Vineyard UK and the leadership of Causeway Coast Vineyard Church (CCV) have apologised after releasing preliminary findings into complaints relating to a former leader.
The review was commissioned in February 2023 in response to complaints about pastor Alan Scott and is being carried out by Trusted HR Ltd.
Trusted HR said it had "identified themes and repeated patterns of behaviour including examples of manipulation, inappropriate comments, narcissistic behaviour, and certain occurrences of public shaming and spiritual abuse".
"The allegations primarily relate to Alan Scott and have been put to him, but he did not respond," a joint statement by CCV and Vineyard UK said.
"In light of the initial findings, the National Directors and trustees of VCUKI, and the trustees, Senior Pastors and the senior leadership team of CCV acknowledge that wrong and hurtful conduct has occurred at CCV, and apologise to all those who were hurt, harmed, mistreated or in any way negatively impacted by their time at Causeway Coast Vineyard.
"The trustees of CCV acknowledge that they are responsible for the governance and oversight of CCV. They accept that they failed to spot some of the warning signs and did not have sufficient structures in place to ensure complaints came to the attention of trustees, and they apologise to those who have been hurt."
Scott now pastors Dwelling Place church in California. Dwelling Place used to be Vineyard Anaheim and was Vineyard USA's flagship church before Scott took the controversial step of disassociating it from the denomination in 2022.
The review will continue until the end of this month and a summary report with recommendations is due to be published four months later.
The statement by CCV and Vineyard UK added, "We are sorry that as a church we have not always acted well and been all that Jesus called us to be.
"We recognise the need to acknowledge the past and be transparent about what we got wrong.
"We hope that this interim statement and apology will, belatedly and in a small way, allow some to begin to move forward in their journey of healing and wholeness."
Anyone with safeguarding concerns relating to the review can contact Vineyard Churches UK & Ireland at ccv.report@vcuki.org.uk or by calling 01482 462690.
