Your website seems to make some revelation that TC is a home mission of the Assemblies of God. That's some great investigative work there.....considering that Teen Challenge has ALWAYS prided itself in being so and the AG has always prided itself in having TC as part of it's denomination. There's no great mystery there, nor is there any great mystery that it is Pentecostal based.
No great mystery there? Well, not even one Teen Challenge website that I've been to says anything on it about being affiliated with the Assemblies of God church, including the entire main website at
http://http://teenchallengeusa.com/. Obviously, you were 'born' knowing this but I wasn't aware of this fact until I really started digging around over on the Assemblies of God's website at
http://http://ag.org/top/ to find the Teen Challenge link! So, why are they hiding this 'fact' from the public anyway? That doesn't look like pride to me! That looks more like Teen Challenge is hiding the fact that they are affiliated with the Assemblies of God and visa versa!
Still waiting for a response, Karly. You were very quick to set up a blog attacking the Teen Challenge program, but as I see from another former TC family member's post, you don't seem to be in a hurry to learn the truth. The truth is, there's nothing to expose here.
There is nothing to expose? Evidently you will not face the facts or stop sticking up for this program for five-minutes to read and analyze any of the facts that I have posted on my web blog "Investigating Teen Challenge" at
http://http://teenchallengecult.blogspot.com/. Obviously, you feel that you can butter up the Teen Challenge Program all you want to because that is what you were trained to do all those years! Evidently all that training has left you very close-minded and bitter! Do you even realize that a world outside of Teen Challenge exists???
Teen Challenge is not communal.
If you are sheltered away from the real world every single day for an entire year in Teen Challenge, while having your phone calls monitored and your mail read AND only allowed visits from people who are 'approved' by Teen Challenge then you cannot tell me that you are not in an a place that reeks of a communal nature!
And if you want to argue the fact that your mail isn't read, read this post that a Mpls. reverend has posted on
http://http://www.topix.net/forum/city/minneapolis-mn/TN94VATH520HE9UQM/p7- Here is the post from 'rev' which was written on Monday Apr 30th, 2007:
"Number 3 in this gives consent for TC to go through mail - one of my people who went through the program did not receive the regular mailings I sent from our church and was told he didn't get any mail. It seems rather strange that a group that professes to be Christian would cut its clients off from the Christian support of their church. I had worked with this person and encouraged him in his entry to TC - why would mail from us (a simple newsletter or church bulletin) be considered so corruptive that he was not allowed to receive it? And a couple times they sent the mail back to church marked "Unknown here" on it when he had been there almost a year at that time. Did they not even know the names of their clients? Again, as I said before, I would not encourage anyone to enter the program from what I have seen as its "results" of treatment."
and now read the post directly below it from Cherokee Lady, which was written on Tuesday, May 1st, 2007:
"I moved my son out of TC Riverside into a secular rehab on Jan 2, 2007. I'm STILL getting some unopened letters back where they wrote "refused" on them.(they just now are sending them back I guess; ones I wrote over 6 mo. ago.) They completely withheld them, he never knew I had written him those letters. Mine also were letters of encouragement. I'll never donate another dime to this organization."
NOTE: 'Rev' is referring to Number 3 from Page 15 in this Teen Challenge application:
http://http://www.saintlouistc.org/pdf/stltc-application.pdfThis is the excerpt from page 15 of the Saint Louis Teen Challenge Application:
TEEN CHALLENGE OF ST. LOUIS
2650 Appletree Acres * P.O. Box 213 * High Ridge, MO 63049 *
STUDENT AGREEMENT
1. I have read the rules and consent to abide by all of them, whether I agree with them or not.
2. I will dedicate myself to the discipleship program until it is recognized by the Teen Challenge staff that I qualify for completion. I realize this is only possible by submitting to the Lordship of Jesus Christ and that I cannot do this in my own strength.
3. I release to Teen Challenge the right to search, read and withhold my mail in the manner explained in the rules.
4. I release to Teen Challenge the right to do a room search without warning.(Note: This is not done routinely, but only at times of definite cause.)
5. I release the right to Teen Challenge to make a thorough search of my person and belongings on the day of my admission.
6. I understand that withdrawal from drugs, alcohol, and cigarettes will be accomplished without medication (cold turkey), aided only by prayer. If this is not agreeable, withdrawal should be done prior to admission.
7. I understand that Teen Challenge will not be held responsible for any of my personal property left, lost, or stolen while I am in the Teen Challenge program. When leaving Teen Challenge, I understand that all my personal property must be taken with me.
8. I release Teen Challenge from all financial or legal responsibilities in case of accident, injury, illness or other misfortune.
9. I understand that I will not receive payment for the work I do while in the Teen Challenge program. I also understand that the purpose of this work is to aid in my character development.
10. I release the right to Teen Challenge to withhold any of my belongings that they deem necessary. Any items not specifically forbidden in the rules will be held for me until my departure.
11. I agree to submit to the authority of all staff members.
12. I understand that I have civil rights guaranteeing confidential communications by phone and mail, as well as exercising the religion of my choice. Teen Challenge is an evangelical Christian discipleship ministry for people with life controlling problems. As such, I realize and submit to the ministry’s expectations to attend Christian religious activities coordinated by the ministry. Further, for reasons of assisting me in dealing with my life controlling problem, I understand staff will regulate and monitor my communications for a period of time determined by staff. I voluntarily give my consent allowing staff to exercise these procedures. I fully understand my rights and what I am waiving.
13. I understand that the following grievance procedure shall be made available to me while participating in the Teen Challenge of St. Louis program: a) The right to seek remedy for any complaint; b) The right to submit a written complaint to my designated case manager; c) The right to grieve directly to any staff member; d) The right to direct access to the facility director and the government authority at some point in the grievance process; e) The right to submit a complaint in writing and to have assistance in writing the complaint if unable to read or write; f) The right for grievances to be resolved in a timely fashion generally within seven days.
__________
Applicant Signature Date
And while you are at it, take a good, long, hard look at #8!
8. I release Teen Challenge from all financial or legal responsibilities in case of accident, injury, illness or other misfortune.
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