Alan Scott's church rejects findings of report into misconduct allegations

Pastors Alan and Kathryn Scott during a service at Dwelling Place Anaheim.(Photo: RNS/Video screen grab)

Dwelling Place Anaheim has said it will not take any action in response to a report into the conduct of its pastor, Alan Scott.

The report was released earlier this month by his former church, Causeway Coast Vineyard (CCV) in Northern Ireland, and included allegations of "narcissistic behaviour" and "spiritual abuse".

Scott has declined to comment in a personal capacity on the conclusions of the report, which was carried out by Trusted HR.

In an update on the Dwelling Place website, the church announced that it would not be making a public statement on the report or taking action after finding fault with it.

The church specifically criticised anonymous reporting and said that the report had "relied on speculation rather than investigation for its 'findings'".

"We do not believe anonymous reporting is a biblical model for problem solving or dealing with those that are hurt," it said.

"Firstly, there is no way to respond to anonymous communication. Secondly, Matthew 18 calls for discussing such important matters in-person.

"This is the biblical prescription for understanding, forgiveness, and reconciliation."

Dwelling Place further said that Alan Scott "was explicitly targeted" in the CCV report, "yet no corroborating or opposing evidence was interviewed or discussed."

Elsewhere the church said that Scott's accusers did not respond to attempts by their own HR investigator to be interviewed and claimed that no allegations had been put to either Scott or the Dwelling Place board prior to the release of the report.

Scott led Causeway Coast Vineyard until 2017 when he came to the US to take charge of Vineyard Anaheim. He then controversially disassociated Vineyard Anaheim from Vineyard USA and renamed it Dwelling Place Anaheim.  

Vineyard USA has claimed that it was "unable to initiate and issue a similar investigation and formal report due to the lack of cooperation from the current board of Dwelling Place Anaheim". It has said that the findings of the CCV report "are consistent with the numerous testimonies that were brought to Vineyard USA since the dissociation of the Anaheim Vineyard in February 2022".