Former Highpoint Church pastor Chris Conlee allegedly fired for physical assault of female staff member

According to a local, trusted source, Highpoint Church in Memphis fired its founding pastor Chris Conlee for assaulting a female staff member. Instead of reporting the assault to the police, church leaders paid Conlee and another disgraced, sexually abusive pastor, Andy Savage, a portion of about $700,000 in severance pay, according to a church financial statement of activities.

 If other low level staffers also received a severance package in 2018, what percentage of the total amount was doled out to these staffers and what percentage was doled out to Chris Conlee and Andy Savage?



The "employee settlement expenses" are listed under Non-operating income (expense). Also listed are "professional consultation and legal fees" of $251,019. 


At the time of the public release of Jules Woodson's story of sexual abuse by her then youth pastor, Andy Savage, Highpoint Church was a member of the Southern Baptist Convention. They have since removed their church from the convention. 

 Did Highpoint Church elders tell the congregation that their financial donations were going to pay off abusive pastors?





Comments

Anonymous said…
I know you are citing “trusted people “ who gave you this information but can it truly be corroborated?
I know many HP members who could not understand the quick departure of CC but would deny this report unless they had “proof”
Non -operating income could refer to anything.
Income doesn’t sound like an expense.
Andy S is still a full fledged member so proof would have to be given. Not heresay
Tuesday, February 26, 2019
Anonymous said…
So sad that not one person called 9-1-1 to get the police to the (alleged) scene. Someone should have called for the victim's sake, she was probably in terrible shock. That call should have been made at the time, even if charges weren't ultimately pressed.

If a co-worker collapses on the job, we would call for an ambulance, right? If a neighbor fell off of a ladder, we would call 9-1-1, right? If we saw a car veer off the highway and burst into flames, we would call for emergency help! I don't understand the reluctance to call 9-1-1 when a fellow Christian is (allegedly) getting chased down and assaulted by an enraged pastor. - posted by Song of Joy
Tuesday, February 26, 2019
Tom Kelley said…
“Non-operating income (expense)” means amounts listed in parentheses (the first two items) are expenses and amounts not in parentheses (the third item) are income.
Tuesday, February 26, 2019
Anonymous said…
You are wiilling to publish admittedly uncorroborated data. Whatever credibility you had is gone.
Wednesday, February 27, 2019
Anonymous said…
I’ve been glad for a long time now Amy , that people like you are out there to call out and question injustice and sexual abuse within the church. I believe placing right and wrong above church image and unchecked power, even if it s my home church. But this is just nonsense. Kinda like the game where someone tells a secret , and by the time it reaches the other side of the room , it’s completely different. Might be a good idea to check the facts vs your sources before putting pen to paper.
Thursday, February 28, 2019
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