This was not a one time thing. We had video ovee the course of about 5 weeks, showing him CLEARLY stealing cash from the offerings about a dozen times. He was arrested for the theft late November and the DA charged him with only 9 counts of petit larceny because in some of the footage the denomination of the bills could not be seen because he didn’t turn on the light at times. After 3 court appearances and LOTS of pressure from the two law firms that Cymbala hired to defend Iampaglia, the DA from family dropped the case against Iampaglia. Her disingenuous reason, “insufficient proof beyond a reasonable doubt”… It was fortunate for Iampaglia that Jim Cymbala has “friends” in high places… otherwise Iampaglia would have been found guilty by a jury!
The whole story is much too late long to write about here, but I hold Jim Cymbala completely responsible for the utter chaos, division and absolute EVIL that has taken hold of my beloved Rock Church. I sent a note to Jim Cymbala at the general email and received the most condescending and dishonest reply imaginable when I asked him to stay out of Rock Church’s business and mind his own Church instead. And I told him to stopped paying the legal bills for Daniel Iampaglia and his cohorts to keep dragging us through the courts in their attempt to gain control of the finances and property of Rock Church. Jim Cymbala has a vested interest in these proceedings!
I strongly believe that the Lord wants to expose all these despicable, greedy, false shepherds, particularly Jim Cymbala that has had so many of God’s innocent people (like Roberta Langella), fooled and abused for so long.
Steven and Mary, my prayers are with you and your family. We meet at 2pm Sunday’s (AFTER Daniel Iampaglia’s “cult meeting” that takes place at 11am). We have a fellowship dinner at 4pm. We invite you to join us (and anyone else that reads this comment). We would like to meet you, worship and pray with you. We are a small group, but we live for the Lord, we worship Him in Spirit and in TRUTH and we are not afraid to stand up to bullies, because we stand in the power of the Lord our God, who fights for us!
In Christ’s Love,
Sue E. CruzThe Story Behind the Story of Roberta Langella and Jim Cymbala:
The Author of My Faith Blog
How Spiritual Abuse Leads to Suicide, Part 1
Comments Section, 11/2/16, Written by Sue E. Cruz - December 28, 2021 at 8:28 pm #3624FoundationParticipant
Dan Iampaglia was an Associate Pastor at The Brooklyn Tabernacle, whose signature, as Secretary of then-Brooklyn Gospel Tabernacle, was directly beneath Jim Cymbala’s on the 1984 formal amendment paperwork changing the Brooklyn Gospel Tabernacle name over to The Brooklyn Tabernacle. Dan and his wife, Elisabeth, lived near the Cymbalas in Brooklyn from the mid 1970s to early 1980s, and then again in Douglaston, NY (Queens) from the early 1980s to the mid 1990s. Iampaglia, in his decades of close friendship with Cymbala, traveled with him on ministry trips around the world, including repeated trips to Argentina.
According to Sue E. Cruz, Jim Cymbala paid for Dan Iampaglia’s defense attorney, once charges were filed against him for petit larceny when he was accused of stealing money from his own church’s offering plate at The Rock Church.
Docket No. 151009-15, Supreme Court, New York County
NBC New York coverage: “Fight Breaks Out at NYC Church”
In the embedded video, the man in the red sweater vest operating as security detail is an Associate Pastor at The Brooklyn Tabernacle, Floyd Johnson.Pastor Floyd Johnson (Pastor at The Brooklyn Tabernacle) involved in an altercation at The Rock Church, Manhattan.
Dan Iampaglia grabs mic from a church member’s hand during a meeting held at The Rock Church, Manhattan.
Dan Iampaglia running a contentious church meeting at The Rock Church, Manhattan.
NY Post coverage: “Pastor Accused of Stealing from Church Bragged About Mob Ties in Sermon”
Christian Post coverage: “NYC Pastor Caught Stealing Money from Church Offering 9 Times Claims He Wasn’t Paid Enough”
Daily Mail coverage: “Police Break up Shoving Match between Parishioners and a Pastor Accused of Stealing Donations When They Clashed after a Sunday Service”
In a now-removed YouTube video documenting the attempted takeover of Rock Church, Dan Iampaglia reportedly told a 5-foot-tall woman, “I WILL SLAM YOU.”
Another removed site, “The Takeover of The Rock Church – Daniel Iampaglia and Jim Cymbala”
CBS New York coverage: “UES Church Congregation Goes to Court in Effort to Fire Pastor”
Rock Church, Inc. v. Venigalla
NY Post follow-up coverage: “Pastor Accused of Stealing from Collection Plate Cleared of Charges”
Why and how was Pastor Dan Iampaglia cleared of these charges? If Sue E. Cruz is correct and Jim Cymbala did pay for Dan Iampaglia’s defense team, including Joseph Indusi and Cary London, did those costs come out of Jim’s own pocket, or did he use The Brooklyn Tabernacle church funds?
- January 2, 2022 at 4:19 pm #3654ministryworkerParticipant
I believe I understand the sentiments that you were trying to share, but I don’t think this is the best way to get that point across. Posting this makes it look like the pastors at BT are slaves and I don’t want there to be some sort of racial undertone to what you posted if that’s not what you meant…I don’t know your heart. If we are to be loving – which includes protecting the sheep from wolves and warning the church like the Apostle Paul did with the metalworker – then we should all be clear in that purpose. And yes, sometimes being loving is seeking justice for those who have been abused.
I’m sorry if I’m stepping on your toes…that’s not my intent.
Here is the scripture I am referring to
Alexander the metalworker did me a great deal of harm. The Lord will repay him for what he has done. You too should be on your guard against him, because he strongly opposed our message.
2 Tim 4:14-15 - January 2, 2022 at 4:56 pm #3655JimShadyParticipant
@ministryworker Thank you for your reply. I agree its not my best work. If there was a delete button available on here I may have used it
It is disheartening to read the stories and not be compelled to want to take action to stop the abuse that continues at brooklyn tab. I agree with you and no it wasn’t my intention to make a statement on race and the pastoral staff. black, white, spanish, asian, its not a ‘racial thing’ for me. I do feel like like they are making decisions without first counting the cost AS A PASTOR. I believe they think they are doing God’s work by defending PJC and the institution. If the shepherd leaves the 99 to rescue the 1, these pastors are protecting THEIR 1 while he is abusing people! I think one day they will look back and remember what happened to them and the congregation they were supposed to be protecting. I pray for that anyhow.
I saw the sermon today that PJC preached. He made assumptions and thinly veiled insults that everyone that writes on this forum or social media doesn’t read or know their Word. He exhorted that because he is in his Word that makes him a more loving Christian. His behavior is sooo loving. In fact, if he knows his Word so well and does the things that he has done, then I worry for his soul. If he was the same PJC as he was in that sermon, then the REAL FRUIT that you are seeing on this forum WOULD NOT exist. There wouldn’t even be a forum. But his abuse (spiritual, sexual and otherwise) is hiding behind his public humility. Good CHRISTIAN people who are exasperated at the behavior OFF-PLATFORM are now willing speak up and say that the emperor has no clothes on. No pun intended. People are tired of the duplicitous religiosity.
- December 31, 2021 at 1:19 pm #3638QuestionsParticipant
According to Sue E. Cruz, Jim Cymbala paid for Dan Iampaglia’s defense attorney, once charges were filed against him for petit larceny when he was accused of stealing money from his own church’s offering plate at The Rock Church.
Questions remain as to whether it was not Jim Cymbala, but actually the tithe payers of BT that paid for Iampaglia’s defense attorney.
@hwpatrick356 can you find that out for us? - January 2, 2022 at 5:35 pm #3656ministryworkerParticipant
I wish there wasn’t a need for this forum, honestly. Thank you @JimShady for your clarity on your posting. The site only seems to give you a minute to delete or edit something once you submit it.
I concur regarding the pastors leaving the sheep and protecting their own. Sad.
He was saying the same thing in his devotional on New Years Eve. He insulted people that moved out of New York as some sort of backslidden Christians. What a terrible thing to say! I know a few of my friends that left to different locations and it was a really tough decision for them and they really prayed and sought the Lord. 2020 and 2021 was really a transition year for a lot of people and to make people question their own leading of the Holy Spirit is…well…abusive.
Here is the quote:
But how many people living in New York serving the Lord, just when it got really hard and the spike came said I’m out of here. Adios, muchachos. I’m gone. Maybe they were led by God. Maybe they weren’t. Maybe they just couldn’t take it. But to move without the word of the Lord, the direction of the Holy Spirit.
“Maybe they just couldn’t take it.”
Wow. His sermons have become a weapon.
Furthermore, he went on to tell people to get off ‘online’ and social media by way of his video…on social media!!!
A brief word as we approach a new year. pic.twitter.com/njIdWitt7M
— Pastor Jim Cymbala (@jimcymbala) December 31, 2021
- January 2, 2022 at 9:01 pm #3663JBranchParticipant
I heard that sermon too.
He was in Florida. With his entire family. For the entire pandemic.
We were here in NYC helping our neighbors find food to eat.
Anything that would be unbeneficial to BT he labels as “outside God’s will.” You would think Jim Cymbala alone hears the Word of the Lord.
He’s a man just like every other man.
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