‘Their goal was to destroy me:’ Former Celebration pastor sues national church association

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — The former pastor of Celebration Church is fighting back in federal court after he claims he was forced out of the church he founded by national association.

>>> STREAM ACTION NEWS JAX LIVE <<<

Stovall Weems spoke exclusively to Action News Jax’s Robert Grant about the new federal suit.

[DOWNLOAD: Free Action News Jax app for alerts as news breaks]

He said he was ousted “through a pattern of unlawful and often criminal acts that included extortion, bribery, psychological abuse, wire fraud, and computer crimes which ultimately caused over $100 million in damages,” according to the claim.

The lawsuit is against the Association of Related Churches, or ARC, which is based out of Alabama. According to the suit, it is one of the largest and most powerful church-planting organizations in North America with more than 1,000 churches and growing.

Weems told Action News Jax he was on board with the network’s mission until a revelation he had in 2018.

“Quickly my values changed to focusing on missions and being anti-hierarchy and getting the power and control and inequity out of God’s House,” he said.

But shortly after, he alleged that ARC masterminded a conspiracy to “protect and expand their church growth business interests, substantial income,” and destroy Weems and his wife, Kerri.

According to the claim, the organization defrauded Celebration and up to eight other mission-based organizations causing up to $100 million in damages.

The church’s current senior pastor, Tim Timberlake is “an ARC-affiliated pastor they knew they could control and who would continue to advance Defendants’ church growth model,” the lawsuit claims.

“Their end goal was to destroy me and seize Celebration Church and all of its assets and basically brand it,” he said.

As alleged in the complaint, ARC’s goal was to “eliminate them as perceived threats and competitors...”

Action News Jax spoke to Weems first in April of 2022 about a Nelson Mullins investigative report released by the current church leadership which claimed the Weemses’s owed the church more than $3 million

Related Story: ‘It’s repulsive:’ Celebration Church founding pastor responds to accusations of fraud, misconduct

Weems said that money is still missing, but someone else embezzled it from Celebration. The independent investigation conducted by Nelson Mullins included two attorneys who have worked with ARC in the past, the suit alleges.

“During the sham ‘investigation,’ the Weemses’s were essentially made pariahs, unable to defend themselves and isolated from the church...”

“One of us is a false oracle. One of us is a false prophet. It’s either the guys in the den of cowards. Or it’s me. So we’re going to uncover them.”

The lawsuit charges the defendants with conspiracy and interference and requests a jury trial. ARC and its leaders Chris Hodges, Dino Rizzo, and John Seibeling are all named in the new filing. Action News Jax reached out to the organization for comment but did not hear back.

[SIGN UP: Action News Jax Daily Headlines Newsletter]

In January, Action News Jax reported on a lawsuit filed against Celebration Church. We also reached out to Celebration for comment on the new claims, but we did not hear back.

Related Story: ‘It is bad:’ Former Celebration Church pastor sues current leadership, alleges fraud