A New Statement on Recent Developments in Church Leadership
Read the Statement
Dear Coastal Family,
Clarifications
It grieves us to weigh you down with yet another statement. From the onset, we pled with Pastor Stokes to work with us, so we could resolve these issues biblically, to protect the church from stumbling, divisions, and dissension. This was and is our #1 priority. Through this process, we desired nothing more than accountability, repentance, and restoration for Pastor Stokes and his family. In our estimation, our act of grace has been used as a weapon against us.
“These are the things which you should do; speak the truth to one another; judge with truth and judgment for peace in your gates” (Zechariah 8:16).
There are 3 common questions that have arisen from many people: Why did the notification of the suspension have to be put out via the Coastal app and email instead of publicly at church; why wasn’t Pastor Matt given a chance to defend himself to the congregation; why isn’t Pastor Matt allowed back to the pulpit? We apologize for any seeming obscurity that was created on our part, as we truly were doing everything possible behind the scenes to preserve his reputation and to get him in agreement with the Elder Board and all mediators and professionals assisted in this process. Our main goal was to deal with the problems at hand, while protecting Pastor Matt and his family, and also to mitigate any collateral damage to our church family. Given the circumstances of Sunday April 24, we believe more specific information is warranted.
So, to the question why we didn’t make a public announcement at church instead of drafting a written statement? We tried. Multiple times. When the rumors became unmanageable, we sensed the urgency to draft a generic statement ready to be read on Thursday April 7th, and Sunday April 10th, at services. Contrary to Pastor Stokes statement in his letter, “3 insubordinate pastors were going to take the stage on Holy Week to make an unauthorized statement on my behalf.” During the Elders meeting, which Pastor Stokes did not attend, we sent the announcement to him in advance for him to participate in the process with us. He did not respond, but instead unilaterally texted 2 deacons (see text):
“John, Paul, elders are crafting a letter right now to be read tonight to the congregation. It will also be read on Sunday. The compromise was not accepted. I have no other choice but to terminate Matthew Maher for insubordination. And possibly Matthew Glancey. I don’t think John Shirk and Norm Johnson have the guts to get up there. Unfortunately Chris Einwechter also. According to legal counsel it is within the president’s authority to do this. But I would like to also have both of you as the voting majority of the deacons.”
Subsequently, instead of replying to the Elders request to make the announcement, he and a group of people showed up at the Thursday night service and were disruptive, enough so, that even Pastor Stokes decided it would be better to meet the following week for further discussion. We did so, but to no avail. Since so much slander and deceptive narratives were already being propagated, we felt it necessary to put out a written statement.
In Matthew 18:15-17 Jesus lays out directly the process for addressing sin within the church. We have followed this process.
Matthew 18:15, “If your brother or sister sins, go and point out their fault, just between the two of you...”
We, along with others, have individually met, spoken, and conferred with Pastor Stokes regarding areas of his life that demonstrate sins that have concerned us. These interactions have taken place many times over the past 6 months with no change in Pastor Stokes’s behavior.
Matthew 18:16, “But if they will not listen, take one or two others along, so that ‘every matter may be established by the testimony of two or three witnesses’...”
We have met with Pastor Stokes as a group, along with others in Coastal leadership, and also including professional Christian counselors, other Pastors, and spiritual mentors in Pastor Stokes’s life. These meetings have taken place many times over the past years and more centric over the past 6 months with no change in Pastor Stokes’s behavior.
Matthew 18:17, “If they still refuse to listen, tell it to the church...”
After it became clear that Pastor Stokes would not participate in a formal announcement to the church body, and due to the situation that occurred during the previous Thursday service (April 7th), where there was a statement ready to be read, we decided to draft a statement to the church. This was done with the hopes of preserving the integrity of our house of worship and putting out the many fires that were created through gossip, slander, and misinformation. We even worked to bring this to a resolution during Holy Week, again to no avail and even more defiance from Pastor Stokes.
Titus 1: 7-8: “Since an elder manages God’s household, he must be blameless—not overbearing, not quick tempered, not given to drunkenness, not violent, not pursuing dishonest gain. Rather he must be hospitable, one who loves what is good, who is self- controlled, upright, holy and disciplined.
I Timothy 3:1-7: “This is a faithful saying: If a man desires the position of a bishop, he desires a good work. A bishop then must be blameless, the husband of one wife, temperate, sober-minded, of good behavior, hospitable, able to teach; not given to wine, not violent, not greedy for money, but gentle, not quarrelsome, not covetous; one who rules his own house well, having his children in submission with all reverence (for if a man does not know how to rule his own house, how will he take care of the church of God?); not a novice, lest being puffed up with pride he fall into the same condemnation as the devil. Moreover he must have a good testimony among those who are outside, lest he fall into reproach and the snare of the devil.
Also See First Peter 5:1-4.
Pastor Stokes is not currently qualified to be an elder due to his active and ongoing violations of these minimum biblical requirements as per the bylaws and Scripture. After Pastor Stokes’s misleading “Lead Pastor’s Response Statement” on April 21st, as well as the actions taken the morning of April 24th, we submit to Christ’s instructions and “tell it to the church” (Matthew 18:17).
Per the Scriptures Above, An Elder MUST be blameless.
1. “... not given to drunkenness...”: Pastor Stokes downplayed his consumption of alcohol in the Lead Pastor’s Response Statement to be “wine and cheese with my wife.” Unfortunately, Pastor Stokes’s abuse of alcohol is well beyond this description and the following incidences directly led to our confrontation with Pastor Stokes that this is an ongoing and abusive sin. They have been properly investigated and substantiated.
We have a document available at your request to view specific timelines, charges, and personal contact numbers from people involved to confirm the facts at hand. The alcohol was precisely the issue that catapulted our desire for Pastor Matt to seek respite, help, and much needed restoration to spiritual health through a Sabbatical. And it was on Sabbatical that more issues with alcohol arose.
2. “...not pursuing dishonest gain...”: Pastor Stokes, through his Lead Pastor’s Response Statement as well as other means, has sought to confuse and misrepresent what has been happening the past six months. This is an effort to distort and hide the truth to discredit and remove the individuals who are biblically confronting him over his sin, namely the Elder Board.
“Do not receive an accusation against an elder except from two or three witnesses. Those who are sinning rebuke in the presence of all, that the rest also may fear. I charge you before God and the Lord Jesus Christ and the elect angels that you observe these things without prejudice, doing nothing with partiality”
(I Timothy 5:19-21).
One last note of importance: It saddens this group that Pastor Matt, along with other individuals, have hindered this process of repentance, accountability, and restoration. They have spread false information, slandered, organized plans to take over the pulpit during a worship service, and stirred up innocent congregants, who have a deep love for him as Lead Pastor. He has deferred all accountability for his sin from himself and his misdeeds and deflected blame on the Elders accusing them of a plot for a takeover. This is unequivocally false.
The reason Pastor Stokes is not allowed to take the pulpit and preach is because he is on suspension per the reasons listed in this statement, as well as a multitude of others; to be clear, he has not met the minimum requirements as laid out in our bylaws and in the Scriptures-- “conduct unbecoming a Pastor.” In many secular jobs, these offenses would result in immediate termination.
3. “Moreover he must have a good testimony among those who are outside, lest he fall into reproach and the snare of the devil” (1 Timothy 3:7). In addition to the above-mentioned issues, there are numerous other problem areas that are properly documented concerns, as well as testimonies from former staff/leaders that were improperly released, harassed, and mistreated by Pastor Stokes. In these written testimonials, there appears to be a history and pattern of misbehavior, mismanagement, and manipulative behavior, which has been allowed to continue through the last decade. They include and are not limited to: Women issues, Money issues, Leadership record, and Personality issues (bullying staff and manipulating decisions).
See Testimonials
Clarifications
It grieves us to weigh you down with yet another statement. From the onset, we pled with Pastor Stokes to work with us, so we could resolve these issues biblically, to protect the church from stumbling, divisions, and dissension. This was and is our #1 priority. Through this process, we desired nothing more than accountability, repentance, and restoration for Pastor Stokes and his family. In our estimation, our act of grace has been used as a weapon against us.
“These are the things which you should do; speak the truth to one another; judge with truth and judgment for peace in your gates” (Zechariah 8:16).
There are 3 common questions that have arisen from many people: Why did the notification of the suspension have to be put out via the Coastal app and email instead of publicly at church; why wasn’t Pastor Matt given a chance to defend himself to the congregation; why isn’t Pastor Matt allowed back to the pulpit? We apologize for any seeming obscurity that was created on our part, as we truly were doing everything possible behind the scenes to preserve his reputation and to get him in agreement with the Elder Board and all mediators and professionals assisted in this process. Our main goal was to deal with the problems at hand, while protecting Pastor Matt and his family, and also to mitigate any collateral damage to our church family. Given the circumstances of Sunday April 24, we believe more specific information is warranted.
So, to the question why we didn’t make a public announcement at church instead of drafting a written statement? We tried. Multiple times. When the rumors became unmanageable, we sensed the urgency to draft a generic statement ready to be read on Thursday April 7th, and Sunday April 10th, at services. Contrary to Pastor Stokes statement in his letter, “3 insubordinate pastors were going to take the stage on Holy Week to make an unauthorized statement on my behalf.” During the Elders meeting, which Pastor Stokes did not attend, we sent the announcement to him in advance for him to participate in the process with us. He did not respond, but instead unilaterally texted 2 deacons (see text):
“John, Paul, elders are crafting a letter right now to be read tonight to the congregation. It will also be read on Sunday. The compromise was not accepted. I have no other choice but to terminate Matthew Maher for insubordination. And possibly Matthew Glancey. I don’t think John Shirk and Norm Johnson have the guts to get up there. Unfortunately Chris Einwechter also. According to legal counsel it is within the president’s authority to do this. But I would like to also have both of you as the voting majority of the deacons.”
Subsequently, instead of replying to the Elders request to make the announcement, he and a group of people showed up at the Thursday night service and were disruptive, enough so, that even Pastor Stokes decided it would be better to meet the following week for further discussion. We did so, but to no avail. Since so much slander and deceptive narratives were already being propagated, we felt it necessary to put out a written statement.
In Matthew 18:15-17 Jesus lays out directly the process for addressing sin within the church. We have followed this process.
Matthew 18:15, “If your brother or sister sins, go and point out their fault, just between the two of you...”
We, along with others, have individually met, spoken, and conferred with Pastor Stokes regarding areas of his life that demonstrate sins that have concerned us. These interactions have taken place many times over the past 6 months with no change in Pastor Stokes’s behavior.
Matthew 18:16, “But if they will not listen, take one or two others along, so that ‘every matter may be established by the testimony of two or three witnesses’...”
We have met with Pastor Stokes as a group, along with others in Coastal leadership, and also including professional Christian counselors, other Pastors, and spiritual mentors in Pastor Stokes’s life. These meetings have taken place many times over the past years and more centric over the past 6 months with no change in Pastor Stokes’s behavior.
Matthew 18:17, “If they still refuse to listen, tell it to the church...”
After it became clear that Pastor Stokes would not participate in a formal announcement to the church body, and due to the situation that occurred during the previous Thursday service (April 7th), where there was a statement ready to be read, we decided to draft a statement to the church. This was done with the hopes of preserving the integrity of our house of worship and putting out the many fires that were created through gossip, slander, and misinformation. We even worked to bring this to a resolution during Holy Week, again to no avail and even more defiance from Pastor Stokes.
Titus 1: 7-8: “Since an elder manages God’s household, he must be blameless—not overbearing, not quick tempered, not given to drunkenness, not violent, not pursuing dishonest gain. Rather he must be hospitable, one who loves what is good, who is self- controlled, upright, holy and disciplined.
I Timothy 3:1-7: “This is a faithful saying: If a man desires the position of a bishop, he desires a good work. A bishop then must be blameless, the husband of one wife, temperate, sober-minded, of good behavior, hospitable, able to teach; not given to wine, not violent, not greedy for money, but gentle, not quarrelsome, not covetous; one who rules his own house well, having his children in submission with all reverence (for if a man does not know how to rule his own house, how will he take care of the church of God?); not a novice, lest being puffed up with pride he fall into the same condemnation as the devil. Moreover he must have a good testimony among those who are outside, lest he fall into reproach and the snare of the devil.
Also See First Peter 5:1-4.
Pastor Stokes is not currently qualified to be an elder due to his active and ongoing violations of these minimum biblical requirements as per the bylaws and Scripture. After Pastor Stokes’s misleading “Lead Pastor’s Response Statement” on April 21st, as well as the actions taken the morning of April 24th, we submit to Christ’s instructions and “tell it to the church” (Matthew 18:17).
Per the Scriptures Above, An Elder MUST be blameless.
1. “... not given to drunkenness...”: Pastor Stokes downplayed his consumption of alcohol in the Lead Pastor’s Response Statement to be “wine and cheese with my wife.” Unfortunately, Pastor Stokes’s abuse of alcohol is well beyond this description and the following incidences directly led to our confrontation with Pastor Stokes that this is an ongoing and abusive sin. They have been properly investigated and substantiated.
- On Monday October 18, 2021, in the morning, alcohol was detected on Pastor Stokes breath by an Elder and confirmed by two staff members. A third staff member expressed similar concern that they detected alcohol on him a month earlier on a Monday (at the church staff meeting).
- On Sunday, October 24, 2021, alcohol was once again detected by an Elder, where odd behavior was observable: avoidance of eye contact / walking aimlessly around with a camera during church services. This was Matthew Glancey’s Ordination Day.
- On Monday, October 25, 2021, an Elder confronted him in private and asked him if he had been drinking too much on Saturday night. He shrugged it off. The Elder assured him that if he smelled it on him at church the day before, then it’s likely that others may have as well. This was an attempt to protect Pastor Stokes’s credibility and a warning to be careful moving forward.
- On Monday, November 1st, Pastor Stokes’s demeanor raised speculation at a staff meeting. His eyes were half shut, and he slurred several times while speaking. He was further observed nodding off during the meeting. He was confronted yet again by one of our Directors after that meeting (this was at 1pm in the afternoon) who smelled alcohol on him from a foot away, to which Pastor Stokes replied, “Let’s keep this between us.”
- On Wednesday, November 3, 2021, three Elders met with Pastor Matt at his house and confronted him about alcohol abuse. He admitted he may have taken things too far but assured them he had everything under control. He spent the remainder of the time justifying his behavior rather than being repentant and remorseful over coming to work under the influence.
- Though there are other areas of spiritual concern that apply biblically to elders, these alcohol issues disqualify Pastor Matt as an Elder. The Elders, in consultation with Christian professionals and advisors, decided a Sabbatical with a coach and other resources would help him work through these sin issues, as well as other spiritual areas of concern.
- Pastor Matt told all of the Elders that he was not going to drink anymore to protect the ministry. He was unable to fulfill that commitment.
- During Sabbatical, alcohol continued to be an area of spiritual concern and sin:
- Pastor Stokes misappropriated church funds for the purpose of alcohol purchases both before and during the Sabbatical, as well as for personal expenses.
- A Florida church employee offered to have Pastor Matt stay at her home during his Sabbatical. The home was left in such disarray that she reported she did not want him back in her home. While cleaning her home, she found receipts documenting excessive alcohol purchases.
- A church attendee who also has a home in Florida near where Pastor Stokes was staying smelled alcohol on Pastor Stokes’s breath two mornings in a row. He sought to individually speak with him out of concern for his well-being.
- Pastor Stokes sent several texts pleading with a former female Coastal congregant (a recovering alcoholic), who would be considered a peer, to join him at a restaurant/bar one evening. We have reviewed these communications and consider it inappropriate for a Pastor to be out alone with a member of the opposite sex, even if a friend. After the woman joined him, she observed him consume three beers within 30/40 minutes. And then he proceeded to drive home after.
- On February 4th, after several people in Florida, who had directly observed Pastor Stokes’s behavior and had concerns spoke with Brian Hoffman (a former Coastal congregant, who runs a detox center), an intervention was attempted. Elder Rob Mellon participated by speaker phone. During the intervention, Pastor Stokes stated that the Elders bullied him into not drinking and that he didn’t need to continue to drink. Mr. Hoffman offered to have a Pastor on call and provide a scholarship to the center if needed. One of the participants in this intervention stated afterward: “I am a recovering alcoholic with 21 years of sobriety. I felt Matt was using the same techniques I did when I thought I could control my drinking.”
- The attempted intervention was not reported to the Elders until February 24th. The Elder who participated by phone instructed the other participants to “contain it,” and when asked by the other Elders if he knew anything about Pastor Matt and alcohol in Florida, he said he didn’t.
We have a document available at your request to view specific timelines, charges, and personal contact numbers from people involved to confirm the facts at hand. The alcohol was precisely the issue that catapulted our desire for Pastor Matt to seek respite, help, and much needed restoration to spiritual health through a Sabbatical. And it was on Sabbatical that more issues with alcohol arose.
2. “...not pursuing dishonest gain...”: Pastor Stokes, through his Lead Pastor’s Response Statement as well as other means, has sought to confuse and misrepresent what has been happening the past six months. This is an effort to distort and hide the truth to discredit and remove the individuals who are biblically confronting him over his sin, namely the Elder Board.
- Pastor Stokes did not cooperate with any offers of restoration that were laid out by the entire Sabbatical team, and twice tried to interrupt and autonomously insert himself into predetermined service flows while on suspension.
- In his Lead Pastor’s Response Statement, Pastor Stokes reported that seven pastors committed to “give assurance to the Coastal family in regard to his ministry and responsibilities.” While this is an ambiguous statement, without any formal process attached to it, we are encouraged by his desire for accountability. However, after speaking to several of these Pastors, we discovered that they did not know he was going to use their “agreement to accountability” in a letter like that. In addition, our greater concern, is that he show good faith through his ability to be accountable to the Board of Elders and Deacons that God has placed him with in leadership at Coastal. Since his conduct was a violation of our minimum requirements per Scripture and our bylaws, Pastor Stokes was put on suspension with a plan in place to restore him to the pulpit. All such restoration offers were turned down. His attempt to take the podium on Sunday, April 24, while still on suspension, was just another blatant act of willful defiance and a complete disregard of the Elder Board which governs our church.
- Pastor Stokes has stated that all of this has come about because of five officers attempting to take control of the church. Our church is governed by a total of nine Elders and Deacons (not including Pastor Stokes). Seven of these nine individuals agree with the process we have undertaken. Our actions have further been supported by Mark Emond, Pastor Gene Wilkins, Dave Wiedis of Serving Leaders Ministries, Terence Sikoryak, and Dr. Black. (We are unaware of anyone who is fully aware of what has transpired over the past six months that disagrees with the Elders decision to suspend Pastor Stokes and seek rehabilitation and restoration).
- This was NOT a bid for a hostile takeover, but rather movement from our Elder and Deacon board to hold Pastor Matt accountable for his sin with the hope of full restoration to his position as Lead Pastor. Sadly, he has led many people to believe this was about a $25 gift card misunderstanding and wine and cheese after dinner.
- There were inaccuracies reported in the Lead Pastor’s Response Statement pertaining to the operation of the church and its bylaws. These bylaws are a legal document governing the operation of our church. The specific legal provisions are beyond the scope of this communication. Pastor Stokes has engaged personal legal counsel to pursue the specifics of the bylaws and the Elders are participating in this process. As it relates to this communication regarding Pastor Stokes’s sins to the church, the Elders are governed not by legal principles, but by biblical instruction. While the Elders have followed the track laid out in the bylaws, they have been charged by the bylaws and the Bible to carry out church discipline.
“Do not receive an accusation against an elder except from two or three witnesses. Those who are sinning rebuke in the presence of all, that the rest also may fear. I charge you before God and the Lord Jesus Christ and the elect angels that you observe these things without prejudice, doing nothing with partiality”
(I Timothy 5:19-21).
One last note of importance: It saddens this group that Pastor Matt, along with other individuals, have hindered this process of repentance, accountability, and restoration. They have spread false information, slandered, organized plans to take over the pulpit during a worship service, and stirred up innocent congregants, who have a deep love for him as Lead Pastor. He has deferred all accountability for his sin from himself and his misdeeds and deflected blame on the Elders accusing them of a plot for a takeover. This is unequivocally false.
The reason Pastor Stokes is not allowed to take the pulpit and preach is because he is on suspension per the reasons listed in this statement, as well as a multitude of others; to be clear, he has not met the minimum requirements as laid out in our bylaws and in the Scriptures-- “conduct unbecoming a Pastor.” In many secular jobs, these offenses would result in immediate termination.
3. “Moreover he must have a good testimony among those who are outside, lest he fall into reproach and the snare of the devil” (1 Timothy 3:7). In addition to the above-mentioned issues, there are numerous other problem areas that are properly documented concerns, as well as testimonies from former staff/leaders that were improperly released, harassed, and mistreated by Pastor Stokes. In these written testimonials, there appears to be a history and pattern of misbehavior, mismanagement, and manipulative behavior, which has been allowed to continue through the last decade. They include and are not limited to: Women issues, Money issues, Leadership record, and Personality issues (bullying staff and manipulating decisions).
See Testimonials
Sal Ippolito, Coastal Christian Pastor 2012-2017
Steve Kiefer, Former Elder
David Shropshire, Former Elder
John Mirenda, Former Elder
We covet your prayers and know that we serve a God who makes messages out of our messes. We are continuing with our 40 days of prayer and expecting God to strengthen our entire body as we labor through this as Christ followers to a watching world.
If there are any other points that need clarification, please notify one of the Elders.
If there are any other points that need clarification, please notify one of the Elders.
The Elders of Coastal Christian