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2025-10-23T18:34:48Z

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{{Short description|International group of churches}}
{{Infobox Christian denomination
| name = The Network
| image =
| imagewidth =
| alt =
| caption =
| main_classification =[[Pentecostal]]
| polity =
| area = United States
| founder = Steve Morgan
| founded_date = 2006
| founded_place = United States
| separations =
| members =
| tax_status =
| other_names =
| website =
}}

'''The Network''' is an international group of churches known for planting new churches by recruiting college men, training and developing them into leaders within the group.<ref name="THE">Nicholas Gutteridge,{{cite web|url=https://thebatt.com/news/christland-church-former-members-describe-alleged-abuse-manipulation-control/|title=Christland Church: Former members describe alleged abuse, manipulation, control|publisher=thebatt.com|date=20 April 2023|accessdate=5 March 2024}}</ref>

== History ==
The Network was started by Steve Morgan in 1995 when he established Vineyard Community Church in [[Carbondale, Illinois]].<ref name="THEWA">Darlene (Dee) Parsons,{{cite web|url=https://thewartburgwatch.com/2022/11/02/former-members-of-the-network-call-for-a-third-party-independent-investigation-of-steve-morgan-and-church-leaders/|title=Former Members of The Network Call for a Third Party, Independent Investigation of Steve Morgan and Church Leaders|publisher=thewartburgwatch.com|date=2 November 2022|accessdate=5 March 2024}}</ref> Morgan and 50 members of his Carbondale congregation moved to [[Seattle]] in 2004 to found ''Blue Sky Church''.<ref>Les O'dell,{{cite web|url=https://thesouthern.com/life-entertainment/faith-and-values/local-members-of-the-vine-leave-to-start-new-churches/article_dcfbdf5e-d575-11e2-a8db-001a4bcf887a.html|title=Local members of The Vine leave to start new churches|publisher=specials.idsnews.com|date=15 June 2013|accessdate=5 March 2024}}</ref>

In 2006, Steve Morgan removed ''Blue Sky Church'' from the [[Association of Vineyard Churches|Vineyard Association]] alongside several midwest Vineyard churches to officially birth the Network as an international group of churches focused on planting new churches, and the ''Carbondale Vineyard'' was renamed to ''Vine Church''.<ref name="SP">Marissa Meador,{{cite web|url=https://specials.idsnews.com/members-allege-spiritual-abuse-high-rock-church-bloomington-network/|title='The church's answer was hurting them' Former members of Bloomington's High Rock Church allege spiritual abuse|publisher=specials.idsnews.com|date=20 April 2023|accessdate=5 March 2024}}</ref><ref>[[Warren Cole Smith]], {{cite web|url=https://ministrywatch.com/watchdog-group-calls-for-independent-investigation-of-pastor-steve-morgan-and-the-network/|title=Watchdog Group Calls For Independent Investigation of Pastor Steve Morgan and "The Network"|publisher=ministrywatch.com|date=11 July 2022|accessdate=5 March 2024}}</ref>

== Network Churches within the United States==
{| class="wikitable"
! Year founded
! Church
! City
! State
! Left Network
|-
|1995
|Vine Church
|[[Carbondale, Illinois|Carbondale]]
|[[Illinois]]
|-
|2002
|Foundation Church
|[[Bloomington-Normal, Illinois|Bloomington-Normal]]
|[[Illinois]]
|-
|2004
|Blue Sky Church
|[[Bellevue, Washington|Bellevue]]
|[[Washington (state)|Washington]]
|-
|2006
|Clear River Church
|[[Lafayette, Indiana|Lafayette]]
|[[Indiana]]
|-
|2008
|High Rock Church
|[[Bloomington, Indiana|Bloomington]]
|[[Indiana]]
|-
|2011
|Brookfield Church
|[[Athens, Ohio|Athens]]
|[[Ohio]]
|-
|2012
|Hills Church
|[[Pullman, Washington|Pullman]]
|[[Washington (state)|Washington]]
|-
| rowspan="2" |2013
|Rock Hills Church
|[[Bowling Green, Kentucky|Bowling Green]]
|[[Kentucky]]
|-
|Cedar Heights Church
|[[State College, Pennsylvania|State College]]
|[[Pennsylvania]]
|-
| rowspan="3" |2015
|Oaks Church
|[[Muncie, Indiana|Muncie]]
|[[Indiana]]
|-
|Summit Creek Church
|[[Eugene, Oregon|Eugene]]
|[[Oregon]]
|-
|Valley Springs Church
|[[Corvallis, Oregon|Corvallis]]
|[[Oregon]]
|-
| rowspan="3" |2016
|Vista Church
|[[San Luis Obispo, California|San Luis Obispo]]
|California
|-
|Vida Springs Church
|[[Gainesville, Florida|Gainesville]]
|Florida
|-
|North Pines Church
|[[Kalamazoo, Michigan|Kalamazoo]]
|[[Michigan]]
|-
| rowspan="2" |2017
|Christland Church
|[[College Station, Texas|College Station]]
|[[Texas]]
|-
|Joshua Church
|[[Austin, Texas|Austin]]
|[[Texas]]
|-
| rowspan="2" |2018
|Rock River Church
|[[San Marcos, Texas|San Marcos]]
|[[Texas]]
|-
|Bright Field Church
|[[Dekalb, Illinois|Dekalb]]
|[[Illinois]]
|-
| rowspan="3" |2019
|South Grove Church
|[[Athens, Georgia|Athens]]
|[[Georgia (U.S. state)|Georgia]]
|-
|Hosea Church
|[[Raleigh, North Carolina|Raleigh]]
|[[North Carolina]]
|-
|Mountain Heights Church
|[[Morgantown, West Virginia|Morgantown]]
|[[West Virginia]]
|-
|2020
|Ascent Church
|[[Blacksburg, Virginia|Blacksburg]]
|[[Virginia]]
|-
|2021
|Isaiah Church
|[[Madison, Wisconsin|Madison]]
|[[Wisconsin]]
|}

== Network Churches outside the United States==
{| class="wikitable"
! Church
! Church
! Year founded
! Country
|-
|2018
|Roots Church
|[[Taipei]]
|[[Taiwan]]
|-
|2022
|Stoneway Church
|[[Reading, Berkshire]]
|United Kingdom
|}

== Controversy ==
Criticisms against the Network include their college recruitment practices, teachings on the role of women, dismissal of claims of abuse, and the authoritarian leadership style as reported by former members.<ref name="THE"/><ref name="SP"/><ref>{{cite web|url=https://leavingthenetwork.org/network-churches/sources/valley-springs-misogyny/|title=Misogynistic Content In Valley Springs Church'S Instagram Post|publisher=leavingthenetwork.org|date=20 April 2022|accessdate=5 March 2024}}</ref>

Also, the qualifications of Steve Morgan, the Network founder, as a pastor have been questioned because of his arrest in 1987 for an alleged sexual crime.<ref>Josh Shepherd,{{cite web|url=https://julieroys.com/whistleblowers-network-church-leader-hit-sex-crime-36-years/|title=Whistleblowers Say Leader of 'Network' of Churches Hid Sexual Crime for 36 Years|publisher=julieroys.com|date=21 July 2022|accessdate=5 March 2024}}</ref> The Former Vineyard officials who knew Steve Morgan during his ordination into the Vineyard association have issued statements denying knowledge of his arrest.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://leavingthenetwork.org/network-churches/sexual-abuse-allegations/vineyard-officials/|title=Statements From Former Vineyard Officials|publisher=leavingthenetwork.org|date=11 August 2022|accessdate=5 March 2024}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://leavingthenetwork.org/network-churches/sources/network-response-to-allegations/|title=Network Leadership Team And Lead Pastors Respond To Allegations|publisher=leavingthenetwork.org|date=13 June 2022|accessdate=5 March 2024}}</ref>

== See also ==
* [[Association of Vineyard Churches]]

== References ==
{{reflist}}

{{portal|Christianity}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Network, The}}
[[Category:Christian new religious movements]]
[[Category:Religious organizations based in Illinois]]
[[Category:Christian organizations established in 2006]]

The Network (group of churches) - Revision history

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