Federal lawsuit seeks to unseat COGIC General Assembly Chairman

Alleging abuse of power and refusal to abide by the Church of God in Christ constitutional mandates among other grievances, a 17 page federal lawsuit was filed November 8th in the US District Court of Northern Illinois against General Assembly Chairman, Bishop James Hunt, Sr.  The COGIC, Inc was also named as a defendant.

Hunt became Chairman of the General Assembly when Bishop J.O. Patterson Jr. of Memphis died in 2011.

The suit was filed by Pastor Andre Johnson, who is listed as the “court overseer”. [source]

Since the suit is not filed on behalf of the church’s Judicial Court, its unclear where the battle lines will fall in this case.

Johnson is no stranger to legal battles.  In 2008, he sued Kimberly Ann Lewis in the same court for libel, slander and assault. [source]  The suit identified Lewis as a member of St Paul COGIC in Detroit. According to court documents, the married pastor carried on a “brief but intense”  sexual relationship with Ms Lewis while on a ministry engagement in Detroit and that due to his deception, should be removed from office.  Johnson contended that the woman showed up at the 2008 Bishops Conference in Chicago to accused him openly but was later legally forced into silence about the case.  Johnson said he had already been disciplined by his jurisdictional bishop Robert Sanders for the adultery but what that discipline entailed is unknown. In 2009,  both parties agreed to an existing permanent injunction order. Read the full court case Johnson vs Lewis

This latest lawsuit reflects yet another example of how the church hierarchy seems to be imploding. Unable to quell the lust for power, authority and the money it brings, legal battles continue unabated.

We’ve posted the official court document under Letters and Documents.

RCA welcomes new addition to COGIC Judicial Board

For the first time since its reorganization in 1991, The Church of God in Christ is getting a real judge on its Judicial Board. The Honorable Judge Casandra Lewis,  a sitting Cook County Circuit Judge won election and will be inaugurated during the 107th Holy Convocation in St. Louis.

The Chicago native earned a B.A. from Roosevelt University, going on to receive her J.D. from John Marshall Law School. She was admitted to the bar in 1991. Prior to joining the bench in 2002, Lewis practiced law for 12 years with an emphasis on criminal and family law. She began as an assistant state’s attorney, later going on to establish her own firm.

Judge Lewis possesses the type of professional credentials which just might make a difference for the denomination in an area that has been plagued with intra-denominational power struggles. The greatest obstacle to a pure judiciary operating in the COGIC will be to establish its governing independence from the suffocating influence of the General Board.

Judge Lewis is an active member of many legal and judicial organizations and has held various positions in the Illinois Judicial Council, including secretary of the Council’s Taskforce on Liberia; assistant treasurer; and assistant secretary of the organization.  Additionally, for several years she has served as the Coordinator of the Law Day Program, which provides inner-city high school students with the opportunity to shadow judges for a day.  Judge Lewis was the recipient of the Chairperson’s Award in 2005, 2007 and 2012 in recognition of her outstanding work with the students.  Judge also received the Meritorious Award in 2008. [source]

The denomination’s ecclesiastical court was “established as both an ecclesiastical and appellate court, hearing disputes upon appeal from lower dispute resolution forums in the church and serving as the ultimate authority on matters of constitutional interpretation. This independent, objective branch of Church government shall have as its highest objective the protection of the rights of every member of the Church of God in Christ, Incorporated as set forth in the Constitution. The protection of those rights shall be without regard for official position or social station.” [source]

In our opinion, the vast majority of COGIC members are particularly clueless as to the Judiciary’s purpose, intent and applicable benefits available to them within the denomination. And COGIC leadership makes no attempt to educate or foster awareness.  An uninformed constituency is most likely what leadership values most.

Report COGIC Abuse congratulates Justice Lewis amid hopes that her tested jurisprudence will translate to real justice for every member of the Church of God in Christ, especially victims of clergy sexual predators.